Quickspins + Retro Review

Surfer Blood – Tarot Classics [EP] (Kanine; 2011) 

After the major success of their debut album, Astro Coast, Surfer Blood treats fans to a four-track EP, with two additional remixes. There is an undercurrent of angst present in these songs, very reminiscent of ‘90s lo-fi college rock, showcasing a departure from the light, surf-rock of their debut towards something in the vein of The Pixies meets The Smiths. You can file Tarot Classics under “C” for cash grab (and crap!), as a final attempt by Brooklyn-based indie label Kanine Records to make a profit off the band’s leftover tracks following their signing with Warner Bros. Records, a bold and potentially fatal move, as the word “sellout” comes to mind. In keeping with the fortune telling theme of the title, I foresee a bumpy road ahead for the dudes of Surfer Blood, but with so much money backing their project, it’s unlikely they will be seeing The Tower card.

Trial track: “Voyager Reprise”

Rating: 5.0/10

– Paul Traunero

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (Sour Smash; 2011)

Following his departure from Oasis in 2009, Noel Gallagher’s debut solo album is blissful, passionate and engaging, to say the least. The 10-track self-titled album flows well, with a harmonious balance between the instrumentals and Gallagher’s vocals. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds begins with a rocking track “Everybody’s On The Run” that blends a desperate melody with Noel’s rock roots. The single “The Death Of You And Me” is gentle, but fun, taking a page from the books of iconic bands like The Beatles. The songwriting doesn’t disappoint either; it falls between catchy and simple, but at the same time touches listeners in a similar way that Oasis once did. Even without Liam Gallagher’s heart-shattering voice, big brother Noel proves that he can produce something that is by all means beautiful in a raw and honest way.

Trial track: “AKA…What A Life!”

Rating: 8.0/10

– Kalina Laframboise

This Is Hell – Black Mass (Rise Records; 2011)

Imagine one of the really crazy things you have done in your life: bombing downhill on a skateboard made of plywood and lawnmower wheels, pulling off your first back flip on a motorcycle held together by Elmer’s school glue, or any other asinine thing that puts an ear to ear grin on your face and a burning in your groin. This Is Hell’s newest album, Black Mass, is the soundtrack to that event, giving you ten tracks of metal-core the likes of which you have never heard. Metal-core has been around for a long time, but This Is Hell brings a fresh sound to it, combining hardcore punk with a late ‘80s speed metal sound. The concept may sound tired, but it’s such a fresh take on the genre, and something that it desperately needed. Listen to this album next time you engage in 300 m.p.h. chicken races in wicker shopping carts, because that’s when it will shine.

Trial track: “Salt The Earth”

Rating: 10/10

– Mat Barrot

Slayer – Reign In Blood (Def Jam Recordings; 1986)

From the iconic cover depicting an anthropomorphic goat reigning in Hell, to the lyrics describing Josef Mengele’s human experiments on camp inmates, even children, in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, Reign in Blood is one of thrash metal’s all-time greatest albums. I play it when I’m having a hard time falling asleep; it’s so permeated with hate and anger that when I listen to it, the wall of noise cancels out everything else that I’m worried about and leaves me in a comfortable zen-like state. Dave Lombardo’s speed and aggression on drums is a huge reason why Reign in Blood put Slayer on the mainstream metal map. Sharing the same nickname that was given to Mengele, “Angel of Death,” although controversial in its lyrical content, truly exemplifies Slayer’s game plan: fast, lean and filthy. Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King’s intricate guitar riffs and Lombardo’s killer double-bass ensure that you’ll be pumped and ready to maul any intruder, should one make the mistake of infiltrating your home.

Trial track: “Angel of Death”

– Myles Dolphin

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