It is a general rule in most forms of journalism that the usage of the first person is huge no-no. While music reviewing allows a little leeway in regards to the “I” word, it’s still something that writers should use sparingly. Now that the groundwork has been laid, I got to be honest. I’m stuck in the fucking past – 1990 to 1999 to be specific. To this day I am still stubbornly biased towards Midwestern post-punk from that era. Examples: Christie Front Drive, Prozac Memory, Back of Dave, No Knife, Drive Like Jehu, Boy’s Life, Giant’s Chair, Vitreous Humor, and on and on and on. So it’s difficult to swallow how twee-mo bands are spawning like guppies while outfits that harkens back to this era are all but non-existent.

Memphis’ Arma Secreta is a rare exception to this trend. On its debut LP A Century’s Remains, Arma Secreta shows that not only does it tip its cap to the past but also surpasses some of them, too. With blistering hooks and intricate melodies throughout, Arma Secreta’s songs don’t just grab a melody and milk it for three minutes, but contain plenty of infectious shifts and transitions that push this disc past the fifty-minute mark. While A Century’s Remains is chalk full of memorable songs, it’s “Turin Style” that stands heads and shoulders above the rest. Running over six minutes, it has a chorus that will be churning around your head for perpetuity. It may be April, but A Century’s Remains is without a doubt one the best records you’ll pick up this year. – David Lichius (2006, The Daily Copper)