This Week's Releases

Trust Punks — Double Bind (Spunk)

The Auckland band have "ratcheted up the tension and broadened their interpretation of post-punk" in this album. The band are "forward-thinking musicians", "never content to sit in the box" with this album, and "keep twisting and manipulating relatively simple songs into inventive musical shapes". Trust Punks are "leading the charge with distinction". We gave it four stars and our Album Of The Week. 

Periphery — Periphery III: Select Difficulty (Roadrunner/Warner)

Periphery are keen to confuse you with this album. They explore "zipped yet charged" vocals, a string section, "a clean-toned lick" and "long-winded breakdowns", with highlights like Motormouth, Marigold, Remain Indoors and Habitual Line-Stepper. The band have not "[taken] as many elements as one would have thought from Omega". We gave it three stars.

Bear's Den — Red Earth & Pouring Rain (Communion/Caroline)

The band combine American rock and English folk in Red Earth & Pouring Rain, the band pouring his soul into songs like Napoleon. They "[channel] all their emotions into powerful folk ballads" and the album is "a great album to take on a long drive to think things through or just cry". We gave it three-and-a-half stars. Please pass the tissues.