3 Reviews Of Goodman's Is It Sad 

Our intrepid San Diego Bureau Chief Paul Silver decided to climb aboard the Maxies tour van - well, make that jet - and keep a journal while the pop-punk gods from Greenland toured the Land of the Rising Sun. Check out Paul's story and photos here...

Are SKATERS the second coming of the Strokes, the latest manufactured buzz band, or a bunch of NYC kids who just want to rock 'n' roll? We let Pete Kilpin explain it to you here...

Back in the NIneties, Jersey Beat published a second zine called GLUT entirely devoted to 7 inch reviews. With the renewed interest in vinyl, we thought this would be a good time to bring it back, and offer up reviews of 7 inches and digital singles. The first edition includes singles from Modern Chemistry, Holy City Zoo, Haunted America, and a split EP from Dudes Night and American Lies. Check it out here...

Over three nights - the first at South Williamsburg DIY venue Death By Audio, the next two at the more formal Music Hall of Williamsburg - Don Giovanni staged its annual label showcase with a dozen bands that epitomized the label's scope, eclecticism, and talent. John Ambrosio caught the third night with Screaming Females, Black Wine, Brick Mower, Priests, and California X. Read his report and check out his photos here...

You might know Jamie Frey as the garrulous frontman of local garage-punks the Brooklyn What, but now Jamie joins us as a Jersey Beat's reviewer. He takes on three current buzz bands, the latest from NYC's The Men, the solo album from the Beets' Juan Wauters, and the sophomore release from indie/roots chanteuse Angel Olsen here...

Everybody knows this is nowhere

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Deb Draisin reviews the new EP from NJ's veteran indie-pop treasure Fairmont, filled with chimey glockenspiel and intertwined male and female vocals on some of the band's newer and less heard tracks. Deb also reviews the Remix EP from the electronic post-punk pranksters Mindless Self-Indulgence.

Read her reviews here...

Two remarkable new female vocalists, singer/songwriter Odetta Hartman and Sun Looks Down's Diana Flanagan, are spotlighted in Jim Testa's latest reviews, along with New Brunswick stalwarts The Clydes and a tribute album to Harry Nilsson.

Read Jim's reviews here...

Long Island's sloppy ska-punks Bomb The Music Industry! put an exclamation point at the end of a 10 year career with a big show at Warsaw in Brooklyn. John Ambrosio was there with his pen and his camera; read and see his report here...

Neutral Milk Hotel disbanded shortly after the release of its magnum opus, In An Aeroplane Under The Sea, and its lead singer and songwriter Jeff Mangum went off the grid like a modern-day J.D. Salinger. Now the band is back, and our Jamie Frey caught they at the historic Loew's Theater in Jersey City. Read his review here...

Our Paul Silver went to see four bands at the Soda Bar in San Diego; only three of them showed up, but one of them was the Dickies and the other two rocked. Read his review here...

Rather than just have one person pen a review, we had a panel of five musicians, writers, and fans discuss Bruce Springsteen's High Hopes. Consensus? Hopes dashed. Write it here...

Slack On, Stephen

Stephen Malkmus has not released more albums as a solo artist than he did with his seminal 90's slacker-pop band Pavement, so what do we make of his latest? Layne Montgomery calls it "taut and poppy classic rock" in the vein of Malkmus' 2011 release, Mirror Traffic.

Read Layne's review here...

The Gradients, photo by Maverick Inman

The Gradients Bring Punk To Williamsburg

Jersey Beat's Jim Testa, Paul Silver, Mark "Bort" Hughson, Eric Walls, Zac Coe share their favorite music of 2013. Lists are our way of putting the past year in context; what lingers in the memory, what slipped under the radar, what will we return to in the future? Read on...

Mint 400 Records' new tribute to the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds both updates and honors the classic album, and the Gingerlys emerge from Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen with an effervescent pop sound that blends chill wave with power pop. Editor Jim Testa then grades some of the many releases that have come our way recently, including new albums by Dr. Skinnybones, Battleme, the Creepshow, Dismemberment Plan, Ezra Furman, Karyn Kuhl, Los Campesinos!, Lovers, Marc & Shane, Patches & Gretchen, Swellers, and Upset. With apologies and all respect to Robert Christgau, check out the Guide here...

Click here for listings...

NO FX - "Stoke Extinguisher" EP

THE SONGS OF TONY SLY: A TRIBUTE

THE MOIST BOYZ - V

NINE INCH NAILS - Hesitation Marks

DAVE HAUSE - Devour

BRICK + MORTAR - "Bangs" EP

MY HOMETOWN: A Tribute To New Jersey (Various Artists)

Editor Jim Testa checks out the latest album from New Brunswick's Sink Tapes and the debut EP from Two Strike Mark, as well as reviews of Boxed Wine, Quincy Mumford, and the new collaboration from Jeffrey Lewis and Peter Stampfel.
Read his reviews here...

From the atmospheric shoegaze Alcest to the new acoustic folk album from punk legend Kevin Seconds to pure pop-punk of London's Zatopeks, Paul's latest column is chock full of an eclectic mix of new recordings, including Braidedveins, Jane Ellen Bryant, City Lights, Ex Friends, Hand In The Ocean, The Instigation, J Prozac, Robot By The River, South Bay Bessie, Thee Oh Sees, and The Wag. Read Paul's column here... What's new at Iris Records? Stephen Gritzan reviews new releases from Honduras, Gillian, and young NJ singer/songwriter Brett Steinberg. Read Stephen's review here... by Joe Wawzyrniak Joe W. dips into the Jersey undergrounds with reviews of new releases by Ropetree, Lost In The Trees, Lifeguard Nights, and Graham Repulski, then reviews new releases from an eclectic mix including Demitasse, Butcher KNives, and Valery Trails. Jenny & The Felines serve up some sassy pop rock from New Jersey; that's Joe W. standing under the mistletoe. He also reviews new end of the year releases from Reckless In Vegas; singer/songwriters Terry McCarthy, Matt Boroff, and Daniel Canna; and the comedy stylings of Kill the Band. Read Joe's column here... Eric provides an in depth analysis of the latest from Scandinavian Black Metal gods Behemoth, then reviews new releases by EtHERESENS, Pro-Pain, Vanishing Point, Riotgod, Issues, and Iron Savior. Read his column here... Rich freaks out over the latest from punk/metal progenitors Motorhead and reviews new albums from Young Turks, Isolated, and Mickey Melchiondo's long-dormant Stooges-esque duo Moistboyz. Jersey Beat's Paul Silver has revived his long-dormant label Radius Records and Rich has nothing but good things to say about its first release, a split EP from Gentlemen Prefer Blood and Hands Like Bricks. Rich also reviews new releases from "one of hardcore's most authentic scene veterans, Terror, and the latest from Jersey City's Black Numbers Records, an album from Placeholder. Read Rich's column here... By Tony B. Chicago punk rock has no greater godfather than Marc Ruvolo, from bands like No Empathy through his landmark punk label Johann's Face to his sci fi/fantasy book store, Bucket O'Blood. Now Marc is back with a solo acoustic EP, and Tony B. reviews it here...