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PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY (3/8/00):"That's My Jam: Longsleeves All Summer Long, Storm Tower Records. If there were a show on the WB that speculated what Joy Division would be like as well-to-do, cynical, funny and sweet American teenagers–and why isn’t there, I ask you?–overlord would have those roles cold. Having gone through a record five drummers in one year–and still playing shows to 40 people (if they’re lucky)–overlord have nevertheless issued a coup de grace, a testament to the downtroddenness of the human spirit. "Longsleeves" pogos along in the manner of the best early Factory singles or first Cure album. "Well, it’s a funny world we live in/ And by ‘funny,’ I mean not funny at all" taunts the opening line of this teenage call to arms, a sort of "Bela Legosi’s Dead" for all the kids who thought that song was a little too scary for its own good. Instead, "Longsleeves" carries on with the tempo of "Turning Japanese" and the fervent commentary of the Smiths’ "Panic." It takes guts to make music like this, and even more to live the tunes in the way that overlord does. I mean, how many times can you be asked, "Aren't you hot in that?" anyway?". Article by Joey Sweeney.

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PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY (12/9/98): "Editor's Picks: overlord. This West Philly quartet's latest album, A Finishing Picture , plays fast and loose with its influences: early New Order, early Cure, early Smiths... overlord picks among these flowers well, and we'd like to take this time to mention that this is the most audaciously, sublimely unfashionable release we've heard this year. We applaud their courage, wit and determination. overlord celebrates the release of this petite gem tonight. Go. Wed., Dec. 9, 10 p.m. The Khyber, 56 S. Second St. 215.238.5888. Article by Joey Sweeney."

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PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY (4/8/98): PHILLY MUSIC A TO Z: ...the band's first record... is a well-conceived, well executed and well-produced little gem that's not nearly as fatalistic as Pasles would have you believe. Whether it's the peppy Devo-esque paean to athiesm ("Am I Wrong?") to the Cure-ish bombast of "Esspy" to the Flock of Seagulls dreaminess of "Filler" to the Smiths jangle of "Why Can't I," it's still a pretty upbeat record." Full text

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY (2/11/98): "Editor's Picks: A trio of young'uns out in West Philly... decided to scrap their homework in favor of a dark passion called rock music. They slapped a metal moniker on themselves and started producing some of the most infectious synth-goth-psych-pop we've heard in Philly in a while...Upstairs at Nicks." Article by Jill MacDowell.

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PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY (12/10/97): "DISC LIST: THIS WEEK's RECORDS...**** (four stars of four) ...proud to say this awesome record comes straight outta West Philly... It's heavy, heavily infectious new wave that plays like the soundtrack to an action and fang packed episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer; recommended if you like My Dad Is Dead or Ultra Vivid Scene...Exceptional." Article by Jill MacDowell.

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PHILADELPHIA CITY PAPER

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PHILADELPHIA CITY PAPER: (4/15/99)"WEB OF SOUND: The same thinking that inspired this mopey '80s-style band to brand themselves with a hair metal name must also be responsible for their strange Web page. The design has a refreshing schizophrenic nature. The main page is adorned with odd black-and-white photos of men with doll's heads, couples in gas masks and people holding giant pants. The lettering blinks and/or scrolls across the screen. The effect is disorienting, but mild in comparison to the inane madness that lies below the surface. With a click of the mouse one is thrust into seemingly irrelevant storehouses of data such as an extensive list of Batman paraphernalia, the semi-fictional Web site of the bizarre small Pennsylvania town Chapelsnap and a memorial to the video-game inspired cartoon "Pole Position" (complete with character filmography and sound clips). And these are just a few of the brilliantly demented treasure-troves to be explored." Article by Brett Burton.

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PHILADELPHIA CITY PAPER (4/8/99): "HearHere: A Finishing Picture's mix of minor-melodic vocals, driving guitar riffs and tom-tom heavy drum licks recalls what was great about early '80s mope rock. Remember when music could be peppy, pensive and mournful at the same time? The brooding, synthesizer-driven ballads display an affection for the Magnetic Fields. Ah, if only John Hughes were making teen angst flicks these days…"Article by Neil Gladstone.

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