JULY 2003 CD reviews

THE BLACK KEYS
THICKFREAKNESS
FAT POSSUM
Just in case you thought Bassholes, Flat Duo Jets, and The White Stripes were alone in the guitar/drums duo combination, here is The Black Keys. Like the aforementioned groups, the sparearrangement guides the sound toward a rugged, post-blues rock primitivism. This group does have an alt-blues sound and pays homage to the latest of the masters of the basic groove trance blues by covering Junior Kimbrough's "Everywhere I Go".
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

BUZZCOCKS
S/T
MERGE RECORDS
Buzzcocks was one of the big three original punk bands that emerged in ‘76/’77, along with The Sex Pistols and The Clash. Famous for such songs as "Orgasm Addict", "Something’s Gone Wrong Again" and "Ever Fallen in Love (with Someone You Shouldn’t Have Fallen in Love With?)," the band broke up in ’81 after releasing three studio records. The Buzzcocks’ trademark sound was much more pop and melody oriented than other Brit punk bands of the time, kind of like The Beatles on speed to my mind, and the band’s lyrics often exhibited a sense of wry humor. The band’s current line-up, which includes original members (and songwriters) Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle, as well as newcomers Tony Barber (bass) and Phil Barker (drums) got together in 1993 and have since released several records, this being the fourth. Melody still plays a strong part in the band’s sound, as well as harmonic, strong vocals and driving beats. My favorite cuts here are "Sick City Sometimes", "Jerk", "Driving You Insane", and "Stars", which actually have a darker sound and remind me of early Joy Killer and recent TSOL. If you like solid, fast-paced songs with intelligent lyrics and catchy guitar, I highly recommend this.
– TEKOLOTE

PELICAN
PELICAN
HYDRA HEAD RECORDS
Imagine if old Isis were completely instrumental. You would be left with Pelican. In fact, it is pretty hard to differentiate the two—the similarities are that astonishing...but both bands are on Hydra Head. If you are into Isis (pre-experimental phase), you should definitely check out this nearly half-hour, four-song EP. This is the heaviest, most brutal chugging collection of instrumental songs. It almost sounds like it could be background music to a horror film. Definitely not for some, but a must-have for fans of dark droning doom/sludgecore and open-minded aficionados of instrumentals alike. This is quite a refreshing treat to lyrically-moronic hardcore. This is the essence of heavy doom/sludgecore stripped of its lyrics (which many of bands of this genre fumble over)—proof that pummeling music does not need words to convey meaning. Pelican is truly unique and definitely worth a listen.
-Dr. Gabe Follis

MORE THAN ME
GET READY
SELF-RELEASED CD
More Than Ready's three-song sampler is a sanitized, listener-friendly romp through the lighter side of alternative rock, fitting somewhere in between the kiddie punk of Simple Plan with the sunnier side of 311. This cheeky upstate NY quartet has a ton of bounce in its delivery, complete with melodies that you can't help but sing along or bob your head to. Stellar production captures this group at its best, while the ska-punk soft touch More Than Me showcases is bound to tug at more than a few pre-teen female heartstrings. Like downing a pixie stick, More Than Me's disc gives you a temporary rush of sweetness that everyone needs every now and then. www.morethanme.com
-Mike SOS

FALL OUT BOY
TAKE THIS TO YOUR GRAVE
FUELED BY RAMEN
I was quite surprised by this, Fall Out Boy's sophomore full-length release. Their previous album was a tad bit weak for my taste, but this new album shows a great deal of progress and musicianship. These 12 pop-punk sing-alongs will engrave themselves in your head and will head-bob you to sleep at night. "Saturday" and "Calm Before the Storm" even feature some pretty impressive hardcore-esque growling—wowee! This album immediately reminds me of The Stereo's THREE HUNDRED without piano and with a more rocking/guitar emphasis. Although I am not really their biggest fan, if you jam out to The Stereo, Alkaline Trio, August Premier, Saves the Day, or Knockout, this is definitely a required addition to your record collection. Fall Out Boy sounds like it could be this summer's fun band, so go pour yourself a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade, throw a pool party, and crank it, baby.
-Dr. Gabe Follis

THE CHAINS
ON TOP OF THINGS!
GET HIP
This Montreal band has got a big backbeat and exquisite songs with a harmonica-playing lead vocalist. The band has a tight, focused, song-oriented style, but with a basic, unadorned, garage-rock delivery. There are hints of R&B and an easy, swinging style to this music. This makes the album a real time capsule, but production is top-notch, so it is modern where it counts.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

XYZ
LETTER TO GOD
SELF-RELEASED CD
XYZ? The '80s L.A. metal band? Yeah, that's the one. Well, besides the fact that only one founding member remains, not much has changed since the group's last release in the early '90s. This release contains 15 tracks of melodic hard rock with biting guitars, arena-rock hooks, and tons of keyboards to accentuate the hard-rock atmosphere. It's the formula that garnished the outfit praise nearly a decade ago...but will it fly in the year 2003? Figuring that it's worth a shot, XYZ goes for it, even going as far as to remake two of the band's "hits", "Inside Out" and "What Keeps Me Loving You", more radio-friendly, as well as reprising the song "Tango" in Spanish. Talk about covering all bases! Marketing ploys aside, if people still flock to the annual Poison summer tour and get excited over special hair-metal radio programs, then XYZ may be able to salvage something here, after all. www.xyzmusic.com
-Mike SOS

EASTWEST
HOPE IN ANGUISH
FLOODGATE RECORDS
These guys sound like they'd lick your ass live. Intriguing music. They remind me of that nuradio band, Celldweller (which I'm not sure would be a compliment to Eastwest). This is an excellent album, with a number of standout tracks, like the rollicking "Seven" or finely-tuned "The Final Say". Heavy-metal rock. I like them, even if the band does thank Tommy Lee and Jesus Christ in their footnotes—humorously, in that order.
-Emily Kendy

MERCURY BOY
GET IT GOIN'
JAFZI RECORDS
This is a four-song EP of pop-rock from the sci-fi-themed Mercury Boy. The idea here definitely is a fun party atmosphere. simply putting a smile on people's faces. A great example is the signature track "Bus Driver", in which a pied piper of the good life uses operating an omnibus as a metaphor. There are shades of Billy Idol and a retro pop feel to this CD.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

NICOTINE
SCHOOL OF LIBERTY
ASIAN MAN RECORDS
Nicotine is Japan's answer to NOFX and Green Day. While this disc has already been released in Japan (and has sold exceptionally well), the folks at Asian Man Records decided to make it more accessible for the fans over in the States. After listening to it once, fans of genuine anthemic punk rock with a message will be thankful to Mike Park and the gang. The choruses are easy to sing along to, and the music is crisp sounds good. Some of the highlights include a parody of the beginning of a Snoop Dogg song and a cover of Green Day's "Basketcase". The band can more than hold their own with their original stuff, as well, the best tracks being "Dream of Summer Days", "Get the Liberty", and "Kick Against the Pricks". The CD is fast, fun, and aggressive. If you like NOFX, you'll get a kick out of Nicotine. The band combines the musical sound of NOFX with the optimistic, goofy attitude of Green Day—so how can they go wrong? Just like the drug, the band's music is addicting.
-Dane Jackson

VARIOUS ARTISTS
ULTIMATE DISCO: 30TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION
UNIVERSAL/MADACY ENTERTAINMENT
This two-CD set is culled from the most recognizable fare of that '70s dance genre. Featured artists from the disco pantheon include Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, and The Village People. But whereas some of the artists' names may be not as familiar, the music certainly is, including "Funkytown" (Lipps, Inc.), "Car Wash" (Rose Royce), and "Flashdance (What a Feeling)" (Irene Cara). Each artist gets a paragraph and photograph in the thick, color booklet.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

MINDLESSANITY
PURELY MENTAL
SELF-RELEASED
NYC-based hard rockers Mindlessanity bring back the guitar-driven big hooks of the '80s without the silly imagery and questionable fashions on their latest release. Bluesy, ballsy, and just left of center enough to be quirky, the well-crafted songs they write reflect their good deal of experience, evoking the swagger of bands like Van Halen and Motley Crue, by going the extra mile, whether it be through clever vocal phrasing (a major strength of this outfit) or by simply revving on all gears and letting it rip, such as on the boogie shuffle of "Gasoline" or the Sunset Strip teaser of "Davies Song". When in doubt, Mindlessanity can also make you take a chill pill and have you zone out to the acoustic styling of "Forsaken", but not before they make you raise your fists and rock out to the ultra-anthemic "One Life". In a place as rough as the musical terrain of NYC (where everyone changes musical direction like underwear), Mindlessanity let their confident hard-rock stomp do all the talking. www.mindlessanity.com
-Mike SOS

E.TOWN CONCRETE
THE RENAISSANCE
RAZOR AND TIE
This is different than any other hardcore band trying to incorporate rap I've ever seen. Maybe it's just because E.Town is a familiar face for me that I can't make the obvious comparison to a heavier Visit web sitein Park...but trash that. You can't call this band anything other than a hardcore band with rap styles incorporated; but the lyrics are solid and tight and show some higher level of skill. Example: the first song is titled "mandibles". I'm sure quite a lot of people couldn't tell E.Town what that means ("jawbones," in case you're one of them). If you like Wu-Tang and Madball, you'll really enjoy this CD.
-Franny

ERIC IDLE
ERIC IDLE PRESENTS THE RUTLAND ISLES
iMUSIC
Eric Idle was one of the funny men who made up the ground-breaking and side-splitting comedy colossus, Monty Python. On ERIC IDLE PRESENTS THE RUTLAND ISLES, Eric Idle is host Nigel Spasm in this "award-seeking documentary." Nigel Spasm shows us two locations within the fictitious Rutland Isles: the Isle of Paranoia and the Overly Friendly Isles. There are songs such as "Gay Animal Song" and silly bits such as "Mugger's Day". Idle is as funny as ever. This is funny, funny, super funny stuff. I dare you not to wet your pants.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

LOADED DREAMS
IN IT BUT NOT OF IT
LOADED DREAMS
Dream-pop from Loaded Dreams is a soft, hazy, bemusing spell that fills a room with a warm, pleasant aura. Vocalist Lynda Kady has her vocals accented by the tasteful inclusion of brown-toned viola on this album. Some of the music has a somewhat dark undertone, like the Bauhaus opening to "Collide", but this is generally feel-good music with a sunny atmosphere. Loaded Dreams is a more open, upward-looking, and smiling descendant of the shoegazer sound.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

SEA OF GREEN
CHEMICAL VACATION
THE MUSIC CARTEL
Canadian trio Sea of Green returns with 12 tunes on CHEMICAL VACATION, and while the band defies the stoner-rock moniker, it's hard not to feel all warm and fuzzy inside after hearing the thick riffs that comprise "Ashes to Dust" and "Overwhelmed". Having as much in common with Sabbath as they do Soundgarden, Sea of Green's post-psychedelic grunge is a welcome relief from the hip-hop flavor that has invaded the rock genre. Despite the band's penchant for digging in and producing snarling guitars and hypnotic rhythms, there's still some room left for the band to give us "Unite", an acoustic, Latin-tinged voyage into your subconscious. www.seaofgreenrocks.com
-Mike SOS

BULLET TRAIN TO VEGAS
PROFILE THIS
LETTERBOMB RECORDINGS
Bullet Train to Vegas is very aggressive, very social, and very political. The six songs that make up PROFILE THIS come at the listener with a furious pace—and before you know it, the music is over. This will probably leave you with a desire for more. Not only is this music fast and furious, but it's also very experimental and filled with depth. On the title track, there are numerous tempo changes and bridges. There is enough going on with the music in this CD so that you will want to give it more than one listen. If you like indie rock infused with heavy rock and a slight undertone of power-pop appeal, then this is a necessity. Not only do the lyrics make you think a bit, but the music gets you excited.
-Dane Jackson

METAPHOR IS AUDIO
YOUR NEW FACE OF CORRUPTION
SELF-RELEASED
Metaphor is Audio sets itself apart with their first full-length, YOUR NEW FACE OF CORRUPTION. The five-piece band showcases a fun and catchy sound, ridden with keyboards and catchy riffs. This album WILL make you smile, sing along, and dream of sunny blue skies. Not only has Metaphor is Audio perfected the art of making their audience smile, they have mastered creating a professional-sounding breakdown in nearly every one of their songs and successfully utilize harmonizing to enhance their sound. Grab yourself a copy before they become huge! www.metaphorisaudio.com
-tChow

HAWNAY TROOF
" WHO WANTS TA?" EP
RETARD DISCO
Hawnay Troof is a horny dog named Vice Cooler from Montgomery, AL, and his sidekick, 900 DIXXX. Sounding like off-brand Ween meets 2 Live Crew, this disc is a funny, obscene check-out-the-size-of-my-dick rappin' romp. With song titles like "We Got Big Dix" and "13 Wayz ta Get Hard" I couldn't take Hawnay Troof too seriously...but I could crank it up and get a big kick out of it.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

RESISTENCIA
RESISTENCIA
RESISTENCIA
This four-song EP from this Chicano trio is a breathless run-through of their set of clamorous, noisy punk. With lyrics in English and Spanish, the group plays it fast, hard, loose, and angry in their clamorous, Hispanic, street-punk way.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

NASUM
HELVETE
RELAPSE
Nasum may be the most devastating Swedish metal band around today—and judging by the vast competition in the Swedish scene, that's a lot for this group to live up to. But Nasum does just that—and so much more—on the 22-track offering HELVETE (Swedish for "Hell," by the way), an extreme metal opus that picks up right where the crushing sonic stew of HUMAN 2.0 left off. What makes Nasum the entity it is is that while the band is punishing, brutal, and ferocious (all traits that make them the beloved of the extreme metal scene), Nasum has also mastered the art of groove and the nuances of dynamics, utilizing both tools to further the band's savage blend of grind, death, punk, and hardcore metal. Other bands may get heavier or louder, but they don't get any better at doing everything as cohesively as Nasum, whose brand of grinding extreme metal should be a blueprint for all extreme bands to follow. www.relapse.com
-Mike SOS

SUNZ OF ALIEN TECHNOLOGY
THE TELEVISION WILL NOT BE REVOLUTIONISED
REAL POP RECORDS
Silicon Valley's brassy conspiracy theorists Sunz of Alien Technology perform their twisted concept opus in an effort to warn us of the FBI, CIA, UFOs, and pretty much every other acronym you can think of. The live show includes the band wearing masks, military uniforms, wacky hats, and damn near anything else that will grab some attention. Since the band's creation by several media-savvy computer nerds, they have morphed from a Tubes-like live show to a Zappa-influenced genre of computer pop that simultaneously fascinates and repulses the listener. Even the names of the band members (Huge, Strange, J Sun, Dr. When, and General UBU) tend to get on the nerves. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that the band really doesn't have a name, just three symbols. Go to their Website at www.sunz.com, because if anybody should have some flashy graphics, it ought to be these guys.

-DUG
MILPAS
KING GORP OF AGOURA
DOUGHMAIN RECORDS
Milpas has a vocalist that often sings in the style of Dave Vanian: prone to a falsetto and drawn-out final syllables. Combine this with keyboard-based rock, and the album often sounds akin to PHANTASMAGORIA by The Damned. Milpas also goes in the direction of progressive rock in the way the guitars and drums are used and arranged. This formula is never used in a way that really engages this listener on this generally ill-conceived album of metal-influenced indie pop.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

PRODUCT OF YOU
TWO-SONG SAMPLER
SELF-RELEASED CD
Product of You's two-song sampler shows a band that cut its teeth on the metal scene of the '90s, as the scream/sing effect coupled with the disjointed guitar is very much apparent here. Taking pages from early Staind, Machine Head, and Korn, Product of You's heaviness is in your face, unbridled, and really catchy, making this release a nice appetizer for those who enjoy aggressive music that energizes. www.productofyou.com
-Mike SOS

THE DIVORCE
THERE WILL BE BLOOD TONIGHT
FUGITIVE RECORDINGS
It's been an uphill struggle for the West Coast to contend with the East Coast's shit-hot rock 'n' roll renaissance, but they seem to have turned a corner with the full-throttle arrival of bands like The Pattern and The Vue. Seattle natives The Divorce are the ground commanders of the Northwestern division of the West Coast's new rock alliance, and their brash, Technicolor ruckus harks back to the days when Jawbox and Jawbreaker were both major-label entities. Nervy guitars and agitated new-wave blips send "Catch You Disappointed" hurtling into hyperspeed; the strident vocals and hydrochloric guitars of Shane Berry cauterize the undulating rhythmic underpinnings of "Samoa's Revenge"; and a martial cadence and teetering synths form the beating heart of barn-burner "Redcoats". While there's no denying that The Divorce are far better than the scores of grunge imitators the city has been pumping out since the early '90s, their buzzy new-wave shtick wears thin by album's end, leaving one to wonder if they've got anything left in their bag of tricks for the next go-'round. Only time will tell.
-Jason Jett

SKINDRED
BABYLON
BIELER BROTHERS
Skindred is a reggae-infused metal troupe whose latest, 12-track release is quite different than anything heard on the aggro side of the fence. At times it evokes the spirit of Bob Marley and The Police, while at others it takes the bedlam of Bad Brains and mixes it with the undeniable genius of The Clash (even sampling pieces of "London Calling" in "The Fear"). Led by ex-Dub War frontman Benji, this British quartet makes a new type of danceable metal by mixing the dancehall sound with some White Zombie/Static X technofied metal for a hip-shaking, headbanging hell of a good time. Skindred may piss a lot of metal people off, but don't all groundbreaking bands start off that way? If you're looking for something different but definitively heavy, Skindred brings the sunshine to a generally grey metalhead world—and may be the most ambitious project this side of System of a Down. www.skindred.com
-Mike SOS

JAGA JAZZIST
ANIMAL CHIN EP
GOLD STANDARD LABS
One of the unsung heroes of Scandinavia's recent Stateside invasion, 10-member futuro-jazz outfit Jaga Jazzist stands poised on the cusp of greatness. A precursor to their forthcoming long-player STIX, ANIMAL CHIN is, in fact, two of the band's import-only EP's (HUSH and AIRBORNE) cobbled together for release on these shores. While not ardent purists, Jaga Jazzist are smart enough to realize that in the U.S. the word "jazz" leaves a bad taste in most people's mouths (due in large part to the prevalence of smooth jazz and pseudo-jazz artists like Kenny G and George Benson). By listening to tracks like "Real Racecars Have Doors" and "Toxic Dart", it becomes clear that they view the electronic component of their music less as not just for show but as a weapon to infiltrate a culture largely ignorant of the role jazz has played in shaping modern music as we know it. When all is said and done, their formula of equal parts Portishead and Cole Porter is as refreshing as it is innovative, and it's a safe bet that no other band on the planet is fusing these disparate components as seamlessly and skillfully as Jaga Jazzist.
-Jason Jett

PANTHERS
LET'S GET SERIOUS
DIM MAK RECORDS
Brooklyn's Panthers, made up of nine members, straddle the fine line between energetic rock and pure cacophony. Still, when a band incorporates percussion, trumpets, and saxophones into their music, there is no overlooking the extent of their instrumental capabilities. Simply put, this five-song EP is pure energy ridden with so many instruments that it's hard to tell which instrument is which. Definitely not for the weak at heart...or ears.
-Kathleen

NUCLEAR ASSAULT
LIVE AT LAST
SPV
Nuclear Assault was one of thrash metal's finest outfits in the late 1980s, spawning a few MTV video smashes and bringing the extreme (for that time) side of metal to the masses. Now, after various other metal projects (such as Brutal Truth), the NYC-based quartet has embarked on a comeback, complete with a 12-track live collection. While the band is still in fighting shape, with even John Connely's trademark vocal wail standing the test of time, the recording is far from capturing the nuances of the music, almost sounding like a bootleg at times. This is a shame, because at its best Nuclear Assault gave bands like Slayer and Anthrax a run for their money—hard to imagine by the quality of this disc. www.spv.de
-Mike SOS

ASIA MINOR
ASIA MINOR
ANOMER RECORDS
Asia Minor is 100% emo. What else is there to say? Personally, I think it's crap; but if you like it, who am I to say? Now, I hate the PMRC as much as any red-blooded American, but if I have to listen to one more emo album, I'm just going to have to testify in front of a congressional jury that yes, emo music has rotted my brain and I feel like committing suicide constantly while listening to it. Scout's honor. HELP!
-chad

THE AUSTERITY PROGRAM
TERRA NOVA
HYDRA HEAD RECORDS
This is probably one of the only things that Hydra Head has ever released that I thought was sub-par. The Austerity Program has sort of an idea of what they want to sound like, but I think they just lack the skills necessary not to write absolute garbage. One guy on guitar singing the dumbest vocals I have ever heard + one guy playing the most dumbed-down bass lines + a drum machine = you should demand your money back. The only upside to this CD is that it is only an EP. Any more would just be needless, because by the end of this you are already at your pain threshold.
-Dr. Gabe Follis

THE SOVIETTES
THE SOVIETTES LP
ADELINE
The latest pop exports to emerge from the fertile lakes of Minnesota, The Soviettes are a band of well-drilled fashion vipers with a penchant for gilding their tacky hooks with buzzkunst guitars and flirty "ba ba bas." Sadly, in the hands of The Soviettes these critical ingredients amount to little more than a naïve venture into three-chord complacency, as the band's self-titled debut is a classic example of style outweighing substance. More interested in slotting themselves in amongst the ongoing modcore revival than firing off old-school pop-punk scorchers, The Soviettes' sickly sweet ruckus is instantly disposable. Tracks like "9th Street" and "Tailwind" suggest nothing more than blatant Buzzcocks and Replacements worship. While their bi-gender assemblage might endear them to the odd riot grrrl or Slits enthusiast, it simply cannot compensate for the record's complete lack of earnestness.
-Jason Jett

BLACK BOX
BLACK BOX
LAID OFF RECORDS
Matt (guitarist) wrote an endearing letter to SKRATCH, including with it a burned CD that was creatively wrapped in a lyric sheet. He started by saying "I found your Website online, so I honestly can't say I've read any issues of your zine. Sorry!" Matt goes on to explain that the attitude he brings to the band is somewhere between Beethoven and Tupac—then he added a "J/K." Ha, how cute is that?! There is a profound moment near the end where he says dolphins are simply chimp submarines; and there's a list of several ways by which to get a hold of the band at the top of the letter in his cute kindergarten scrawl. Oh, and their warp-speed punk music is reminiscent of old-school songs that are only long enough to satisfy the most deficient of attention spans.
-Emily Kendy

WORTHLESS UNITED
A NATION UNDER
NOW OR NEVER
Worthless United is a New Jersey punk band whose influences range from the '60s rock of The Stones to the anarchistic stomp of Rancid. Growing up in the shadows of Springsteen gives Worthless United a blue-collar rock 'n' roll work ethic and a bar-band-like delivery, yet there are a slew of punk rockers from Operation Ivy to fellow statesmen Bouncing Souls who have helped shape Worthless United's rock meets punk mix. 13 tracks of good-time rock that echo sentiments of drunkenness, scorn for the hometown, and stories of past glories is the stuff that Worthless United is made of and sings about. It's this type of everyday easiness that allows A NATION UNDER to strike so many chords and move you to sing along with each catchy hook. www.noworneverecords.com
-Mike SOS

NEVER FACE DEFEAT
REMEMBER YOUR HEARTBEAT
DEMONS RUN AMOK ENTERTAINMENT
The incredibly dumb-ass testament to being hardcore under the picture of a million dudes with a bevy of chicks lined up on the staircase behind them made me want to mock. But then I got confused by the "MKJC Family" headline at the top of the photo. Who the fuck is MKJC? This band is the same as any old hardcore band not trying to be different. I like hardcore. Just 'cause I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't rock out to Atreyu and dig it. (Yeah, you heard me.) But you can take this German shit and shove it up your enema. Uh, wait—is "enema" German?
-Emily Kendy

GREEN RODE SHOTGUN
BANG
SHOTGUN MUSIC
A quintet from Nashville, Green Rode Shotgun is prepared to infect the rest of the nation with their crunchy pop hooks and energetic rock. The band epitomizes the definition of the term "vocal gymnastics." They've also given a new meaning to the term "rock 'n' roll," as showcased throughout each shout and powerful drumbeat. This juggernaut knows how to kick off a clean-sounding song such as "Nothing Is Good Enough" and have it climax at just the right moment to make you sing along and jump around. Green Rode Shotgun is a faster, more head-spinning Violent Femmes. There's no doubt this band has set its mind to starting off with a bang (pun intended).
-Kathleen

THE PEPPERMINTS
SWEET TOOTH ABORTION
PANDACIDE RECORDS
It appears The Peppermints want to be The Shaggs in overdrive. However, The Peppermints lack the charm of The Shaggs, and amplifying the noise of the group's tuneless flailing adds nothing to the appeal. The cacophonous chaos will be of interest to some tardcore fans, but this can be dismissed by anyone looking for something memorable.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

NONE MORE BLACK
FILE UNDER BLACK
FAT WRECK CHORDS
I like reviewing Fat Mike's bands. I feel like we're practically friends now, like I could send a shout-out to him right here and he'll read this (in his big, oval office in California, while eating Skittles from the gold candy dish that sits on his somewhat well-organized desk), and he'll be like, "Yo, I gotta hook that girl up with more shit!" This New Jersey band (whose name was inspired by the infamous SPINAL TAP) is GREAT because the lead singer has a wicked cranky voice. The songs are like little stories, too, so this is a punk you can put on at bedtime and be slowly lulled to sleep by the time the first licks of "Ice Cream with the Enemy" slips from the stereo like a lunatic's lullaby.
-Emily Kendy

BLUE SHADE WITNESS
BLUE SHADE WITNESS
DOUBLE ZERO RECORDS
Upon first listen I thought that this would have the potential to be another one of those lame-o emo bands; however, Blue Shade Witness, really impressed me. This is quite the catchy blend of passionately-sung vocals arranged perfectly with slowly soaring guitar. Not quite the greatest thing I have heard lately, but definitely worth a listen. And with this being a debut EP, I think this band has great promise. And with a bonus video to top it all off, you can't go wrong. I know I have seen this EP popping up all over the shelves in pretty much every music store. These guys will probably make it big, so you better hop on now for bragging rights.
-Dr. Gabe Follis

DRAGONFORCE
VALLEY OF THE DAMNED
SANCTUARY
Dragonforce plays the kind of metal that Dungeon and Dragons wish they had as a soundtrack, as the band's nine-track endeavor has a slew of treble-charged, virtuosic guitar work wrapped inside keyboard-laden harmonies and soprano metal singing. Taking cues from the majestic power-metal swagger of bands like Helloween, Jag Panzer, and countless others, Dragonforce's speed-metal precision and operatic overtones make the sappy, Broadway-esque metal ballad "Starfire" seem out of place at first, yet, if you hear the album in all of its melodic splendor, it begins to make a lot of sense—to the point that you wonder when the Medieval garb and helpless maidens will appear. www.dragonforce.com
-Mike SOS

EMPTY SEAT
EMPTY SEAT
This chick has a WICKED voice. Red (that's the name I've been given) sings like Nora Jones, if Nora Jones were a rocker. I got a chuckle out of the stats the band gave me with their burned EP. Under ticket sales it reads: "sold 40 tickets for The Whisky (first time)." Such earnestness is endearing. I will watch out for this band, if only because such talent should not be overlooked. Decent start.
-Emily Kendy

DEVON WILLIAMS
FINGERS-CUT, MEGAMACHINE!
AGGRIVATED MUSIC
Pleasant, soothing, mid-tempo acoustics with insightful lyrics of a wistful yet hopeful nature. Devon Williams, former guitarist and vocalist for the short-lived but widely popular punk band Osker, puts his heart on display in this intimate offering. His singing is always earnest and often charmingly off-key. Pop this disc into the player on a cozy, quiet evening when you want to charm that potential significant other. It is interesting how Williams writes almost entirely in idiom and metaphor. Is that too cerebral for you? Too bad. This stuff is sweet. www.aggravatedmusic.com
-Marcus Solomon

GUFF
THE GUFF IS A DISASTER EP
GO-KART
On their debut EP on Go-Kart Records, Guff comes forth with five tunes are remind me of mid- to late-'90s progressive pop-punk. I would compare them to early Digger or later Funsize. The progressions are melodic, with lots of two-guitar intricacies tastefully done. The vocals are melodic and with plenty of harmonies. I'm excited that this album came out this year and not in 1997, when it sounds like it could have. Lyrically, the songs are interesting takes on familiar subjects. The song "Faith" is an awesome take on looking for love but breaking hearts along the way. I'm really stoked to see what these guys have in store for the future. I recommend this record to fans of Digger, NOFX, and Funsize.
-Joey Housewrecker

CRASH AND BURN
SICK AGAIN
TRAKTOR 7
Crash and Burn play for the dirtbag truck-stop rocker in all of us. Hailing from Boston, the quartet's nine tracks of alcohol-fueled hard-rocking boogie come to us directly from the 1970s, as parts of Nugent, Sabbath, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, ZZ Top, and much more can be heard at some point on SICK AGAIN. While the dirty groove smacks you in the face like the scent emanating from the local watering hole's backed-up plumbing, Crash and Burn know that's exactly the way you like it. Raw, rude, crude, and loud, Crash and Burn's approach to rock 'n' roll rebellion makes the current wave of European rock acts seem insincere and insignificant. SICK AGAIN complements a six-pack and a carton of Marlboro's nicely, as it mixes stoner and straight-ahead hard rock into a convenient cocktail. www.crashandburn1.com
-Mike SOS

K-LINE
LESSONS LEARNED
BOSS TUNEAGE
Are you a fan of Fugazi's 13 SONGS? If so, I would highly recommend this K-Line EP. The dissonant, rhythmic guitar work combines well with vocals that remind me slightly of Dave Smalley's melodic yells from his CAN I SAY-era Dag Nasty days. Hmmm. It seems that every band I've heard so far on Boss Tuneage has been really good. I recommend this album to fans of Dag Nasty, older Fugazi, Pavers, and All Systems Go.
-Joey Housewrecker

ON BROKEN WINGS
SOME OF US MAY NEVER SEE THE WORLD
EULOGY
On Broken Wings hails from Boston, and this six-piece outfit fits quite nicely into the whole New England hardcore and metal scene, as the 10 tracks that comprise SOME OF US MAY NEVER SEE THE WORLD display the best elements of the East Coast movement. Armed with a heavy-handed death-metal attack (especially vocally), the style melds well with the dark, sludgy guitars (which are reminiscent at times of fellow statesmen Overcast and Converge). The band also steers its metallic vessel through different genres of metal, from tough-guy metalcore breakdowns (check out the opening riff of "Like Starscream") to shimmering instrumental interludes, making emo-tinged music with guttural vocals sound a lot smoother you'd think they can. Taking bits and pieces from all of the heavy music scenes in its area rather than merely molding composite musical sketches, On Broken Wings has formed an ambitiously creative work of art of its own. www.eulogyrecording.com
-Mike SOS

TRAVOLTAS
PARTY!
KNOCK KNOCK
This record is a take on an old Beach Boys idea: to play the songs acoustically and have the fans singing along and clapping for the recording. If you're into The Beach Boys or Travoltas you'll probably like this album. Travoltas cover a couple song by The Beach Boys and others (including a cool version of Bad Religion's "Sorrow"), as well as some of their own tunes. I was bummed that they didn't put their classic "C'mon Rock City" on this album, but I guess we can't have everything. To put it simply, this is a 21st-century Beach Boys album. If that interests you, pick it up.
-Joey Housewrecker

THE BLOOD BROTHERS
… BURN, PIANO ISLAND, BURN
ARTIST DIRECT
How do they do it? How does a band like The Blood Brothers figure out the perfect recipe for greatness and then garner success so quickly? A blur of incredible screams and heart-quickening music, this album is inspiration for dancing and inducement for enthusiasm. It is really hard to comprehend where all the energy packed in this album comes from. If you are not in the mood to jump around, you might have a heart attack listening to …BURN, PIANO ISLAND, BURN. Luckily, track 4, "Every Breath Is a Bomb", offers the perfect mix of piano and screams to let you catch your breath before sweeping you off into more visions of sweat-filled dance pits and ear-shattering noise. This album will definitely liven up any collection. www.thebloodbrothers.com
-tChow

EGOTRIP
DEMO 2002
INDEPENDENTLY RELEASED
This is just awful. The band calls itself hardcore, but the music is just so lacking that I don't think I could even call it music. It's not the fact that the CD was recorded by the band itself and the recording quality sucks, because it doesn't. I wish it did because, because then I would have to be neutral toward this stupid band. All the songs sound the same. All the lyrics are unintelligible (and, lo and behold, sound the same). The music is propelled by the drums, while the guitarist softly plays the same driving guitar line over and over. The vocals are growling and full of mucous—and nothing special. If you like Egotrip, stop.

-Franny
GATSBY'S AMERICAN DREAM
RIBBONS & SUGAR
ROCKETSTAR RECORDING
Gatsby's American Dream may conjure up some uncomfortable memories of those books in high school you neglected to read and then make you wish you hadn't slacked off and became Cliff's Notes #1 fan. RIBBONS & SUGAR, the second full-length from this Seattle-based quintet, is an incredible product of intelligent theories and profound questions, as well as a perfect balance of screamo and math rock. Each song perfectly coincides with both the band's moniker and the album's concept (which is loosely based on George Orwell's popular novel ANIMAL FARM). The entire album weaves a sad tale of crushed ideals, broken dreams, and a desperate struggle for something better than reality. Whether you like to be challenged to think while you enjoy good music or you just like to enjoy good music, definitely buy a copy of RIBBONS & SUGAR. www.gatsbysamericandream.com

-tChow
SOILWORK
FIGURE NUMBER FIVE
NUCLEAR BLAST
It's hard to believe, but Soilwork is on its fifth album in only five years—and the band shows no signs of slowing down. This 11-track effort finds the Swedish sextet once again breaking barriers and challenging themselves creatively, making for yet another stalwart collection of Swedish metal with a twist of innovation. From the meaty riffages of the title track to the mechanical resonance of the futuristic "Light the Torch", Soilwork truly combines memorable choruses with harsh melodies suitable for moshpit frenzy, generating its own unique blend of metal that fans across the globe can appreciate. FIGURE NUMBER FIVE also highlights a band that is comfortable enough to manipulate dynamics, like how the acoustic-guitar verse meets the sonically crushing chorus in "Departure Plan". However, the band doesn't stray from delivering slabs of ferocious metal, a technique that puts Soilwork on top of the Swedish metal pile. www.soilwork.com

-Mike SOS
LEFTY'S DECEIVER
CHEATS
MY PAL GOD RECORDS
The third full-length release from this Philadelphia trio is a slick testament to East Coast power-pop. With nine well-crafted songs emphasizing heavy drum rhythms and catchy pop hooks, the band is well on the way to being a headliner. The songs tell stories of their youth, innocence lost, heartbreak, and deception. The most deceptive thing about the lyrics is the way they pack them inside the CD liner in tiny type with no breaks or spaces. It reads like a giant, unfathomable, stream-of-consciousness poem. Perhaps it is best not to try to understand the band, just slip the CD in the stereo and experience the magical melodies they are so good at creating. You can find out a tiny bit more (like the fact that the band was named after a saltwater fishing lure) at the band's minimalist Website, www.leftysdeceiver.com.
-DUG

VERBAL ABUSE
JUST AN AMERICAN BAND/LIVE IN '84
BEER CITY
The punks at Beer City have done the punk community a service by releasing Verbal Abuse's seminal JUST AN AMERICAN BAND, but they also outdid themselves by adding the band's 1984 live recording from NYC's the Ritz, making this release 26 tracks. Verbal Abuse may not have received the recognition of Black Flag or The Vandals, but their unchallenged punk-rock attitude and unbridled passion for the lifestyle bleeds right through the studio cuts, which include a song Slayer covered on its punk-rock release ("I Hate You"), as well as 11 other tracks that bring to mind sleeping on people's floors and living on Ramen noodles and warm beer. The live album, however, shows Verbal Abuse at their best, interacting with the fans and playing with everything they had, making the most of being the opening act at a hometown Ramones show. www.beercityrecords.com
-Mike SOS

NOISE RATCHET
SELF-TITLED EP
THE MILITIA GROUP
Noise Ratchet is a well-known and well-established quintet hailing from San Diego, CA. This self-titled EP follows their award-winning and acclaimed full-length, TILL WE HAVE FACES. Although this EP is not terrible, it leaves much to be desired. Ironically, the last song is entitled "Desired", and it's the only song that really stands out amidst the others. Featuring the guest vocals of Jon Foreman (from another successful San Diego group, Switchfoot), this song is a beautiful and pure creation hearkening to the old days of Noise Ratchet and their first EP, WHY WE CRY. Noise Ratchet is a talented and flourishing band (having recently been signed to major label American Recordings), and there is no doubt that they will continue to succeed—despite the near mediocrity of this EP. www.noiseratchet.com
-tChow

BEE AND FLOWER
WHAT'S MINE IS YOURS
NEUROT RECORDINGS
The debut full-length from Brooklyn's dark and atmospheric Bee and Flower is a slow and deliberate step into the unknown. Dana Schechter, formerly from the goth band Angels of Light, has written an album full of beautifully-crafted tunes in the vein of Morcheeba or Radiohead. While her music often tends to sound like a lonely, neo-country opus, the addition of glockenspiel and violins takes these songs in a different direction. We won't hear any of these songs on commercial radio stations—though there really ought to be a station catering to the man sipping whisky from a paper bag, the aging athlete, the solitary artist, and all the fallen angels. This is quiet but incredible music. Find out more about the best NYC has to offer at www.beeandflower.com.
-DUG

COSMO'S MOON
COSMO'S MOON
SELF-RELEASED CD
Wonder whatever happened to '80s metal? The boys from Long Island's Cosmo's Moon don't. As a matter of fact, this quartet is doing its damnedest to bring it back to the days of yore, when spandex was the fabric of choice and we didn't know the effects of CFCs on the environment. While the CD sounds like a tape that you may've recovered from the closet (complete with the poor sound quality of an old cassette), the band seems to mean business...in a totally Poison/Dokken kind of way. The rock is flowing. While there's not a lot of fancy stuff here, Cosmo's Moon's raise-your-fist-and-rock attitude has single-handedly paved the most direct route to the days of hair metal. www.cosmos_moon_band.tripod.com
-Mike SOS

12 SUMMERS OLD
SEVEN MINUTES YOU'LL NEVER GET BACK
SELF-RELEASED
The debut EP from this Illinois-based quintet is a raucous romp from pop to hardcore, as the band balances that fine line between commercial and over-the-top rock. The band has an excellent ear for catchy, hard-rocking choruses that seem to pop up at all the right times. There's no lag, no acoustic music, just high-energy melodic rock in these three tunes. This is a very talented band that really ought to be working on a full-length release. The band warned me that I'd never get those seven minutes back, but I really wish they would have pounded on for another 30. See if they are playing anywhere but the Midwest on the band's Website at www.12summersold.com.
-DUG

THE MARS VOLTA
FIVE-SONG SAMPLER
UNIVERSAL
The Mars Volta has garnished a big buzz as of late, thanks mostly to some of its member's previous project, the now-defunct but explosive At the Drive-In. While the five tracks on this sampler do not retread common ground (much to the dismay of many), what they do is open a new world of exploration in the vast land of rock 'n' roll. >From the opener, "This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed" (which is complete with a subtle vibrato groove and a lounge-act feel that goes haywire as the chorus hits), a tumultuous and exhilarating ride has commenced. The band seems boundless in its creativity, implementing everything possible to enchant the listener without reaching sonic overkill. This release indicates that The Mars Volta will make a huge impact on the rock landscape, as the majesty and aesthetic beauty of its music should catapult this group into the stratosphere in record time. www.themarsvolta.com
-Mike SOS

JENNY HOUSTON
PARADISE ISLAND
DIM MAK RECORDS
This three-song solo EP from Jenny Hoyston of Erase Errata probably should have stayed in her indie closet. Two of the tunes sound as if there was a TOY STORY night in her closet and the Casio and synthesizer had a cat fight. The only real tune here is a fairly good ukulele number, "getup". With a scratchy background and twangy vocals that sound like they were recorded at the Grand Ole Opry in the early '30s, Houston manages to show some real (albeit quirky) talent on the tune. She is on tour and is planning to release a full-length in the near future. Wait until then to buy: the full-length might have two or three listenable songs out of a dozen. You can find out more about this way-too-indie San Francisco artist at www.aampromo.com.
-DUG

14 YEAR OLD GIRLS
ZOMBIES IN ROBOTS OUT
RETARD DISCO
I knew this was going to be super horrible before I even opened the case. This is the dumbest name for a band yet. To make things worse, it looks like a preschooler drew the layout, which consists of only characters from Mario Bros. playing instruments. It even comes with a neon pink heart-shaped guitar pick. I hate this band—and I have not even listened to the CD yet. After listening to the first few songs I realize that pretty much every one of the 16 is about Nintendo games. WHY, GOD? Throw a couple of random Oi!s in there with horrendous keyboard playing and you have yourself a real crapfest. So, if you ever need a good excuse to shoot yourself in the head, buy ZOMBIES IN ROBOTS OUT. Please excuse me while I go burn my stereo: it is forever tainted.
-Dr. Gabe Follis

JIM LASLETT
ELYSIAN FIELDS
CHAUCER RECORDS LTD.
The debut solo release from Canterbury, England's Jim Laslett is the kind of album Jackson Browne would have made on a bad day. The songs are folksy and melodic, but are often missing in the critical hooks that make for memorable tunes (as opposed to background music). In the quiet spaces between conversation at the dinner table or an uncomfortable party, this would be a perfect album. There's nothing you have to pay too much attention to. It's pleasant, a bit like warm skin on a summer day, but not so pleasant that you'll go around humming these tunes. The acoustic guitar parts are nice, but better tunes will have to come before Laslett plays alongside the likes Jack Johnson or Peter Yorn.
-DUG

SUBJECT TO CHANGE
SUBJECT TO CHANGE
SELF-RELEASED CD
Looking to release some aggression and channel some negative energy? Allow the seething delivery of Long Island's Subject to Change provide the soundtrack, as the band's six-track release contains enough high-powered riffs and cathartic screaming to set free all of your inner demons. Sounding like the angst of Glassjaw meeting the staccato poundings of CHAOS AD-era Sepultura, this band is relentlessly heavy. There's nary a chance to catch your breath, as riff after riff piles up like a bad accident on the Long Island Expressway. Despite the redundant bleakness, Subject to Change's metalcore mixture is perfect for letting loose and letting go, either in your room or in the pit. stccontact@aol.com
-Mike SOS

WARD CHURCHILL
PACIFISM AND PATHOLOGY IN THE AMERICAN LEFT
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES
For those of you who think the left is a hippie club full of flower-smelling wimps please meet Ward Churchill. Mr. Churchill is the president of the Colorado division of A.I.M. (the American Indian Movement). He is also a serious man saying serious things. I'll admit that some sections of this spoken-word disc made me a little uncomfortable. Mr. Churchill is not encouraging violence, but he is ready for it. He wants the left to cease its soft-handed approach and get serious about changing things through action. I don't recommend PACIFISM AND PATHOLOGY IN THE AMERICAN LEFT only to people of the left. This is an American discussing the price and sacrifice of change. Ward Churchill is a voice from the battle. Listen.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

BRIGITTE DEMEYER
NOTHING COMES FREE
SELF-RELEASED
The sophomore release from this California chanteuse is another foray into the bluesy, Southern folk that made her first release a critical success. With a sound that predates Sheryl Crow and is more akin to Emmy Lou Harris, Demeyer soothes the listener into a funky Louisiana trance with her soulful renditions of both originals and covers. The title track, Credence Clearwater Revival's bayou classic, and her cover of Al Dixon's blues tune "Big Boss Man" are nods to tradition that can't be overlooked. Recent tours have had Ms. Demeyer as a solo opening act for such country legends as Dan Fogelberg and Hall and Oates. She's blond, beautiful, talented, and a shoe-in for any "country women in rock" crossover special. Artists like Demeyer never go away, they just become legends like the role models they emulate. Catch a glimpse of the legend now while she's still playing in venues where you can feel the stage. Find out more about a dedicated musician at www.brigittedemeyer.com.
-DUG

DIFFUSER
MAKING THE GRADE
HOLLYWOOD RECORDINGS
Diffuser is making modern-day radio punk that rocks—and doing it with charm and brains. You can hear all of the labor that went into MAKING THE GRADE on every song. This album is layered with sweet little touches, which are lain out like welcoming traps that just capture the imagination. It's all very subtle. It sounds to me like the members of Diffuser aren't trying to be geniuses, they just wanted to make a good disc...and that's exactly what they have done.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

YOUTH GONE MAD
FEATURING DEE DEE RAMONE
TREND IS DEAD! RECORDS
It's almost sad that this is Dee Dee Ramone's last studio session, because the music on this album is complete shit. On FEATURING DEE DEE RAMONE, Dee Dee teams up with Youth Gone Mad frontman Paul Kostabi to put together 15 forgettable punk-rock anthems. The album seems to have no real sense of unity; instead, it's jumbled and incoherent. They even end up creating a bastardization of "Blitzkrieg Bop" and a variation of "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" called "Sheena Is a Surf Punk". Musically, the recording is fuzzy and jarring. The band even threw on a memorial for the former Ramones' member called "Dee Dee Deceased". It was written and sung by Fenton Lawless, and it's not much of a tribute at all; instead, it's simplistic, and I view it as a tad insulting to the man's memory. Trust me when I say that this isn't the way you want to remember Dee Dee Ramone.
-Dane Jackson

SUBSIST
LIVING DREAM
SELF-RELEASED CD
Subsist is a heavy Queens, NY, troupe that mixes alternative and nu metal in this three-song sampler. Featuring meaty, driving guitar riffs suitable for any Disturbed song and melding them with vibrant melodies and a fine usage of dynamics (like Taproot and Tool), Subsist's latest showcases a solid rhythm section and a band that can take a song high, low, and all points in between. Dig into its metallic mix and see for yourself what the buzz is about.
-Mike SOS

THE EXPLODING HEARTS
GUITAR ROMANTIC
DIRTNAP RECORDS
This Portland, OR, mod group is rocking it up on GUITAR ROMANTIC. The Exploding Hearts is not doing one original thing here, as every second of this half-hour trip is an homage to Buzzcocks, The Dickies, The Clash, and the like. I do dig this album a lot; I'm a big fan of this brand of rock. If you are looking for a band that is blazing new ground, this is not your group; however, if you are looking for the continuing line of mod rockers, The Exploding Hearts could be your new favorite band.
-H. Barry Zimmermans

THE BILLIONS
NEVER FELT THIS WAY BEFORE
NORTHERN RECORDS
The Billions are four men who live in a farmhouse together and make terrible music. Just so you have an understanding of how awful the band is, know that Kerry Livgren (from the band Kansas) recorded their first two albums. This is the music that the operator plays when you're on hold for half an hour after you call 911 to report your gerbil just committed suicide. This is the type of music they play through the PA at the nursing home when you visit your grandmother. This is the music your parents want you to listen to!
-chad

HABIT OF MINE
HABIT OF MINE
SLITHERING DISC
Habit of Mine is a Los Angeles-based quartet whose approach to rock is very dark and foreboding (à la Alice in Chains and Tool), yet at times exemplifies artsy rock like Jane's Addiction. It's this juxtaposition that make the 16 tracks that comprise the eponymous release so engaging, as the band can go from dirty Danzig-esque grooves ("Habits of Mine") to enchanting acoustic ambiance ("Spring") at a moment's notice, keeping the atmosphere intense all along the way. Sweeping guitar lines and trippy rhythms are firmly placed, allowing the musicians' camaraderie to play off of one another, creating a pseudo-psychedelic landscape where cascading rock music reigns supreme. Majestically brooding, Habit of Mine's disc gives the listener a smorgasbord of ethereal emotions and permits your ears to ponder what other rock bands just can't deliver. Visit Visit web site
-Mike SOS

MICO
OUTSIDE THE UNBEARABLE GROWS
G7 WELCOMING COMMITTEE
I think Mico really could make a name for itself, but lacks something to differentiate itself from every other indie band. This is not a bad album, but we have heard this all before—and it does not take long before it becomes incredibly boring. The entire album just is too repetitive. Mico also makes a half-attempt to make a sort of political statement in its lyrics, but it's not too convincing, I must say. I would pass on this one. I gave it good shot to win me over, but it failed.
-Dr. Gabe Follis

SHAI HULUD
THAT WITHIN BLOOD ILL-TEMPERED
REVELATION
Shai Hulud hasn't disappointed me yet, so, needless to say, this latest CD is astounding. Just like always, it's not your run-of-the-mill hardcore. There's more emotion in the soul of this band than there is in 10,000 contenders. It's easy to just come out and say the vocals are intense and beautiful and reflect a young man clutching his own heart in the most bitter of anguish, but it's not easy to say that the music follows in suit. If there were no vocals, this would be instrumental hardcore heartbreak. Please buy this. It's enough to bring out every emotion it's possible to feel in the CD's 10-song run.
-Franny

SHAI HALUD
THAT WITHIN BLOOD ILL TEMPERED
REVELATION
The latest release from tireless hardcore troupe Shai Halud has finally been bestowed upon us, and it was worth the wait. After a long layoff from recording, this hardcore juggernaut is back with a vengeance with 10 tracks mixing the beautiful and brutal as only this South Florida outfit has for nearly a decade. Wonder where all of your favorite hardcore flavor-of-the-month bands cut their collective teeth? Odds are on Shai Halud, as not only does the band defy musical boundaries and classification by weaving metal, hardcore, punk, and God knows what else, but they have quite possibly the most verbose lyrics this side of Shakespeare. Shai Halud's new album shouldn't be adored as much as it should be dissected and studied, much like a college-level text or a philosophical reading...AND it has the brute energy to overwhelm your musical understanding. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

STEP SOFTLY, GHOST
RUINED IN REPETITION
ABLE RECORDS
Step Softly, Ghost is 100% emo. I can't dance to it! What am I suppose to do with it? I know: I think I'll throw it away because I hate it so much. Alright, now things are looking up!
-chad

GALLERY OF MITES
BUGS ON THE BLUEFISH
METEOR CITY
The info sheet that came with this CD identifies Gallery of Mites as a band with 10 members, five of whom are guitarists. Yet they sound like any other new rock band with four members, one of whom is a guitarist. I have yet to figure out why. But, all superfluity aside, Gallery of Mites is a fairly good rock band. Nothing life-changing or revelatory, but no one expects that. They're a fun band, comparable to The Vines, I guess. They have good rock guitar riffs and a firm beat. The only thing that might hinder this band's coming popularity would be the difficulty of fitting 10 members in one TV camera frame.
-Franny

DYSRHYTHMIA
PRETEST
RELAPSE
Dysrhytmia is a hard act to grasp, and an even harder one to define, as this Philadelphia-based instrumental trio's musical output runs the gamut from Slayer to John Coltrane. This is what makes Dysrhythmia's music engaging, enticing, and truly complex to the average set of ears. Similar to bands like Candiria, The Cancer Conspiracy, and The Fucking Champs in terms of musical exploration, this outfit bars most generalization and requires almost all of the listener's attentiveness for maximum understanding. There's a plethora of things going on here, from odd time signatures to jazzy structures to prog-rock noodling that vocals can't do justice to and just one listen cannot begin to fathom. Buy this disc, spend a few days on it, and you, too, will see the brilliance. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

THE FLESHIES
THE SICILIAN
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES
This is the sophomore full-length from The Fleshies. THE SICILIAN, produced by Alex Newport (Fudgetunnel, Theory of Ruin, Ratos De Porao), finds the group getting leaner, meaner, and more aggro. Strain to make out the lyrics (or strain to read the faint print in the CD booklet) and you will see the group is both intelligent and boasts a sense of humor. Guitars, overdrive, and an occasional comical falsetto combined with socially-aware and witty lyrics are aspects of The Fleshies reminiscent of NoMeansNo.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

VINDICATOR
BACK WITH NOTHING TO LOSE…
TRUE REBEL
I forgot that the amount of ferocity in Europe (as far as music goes) is amazing. Vindicator is a typical—but great—example of hardcore punk from Europe. They have the classic hardcore punk sound (the girly side of me wants to call their German accents cute) and the classic fast, angry style that hasn't actually gotten old yet. I know about 30 people who, upon hearing this, would swear allegiance to Vindicator because of the sound and obvious credibility. (Plus, you can tell they take their craft seriously because they are wearing suits in the CD liner photo.)
-Franny

ON TRIAL
BLINDED BY THE SUN
TEE PEE
On Trial is a Swedish band that learned a lot of its tricks of the trade from garage rock and '60s psychedelica, aptly displayed on the band's 12-track dip into the brown acid. Sounding a lot like the pre-Space Lord era Monster Magnet, this trippy outfit takes the rock 'n' roll swagger that other retro acts only wish they had and plasters it all over an album full of thick guitars, soul, stoner-rock elements, grooves, and enough firepower to keep the bong lit all night long. BLINDED BY THE SUN's warm soundscape keeps on truckin' in your head long after the side-effects and hazy memories subside, which would be the perfect soundtrack to an updated version of EASY RIDER. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

THETUESDAYPROJECT
THREE-SONG EP
SELF-RELEASED
thetuesdayproject seems to have a little bit of everything. At times, the band has nice, melodic, and catchy punk lyrics; but to change things up a bit, they decided to infuse a hardcore sensibility here and there. I realize the band is trying to break the pop-punk mold, but the screaming just seems out of place on these tracks. In fact, on "failed attempt at reconciliation" the hardcore choruses jar the listener's senses. If that's what these guys are going for, they've succeeded; but in my opinion, while they are musically sound, the blending of punk and hardcore is done sloppily on these three tracks.
-Dane Jackson

GOSSIP
MOVEMENT
KILL ROCK STARS
The second release from Gossip is a stunning gospel-soul-blues-punk ruckus. Full of driving rhythm and undeniable energy, this is as impressive a sophomore effort as any. MOVEMENT is party music for when you do not care if something gets broken or spilled. Put this in your CD player and press "play," and you open a whole can of fiery blooze-punk with a mean, primitive bottom end.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

SLAVES ON DOPE
METAFOUR
BIELER BROTHERS
Slaves on Dope's latest release finds the metal outfit allegedly returning back to a purer rock sound on METAFOUR, yet it sounds like a lot of the other metal bands out there these days vying for pole position. 14 tracks of searing riffs and highly twiddled song structures is what these Canadians deliver. However, when it comes down to it, there doesn't seem to be a lot of depth here. While the soundscape on the whole is full and rich (especially the rhythm section), lyrically it seems like the band took a class in Metal Lyrical Content Cliché 101 and applied all of the angst it could to make it edgy. While the gloss of METAFOUR is appealing, the actual insides seem to be a bit undercooked, making for a mediocre metal album that has been done by about five other bands this year already. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

LATHAM
THREE-SONG EP
SELF-RELEASED
Latham is a cookie-cutter power-pop/emo band. While that isn't always bad, in this case it's not very good either. Adding to my theory that emo is the next ska in terms of the latest indie-music trend, two of the three members of Latham came from—you guessed it—a ska band. I wasn't very impressed with the music, but the band's bass player is pretty damn good. When you add the bass player and his vocal abilities into the equation, Latham is at least worth a listen. The band is a diamond in the rough as of right now. Give them a few years of practice and experience, and I bet they'll be one of the more popular bands on the scene. To check the band out, go to www.lathamrock.com" target="_blank">Visit web site.
-Dane Jackson

THE REVOLVER METHOD
ARMS TOO SHORT TO FIGHT YOU
KICKSTART AUDIO
Usually I like to poke a little fun at singers who sound like they're roaring. It's a bit over the top, is it not? This dude, though, actually does roar. He roars like a lion...no, a really, really big cat, a cat that is dying/giving birth/mating but finding no mate. I want to give them some sort of credit, but the lyrics annoy me. Vague drivel: "As the noose slips tight, all I see is light." Not that you can understand any of it amidst all the "arrrGREEErrrEEEErrrEEE." I'd try to mock them more, but seeing as their arms are so short, it'd kind of be like picking on a retard.
-Emily Kendy

SILVERSTEIN
WHEN BROKEN IS EASILY FIXED
VICTORY
Silverstein, a nubile outfit from Ontario, Canada, shows its love for the children's author Shel Silverstein by naming the band after the timeless author. But don't be alarmed: there's not a shred of kid stuff on WHEN BROKEN IS EASILY FIXED—unless your perception of kid stuff includes the new breed of punk rock injected with metal riffs, hardcore scream-a-thons, and a hearty heaping of angst. While the music Silverstein creates is very much in line with fellow Canadians Grade (whose former singer Kyle Bishop appears on the title track), the output, while not exactly the most breakthrough of sounds, is heartfelt and intense. Just check out the gut-wrenching screams of "Bleeds No More" or the jagged rhythm of "The Weak and the Wounded" and see for yourself how Silverstein's mod-punk sounds fit in right along side Thrice, The Used, and Coheed and Cambria. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

THE DAMES
DIVORCE
ANGRY SEED RECORDS
When listening to DIVORCE, a wide variety of influences can be heard within the realm of crunchy riff rock. While essentially a garage band, The Dames also end up showing influences like Nirvana and Alice in Chains. This Minnesota trio may just be the future of thrash music. Not only does the music on this disc not get boring, but its quirky, metallic, and has an indie appeal to it. My only beef is that the recording isn't that great. But I'm starting to think that regardless of sound quality, The Dames is a band that can only be truly appreciated in a live setting.
-Dane Jackson

ARMOR FOR SLEEP
DREAM TO MAKE BELIEVE
EQUAL VISION
Pretend you've never heard of Thursday, and Armor for Sleep may be the most awesome band that you've heard. But most everyone who likes the music that Armor for Sleep makes has heard of the quartet's fellow statesmen (New Jersey, for those keeping score at home), so throw that right out the window. What remains, however, is 11 tracks of emo-tinged punk rock that have a certain pristine quality. Is it the post-hardcore guitar work? Could it be the wistful lyrical content? Whatever it is, Armor for Sleep's DREAM TO MAKE BELIEVE gives all of those scruffy-haired, Gap-T-shirt-wearing, pretty-boy punk bands a good run for their money, because these guys have the look and can back it up with pensive, moving music...just like Thursday. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

LIVING THINGS
TURN IN YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS
SKG
Living Things is a band from Missouri that plays throwback vintage rock, just like The Strokes and The Von Bondies. This four-track EP has a very lean sound that makes it easier to pick up on all the social and political undertones within the songs. The music is rebellious, aggressive, and energetic. While there seems to be a lot of bands out there trying to do the whole garage-rock/revival thing, Living Things is one of the better (and more successful) bands. If you like The Stooges, you'll like Living Things.
-Dane Jackson

DARKEST HOUR
HIDDEN HANDS OF A SADIST NATION
VICTORY
The latest release from Darkest Hour is a seething affair, to say the least, going that extra step to provide the metal realm with a powerhouse offering. Could the magic stem from the fact that this Maryland-based quintet recorded the disc in Sweden with dark-metal wizard Fredrick Nordstrom? Well, probably, when you factor in that cameos by members of heavyweights like Soilwork, At the Gates, The Haunted, and The Crown could've only been possible by working in the birthplace of the Gothenburg metal sound. This is 11 tracks of crisp guitar riffs, epic instrumental interludes, and a plethora of headbanging rhythms that would knock your head clean off if given the chance. The best thing about Darkest Hour is their uncanny knack for being able to effortlessly switch gears from double-time death punk to moody, melodic passages. This is a blockbuster of a metal album. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

JELLO BIAFRA
MACHINE GUN IN THE CLOWN'S HAND
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES
As the heart and brains of Dead Kennedys, Jello Biafra was one of the primary definers of punk rock. Now as the head honcho at Alternative Tentacles and as an activist, Biafra is still a major player in the revolutionary side of the American left. On MACHINE GUN IN THE CLOWN'S HAND, Mr. Biafra takes on the policies and credibility of the George W. Bush administration. Jello's approach to getting his points across is highly intelligent smart-ass verbal warfare. His energy is unparalleled. This three-disc set is so, so good. He is immensely entertaining and provocative. The gift in the toy box is the final cut, a personal meditation upon the impact of Joey Ramone. Go buy this one. All hail Jello Biafra!
-H. Barry Zimmerman

SCARS OF TOMORROW
DESIGN YOUR FATE
THORP
Scars of Tomorrow is a West Coast hardcore outfit whose nine-track collection mixes the current waves of underground metal into one package. Taking the brutal drumming from Killswitch Engage and adding in chunks of Hatebreed's growling and Darkest Hour fretwork, Scars of Tomorrow make an explosive entity. Add in some a sprinkling of nu metal à la Deftones and Korn (hey, they are a California band, after all), and DESIGN YOUR FATE sounds a lot like the stuff that disenchanted youth—whether they be metal, punk, or hardcore kids—can find solace in. Walking the line between brutal metalcore and accessible metal, Scars of Tomorrow yields a very potent brand of metal. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

THE METHADONES
CAREER OBJECTIVE
STARDUMB RECORDS
These guys deserve a medal for rock originality. This is one tight band (not a big fucking surprise when Dan Schafer of Screeching Weasel is fronting it), and live I bet everyone would have a bitchin' good time. They're damn catchy: "Say Goodbye to Your Generation" has Weezer-like anthem qualities. Oh. My. God. "TV World" is the best song ever! Yes! Yes! I too like to self-induce a coma-like trance in front of "the warm TV glow"! This music makes me want to dance silly, shout slang, and enthusiastically shake my fists while I'm putting on my make-up for a night out on the town.
-Emily Kendy

PHARAOH
AFTER THE FIRE
CRUZ DEL SUR
Pharaoh is a Philadelphia-based metal quartet that utilizes galloping guitar runs and falsetto metal shrills to the best of its advantage. On the outfit's nine tracks of heavy-metal glory, there's quite a bit of influence from the new wave of British heavy metal (most notably Iron Maiden), but the band stays true to itself and, despite not being overly creative, is immensely fluid. A little progressive, a tad classical, yet true to the roots that are power metal, Pharaoh's crisp changes within songs and flurry of guitar solos are reminiscent of Dio, Saxon, and many of the bands that made sweepingly majestic metal accessible to the masses. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

THE ABSENTEES
SECRET WEAPONS.
SELF-RELEASED
This is a 19-song, DIY disc of some '80s-sounding semi-political punk rock. This record reminds me of a cross between older DRI and Dead Kennedys. True to '80s punk-rock form, the songs on SECRET WEAPONS average about a minute-and-a-half each. The singer has that Lee Ving or Jello Biafra style of slightly over-singing, which seems to fit the music pretty well. Most of the lyrics deal with police harassment and the like, sometimes bordering on GG Allin-style shock rock. For example, the song "The Long Beach Police Are Fucked" is about police sodomizing each other. All in all, this didn't blow me away, but it was cool to hear that someone is putting out bad-ass rock 'n' roll in 2003. I recommend it to fans of the Murder Junkies, Dead Kennedys, Fear, and Black Flag.
-Joey Housewrecker

FREYA
AS THE LAST LIGHT DRAINS
VICTORY
Freya is a new band comprised of three-fifths of Earth Crisis, and while there are remnants of the crushing output that seminal hardcore outfit unleashed on AS THE LAST LIGHT DRAINS, the listener is in for a whole new and unique animal. The 13-track collection still manages to rip through your skull with blood-curdling screams, rampant guitar riffs, and bone-crushing rhythms, but Freya takes the Earth Crisis sound a step beyond its chaotic hardcore roots. Freya implements a second vocalist, a device which allows the band to travel in the vein of melodic metal (à la Sevendust and Anthrax) without sacrificing heaviness. Instead, it adds a great deal of depth to the band's driving rhythms and drastically alters the dynamics of the band for the better. It's almost as if there are two bands in one in Freya, and the mixture isn't clunky or careless; rather, Freya hits just as hard as Earth Crisis, but now is more versatile and dangerous, armed with the ability to explode at any given moment. Like Snapcase and Deftones, Freya has striven to progress and has succeeded, adding to an already potent sound and ultimately making a well-balanced album full of aggression and emotion. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

LIMBECK
HI, EVERYTHING'S GREAT
DOGHOUSE RECORDS
Limbeck calls Southern California home, but after listening to HI, EVERYTHING'S GREAT, anyone can see that this group of four young men loves being on the road just as much as being home. The new full-length from this already well-loved and well-known band has an uncanny way of bringing the listener on a journey across the nation. Candid lyrics fill the mind with images of endless expanses of green and golden fields, a blue sky that goes on forever, and memories of warm nights. As dreamy as it all may sound, among the road-trip tunes lingers a sense of sadness that comes with nostalgia and longing to return to an epic period in one's life. The music itself hearkens back to classic country and folk rock, with warm vocals, twangs of the guitar, and crisp drumbeats. This album should be a staple on any road trip. Visit web site
-tChow

DOG FASHION DISCO
COMMITTED TO A BRIGHT FUTURE
SPITFIRE RECORDS
Dog Fashion Disco is an eclectic post-metal blend of cartoonishly exaggerated hard rock, damaged pop, and noisy jazz (à la The Flying Luttenbachers). Songs like "Love Song for a Witch", "Rapist Eyes", and "Fetus on the Beat" are wild, hallucinogenic narratives with outlandish, bizarre humor (lyrics are provided). The group uses keyboards—usually anathema to modern psycho-metal bands—for schizophrenic mood changes and adding a shiny gloss to their noisy tunes of demented humor and obscenely vivid metaphor.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

VARIOUS ARTISTS
SMASH UP DERBY
GEARHEAD RECORDS
Hey, The Hives are on here. I haven't heard them yet. New Bomb Turks are extremely good. Upbeat, but not too upbeat, like they seem to be questioning their own upbeatness. Okay, okay, here we go: Almquist, gimme some of what you got. Zzzzzz…Huh, what? Where am I? Red Planet is kind of lame, too. I'm going to skip ahead.... The Hellacopters rock my bedroom. I'm on my way "to the bargain bin, now/ Goin' nowhere fast." Yeah! The Flaming Sideburns' "Testify" is live and super fun. I feel like I'm in fucking Europe or something, where you can smoke anywhere and drink until you puke on your best friend. (Wait, maybe that last one is global.) I wish I hated The Donnas, but I can't since they speak the truth for all shy women everywhere. Oops, I've exceeded my word limit.
-Emily Kendy

GLIMPSE
GLIMPSE
SELF-RELEASED CD
Glimpse is a Seattle-based quintet that mixes straight-up hard rock like STP and Foo Fighters with tinges of '90s alternative and a glossy pop finish to make for an interesting musical concoction. Never overpowering nor contrite, Glimpse takes the route less traveled and inserts memorable hooks within songs composed with twists of serious rock (à la U2 and Live). The three tracks that comprise the self-titled endeavor display a band that has a knack for making solid rock tunes filled with integrity, something that should allow Glimpse to ascend over the current wave of rock acts which don't have half as much feeling behind them. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

LOS KUNG-FU MONKEYS
REBUILDING THE WORLD
ONE SHOT RECORDS
This is a Tijuana ska nonet that varies from classic English 2-Tone ska styles to the more Americanized ska-core. This is mostly the energetic, upbeat, rocking ska rather than more melodic approaches. Included is a spirited cover of The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry". Fans of The Specials, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Operation Ivy, and Rancid will find something to like on this ska-punk album.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

BEYOND SALEM
WELCOME TO MACHINE
SELF-RELEASED CD
Beyond Salem is quite the theatrical outfit, as the band's mixture of gothic rock, metal, classic hard rock, and Meatloaf-like over-the-top performance are captured on the 10-track release WELCOME TO MACHINE. Imagine the '70s schlock of Alice Cooper dumbed down a few notches, and you've got this Canadian quartet in your sight, complete with a cock-rock swagger and a rock 'n' roll demeanor. While much of the CD meanders from the superfluous (atmospheric space-rock keyboards pervading the last two tracks) to the ridiculous (going so far as to add false crowd noise after the first seven tracks for the pseudo-FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE effect), there are few bright spots, such as the cover Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine". For the most part, Beyond Salem is merely a caricature of what the band intends to be—which, unless there's a joke being missed here, is never a good thing. Visit Web Site
-Mike SOS

RISE AGAINST
REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE
FAT WRECK CHORDS
This is the band's second album, and I think it sounds better than the first...even though I haven't heard the first. This band is tight as it is, which I am going to assume is from practice on the Warped Tour, etc. I dig them. They're a young Dag Nasty or a friendlier Down By Law. Old-school punk with new-school emotion. No, no, no—not fucking EMO. It's just that 1984 is long past, and we're free to be you and me! Hooray! Feelings, nothing more than feelings….
-Emily Kendy

GOVERNMENT ISSUE
STRANGE WINE: LIVE AT CBGB AUGUST 30TH, 1987
DOCTOR STRANGE
Government Issue was right there with the start of Washington, D.C. hardcore in the early '80s. They get much credibility for being ahead of the curve of the hardcore wave, but in retrospect they rarely varied from their hardcore formula and end up sounding rather bland compared to all the hardcore that is out there now. The very warm bass sound gives some of the tracks a NoMeansNo feel (e.g., "Blending In"). Doctor Strange usually adds something to its reissues, and this one is no different: the original, vinyl-only 1989 EP had only seven live tracks, while this has the entire show, a remastered 25 tracks. There are also three studio tracks from 1988: "Strange Wine", "I'm James Dean", and "Teenager in a Box".
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

ANBERLIN
BLUEPRINTS FOR THE BLACK MARKET
TOOTH AND NAIL
Anberlin is a rock band from Florida whose 11-track offering has enough radio-friendly firepower to trump Staind and Creed combined. Paint-by-numbers choruses, tons of guitar hooks, and a bouncy rock feeling is what you'll get when the infectious opening lines of "Foreign Language" invade your listening space. And there's more where that came from, folks, as this quartet has got all of the traits of a modern-day arena-rock band. Ready for the checklist? We've got the boyish charm, the crystal clear lyrical delivery, and the squeaky-clean, slickly-produced rock sound made infamous by Hoobastank and Incubus. Alien Ant Farm and New Found Glory, step aside, here comes the newest force in teeny-bopper alternative, Anberlin. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

DESTROY EVERYTHING
THREE CHEERS FOR YOU
NO LABEL
Destroy Everything is a Chicago punk quintet with a fun, pogo-punk, old-school sound. There is a strong draw on the classic '77 London punk style. The group's punk-never-dies attitude and simple, three-chord formula is celebrated in the title track of THREE CHEERS FOR YOU, which is a set of three mini-CDs culled from recordings made for the group's upcoming release, NO MORE MONKEYS. Stylistically, it's no change from the unadorned punk rock exhibited on 2000's PLEASE HELP ME.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

LAMONT
THUNDER BOOGIE
TRAKTOR 7
Lamont's nine-track collection of mudflap metal is aptly titled, as the spirit of 1977 Ted Nugent hasn't been this prevalent since GREAT GONZOS. Forget about all those Swedish rock bands invading these shores, Lamont hails from Massachusetts, and this trio has more rock 'n' roll coursing through their veins than The Hives and The Vines combined. With odes to cocaine ("One White Line"), muscle cars ("Rocket Ride"), and sin city ("Vegas"), what do you think the music sounds like, dear reader? Well, if you guessed heavy, raw, and rocking, then give yourself the good old gold star for your forehead. So do yourself a favor: put down the beer and bong, and salute, goddammit! Visit web site
-Mike SOS

DIM MAK RECORDS SAMPLER
I'M LIKE A STEPPING RAZOR DON'T YOU WATCH ME I'M DANGEROUS
DIM MAK
Dim Mak Records cranks out album after album of perfectly unrefined indie rock, with just enough catchiness in each record to keep your hips shaking and feet moving. This sampler is a testimony of their profuse production of dance/indie rock. The compilation tastefully begins with "I Want Your Sass" by up-and-coming star Dance Disaster Movement. This song masterfully kicks off song after song of raw dance tunes. With such jewels as Pretty Girls Make Graves, The Kills, and Bluebird placed randomly throughout the sampler, this is a must-have for any indie kid who wants to dance without jeopardizing their "scene-point" score. Visit web site
-tChow

GOOD RIDDANCE
BOUND BY TIES OF BLOOD AND AFFECTION
FAT WRECK CHORDS
Holy shit, these dudes are old! This must explain why they kick ass: I'd have to watch my bladder if I saw these guys live. If their affable, unrelenting, meaty beats on the album are anything to go by, then LIVE these guitars would freak me out. I can see the drummer, all shirtless and sweaty, tongue hanging out, panting and frowning with exertion. The songs are clever, with the heady lyrics sung at leisure by a lead singer who has a perfect punk voice, like he's pissed off but sort of apathetic about it. Somewhere a 17-year-old is swooning.
-Emily Kendy

FIFTH
RHETORICAL
CATCRAP PRODUCTIONS
Fifth plays some riff-heavy, punkish rock with really unique vocal stylings. Personally, it reminds me of a stripped down Scott Reynolds-era All. The guitar is pretty riff-heavy, reminding me of Husker Du a little bit. The vocals go from melodic singing to gravelly growling to singing falsetto—all without getting too weird. I think this band would've fit well on the mid '80s SST roster. I would recommend this album to fans of Dinosaur Jr., All, and Husker Du.
-Joey Housewrecker

MOTIVE
WORN DOWN DREAM
SELF-RELEASED CD
Motive is an Arizona-based metal quintet whose thrash metal roots are very much apparent on the 10 tracks that comprise WORN DOWN DREAM. Motive operates in a true metal manner, where the galloping flurries of guitar riffs are king, the double-bass drumming is a bona fide staple, and apocalyptic visions are uttered with screams. While the formula has been tried countless times over, Motive somehow make it all lock and load without pretense, making a metal album that we can proudly bang our heads to. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

THE FUNERAL
RULED BY NONE
ENDWELL
This is, by all standards, a very, very good hardcore band and a very, very good hardcore CD. But it is not, as it is touted, the "best CD of 2003"; that's a lie. But it doesn't take away from any talent The Funeral have. No one can say they're not angry—oh boy, are they angry. And while what they sing about is more political than emotional, they sing about the things it would take real research to uncover, such as the fact that the American government actually did pump crack into the projects at one time. Not only is The Funeral smart, they're angry and smart...and talented, which makes for a lethal, spectacular combination.
-Franny

AGALLOCH
THE MANTLE
THE END
Dark and melancholic, Agalloch's THE MANTLE is a collection powerful in its ability to sweep over your senses like a cool ocean breeze right before a tumultuous storm. This Oregon-based outfit defies what your conceptions of death-metal are, as the atmospheric arrangements are as lush and grandiose as anything Opeth can muster; yet the tranquillity and peace of early psychedelic rock is pervasive in the band's sound, producing a musical entity that tugs at the soul and creeps inside the inner workings of consciousness. There are varied uses of odd instruments strewn about for maximum effect, making THE MANTLE an orchestral affair that will engulf your senses. However, in the end, the overall picture painted by the four men of Agalloch is beautifully bleak, painfully stoic, and utterly breathtaking. This CD is lengthy (clocking in at over 70 minutes), yet there is not a second of filler here, as every note is perfectly placed. If you're a fan of dark music, take some time out and give this must-have disc its due. You won't be disappointed. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

THE COFFIN DAGGERS
THE COFFIN DAGGERS
URKO RECORDS
This self-titled debut CD from NY instrumental quartet The Coffin Daggers has earned acclaim from college radio and the underground press across the nation. The group's sound is a vintage instrumental-rock style. There are covers mixed in with the originals here: "The Rumble" (The Shadows), "Cruel Sea" (The Dakotas), and "Bombora" (Original Surfaris). The group goes in for a dark, heavily-pounding rock that is underscored by the drums (Greg Clarke) and electric piano/organ (Dan Terchek). This excellent (and sometimes eerie) surf-rock revival album culminates in a version of Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive".
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

FEW AND FAR BETWEEN
3
ELKION RECORDS
This release has been three years in the making—hence the title. Was it worth the wait? Yes. Few and Far Between may just be the next big thing to come out of Detroit, if given the chance. The music is filled with chunky guitar riffs and progressive bass lines. Add in the similarities between lead singer Joe Philips and Sting in the vocal department, and you've got yourself a winner. While the guitar work on this album is very heavy and chunky, the band never seems to lose their sense of melody and musicianship. Very progressive, very original, indie-influenced rock music.
-Dane Jackson

VENEAR
VENEAR
SELF-RELEASED CD
Venear is a NYC-based rock group whose infectious melodies and bouncy delivery are bound to have anyone with a pulse bopping in their seat. While the outfit's disc only contains four songs, it's the kind of release that you'll wish there was more of, as Venear doesn't hold back from hitting hard (especially with the on-point percussion), yet doesn't sacrifice its feel-good sound in the process. Kind of poppy, a little punky, but altogether rocking, Venear's sound is totally radio-friendly. This is a band to watch in the near future. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

LOGH
THE RAGING SUN
BAD TASTE RECORDS
The sophomore full-length release from Sweden's despair-riddled, minimalist quartet Logh (formerly, Log—until they discovered that two other bands with the same name) is a haunting journey through a bleak landscape of bleached bones and the dark void of an absent afterlife. Fresh off a successful tour with labelmates Last Days of April and their first appearance at Hultsfredsfestivalen (think Ozzfest meets the Warped Tour in Scandinavia), Logh is rapidly winning over European converts to their desolate vision and vaguely prog-rock sounds. THE RAGING SUN is an excellent concept album from a group still feeling its way through its formative years. Somehow, Bad Taste Records has always been able to find a multitude of Scandinavian groups that have the musical chops and vocal dexterity to make it in the English-language market. On this album, the band's soft (but intense) acoustic guitar tunes set the listener up for the onslaught of the hardcore epic, "The Bones of Generations". Throughout this album the group does a great job of setting the listener up for a punch line that is less of a laugh and more of a depressing punch to the gut. Find out more about these happy-go-lucky nihilists at Visit web site.

-DUG
FULL BLOWN CHAOS
PROPHET OF HOSTILITY
STILLBORN
From Jamey Jasta's (Hatebreed) imprint Stillborn comes the latest crushing hardcore band from the NYHC community, Full Blown Chaos. Having cut its teeth in Queens, this explosive quartet can take you into the depths of metalcore, complete with ominous thrash-metal guitars and vocals seething with anguish. PROPHET OF HOSTILITY contains six tracks of brutality that mix death metal's violence with hardcore's groove, generating moshpit mayhem. Be warned, folks: when Full Blown Chaos comes to your local music venue, run for cover. These guys are the real deal and will beat the hell out of you. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

A LONG WINTER
BREATHING UNDER WATER
TRIBUNAL RECORDS
You want to know why melodic hardcore is so FUCKING popular? Girlfriends and boyfriends can go to the live shows and everyone has a good time. That's all. Everyone's happy—double the listeners, double the money, and double the popularity. For example, my boyfriend's mother may ask him why the sound of a passing ambulance doesn't hurt his ears; while I, in all my new-found tranquillity, might tell her to "just chill. A little music never hurt no one."
-Emily Kendy

SPITALFIELD
REMEMBER RIGHT NOW
VICTORY
Riding the current wave set forth by Thursday and The Used, Spitalfield is a Chicago-based outfit whose debut, 10-track release has all of the super sounds that whip the kids into a frenzy these days. For starters, REMEMBER RIGHT NOW features an emotive singer with a heartfelt and sincere whine; a band that sings back-up just as sincerely yet still manages to rock out; and songs that showcase drama, clever wordplay, and a combining of melodic interludes and an indie-rock sensibility. Basically, Spitalfield sounds a lot like everything else on the post-punk/emo circuit, so, unless you've heard of The Movielife, et al., it's all new to you. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

EMBASSY
IN FLIGHT MUSIC
DIPLOMATIC RECORDS
To put it bluntly, IN FLIGHT MUSIC bored me. The first track sounded like a rip-off of the THE NEVERENDING STORY theme song, which made me sing that instead of actually listening to the real lyrics. The disc doesn't get much better after that. Embassy has perfected the pop-punk formula uses it to the fullest. Fans of Drive-Thru Records will probably really dig this band, but I need a little more substance and talent. This release is just bland and soulless. Visit web site
-Dane Jackson

SYNTHETIC 16
FOUR-SONG SAMPLER
SELF-RELEASED CD
Synthetic 16 is a NYC-based quintet whose latest batch of tunes provides a closer look of what makes this intricate outfit tick. For starters, the twin guitar attack never sounded crisper, and the bass and drums lock into an unbreakable groove. The key to this outfit, though, is the band's stellar use of dynamics and knowing how to songwrite, both lyrically and musically. It's almost as if the band taunts you with spurts of its power, only to leave the listener hungry for more (such as in the sweeping chorus of "Protected"). And with this release being only four songs deep, you'll be sure to feel that there's a definite need for some more of Synthetic 16's brand of refined rock 'n' roll. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

NEDELLE
REPUBLIC OF TWO
KIMCHEE RECORDS
The debut release from California's Nedelle Torrissi is a tour de force of not only her own unique musical talents but the bluesy, throaty music that makes smoky dive bars and back alleys so alluring. Though she enlists other musicians on this album, she manages to sing, play guitar, piano, organ, and violin on this release. The 11 tracks on this CD are the soft type of music that sounds great as a party background or as dinner music, but not the type of tunes that will be burning up the charts and getting airplay. She has been compared to Ella Fitzgerald, and she encourages such old-school comparisons with the use of vintage instruments and audio equipment on this release. Her music does have a contemporary feel to it though, kind of like Joni Mitchell on Quaaludes. Most of her upcoming concert dates are in the Bay Area and Portland, but you can see a nice, sexy picture of her—and the listing of her most recent show dates—at Visit web site.
-DUG

ASHERAH
BOUTROS MAKES THE BED
INNERSTRENGTH
At best, this is a very strange CD. Is this the new face of hardcore? If it is, I'm just not interested. This is anger that has been prefabricated for the music's sake—and that is unforgivable. These words describe killing the one you love, maybe even slicing him/her to ribbons before you do. Whoever wrote them either has some closure issues or is a murderer or is a kid with a love for role-playing games and hardcore music pretending to be a murderer. The point I'm trying to make is that these words are not real. Musical inspiration comes from real experiences, and I find it hard to believe that "If dead is good, then I'm a very good boy" came from a real experience the writer had. Not only that, but the music is just the same as any other band in this position.
-Franny

THE FIGHT
HOME IS WHERE THE HATE IS
FAT WRECK CHORDS
Produced by legendary punk-rock drummer Bill Stevens (Black Flag, All, The Descendants) The Fight's HOME IS WHERE THE HATE IS is a really good rocking disc. Haling from Dudly, U.K., The Fight is a band of kids (lead singer Kate is the eldest at 18) with a feel for the revolution rock of the early '80s. Some of my favorite moments are "Forgotten Generation", "Greebo Wanabe", and "Revolution Calling". I like this disc. It's crammed tight with good melodies and rocking guitar parts. Plus, if it's Fat Wreck Chords, it's got to be good.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

TOURNIQUET
WHERE MOTH AND RUST DESTROY
METAL BLADE
Tourniquet is a Christian rock band, but not the type like Creed (thankfully). Instead, this veteran metal troupe has carved out its niche by spreading the word of the Lord with an iron fist, not a sparkly shirt and a Eddie Vedder swagger. Nine tracks of meaty metal, reminiscent of Eastern Block's technical crunch meeting the song structure of mid-'90s Megadeth (mainly due to Marty Friedman's frequent guest guitar spots, which absolutely wail) is what you get here. Add in some other guest guitars via Trouble's Bruce Franklin, and you probably haven't had this much fun with spiritual metal since Stryper donned the yellow and black suits. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

DRESSY BESSY
LITTLE MUSIC
KINDERCORE RECORDS
Dressy Bessy brings back what music has lacked in over 30 years. With Tammy Ealom's sweet-sounding voice and song titles such as "Lipstick" and "Sunny", there is no escaping the warm, fuzzy feeling that '60s pop used to bring. This record is a 35-minute escape from a stressful, fast-paced lifestyle and makes you appreciate the simple things that are so often overlooked. Smooth, pure melodies and poppy drumbeats make for a tasteful creation of innocent, lively music.
-Kathleen

THE GATHERING
SOUVENIRS
THE END
The Gathering is a Netherlands-based quintet whose ambient approach to rock takes a Gothic flare on its 10-track release. Complete with sprinkles of computer-programmed backgrounds, sweeping choruses, and lush orchestral arrangements, The Gathering's dark-wave pretense gives the listener a real feeling of being lifted into the air, angelic female lead vocals adding to the enchantment. Imagine a less weird Bjork jamming out with an emotional dark-metal band, and you've got The Gathering's latest musical exploration into the heart and soul. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

DEATH ON WEDNESDAY
SONGS TO ______ TO.
SIDE CHO
In the grand scheme of SoCal punk rock, Death on Wednesday seem forever destined to play the snotty little brother to Face to Face's universally-adored older sibling. Far less gothic than their mascaraed image would suggest, the band has treads similar territory as that which has nearly every other band of their Orange County ilk—namely, rambunctious pop-punk smeared with hair-metal overtones (e.g., "Born to Bleed"), with the occasional bout of placid acoustic reflection ("Sympathy" and "Wait for Love"). In fact, about the only endearing aspect of SONGS TO ____ TO. is lead singer Nathan Lawler's voice, a dulcet tenor that is at times eerily redolent of former Smoking Popes frontman Josh Caterer. As is generally the case with bands of this variety, there's simply not enough to distinguish Death on Wednesday from the glut of SoCal punk bands vying for a place at the big kids' (NOFX, Offspring, and Unwritten Law) table.
-Jason Jett

GOD DETHRONED
INTO THE LUNGS OF HELL
METAL BLADE
This Swedish band really has a bug about religion. After all, God Dethroned's latest collection of death-metal dirges all have a common thread of disdain for its misuse and abuse set to an At the Gates-like musical backdrop. In fact, this collection of eight tracks sounds so criminally similar to the aforementioned Swedish metal pioneers that it's hard to think of God Dethroned as a separate entity. However, while this may not be the most innovative metal on the market, INTO THE LUNGS OF HELL sets a certain tone that is hard to ignore; and the points it makes are even harder to dispute. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

MEWITHOUTYOU
I NEVER SAID THAT I WAS BRAVE
CREEP
For being such a terribly old example of mewithoutYou, this EP is not as mediocre as I expected. The traces of brilliance and creativity are subtle but present in this old release. Surely it is not nearly as impressive as their current releases, being far less refined and incredibly amateurish. If anything, listening to this EP will give you a very clear idea of how far mewithoutYou has come on their journey. Visit web site
-tChow

LES BATON ROUGE
CHLOE YURTZ
ELEVATOR MUSIC
This European post-punk indie-rock band sounds to me like what would happen if John Lydon took to producing indie-rock bands today. CHLOE YURTZ is like a cross between PiL and L7. The band has two salient features: the sounds of guitar and hearty vocals arising from multiple members singing at the same time. The quartet is divided evenly between the sexes, with what sounds like everybody contributing vocals. The women of Les Baton Rouge definitely take the lion's share of the vocals, and the group has a history of feminist activism—sort of a riot grrl revival. Energetic and fun, the band's old-school feel is refreshing in this day and age.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

HELICOPTER HELICOPTER
WILD DOGS WITH X-RAY EYES
INITIAL
Boston-based indie rockers Helicopter Helicopter have released a new, 12-track album that leans towards the rock side of the fence. With smatterings of Tom Petty, Weezer, and Soul Asylum wrapped around a guy/girl vocal delivery, this quartet takes good old-fashioned American rock 'n' roll and play it with heart, melody, and conviction. No tricks, no bull, just four people playing amped-up versions of hook-happy arena rock that still holds up today. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

MILLIGRAM
THIS IS CLASS WAR
TRAKTOR7
If you like Metallica, then you'll like Milligram. Too bad Metallica sucks and I don't like them. In short, Milligram is trying too hard to be a stereotypical dark hardcore band—but judging from their music, it seems as if they've never heard a hardcore band and are trying to improvise by bridging the fine line between quality hard rock and crap. The music is the same throughout: heavy drums, feedback, notes played on a piano drifting softly and darkly into the next song, a guy that sounds like…well, the lead singer of Metallica (but minus all the hit albums and giant fan base).
-Franny

ANTIMATTER
SAVIOUR
THE END
Antimatter, an electronica act that features members from Anathema, marks a whole new territory for electronic and organic musicians alike. This 11-track release is hauntingly delicious, embarking on musical landscapes much like an auteur director approaches a screenplay. Chilling female vocals accompany the deep grooves and luxuriant melodies, making Antimatter an outfit that utilizes the ugliness of massive electronics with the aesthetics of acoustic music to the highest order. Imagine Portishead jamming with Trent Reznor, and you may get an idea of what this awe-inspiring mix sounds like. Suitable for the lounge at your favorite funeral parlor, Antimatter's premium post-gothic display is only overshadowed by the brilliance of the two acoustic-only reprises of "Over Your Shoulder" and "Flowers", truly showing the music's subtle radiance. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

SAME DIFFERENCE
UP A NOTCH
STICK AND RUN RECORDS
I can only assume the singer and the back-up vocalist are the two pretty-boys, while the drummer is the dreadlocked alien. I'm too wary of good-looking musicians; I keep thinking they're out to get me or something...and these two dough-heads are giving me their deepest "I'm a profound guy" stare from the back of the disc jacket. Thank goodness for the creepy guy with the handlebar mustache who's pouting like he was forced to be in the band. It's only because of him that I'll try listening to more than one song.
-Emily Kendy

SAVAGE REPUBLIC
TRAGIC FIGURES, CEREMONIAL TRUDGE, JAMAHIRIYA DEMOCRATIQUE, CUSTOMS
MOBILIZATION RECORDINGS
This collection contains all of the recordings by Los Angeles's Savage Republic (1982-1989), and it is mind-blowingly fantastic. You could really get lost in this four-disc set. Savage Republic's music is a tribal freak-out with occasional moments of punk and pop rock. It's like Pink Floyd got together with a drumming circle and invited their punk friends over for the most creative and interesting music-making that I have heard in a long, long time. How Savage Republic has avoided becoming a staple on that list of legendary household names is beyond me. This collection is a must-have for anyone who considers themselves remotely into the great art of music making.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

THE LEGENDARY SHACK SHAKERS
COCKADOODLEDON'T
BLOODSHOT
Yee-haw! Have you heard the soul shaking blues-rock of The Legendary Shack Shakers? Well, what are you waiting for? This Nashville-based bluegrass band of hillbillies has enough boom and sass to make you shake your ass all night long. Drawing from the basics of the Mississippi blues, honky tonk, and the classic days of rock 'n' roll, this eclectic group is as dysfunctional as the music they concoct, which can be likened to a triple shot of moonshine with an amphetamine chaser. This outfit surely has the devil in its soul, and the exorcism comes through this 12-track collection of catcalls, washboards, and two-stepping. TLSS has an unquenchable fire inside that mixes its love for down-home music with a surge of adrenaline that encompasses the rock 'n' roll attitude and fries it up for one tasty Southern fricassee. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

LONGSHOT
02-8-02
?
I actually like them. It's been a long time since I've been exposed to any pop-punk, not to mention decent pop-punk. This is not exactly something you could listen to all the time—at least, it's not something I could listen to all the time; but it's cute and sweet and simple and good enough for radio, at least. They remind me of an underground Hot Water Music, only sweeter. They are the kind of band you look at during one of their first performances and live vicariously through because you can see they have so much heart and you wish you did. I can't say the music is so wonderful (in fact, it's pretty ordinary): it's all three-chord pop-punk riffs, the kind that jump up and down and try to be really deep. But there's heart in it—something I can't say for the current kings of pop-punk.
-Franny

D.R.I. TRIBUTE
WE DON'T NEED SOCIETY!
MALT SODA RECORDINGS
This seems to truly be a real hardcore tribute disc. The bands that showed up came with respect, and they did right by the Dirty Rotten Imbeciles. There are 37 bands on WE DON'T NEED SOCIETY!, and they all kick serious ass. A couple of my favorites are Ratos De Porao's "Reagonomics / Sad to Be" and Crosstops' "Money Stinks". You cannot go wrong with this one. D.R.I.! D.R.I.! D.R.I.!
-H. Barry Zimmerman

FALL RIVER
THREE SONG SAMPLER
SELF-RELEASED CD
Fall River plays in the new style of hardcore with a lot of cymbal crashes, diminished power chords, and persistent vocal screaming that sounds like peril is imminent. To the contrary, my dear listener, as Fall River's perky brand of dissonance takes elements of death metal, avant-garde hardcore, and math rock and mixes them up for your moshing delight. If you like Dillinger Escape Plan, Bloodlet, or Converge, you'll be sure to enjoy the noisy indulgence of Fall River. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

SISTER HAZEL
CHASING DAYLIGHT
SELF-RELEASED
With more than a million albums sold, 10 years of experience, and a dedication to their fans that saw them leave Universal Records to put out records at their own pace, Sister Hazel seems poised for household recognition. The band's melodic tunes tend to sound quite a bit like those of Live and Third Eye Blind. On CHASING DAYLIGHT the band builds on its faith-based legacy with tight (but a touch didactic) anthems like "Best I'll Ever Be", "Your Mistake", and "Sword and Shield". This quintet might make you feel like you stumbled into a Saturday night church-rock concert, but the songs are catchy, energetic, and better than most of what passes for mainstream Christian rock. Check out the band's Website at Visit web site (they might send you a Bible or something).
-DUG

CUATRO CAMINOS
EL BONG DE TITANEO
STUMP
Cuatro Caminos is an outfit that would be totally written off as a joke if the band's music didn't kick such ass. How can you deny some Parliament Funkadelic soul mixed with smooth Latin jazz and tinges of Hawaiian reggae, cowboy ballads, and whatever the hell else this wacky band can conjure up—all for odes to women's large posteriors and other flavorful topics? This 11-track offering is a lighthearted romp through the silly side of some accomplished musicians who've seemed to leave their collective brain at the door. While EL BONG DE TITANEO pokes fun at people and even at themselves, the music never wanes from being butt-shakingly groovy (which may be all part of the band's rump fetish big picture). This release has got all of the junk in the trunk for feeling Cuatro Camino's funk, and the Southwestern seasoning melded with the Zappa-esque nuances puts it right over the top from being merely silly to being deliciously clever and a whole hell of a lot of fun. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

SULLEN
PAINT THE MOON
THICK RECORDS
Sullen's own press release compares the rock trio (with vocals split between Shanna Kiels and Justin Slaznik) as reminiscent of GOO-era Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon. This seems really on the mark where the songs the two split vocals on, like "Strawberry Blonde". The band seems to hold back a bit on the intensity of the music when Shanna sings (which she does with a teeth-clenched scream that recalls Kurt Cobain); and on songs she leads alone I hear the harder side of Nirvana. In fact, certain times (as on "All Fall Down"), I keep expecting the group to break into the repeated chorus of Nirvana's "Sliver". When Justin leads the vocal charge, it sounds like he wants to head into "Smells Like Teen Spirit" territory, but the music remains too hard and punk for all that (e.g., "Girls Are Gross" and "Watch that Girl"). Andy Gerber (Local H, Caviar) recorded in Chicago this promising debut from the St. Louis-area group.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

BLUELINE MEDIC
TEXT_BOMB
FUELED BY RAMEN INC.
Australian quartet Blueline Medic manages to mix both good rhythms and thought-provoking lyrics to make well-structured songs—a strategy many bands lack today. Blueline Medic has a sound the lies between power-pop and punk rock. This record clearly displays the band's ability to construct songs with powerful guitar riffs and smooth melodies, allowing you to sing along.
-Kathleen

EPHEL DUATH
THE PAINTER'S PALETTE
EARACHE
Looking for a band to knock you flat on your ass in terms of musical talent and creativity? Ephel Duath will do just that—and more—as this Italian quintet joins the didactic noise of John Zorn with the nuances of the best that the hardcore and death-metal scenes have to offer. This atmospheric outfit has created a collection of nine tracks of sheer power mixed with intelligently-composed jazz interludes that will leave you awestruck. Ephel Duath displays a little more jazz sense than Candiria; but in blending it with a Faith No More-like ambiance, this band reaches unparalleled heights. The best thing about THE PAINTER'S PALETTE is that each track on the disc is subdivided into movements (much like a piece of classical music). This release should be heralded far and above most bodies of work. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

CULTURE
WORLD PEACE
HEART BEAT RECORDS
Where evil abounds, the righteous shall rise up. There has never been a better time than now for legendary irie lion Joe Hill to rise up and be heard. After 30 years of fiery performances in which the charismatic Hill railed against war and oppression, he has returned in the new millennium with his apocalyptic vision intact. On the newest Culture release, Hill is backed by The Firehouse Crew and Shaggy's band on 13 new cuts. The best cuts on the new disc are the opening track "Sweet Freedom", a wistful and melodic tune backed with a soulful chorus; and the chilling "World Peace", a song Bush the lesser should be forced to listen to every night before going to bed. There are more than a few songs with Biblical imagery (such as "Babylon Falling" and "Holy Mount Zion"), but the Rastafarian always takes time to praise God in his own way (with tunes like "Bud a Bawl"). This may not be a perfect album nor Culture's best, but it does come like a holy shout-out for sanity at a time when it is badly needed. Take the time to experience some of the best roots reggae has to offer and walk in Jah light.
-DUG

MAN
MACHINE
TIMES BEACH RECORDS
Man is a one-man punk band with the deep growl of an overmodulated bass. Man is down on the establishment ("the man"), as shown on "Fired"; and down on conformity, as in "Fuck the Team". Full of witty jabs and profanity, this is a delightful antisocial romp of 17 succinct and pithy punk anthems.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte
CONTACT HIGH
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES OF THE NON-BELIEVERS
SELF-RELEASED CD
Gritty, no-nonsense rock is what the NYC quartet Contact High delivers on the group's 11-track collection. While many people would liken the band to modern rock like Creed and Matchbox Twenty, there's a discernible '70s-rock feel found in songs like the bouncy "Kurt's Song" and the supercharged "Get", a tone that sets Contact High apart from your average rock band. Straight-ahead and full of energy and emotion, Contact High's latest disc showcases a band whose songs are ready for the radio and whose performance is spirited enough to take stages by storm. Visit web site
-Mike SOS

COACHWHIPS
GET YER BODY NEXT TA MINE
NARNACK RECORDS
Coachwhips is a harsh, noisy, post-garage group with an interesting pedigree. Guitarist/vocalist is originally from the Rhode Island Fort Thunder scene. The musical arm of this collective is known for noise experimentation and such confrontational and dramatic music experiments as Lightning Bolt, Arab on Radar, and Forcefield. Perhaps made giddy by the possibilities of San Francisco, Dwyer turned to death metal (Dig That Body up it's Alive) and tardcore (Pink and Brown). Here he combines all this hard rock, unstructured frenzy, and the instant texture of noise into the punk 'n' soul combination backed by primitive drummer John Harlow and May Ann McNamara on keyboards (with a vintage organ sound) and tambourines.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

AS TALL AS LIONS
BLOOD AND APHORISMS
SELF-RELEASED CD
Long Island has been a hotbed for indie music as of late, as The Movielife and Taking Back Sunday have recently toppled the bespectacled indie-rock world with their collective suburban musical plights and pitfalls. There's another Long Island band to add to this list of those taking the ball and running with it, and its name is As Tall as Lions. ATAL's latest, six-song jaunt showcases a sensitive rock band that grew up watching John Hughes movies and listening to modern rock, new wave, and a smattering of classic rock (a staple if you live on the Island). What the four guys that comprise ATAL do with it, however, makes all of the difference, as they mix melodies of Morrissey with the emotive tendencies of early U2 to create a new form of rock that intertwines mope rock with the current wave of emo and punk rock that has infiltrated the malls of America. There's an urgency to As Tall as Lions, as the band's anthemic tunes are laced w