SEPTEMBER 2003 reviews

10 FT. GANJA PLANT
MIDNIGHT LANDING
ROIR
This roots reggae project with a distinctive '70s feel is integrated with Ithaca, NY's John Brown's Body. Exactly what common membership there is remains a mystery, as are many of the inner details of this reclusive group. Tapping into Lee "Scratch" Perry's "black art" sound and the pioneer Jamaica studios like Channel One, MIDNIGHT LANDING is a time machine back to the renaissance years of reggae. Damp with reverb and shining with sub-tropical sun and hedonism, this is a top-notch album with a vocalist who deserves kudos. If only I could praise him by name....
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

400 BLOWS
BLACK RAINBOW
REHASH
There's no bass on 400 Blows' 14-track release, but thanks to the ultra-tight groove, the drums and guitar make, you barely even notice. What you do notice is that 400 Blows uses post-hardcore and modern punk-rock approaches in its songs, taking bits of Refused, High on Fire, Bloodlet, and other underground bands to create supremely heavy, rhythmic music. The 400 Blows attack is raw, rude, and direct. Where other bands cave in to melody and hooks, this trio remains unconventional, layering riffs over beats, dually commandeering the aesthetic and primal levels of heavy music. If you have a finger on the pulse of the underground, then 400 Blows is right up your alley. www.rehashrecords.com
-Mike SOS

6GIG
MIND OVER MIND
ULTIMATUM MUSIC
The sophomore release from Portland, ME's 6gig is a fierce and fiery example of modern metal at its best. Their music is a cross between Linkin Park and Tool, with a touch of melodic emo thrown in. The album is dedicated to the late David H. Rankin, the drummer on the album who passed away tragically in the spring of 2002. Raw, emotive lyrics from lead singer Walt Craven dominate much of this disc. Screamo vocalists take note: Craven enunciates every word (meaningful lyrics about death, life, and loss) clearly, and still crafts his vocals so that they go perfectly with the band's raw power. The band is managed by Ted Gardner, who also managed Tool and was one of the creators of Lollapalooza. With great talent, a seasoned manager, and a label that is enthusiastically pushing the band, I don't see how these guys can miss. Find out more about this power-packed foursome at www.ultimatummusic.com.
-DUG

AGENT STEEL
ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI
AOS
The long-running thrash metal outfit Agent Steel returns with its science fiction-based version of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden with ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI. This 11-track release is chock full of precise speed-metal riffs, thunderous drums, high-pitched heavy-metal shrills, and everything else that makes good old-fashioned heavy metal the fist-pumping entity that we all know and love. While a few dissenters may claim Agent Steel's aural assault to be dated, have them be damned, because this bad boy gets the dreaded double devil-horn salute from end to end. If you yearn for the days when Metallica had long hair and Halford was hell bent for leather, then Agent Steel has made the album you need to own. www.agentsteelonline.com
-Mike SOS

ASG
THE AMPLIFICATION OF SELF GRATIFICATION
VOLCOM
Three Surfer Dudes Combine To Make Punk Metal Masterpiece. How's that for a headline promoting the latest ASG release? This power trio melds the power of early Metallica with a slew of stoner-rock influence to create a triumphantly rocking 10-track CD. Heavy, hooky, and groovy, ASG will have you banging, shaking, and possibly convulsing to the band's breath of fresh air that's has as much in common with Diamondhead as it does with Queens of the Stone Age. Sold yet? Possibly the best band on the entire Volcom roster. www.asgnation.com
-Mike SOS

BEEHIVE & THE BARRACUDAS
IN DARK LOVE
SWAMI RECORDS
The pride and joy of the Swami stable, retro-soul dirt merchants Beehive & the Barracudas stumble back into the fold with IN DARK LOVE, their demonically thrilling third long-player and reunion voyage with original keyboardist Traci Haze. They've scarcely deviated from their patented scuzzy boom-thwack-boom formula, but the results are stunning nonetheless. "Whip Out My Pistol" and "Ape Soul" set guitars (and-Lucky Strikes) ablaze with bitchy vocal hollerin' and heaps of extraterrestrial contempt, while the enunciated no-wave skronk of "Black Dove" reminds one equally of James Chance & the Contortions and Lydia Lunch.
-Jason Jett

BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED
SPIRALS
FERRET
Blood Has Been Shed is yet another New England metalcore group that lays the pain on thick and bludgeons the senses with unabashed power. On the Connecticut-based quartet's latest, 14-track release, you'll find the metal to be punishingly heavy (check out the chaotic "House of Fists" for evidence), yet refreshingly complex—a nice treat for fans who enjoy some creativity in their metallic crush. Add in the ferocious-yet-soulful vocal gymnastics of Howard Jones (not the well-coiffed '80s Brit, mind you, but the current vocalist for Killswitch Engage), and it becomes clear that Blood Has Been Shed is a potent force to be reckoned with. www.ferretstyle.com
-Mike SOS

BLOODJUNKIES
MALADIES
EVIL ONE MUSIC
The debut release from Los Angeles cowboy-goth phenoms Bloodjunkies is a creepy walk through a dusty ghost town. A sepia-toned combination of folk anthems, punk rock, and western guitar enable the band to craft a unique and memorable sound. Three members of the band—Shaun Kama, Al G, and Robert Shawn—are currently members of Damnation, but the sound and spirit of Bloodjunkies is a low-bred hybrid of a Johnny Cash horror movie. By far the best tunes on this release are the full-on anthems in which the band plays the spaghetti-western theme to the hilt, such as the melodic "Raise Me Glass to You" and the free-wheeling "51st State". As with all good folk albums, Bloodjunkies include a bonus track (though not a hidden track like the majority of neo-folk artists). Which leaves the question: How can a track be a bonus track if it is actually listed on the album sleeve? Find the answer to this—as well as the reason why a cowboy would harbor vampire fantasies—at the band's Website, www.blood-junkies.com.
-DUG

BRAND NEW DISASTER
MAYBE WE SHOULD RUN
TRIBUNAL RECORDS
As Thrice and Thursday slowly ascend into the upper echelon of modern-rock acts, it should comes as no surprise for you to discover a thousand sound-alike bands attempting to ride their coattails. Enter Brand New Disaster, a quintet who play a roiling brand of post-emo that's less white-knuckled than Boy Sets Fire, yet could take Taking Back Sunday to the cleaners if they were so inclined to scrap it out. That said, MAYBE WE SHOULD RUN certainly isn't a groundbreaking effort (the thug-sensitive breakdowns and watery guitars are virtual hallmarks of the genre), but at the same time it isn't nearly as bad as the majority of the whiny shit currently taking up space at your local record hut.
-Jason Jett

BREATHER RESIST
ONLY IN THE MORNING
DEATHWISH
This is sick. Sick. I am amazed by the level this band has taken hardcore to. I am blown away. This may be the most angry, loud, vehement music I have ever heard. This is the kind of thing cops should use to blow normal people out of their houses. Breather Resist is actually making my throat hurt just by listening to them—but it's a good kind of hurt. I have nothing else to say about this. Really! If you can stomach something this hard, buy the CD...but if you can't, run.
-Franny

BUDAPEST
TOO BLIND TO HEAR
UNIVERSAL RECORDS
The debut album from this English quintet is an atmospheric wonderland that firmly wraps its bony fingers around your throat on the first listen. When asked about the dark, moody themes that run through the band's music, frontman John Garrison said, "I only write songs when I'm in a bad mood. So the happy songs don't get written." The lush musical landscape and brooding, poetic lyrics on this disc put the band squarely in the league of Coldplay and Radiohead. Tragically, the lead guitarist on the album, Mark Walworth (who was also Garrison's flatmate), committed suicide a week after the album was recorded. Against this somber backstory, the band has decided to carry on and play the music their friend was so fond of. With a major label now backing them, a North American tour underway, and a slick album full of tremendous songs, this group is on its way to big things. Check out the next big thing at www.budapestuk.com.
-DUG

CAGE
DARKER THAN BLACK
FUGITIVE
Cage is a San Diego-based power-metal quintet whose latest 13-track release is stuffed with metallic goodness from end to end. Everything you could imagine from an epic metal band is here, from the maniacal screams (by vocalist Sean Peck) to harmonious twin lead guitars to all of the glory and precision of a rhythm section which gallops like a Preakness pony. While it can be said that Cage is merely another Maiden/Priest knockoff band, they add a touch of darkness at the right times to imply that there's a lot more than a classic-metal revival happening. Chances are that if you're a diehard metal fan, you'll really enjoy Cage's spiked and studded sonic assault. www.fugitiverecords.com
-Mike SOS

MIDNIGHT SPOOK-SHOW
CALABRESE
CALABRESE
Fans of Misfits and The Damned arise! Here is a new, low-budget sound of low-budget horror. The group even has the Elvis-esque lead vocalist and ghoulish chorus of backing vocals that Misfits made so famous in its own B-movie homage. This six-song EP is the group's debut, and it should be noted guitarist/vocalist Bobby Calabrese is bassist in The Christy, and Jim Calabrese (bass/vocals) once sang for goth-metal project Cast of Shadows. What the trio (all Calabreses) lacks in execution it more than makes up for in attitude and style. This is a promising debut.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

C.D. TRUTH
CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT
FOOT IN MOUTH PRODUCTIONS
It's difficult to pinpoint this Akron, OH, three-piece's sound. Sure, you can label them rock, but what does that mean anymore? Guitar-tech-like riffs surface with garage lo-fi tunes featuring juvenile lyrics, like, "United we stand, divide we fall / United we're not, just highly controlled [...] Ride this wave to the end / This ain't no trend." Why do all lyrics here have to rhyme? That's how I wrote songs when I was 16. Although C.D. truth is sophomoric lyrically, sonically they're very good, with tight musicianship. After another album or two, Akron may have something new and exciting to brag about. C.D. truth's bio labels the band as punk.. They try to be, but fall short. www.cdtruth.com
-Lisa Apista

CHANNEL3
CHANNEL3
DR. STRANGE RECORDS
This is the best release ever from Channel3. It has been out for awhile, but good music never becomes stale. The first album, FEAR OF LIFE, may have had more "youthful punch," but this eponymous selection displays musicianship that has aged like good booze. Take the band's cue and "Let's drink a toast to the human condition" by popping this one into your player and enjoying one of the best punk bands to crawl out of smoggy Southern California. Abrasive blues with noticeable Clash influences and a splash of Buzzcocks means that both the mature listener and slam-oriented kids will enjoy it. The lyrics are both intelligent and insightful. The only thing bad I can say about this record is that some of the songs have been stuck in my mind for over two months.
-Marcus Solomon

CLUTCH
LIVE AT THE GOOGOPLEX
MEGAFORCE RECORDS
According to the press sheet, Clutch is an internationally-known artist with thousands of fans. I am skeptical about this claim, because I don't know one person who actually likes the group. The band plays a very grungy kind of rock featuring a vocalist who sounds like he's been taking too many testosterone pills. Fuck this band. Listening to this album was a waste of my time.
-ADF

COMETS ON FIRE
COMETS ON FIRE
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES
This is a wild ride of reckless abandon that recalls early Butthole Surfers albums. This Santa Cruz band would have been on the early RAT MUSIC FOR RAT PEOPLE compilations with groups like The Surfers and Big Boys. The cathartic, psychedelic rock freak out also recalls the early, heavy Sub Pop sonic damage (like Lubricated Goat and the Blue Cheer-inspired Mudhoney). This is a CD reissue of the group's first LP plus six bonus tracks.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

COOKER
SINCE 2001
WEEDLINE RECORDS
This release is filled with formulaic, three-chord punk-rock music with tons of breaks, stops, and fills. The lead singer has a good voice, but his vocals are drowned out by the drums in the mix. Oh, well, this band is still relatively new. Once they refine a few key elements—mainly production value and repetition—they'll be hard to stop. Tracks like "Catch Me", "Candle", and "Ballad of Ceazer" show how much potential Cooker actually has. The band sounds much better live than they do on the studio tracks, so they have half the battle won already. The live tracks make me want to see this band. Get this album so you can get some scenester points, because I expect big things to come from Cooker if they get the shot they deserve.
-Dane Jackson

CRITERIA
EN GARDE
INITIAL
At 24, Stephen Pederson is a busy young man, as he has been a powerful force in the world of indie rock for the past eight years. Want proof? He's fronted Cursive, been part of The White Octave, and now stands on his own with Criteria. This 10-track endeavor, described as "massive-anthem-power-pop-riff-rock," is basically just that—with snippets of clever lyrics thrown in for good measure and a total nice-guy rock band appeal stamped all over each song. If you like Hum, Weezer, or any indie band that has invaded the airwaves as of late, chances are you'll dig Criteria's humble yet rocking EN GARDE. www.initalrecords.com
-Mike SOS

CRYPTOPSY
NONE SO LIVE
CENTURY MEDIA
The dastardly Canadian death-metal troupe Cryptopsy have undergone three vocalist changes in the group's decade-long career, but this setback hasn't slowed the purveyors of carnage down one bit. The latest 12 tracks from the quintet were recorded live in Montreal, and with a hometown crowd behind the brutal band, you can literally feel the sweat and smell the stench of death-metal people thrashing about. For fans of the band, this release is as good as going to the gig and experiencing its entire breakneck splendor in person. www.centurymedia.com
-Mike SOS

CUT-OUT
SELF-TITLED
SELF-RELEASED
The debut demo EP from Puddle of Mudd co-founder and guitarist Jimmy Allen's new band is a healthy taste of hard-driving melodic rock that smokes from the very first note. When he was with Puddle of Mudd, Allen won the 2002 ASCAP Song of the Year award for writing "Blurry". His songwriting talents will be sorely missed in his old band and greatly appreciated in his new one. Allen's drafted ex-Puddle of Mudd bassist Troy McCoy, drummer Phillip Bailey (from the band Systematic), and guitarist Brian Harrah (from Professional Murder Music) to form his new supergroup. All four songs on the demo are blistering rockers that establish the new band as one of the best new hard-rock bands in the L.A. scene. If rock like this doesn't whet your appetite, you're already dead. www.cutoutband.com.
-DUG

DAY OF CONTEMPT
SEE THROUGH THE LIES
GOODLIFE RECORDINGS
Our friends in Europe have released another hardcore gem. Day of Contempt plays brutal breakdown after brutal breakdown without losing their sense of melody. Think Hatebreed meets Poison the Well. This album managed to keep me interested the entire way. Check the band out if you get the chance.
-ADF

DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR/NOURISH THE FLAME
TAKING IT BACK
SPOOK CITY RECORDS
Boston's Nourish the Flame is a Cookie Monster band of a metal/hardcore blend with shades of grindcore. Nourish the Flame takes the first half of this split-CD, and each band has an intro and outro to their halves. It is the instrumental intro from Death Before Dishonor immediately following the outro from Nourish the Flame that is the high point of the album. Death Before Dishonor has less tortured vocals and does group vocals, but this vocal style in general has been done so many times before that the long instrumental passage of the two tracks back to back becomes the most interesting part.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

DEEDS OF FLESH
REDUCED TO ASHES
UNIQUE LEADER
California death-metallers Deeds of Flesh return with their fifth offering, a technically sound, pulverizing display of eight-tracks of rapid-fire remorselessness. There's plenty to bang one's head to here, as the beats-per-minute meter is pushed to the maximum on REDUCED TO ASHES. Pummeling guitars give way to interludes of instrumentation that are both heavy and intricate, making Deeds of Flesh one of the more well-rounded death-metal acts on the scene today. www.uniqueleader.com
-Mike SOS

DIO
STAND UP AND SHOUT: THE DIO ANTHOLOGY
RHINO RECORDS
If you haven't heard of Ronnie James Dio, for God's sake crawl out of your hole and listen to some metal once in a while. But for the 99% of the music world that knows his manic legacy and trademark screams, this is a nice compilation of early and recent material. The two-disc set contains material all the way back to Dio's early days with Elf, through Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his solo material. Some of the earliest material with Elf sounds dated and somewhat tame next to the well-produced radio staples from Rainbow and Sabbath, but it is interesting to hear his progression as a lead singer. Included are even a couple of nice live Sabbath tunes from the early '80s. Rhino Records has a penchant for releasing compilations of work by legendary performers, so perhaps the most interesting thing about this set is that Dio has now crossed into the "legendary" status before his predecessor with Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne.
-DUG

DOWN BY LAW
WINDWARDTIDESANDWAYWARDSAILS
UNION LABEL GROUP
Down By Law has been around long enough to build its own core group of fans, and for those fans, WINDWARDTIDESANDWAYWARDSSAILS will sound like more of the same. There's nothing groundbreaking on this album, but if you're a Down By Law fan, then you'll definitely like it. While the album seems cliched and predictable at times (especially with tracks like "Put the Boots In"), this is a very listenable punk album. It won't blow your mind with originality, but it serves its purpose. The songs will make you think. They're catchy enough to learn and sing along to...and, of course, anthemic, fist-raising choruses are used when you'd expect them to be used. Besides, it's trendy to hate your government right now. If you can hold out for a better album, wait for the new Pennywise; if not, Down By Law will serve as an adequate replacement.
-Dane Jackson

DRESSY BESSY
DRESSY BESSY
KINDERCORE RECORDS
This is a fun album of summer fun. The vocals from Tammy Ealom and charming, smiling lyrics of power-pop fun are like an '80s summer, but the fuzzed guitars is a '60s AM. This is the delicate but bouncy midpoint between Sleater-Kinney and Davie Allan. There is a warm restraint to the music, which buzzes along with girl power-pop, offering catchy choruses with a wink and nothing ostentatious.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

DYF
S/T
JLS PRODUCTIONS
This thing was shrink-wrapped to all hell, and I was so tired I could barely get the wrapping off. So already things didn't bode well for DYF here. However, my shrink-wrapping bias and my bad mood are not the hidden reasons why this isn't good. There are no hidden reasons: it's just not good. I have no idea why people still form bands that sound like this. It's like making a new oven mitt. Why? The old one was just as good. The Deviates (although DYF is much less melodic) and Epitaph in general can handle this sound just fine. What happened to innovation?
-Franny

ELAD LOVE AFFAIR
A WOMAN GIVES BIRTH TO A GUN AND IT STABS HER
IMMIGRANT SUN RECORDS
My high school marching band had more passion and talent. Ouch! I'm cruel, I know...but not as cruel as having to listen to this album.
-Chad

EL CENTRO
PROHIBIDO
FINGER RECORDS
This is definitely not my cup of tea. I'd liken it to a bad No Use for a Name record. Oh wait! No Use for a Name only puts out bad records. Pop-punk is the vermin of all music, a bastard child of a bastard genre. Like the movie classic MULTIPLICITY, a replication of another replication could only result in a hopelessly retarded form of life. A helpful tip for the guitar player: please stop raking the fretboard. I already know you're good. And your singer needs to stop his second-rate Mike Ness impersonation. If you can't play ska, don't do it! Sheesh!
-Miss Namella Kim

EMBRACE TODAY
SOLDIERS
DEATHWISH
Embrace Today returns with soapbox in tow on SOLDIERS, a 15-track condemnation of a crooked lifestyle. This straight-edge quintet provides quite the musical background to express its viewpoint, as the seething instrumental performance hits incredibly hard—and may even leave scars. When it comes to lyrics, though, it seems as if the band is going around in circles, either stoically defending its lifestyle choice or downright criticizing those who follow a different path. Despite the musical firepower that SOLDIERS contains, it seems as if the message the band conveys trips Embrace Today up a bit, making the outfit nothing more a virtual scream Sunday-school sermon laced with profanities. www.deathwishinc.com
-Mike SOS

ENGINE ANIMAL PEOPLE
ORCHESTRA FOR THE LIVING
PSEUDO MADHOUSE RECORDS
This mysterious and intriguing funk/electronica release is a strange voyage into a new genre. With a female vocalist who belts out tunes with the gusto and command of Janis Joplin and songs that often sound like '80s rock and then veer wildly into synthesized melodies, this is unlike anything else in the music scene today. The group is associated with Halucinatti 22 Music, Billy Squire's bizarre, offbeat, and surreal production group in Hollywood. Unfortunately, there was no bio for this group, no Website, and no information on the CD cover. Perhaps it is just as well, for when you take the music at face value, it works wonderfully. All the bizarre trappings are associated with H22 Music could only detract from a well-crafted, terrific piece of work.
-DUG

ENON
HOCUS POCUS
TOUCH AND GO
Want to know the recipe for almost guaranteed success nowadays? Get together one very petite Asian girl with a pretty voice, one or two guys (ethnicity not important (although some obscure white background is best (Swedish, Icelandic, etc.))), and a lot of synthesized instruments, and you should do pretty well in today's scene. This group follows that formula. Mixing together the electro-dance songwriting of Toko Yasuda (Blonde Redhead) and the distorted, catchy rock 'n' roll of John Schmersal (Brainiac) backed solidly by the consistently good drumming talent of Matt Schulz (The Lab Partners), and the end product is a catchy album that will make you shake your hips. Go get it—seriously. www.enon.tv
-tChow

EXTOL
SYNERGY
CENTURY MEDIA
Upon listening to Extol, you'd think that they were metal veterans, as the style of music that this Norwegian quintet pounds out has a slew of old-school thrash and '90s metal in its mix. Truth be told, the 11-track SYNERGY is only on the band's third release. While the group pays homage to the days when bands like Exodus, Death Angel, and Testament reigned supreme in the metal realm, Extol also has kept its collective ear to the ground, mixing in elements of progressive metal, hardcore and shades of black and death metal. Talk about diversity and you're speaking about Extol and its uncanny ability to bridge the metal gap between your and your older brother's record collection. www.centurymedia.com
-Mike SOS

FAIRWEATHER
LUSITANIA
EQUAL VISION
Would it be fair to call Fairweather an emo band? After all, doesn't that tag connote certain qualities about a band that are considered taboo these days? Regardless of how you'd categorize this Virginia -based quintet, Fairweather's mid-tempo melodics and emotive vocals compare to the likes of Thursday and Brand New. The band also showcases an uncanny knack for textured arrangements, especially in the guitar department, as songs like "Silent Jury" and "Slow to Standing" amply display how two guitars should play off of each other. Righteous and rocking, Fairweather's blend of passionate instrumentation should appeal to those that crave a little more than the mainstream's been offering as of late in the indie-rock zone. www.fairweatherva.com
-Mike SOS

FM KNIVES
USELESS & MODERN
BROKEN REKKIDS
FM Knives has a distinct, post-punk/power-pop sound that makes USELESS & MODERN sound at times as if it were part of Buzzcocks' discography (e.g., "I Love Alone")—or that of any number of other Brit post-punk outfits (such as The Boys). The band is American, though, and derives its sound from Sacramento punk bands Nar, Los Huevos, Lil' Bunnies, and Karate Party. This is excellent, the best Buzzcocks album since A DIFFERENT KIND OF TENSION.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

FOUR STAR VOLCANIC
FLUFFER
RUT RECORDS
The sophomore release from this Athens, GA, quartet is a snotty, irreverent taste of what could have happened to R.E.M. if they grew up punk. Though the band has been together since 1996, it has managed to hang on to a funky, "who gives a damn" garage-band style. The lyrics are corny, a little obnoxious, and not always thought out real well. While the band adheres to a lot of punk stylings, the music is just too melodic to be considered hardcore. At their best moments, the band sounds like a Talking Heads clone that has forgotten how to play its instruments. While the band is said to have a loyal following of fans for their live shows, its obvious their music doesn't transfer well onto plastic. These inbred rockers need to stick to the stage for beer money.
-DUG

FREDDY AND THE FOUR GONE CONCLUSIONS
WIGGED OUT SOUNDS
GET HIP RECORDS
It's the sounds of the '60s! Your parents will think you're really nifty and swell when you crank this. I prefer my rock 'n' roll dangerous and sick, but even a burnout like me can listen to this and shimmy. Freddy Fortune has been doing this stuff for years with Fortune and Maltese. He's an O.G. Detroit scenester, and I give him props for getting Del Shannon's keyboard player, Max Crook, for a guest appearance (that unmistakable keyboard solo on "Runaway" is one of the most undeniably great pieces of music ever written on Earth). Of course Freddy would be the one to bring him back. It's a little bit frat rock, Mersey Beat, and skiffle rolled into a matching jacket band of merry melody-meisters. This album pays homage to The Syndicate of Sound, The Standells, The Outsiders (U.S.), Beau Brummels, etc. Mods, come and get it!
-Miss Namella J. Kim

FREDDY & THE FOUR-GONE CONCLUSIONS
WIGGED OUT SOUNDS
GET HIP RECORDINGS
This is a new project of neo-garage rock from Detroit. Freddy Fortune (Fortune & Maltese) gathered psychedelic-rock talent from greater Detroit to put together this two-guitar jangle-rock album with many guests. One of the guests is Max Crook, Del Shannon's original keyboard player. He lends his distinctive sound to the Shannon song "Stand Up" on this album with (according to the liner notes) " his late '50s, custom-built, Musitron keyboard." The songs boast well-executed harmonies and an authentic, vintage sound courtesy of Jim Diamond production.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

FROST LIKE ASHES
PURE AS THE BLOOD COVERED SNOW
SOTD
Yes, Dorothy, we are in Kansas, and Frost Like Ashes are not a figment of your imagination. In fact, this blast-beated black-metal troupe takes pages from Cradle of Filth, Satyricon, and countless Swedish metal outfits in both appearance and musical style. Blood-curdling screams, shredding guitars, and all the leftover makeup from Halloween finds its way to this quartet. The opener of this album is the sped-up, nearly unintelligible rendition of Black Sabbath's "After Forever", leaving no doubt that sometimes some songs are better left un-covered. www.frostlikeashes.com
-Mike SOS

GARRISON
THE SILHOUETTE
REVELATION RECORDS
Garrison has a really big sound, although I found that it just droned on and on. A big, boring drone works for a lot of bands, but this just didn't do it for me. However, the first song on THE SILHOUETTE, "Come on Die (No Seriously)", is probably one of the best songs ever! Buying the whole album is worth it for that song alone.
-Chad

GIVING CHASE
NOTHING EVER CHANGES
JUMP START
Hey, this is a good band! This reminds me of Give Up the Ghost, only a little more musical and less hardcore. The only minor complaint I have about this CD is that they seem to be musically ambivalent, to the point that sometimes there is singing without any clear music in the background. Don't yell at me or anything: I'm not talking about parts of songs where this is done for effect, I'm talking about it being out of the blue. The overall musical style here is also ambivalent. There is a pop-punk song which is followed directly by a hardcore-sounding song. Giving Chase is a good band...but confusing!
-Franny

GRAVELTRAP
CONCRETE + UDDER CHAOS
MOON SKA EUROPE
I was always a big fan of Moon Ska before it closed up shop, so when this album from Moon Ska Europe came with my review packet, I thought I was going to get to hear an up-and-coming European ska band. Unfortunately, Graveltrap is the farthest thing from ska. The band is just a run-of-the-mill pop-punk band. The choruses are catchy, the music will make you bob your head, and the songs are filled with plenty of "whoa"s. That's right, Graveltrap employs every single pop-punk staple and instead of offering up something innovative. If you like your punk poppy and generic, then you'll love Graveltrap.
-Dane Jackson

HAMARTIA
TO PLAY THE PART
GOODLIFE
Connecticut is home to the masters of metalcore, Hatebreed, yet there are a few more bands that have the penchant for blending hardcore and metal, too. Take Hamartia, for example, who have since broken up but have a posthumous release in the bins titled TO PLAY THE PART. Hailing from the state known for insurance and home base of the WWE, Hamartia's hammering guitars and screams from the depths of hell fit right in amongst the metalcore mongers of today. Its a shame that Hamartia didn't stay together, but the band did spawn acts such as With Resistance, Bury Your Dead, and Misery Signal, so its pummeling spirit still lives on. www.goodliferecordings.com
-Mike SOS

HAPPY CAMPERS
S/T
MONKEY ASS RECORDS
From the album's packaging and liner notes, I thought Happy Campers would be a silly joke band. The band proved me wrong from the beginning of the first track, "Wave the Flags". While the guys in the band have a sense of humor, when they want to sing some socially-relevant punk rock, they're able to. It's safe to say that the songs on this self-titled disc focus on the ideals of life, love, and liberty. While most bands have of late tried to completely bog down their music with politics, Happy Campers keep a nice variety going so that things don't get stale. The best song on the album is "Fair Weather Father", which boasts a very hypnotic opening and a very pounding melody. These guys share many musical similarities with Bad Religion—and that's a good thing.
-Dane Jackson

HEDFIRST
HEDFIRST
CRASH
Polish metal outfit Hedfirst combine the best of Sepultura, Entombed, and Carcass for its metallic crunch, as the seven tracks that comprise this eponymous release utilize churning guitars and guttural vocals to the fullest. The end result may sound a bit derivative, yet it packs a certain low-end punch that many other bands have seemingly ignored as of late. If you dig a lot of growl in your metal, Hedfirst have released an album for your consumption. www.crashmusicinc.com
-Mike SOS

HENRY KRINKLE
THE BLOOMBERG SUCKS EP
SELF-RELEASED CD
Henry Krinkle's disdain for the mayor of NYC is obvious by the title of the outfit's two-song sampler, yet dissing the powers-that-be is about the harshest the band gets. Instead, think dreamy, guitar-led alternative rock with undertones of Brit pop, Williamsburg sheik, and a touch of emo when getting a grasp on this Metro-area based band. Henry Krinkle's lazy Saturday afternoon approach is laden with melody and is perfect for the slacker in all of us. www.henrykrinkle.com
-Mike SOS

JABE
DRAMA CITY
SELF-RELEASED
The third full-length release from Boston's brilliant Irish folk tunesmith Jabe Beyer is a two-CD set that bridges Dylan, Tom Waits, and Springsteen to the acoustic energy of the Emerald Isle. With 13 original songs on one disc and three live videos and three MP3 tunes on the other, Beyer has create. The music on this disc is a fast-paced cross of alternative country and bluegrass on speed. Beyer is simply one of the best songwriters in America. His lyrics are a heart-wrenching cry from the far end of a smoky bar. Choruses like "I made 24 dollars tonight at the local watering hole / I'm gonna leave this bar, get right in my car, and drive right into a wall" are the type of hard-nosed poetry that dominates this album. There are some excellent slow ballads on this release, on which Beyer's voice sounds eerily like Springsteen. We can only hope that Jabe never makes more than $24 a night and that the band stays mean and hungry, never plays for a major label, and continues to make art like this for years to come. www.jabe.net
-DUG

JOBOJ
X
QUAD RECORDS
The fourth release from Joboj (a.k.a. Joe Bochar) is a guitar player's dream album. With an instrumental disc that combines blistering rock, eclectic jazz, and relentless speed guitar, Joboj takes the listener for a white-knuckle ride that barely gives the listener a chance to catch a breath. The album sounds like an updated version of Jeff Beck's legendary BLOW BY BLOW or WIRED releases from the '70s. One of the most remarkable things about the disc is that Joboj played all the instruments, wrote all the songs, and recorded everything in his home studio. This is the ultimate, definitive DIY release for a guitar player. Instead of a press release, Joboj sends out a copy of his Clinical Diagnosis Report. That ought to give us some insight to this inspired insanity.
-DUG

JUPITER SUNRISE
ACOUSTIC DEMO
SELF-RELEASED
This four-song acoustic demo includes some of the tunes on its soon-to-be-released debut full-length CD, which will be in the stores in September of 2003. The Los Angeles-based foursome plays a healthy dose of feel-good pop in the vein of the RX Bandits. Their vocals are stellar. However, other than the single "Arthur Nix" that leads off this demo, the songs seem to need a kick in the ass. These emo-styled tunes are the type of songs young girls love, and, from viewing the band's Website, it looks as if these guys have hit on a sure-fire strategy for wooing women. Most of the e-mails on the site were from very young-sounding girls all about hugging the band, waiting for the band at a show to give them hugs, or hugging a pillow and wishing it were a member of the band. Damn, I don't know if these guys are over 18, but it sounds like trouble in the wings. The life of a rock star is fraught with danger. You can download a few of the band's tunes at their huggable Website, www.jupitersunrise.net.
-DUG

KING'S X
BLACK LIKE SUNDAY
METAL BLADE
Have this Texas trio slowed down at all? It seems as if every time we turn around, Ty, Doug, and Jerry have put out another album, whether it be a solo project, something collaborative, or another full-fledged King's X project. This time around, the three get back in the swing of things and deliver 14 new songs that showcase that classic King's X sound that we've loved since the mid '80s. Having worked together for so long, these guys have perfected the art of groove rock (just check out "Bad Luck" for an example) with a penchant for Beatles-esque harmonies, like the spacious "Two". Although massive fame has always eluded them, it's high time that King's X garnishes the credit the band richly deserves. Always working and usually on tour, this veteran rock act truly embodies the rock 'n' roll spirit; and BLACK LIKE SUNDAY brings it all back to what matters: the music. www.metalblade.com
-Mike SOS

KONIPTION FIT
STRAIGHT FROM THE HOOD
SELF-RELEASED
For being "straight from the hood," this band certainly sounds an awful lot like later Guttermouth—only not as funny or interesting or lyrically capable. The music, however, is pretty good. I found myself tapping my foot to the second song. If you like Guttermouth and other bands who sound like them, invest in a Koniption Fit CD...but keep in mind that it's just not the real thing.
-Franny

LAKE TROUT
ANOTHER ONE LOST
PALM PICTURES
This album is weird. Good, but weird. Lots of electronic influences and experimentation are heavily evident on this album from quintet Lake Trout, who hail from Baltimore, MD. It is really hard to categorize this band; they really seem to avoid any sort of definitions. One thing that can be said for sure is that they have focus. There's no way a band can produce a record this tight and so unique without being completely focused on what they want to do. Lake Trout has plenty of potential to go to bigger and brighter places with this album. Get in on the fad before it happens and buy your copy now! www.laketrout.com
-tChow

LEYTON BUZZARDS
THE PUNK COLLECTION
AHOY
This collection of Leyton Buzzards punk tracks starts off with a bang, the lead track being their '78 debut, the anthemic Small Wonder Records single "19 & Mad". Things get more bitter with the suicidal "Youthanasia". What really gets things going is the bouncy, jubilant ode to bar nights "Saturday Night Beneath the Plastic Palm Trees". This is the Leyton Buzzards spectrum, from proto-Oi!, working-class street punk to dub-influenced melodic punk that recalls The Clash.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

LIGHTWEIGHT HOLIDAY
LIGHTWEIGHT HOLIDAY
PORTERHOUSE
Lightweight Holiday, indeed. This album of buoyant indie pop features multiple members of the male quartet singing cheery ditties, a bevy of guitars filling out the sound. There's nothing heavy here; these are all light and airy songs to lighten your mood. It is from Cincinnati that this ensemble hails, and they place themselves on the Ohio rock spectrum equidistant from the guitar-punk assault of the The Dead Boys and the sophisticated songwriting of The Pretenders.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

LIMECELL
IT'S GONNA GET UGLY
TKO
What happens when you cross five Philadelphia men with NWOBHM and early-'80s punk rock? The latest 13-track release from Limecell proves that it's going to get ugly. And ugly it is, as the hard-core punk-rock rage mixed with Motorhead, Agnostic Front, and Black Flag is enough to make you raise your fist and yell. Limecell is a real band that looks like five blue-collar guys who could be sitting at your local bar watching MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL...but when they get together, out come the snarling guitars and the devil-may-care attitude that fuels their potent punk-rock mix. www.tkorecords.com
-Mike SOS

LUCIS
S/T EP
SELF-RELEASED
This six-track sampler EP is supposed to be an introduction to this artist, but after listening to the tracks that Lucis has to offer, I'm not that impressed. The EP starts off with "Volatile", which has a guitar riff that sounds suspect. If you listen close enough, it sounds like it's inspired by The Police's "Every Breath You Take". The rest of the EP is filled with uninspired tracks that would fit better into a soft-rock format than with the rest of the bands SKRATCH covers. Vocalist Don Kohut has an excellent voice that is both captivating and soothing, but the music just sounds tired and sleep-inducing. This EP is perfect for background music, but other than that, I see no real purpose for it.
-Dane Jackson

MADDER MORTEM
DEADLANDS
THE END
Madder Mortem is a female-fronted rock outfit whose 10-track offering meshes metal with flares of ambiance along the lines of Tapping the Vein and Lacuna Coil. A bit on the gothic side of things, this Norwegian quintet takes the darker end of the metal spectrum and adds texture and depth without going overboard. Melody lines remain fluid while the band does show off its heavy-handed attack, but they do so without overpowering the lush female vocals. If Kate Bush jammed with In Flames, Madder Mortem would be the result. www.theendrecords.com
-Mike SOS

MAD PARADE
BOMBS AND THE BIBLE
DR. STRANGE RECORDS
Mad Parade may not be all that well known, but this SoCal band has been around since the early '80s, making its mark with melodic anthems about standard "no trend" topics like fighting, drinking, and resisting authority. BOMBS AND THE BIBLE offers more of the same social angst with pop-punk chords. And though singer Billy Ledges betrays his age with his worn, thin voice, the musicians that surround him pounce about like agitated 10th-graders, dropping the same deep hooks that made The Clash so accessible to general audiences. Standout songs include "Man of Steel", "Shanty Towne", and a thrashing cover of The Boomtown Rats' (creepy, creepy) "I Don't Like Mondays".
-Stephen B. Armstrong

MALSTROM
THE STORM IS HERE
SELF-RELEASED CD
Malstrom is a Queens, NY-based metal quintet who blend the classic metal styles of Priest and Maiden with a tinge of the progressive on this four-track CD. While the production could be better, the overall idea of a hard-rocking band that likes to play in the epic style comes across, especially during the nearly two-minute instrumental interlude that leads into the galloping "Into the Maelstrom". If you dig the classic metal style, check this band out for a new jack twist on the old school. www.malstromband.tripod.com
-Mike SOS

MARS VOLTA
DE-LOUSED IN THE COMATORIUM
UNIVERSAL
I hate At the Drive-In. Yes, you heard me right. Therefore, when the entire hubbub over the full-length that would be released from the ATDI spin-off Mars Volta began, I haughtily turned my nose up and swore I wouldn't jump on the bandwagon. But here I am declaring my passionate and devoted love for this album. Does that tell you how good it is? Not only that, but this CD is weird. The vocals are distinct and different, the instrumentation and melodies daring and bold. And still, so many people love it, musicians and non-musicians alike. Now, that's an accomplishment! So go ahead, join me on the bandwagon. Odds are you're already along for the ride. www.marsvolta.com
-tChow

ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES
TAKE A BREAK
FAT WRECK CHORDS
Although it's good, this isn't exactly what I expected. When I read ads for this CD, I thought "R&B covers" meant Chuck Berry and other black performers of the 1950s. Instead, there's a cover of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" and a couple of Motown hits, among other things. I'm disappointed! I wanted to hear the Gimme Gimmes do "The Twist" and "No Particular Place to Go"! But I'm over it. The Gimme Gimmes stick to the structure of these borrowed songs quite faithfully, except for the fact that they are now faster and include a couple of guitar riffs that you wouldn't expect. On their cover of "Crazy", the beginning is strikingly reminiscent of Black Flag's "Six Pack"; and on the cover of "Save the Best for Last", any fool can tell you that the instrumental beginning is "Pretty Vacant" by The Sex Pistols. Interesting!
-Franny

METALLICA
ST. ANGER
ELEKTRA
Metallica has become something of a dirty word in the metal community for the past decade, as fans and music critics alike have felt that the band has abandoned its sound, its roots, and sold its soul. Well, judging by the immortal quartet's latest offering, two out of three ain't bad, as the ever-morphing Metallica sound is again transformed on this 11-track, 70+-minute Bob Rock production. This time they've stripped it down to the bare bones and returned to the heavy side of things, showing the multitude of acts that have careers because of Metallica's influence that there's a lot more to learn than the first three albums. And while the band has made most of its recent headlines in courtroom and rehab dramas, what remains clear from ST. ANGER is that James, Lars, and Kirk, still love to love to play together...and still have the magical knack. Rounded out by Rock on bass, ST. ANGER may not be the most precise or technical offering (and there are many flaws and weaknesses to be henpecked over), but it is by far the rawest and most primal collection they've ever recorded—a welcome return from Metallica's experimental era. This isn't your father's Metallica; hell, it's not even your older brother's; it's yours. Many metalheads will bitch, (but they're miserable bastards, regardless), but Metallica is back and ready to kick your ass again. www.metallica.com
-Mike SOS

MICHAEL FRANTI AND SPEARHEAD
EVERYONE DESERVES MUSIC
IMUSIC
The newest release from San Francisco's Michael Franti is all about the world, the war, and social injustice. In a career that has included numerous top-selling albums with his bands The Beatnigs, The Disposable Heroes of Jazz, and now Spearhead, Franti has always worn his heart on his sleeve. Though the biting lyrics are the focus of his music, the curious mix of rap, hip-hop, disco, rock, punk, and reggae on this disc is hard to fathom. Eventually, the lyrics hit the listener so hard on the head that one has to give in and start humming these quirky tunes. I honestly couldn't get into the quirky, almost gospel arrangements on this album, but I did love the message. Anybody who stands up to the hate-filled hypocrisy rampant in the world today deserves support. Power to the Peaceful. www.spearheadvibrations.com
-DUG

M.O.D.
THE REBEL YOU LOVE TO HATE
NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS
I fucking hate rap core. Someone please kill this band.
-ADF

MR. DAVID VINER
SELF-TITLED
DIM MAK RECORDS
The debut release from England Delta blues guitarist David Viner is an appealing piece of Mississippi mud pie that seems as out of place as a Muslim in the Vatican. With a clean, traditional blues style that hearkens back to Jefferson Airplane-offshoot Hot Tuna and earlier legends like Robert Johnson, Viner has crafted a true piece of Americana that was born in an alien environment. It seems remarkable how well Viner captures the dark, brooding style of music the he's adopted. The 12 tunes on this release are all traditional blues numbers, such as "Corinna, Corinna", "Beer Belly", and "Hobo Blues". This album is for those that like to kick back with a glass of Jack , enjoy some pure guitar, and watch the world whirl on by. Find out more about this misplaced maestro at www.dimmak.com.
-DUG

MURDER MY LOVE
SELF-TITLED EP
SELF-RELEASED
Do you wear a cape, fear sunlight, and worship at the pointy feet of Cradle of Filth? If you answered "yes" to any or all of those questions, then Murder My Love just might be your new favorite band. Their self-released EP is stocked head-to-floor with blood-curdling screams, megaton guitars, and overwrought lyrics about death, resurrection, and hope. While their blood-and-brooding shtick isn't anything that hasn't been done better by the likes of HiM or Iced Earth, there remains something oddly endearing about Murder My Love's merciless rehashing of traditional metal aesthetic.
-Jason Jett

MURDER WEAPON
NERVOUS WRECK
MARTYR
Virginia-based hardcore troupe Murder Weapon embodies the true spirit of hardcore music on NERVOUS WRECK. This seven song, 10-minute long beast chock full of heavy riffs, angst-ridden vocals, and catchy choruses that scream for beatdowns and windmills. Playing hardcore like it's 1989 all over again, this quintet—which contains members of Dead Serious, Scarlet, and Down to Nothing—has put out an album that old-schoolers and new jacks alike can appreciate. www.martyrrecords.com
-Mike SOS

NAGLFAR
SHEOL
CENTURY MEDIA
The streak of ass-kicking bands to come from Sweden continues, as veteran war-metal act Naglfar's latest release further confirms Sweden as the home of the heavy. This nine-track display of hostility combines the epic swagger of Manowar with the crushing crunch of Dimmu Borgir, making SHEOL (Hebrew for "Hell," by the way) one of the loudest and incessantly brutal albums to date. This quintet has been on hiatus for five years, yet after one listen of the demonically delicious "Unleash Hell", you'd assume that Naglfar has been here all along, honing its metal craft for the masses. www.centurymedia.com
-Mike SOS

NODES OF RANVIER
SELF-TITLED
FACEDOWN RECORDS
This album is good, but it's not as good as you might expect. The music is heavy with melodic points, which makes the style resemble that of Poison the Well. Vocalist Thomas has a very fierce and aggressive scream that makes your blood boil, but this recording lacks something that the prior Nodes releases had. This album might either be rushed or a little too polished, because I don't feel the same intensity from the band. Don't get me wrong, though: if you like the style Poison the Well plays, then the new Nodes of Ranvier album is for you.
-ADF

OTEP
SEVAS TRA
CAPITOL
Otep is a female-fronted death-metal band. Yeah, you read it right—and a damn good one at that, as the quartet blends dark imagery and intimate suffering into Slipknot-esque dirges. And they do so sans the costumes, instead, wearing their hardships and pain on their collective sleeve. With enriching vocals and a down-tuned, Terry Date-produced slab of guitars, this quartet succeeds in putting out some unmanufactured aggression that's more of a catharsis than background fodder for extreme-sports shows. 12 tracks of balls, bark, and one hell of a bite, OTEP pushes harder than most of their testosterone-driven metal counterparts. For those wary of a "girl metal band," this ain't The Donnas and is far from anything else containing "female-fronted" and "metal" in the same sentence. www.capitolrecords.com
-Mike SOS

PANSY DIVISION
TOTAL ENTERTAINMENT!
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES RECORDS
Queer core is funny. I couldn't help to guffaw when I heard the words to "Alpine Skiing": "Grab two poles, up and down / You don't need snow to go alpine skiing!" Queer core is as honest and as confrontational as any other sub-genre of punk. The difference is that bands like Pansy Division have that tongue firmly planted in the (butt) cheek and make no apologies. Most punks don't give a fuck about social acceptance; instead, they turn their backs on traditional morals, values, etc. Queer punks arose to voice their frustrations in the straight world. Instead of turning their backs, they exposed their plump, round backsides proudly to those who turn away from THEM in disgust. I'm all for rebellion and overthrow.
-Miss Namella J. Kim

PIC
SEXY PICNIC
RIDING MOWER
The PIC crew has returned (fresh off their Comedy Central stint on PREMIUM BLEND) to drop another set of incredibly soulful and undeniably danceable tunes with SEXY PICNIC. The term "hybrid" is tossed around so much these days that it has probably lost some luster—but it's the best way to describe PIC. This collective (which goes seven deep) throws jazz, salsa, rock, and hip-hop into a big old gunny sack, and out come Latin-flavored jazz hymns like "Ghoti" and Motown-inspired modern-day R&B jams like "Nevermore Stories". SEXY PICNIC isn't just a cool album title, it also marks another 10 solid tracks in the pocket for the hiphoppunkfunkmamboska masters, whose infectious and intelligent tracks effortlessly make you smile the way only Stevie Wonder, A Tribe Called Quest, and most nudie-bar slow jams can. www.ridingmowerrecords.com
-Mike SOS

PLEASURE FOREVER
ALTER
SUB POP
Anytime a CD is released from Sub Pop, it is pretty safe to say that it will be a winner. But the first track, "White Mare", on Pleasure Forever's second album might make you start doubting Sub Pop's impeccable taste. However, if you can stay awake through the tiredness of this first song, you might feel your faith in the label returning. Although the vocals could stand major improvement, the instrumentation and composition of the songs mostly make up for it...mostly. There are some moments while listening to this album in which one can't help but shake their head in disappointment and disapproval. For the most part, this album will be purchased by loyal Pleasure Forever fans, but it probably won't do much to help expand their fanbase. Oh, well, at least their on Sub Pop, right? www.pleasureforever.com
-tChow

POISON THE WELL
YOU COME BEFORE YOU
ATLANTIC
In one word, Poison the Well is honest. Not just their music, but the lyrics, the philosophy, and the outlook of the band are all very candid. Some might take it as cynicism or apathy, but the band is just really so down to earth. They write their own bios to avoid indulgence and pretentiousness. They love what they do and don't feel the need to restrict themselves to fit any definition. The music on their new release, YOU COME BEFORE YOU, is a great exemplification of this. It definitely is hardcore, but it's more melodic than most hardcore. The songs are satirical and sarcastic, but with an air of amusement. This band is easy to appreciate because they are so honest. This album is great and deserves being released by major label Atlantic. www.poisonthewell.com
-tChow

POLYSICS
NEU
ASIAN MAN RECORDS
The sophomore release from bizarre Tokyo space cadets Polysics is strange, fascinating, and disturbing. The band, which is heavily influenced by Devo and Kraftwerk, ends up sounding like Geddy Lee singing Sparks tunes with a circus calliope in the background. There is a bizarre beauty to this madness, whether you call it electro-synth or creepy new wave for a new millennium. The band consists of two males (Hiroyuki Hayashi and Junichi Sagai) and two females (Kayo and Fumi). Luckily, the band sings in English...though it is unlike any English you've ever heard before. Though the music on this album consists of mind-numbing tempo changes, electronic jamming, tortured synthesized vocals, and a lot of stuff you just can't describe, this could be the weirdest album I've ever really liked. There must be some subliminal stuff under this wall of noise, because I really feel like going out for sushi and doing my hair into a blue top knot. www.asianmanrecords.com
-DUG

PRETTY SUICIDE
PRETTY SUICIDE
PS
Pretty Suicide is one of the hardest-working bands in the underground NYC rock scene, and the latest batch of tunes from the female-fronted quartet echo that maturation. Hard rock is usually dismissed as a passing fancy, yet Pretty Suicide's infectious melodies and sultry baby-girl vocal delivery make the four-song sampler a sought-after commodity. Somewhere in between Faster Pussycat and No Doubt lie Pretty Suicide, whose cover of the Kiss gem "Tomorrow" caps off another fine display of hard rock done right. www.prettysuicide.com
-Mike SOS

PROJECT:BOTTLECAP
SAVING ROCK 'N' ROLL
SKEPTIC
Project:Bottlecap's 12-track release has a very pithy title. Are we to expect this quintet to grab its collective cape and successfully destroy all of the nu-metal fodder and ridiculous fashion rock out there in this great land? Well, that may be asking a bit too much of the lads. But even if the album is mistitled, make no mistake about the heartfelt delivery and honest music P:B makes. Falling somewhere in between Coheed and Cambria and Samiam, these guys provide passionate playing laden with hooks that are way too clever to be appreciated by 14-year-old mallcore devotees. What separates Project:Bottlecap from the other bands currently on every teenage girl's wall is the amount of soul put into the music. Whereas bands like Good Charlotte and New Found Glory look the part, Project:Bottlecap feel it. Enough said. www.projectbottlecap.com
-Mike SOS

PSEUDO HEROES
PRISON OF SMALL PERCEPTIONS
GO-KART RECORDS
Pseudo Heroes mix elements of thrash, punk, rock, and grit on PRISON OF SMALL PERCEPTIONS. This seems to be like a typical Go-Kart release, with a mixture of politics, humor, and decent production value. Like most bands on Go-Kart, Pseudo Heroes rely heavily on three-chord progressions and furious drum beats. Don't sell the band short, though, because they're also not afraid to experiment with acoustic and heavy-metal elements. The bands in this genre are a dime a dozen, so it takes a lot to get me excited about bands these days. While Pseudo Heroes aren't my favorite thrash/hard-edged punk band in the scene today, I can definitely learn to like this band. The sound is aggressive, the lyrics are raw. Overall, this is a solid release.
-Dane Jackson

QUIET, LOVELY
AUTOMATA, MUSICA
N/A
This album is really quite incredible. Two-year-old Texas band Quiet, Lovely has constructed an album (16 tracks—amazing!) that puts so many others to shame. Think Death Cab for Cutie with more energy or Pinback with more prettiness. With drumming that will leave you humbled (especially on "Demise") and harmonizing guitar parts that are truly (forgive me) lovely...I can't find anything else to say. I am in awe. Please do yourself a favor and get your hands on this album, some way, somehow! www.quietlovely.com
-tChow

RADIATION 4
WONDERLAND
ABACUS
A mix of metal and hardcore, Radiation 4's first album on Abacus Recordings is a flurry of different sounds. As the title implies, the CD draws you into a sort of wonderland and takes you on ride after ride that leaves your head spinning. Straight out of Diamond Bar, CA, Radiation 4 will definitely be a breath of fresh air to both the metal and hardcore scenes...and might be the bridge that connects the two. Give it a listen. www.radiation4.com
-tChow

REFUTE
SELF-TITLED DEMO
SELF-RELEASED
The backpacked kids of this world are just waiting to adore Refute. Their four-song demo is a surprisingly refreshing amalgamation of pop-punk dynamics and screamo overtones. They deftly avoid the over-emotional pitfalls that often drown bands of this type in their own pathetic tears by adding sickly sweet melodies into their misery. If you were to somehow shove Finch up New Found Glory's ass, you'd end up with something close to Refute. Sadly, information on the band is limited—the songs themselves don't even have titles, and they don't appear to have a Website—but if you'd like to hear them/see them, give 'em a holler at refuterock@hotmail.com.
-Jason Jett

RIOTGUN./BULLET TREATMENT
STRENGTH TO ENDURE: A TRIBUTE TO RAMONES AND MOTÖRHEAD
BASEMENT RECORDS
Both Motörhead and The Ramones recorded the tribute "R.A.M.O.N.E.S.", and both bands do that song here. Bullet Treatment covers Ramones material, and Motörhead is covered by riotgun. Both bands play fast hard rock, and this is good for the delivery of the Motörhead material...but the joy and pop-punk spirit of The Ramones songs gets buried in this approach.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

RIOTGUN./BULLET TREATMENT
STRENGTH TO ENDURE A TRIBUTE TO RAMONES AND MOTORHEAD
BASEMENT RECORDS
Motorhead and The Ramones are two great bands who have influenced many bands in music today, so it's natural that tributes for both appear every now and then. Unlike past tributes, Basement Records has decided to enlist the work of two bands to do the honors instead of a variety of artists. While this definitely saves lots of money, it also hurts the overall product. With a tribute album, half the fun is hearing each band's different interpretation of the originals; but since this one has only two bands, the songs start to get a bit repetitive. Bullet Treatment takes the honors of covering the tracks by The Ramones, while riotgun. re-does Motorhead. No track really sticks out, but both bands do cover such classics as "Ace of Spades", "Judy Is a Punk", We're a Happy Family"m and "53rd & 3rd". This CD is worth at least a listen...but not much else.
-Dane Jackson

RUBBER CITY REBELS
PIERCE MY BRAIN
SMOG VEIL
Wow! All it took was the first 30 seconds of this CD for me to become absolutely enamored with it. Truthfully, it's a relic, just like the band members. I didn't even need to read the extensive packet of info that came with the CD to know that Rubber City Rebels are over 30 and a product of the 1970s CBGB scene (of course, I checked the million pages of info just to make sure I was right). It strikes me that Rubber City Rebels' sound was a prototype for quite a few bands on Hopeless Records. Buy a Hopeless sampler and this CD, then compare and contrast.
-Franny

SAME DAY SERVICE
WAITING FOR TOMORROW
SELF RELEASED
Same Day Service is an all-girl punk band, so of course I have to compare them to Sleater Kinney. I really hate to do that, because in its own way I'd say this is better than Sleater Kinney. SDS is somewhere between Veruca Salt and your favorite band of all time, playing fast, heavy rock and has really nice fun lyrics. There's lots of sincerity in all their songs.
-Chad

SANCHO
DEMO
INDEPENDENT RELEASE
Sancho plays watered-down pop-punk en Español. The music lags, and the vocals are boring. Aside from singing in Spanish, there's not much original about the band. Hopefully the live show isn't as dull as the recording.
-ADF

SERIOUS SUICIDE
OFF WITH YOUR HEAD
BLAMMY BROS. RECORDS
Serious Suicide is a female version of the queers with gothic spin. The band plays an eclectic style of horror punk that I personally haven't seen in quite some time. If the group's live show is as good as its marketing, then we're in for one wild ride.
-ADF

SINISTER
SAVAGE OR GRACE
NUCLEAR BLAST
Sinister plays the type of blistering death metal that you'd expect to hear in a secluded wooded area while an animal sacrifice was taking place. Nine tracks of ruthless guitar-chugging, bellowing vocal growls, and a fair share of blast-beated percussive madness is delivered here—and packaged with song titles like "Barbaric Order" and "Chapel Desecration". Don’t look for Sinister to be performing at any church functions in the near future. Heinous and havoc-wreaking, SAVAGE OR GRACE provides the savagery without the salvation. www.nuclearblast.com
-Mike SOS

SHOTBLUE
TEARS FROM HELL EP
SELF-RELEASED
Shotblue deliver a blast of rather intriguing goth-metal on TEARS FROM HELL. Wisely, they ignore the lame hardcore posturing that has become an inevitable facet of most modern metal outfits, choosing instead to adorn their boilerplate guitars with actual melodies and sing-along choruses. A slight tinge of MACHINA-era Smashing Pumpkins can be heard on the staticky "Shatter Proof", and the mascaraed glam-metal overtones of "Novelty" prove to be anything but. They're not quite contenders yet, but as AFI clones go, Shotblue have acquitted themselves to the scene nicely.
-Jason Jett

SOLEFALD
IN HARMONIA UNIVERSALI
CENTURY MEDIA
Metal music has often been linked to revolution, and no band can vouch for this mindset more than the Norwegian black-metal duo Solefad. This pair of visionaries has been making compelling music for nearly a decade. The latest release, IN HARMONIA UNIVERSALI, is no exception. The 10-track gem whisks the listener away to a place far removed from the typical generic, dumbed-down metal and challenges all of your senses. How? Well, the vocals are sung in four languages, and the instrumentation ranges from Hammond B-3 organs to male choirs to shredding guitar. How much else would you like to be challenged? For those who demand their intellect to be expanded, Solefad is the type of metal band that goes beyond the call of duty. www.centurymedia.com
-Mike SOS

SONATA ARCTICA
WINTER HEART'S GUILD
CENTURY MEDIA
Keyboard-driven power metal seems to be the predominant flavor of most of the bands that hail from Finland, and the quintet Sonata Arctica proves to be no exception. This band has got the whole double bass drum-meets-operatic orchestration sound down to a science, as the dynamically rich 10 tracks that comprise WINTER HEART'S GUILD can easily be labeled power ballads. If you're a fan of bands like Sentenced, Stratovarius, and even the mighty Helloween, chances are you'll dig Sonata Arctica's carefully-composed metal assault. www.centurymedia.com
-Mike SOS

SOULLESS
AGONY'S LAMENT
CRASH
It's always nice when an album starts off with a bang, and Soulless does just that with "Bleeding Darkness", a breakneck Swedish death-metal homage. The rest of the songs are basically more of the same full-on, lightning-fast thrash that a lot of bands from Sweden have brought back into the spotlight; yet there's a nice thread of old-school stuff (think Kreator and old-time Slayer) running through songs like "The Soulscythe". The real question remains: are you up for a 33-minute unabashed metal assault? If the guitar outro solo in "Terror of Twilight" can't make you say "yes," then you're not the metal fan you could be. www.soullessdomain.com
-Mike SOS

STREET DOGS
SAVIN HILL
CROSSCHECK RECORDs
To be completely honest, I've basically lost faith in the punk scene these days. No new bands have really stood out to distinguish themselves. Furthermore, when commercial emo pop music is polluting the airwaves and people's ears, punk is pushed to the back burner. But I am proud to say that I have finally found the band that will resurrect the sleeping punk giant, and that band is Boston's Street Dogs. The line-up is a who's who of Boston punk rock, including Mike McColgan. Some of you might remember him as the lead singer of Dropkick Murphys back when they were worth a damn. SAVIN HILL is 15 tracks long and without weakness. The album has more of a punk-influenced rock sound to it, but these tracks are anthemic. As of right now, SAVIN HILL is the best album of the year, hands down. It's relevant lyrically, musically, and socially. What a comeback for Mr. McColgan. I've missed him dearly.
-Dane Jackson

S.T.U.N.
EVOLUTION OF ENERGY
GEFFEN RECORDS
Geffen Records has found its new mall punk poster boys. S.T.U.N. plays a very aggressive kind of radio-friendly punk that you will be hearing on the airwaves soon. I must be honest and say that this album is super catchy. Although I am malicious toward major-label antics, this is a pretty damn good rock album.
-ADF

SUPER DANK BROTHERS
THE RETURN
SELF-RELEASED
The debut release by California's newest rock/rap/hip-hop quintet is a hard-edged batch of 12 original songs brimming over with anger and rage. With three vocalists trading off in front of some impressive metal riffs, the Super Dank Brothers biggest problem is stepping all over each other with such an abundance of lyrical content. Their timing is good enough to pull it off, though probably best in songs like "Conspiracy", a brutal tale about the L.A.P.D.'s code of silence and abuse of power. When the vocalists actually pull together for choruses and backing vocals, this material works well. This is a promising, adrenaline-filled album by some talented musicians with a great future. Let's hope they continue to focus their rage at the establishment and injustice and not become just another misogynistic rap band. The band has a Website, www.superdankbrothers.com, but it has a few glitches and isn't always working.
-DUG

THE AGONY SCENE
S/T
SOLID STATE
Metalcore—that's the best word to describe this. And despite my general distaste for anything metal, The Agony Scene isn't that bad. The sound is pretty predictable: hard, angsty guitar riffs; super-fast drums; etc. etc. The lyrics, however, are commendable. A sample: "And as an afterthought, she kept the heart he gave her." Don't you wish you could have thought of that first? To conclude, I don't think I'd ever go see this band live or be a fan or anything, but the poet in me still gives a superior grade to the words behind the music.
-Franny

THE APPARITIONS
OXYGEN THINK TANK
SELF-RELEASED
Nubile fivesome The Apparitions play a studiously laconic brand of indie rock that's unerringly similar to vintage Pavement...only far less enthralling. The main problem with OXYGEN THINK TANK is that The Apparitions aren't nearly as droll as Malkmus & Co. (their postmodern irony smacks of CNN screen crawl), and their puns aren't nearly as clever as they so obviously think they are. Their bland lyrical innuendo is adorned with a distended post-punk squall that's neither as luminous as that of The Constantines nor as wiry as Consonant—all of which leaves their post-collegiate slacker rock vying for a sleepy spot at the back of the class.
-Jason Jett

THE COLLAPSE
S/T
INTERNAL RACKET RECORDS
What a debut. The Collapse play indie-fused rock filled with chunky guitar riffs and plenty of melody. Instead of generic riffs, The Collapse use their three guitarists to create a very dynamic sound that is both interesting to listen to and extremely complex. Another element that also creates the complete sound for the band are vocal trade-offs by Christian McKenna and Brian Pluta. The only thing I would change about this album is the uneccesary background screams that are almost inaudible to begin with and act as more of a distraction than anything else. My little gripe aside, The Collapse offers up an indie-rock masterpiece with its self-titled EP.
-Dane Jackson

THE CONSTANTINES
NIGHTTIME
SUB POP RECORDS
This Canadian emo-core ensemble won over Juno Awards nominators, EXCLAIM! readers, and EYE critics with its explosive debut. This four-song EP release (marked by haunting, repeated phrases) is another album of cathartic indie soul-core delivered in measured might like a slow-motion replay of large building implosions. The art of Constantines is to deliver emotional, compelling songs that never turn sappy thanks to the restrained violence of understated electric guitars and deliberately meted-out drum rhythms that turn the sincerity sinister. Fans of the early Fugazi albums (e.g., REPEATER) will dig this.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE DEL-MONAS
DO THE UNCLE WILLY
GET HIP RECORDINGS
The three ladies of The Del-Monas are astute curators of a '60s garage-rock sound. Listening to cuts such as the title track, it is hard not to believe these are not long lost 45s found too late to make it onto the NUGGETS compilations. But, no, this is original, new material from this talented throwback trio.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE DESERT FATHERS
THE SPIRITUALITY
THREE SPHERES
The music is filled with atmospheric, new-age music, with a dash of chunky guitar here and there for good measure. At times, there are semblances of actual songs and music ("A Practical Joke", "Peace in That"), but otherwise the intricate guitar work is the only saving grace of this entire album. If the band focused more on creating songs rather than an atmosphere, this could be a great album; but as it stands now, THE SPIRITUALITY is nothing more than background music. Regardless of how bad I think the music is, the packaging is pretty rad.
-Dane Jackson

THE ELECTRIC HELLFIRE CLUB
ELECTRONOMICON
CLEOPATRA
Sweden's The Electric Hellfire Club has earned its spot in the annals of industrial metal, as the long-running outfit has seen its share of ups and downs. Now on its fifth full-length release, the quintet has successfully combined the industrial metal sound that made TEHC infamous with a chunky metal sound that has that unmistakable Gothenburg flavor. Making evil metal danceable is no small feat, yet The Electric Hellfire Club makes it sound so easy. When armed with big hooks (like on the Alice Cooper-infused "Hypochristian"), they showcase a side of the band that allows them to compete alongside other industrial crossover acts (like KMFDM)...while staying as evil as ever. www.cleorecs.com
-Mike SOS

THE FORGOTTEN
OUT OF PRINT
BYO RECORDS
Punk at its finest: FAST, LOUD, AGGRESSIVE, with lots of attitude. If you don't own the new release on BYO, then you're a fucking piker and should be dragged out and shot with the rest of your kind. This album is a must-have for fans of '77-style punk rock.
-ADF

THE GC5
KISSES FROM HANOI/HORSESHOES & HANDGRENADES
THICK RECORDS
The GC5 are working-class punk-rock heroes! They rock! This is gritty, dirty punk at its best. Plus, this has some of the most intelligent lyrics I've heard in a long time. It isn't all "fuck this" and "fuck that," it's really thought-out important social commentary (especially compared to bands like Good Charlotte and songs like "Kill the Rich and Famous" that force you to roll your eyes and spit on them). You should defiantly check out The GC5 and raise your fist in the air, sing along, and have a good time
-Chad

THE HILLSTREET STRANGLERS
BUBBLE BATH SUICIDE
EVIL RECORDS
Hey, is this The Dead Kennedys? The girl drummer kicks ass.
-Miss Namella Kim

TH' LEGENDARY SHACK*SHAKERS
COCKADOODLEDON'T
BLOODSHOT RECORDS
This country-fried boogie 'n' roll album runs the gamut of Southern references from Hank Williams to The Kentucky Headhunters and recalls, at points, the psychobilly of The Cramps. "CB Song" is a comical trucker imitating Elvis Presley through his aerial; and "Shake Your Hips" starts off with those John Lee Hooker riffs that so enthralled ZZ Top that it tempted them to plagiarism ("La Grange"), before launching into a Chicago blues sound (e.g., Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters).
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE MCFADDENS
HERE WE GO! (AMERICAN VERSION)
AGGRAVATED MUSIC
On this super-sized 13-track EP, The McFaddens try their best to make like an '80s skater band, combining sarcasm, choppy beats, and metal licks they probably stole from Quiet Riot and Winger. But even though the sound is familiar, these Canadian punks manage to imbue their songs with an unusually potent degree of obnoxiousness, thanks in no small part to one of the singers, whose voice resembles Oscar the Grouch's. However, on "Thicker Than Water", the album's most memorable track, the band lets go of the comic routine for a moment, introducing a melancholy melody, harmonies worthy of T.S.O.L., and lyrics that are as sincere as they are harsh. Example: "I thought that blood is thicker than water / Or, at least, at least / More important than pussy."
-Stephen B. Armstrong

THE MERCURY PROGRAM / MASERATI
CONFINES OF HEAT
KINDERCORE
Instrumental rock outfits (and fans of each other) The Mercury Program and Maserati come together on this split EP. It's equal parts smooth, lyrical groove and jagged experimentation. Although the bands are strikingly similar, Maserati emerges as the more dynamic of the two, the band more able to handle itself sans vocalist (a precarious position given the fact that the human voice is such a powerful tool of expression). Both would make excellent full-on rock bands, though, and you've got to respect them for holding back. The record's lush arrangements are strong enough to grab you by the pinky finger, if not the throat...and perhaps that's what these guys were going for all along.
-Davie Kaufmann
THE NATIONAL
SAD SONGS FOR DIRTY LOVERS
BRASSLAND
File this album under complicatedly simple indie rock in the vein of Interpol, Longwave, and The Walkmen. Hopefully, this brilliantly straightforward band will receive equal acclaim and attention as the bands with whom it shares similarities. Not only is The National talented and profound, but they are also extremely unique. These five guys grew up together in Ohio and all relocated to New York, where they began The National and recorded their first, critically-acclaimed album before playing a single show. Made up of two sets of brothers and a mutual friend, you can almost sense the ease with which this band plays and creates music together. What a beautiful album. www.americanmary.com; www.brassland.org
-tChow

THE NIGHTMARE SCENARIO
HEARTBROKEN AND HUNGOVER
KICKSTART AUDIO
Ugh, more sub-par screamo from a group of young Philly toughs. Bands like The Nightmare Scenario have become a dime a dozen...and unfortunately, their loud-soft-scream-breakdown formula is no longer compelling (whereas even before it was only stomachable). A study in tired clichés, HEARTBROKEN AND HUNGOVER hovers complacently, content to wallow in its own guitar-and-scream-centered blandness. Until they learn to harness the impassioned fury that has propelled others of ilk (e.g., Poison the Well, Hopesfall) to pseudo-greatness, The Nightmare Scenario will remain little more than totally anonymous.
-Jason Jett

THE PAPERBACKS
AN EPISODE OF SPARROWS
PSHAW!
Oh happy day! Emo and alt-country had a little baby. They decided to send a record (instead of a press release) to announce the arrival. How creative! This tepid record is peppered with directionless country twang and overly dramatic lyrics that give off that lovely "I tried too hard" vibe. Frontman Doug McLean's bandmates are constantly chiming in with off-kilter background harmonies, a misguided stunt that will only lead you to wonder why they found it necessary to force their voices onto the record when their lead singer has yet to find his own. The best part? Straight from "Letters Vs. Numbers": "True, his delivery's akin to a sopping wet kazoo…." Sometimes the punch lines just write themselves.
-Davie Kaufmann
THE PB ARMY
INEBRAITES EQUIVOCATORS AND MOCKERS OF THE DEVIL HIMSELF
SIN KLUB
The PB Army is a rocking trio from Ohio whose latest 10-track release may have one of the longest titles for a non-hardcore release this year. What this group is also long on is kicking your ass, as The PB Army's songs are simple enough in a punk-rock kind of way, yet they contain those left-of-center grooves like Clutch, placing the outfit somewhere in between Suicidal Tendencies and Fu Manchu. Stoner punk? Well, The PB Army mixes dirty rhythms with memorable hooks, making the band's sound easily accessible, yet a bit dangerous, as the lyrical topics seem a bit raunchy for your kid brother to be singing on the school bus. Somewhere between hick and hip, The PB Army has mixed punk, stoner, and good old rock 'n' roll into a blender and produced a tasty cocktail suitable for underground and mainstream rock fans alike. www.sinklub.com
-Mike SOS

THE PROZACS
THANKS FOR NOTHING
IRRESPONSIBLE
The Prozacs are in no rush to grow up. Sure, their songs are so shamelessly to-the-point that they seem more like parodies of themselves than anything else; but there's something endearing about music this unapologetically and unpretentiously juvenile. They play what you'd expect from second-generation Ramones fans: old-school pop-punk laden with suburban sentimentality (e.g., references to proms, chips and dip, and quitting your lame-ass job). The genius in bands this derivative is in the mind-fuck they'll slap you with, should you be so judgmental. So much of what you'll sneer at ("You'll never know / How much this sucks, you Abercrombie fucks!") will be suspiciously reminiscent of things you've felt like saying before (albeit in your early teen years). At least The Prozacs know how to tell it like it is...er, WAS.
-Davie Kaufmann
THE RIFFS
DEATH OR GLORY
TKO
The Riffs look as if they stepped straight off of the Cathouse stage, and the raucous rock 'n' roll that this quintet makes on DEATH OR GLORY takes us back to the late-1970s/glam-boy era, when three chords and leather were the bare necessities. Having a real old-school rock backbone, this Portland, OR, clan takes a simple approach to its substantial riff-rock style, making the kind of rock 'n' roll suitable for hot-rod races, backstreet alleys, and go-go clubs across this great land of ours. Fist-pumping and anthemic, songs like "LA Suicide" and "For You" prove that when you keep it simple, you still can pump out songs like Mott the Hoople and be as cool as they were in '73. www.tkorecords.com
-Mike SOS

THE SHODS
TIPPY
POORHOUSE RECORDS
Kevin Stevenson's Boston punk band The Shods uses all kinds of studio tricks, like sound bites and edits, to dress up the excellent lead track, "A Drink to Forget". This signals that this post-punk rock band likes to have fun with its music—and thus keeps the tracks rich and varied. The music is so cheeky and the guitar can be so twangy that the result is often a cross between pub rock like Peter and the Test Tube Babies and humorous roots rock like Tommy Womack (Bis-quits).
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE SONS OF HERCULES
RIGHT NOW
SUPREMA
The Sons of Hercules bust out some old-school garage-style punk rock with a slight dash of thrash music. If you like that kind of stuff, you'll dig The Sons; if not, then you won't dig them. It's that simple. Unfortunately, the band comes off as more of a jam band than anything else. Still, some worthwhile tunes for fans of the genre (and when I say fans, I mean diehard fans).
-Dane Jackson

THE SPECTORS
BEAT IS MURDER
GET HIP RECORDINGS
Oft overlooked but rarely equaled, Minneapolis beat-freaks The Spectors were garage rock before garage rock was mall fodder and MTV fare. Alongside bands like The Gories and Dead Moon, The Spectors dragged music back into the garage, injecting their furious three-chord skree with gutterball soul and a primeval ardor that reeked of Radio Birdman's sullied denim. A tidy career retrospective, BEAT IS MURDER is sloppy sonic proof that The Spectors were the living embodiment of garage rock: raw, reckless, and adrift in a sea of brown liquor.
-Jason Jett

THE TELEGENIC
SELF-TITLED
SELF-RELEASED
The debut release from this hard-rocking California sextet is a throwback to all the great folk-rock bands of the '70s. With influences ranging from Tom Petty to Bruce Springsteen, the band cranks through 12 original tunes that will have people nodding their heads and wondering where they've heard that song before. After all, how long has it been since you've heard a band using a cowbell? This sounds like a band that could have been tearing up Gazzari's on the Strip 20 years ago. There is some interesting trivia surrounding this band, as two members of the group were in a side project with Tom Morello (of Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine fame); and the keyboard player, Jason Federici, is the son of E Street Band member Danny Federici. The real hook, though, is the songwriting of Jason Snyder. He might as well be channeling the past with his unrelenting retro melodies. This is unapologetic old-fashioned rock, but it is good rock just the same.
-DUG

THE TELESCOPES
AS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE
THE COMMITTEE TO KEEP MUSIC EVIL
An all-but-forgotten entity of Britain's early-'90s shoegazer boom, The Telescopes slunk and moped along similar paths as iconoclastic bands like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, yet there was always something a tad bit depraved about their particular brand of zippy garage pop cum hallucinogenic space rock. Seeing as all of their records are now out of print, Anton Newcombe and the kids at The Committee to Keep Music Evil have compiled this disc to re-introduce the world to these wracked British bandoleers. As compilations go, AS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE is top notch, providing a broad overview of their twisted resonance, a decidedly erratic take on shoegazer that has been an obvious influence on everyone from Mogwai and Kinski to Neutral Milk Hotel and Apples in Stereo.
-Jason Jett

THE THREATS
TWELVE PUNK MOVES
DR. STRANGE RECORDS
A great new release from the hard-drinkin' and harder-playin' old-schoolers from Scotland! Try to imagine if The Exploited were intelligent and had a bit more substance. Both bands are from land of the Loch Ness monster, so it is no surprise they sound similar, but I will go out on a limb and say that The Threats are the better band. If only they had stuck with it over the years instead of disbanding for whatever reason. Well, the drunken Scots are back with a bang, and this disc is chock full of infectious anthems that will have you singing along and shaking your fist in the air in no time. Standout tunes include "Drug Culture", "No Rules", "Genocide" and….damn! I like 'em all! Go buy this, and paint the band's name on your leather jacket. Be sure to surround it with tons of spikes and studs, and you will be cool like them.
-Marcus Solomon

THE UNSEEN
EXPLODE
BYO RECORDS
I heard from a few friends that the new Unseen CD (this one) really sucked; but I can't really fathom that after listening to it. It's just as energetic and great as everything else The Unseen has put out to date. It contains the same powerful force as a live show does. This is fast and dangerous music. It's super street punk—super enough for me to care less about the lyrics than I usually do. Listening to this is enough to make anyone who used to be into this scene come running back, if only for a little while, because it has the thing street punk lacks most right now: heart.
-Franny

THE VACANCY
EP
A-F RECORDS
Anti-Flag's Chris #2 produces this album from Pittsburgh rock band The Vacancy. While the vocalist seeming has trouble pulling it off, this group does a rowdy indie pop with a rooted, post-punk sound. The music is largely upbeat
with an early '80s feel, but no keyboards. The "no keyboards" is a good thing; and there is plenty of loud, distorted guitar. This is a debut PL of seven songs from the group.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THREE DAYS GRACE
THREE DAYS GRACE
JIVE
Canadian trio Three Days Grace play the alternative-metal role well, as the outfit's 12-track debut sounds like a cross between fellow countrymen Finger Eleven and current tourmates Trapt. Sanitized for mass consumption, there's nothing here that we haven't heard before from other mid-tempo, anguished rock acts in the last 10 years. However, there's probably a throng of mallcore adolescents dying to catch this sullen group of hard rocker's act. If you're of legal age, though, you've heard it all before, so feel free to pass this one by. www.jiverecords.com
-Mike SOS

THROCULT
SOLDIERS OF A BLACKENED WAR
CRASH
Colorado sextet Throcult are astute students of the metal genre, as their latest, seven-track release finds the band exploring black, death, and hardcore styles, creating a vicious form of music in the process. Crushingly heavy tracks like "Dark Cloud Holocaust" strike like a swift sword into your blackened heart, while the thunderous din of "Kill or Be Killed" is a foreboding homage to both At the Gates and Cradle of Filth. Implementing all of these sounds into the cauldron of metal, it's obvious that Throcult aren't merely metal fans, and that they have done their homework. Resultantly, SOLDIERS OF A BLACKENED WAR stands out as a metal offering that really deserves the title of "extreme." www.crashmusicinc.com
-Mike SOS

TODD WIDELL
LATE NIGHT SATURDAY
SELF-RELEASED
The debut release from L.A.'s newest folk sensation Todd Widell is a breezy romp of 11 catchy original tunes. While solo folk artists have made huge inroads lately on the heels of such success stories as Rhett Miller, Peter Yorn, and Jack Johnson, you have to wonder if this trend will continue to grow or fade out like an old Neil Young tune. Though Widell's music is some of the best in this scene, he sounds more like Jack Johnson than Johnson himself. He brings on some very talented studio musicians to flush out his sound on this disc, and the results are exemplary. If you're into a mellow, acoustic vibe, this is the disc to get a hold of. Unfortunately Widell hasn't been signed to a major label yet and is selling the CD through www.cdbaby.com and www.amazon.com. You can find out more about this excellent artist at www.toddwidell.com.
-DUG

TRANSPORT LEAGUE
GRAND AMPUTATION
CRASH
Transport League's six tracks of industrial-strength metal sound like a hybrid of Static X and Machine Head, as the monstrous riffs and technical prowess of both bands are evident in this Swedish quartet. Crushing grooves and rumbling rhythms are pervasive in such tracks as "Safe" and the battering "Disconnect Massconnect", where a start-stop drumbeat is a sure-fire moshpit favorite. Transport League may not be one of the most original bands on the block, but this group is definitely one of the more dangerous. www.crashmusicinc.com
-Mike SOS

TROY'S BUCKET
A TOWN OF NO ESCAPE
ANXIOUS
A TOWN OF NO ESCAPE suffers from the same old disease that has long plagued its pop-punk brethren: in the frenzy and rush not to miss a beat, songs end up speeding by TOO fast and TOO smoothly—so much so that it's easy to forget them once they're over. Someone tell Troy's Bucket that the pains of being cut from the team can only be analyzed so much! However (and I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt), I'm not sure these guys would care if you informed them of such a "rule"—or any other, for that matter—as they're clearly quite happy within their bubble. It seems they believe that wanting to deliver their "message" is more important than how (and with what caliber of their craft) the message is delivered. "I spend too much time alone / Instead of speaking my mind / What a waste of time!" Fair enough.
-Davie Kaufmann
URBAN WASTE
URBAN WASTE
HUNGRY EYE RECORDS/MAD AT THE WORLD RECORDS
This reissue of Urban Waste's 1982 EP is eight tracks of clamorous and cathartic noise-punk that in each song reaches the heights of Circle Jerks' "Live Fast, Die Young". While this has the same loose and dramatic appeal of other seminal West Coast punk acts (e.g., Germs, Weirdos), this is an early downtown NYC band. The hard-edged music leans toward hardcore, but it's much too spastic and trebly to be pigeonholed into that genre. This is the first legitimate CD version of this album (all previous ones being bootlegs). Hear this and know why Agnostic Front frontman Roger Miret said, "Urban Waste is the band that got me into hardcore. I was more into punk, and then I heard Urban Waste and I was like 'Yes! I love this!'"
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

VARIOUS ARTISTS
BEER: THE MOVIE
TRIPLE CROWN
Sadly enough, the subject of "reality" has become a popular form of entertainment (thanks, MTV). On the heels of this comes the soundtrack to BEER: THE MOVIE, a film featuring clips taken from outtakes of various film projects from a 20-something guy from Long Island and his six friends who have a penchant for excessive drinking. Yawn. The film's musical collection is full of power-pop/punk tunes that rawk from bands like Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, and The Movielife. Double yawn. Somewhere between the Warped Tour and THE REAL WORLD, this CD is a lot like reality: it drags on way too long (like a bad ceremony); at times bores to tears; and, like annoying errands such as grocery shopping and dentist visits, you're happy when it's over. www.triplecrownrecords.com
-Mike SOS

VARIOUS ARTISTS
BREEDING EVIL VOLUME 2
SADISTIC RECORDS
This is a compilation of different hardcore and punk artists with a dark outlook—hence the name of the compilation. My favorite tracks are the opening track by Reason for Being, who plays a very brutal style of hardcore. I also enjoyed the punk track by Makeoutmusic. Pick this up at www.sadisticrecords.com.
-ADF

VARIOUS ARTISTS
BAD SCENE, EVERYONE'S FAULT: JAWBREAKER TRIBUTE
DYING WISH RECORDS
Sadly, when Jawbreaker was together, it never really received the attention and credit that it deserved. Eventually the band broke up, and, like most great bands that slip away unnoticed, Jawbreaker began to get some exposure and respect. It's a shame that it was too little too late. You can hear Jawbreaker's influence in many of the bands in the scene today. Finally, a label has taken on the challenge of putting together a tribute album for Jawbreaker. Unlike other tribute albums that have kind of sizzled away into obscurity, Dying Wish has put together an album filled completely with previously-unreleased material; so not only does it serve its function as a great tribute album, it also serves as a necessary album for your collection. Some of the artist selections may cause fans to scratch their heads (such as Riddlin' Kids), but overall this is a very solid release. Songs to pay attention to include the Social Distortion-inspired "Boat Dreams from the Hill" by Face to Face, Sparta's infectious rendition of "Kiss the Bottle", and Nerf Herder's serious rendition of "Chesterfield King".
-Dane Jackson

VARIOUS ARTISTS
COCK 'N' ROLL
SLEAZEGRINDER
The fine folks at Sleazegrinder Records know what ingredients are needed to make a kick-ass rock comp, and they aren't bashful about putting them into the 26-track COCK 'N' ROLL collection. For starters, you need bands that will shake the foundation, and there's no shortage of that here, as bands from across the U.S. loudly proclaim their immense love for real, unsanitized rock. Standouts include the NY stomp of Bona Roba, the high-octane Hellside Stranglers (whose song "Motherfuckers Don't Cry" wins the Best Song Title award here hands down), and the Chuck Berry-on-steroids flare of Big Block Hitchcock. Add in a slew of sluts in the album's artwork and a plethora of references to sex, drugs, Satan, and more sex, and you've got a surefire party starting CD. (Bail bond sold separately.) (www.sleazegrinder.com)
-Mike SOS

VARIOUS ARTISTS
GSL #50: OUR BIRTHDAY YOUR PRESENT
GOLD STANDARD LABS
Everyone's favorite taste-making San Diego imprint celebrates its 50th release with a rock-'em sock-'em comp that proudly showcases their stable of once and future spazzcore stallions. The usual suspects show up here (most with exclusive material) to pay their regards to the label that helped them pay their rent: The Locust (the squelchy digital barf of "Perks of Believing in Round Squares (v.2)"), The Mars Volta (the ass-whomping seven-minute freak-out "Ambuletz"), and The Pattern (the prog-oriented "Abigail"). Though the big guns are the main attraction, it's the lesser-known acts that really inflict the heavy damage. JR Ewing's "Repetition Is Failure" is a punch to the face that you'll want to relive over and over again, and Neon King Kong's shit-bottom take on Redd Kross' "Annette's Got the Hits" is one of the best things you'll hear…ever.
-Jason Jett

VARIOUS ARTISTS
HOME ON THE RANGE, VOL. 2
THE BINGO LADY RECORD COLLECTIVE/ELEVEN:11
This is a compilation of indie rock from pop to the hard stuff. As usual, the mixture of styles is going to resonate as a mixture of quality in the ear of the listener. Also as usual, there are high points that are worth exploring, bands one would want to hear more of. The collection starts out with the sweet confection of song-oriented indie pop. 1090CLUB's "Son of Two Minute Pop Song" is just that. The female-led Hypocrite Like Me offers "Trainwreck", a ska-like ballad that recalls The Skatalites and Tricia & The Supersonics MISS JAMAICA MEETS THE SKATALITES (Moon Ska). From such very safe fare, this album veers into challenging, experimental sounds that I find very intriguing: Loopian Zu's "Charged Oubt-Patients", PCRV's "What Makes you Smile Will Ultimately Kill You", and Spurge's "Tenitis".
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

VARIOUS ARTISTS
PUBLIC SERVICE
PUKE N VOMIT RECORDS
This is the CD debut of the seminal PUBLIC SERVICE compilation featuring Bad Religion, Circle One, Redd Kross, Disability, and RF7. This is before Bad Religion's progressive, multi-instrument debut, finding the band—like its cohorts—performing primitive, dark, clamorous nasal punk. Redd Kross would actually have been Red Cross at the time (before its required name change), here giving blood for the future of snotty punk rock with three songs that later appeared on BORN INNOCENT (Smoke 7, 1982). RF7 later reformed in the mid '90s, but this is the earliest recording I have heard from them. Disability is so obscure that I have never heard of them. Off their three songs here, "White as a Ghost" is among the best-produced and catchiest on this album.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

VARIOUS
PUNK SEVEN INCH CD VOLUME ONE 1988-1989
LOOKOUT! RECORDS
Back in the '80s, long before the big labels took notice of Northern California punk, there was Lookout! Records, a small indie based in Berkeley that signed local bands and released their material on vinyl EPs. Recently, Lookout! celebrated its 15th anniversary, and to mark the occasion it has released this compilation CD that features six bands who cut records (as the album's liner notes explain) during "the formative years of the East Bay punk scene." If we're to take this claim seriously, however, then we might have to ask ourselves, What is punk? because on this disc, in addition to the mosh-friendly music put out by acts like Corrupted Morals, Plaid Retina, Surrogate Brains, and Isocracy, there's street-corner rap from Yeastie Girlz and powerpuff pop from Kamala & the Karnivores. Nevertheless, though the styles and sounds vary, all of the 47 tracks that show up here sweat with anger and frustration. And if that isn't characteristic of punk, then what is?
-Stephen B. Armstrong

WATASHI WA
THE LOVE OF LIFE
TOOTH AND NAIL
I don’t know about you, but I like bands that make me happy—a lot. This album makes me really happy. Therefore, I like it a lot. If that weren't enough, the instrumentation and melodies are mature, the lyrics sophisticated. Although THE LOVE OF LIFE is Watashi Wa's first release from Tooth and Nail, they obviously aren't new to this band idea. The album is aptly named, with each song speaking candidly of the beauty of life, whether it's going good or bad. If you doubt me, listen to track 12, "Life is Beautiful", which declares: "Life doesn't always demand that we understand / That we clap our hands / But we understand it's beautiful." Hear, hear! www.toothandnail.com
-tChow

WIDE RIGHT
WIDE RIGHT
POPTOP
Wide Right resides in Brooklyn, and the quartet doesn't sound like either Biohazard or Beastie Boys. Instead, this female-fronted rawk outfit (originally from Buffalo) sound like a band brought up on a steady stream of '70s fuzz-guitar rock, Brit pop, and clever lyricists. Wide Right is unlike most bands, in that while the others currently jamming the NYC scene are concerned with primping and posturing, Wide Right seem content combining pop melodies and rock 'n' roll intelligence with the flare of your favorite local bar band. www.poptoprecords.com
-Mike SOS

XANIMO
DEMO
INDEPENDENT RELEASE
Xanimo is a female-fronted melodic punk band that, aside from a shitty recording, actually sounds pretty good. I am a skeptic when it comes to girls singing aggressive music, but the vocalist in Xanimo does a great job of keeping the aggressiveness of the music in mind while using her beautiful voice. I wish they would've included a Website or more information with their demo. Look out for them in the future.
-ADF

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