Justin: Sometimes you're glad when a band isn't joking. Taft's Brigade is that band. Like hardcore? Like history? Like the idea that any single one of us nerds can start a band? Then this band is for you. It's a hardcore band that studies the minutia of history and makes short, fast songs about it. How can you not love it? How many more questions can I put in this writeup? Why shouldn't we eat the yellow snow? I don't know.

Taft's Brigade at Myspace - 4 downloadable songs

Aubin: Speaking of hardcore, one of the most underrated and excellent hardcore acts around has to be Brooklyn, NY's Hiretsukan. Dynamic, passionate music as much Converge as Drive Like Jehu, and powered by one of the most incredible frontwomen in any genre. The band released End States last year on G7 and you can check out two tracks here:
Hiretsukan - "Manual Function" Hiretsukan - "Click and Repeat"