JUNE 2003 CD reviews

COMMUNIQUÉ
A CRESCENT HONEYMOON
LOOKOUT! RECORDS
Communiqué, a young band hailing from the Bay Area, has something very charming about them. A CRESCENT HONEYMOON is their first release-and one that will definitely establish them. Each song is catchy and enthusiastic, with powerful guitar riffs and pleasant keyboards. The themes of the songs are a bit stereotypical and could do to go a little deeper, but that is easily forgivable considering the youth of this band. In fact, their youthful attitude is what adds charm to their music and creates an honesty that is appealing. Although their child-like traits are evident throughout the EP, track 2, entitled "Ugly Moon", has an almost oldies quality to it. Either way, this band has potential and will improve with time. www.radiocommunique.com
-tChow

BETTY BLOWTORCH
LAST CALL
FOODCHAIN RECORDS
This disc provides a hearty sample of Betty Blowtorch's signature hard-rock/metal sound, over which vocalist/bassist Bianca Butthole sings the group's infamously scatological, humorous, "gotta give it to me right now" lyrics. Bianca was backed by Sharon Needles and Blare N. Bitch on guitar, and Judy Molish on drums. Betty Blowtorch's first full-length, ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH, received much critical acclaim, and the girls were touring nationally to promote it, when two terrible things happened: Judy and Sharon left the band, then Bianca was killed in a car accident. So this disc-which is a collection of outtakes, interviews, demos, and live tracks-will be extremely welcome to the many fans the band left behind. For me, the best thing about the disc is the sense of humor and devotion to reality, which pervade almost every song, from the Butt Trumpet classic "I'm Ugly and I Don't Know Why" to "Party 'Til Ya Puke" to "Size Queen" to "Van". The last song paints an unromanticized description of what touring in a van is like. I interviewed Bianca not long before she died, and she said that whenever the band members wrote a song it just ended up being humorous and raunchy. I wish more women were like she was.
-TEKOLOTE

CRASH AND BURN
SICK AGAIN
TRAKTOR 7
Growww! This guy sounds like Mick Jaggar. I really dig his voice. It's unique in this racket of punk. Or is this rock? Or is this prog-punk? Do do do do do do do do...I'm down with this sound, too. This first song, "Crazy and Stupid", is like System of a Down on Prozac. Some supremely excellent lyrics. How springy and refreshing it is to find a story in a song instead of a barrage of self-analysis and anxiety. Reading these lyrics on the inside flap is like peeking at an on-the-road diary. What's cooler than a band with an official tattoo parlor? Helllllllloooooooo Cambridge!
-Emily Kendy

THE FIENDZ
REDEMPTION
BLACK PUMPKIN RECORDS
The Fiendz has a slight Face to Face feel to it-which isn't a bad thing. The resemblance comes mostly because of similar-sounding vocals. Other than that, The Fiendz offers up 12 tracks of songs about troubled relationships, life, and everything in between. One of the best tracks on the disc is "How Ridiculous", which sounds like a punk-rock version of barbershop quartet (and, in fact, the backing vocals give that feel). If anything, they make The Fiendz's music much more dynamic and enjoyable to listen to. Also, "Don't Blame Me" seems like an homage to Bad Religion. The Fiendz is a band that started in 1987, and, after all those years, REDEMPTION serves as a return to the band's pop-punk form. If you're a fan of the band's older music, then you'll love REDEMPTION. The quality of the music on this New Jersey punk band's new album may also gain it new fans. Highly recommended.
-Dane Jackson

WESTER
THE HEART ATTACK EP
SELF-RELEASED
THE HEART ATTACK EP is six songs about a single break-up. And to make it even cheesier, the cover photo is a guy kneeling before a tombstone that says, "My Love." HA HA, how...dull. But don't weep for it. No way. Weep for me for having to listen to this crap! Every song is about attempted suicide over the break-up, complete with Eddie Van Halen guitar solos. And its self-released, which just makes you wonder: How pathetic can it get?! I can totally see why she broke up, and I feel awful she ever got involved. What do you think about that, buddy?! Are you gonna write a 12-song album about how I gave your album a terrible review? I hope so-because then I'll give that a terrible review, and you'll have to write a concept double-album about that. And then, just maybe, we'll have a good time.
-chad

TWO MINUTES HATE
STRONG AND ON
THORP RECORDS
Oh geez, two Thorp Record's reviews in a row? I'm going to need some Tylenol. Ah, screw it. It's nothing another beer can't fix. This poor dude who writes the lyrics...I can only assume it's the vicious lead singer. He has so many questions, so many questions about himself. It sounds as though he needs to talk to someone-but it sure as hell isn't me. I don't really care. I want secrets, not questions-got it?! "Studs" sounds like dude wants someone else's girl. The music is noisy and aggressive, and I can see the guys in this band holding down day jobs in construction or driving rigs, that sort of thing.
-Emily Kendy

TWO MINUTES HATE
STRONG AND ON
THORP
THE UNSUNG SERIES put out by Thorp Records is an awesome concept, as it lets kids see where all of the bands that they adore today got their influences. The latest installment finds the recordings of Philadelphia's Two Minutes Hate, an outfit which featured label head Andy Thorp on vocals for six of the 12 tracks and whose hardcore, blue-collar spirit embodies what the scene really should be about: giving a voice to the downtrodden, hope to the misled, and (above all) an outlet for aggression. For all those piling on for bands like H20 and the countless others that play VFW halls across the country, this CD is a history lesson and a chance to hear that your music was handed down to you from the elders. www.thorprecords.com
-Mike SOS

MOVING UNITS
S/T
PALM PICTURES
I've always known I had an ear for good music. However, my hearing was slightly impaired when I first heard the Moving Units perform at the Spaceland (in Los Angeles) last year. They definitely did not win me over with their funk-rock dance craze that night (that's only because I'm incapable of feeling grooves). But after a few more encounters with the band, I began to see what the rage was all about. Moving Units play what I like to call "freak rock." Blending eccentric vocals and funky garage rock with distorted dance beats, Moving Units put the groove back into the rock, unleashing a refreshing new form of dance music. Apparently, they have the same approach to Canadian freak rockers Hot Hot Heat (who have been spreading their furious dance-rock music throughout the states). This four-song sampler gives a taste of what you can expect to get in live format.
-Liz Ortega

EDISON ROCKET TRAIN
YES! YES!! YES!!!
STEEL CAGE RECORDS
Edison Rocket Train is an alt-blues root-punk band in the tradition of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and The Delta 72. This revved-up rock album includes covers of ancient blues numbers such as "Samson and Delilah" and "Your Dice Won't Pass". Even the originals include lyrical nods to country blues and early R&B, as in the title track and the "dust my broom" phrase in "Party Man Special". The band gets its drive and energy from rocking guitarist Mike Edison, but a lot of the style here comes from the saxophones and harp of journeyman Pete Linzell, whose horns and harps have graced albums by The Fleshtones, New Bomb Turks, Raunch Hands, and more.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

SNUFF
DISPOSABLE INCOME
UNION 2112 RECORDS
When Snuff was on Fat Wreck Chords, I never really paid attention to them. The band has been around since 1986, so I'm sure most of the people reading this already know what they sound like. On their latest Union 2112 Records release, the guys offer up their trademark blend of thrash and punk. To make their sound a bit more diverse, they've also added horns, organs, and harmonica to their playful brand of pop-punk. Don't worry, Snuff has not turned into a lousy version of its former self; it's still the same thrashy pop-punk you've grown to expect. Nothing really stands out to me on this release. If you like the band, you'll probably still like them after this; if you don't, this release won't change your mind. Passable, but nothing spectacular.
-Dane Jackson

PROCESS23
PREMONITIONS
INDEPENDENT
Process23 consists primarily of the Canadian songwriting team of Matt Jobin and Tina Noyes, who recently moved to San Francisco to pursue their musical aspirations. This album displays a lot of talent...but talent doesn't change the fact that the band plays a brand of emo that has been done a thousand times before. The style sometimes borders on New Order-type '80s sampling. Although highly unoriginal, it will get you humming along.
-ADF

SPITALFIELD
THE CLOAK AND DAGGER CLUB EP
VICTORY RECORDS
Named after the town were Jack the Ripper supposedly lived, this Chicago quartet has some moments on THE CLOAK AND DAGGER EP in which the group rocks...but not enough. Spitalfield (which is a good name in theory but sounds like a baby's soggy meadow. You don't need a name that you are always having to explain for it to be interesting) have some okay ideas, but the songs as wholes are underdeveloped. In their brighter moments the band echoes Pat Benatar's group from the '80s-which isn't a bad thing. The vocals border on being too pretty, which comes across a bit nutless. THE CLOAK AND DAGGER EP is definitely worth a listen...but I wouldn't spend money on it.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

LAST MISSION
LAST MISSION
SELF-RELEASED CD
This will be my last mission: listening to this album. The flow is scattered , as if the band is having an identity crisis. I wonder just how much time was spent developing a foundation of each track. The vocalist has such a raspy voice that the lyrics (mediocre and with no structure) can barley be understood. "I think your so fucked up" is the introductory invite to these seven songs. It's like the band just threw on a bunch of old-ass records and mimicked their style. I hate to say it, but the band name says it all! Basically, the songs are incomplete and tragically similar to every other underground garage band hoping to break out of the heat.
-Annette Ovanessian

THE ACTION CATS
SELF-TITLED EP
The Action Cats create what I like to call clean, upbeat, and just all-around fun music. From the first track of their six-song EP, the energy is instantly filtered through your CD player and clicks into your butt-shaking radar. Having formed only about a year ago, The Action Cats have been gaining recognition throughout L.A. with a style that has been compared to the likes of The Kinks, Blur, and The Stooges. The band manages to incorporate their musical influences into a refreshing, unique sound that cannot be overlooked. And with a bassist named Puppy, how can you go wrong?
-Kathy

GENERICA
MOTIONS OF THEORY
SELF-RELEASED CD
Generica is a cleverly-named quartet from Philadelphia that mixes crushing riffs, disjointed vocal lines, and pummeling rhythms on its four-song sampler. With samples strewn about, Generica mixes the subtle nuances of Deftones and Filter with a post-hardcore flare, making this band sound like a cross between an extremely heavy outfit and a savvy indie-rock band. Smart song composition places Generica head and shoulders above your usual band of noiseniks, yet when down and dirty, Generica has the firepower to overwhelm. Looking for some brains and brawn? Look no further than Generica. www.genericalab.com
-Mike SOS

CLAIRMEL
A LETTER TO FRIENDS
NO IDEA RECORDS
From the label that has brought us great releases from such notable acts as Hot Water Music, Small Brown Bike, and Less Than Jake comes Clairmel. The music is fast and aggressive post-punk-style indie rock (not that much different from Hot Water Music). The vocals are also raw and aggressive to the point where the singer sometimes sings out of key. The heartfelt angst delivered through the vocals gives the listener the impression of punk angst, while the melodic guitar and driving drums keep the band from being classified as simply punk or emo.
-ADF

SELF-TITLED
SELF-RELEASED
Straight from the poppy punk streets of San Diego comes a carnivorous punk/hardcore monster known simply as Money $hot. Boasting three members from the last Battalion of Saints line-up (Pilot Mike, Hee Haw, and Tomahawk) and some crazy as fuck singer (Big Josh), Money $hot injects some much-needed angst and aggression into the SD scene, once again making it a safe haven for punk's angry brethren. Stylewise, Money $hot are very reminiscent of Oxnard, CA's heyday of '81-'84 with a sound similar to the likes RKL. But don't be fooled: the sound here is not dated a bit. Add a touch of over-the-top, metal-edged guitar riffing and you have your next soundtrack for destroying your neighborhood. This band is destined to go on to great things. Sorry, the label tag says "demo only, not for sale," so you're gonna have to hunt this bad boy down at a live show.
-Larry Lugz

SUFFERING AND THE HIDEOUS THIEVES
THE HUSH HUSH
(TWO-EP SPLIT)
LUJO RECORDS
This curious double-EP set contains five songs each from two of Seattle's hottest local bands. Other than geography, these bands seem to have very little in common. The first disc features Jeff Suffering and his band's elegant progressive sound. The songs encompass a powerful spiritual energy mixed with some truly great and powerful rock 'n' roll. "Creation" is a non-stop chant ("air, fire, water, sex, man, woman...") over a tribal drum beat. This is a band that has an epic sound and really needs to put out an album on its own. The second disc in this set is a soft, ethereal set of tunes written by Amy Carlsen and Joey Atkins. Both musicians cut their teeth on Midwestern bands before moving to Seattle and joining forces. Carlsen's lush vocals are a perfect counterpoint to Atkins's soft acoustic guitar and Anita Perkins's backing vocals and viola. Both bands display a lot of potential on this set, but it only whets the appetite for more. You can find out more about both these groups on the label's Website, www.lujorecords.com.
-DUG

MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK/SCHATZI
SPLIT EP
DOGHOUSE RECORDS/THE REDEMPTION RECORDING CO.
This split EP brings you three tracks each from two emerging bands specializing in and perfecting power-pop: Motion City Soundtrack and Schatzi. Both bands feature energetic and poppy songs, as well as unique vocals. The three songs Motion City Soundtrack put on this EP were wisely chosen, as they offer a clear and complete picture of who the band is and the feeling their music evokes in its audience. Schatzi succeeds in doing the same, as well as throwing in a fun rendition of a classic song on track 6. Although they, too, shine in the genre, their lyrics and music are a bit darker than Motion City Soundtrack's (comparable lyrically to Saves the Day). If you like an overdose of enthusiasm and smiles, this might be an album you would want to add to your collection. www.motioncitysoundtrack.com; www.schatzi.net
-tChow

JARED GRABB
THE LESSER BIRDS OF PARADISE
THINKER THOUGHT RECORDS
In this artistic creation, Jared Grabb collaborates with Chicago's The Lesser Birds of Paradise to produce laid-back yet uplifting music. Jared Grabb performs tracks 1 and 2, introducing the listener to heart-wrenching, story-telling songs; while The Lesser Birds of Paradise take a more electric, straightforward approach in tracks 3 and 4. This four-song release showcases both artists' guitar strumming and vocal skills as they wrap you up in their acoustic rhythms and soothing melodies.
-Kathy

CELEBRITY
LOVESICK
DOGHOUSE RECORDS
Celebrity dishes out soothing, mature indie rock that sounds more like British bands such as The Cure and Depeche Mode. After listening to the entire album, I was sure these guys weren't from around here...but I found out they're from Tennessee, of all places. While this band sounds more like an '80s British rock throwback, they are still more than welcome in today's scene. Besides a nostalgia trip, Celebrity helps you remember a different era, when music was more pure. It's funny, though: after listening to LOVESICK, I have come to the conclusion that Celebrity doesn't belong in seedy clubs; the band is talented enough to headline arena shows. Hopefully the success of The All-American Rejects may help Celebrity achieve mainstream success. If there's any band that deserves it, it's Celebrity. If you want to hear what your favorite British rock and post-hardcore bands didn't have the talent to be, make sure you check out LOVESICK.
-Dane Jackson

HOW IT ENDS
SO SHALL IT BE
THORP
Pennsylvania's How It Ends piles on the sludge on the band's bludgeoning, 11-track release. Armed with lyrics full of lament and despair, this trio plays fast, down-tuned odes that sound like Crowbar revved up on speed. Sounding evil as hell is easy for this group, as the winning formula of crushing guitars, relentless percussion, and tortured vocals makes How It End the perfect mesh of hardcore's violent tendencies and metal's powerful grooves. Beware the pit when these guys are around, as there's bound to be a scuffle or 20 to flee from, as How It End's music will flip the switch in your brain to insane mode instantaneously. www.thorprecords.com
-Mike SOS

HOW IT ENDS
SO SHALL IT BE
THORP RECORDS
The cover of this album is very A Midnight Choir. The music is similar, but without the sense of humor. This is serious music for serious head cases. When I read an excellent interview with Zakk Wylde and Dimebag Darrell in GUITAR WORLD MAGAZINE, this was the music going 'round in my head. I don't really know what to say, because I would never voluntarily listen to this. I like Ross's roar, if that counts for anything. It's roar with rhythm.
-Emily Kendy

CAVE IN
ANTENNA
RCA RECORDS
One thing I like about this band is that they understand the concept of transition. There's not one song on this album that sounds remotely the same as the next. Some bands take literally years evolving and discovering new ground with their music, but Cave In manage to shift their sound from dark, heavy rock to melodic rock to power-pop-all in one album! I would associate the general sound to Adema, Pulse Ultra, and maybe Chevelle-but, essentially, this is a band with no specific style. They are multifaceted, and every song demonstrates that.
-Liz Ortega

VIC BONDI/ARTICLES OF FAITH
FORTUNATE SON EP
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES
This EP is half new material and half retrospective. Among the new tunes is "Hardball", a chugging rocker that is a great anti-Bush song. Bondi takes the war and its master on with smart points and not just tiresome name-calling. I respect that. The second of the new solo songs is the classic Credence Clearwater Revival song "Fortunate Son". This song is one of the greatest protest tunes of the entire rock 'n' roll era, dealing with the evils of war and the class bias in choosing who goes to fight. This song alone is worth the package price. Bondi sounds like a combination of Bon Scott and Tesco Vee. The last two songs, "Buy This War" and "American Dreams", are old tunes from one of Bondi's groups, Articles of Faith. These songs are 20 years old-but, sadly, are still true. Protest music is eternal because war always exists. Go get this one and fight the power.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

THE ORANGE JULIANS
LOST SUMMER
SELF-RELEASED
The debut CD from this Georgia-based trio is a weak throwback to the early '80s. With female vocals and a primitive new-wave beat that sounds like early B-52's or The Go-Go's, this band has brought the bar of mediocrity to a new level. Any band playing all originals must bring something unique to the table. Unfortunately, the only unique thing this band brings is a sense of boredom so acute that I kept getting sidetracked by really important stuff like old episodes of THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW and JEOPARDY. Add some keyboards, add a ukulele, add a monkey-but do something quick or The Orange Julians will always be available only on "self-released" discs. They do have a Website at www.theorangejulians.com, but I didn't have enough coffee in the cupboard to check it out as well.
-DUG

HED PLANET EARTH
BLACKOUT
JIVE
Rap metallers Hed Planet Earth has recently released its newest-and, quite possibly, best-record to date, as BLACKOUT takes the remnants of a dying genre and breathes in some much needed life. Containing 14 tracks of deep grooves and earth-shaking beats, the inclusion of monstrous new guitarist Sonny Mayo successfully rounds out this California-based outfit, giving the well-traveled Hed an edge over the Bizkit and Linkin Park in terms of sonic output. The soulfully-metallic charge of the title track and "Fallen", as well as the undeniable lyrical flow of "Crazy Life" and the laid-back groove of "Other Side", stand out here, but the entire album showcases a band comfortable in its own shoes and still able to give rap metal a last chance at becoming something more than a flash in the pan. www.jiverecords.com
-Mike SOS

TIMESBOLD
TIMESBOLD
BLUE SANCT
The debut album from this Brooklyn-based trio just might be the greatest album the band will ever produce. It would be hard to improve on the perfect, eerie vibe that has been injected into this moody masterpiece. With echoes of Rhett Miller and Peter Yorn, Timesbold has taken the indie/country sound into uncharted territory with the use of a panoply of odd instruments. Expect to hear a mellotron, an optigan, a celeste, a banjo, wine glasses, tea kettles, and every string or wind instrument you can imagine. Don't make the mistake I did and first listen to this in the car, or you'll think you've dropped a transmission or picked up a nail. There is an underlayer of creaks and groans that moves behind this magical music. But beyond all the strange noises lie some of the most beautiful songs written in years. This is a must-have album for any fan of the neo-folk genre. Check out this incredible band www.timesbold.net.
-DUG

THE 88
KIND OF LIGHT
EMK RECORDS
A weird name and a weird-looking band, but a surprisingly interesting sound. The 88 are much different than your regular rock band, but very similar to the softer side of Weezer (with some Beach Boys flavor). KIND OF LIGHT is an eclectic version of soft rock music. Thought-out lyrics, smooth music, with a touch of jazz and a dash of doo-wop. I believe that some of these songs can easily become part of the top 5 at 9 or get a primo place on a big hit movie soundtrack. After listening to KIND OF LIGHT over and over again, I concluded that The 88 is a lost generation of grunge. It's okay to bring grunge back into play because it lost its credibility and needs some recognition. Not to say that this band is bringing it back, but you can easily tell they recognize its pattern.
-Annette Ovanessian

THE PALE
GRAVITY GETS THINGS DONE
ALWAYS NEVER RECORDS
The Pale hails from Seattle, a city known for being a music metropolis. As a band in Seattle, it is easy to get lost in the crowd, but this band succeeds in producing a refreshing and creative sound. Their third full-length, GRAVITY GETS THINGS DONE, overflows with catchy tunes and sing-song vocals. Despite the sunny images the music inspires, the lyrics are thoughtful and altogether approach the tough but inevitable subjects of innocence lost and growing up. The entire album is user-friendly, since it takes on issues that anyone and everyone can relate to, as in such songs as "How to Fit In" and "Relativity". Each song produces a sound that is purposeful and complete. This is a well-rounded album from a well-rounded band. Definitely give it a listen. www.thepalemusic.com
-tChow

DEATH ON WEDNESDAY
SONGS TO ____ TO
SIDECHO RECORDS
When seeing SONGS TO ____ TO in my review pile this month, I half expected a generic hardcore band that I could rip on. Instead, I was treated to some very good punk-edged rock. While this is only an EP, Death on Wednesday shows the world it will be a band that will stick around for a while. The EP consists of five tracks, as well as a secret song that puts Unwritten Law's acoustic efforts to shame. As far as follow-ups go, SONGS TO ____ TO is a great way to follow the band's successful debut (which was produced by Trevor from Face to Face). Originally, the EP was never meant to be released, but after listening to it for a dozen times I think Death on Wednesday would have made a very big mistake if they'd left it on the cutting-room floor, as it successfully showcases the bands influences (which include pop, rock and punk). This EP has a little bit for everyone, from the anthemic opening track, "Simple Life", to the wonderfully melodious secret song. This one is a hard one to pass up.
-Dane Jackson

NICK VIVID
NICK VIVID
SELF-RELEASED CD
One look at Nick Vivid and '80s metal shoots to mind, with a heartthrob backbeat-kind of a Rick Springfield type of vibe. The five tracks that comprise this guitar-laden hard-rock cold shot are indeed '80s-tinged, but more along the line of old Crue, Hanoi Rocks, and early L.A. Guns. The look is still glammy, but there's a bite to the music. Hooky and able to make girls shriek with a single verse, Nick Vivid captures the glory days of the Sunset Strip scene without the overdoses and sloppy musicianship that pervaded the era and ultimately caused its demise. Get set to flick your Bics and lose those 20 pounds to fit into the leather pants, because, according to Nick Vivid, big-time hard rock is back. www.nickvivid.com
-Mike SOS

BORIS
AMPLIFIER WORSHIP
SOUTHERN LORD
Leave it to our good friends at Southern Lord to deliver the sludge. This time around, it comes in the form of a Japanese troupe whose love for all that is slow, deep, and hard (à la The Melvins). The name of this tempo-challenged group is Boris, and the six songs that it breeds are prime examples of how to drive a beat and a riff straight into the ground. Like the stomping of a drunken Godzilla, Boris finds itself laconically roaming through the streets of Tokyo with a plethora of sonic firepower. Torturously grinding and skull-rattling, bring your attention span, earplugs, and hallucinogenics, folks, for you're in for quite the trip. Sadly, subtitles not included. www.southernlord.com
-Mike SOS

PUMMEL
PUMMEL
SELF-RELEASED CD
My first reaction to Pummel was that it is a cross between a Blues Traveler (minus the harmonica) and Natalie Merchant. The vocalist is a bit of a whiner, and the music constantly shifts from subdued to intense. Maintaining a similar vibe throughout the CD, Pummel impressed me with musical direction and straight confidence. All the songs fit their style, but I see this band growing with each new album. Maybe they should start off by taking the production level to a higher end...and possibly writing better songs with some catchy hooks. In the end, this album is not bad, but it all sounds the same when there is no separation from the verse to the chorus.
-Annette Ovanessian

LUCA TURILLI
PROPHET OF THE LAST ECLIPSE
LIMB
Luca Turilli, best known for his flawless guitar work with the power-metal outfit Rhapsody, has branched out and released a solo effort. This 10-track release conveys a more symphonic sound and seems to be a bit on the extravagant side as far as power metal goes, as the pervasive sounds of angelic choirs and electronic interludes charge PROPHET OF THE LAST ECLIPSE. Operatic and even touching at times, Luca Turilli's artistic vision supersedes his metal roots, making for an album of epic proportions in the process. While Turilli himself labels his music "cosmic symphonies," there are ample chunks of six-string heroism here to satisfy the progressive metal fans with an ear for the ornate and those who hail the shred guitar. www.limb-music.de
-Mike SOS

THE EFFECTION
SOUNDTRACK TO A MOMENT
ADELINE RECORDS
" This is the sound effection." A perfect introduction to Oakland-based The Effection's debut album, SOUNDTRACK TO A MOMENT. The band's music is definitely prepared to make an impact on the indie/pop-rock scene with their melodic harmonies and keen songwriting skills. Passionate and at times metaphorical, The Effection tell stories with their songs and allow the listener to interpret the songs in their own way. The Effection are "breakin' the bond" with this energetic package of incredibly rocking, undeniable music.
-Kathy

INSECT SURFERS
MOJAVE REEF
MARLIN RECORDS
The third full-length album from this Los Angeles-based surf instrumental quartet has the power and grace of a 20-foot swell. With dueling guitar action in the vein of Dick Dale, this band rips through 16 songs that would make The Ventures proud. From blistering surf songs to drag tunes, Western themes, and space rockers, this album has pretty much everything except vocals. There's even a nice longboard tune, "Dewey's Dead", dedicated to the late Dewey Weber, one of the legends of West Coast longboarding. This band was formed in 1979 and has been performing sizzling surf tunes for better than two decades. Only years of recording and performing can make a batch of musicians perform this tightly together. It's majestic, it's hot, it's real surf music in the new millennium. Check out some flaming guitar music at the band's Website www.chromeoxide.com/insect.htm.
-DUG

GALLERY OF MITES
BUGS ON THE BLUEFISH
METEORCITY
Gallery of Mites is a loose musical affair that contains all of Monster Magnet, save for Dave Wyndorf. With that being said, this is not a Monster Magnet album; instead, it takes the boys off of the Spacelord set and back into the organic surroundings of a garage in New Jersey, where all the real rock 'n' roll actually emanates from. Having the relaxed feel of Josh Homme's Desert Sessions, Gallery of Mites is loaded with like-minded musicians whose purpose is to groove and kick out some jams. And jam they do, as the 10 tracks of fuzzed-out guitars take precedence over ego and make for some trippy rock tunes that stand right up to any '60s-style garage-rock act. Dig through the closets and throw on the tie-dye-Gallery of Mites have brought us a treat to be grateful for: the swinging sounds of garage rock. www.meteorcity.com
-Mike SOS

THE MILWAUKEES
THIS IS A STICKUP
HAMENET MUSIC
I love how before each song's lyrics inside the CD booklet there is a short introduction from the band, telling the listener how the band came about in writing that particular song. It gives you a clear portrayal of their songwriting approach. The Milwaukees project emotional vocals and instrumental work so passionate that each song sends a shiver down your spine. Songs such as "Lighthouse Signals" and "Thinking Like a Genius" showcase how the band manages to incorporate complex, well-constructed hooks into their music without leaving melodic vocals behind. A listener cannot avoid admitting the impact of such a powerful record.
-Kathy

HARD-ONS
VERY EXCITING!
BAD TASTE RECORDS
This Australian trio has kept it up and rocking for 20 years now. VERY EXCITING! is a great disc. Hard-Ons cover so much musical ground-pop, metal, and punk-and they do it all with balls and cool. This group pioneered the power-punk genre long before Epitaph or the Green Day phenomena. Opening up VERY EXCITING! is one of the most catchy power-pop songs I've heard in years: "Sunny", which reminds me of Teenage Fanclub with more cock. On "Scared of It All" guitar player (and lead vocalist) Blackie plays a great example of the hook for those wanting to master simplicity and the art of rock. Overall, this is just a top-notch disc. If it's called Hard-Ons, it's gotta be good.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

THE VANKMANS
WANT YOUR MONEY
SELF-RELEASED CD
The Vankmans offered me a great invitation into a world of their own. Caught by the tempos and lyrical gestures and released by the gracious melody, WANT YOUR MONEY is a perfect title. The album is on the slower side of rock, resembling the sounds of the '70s. Calm tracks and evenly flowing vocals make for a tolerable CD. There is no screaming and only light guitar solos. I think the band really focused on vocal harmony and making each track smooth with creative unity. The Vankmans seem like they are just some guys who play music for the love of it. I can see them at a bonfire party at the beach providing the right sounds to take the party into a hormonal rage. You can't help but fall in love with the person next to you when you hear The Vankmans in the background!
-Annette Ovanessian

THE END
TRANSFER TRACHEA REVERBERATIONS FROM POINT
RELAPSE
The End is a gripping quintet from Canada whose cacophony of intricacies makes its incredibly long-titled release such an amazing entity. Remember the first time you heard Candiria and wondered, "What the hell is this?" That's the vibe The End gives off, as this group disregards conventional compositions and instead marches to the beat of its own indiscriminate drummer-who, in turn, plays off of the twin-guitar and bass discordance, which makes room for the vocals to relentlessly scream and yell. The End is as on as an off band can be, as the jarring juxtaposition of odd-timed dissonance and sheer aggression makes for a taciturn listen at first, but will probably make sense after the 10th time you've let it creep inside your soul. www.relapse.com
-Mike SOS

JIM HIGHTOWER
THE PEOPLE ARE REVOLTING!
(IN THE VERY BEST SENSE OF THE WORD)
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES
This disc is an essential buy for those interested in the current state of affairs in American politics. Jim Hightower is funny, a smart-ass, and above all very informed about the present Bush administration. Mr. Hightower explains the corruption of big business and how it is so intertwined with President Bush's positions-and in a way that will make you laugh out loud. I don't want to get into the details of this spoken-word disc because Jim Hightower presents them with charm and deep insight-better than I could ever do here. I do suggest that you make a call to 1.866.271.4900 (toll free) and begin receiving THE HIGHTOWER LOWDOWN, a free newsletter. And go get this powerful and inspiring CD and get involved.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

DREAM EVIL
EVILIZED
CENTURY MEDIA
Frederik Norstrom is the knob-twiddler behind some of the most brutal metal to come out of Sweden, so when this uberproducer trades in his headphones for a guitar, what should we expect? Well, if you guessed blistering power metal akin to Manowar, Helloween, and Hammerfall, then you get the gold star, as Dream Evil's sophomore effort (its second album in less than two year's time!) screams for vengeance. Containing 12 metal tracks, EVILIZED will scorch your ears and re-ignite the metal flame that has been flickering in your heart. Anthemic, majestic, and a bit on the clichéd side, any fan of blatantly honest-to-goodness heavy metal should lap this one up right quick. www.centurymedia.com
-Mike SOS

TOMMY & THE TERRORS
13 THE HARD WAY
RODENT POPSICLE RECORDS
Yes, I asked for fast, ass-kicking punk-rock music, and I got it. Tommy & the Terrors have been a personal favorite for some time now. Musically, they compare to The Templars and The GC5 (not in a political sense, but in the method of attack). Catchy sing-alongs, ripping guitars, bouncy drum work, and pulsating bass lines make up this great, 13-song record. It's a nice feeling when you get a record from a solid band such as Tommy & the Terrors and can distinctly remember the times you went to all the street punk/Oi! shows and unleashed all the emotions you had cooped up inside. Who said punk-rock music can't be therapeutic?
-Liz Ortega

COBRA VERDE
EASY LISTENING
COBRA VERDE & MUSCLETONE RECORDS
Hey, it's another rock 'n' roll band! Representing Cleveland and facing California's harsh criticism, Cobra Verde is just your typical rock band. They like to take pictures for their bios, and they are some old-ass, unattractive men. You really have to make some good music to start so late in life. I guess I'm being a little stereotypical, but the music resembles a Southern saloon atmosphere. They sound like glam guys who don't give a crap if people-like me-think they look and sound weird. The only song that was semi-radio-friendly was one called "To Your Pretty Face", where the vocalist talks about "champagne kisses and lipstick vampires." That song is so glam-cool. Naming the album EASY LISTENING is not a reference to the sound: you wouldn't hear this stuff on KOST 103.5, but maybe at the local 50-and-up bars. Cobra Verde is a glam word for a feminine biker boy.
-Annette Ovanessian

WATERDOWN
THE FILES YOU HAVE ON ME
VICTORY
German sextet Waterdown proved itself to be a juggernaut outfit upon its debut, breaking boundaries and turning the underground scene on its ear with its debut, NEVER KILL THE BOY ON THE FIRST DATE. Now armed with its second release, THE FILES YOU HAVE ON ME, this metallic-hardcore-meets-everything-under-the-sun troupe that has toured with everyone from Jimmy Eat World to Sick of It All has raised its own bar of excellence and come out stronger than ever. Expanding its ever-growing repertoire, Waterdown stuffs Snapcase-esque staccato with the cunning musical arrangements of Refused-without sacrificing heaviness or melodicism. Take "Xerox", a self-contained groove that utilizes dreamy vocal patterns, jazzy drumming, and breakdowns that range from the hummable to the disjointed. And there are 12 more where that came from, folks-which, by any estimation, makes Waterdown's latest release one of the most prolific to come out in 2003...and one not to miss if you yearn for a breakthrough band within the heavy-music spectrum. www.victoryrecords.com
-Mike SOS

THE BRIGGS
NUMBERS
DISASTER RECORDS
Extremely melodic street punk here. Mix the vocal melodies of Stiff Little Fingers with the sloppy precision of Rancid's guitar work and you get an over-the-top, boot-stomping party. Duane Peters of the U.S. Bombs states that this is the best new band in L.A. that he's heard. He's the producer on this one...and I believe he is also the guy who runs Disaster Records, too. But the proof is in the pudding: the sound is great, and the songs are all definitely catchy. This one is worth seeking out.
-Larry Lugz

THE BOILS
PRIDE AND PERSECUTION
TKO
The Boils are a Philly-based punk-rock act whose disdain shines bright on their latest, 17-track release, PRIDE AND PERSECUTION. Using a little more distortion that your average street-punk band, The Boils make for an interesting crossover band, falling somewhere in between the Oi! and hardcore scenes. Catchy choruses (such as the fist-pumping one in "New Majority") are commonplace here, yet there's an undercurrent of anger that a lot of punk rock lacks today that. And that, my friends, is what punk rock used to be about, whether that anger is geared towards your mom, your government, or your shitty everyday life. No one this side of NYHC legends Agnostic Front have tapped into it quite like The Boils. For a disc that will kick your ass and allow you to throw caution to the wind, pick up the latest from this punk-rock quartet. www.tkorecords.com
-Mike SOS

ROYAL CITY
ALONE AT THE MICROPHONE
NASTY LITTLE MAN RECORDS
Sometimes I think about our neighbor to the north, and I get so angry because all I can think about is their freeloading nature. Then I start to think about the ways they've tried to repay us through music, by giving us acts like Avril Lavigne and Simple Plan. But wait, don't get your ready to retaliate yet. Royal City is an amazing band from Canada. Royal City has a country/indie-rock sound without being too country or pretentious. It's like Wilco, but with a unique sound that only a Canadian band could give us. So far, this is the best CD I've reviewed all month!
-Carlos Cuesta

BRICK BATH
REBUILT
CRASH
Brick Bath return with a punishing collection of 14 tracks of pure metal. This Southern California troupe has seen its share of ups and downs, yet they've managed to remain intact through it all-and heavy, to boot. Taking pages from the menacing guitar sounds of Sevendust and Stuck Mojo, Brick Bath's aural assault is chock full of chugging guitars, pummeling rhythms, and vocals that sound as if the singer gargles razors in the morning. While the metal that Brick Bath plays is by the book and has been done before, the sheer honesty with which it's delivered shows that metal is coursing through this outfit's veins. Brick Bath have followed the power-groove blueprint to perfection here, and in the process have made a metal album that's heavy in all the right places. www.crashmusicinc.com
-Mike SOS

THE RIOT SQUAD
ANOTHER HEARTBREAK
STREET ANTHEM RECORDS
Hailing from the hard-drinking streets of Belgium comes rock 'n' roll's new messiahs: The Riot Squad. Judging from the name of the band and the title of the disc, I was expecting some English-inspired Oi!, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear some roots-rock-inspired street-punk that combines Johnny Cash's lyrical content with Social Distortion's tunage. There are hints of English "Oi!" (similar to The Hudson Falcons), but don't pigeonhole this band. Butterheads, skins, skunx, and punks will all find something to their liking in this gem. The music is honest, the undertones are raw and emotional, and the feeling is downright inspirational. Keep a close eye out on this band.
-Larry Lugz

GENEROUS MARIA
COMMAND OF THE NEW ROCK
LUNASOUND
It's funny how the title of this hard-rocking Swedish quintet's album is contradictory to the band's style, as Generous Maria's sonic output has a lot more in common with Foghat than Linkin Park. Maybe it's that the tough-as-nails, whiskey- and weed-soaked rock 'n' roll is new for all those serious Swedish metal dudes. Whatever the case, Generous Maria has pieces of no-nonsense '70s rock, snippets of smoke-filled stoner jams, and 10-ton balls, to boot. Fuzzy and warm like your girlfriend's favorite sweater, COMMAND OF THE NEW ROCK's dirty groove is perfect to smoke, bang, and then chill out to on a lazy Saturday afternoon. www.riffrock.com/generousmaria
-Mike SOS

LOTUS EATERS
MIND CONTROL FOR INFANTS
NEUROT RECORDINGS
What the hell? Oh, wait, I get it! You're trying to be ambient and mysterious. Yeah, don't do that.
-Carlos Cuesta

40 GRIT
NOTHING TO REMEMBER
METAL BLADE
40 Grit's latest album still incorporates the Bay Area metal sound that bands like Machine Head have driven into the ground ad nauseum; but 40 Grit are adding hook-laden choruses and some Adema-esque vocal patterns. Why? God only knows, but it probably has something to do with selling records and some A&R guy whispering in the band's ears about being the next big thing. Yeah, that's the way it goes, the same way bands like Stone Sour, Powerman 5000, and countless other metal band flavors of the week go-right through the sophomore slump and then straight to the "where are they now" file. It's not that NOTHING TO REMEMBER is lame, but the style 40 Grit have embraced has been overdone-and by so many other, better bands-that it seems both forced and very uninspired. Sadly, the title of this album does the collection justice. www.metalblade.com
-Mike SOS

THE ORANGES BAND
ALL AROUND
LOOKOUT RECORDS
The Oranges Band is one of the most underrated bands out there. If you haven't heard them, go to a record store near you and pick up their newest release, ALL AROUND. The response this band has received from their most recent tour has been incredible. From a small town in Michigan, The Oranges Band uprooted to become eloquent songwriters who dedicated their time to create beautiful, inspirational music. This 12-song release will most likely brighten the shadow The Oranges Band had been in before they began to gain their well-earned recognition. The band's unusual style and unconventional sound will draw in any music lover.
-Kathy

USURPER
TWILIGHT DOMINION
EARACHE
And to think that Chicago metallers Usurper started as a side project. Well, nearly a decade in its headbanging prime, Usurper roars back with a 12-track, nearly-60-minute collection is metal from start to finish. Mixing crushing riffage with throaty vocals and a sure drumming assault, Usurper brings metal back to the late '80s, sans costume chicanery (well, do spiked wristbands count?) and techno blips and beats. For a true blast from the past that will have you raising your fist in the air, check out the latest metal opus from Usurper. www.earache.com
-Mike SOS

WHERE FEAR AND WEAPONS MEET
CONTROL
EULOGY
Where Fear and Weapons Meet is a hardcore outfit from Florida whose latest, six-song release evokes the best that NYHC has offered. Mixing the choppy punk of Sick of It All with the blistering guitar chug of Madball, WFAWM adds in a dash of H20's hook-happy, sing-along vibe to the mix, making this quintet indispensable to a scene whose identity is constantly shifting. While this band took some time off to pursue other musical endeavors, the time off must have done its members some good, as CONTROL is monstrous offering that blends lightning-fast precision and breakdowns to break skulls by. www.eulogyrecordings.com
-Mike SOS

DIRTY WATER
SELF-TITLED
STREET ANTHEM RECORDS
What happens when you take all the great the things that were The Ducky Boys and The River City Rebels, turn the volume up to 11, and let it just go wild? You get Dirty Water, the newest hard-hitting street-rock combo to claim the streets of underground music. Mark Lind and Jason Messina of The Ducky Boys and fellow street hoodlum/crooner/guitar thug Andrew Mauriello of River City Rebels join forces to rip underground rock a new asshole. Dirty Water manage to put integrity and anger back in a genre that has been about looks over substance. What they deliver are awe-inspiring, heavy, emotional, and anthemic street punk that would appeal equally to followers of Bruce Springsteen, Social Distortion, Blitz, and even those who hanker for roots rock (and maybe even rockabilly). The pace is energetic, the talent is raw, and the content is heartfelt and enduring. There is no false posturing here, just good, old-fashioned American rock 'n' roll. Loud, uncompromising, and straight to the point-it really doesn't get any better than this. On a scale of one to 10, this gets a 20.
-Larry Lugz

ASHOK
AMERICAN MANTRA
SELF-RELEASED CD
Ashok is an Indian-American artist whose AMERICAN MANTRA is this talented singer/songwriter/drummer living his American dream through rock 'n' roll. On his 11-track release, Ashok steers the ship, playing most of the instruments himself, as well as laying his heart and soul into every tune. Passionately pensive and melodically radio-friendly, Ashok utilizes swirls of electric guitar over rootsy arrangements to give a down-home feel to his alternative-rock style. Imagine Hendrix jamming with John Cougar and you've got a good idea of what this multifaceted artist is all about. Never overwhelmingly heavy but definitely well-produced and sounding very full, AMERICAN MANTRA is like listening to a rock 'n' roll spirit through a folk singer's eyes. Worth a listen if you think you'd dig a guitar-oriented Counting Crows. www.ashokamusic.com
-Mike SOS

MARIT BERGMAN
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD
REVELATION RECORDS
Just look at the title: it's warning you already. This album definitely "would have been good" if it weren't so generic. The press release says she won a Swedish Grammy. No shit?
-Carlos Cuesta

VIC BONDI/ARTICLES OF FAITH
FORTUNATE SON
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES RECORDS
Vic Bondi started as a protest singer, then formed Articles of Faith and other bands. His reaction to Operation Iraqi Freedom was to go back to where he began and release new and rocking protest songs. Two appear on this split CDEP, one being a driving, over-the-top take on John Fogerty's "Fortunate Son". The two tracks by Articles of Faith, "Buy This War" and "American Dreams", actually were written 20 years ago, but they are prime examples of politicized hardcore that still resonate today.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

11K
BRING THE RAGE NOW
SELF RELEASED CD
11K is a Long Island-based metal quartet whose seven-track offering is as blunt and up front as a band can get. With songs like the title track and "Osama Must Die", these guys are not only patriotic, but they also cut right to the chase. While the band's sound is rooted in the late-'80s thrash-metal vein, the defiant style which 11K plays in is undeniably metal and really has no expiration date. For a thrashing good time, check out 11K's headbanging delight. www.mp3.com/11k
-Mike SOS

SYLVIE
I WISH I WAS DRIVING
DOES EVERYONE STARE RECORDS
This is the third indie-rock band from Canada I've had to review this month. I must have pissed someone off at the office. Anyways, all personal issues aside, the vocals on this sound like someone is forcing the singer to sing, like he really doesn't want to be there. How ironic: I don't want to be listening to this! The press kit says they're a really unique band that "draws influences from Fugazi." A band that says they're heavily influenced by Fugazi? I think they've got something original there.
-Carlos Cuesta

THE DEAL
PRETTY WORDS BETTER DAYS
SOBERMIND
Belgium hardcore outfit The Deal take an old-school style and punk it up a tad on its latest six songs. With a straight-edge mantra and some late-'80s mosh pit icons as their major influences, this pack of young ones pack a hell of a lot of energy into 20 minutes. Bridging the gap between rebellious punk rock and the first wave of what the masses now call hardcore, The Deal's sturdy musical foundation makes them a bigger threat than most of your typical adolescent hardcore troupes could even imagine. www.sobermindrex.com
-Mike SOS

TODD SNIDER
NEAR TRUTHS AND HOTEL ROOMS
OH BOY RECORDS
On this live album, Todd Snider proves himself not only to be the court jester of "no depression" alternative country but also as an able performer of very solid material. "D.B. Cooper" is a triumphant ode to the high-altitude thief-cum-folk hero, and "Lonely Girl" is a touching ballad. The album also features such down-home howlers as the spelling lesson "Beer Run". Most songs are introduced with Snider's drawled patter, which seems never to grow old on this entertaining disc.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE BRETT ROSENBERG PROBLEM
PROBLEMATIC
BRETT ROSENBERG
I'm not really sure how I feel about this record. It's definitely a change of pace from all the other crap I've had to listen to this month. It's upbeat, catchy as hell, and has a really good late-'70s power-pop sound. He has a song called "Saved by the Bell" that I can't figure out if is about the show. I mean, I can draw parallels between the lyrics and the show, but maybe that's just pure coincidence. Then again, who would name a song "Saved by the Bell" unless it was about the show? I sure as hell wouldn't. Then again, I wouldn't write a song about the show.
-Carlos Cuesta

THE COLOR TURNING
OUR CURRENCY IS TIME EP
RANDOM PLAY MUSIC
There is little that I dislike more than when a band decides to make the entire first track on an album 50 or so seconds of noise. This is how OUR CURRENCY IS TIME starts out. Initially I was skeptical; therefore, it is quite impressive that I walked away from hearing the whole EP loving The Color Turning. This band has already secured for itself a base of loyal fans-which is not surprising, considering the professional approach they take to their music. The entire EP is woven from hypnotic melodies that evoke a wide range of emotions in the listener. It is obvious in these songs that The Color Turning views music as an artform, but the band does not get so involved in that creative conceit that they forget their listeners. "Words and Everything" is a masterpiece that moves and touches you in haunting ways. In fact, the entire EP has this effect. Definitely get a copy of OUR CURRENCY IS TIME. www.thecolorturning.com
-tChow

COMEBACK KID
TURN IT AROUND
FACEDOWN
Winnipeg's hardcore sons Comeback Kid hit hard and leave marks with their latest batch of tunes, which range from fast-paced sing-alongs to bone-crushing riff-o-ramas. This quintet (featuring members of Figure Four) know how to mix up the heaviness and get a sound that juxtaposes the immediacy of Snapcase with the melodicism of Reach the Sky. Comeback Kid's versatile 13-track release is as diverse as a hardcore band gets. TURN IT AROUND seemingly does everything (from the galloping guitars of "Give and Take" to evil breakdowns of "Changing Face") to make hardcore fanatics across the globe very happy. www.facedownrecords.com
-Mike SOS

ROBERTA PIKET & ALTERNATING CURRENT
I'M BACK IN THERAPY AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT
THIRTEENTH NOTE RECORDS
Pianist and composer Roberta Piket steps out of her successful acoustic form with the electric project Alternating Current on I'M BACK IN THERAPY AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT. Her combination of a vintage Wurlitzer electric piano with an array of effects pedals makes for a warm, personal sound on this instrumental album.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

OVERKILL
KILLBOX 13
SPITFIRE
The mighty metal onslaught of New Jersey's Overkill is nearly two decades deep, and the band shows no sign of slowing down-a fact evident on its latest, 10-track release, KILLBOX 13, the band's 13th album! Still featuring Bobby Blitz's trademark high-pitched growl and still driven by DD Verni's pulsating bass lines, Overkill is still as metal as it was on its 1985 debut, proving that, like Motorhead and AC/DC, bands that never change to be "hip"and instead remain steadfast ultimately go the distance. Produced by sonic guru Colin Richardson, the guitars are crunchy and crisp (check out the twin guitar assault in "The Sound of Dying" for proof), the drums are thunderous, and the overall levels of boom are enough to satisfy the most ardent of headbangers. Overkill is older and wiser, but it still has a flare for wrecking your neck. Isn't it nice that some things haven't changed a goddamn bit? www.spitfirerecords.com
-Mike SOS

THE INFLUENTS
SOME OF THE YOUNG
ADELINE RECORDS
As lead vocalist Greg Schneider sings in the first track, "Wonderful Twist of Fate", you can't help but to think of the uncanny resemblance to the vocals of Green Day's Billy Joe. Though the styles of The Influents and Green Day may differ, their vocals barely do. Still, The Influents maintain their one-of-a-kind, well-rounded sound, which ranges from power-pop to folk rock. After listening to this album, I thought the songs sounded familiar, though I had never heard them. But I think that's what makes a solid and memorable rock 'n' roll album. The Influents are a band with one of the catchy yet profound songs, with a rhythmic sound not to be overlooked. The Influents upcoming 2003 tour will feature an upbeat, infectious live show.
-Kathy

PUERTO MUERTO
ELENA
ACTION DRIVER RECORDS
First off, the sound clip from KINDERGARTEN COP at the beginning of this album was AGONIZINGLY unfunny. Puerto Muerto is a husband/wife duo from Chicago, just like Mates of States...except they sound nothing like MoS. There are a lot of eclectic beats and sounds in the music, with an overall weird vibe. More interesting than that is that Matt Sharp (of Weezer and The Rentals fame) plays sitar on this record. He must really regret quitting Weezer.
-Carlos Cuesta

EAST/WEST BLAST TEST
EAST/WEST BLAST TEST
RELAPSE
Imagine this, if you will: two musicians who live 3,000 miles apart decide to collaborate on a project. Problem is, they can't get together due to distance. The solution? The drummer decides to record his tracks without any inkling of what the guitars, bass, and vocals are going to do, then sends them across the country on tape for the guitarist to work on. Then he sends it across the country on tape for the guitarist to work on. And then it goes back to the drummer to scan. Then back to the guitarist for more seasoning. Crazy, right? You've got to be making this up, you scream. No way, Jose, it's the East/West Blast Test, featuring the insanely creative tandem of Dave Witte and Chris Dodge. Known for their work in Burnt by the Sun and Spazz, respectively, this underground metal superforce created this 27-track gem via UPS and their brain cells. Clever, eh? Well, take a listen to the madness, which mixes blast-beat drums with guitars and basses and saxes and female vocals and weird time signatures and oodles and oodles of crazy musician shit that will have you scratching your head for weeks. Ambitious and ingenious, if you like left-of-center sounds from the underground that throw in everything (including the kitchen sink), then get your paws on this cross-country death-metal jam session right quick. www.relapse.com
-Mike SOS

THE BLACK LIPS
THE BLACK LIPS
BOMP
It is a hairy, coming-at-you-from-the-dark, raw, vintage psychedelic-rock sound espoused by The Black Lips. This garage-punk group has a falling-down sound, as heard on '60s Texas comps featuring The 13th Floor Elevators and a lo-fi ur-punk sound that is the thing Bomp exists to perpetuate-which is why this band's jangly, paisley sounds are on the label. The ragged teen beat on this album is so THEN that it's NOW.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

TROUBLED HUBBLE
PENTURBIA
LATEST FLAME RECORDS
The fourth album from this Illinois-based quartet is a refreshing break from the overwhelming amount of bad news we suck up every day. Instead of wars, depression, and famine, here we are met with cover art that contains leaping frogs, deer, happy children, healthy birds, and a very nice tribute to the blackberry bush. PENTURBIA is all about the flight from suburbia and the solace one can find in small-town indie rock. The sound is similar to Built to Spill or Ben Folds Five, but with clever and amusing lyrics. Songs like "I Love My Canoe" have the potential to become an honest-to-goodness Midwest anthem with heartfelt lyrics about a canoe relationship. Find out more about this funny, heartland rock at www.latestflame.com. It's like a fresh breath of nitrous oxide.
-DUG

THE AMERICAN ANALOG SET
PROMISE OF LOVE
TIGER STYLE RECORDS
PROMISE OF LOVE is the fifth full-length from the band known as The American Analog Set. A track listing of eight songs may seem like a rip-off, but with the approach the band takes towards this album, it feels like more than enough. This album is rich despite its lo-fi quality. It captivates and soothes the listener, carrying you away on a pleasant and cheerful reverie, convincing one that all is right with the world. It is hard to believe that this band produced such a warm sound from opposite sides of the nation: The American Analog Set constructed PROMISE OF LOVE with their frontman Andrew Kenny at Columbia University working on his Ph.D. in biochemistry, with the rest of the band home on the West Coast. Distance could not keep them from creating yet another beautiful album. www.americananalogset.com
-tChow

CULT OF LUNA
THE BEYOND
EARACHE
Sweden's Cult of Luna have definitely named their 10-track album appropriately, as THE BEYOND goes further and digs deeper than any other release in 2003 thus far. The over-70-minute deluge that Cult of Luna spills over you is both lush and abrasive, as this sextet pushes the boundaries of heavy music and melds the soundscapes of Godflesh, Pink Floyd, and Black Sabbath into an enormous entity almost too grand for words. Hypnotically charged, Cult of Luna's songs run over the limit of most attention spans; yet, due to the usage of proper musical nuances, COL wards off that itchy CD-changing finger and provides the open-minded music lover a maze of avenues to explore. THE BEYOND is bound to leave any true heavy-music fan full of questions, enlightened in spirit-and, above all, completely satisfied, as its vast array of musical textures and layers will leave your mouth agape and your senses tingling. www.earache.com
-Mike SOS

THE EXPLOITED
FUCK THE SYSTEM
SPITFIRE
The members of The Exploited have mostly shaved their hair. The group removed much of the "hair" from its music, too. The new album FUCK THE SYSTEM is violently anti-establishment with a tight, focused metalcore/speed-punk sound. Cleaned and constricted, the fast and taut sound on FUCK THE SYSTEM is hardcore compressed into something more dense and meaner. The angry, anarchist lyrics and continuing uncommercial sound proves The Exploited are not open to being exploited and draw near to a quarter-century of existence with integrity and a "fuck you" attitude.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

SUNN 0)))
WHITE1
SOUTHERN LORD
Sunn 0))) is quite possibly the most severe doom band on the scene today, not because of its sound per se, but because of the duo's belief in the entire lifestyle that accompanies its music. There should be no doubt that Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson (the Southern Lord label head) are the deacons of all that is doom, as this three-song, nearly-hour-long opus undeniably proves. With a wall of sound thicker than the Earth's crust as this band's backbone, how can you even question Sunn 0)))'s exalted stature within the doom realm? WHITE1 is on a level beyond most human comprehension-and should be labeled and marketed as such. That being said, Sunn 0))) once again takes the word "heavy" and has reshaped, retooled, and restructured a new formula. www.southernlord.com
-Mike SOS

E.TOWN CONCRETE
THE RENAISSANCE
RAZOR & TIE
E.Town Concrete's THE RENAISSANCE is the most real rap-rock album on the scene today. Let's check just why...For starters, the four men in the band (who hail from Elizabeth, NJ) have been honing their craft in the ultra-rough NY/NJ hardcore circuit, tearing up stages for over seven years before landing this, their major-label debut. ETC's solid mixture of rap, metal, hardcore, and even flamenco guitar and classic rock, make this versatile outfit soar to unbelievable heights. Then, just when you think you've got ETC all figured out, vocalist Anthony Martini blows Jay-Z's doors off with a rapping rant, or the tight rhythm section pulls off a death-metal run suitable for all types of mosh-pit chaos. Not only is ETC a hybrid outfit that mixes melody with mayhem, it's also one of the heaviest bands on the scene. This 11-track gem has it all, from street-credible rapping that stands up to anything on urban radio or MTV to some of the most pulsating hardcore grooves this side of Hatebreed. The time has come for ETC to take over and begin a new renaissance of heavy music. www.etownconcrete.net
-Mike SOS

DON'T LOOK NOW
FIVE
NITRO RECORDS
This five-song EP is the second release for Southern New Jersey's Don't Look Now. The group formed in 1998 and features Ryan Agren on vocals and guitar, Matt Emburgia on guitar, Tom Parker on drums, and Jesse Rendell on bass. Don't Look Now has toured with Juliana Theory, New Found Glory, No Motiv, Riddlin Kids, and The Starting Line, among others. Although the music is described as "pop-punk," I'd describe it as pop rock myself, as the beat is pretty slow. Although I'd never heard FIVE before, the music sounded generic enough to seem familiar. It's best point is the vocal harmonies; otherwise, I'd say this is only moderately interesting.
-TEKOLOTE

ANBERLIN
BLUEPRINTS FOR THE BLACK MARKET
TOOTH AND NAIL RECORDS
Though Anberlin has been alive and kicking since 1996 out of Orlando, FL, BLUEPRINTS FOR THE BLACK MARKET will be their first release on the prolific and well-known Tooth and Nail Records. The album makes it obvious that this band has experience and has perfected the art of creating a highly energetic and tight sound. Each song is driven and full of potential to be the next radio hit. Not only is it tight and energetic, but the album also spans a wide range of genres and tastes-all the way to pop. The music comes very close to being generic and tired, but the unique vocals make it refreshing and likable. Chances are that no matter what music the listener prefers, there is something on this album they can relate to and enjoy. www.anberlin.com
-tChow

STINKAHOLIC
HURRY UP!...& WAIT
DOUGHMAIN RECORDS
Stinkaholic is an ambitious, neo-punk band with a progressive attitude. The group turns on a dime, jumping from style to style within a single song: punk and pop, metal and metalcore, funky and freaky, sad and mad. Some may call this sound sophisticated, but it ends up mostly as a jumbled mosaic. Who knows when is the right mood to put this album on? Stinkaholic's execution is excellent (the band has great chops and technique), and segues from genre to genre are smooth; but the kaleidoscope is too complex to form a complete picture. Stinkaholic takes the material of a handful of great albums and superimposes all that dimensionality onto a single CD by breaking up all the possible songs and putting pieces together in an unexpected order. Perhaps this is the Burroughs's cut-up approach applied to indie rock.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED
ALTERED STATES OF AMERICA
RELAPSE
Agoraphobic Nosebleed are the true purveyors of pushing the envelope, and now this radical grind/death-metal outfit have outdone themselves, as the latest release by this Massachusetts quartet contains 99 tracks in less than 20 minutes! How's that for pacing? Still utilizing a drum machine that sounds like a incessant gun and armed with some of the heaviest riffs (short as they may be) heard anywhere, ANb once again prove why these explorers of all that is obscene (both musically and lyrically) have remained at the top of the heap. Oh yeah, the accompanied artwork is disturbingly stellar, and the CD itself is merely 3" in circumference. Never at a loss for words or creativity, ANb should continue to offend and blow your mind at the same time for as long as they wants to. www.relapse.com
-Mike SOS

LANDIA
UNLEASHING THE TRUTH
LANDIAMUSIC INC.
This could be an incredible soft jazz album, were it not for the unnerving Zappa-style rap sequences that the band sticks in a few of their songs. Just when you begin to groove on a really nice beat, the singer breaks up everything with the untimely raps. David Landia (acoustic guitar/lead vocals) is the driving force behind this talented quartet of studio musicians and has a definite ear for jazzy hooks and great melodies. Five of the 10 songs on this album have already received radio airplay (mostly on soft rock, college alternative, and Christian radio stations). The Los Angeles-based band has a nice soft-rock/crossover style and would fit well in any jazz or new-age festival. Check out the band's Website at www.landiamusic.com, but at least two of the musicians in the band have been changed and the site needs updating. This band's music is kind of like a fine wine: if we can just get the band to stop the comedy rap sequences, we've got a vintage I can get behind.
-DUG

FIN FANG ROOM
WITH THE GIFT COMES THE CURSE
LOVITT RECORDS
This Florida trio plays an ambient, sometimes dark kind of rock that is both piercing and soothing at the same time. The vocals are very soulful and beautifully project the poetic lyrical content of the band. If you're a fan of experimental indie rock that can't be chained down by conventional genre-naming, then this is a band for you.
-ADF

CLOSER THAN KIN
THE MACHINERIES OF BREATH
PUNKTUATION
Thanks in part to friend and producer Steve Austin (Today Is the Day's main knob-twiddler), screaming slabs of metallic hardcore is what Closer Than Kin's 11-track release sounds like. This Massachusetts-based quintet mixes Iron Maiden melodics with underground hardcore's breakdowns to maximum result. Who says kids don't listen to metal anymore, anyway? Closer Than Kin's fist-pumping, arena-rock choruses and righteously chugging guitars are ample enough to fill arenas across the world. You can just envision the boys during their adolescent years rocking the denim jackets with Metallica back patches and wearing their hair all mullet-like. But, like all good things, that phase ended, and then the boys got tattooed and toughened up, throwing in some NYHC grooves (à la Agnostic Front) and a touch of horror rock (à la The Misfits) into the mix, making CTK a force to be reckoned with among the rockers, punkers, and outcasts. CTK mix all of its influences very well, never going too far with one, instead providing just enough to make everyone a happy pit-monger. www.arcticmusicgroup.com
-Mike SOS

A TRIBUTE TO BLACK FLAG
BLACK ON BLACK
INITIAL RECORDS
I really hate giving negative reviews, and I don't intentionally mean for this to sound negative, but for the most part this disc comes across as very uneventful. Sure, there are some heavy-hitting bands on this: Coalesce (first new piece of recorded music in two years by them, mind you), Converge, and The Dillinger Escape Plan, just to name a few. Each band puts its own spin on a classic Black Flag song. That is where the problem lies: most of these versions do not resemble the originals, thus making the familiarity very unfamiliar. American Nothing (a.k.a. American Nightmare) does the best job on the disc, rendering a red hot version of "Depression", which indeed parallels the original, keeping the snarling vocals intact. Although each band does indeed add its own twist to each song, the twist is just a loss of momentum. It's not bad, it's just not that great.
-Larry Lugz

VARIOUS ARTISTS
AN ABSOLUTE DISREGARD FOR THE COMMON COMPILATION
DOUGHMAIN RECORDS
This two-CD compilation from DoughMain Records is not a label sampler; it brings together 39 tracks from the DoughMain Records roster and other forward-minded indie-rock bands. Indie blues-rock band Blue Root stands out for its somewhat bland song-oriented indie blues rock. Similar is Blue Equals Expired, practically shoegazer in style on a rock comp. Also keeping everything from blending together is Pensativa, with elements of hip-hop and acoustic pop. As a rule, the rest of the content is mostly guitar-centered, amped-up indie rock: All in Good Time, Mooselodge, Stinkaholic, etc. Pulley stands out for an effective blend of falsetto and distorted guitars that recalls NoMeansNo. My favorite track may be the old-school but melodic-sounding "Crazy Girl" from Cold Snap 9. Also deserving honorable mention is the crisply produced, '90s-sounding "Well Beautrin" from All in Good Time" (with the killer line "My mom took my last Vicodin"). Pit Bull provides the obligatory doom-metal track (and I bet you didn't even know such a thing was obligatory).
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

JOHN DOE
DIM STARS, BRIGHT SKY
ARTISTDIRECT DIGITAL, INC.
No one will ever doubt the huge contribution John Doe made to the West Coast music scene with X and several of his side projects, yet many people will doubt if this 10-song acoustic album is a contribution to much of anything. With guest appearances by such incredible artists as Jakob Dylan, Juliana Hatfield, Aimee Mann, Rhett Miller, and Jane Wiedlin, this album should be a knockout. Unfortunately, this disc should have been titled DIM SONGS, BRIGHT STARS. Doe tries his hand at writing an introspective acoustic album here, but he seems to have lost the touch for writing melodies, hooks, and lyrics. Truly committed X and John Doe fans might want this album just because he's on it (never mind the truly great guest artists). This release will go down as an asterisk, at best, an oddity, a performance with a great cast but a lousy story.
-DUG

NDE
END OF TRUST
CRASH
Cleveland's NDE are no strangers to the scene, having been around since the mid '90s, yet this is the band's national debut. NDE is a blend of electronic metal (à la Prong) and a potent hardcore attack, reminding one of Kilgore and Earth Crisis-both bands that blurred the edges between hardcore and metal well. The 12 tracks that comprise END OF TRUST chug like Machine Head meets Biohazard, complete with crunchy guitars and bombastic drums. Spirited and heavy as hell, NDE show that their brand of metal is ready for the major leagues, tapping into the angst that so many before them have displayed. www.crashmusicinc.com
-Mike SOS

VITAL IDOL
IDOL RECORDS SAMPLER
IDOL RECORDS
Idol Records celebrates their 10th anniversary with this 22-song, 14-band CD. It includes six as-yet-unreleased songs: two from Sponge, and one each from The Fags, Macavity, Clumsy, and Kissing Chaos. Low-priced ($4.99 list) label samplers like this are always an excellent way to check out bands. Some of the best inclusions on this disc are the Tom Waits-style electronica of the band [DARYL], the intense vocals and guitar-dominated rock of Sponge, and the explosive power and well-mixed vocal harmonies of Watershed. To find out more about the bands in this collection, check out www.idol-records.com.
-DUG

SKABILLY REBEL
THE RODDY RADIATION ANTHOLOGY
FIEND RECORDS
You may remember Roddy Radiation from his work as lead guitarist for The Specials, but what you may not be aware of is his contribution as originator of a style of music called skabilly. This is a collection of his earliest skabilly works-which, quite frankly, is not too far off from typical neo-rockabilly (with the exception of the occasional up-stroke guitar rhythms). If you're into modern rockabilly, then chances are you will enjoy this album. It shows off talent and a whole lot of rock 'n' roll.
-ADF

TURBONEGRO
APOCALYPSE DUDES
BURNING HEART RECORDS
In preparation for Turbonegro's new album SCANDINAVIAN LEATHER, this is one of the back catalogue re-issues by Burning Heart Records. This is excellent rock 'n' roll with punk spirit, in the tradition of the first four Alice Cooper albums. The explosive energy that eventually ripped the band apart in 1998 is sublimated into exquisite rock in the tradition of Zodiac Mindwarp, early Mötley Crüe, and Spinal Tap. (Yes, this band of would-be sociopaths has a sense of humor.) Much is made of the over-the-top self-destructive Turbonegro story, but do not let that distract from the fact that, no matter how schizoid the group was outside of the studio, within the studio it created great rock albums in the hard rock and glam traditions of the '70s and '80s, with elements of '60s psychedelic rock.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

AWKWARD THOUGHT
RUIN A GOOD TIME
THORP
Stalwart NYHC outfit Awkward Thought have returned with another release that shows why this band is still standing-and strong, to boot. For starters, this quintet has decisively raised its middle finger to trends and remained a crossover entity that metal kids, punk rockers, and hardcore fans can all understand and relate to. Secondly, this durable NYC group has enough lyrical firepower to last the NYC Marathon. With its unique take on life in NY and in general coupled with a no-nonsense delivery, Awkward Thought's latest, 14-track collection becomes a mantra against the mainstream. And that's exactly what Awkward Thought wants to convey to everyone: a true punk-rock attitude layered with hardcore choruses and old-school values-something that's sorely lacking in today's sterile music scene. www.thorprecords.com
-Mike SOS

MANIC HISPANIC
MIJO GOES TO JR. COLLEGE
BYO RECORDS
If you're like me, the release of a new Manic Hispanic album is an occasion to celebrate joyfully with the finest cerveza and mota. I have just about worn out my copy of THE RECLINE AND FALL OF MEXICAN CIVILIZATION, not to mention having to send the lyrics to "Brown Man in O.C. Jail" to all my incarcerated homeboys. This outing sees the eses covering songs I am less familiar with than on past releases. Not that this is a problem: the lyrics continue to be funny as hell, with my favorites being "My Homeboy Is a Joto", "Code Brown", "I Want to Be a Cholo", "She Turned Into Llorona", and "Menudo Morning Nightmare". In addition to being funny, the tunes are performed by some of O.C.'s best musicians: Tio, El Jefe, Hueso, Hokey, Moe Grease, Oso, and Chino-most of whom are from Manic Hispanic's original line-up. So don't be a baboso; jump in your ranfla and head on down to la discoteca and pick up your copy. You'll be happier than un cochino en caca. Just remember: it's against the law to put your verga en la muerte, and no one's gonna get you out of the pinta if you get caught doing that, not even your mom.
-TEKOLOTE

WORLD LEADER PRETEND
FIT FOR FADED
RENAISSANCE RECORDS
The debut release by this New Orleans-based quartet is a daring piece of soft-pop originality. (Call this soft pop in the same way you can call eclectic outfits like Morcheeba or Creeper Lagoon soft pop.) Ethereal strings drone over Keith Ferguson and Parker Hutchinson's unparalleled melodies. It's as if country, pop, and electronica morphed into a new genre on this disc. The creative energy on this album seems to ooze from the speakers like the thick mud of a Mississippi riverbank. There might be a touch of New Orleans-style blues on this album, but it would be hard to find. What one does seem to find here is the dark, humid atmosphere of a voodoo ritual, the out-of-body experience one might get from too many hurricanes, and the sleazy feel of the dark, dangerous alleys that border on Bourbon Street. Check out these very young and very talented artists at www.worldleaderpretend.com.
-DUG

THE FIRST STEP
OPEN HEARTS AND CLEAR MINDS
LIVEWIRE
Straight-edge hardcore crews seem to come and go (maybe because the kids all turn 21 eventually), but the genre still bubbles within the hardcore community. North Carolina quartet The First Step follows the blueprint quite well on its 10-track, 30-minute, XXX attack with the exuberance of youth unscathed by fast food, cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. With positive vibes abounding and soapbox commentaries out front of of lightning-fast hardcore punk, The First Step has taken the proper strides to educate and inform while rocking out. www.livewire-records.com
-Mike SOS

STAR STRANGLED BASTARDS
WHOSE WAR IS IT?
GO-KART RECORDS
Star Strangled Bastards' hyper-political noise-punk recalls (stylistically) early Suicidal Tendencies. The thoughtful, CNN- and socially-aware lyrics are punctuated with sped-up mosh parts for extra pit action. The group's spastic, cacophonous sound would sound muddy if not for the greatest care being taken in the production-and producer John Maurer (Social Distortion's bassist) made sure that care was taken. This is a fine record, continuing the Southern California political punk tradition.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

PLAIN WHITE T'S
STOP
FEARLESS RECORDS
Here we go. Melodramatic and whiny? Yes. Depressed over girls, love, and life in general? Yes. Profanity used to sound unique? Oh yes. The Plain White T's is just another band that sounds like Jimmy Eat World, Midtown, and all those other "sensitive" bands out there. The bad thing about PWT's is that they overwhelm the listener with too much emotional bullshit. Singing about girls in every damn song and crying about how those said girls use you for all you've got is just so overrated. Let's go for change here, people! I could see this growing on you after a few spins; however, I'm not one to fancy whimpering drones of self-pity. Therefore, it will have to grow in the garbage can.
-Liz Ortega

WAKING KILLS THE DREAM
DEPENDING ON TOMORROW
GOOD LIFE RECORDINGS
I'm thinking a little Linkin Park-with the first song, anyway. But I'm not here to judge. Okay, I am, but I should try being more open-minded. Seriously, though, two lead singers? And all they do is sing; they don't even play instruments. Maybe they know how to use Pro Tools. Who knows? I think they sound more thought-out and less Zen. There are moments of nice harmony blended with over-the-top roaring. This is WKTD's debut album, and I only hope that, if they continue, they're not so boring.
-Emily Kendy

THE REAL MCKENZIES
OOT & ABOOT
HONEST DON'S
What do The Real Mckenzies have that other Celtic-inspired punk-rock bands don't? The answer is kilts and better music. OOT & ABOOT is the band's sophomore release on Honest Don's, and it blows the band's previous releases out of the water. Even though these guys are from Canada, they sound more authentic than Dropkick will ever sound and have more grit than Flogging Molly. Each track on this album has a chance to be a punk-rock anthem-especially "Droppin' Like Flies", which pays respect to punk-rock bands of the past; and "Get Lost", which is a call-to-arms of sorts. I think it's easy to say that OOT & ABOOT is the best punk release so far this year. While some people may sell the band short because of their use of bagpipes, the bagpipes actually make the band that much better. The Real Mckenzies have found a nice balance for the bagpipes, meshing them well with their explosive brand of punk rock. Beer, punk, and fun are on the agenda with this release. Get it soon! This release may even make you say "Dropkick who?" or "Flogging what?"
-Dane Jackson

MIDNIGHT CREEPS
DOOMED FROM THE GET GO
RODENT POPSICLE RECORDS
Mean-spirited and fun. Tough, chick-fronted (Jenny Hurricane on vocals and Heather Mars on guitars) punk rock 'n' roll. At times the Creeps remind me of Texas Teri and the Stiff Ones, at others there is a GG Allin feel to it (even with a song titled "The Ballad of GG"). This is blood, sweat, rock, and punk that goes for the throat and leaves you bleeding. In fact, this is one you won't forget. Stylewise, the tunes are very '77 punk with boisterous, in-your-face vocal growling. If you like your punk retro with a violent side to it, then her it is. Nasty and wicked. I like.
-Larry Lugz

ATOMIC BOMBS
POLICEMAN'S BALL
SELF-RELEASED
My favorite thing about Atomic Bombs is the sense of humor that's evident in the lyrics-in addition to the fact that vocalist Rex Fast is willing to do or say just about anything to make his audience laugh. If you prefer your politics to be delivered in a satirical manner, then this disc is for you. From the opening tune, "Pigs on Patrol" (where the cops "steal your kids' French fries") to the final number (a blues song about being out of work), there are lots of laughs here. Favorite numbers for me are "Pigs on Patrol", "Deputy with a G.E.D.", and "Policeman's Ball", all of which are funny as hell. Fast is not the most tuneful of singers, but he uses his shortcomings to an advantage by coming across as frazzled and exasperated, rather than suave and smooth-which is better suited to the everyman persona he wants to get across in his populist tunes. The band is really tight, with driving bass, guitar, and drums that scream out for a pit. Definitely recommended if you like straightforward, well-crafted punk with humorous, apt lyrics.
-TEKOLOTE

CLUSTERFUX
THRASH MONGREL
RODENT POPSICLE RECORDS
Not all that original, but heck, I like it. Big, fat doses of gutter punk mixed with old-school thrash and some superb metal guitar riffing bring to mind bands like Poison Ideas, DRI, and MDC. It's fast, furious, and just a good, old-fashioned rip roaring good time. There is a great mix of female and male lead vocal work. A lot of gut-wrenching singing and snarling that keeps the intensity going. I like it, and I'm sure you will, too.
-Larry Lugz

ZOX
TAKE ME HOME
SELF-RELEASED
ZOX may just be the best band in Rhode Island. While I have never heard any other Rhode Island bands, I stand by my declaration. Why? Because ZOX blew me away. In essence, ZOX is a reggae-influenced rock band. What's the catch? The band throws a violin into the mix. What results is a very eclectic mix of reggae and softer rock, with a slight hint of ska, punk, jazz, and fusion. At times, ZOX sounds like early and mellow Sublime-and that's not a bad thing What makes the tracks on TAKE ME HOME even better is the superior songwriting and workmanship. You can tell the guys in ZOX really care about their music. The music is all upbeat and filled with energy, which will make people listening want to either sing along or bob their heads. Don't count this band out because they use a violin; they have one of the more unique sounds I've heard all year.
-Dane Jackson

THE DEFACED
KARMA IN BLACK
NUCLEAR BLAST
The Defaced, like most of their Swedish metal counterparts, have enough firepower to succinctly bash your skull in. While they do an ample job of doing so, they allow a more Americanized metal style to creep into the mix. The result is the 10-track molten metal shredfest KARMA IN BLACK, an album that features all of the sonic glory of Sweden in half the time. Concentrating on groove and feel over technicality, The Defaced turn the burners on full blast and don't look back, evoking comparisons to Bay Area metal scenesters such as Machine Head and Testament. Containing members of Swedish metallers Darkane and Soilwork, The Defaced save some of the more rock-oriented influences (such as The Scorpions and Rainbow) to appear here amongst their solid Pantera and Metallica foundation, making for an album that metal fans on both sides of the ocean can wholeheartedly adore. www.nuclearblastusa.com
-Mike SOS

CAMAROSMITH
SELF-TITLED
DEAD TEENAGER RECORDS
If you like your rock 'n' roll dirty, sludgy, over the top, and just jam-packed with heavy monster riffs, then this is the disc you have been waiting for. There has been a big buzz surrounding this band (especially with fans of Zeke, being that Donny Paycheck does the drums ). Think for a minute: the might of KISS, the early sludge of Soundgarden, the fuzz-guitar antics of Black Sabbath, the uncontrollable mayhem of late Black Flag, and just a plain old bad attitude make this the next superstar group. Hell bands like Fu Manchu and Nebula come across sounding like saccharine boy bands à la N'Sync and The Backstreet Boys. This stuff is heavy, man, really heavy. The band takes no prisoners in its assault, resulting in a hurricane of pure rawk desolation. It really is that good. Get this before it explodes. Volatile my friend, just volatile.
-Larry Lugz

LAGWAGON
BLAZE
FAT WRECK CHORDS
This is the first time I've ever listened to Lagwagon. I'm just guessing, but if you've ever heard Lagwagon before, you know exactly what this album will sounds like-probably note for note! It's exactly what I expected, and I'm no psychic! Fat Wreck Chords claims Lagwagon is largely responsible for the current sound of modern punk rock. At least now I know who to blame for all the lame music I'm hearing all the time. If I can't blame the band, I can certainly blame the kids! What are you thinking? What am I missing out on? Why are you buying into this? Whatever happened to The Velvet Underground and The Stooges? Your parents will probably buy you this album! Shame, shame, shame on the youth of America. It makes me sad and feel old. But that's what I get, I guess. Rock is for the kids. The Ramones are for me! Somehow, I think I win.
-chad

VARIOUS ARTISTS
STUNNING TONTO PRESENTS VOL. 1 (HAPPY B-DAY STUNNING TONTO)
STUNNING TONTO
Stunning Tonto is an independent label based out of Tucson, AZ. With this release the label tries to show off the best of the best from the bands on their label. Unfortunately, they fall short on more than one level. For the most part, the recordings are low quality and sub-par, and the music is just forgettable. You'll hear punk, hip-hop, ska, indie, blues, electronica, rock, and lo-fi pop on this release. Most of the bands on this album are crap, really nothing more than garage/jam bands, especially Love Mound. The only bands worth mentioning from this comp are The Last Call Brawlers (a rockabilly blues bar band), Chango Malo (ska), and Mankind (hip-hop). Everyone else needs to either spend more time practicing, get better recordings, or just hang it up altogether. I hope Stunning Tonto's roster doesn't offer the best bands in this part of Arizona, because if it does, that's kind of pitiful.
-Dane Jackson

VAUX
THERE MUST BE SOME WAY TO STOP THEM
VOLCOM ENTERTAINMENT
With hard-hitting and attention-grabbing anthems, Vaux are not stopping for anybody. They keep on going track after track yelling out sentences that I couldn't figure out. Lyrically gothic and musically harmonic, this album shares the deeper side of Vaux as people. Even though I was impressed by the originality in their music, it was hard for me to enjoy the majority of the songs. It's a lot slower-paced and more on the creepy side of hard rock-not similar to Tool, but along the same lines. I guess you can tell what type of band this is by the fact that they've toured with Boy Sets Fire and The Hope Conspiracy. Also, Vaux will also be on the East Coast part of the Warped Tour this summer. For dates, check out the interesting Website: www.vauxrock.com.
-Annette Ovanessian

PARRICIDE
ILL-TREAT
WORLD WAR III
Punishing, pulsating, and embroiled with the death-metal rage, Parricide's blast-beated 13 tracks are laden with pain and suffering...and isn't that just the way all death metal people like it? Going strong for over a decade, this Polish quartet has taken cues from Cannibal Corpse and unleashed a savage beast of an album, complete with full-on death-metal guitars, rapid-fire drums, and vocals that may have come straight from hell itself. Raise the horned hand, hombre, and fall mercilessly to the guttural power of Parricide. www.ww3music.com
-Mike SOS

JULIAN DORIAN
BROKEN GIRL
JAGJAGUWAR
Nova Scotia's Julian Dorian seems like a hip reincarnation of Joni Mitchell. BROKEN GIRL, her newest release, is actually a re-release of her earliest work, two 7" EPs from '96. Even on her first solo work her trademarks-spare arrangements and haunting folk melodies-are captivating. Sure, it seems a little like listening to a gig at Lillithfair, but it still sounds excellent. The album's artwork is eclectic and well done: great black-and-white photos and a couple of original paintings. These are calm, collected tunes from one of those intense brunettes with the black glasses who always seems to be playing at open-mic nights. You can check out her extensive discography at www.jagjaguwar.com.
-DUG

DOWNWAY/BELVEDERE
TWO MAN ADVANTAGE SPLIT
SESSIONS RECORDS/UNION 2112 RECORDS
Belvedere and Downway are two bands from Canada who use this split to showcase what they can do. It's almost funny that they decided to put out the split together, because they're so different. Belvedere is a bit harder around the edges and resembles older Pennywise with its intensity and speed (although it doesn't focus on the same subjects as does Pennywise). Downway, on the other hand, is a bit lighter and easier on the ears (and also closer to some of the indie bands popular on the scene these days). Downway isn't exactly punk, but it isn't exactly indie or emo, either; it's more of a crossover band. The band's best effort on the split is "Crash", which features dual vocals and chunky guitar riffs. While "Home Ice Advantage" may be Belvedere's most intense track on the split, the band's best track is "Brandy Wine", which is a fast-paced punk anthem that rivals the work of some of punk rock's bigger names (like NUFAN and Millencolin).
-Dane Jackson

THE FORMS
ICARUS
THREESPHERES
Esoteric prog rock is the name of the game on the debut disc from this Brooklyn-based trio. Though the band's media promoters label this indie rock, the band is about as indie rock as Sunny Day Real Estate, Brazil, and Coheed and Cambria. Everything about this band screams out its space credentials, from the excellent cover photography to the names of the musicians to the minimalist song titles. The music is experimental, with a good mixture of keyboards, Tool-like guitar riffs, and vocals that alternate between ethereal choruses to nearly-inaudible, mumbled phrases. ICARUS is the type of album that soars too near the sun on every track but somehow keeps its waxen wings from melting. Perhaps the only real drawback is the length. Instead of the interminably long songs and albums we expect from a prog group, we are blessed with a mere 18+ minutes of music. It is an enhanced CD, but when you put it on the computer you are given about 30 different ways of looking at the same (beautiful) photo while a repetitious piano riff is pounding away in the background. Check out their beautiful Website at www.theforms.org. This is a band all about the future.
-DUG

THE PARTY OF HELICOPTERS
PLEASE BELIEVE IT
VELOCETTE RECORDS
The Party of Helicopters has been around since 1995 cranking out release after release since then. In light of this, their new release PLEASE BELIEVE IT is confusing. If this band has been established for so long and has so many releases, why does this album sound like a first attempt at noise? The music is intentionally messy. Granted, the members of the band are all very talented, but their sound is all over the place. The music is just confusing. Admittedly, as the album unfolds, the music gets increasingly better, and it is clear why some people might love what POH has to offer. All in all, it is pretty safe to say that this album is an acquired taste. www.thepartyofhelicopters.com
-tChow

SUPARED
SUPARED
SANCTUARY
Supared is a hard rock band whose 14-track release does a fine job of riding the fine line between the cliched and the clever very well. While the members of this quartet have been in a few other outfits (most notably Helloween), they avoid being a knock-off of any one singular style by incorporating a bunch of different genres into its mix. The result is some solid slabs of hard rock that evince good songwriting with cohesive twists and turns; a stellar usage of melodics (in both verses and choruses); and an overall sound that lets the best of '80s rock, '90s grunge, and today's alternative metal commingle. Take the Seattle-esque groove of "Can I Know Now", an in-your-face tune that combines vocal harmonies you'd find in an emo band colliding with a searing guitar outro that screams of the Sunset Strip. There's a whole lot of that going on here, and if you're a fan of the cream of the crop of every viable hard-rock genre since 1975, then Supared is going to be quite the enjoyable listen for you. www.supared.com
-Mike SOS

LEADFOOT
WE DRINK FOR FREE
ABSTRACT
North Carolina's Leadfoot return with more rollicking, raucous rock 'n' roll action on its latest, 13-track endeavor, WE DRINK FOR FREE. Southern-fried hard rock is what this quintet delivers, and while the band may be best known as an offshoot of heavyweights COC, the identity Leadfoot maintains as a band that likes to party, drink, drug up, and, most of all, rock out is quite evident. Songs like "Saturday Knight" and "Champion of Living" have got the Alabama rock stomp built right in-kind of like a modern-day Skynyrd. At other times, Leadfoot channels the ghosts of '70s hard rock, such as on tracks like the Thin Lizzyish "Before It Was Over". Leadfoot go retro on your nu-metal ass, and be damned if you don't pop open a Pabst Blue Ribbon and join the boys in a celebration of Dixie-style metal. www.leadfoot.net
-Mike SOS

SILVERSTEIN
WHEN BROKEN IS EASILY FIXED
VICTORY RECORDS
Silverstein is a group attempting to break down the barriers between hardcore, emo, and punk-and also a chance to break from their former bands...which were attempting to break down the barriers between punk, metal, ska, and hardcore. Seriously, this is what it's biography says! I can't believe it, either. What the hell is going on?! Whenever I hear that a group is attempting to break down all these barriers, I can't help but assume they're trying to cash in on all those existing scenes. "Give us your money! We promise unity if you give us money! Hardcore kids and emo kids and punk kids will finally get along and bond over this band! Please, Jesus, let it be true!" Oh, shut up! The name Silverstein comes from Shel Silverstein, who was the band's favorite author when they were kids. Amazing! I don't think the Giving Tree would have given us this, and hopefully this isn't where the sidewalk ends. You'd be better off reading Silverstein's books then listening to this music.
-chad

BIG BABY SATAN
BIG BABY SATAN
BBS
Big Baby Satan is a grinding metal act hailing from New York's version of suburban utopia, Long Island. This trio's nine tracks of skull-bashing metal are raw, direct, and heavy as a box of bricks. Imagine Propain mixing it up with Crowbar in a hole-in-the-wall bar, and you've got an idea of what Big Baby Satan is all about. Evil rhythms and driving guitars are staples here, and the band's homage to the diminutive metal king Dio is a funny diatribe not to be missed. Big Baby Satan gets horned hands and demonic props for whipping up some solid doses of metal. www.bigbabysatan.com
-Mike SOS

VARIOUS ARTISTS
NOT ONE LIGHT RED: A DESERT EXTENDED
SUNSET ALLIANCE
This compilation CD is the second in a series that focuses on the artistic hub that is Phoenix. As odd and surprising as that sounds, this release will make a believer out of you. The comp starts off with a song by The Go Reflex, a charming mix of indie-pop goodness. Immediately following this catchy tune is a track from the well-liked and well-known Cursive. The comp starts off extremely strong and continues to impress, pleasing for its duration. Some jewels in the mix are the duet known as The Format and the group Bluebird. www.sunsetalliance.net
-tChow

ETERNA
TERRA NOVA
CRASH
Brazilian power metal is what the quintet known as Eterna offer, and the 11 tracks that comprise its latest release, TERRA NOVA, are mighty metal tunes. From the catchy hook of "Mother Land" to the sonic pulse of "Terra Nova", Eterna turn up the volume and pour out the glory, creating anthemic metal hymns in the Manowar vein. Keyboard overlays and strong vocals (à la Fates Warning and TNT) give Eterna a progressive edge, yet the overwhelming backbeats and robust guitar lines puts the band over the top and make them a metal band that many a headbanger can truly dig. www.crashmusicinc.com
-Mike SOS

MOLLY
THE FINGER
IDOL RECORDS
When I saw the cover art for this album, I figured it would be filled with terrible, crusty street punk. The moral of the story is never to judge a CD by its cover. THE FINGER is filled with 10 tracks of some straightforward rock mixed in with some power-synth punk music. The music isn't abrasive; it's actually very poppy and soothing to the ear. The sound is practically perfect, and the production value is very high. When I listen to Molly, I think it is a corporate punk-rock band because of how crisp and clean it sounds. While the band may not be a Good Charlotte or New Found Glory clone, it does have similar song topics and sounds. This album is definitely for those who like bands mentioned above, as well as Mest, Sugarcult, and Gob. As good as it is, I'm afraid THE FINGER may miss its key demographic because of the cover art.
-Dane Jackson

PUNY HUMAN
IT'S NOT THE HEAT, IT'S THE HUMANITY
SMALLSTONE RECORDS
This band has a muscular, serpentine hard rock that recalls White Zombie. (J. Yuenger produced the record.) However, the vocals, at times, are thin and seem artificial in front of the music. Is that the puny part to this record? (When the vocals sound best, they are very much in the Rob Zombie style.) There is a whiskey-soaked, roots-rock whisper of an undercurrent in this music. It is easy to imagine this Puny Human record as what White Zombie would sound like if the group came into being a short drive from Memphis. It is also easy to surmise there may be too much of the J. Yuenger touch here for us to hear the real Puny Human.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND
ACCELERATED EVOLUTION
HEAVY DEVY
Devin Townsend is an accomplished metal pioneer, having worked with the likes of Steve Vai in addition to his multitude of solo projects and the vast production credits he carries (e.g., Lamb of God, Soilwork). Now that it's come time for this Canadian metal cult figure to step in front of a band, the results are breathtaking. The nine-track opus known as ACCELERATED EVOLUTION is an ethereally organic metal release that displays Townsend's cunning metal knowledge and vast talents, both in the production and the performance. Stirring metal with a progressive edge, there are a multitude of influences audible here, from Swedish death metal to alternative metal; yet the beauty of it all is that Townsend and crew build the basics around these and create a totally unique amalgamation. Distinctly different yet definitively metal, those who crave a higher degree of metal will be pleased as punch at the latest chapter in Townsend's fantastic sojourn. www.hevydevy.com
-Mike SOS

DEATH BY STEREO
INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH
EPITAPH
" Neck-snapping metalcore anthems" is what their press release says. I'll agree, even with the clichéd "fuck you!" again. Might as well scream "a watched pot doesn't boil!" Wow, needless to say, these SoCal gnarlies are pretty intense, and the sound is a solid pummeling of emotion-fueled anthems to the world. I really like "Beyond the Blinders"; it grabbed me. I have never heard of a better title to a song than the track "I Wouldn't Piss in Your Ear if Your Brain Was on Fire". Well, second only perhaps to their second-to-last track, "You're a Bullshit Salesman with a Mouthful of Samples".
-Emily Kendy

SEVEN WITCHES
PASSAGE TO THE OTHER SIDE
SANCTUARY
While the line-up of Seven Witches reads like a who's who of heavy metal, this well known quartet checks its ego at the door and concentrates on bringing the metal hard and heavy. Thankfully, Seven Witches delivers the goods in the vein of classic and power-metal heroes Judas Priest and Manowar, as this band boasts the talents of both Jack Frost (Metallium, Savatage) and Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Engine), two very accomplished metal masters. Add in the tragedy of Frost's brother succumbing to cancer, the crux of most of PASSAGE's lyrical content, and the listener is given a musical tour de force brimming with passion and emotion-all the while keeping the spirit of bone crunching hard music alive. There's not a lot of feel-good music on here, but there is a plethora of metal that hits hard and, ultimately, serves as a type of healing for Frost and his bandmates. What better method is there to heal than through the gift of music-especially when it's done this well? www.sevenwitches.net
-Mike SOS

THE MIDNIGHT EVILS
STRAIGHT 'TIL MORNING
ESTRUS
The high-octane new album STRAIGHT 'TIL MORNING from The Midnight Evils on Estrus is a Tim Kerr-produced slab that embodies the excitement of driving big cars at high speeds. This is because the bombastic rock 'n' roll captured here is imbued with a driving, horizontal energy that moves the album forward deliberately, relentlessly, and dangerously. STRAIGHT 'TIL MORNING is akin to Dead Boys, and also summons to mind midnight biker flicks. The music goes well with Blue Cheer and Night Train.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

BAYSIDE/NAME TAKEN
SPLIT SELF-TITLED
DYING WISH RECORDS
My cat made more attractive sounds when it was dying than what's on this compilation. I loved my cat very dearly, and I spent many days in mourning, but I would gladly re-experience that tragedy than have to listen to this split ever again. Probably the only split more terrible than this record is the atom splitting over Hiroshima. Pop-punk at its blandest!
-chad

ANTHRAX
WE'VE COME FOR YOU ALL
SANCTUARY
The long-awaited follow-up to VOLUME 8 has finally arrived, and the boys in Anthrax have outdone themselves, as WE'VE COME FOR YOU ALL was well worth the wait. Containing 14 tracks of the stomping grooves that we've come to expect from the seminal metal band, the new album pushes the members in ways never heard, proving that Anthrax is not just another metal band cashing in on their '80s reputation. Instead, Scott Ian and crew, true to form, continuously push the envelope and have created a monstrous metal record. From the over-the-top, kick-ass vocal rasp of John Bush to the twin-guitar assault of Ian and new axeman (and co-producer) Rob Caggiano to the ever-solid four-string attack of Frankie Bello, this album has got everything a classic Anthrax album should have. The all-star of the release however is the master of the skins himself, Charlie Benante, whose percussive work here is mind-blowing and once again shows that he is quite possibly the most underrated drummer in metal today. Quite possibly the best Anthrax album ever, WCFYA is a must-have for any metal fan. www.anthrax.com
-Mike SOS

BLUE SHADE WITNESS
S/T
DOUBLE ZERO RECORDS
This self-titled debut is filled with soothing indie rock that never really grate on any nerves or showcase a harsh sound. Instead of following the flow of most indie-rock bands in the scene, Blue Shade Witness opts to let its songwriting and dynamic music shine. Lead singer Joel Bennett has an almost hypnotic voice that will carry you along the band's mellow-yet-rocking tunes. If you're sick of hearing At the Drive-In or The White Stripes clones, you may just want to give a listen to Blue Shade Witness. The band may lean more toward rock music than indie, but their rock sensibility is refreshing and adds a whole new dynamic to their soulful lyrics.
-Dane Jackson

THE PLAYER PIANO
THE PLAYER PIANO
SUNSET ALLIANCE
There must not be much to do in Provo, UT, because The Player Piano had to have had a lot of free time on their hands in order to create such a beautifully complex and perfected album. It is almost all instrumental, with an occasional line of vocals thrown in purposefully. It is hard to create an instrumental album and maintain a listener's attention, but The Player Piano pulls it off without a hitch. The random and rare vocals are not distracting, but perfectly timed and placed, subsidizing the music without being necessary. This is a must for fans of Appleseed Cast, American Analog Set, or Tristeza-but it won't appeal just to that audience: anyone can fall in love with the beauty that is The Player Piano. www.sunsetalliance.net
-tChow

THE BOILS
PRIDE AND PERSECUTION
TKO RECORDS
Hey, old school! No-frills, early Offspring; definite Operation Ivy influences. I like TKO Records and the clean sound of the hardcore bands they produce. I'm down, down with The Boils (even though the name is totally disgusting). I doubt I'd buy a merch thong. These Philly punkers are lean, mean fighting machines, and their second album proves that they won't back down 'til they're glory bound (as they suggest in "Face the Rage"). This band is excellent, and if you H-A-T-E Good Charlotte-as I do-this CD will renew your esteem for the world.
-Emily Kendy

FATAL FLYING GUILLOTEENS
GET KNIFED
ESTRUS
GET KNIFED is a revved-up alt-blues album with a sociopathic soul. Produced by Tim Kerr, this is for those who think Jon Spencer is too soft. The album is akin to The Delta 72 and Speedball Baby, a frenetic experience that bridges the gap between junk joints, psychedelic rock, and punk.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

BLACK CROSS
ART OFFENSIVE
EQUAL VISION RECORDS
When Black Cross was known as Black Widows, I didn't like the band one bit. Now the band tries to redeem itself from the noise that was Black Widows. Fortunately, Black Cross's sound is not as abrasive...but it still isn't much to write home about. Instead of focusing on a more hardcore sound, Black Cross holds on to its noisecore past. If you get past the vocals (that switch between almost talking, yelling, and even growling), you'll hear some very politically-relevant lyrics. I just wish the vocals were a bit more melodious and comprehensible-or at least more fluid. If you like noisecore and straightforward post-hardcore, then Black Cross should be on your playlist. If not, stay away. The album was produced by J. Robbins, so care was taken to make the band sound great...it's just hard for me to get into their music. At least it's a much better release then the band's Initial Records days, though. With work and a refined sound, this band can be great. Until then, the guys will just have to settle on being a work in progress.
-Dane Jackson

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