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ACCEPTANCE
“Phantoms” CD
I was a big fan of ACCEPTANCE’s first release, the Black Lines
to Battlefields EP on Militia Group. It had a sense of urgency that
you don’t often find among all these “emo” CDs that
are coming out. So I was pretty excited about this full-length, the
first from the band. I gotta say I’m a little let down by this
one. They’ve seemingly abandoned all of that urgency I mentioned,
and instead went straight to the JIMMY EAT WORLD formula. Honestly,
this CD could pass for a JEW CD if you didn’t listen closely.
It is that similar. The stand-out song is, ironically, one take from
the EP in Permanent. Not to say that this is bad, because honestly,
it is just as good as any JEW CD – it’s just not what I
had hoped for. (MWB)
(www.columbiarecords.com)
AGAINST
ALL AUTHORITY/COMMON RIDER
split CD
Two bands heading in drastically different directions come together
here with mixed results. The AAA boys drop four characteristically cagey
tracks, all bristling with the kind of snot-nosed, boisterous ear-boxing
they’re known for. Too bad it’s as boring as ever. Fortunately,
like he has for parts of the last 15 years, that Jesse Michaels guy
(formerly of some band called OPERATION IVY) has a bit more great music
to offer. His band’s half of the split, four outtakes from their
final recording session in 2002, contrasts nicely against the boring
bombast of AAA. At his best, Michaels has always made his rock as fun
as it is relevant and, now, with perhaps the most polished production
of his career, he makes “Where The Waves Are Highest” into
a tidy sub-two-minute delight. Neat – a split that mourns separation
and continuity. (TS)
(Hopeless / www.hopelessrecords.com)
AGAINST
ALL AUTHORITY/COMMON RIDER
split CD
These two bands’ sounds could not be further from each other,
with AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY playing fast, aggressive punk rock (with
a touch of ska) on their half, and COMMON RIDER playing a far more folk-influenced
variety of punk. Yet, somehow, this split works pretty well. The difference
in their styles is pretty drastic, but neither bands suck, which is
a key ingredient in making a good split. Definitely worth picking up
if you’re interested in either of these bands. Oh, did I mention
that COMMON RIDER was Jesse Michaels from OPERATION IVY’s band?
Now, all you 15 year old just getting into punk and wishing that OPIVY
would get back together, go buy it just as soon as you can steal the
money from your mom’s purse! SCENE POINTS! (MWB)
(www.hopelessrecords.com)
THE
AGONY SCENE
“The Darkest Red” CD
This is a really good metal band along the line of SHADOWS FALL and
THE HAUNTED. And that’s all I’m going to say because you
guys sent me a shitty promo with no fucking booklet or anything. The
only reason I’m saying anything is because I like your album.
(STM)
(www.sterling-sound.com)
ALKALINE
TRIO
“Crimson” CD
When their last CD, Good Mourning, was released, I though that ALKALINE
TRIO had refined their sound and style to a point where it couldn’t
get any better. Then came the split with ONE MAN ARMY, and the songs
there had a slightly different feel than songs from the past. And now
we have Crimson – and again, I don’t see how this band can
get any better. At this point, you have to consider ALKALINE TRIO to
be among the best bands of the past 10 years, and with no signs of slowing
down, who knows what will come next. 13 songs, each one filled with
passion, anger, and honesty, and each one in that patented ALKALINE
TRIO sound, a sound that still defies classification. Buy this the day
it comes out. Even if you’re one of the turds who stole this on
the internet already – STILL buy it. If any band out there deserves
support, it’s these guys. (MWB)
(www.vagrant.com)
APES
“Baba’s Mountain” CD
Heavy-duty freak out music. Does the heart good to see bands heading
to the woods and goings nuts again. No guitars, but plenty of bass,
keyboards, field recordings, etc, and twisted lyrics to shake a stick
at. (JC)
(Birdman/ P.O. Box 50777/ L.A., CA 90050)
ARM
THE POOR
“From America” EP
Self-Released EP from a group of young dudes down in Florida, and I’m
gonna tell you, these kids know how to play the punk rock. Playing fast,
aggressive, sing-along anthems with a touch of pop in the style of ANTI
FLAG, with touches of THE BRIGGS thrown in, these guys show they know
what they’re doing and deserve to get some label attention. Good
song writing and decent lyrics with some political overtones, these
guys are doing it right. I hope to hear more from these guys in the
future. (MWB)
(www.myspace.com/armthepoor)
ARTS
& SCIENCES
“Hopeful Monsters” CD
A wonderful collection of low-key, melancholy indie-pop, from former
solo dude PAUL MELANCIN and band. Definitely down, but with a suitable
amount of backbone to stop it getting droopy. ELLIOT SMITH and DEATH
CAB FOR CUTIE spring to mind, except this is actually good. (RK)
(Daemon Records/www.daemonrecords.com)
A-SIDES
“Hello, Hello” CD
This is a really nice record of 60’s inspired rock n’ roll.
They’ve definitely been listening to the KINKS a little bit. The
title track is very catchy and upbeat, but listen further and you’ll
hear a more late-BEATLES kind of sound. Lush harmonies, intriguing instrumentation.
Hey, it’s just good. I just hope they don’t get mixed up
with the drum & bass artist with the same name! (LD)
(www.prisonjazz.com)
BASEBALL
FURIES
“Let It Be” CD
The BASEBALL FURIES are one of those great ballsy bands. “Let
It Be”--sure the BEATLES and THE REPLACEMENTS used that title,
but who gives a fuck, we want to use it to. The CD itself is chocked
full of that same 1,2 fuck you attitude. Definitely worth checking out.
(JC)
(Big Neck/ P.O. Box 8144/ Reston, VA 20195)
BEHIND
ENEMY LINES
“Know Your Enemy” CD
A welcome re-release of this raging debut from ex-members of AUS-ROTTEN
and REACT. Originally out on Tribal War Records, Profane have once again
made available by far the best political anarcho-punk disc to have appeared
this century. Musically, this is up there with the finest CONFLICT or
the VARUKERS have ever produced. The anger is raw, but the words are
thoughtful and articulate. Quite superb. (RK)
(Profane Existence Records/www.profaneexistence.com)
THE
BELLRAYS
“The Red, White & Black” CD
I’m never happy when I hear an indie band that I like’s
new single on a car commercial before I hear it on the radio; I guess
we all have bills to pay, I’m just sick and tired of the word
revolution being used in commercials more than it gets used on the front
lines. Now is certainly not the time for empty tag lines and it would
be a shame if this once unique band became just another hip commodity.
The music on this CD is on par with previous releases. It’s good,
but nothing better than what they have already done. (JC)
(Alternative Tentacles/ P.O. Box 419092/ San Francisco, CA 94141)
BBQ
"Tie Your Noose" CD
One man and his guitar (and bass and snare drum). This is actually really
good. Typically, I don't dig the sounds of the garage, but MARK SULTAN
brings the right amount of r & b, honky-tonk, and rock n roll to
his solo effort to make this thoroughly interesting, varied and enjoyable.
12 majestic tracks. (RK)
(Bomp!/www.bomp.com)
BLOC
PARTY
“Silent Alarm” CD
Silent Alarm is deftly played by a band with boundless talent. On one
recording it finds room to align intensely danceable English indie anthems
beside the evocative atmospheric arena rock of COLDPLAY and U2. But
unlike FRANZ FERDINAND, who they’re being compared to ad nauseum,
BLOC PARTY are cold when they should be seductive. Or, rather, their
production sure makes it seem that way. Exhibit A: “The Price
Of Gasoline.” It rails against excess and oil companies, set to
a soundtrack of chiming guitars and the most libidinous rhythm licks
of the year underneath a heavy influence of GANG OF FOUR. But when the
salt from your sweat dries, all that’s left to do is the laundry.
Heavily stylized and well-intentioned, this debut has a lot to offer,
personally and politically, but too much gets lots in its execution.
(TS)
(Vice / www.vice-recordings.com)
MAT
CALLAHAN
“A Wild Bouquet” CD
A greatest hits, of sorts (it's certainly really great!) of the former
LOOTERS songwriter/frontman's solo material. It reminds me a lot of
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN. SPRINGSTEEN with a whole bucketful of soul. And some
exemplary politics. "Nebraska" played with some pride, passion
(and dynamite keyboards and percussion!). Top stuff. (RK)
(Broken Arrow/www.brokenarrowrecords.com)
THE
CARDINAL SIN
“Oil and Water” EP
This one goes in the “Listen to your Mother” category. She
always said, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,” right?
Well I get this and I’m thinking- a priest…can’t see
his head because it’s covered in blood…blood all over the
layout…I smell metal. But NO! It’s NOT! It’s just
a fucking great rock band, with just enough hooks and pop to keep it
upbeat, but at the same time keep the fucking rock coming!! I only wish
this was a full length – it’s that good. If you’re
a fan of music that doesn’t suck, this one’s for you. (MWB)
(www.greyflight.com)
THE
CARDINAL SIN
“Oil and Water” CD EP
Remember CADILLAC BLINDSIDE? That North Minneapolis foursome who won
you over when they released “These Liquid Lungs” on Fueled
By Ramen in spring 2002? Yeah, we were bummed when they broke up, too.
Good thing destruction always leads to creation. With the strongest
vocalist (and drummer) from that band, these Sinners are primed to pick
up the pieces and take off in a hurry. To help with that, they give
us six of the sharpest melodic stabs to the heart we could hope to hear.
Fans of PARK will fall in love first but, if there’s any justice
in popular music, it won’t be long before you do too. It might
be early, but let us be the first to tell you – if this band stays
together, they’ll tear apart your heart and make you a better
one out of the pieces. (TS)
(Grey Flight / www.greyflight.com)
(Suburban Home / www.suburbanhomerecords.com)
CEPAHLIC
CARNAGE
“Anomalies” CD
I am pretty jaded and not much really blows me away these days, but
I sat back and was absolutely amazed by the sheer velocity and viciousness
of this album. There are an assload of technical metalcore bands these
days, all sorts of motherfuckers who play scales for hours and then
do MESHUGGAH covers with different titles, but CC is not one of those
bands. No, they are the real deal. They are as raw as punk, as brutal
as hardcore, as terrifying as grindcore, as dramatic as black metal,
as sludgy as stoner rock and blazingly talented up and down the fret
board as a bag of noisecore bands. Seriously, put DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
in one hand, CANNIBAL CORPSE in the other and then smash them together
while listening to BENUMB in a KYUSS shirt. (STM)
(www.relapserecords.com)
THE
CHEMISTRY
self-titled CD
I’ve made an effort this month to curb some of the negativity
and animosity that I’m known to direct towards the music of today.
I tried to find something positive about all the CDs this month, I’ve
chosen to praise the positives rather than harp on the negatives. But
I just can’t do it this time. This CD brings nothing to the table.
It’s all been done before, and thankfully, it’s been done
better than this. (MWB)
(www.razorandtie.com)
CHIXDIGGIT!
“Pink Razors” CD
Fourth full length in 13 years delivers 13 more snotty poems to girls,
their beauty implements, relationships, and a little bit more. They
seamlessly do the whole SCREECHING WEASEL/QUEERS/GROOVTY GHOULIES 3
minute raspy pop ditties good. You'll like it. (RK)
(Fat Wreck Chords/www.fatwreck.com)
CHIXDIGGIT
“Pink Razors” CD
I’m not going to lie to you – these dudes are one of my
guilty pleasures. I pretend to be so tough and jaded, but there’s
nothing like good old pop-punk every now and again. And no, not the
crap that’s passed off as pop-punk these days, the REAL stuff,
stuff like I listened to back in High School. THE MR T EXPERIENCE, THE
QUEERS, THE AUTOMATICS, stuff like that. And CHIXDIGGIT, a band with
one of the most unfortunate names in punk rock history, are one of the
greats of the genre. This is their millionth release, yet they still
churn out classics like “Geocities Kitty” and “Paints
her Toenails.” BRILLIANT! (MWB)
(www.fatwreck.com)
COHEED
& CAMBRIA
“Live at the Starland Ballroom” DVD
Extensive 11 song concert footage from the Starland Ballroom. This DVD
is packed with tons of bonus footage including three music videos, a
making of, and a bonus audio disc of the concert. A must have for fans.
(LD)
(www.universal.com)
CONSHAFTER
“Fear the Underdog” CD
Ugh. This is immediately so bad that I’m wondering if they’re
serious or if this is some kind of unfunny joke. It’s like the
BACKSTREET BOYS of pop-punk with one cheesy riff after another. The
lyrics are even worse. (LD)
(www.conshafter.com)
JEFF
DAHL
“Cursed, Poisoned, Condemned…” CD
In 1958 LITTLE RICHARD sang “Good golly miss Molly, sure like
to ball, When you're rockin' and a rollin', can't hear your mama call.”
It’s clear what LITTLE RICHARD and “Miss Molly” were
up to. The term “Rock and Roll” originated as a euphemism
for sex. When rock and roll started it wasn’t pretty or easy,
it was dangerous, daring and borderline illegal. The same with Punk
Rock in the late ‘70s. Jeff Dahl knows all of this and more--and
he has lived it, walked his talk for some 30 years now and is pretty
much as great as ever. On the CD booklet he (as usual) thanks no one,
which is right; we should be thanking him. In a musical landscape where
you can put together a dozen bands like DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL and be
hard pressed to find a nut-sack between them, it’s very reassuring
to still be able to put on a new CD like this one. (JC)
(Steel Cage/ P.O. Box 29247/ Philadelphia, PA 19125)
THE
DAN BAND
self-titled CD
This one is a gimmick CD. It’s one that is fun the first few times,
but after a while, it’s going to wind up collecting dust. A CD
full of covers of songs you would never want to listen to if you had
a gun held to your head. Kind of like ME FIRST, but without as much
punk and sass to keep it in your CD rotation. Having said that, you
all know this dude. You’ve seen Old School, right? You know the
dude at the wedding, singing “I FUCKING NEED YOU MORE THAN EVER!”?
Yeah, this is him…and it’s a whole fucking CD of his shenanigans.
So yes, it is funny, and yes, I did listen to the whole damn thing…but
could I do it more than 5 times? Probably not. The random swears sure
as shit do keep it interesting, though. Plus, it’ll sure as hell
get played at each an every party I ever attend. (MWB)
(www.sideonedummy.com)
DAYS
AWAY
“Mapping An Invisible World” CD
Slow, almost sleep-inducing indie rock. Definitely on the extremely
mellow side of the spectrum. Not so far removed from the likes of COPELAND,
but with a little less rock than the aforementioned band. (MWB)
(www.fueledbyramen.com)
DEATH
FROM ABOVE 1979
“You’re A Woman, I’m a Machine” CD
Do you like Godheadsilo and Lightning Bolt? Are you a fan of danceable
music only created with drums and bass? If you said yes to either of
these questions you will love this band. I don’t think there could
be anymore noise created by these two men. Not only are these songs
amazingly catchy, they make you want to dance like hell. This CD will
make you want to start your own drum and bass band, promise….or
Photoshop and elephant’s nose on a picture of your face. (MR)
(Vice Records/ www.vice-recordings.com)
DECEMBERISTS
“Picaresque” CD
This CD is beautiful and one of the best CDs released of the year. If
you are a fan of indie or music that carries a nice tone, I would check
this CD out. This CD is flawless and out of the entire Decemberists’
catalogue this is by far the best their best release. I believe everyone
can and will love this record. If you don’t like this CD I will
give you the right to punch me in the face. (MR)
(Kill Rock Stars/ www.killrockstars.com)
DECIBULLY
“Sing Out America!” CD
Rising to attention a few years ago for little more than the membership
of former PROMISE RING and CAMDEN players, Sing Out America establishes
DECIBULLY solely on their own standing. Evolving from 2003’s “City
of Festivals,” opener “I’m Going To Tell You”
is probably the best psychedelic alt-country indie rock you’ll
hear this year. Fans of WILCO, THE PROMISE RING’s Wood/Water and
newcomers THE SNAKE THE CROSS THE CROWN take note: this is remarkably
restrained Midwestern rock, with the kind of expertly layered musicianship
that reveals new secrets with every listen. Unfortunately, William Seidel’s
airy, often harmonized, vocals are an acquired taste that, even at their
best, become grating part way through the record. Though some will surely
naysay now, expect their next record to impress immensely. (TS)
(Polyvinyl / www.polyvinylrecords.com)
DERIDE
self-titled LP
Holy shit this record is great!!!! DERIDE are a Japanese band that play
a mix of hardcore and balls-out rock and roll. Blast beats galore. Reminds
me of the first time that I heard ZEKE. Highly recommended! (JC)
(Mad At The World/ P.O. Box 20227/ Tompkins Square Station/ New York,
NY 10009)
DES_ARK
“Loose Lips Sink Ships” CD
How many J. Mascis-produced male/female two-pieces are we treated to
every spring? If you, uh, hate music and that’s not enough to
get you excited about the debut full-length from Des_Ark, this thing
comes replete with eight seriously solid tracks, too. Short and sweet
is the way duos should go (unless you’re from El Paso and keep
secrets to your own private lexicon stashed in your hairdo), and this
boy+girl know it. Aimee Argote paints a perfectly miserable narrative
with carefully calculated caterwauling and panache aplenty. She’s
a super talent and her performance here gives every indication she warrants
close attention. Though short and stripped-down has its limitations,
cutting to the chase hits in a hurry. (TS)
(Bifocal Media / www.bifocalmedia.com)
DIM'S
REBELLION/DON'T CARES
“Hellsplit #1” CD
DR play melodic street punk. They actually remind me a lot of the studio
side of the first 4-SKINS LP. Lots of rousing tunes, and some keyboards
and sax. Pretty impressive. DC's play more straight-ahead, speedy angry
stuff. DR are definitely the standouts on this double Swedish offering.
(RK)
(Kjell Hell Records/www.kjellhell.se)
DIM'S
REBELLION
“Nueva Estolomo” CD
Swedish street punkers take it to the next level. SWINGIN UTTERS and
DROPKICK MURPHYS discovered the Celtic folk. These dudes have discovered
keyboard laden pop-rock. A rocking NEIL YOUNG, or BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN.
And y’know, they make it sound pretty good too. (RK)
(Kjell Hell Records/www.kjellhell.se)
DIVIDE
BY ZERO
“Answer to No One” CD
If SMALL BROWN BIKE hadn’t broken up, and went back to playing
music like they played in 1999, these guys might sound like a rip-off.
But, the good and bad news, depending on how you look at it, is SMALL
BROWN BIKE don’t exist anymore, so DIVIDE BY ZERO is here to fill
the void, with a little bit of vocal harmonies thrown in there, too,
so they don’t sound like they’re just rehashing the same
sound again. It’s all the good of SBB with some new shit, too.
So if you were into those dudes, you’ll be into these dudes. Great
release. (MWB)
(www.jumpstartrecords.com)
THE
DMBQ
“The Essential Sounds From The Far East” CD
THE DMBQ are a monster of a garage punk outfit from Japan. They have
been going strong for over 10 years now and feature members who do some
moonlighting in the BOREDOMS and SHONEN KNIFE. This is garage that owes
as much to heavy rock pioneers like LED ZEPPELIN and BLUE CHEER as it
does to the SEEDS and COUNT FIVE. Totally good. (JC)
(Estrus/ P.O. Box 2125/ Bellingham, WA 98227)
DOVES
“Some Cities” CD
Doves play generic rock that will keep you in a good mood. They have
been around for awhile but after listening to all their previous cds,
I can say that “Some Cities” is one of the best. If you
are a fan of uplifting rock and roll you will be a fan of this, I certainly
was. (MR)
(Capitol)
DOVES
“Some Cities” CD
Doves play generic rock that will keep you in a good mood. They have
been around for awhile but after listening to all their previous CDs,
I can say that “Some Cities” is one of the best. If you
are a fan of uplifting rock and roll you will be a fan of this, I certainly
was. (MR)
(Capitol/ capitolrecords.net)
EDDIE
HASKELLS
“Dumpster Divin’” CD
This album proves once again that punk is still alive & well in
the East
Bay. We’ve got ten tracks of rockin’ fun in the style of
the DEAD BOYS. The
title track is especially kick ass, but “London Girls” runs
a close second.
Pick this up now! (LD)
(www.supersm.com)
ENIAC
“All That’s Left of Us” CD
I think this record’s been out for a few months but it’s
found its way to me, and better late than never. This is a really nice
album of moody indie rock. If that’s the definition of emo now,
then whatever. Lots of harmonies, guitar riffage and drawn out dramatic
pauses. (LD)
(no address)
E-ZEE
TIGER
self-titled CD
So this is one of those bands that’s really just one guy. That’s
the first thing to know. The second is that he somehow managed to garner
mega-attention by the demigod of bay are musical hipsterness, the Bay
Guardian. What I hear is a tweaker doing what they do best with knobs,
pedals and an insane amount of distortion. Not bad, but not worth the
hype. (LD)
(KSR, no address)
FALL
OUT BOY
“From Under the Cork Tree” CD
I’m not sure why major labels do what they do sometimes. This
time, Island records’ advance has only 7 of the 13 songs that
are going to be on this CD. So it’s not even fair to call this
a review. But seriously, the 7 songs that I’ve heard are nothing
short of amazing. FALL OUT BOY created their own sound on their first
release, and continues to push that sound with their follow-up. After
saying that, hopefully the other six songs don’t suck. At least
that’d explain why Island didn’t send them. (MWB)
(www.islandrecords.com)
FAULTLINES
“Travelogue” CD
So the press packet said ‘For fans of BRAID.’ Well, I was
and am a huge BRAID fan, and I’m not afraid to admit that, no
matter how much shit Scooter gives me for it. So I thought this might
be good. And for the first four or so songs, I heard the Nanna-esque
vocals and though it was gonna be pretty good. Well, then the wheels
fell off. Rather than being influenced by BRAID, this band BECAME BRAID.
Which, to me, just isn’t a good thing. Stick to being influenced
by a band, don’t just recreate the band. Same problem that SAVES
THE DAY had when they came out, trying so hard to be LIFETIME. It just
ends up making your work seem fake. Stick with playing your own music.
(MWB)
(www.actionheights.com)
FILAMENTS
“...What's Next” CD
Second full length from these Brit aggro punkers with horns. Not really
ska as such, but more post-CLASH RANCID with horns. Or LEFT-OVER CRACK,
with a bit of BUZZCOCKS. CONFLICT with some harmony and melody. Most
excellent. If only MUSTARD PLUG were half this good. (RK)
(Household Name Records/www.householdnamerecords.co.uk)
THE
FLAMING TSUNAMI
“Zombies vs Robots!”
Ska’s Dead, You’re Next, Ska-core. More emphasis on the
core than the ska, but none the less, it’s got the ska in there.
Horns and everything. Although I’m not completely down with the
ska scene, these guys are trying to do something new, which is at least
something. So if Ska tickles your fancy, and you’re down with
the more driven ska like BIG D AND THE KID’S TABLE, this is for
you. (MWB)
(www.killnormal.com)
SAGE
FRANCIS
“A Healthy Distrust” CD
Sage Francis should be known as one of the best rappers of our time.
With one listen to this cd you will realize that there is no point to
finding new artists, he is the one. The CD just adds on to the list
of great songs he’s created. This is not the rap you hear on the
radio, this is the rap that get you thinking and realizing that the
rap on the radio is fake. WARNING: Listening to this CD may change your
outlook on life. (MR)
(Epitaph/ www.epitaph.com)
SAGE
FRANCIS
“A Healthy Distrust” CD
Rhode Island’s finest rhymesayer returns with his most triumphant
work to date. As one of America’s most insightful intonators,
the pairing with Epitaph couldn’t be more perfect; Francis is
a punk in sweats and sneakers. Only this punk is one of the underground’s
most eloquent and dangerous voices, the kind that’ll appeal to
everyone from indie kids to crust punks. The beats here (courtesy of
DANGERMOUSE and SIXTOO, among others) are mostly simple, but always
offer strong support for Francis’ free-flowing fire breathing.
Lyrically, Sage makes his punches count - everything’s open to
attack - and rarely has a pummelling felt so satisfying. The first great
rap record of 2005. (TS)
(Epitaph / www.epitaph.com)
THE
FREAK ACCIDENT
self-titled CD
The FREAK ACCIDENT is basically Ralph Spright from VICTIMS FAMILY doing
songs that he had saved up from V.F., because they didn’t work
for him in that outfit. This is, of course pretty manic and all over
the place, but in a different way than you might be used to from VICTIMS
FAMILY and for my money a bit better. This has a whole kitchen sink
worth of styles, some Bob Mould sounding melodic rockers, some jazz
infused tracks, some psych out stuff, etc.
(Alternative Tentacles/ P.O. Box 419092/ San Francisco, CA 94141)
FUCKED
UP
“Epics In Minutes” CD
Retrospective of sorts of this Canadian 5 piece. A bunch of rarer (demo
etc) stuff from 2001-2003. Twin guitar fuzz, pummeling tracks, screamed
vocals. But all carried off with just the right mix of grit and melody.
(RK)
(Deranged Records/www.derangedrecords.com)
GARMONBOZIA
self-titled CD
Debut LP of female-fronted Minneapolis DISCHARGEesque crusty thrash.
They throw in some quiet bits, with a cello, just to break it up a bit.
The production is real good, and certainly fans of the hoarse strangled-cat
vocals, and D-beat sound will lap this up. (RK)
(Profane Existence Records/www.profaneexistence.com)
GEOGRAPHY
“Life in Binary” CD
7 songs of raw power is what GEOGRAPHY brings with this incredible release.
It’s produced by Jeff from SADAHARU so that might give you an
idea of the style you’re getting here. Indie-influenced hardcore
is the best way to describe it, but GEOGRAPHY finds a way to break free
of the binds that hardcore music sometimes places on bands and they
prove that they aren’t afraid to branch out and try new things.
This is some seriously powerful and catchy shit. Definitely worth picking
up. (MWB)
(www.universalwarningrecords.com)
GIRLYMAN
“Little Star” CD
These folks are a trio. They play country/folk/pop, somewhat akin to
a stripped down INDIGO GIRLS. They have amazing harmonies. Kind of like
CATIE CURTIS accompanying herself. And they're really good. This is
their second full length; my first introduction to them - and I want
more. (RK)
(Daemon Records/www.daemonrecords.com)
GOODBYE
BLUE MONDAY
“Help Is On The Way” CD
This hip San Diego band is back with more disjointed rock songs. And
while there’s only seven songs on this album, they manage to pack
in tons of great stuff. Without a doubt, this band just keeps improving
on their sound. I only wish they’d drop the overused samples in
front of the songs. (LD)
(www.loudandclearrecords.com)
GRAVE
FOR THE FIREFLIES
“Dead Eyes” CD
Awesome punk from the OC. Guitarist Anna shreds to dead-end Jordan’s
macabre lyrics. This will for sure appeal to the Ebullition records
crowd. Check out this brand new band that I know you’ll all love.
(LD)
(www.graveforthefireflies.com)
GREAT
AMERICAN BREAKDOWN
“Wake You Now, Okinawa” CD
This is just straight up rock n’ roll. What more can I write?
Sometimes bands are just rock n’ roll and to say more would seem
forced. Long live rock n’ roll. (LD)
(no info)
GUAPO
“Black Oni” CD
This is the second piece of a three part series by this London band.
They create a landscape of sound again on this 6th release to date.
You can lump them in with the other Ipecac bands, but there is even
more going on than the company they keep. This is like the beautiful
soundtrack to a fretful nightmare. I loved every minute of it. (LD)
(www.ipecac.com)
GUNMETAL
GREY
“Solitude” CD
This is some metal right here. I mean really, it’s just pure fucking
metal and I mean that in the best way. It’s a virtual riff-fest
by a band that obviously has the chops to pull it off and has done enough
homework on the history of all things metallic to do it right. This
isn’t new jack fashioncore stolen SEPULTURA breakdown metalcore,
this is just great metal that makes no bones about it metalocity and
if you consider yourself metal at all, you need to take your metal ass
down to the metal store and this metallic masterpiece. I don’t
even really like metal and I was mesmerized by this album. Get it, children
of metal. (STM)
(www.indianolarecords.com)
HAMMERFALL
“Chapter V” CD
I shit you not, they sent a promotional condom with this. Dudes, I would
understand if it was THE STONES or MARVIN GAYE or some shitty glam band
from L.A., but this band is called HAMMERFALL and there is a snow-covered
Viking on the cover and they have songs called “The Templar Flame”.
What the fuck does that have to do with fucking? Ok, so dudes who are
into snow-covered Vikings and have girlfriends that they have sex with,
I guess this is for you, because this is an album about snow-covered
Vikings that encourages safe sex. Oh, wait, I get it! The Viking is
wearing armor and the condom is armor for your... oh fuck it. (STM)
(www.nuclearblast.com)
HOLLOW
GROUND
“Cold Reality” CD
Man, for every Celine Dion and Avril Lavigne, Canada will also deliver
an awesome hardcore band. HOLLOW GROUND play straight forward core-ass-core,
where there is the fast, pissed verse, the anthem sing-along chorus,
and then the juicy fucking breakdown to get yo mosh on. Like those other
Canuck bands like COMEBACK KID and old NO WARNING and even CHOKEHOLD?
Look into HOLLOW GROUND. If you are worth your hoodies and cammos, they
will not let you down. (STM)
(www.organizedcrimerecords.com)
HOLLOW
POINTS
“The Black Spot” CD
Raging release from this Seattle trio. Produced by DUANE PETERS, it
has that driving, devil-may-care 'street-punk' sound, married with some
excellent, intelligent political lyrics, and the songwriting sensibility
of SOCIAL DISTORTION and the SWINGING UTTERS. They even throw in a couple
of pirate tunes towards the end. A truly wonderful record. (RK)
(Disaster Records/www.disasterrecords.com)
HOOD
“Outside Closer”
I don’t know why I actively seek out new music when there is HOOD.
They’re new album “Outside Closer” has elements of
everything you would want in a great band, electronic, indie, sampling,
ambient noise, pop….everything. They are so far ahead of everything
else going on in the music world that it just blows your mind when you
listen to this album. I can’t even compare to any other band because
it is in a genre all its own. This is by far my front runner for album
of the year, I can literally listen to this album 20 times in a row
and still my jaw will be dropped on how great this album is. Enough
reading, now go to their site, listen and then buy all of their music.
Each album is different than the last yet each album is a new step toward
musical enlightenment. This is by far the closest they have come. (MR)
(Domino Records/ www.hoodmusic.net)
HORACE
PINKER
“Texas One Ten” CD
HP have been doing it since '91. It being that particular brand of moody,
introspective 'pop-punk' popularized by the likes of JAWBREAKER and
KNAPSACK. They've produced a slew of records, including 3 of the really
long ones. This is the fourth, and while darker than the aforementioned
JAWBREAKER, is up there with their first 2 efforts. It's certainly never
too late to catch on. (RK)
(Thick Records/www.thickrecords.com)
HORACE
PINKER
“Texas One Ten” CD
First off, even if you don’t like this band, they deserve your
respect. They’ve been together for nearly 15 years, they’ve
put out six full-lengths, countless 7”s, and have made tons of
appearances on comps. That kind of longevity isn’t too common,
and the fact that they’re still putting out quality music is rad.
So that brings us to the disc in question – Texas One Ten was
recorded over a two year span, and shows that while HORACE PINKER’s
sound has evolved and changed over the years, they’ve still got
what it takes to put out a quality punk rock CD. (MWB)
(www.thickrecords.com)
HOWARDS
ALIAS
“The Answer Is Never” CD
2nd longer player sees these Brit ska-punkers pushing the boundaries
a bit. A much darker sound - think ALKALINE TRIO with horns. Sometimes
it works real well. At others it appears a little lost. Certainly way
different from the typical ska-punk sound, for sure. (RK)
(Household Name Records/www.householdnamerecords.co.uk)
HUNCHBACKS/
BATTLEDYKES/ WAUKEES
split CD
Three great girl-fronted bands from overseas unite to form this pop-punk
powerhouse of an album. We’ve got fifties inspired punk rock with
not a lot of bells and whistles. You know, the kinds of bands that worship
TEEN IDOLS & SOCIAL DISTORTION. Pretty cute and worth a listen.
(LD)
(www.all-nite-records.com)
IRRELEVANT
“Ascension” CD
These Australian dudes are pretty fucking good. Melodic hardcore that
isn’t too far removed from the likes of BOY SETS FIRE and TIME
IN MALTA. The singer’s voice actually reminds me a lot of TIME
IN MALTA, which is a good thing. I guess they’ve pretty much conquered
the Australian music scene, and if they make it this way, I think they’ll
do pretty well here, too. Keep your eyes peeled for these guys. (MWB)
(www.resistrecords.com)
JOHN
THE BAKER & THE MALNOURISHED
“Fire Marshall Law” CD
In case you don’t know, Burnt Ramen was this little jewel in the
East Bay, more punk rock than Gilman’s been in years, and run
by a great guy named John the Baker. Well, it got shut down, but now
John’s got an album of guttural brutal punk that’s enough
to turn in the fire marshal’s heads. Insanely fast and catchy.
Do yourself a favor and get this one soon. (LD)
(Controlled By Plague/ PO Box 22641/ SF, CA 94122)
KILLWHITNEYDEAD
“So Pretty, So Plastic” CD
This thing is ridiculous, and I mean that in the best possible way.
Blazing grindcore ala AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED with tons of samples to
add spice to the boiling oil. Not enough? Add some DIECAST breakdowns
and some radtastic hair metal style solos and you’ve got one hell
of an album. (STM)
(www.tribunalrecords.net)
THE
KNOW HOW
“Now In Technicolor” CD
THE KNOW HOW know how to sound a whole lot like a watered down version
of the MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES. Sorry, but I can’t recommend this
one at all. (JC)
(Stomp/ 78 Rachel E./ Montreal, Quebec/ H2W 1C6/ Canada)
KYLESA
“To Walk A Middle Course” CD
I have given this band good reviews in the past. Go read those, because
this time all they sent me was a burned CD with a little sticker on
it that had the band name, album name, and release date. Sweet, you
can’t waste a real CD on me, I can’t waste a real review
on you. (STM)
(www.ohyeah,IthrewthebiosoutsoIdon’thaveanadresssinceitisn’tonthecd.com)
LA
PLEBE
“Exploited People” CD
Punk rock en espanol just plain rules, and so does this album. Don’t
even worry about the horn section - there are no ska beats, just songs
whirling so fast it’ll make you feel drunk. A great release! (LD)
(www.laplebe.com)
LEATHERFACE
“Boat In The Smoke” DVD
Is LEATHERFACE one of the most underrated bands of the last 20 years?
Definitely! Why aren’t they as big as HOT WATER MUSIC? Beats me.
Is this DVD collection worth picking up? Damn right it is. (JC)
(MVD)
THE
LEAVING TRAINS
“Amplified Pillows” CD
This one’s a keeper. A career retrospective (mostly) comprised
of live tracks from 3 sources (all good) 2 from the late ‘80s
and one from 2001. Different line-ups pepper the recording, but as long
as Falling James is there, then you have a pretty damn great recording.
If you haven’t checked the LEAVING TRAINS out before, this would
be a great jumping in point. They are definitely one of the great rock
and roll bands of the last 20 years, sometimes thrashy, sometimes doped
out and melodic, sometimes just straight up punk. (JC)
(Steel Cage/ P.O. Box 29247/ Philadelphia, PA 19125)
LINGUA
FRANCA
“Grand Piano” CD
This is going to appeal to fans of SWANS, VANISHING, ANGELS OF LIGHT,
etc. Basically people who really love dark, theatrical music that takes
itself seriously in a good way. This isn’t goth - don’t
get me wrong. Just music that should be played with the lights low and
alongside your drug of choice. It’s dynamic, interesting and definitely
puts you in a mood. (LD)
(www.thelinguafranca.com)
LOCUST
“Safety Second, Body Last” CD
God the LOCUST are so weird. And as you all know, locusts were a sign
of the apocalypse. As usual, their bizarre constructions do to some
sound like the music of devils, but to others sound like hymns. All
you that go your own way, you’ll love this little EP. (LD)
(www.ipecac.com)
THE
LOST
“Hidden Beneath The Shadows Of Fear” CD
Cross the enthusiastic, emotional anthems of 90’s Rev post-hardcore
with the brooding metalcore of late 90’s Orange County and throw
it into a movie theater during a Halloween matinee and you’ll
get this album right here. Imagine JIMMY EAT WORLD covering SHAI HULUD.
(STM)
(www.indecisionrecords.com)
LOST
PARADE
“Beautiful Addiction” CD
Hey I know - if we put a chick on our cover, it’ll make us seem
so sensitive. Then we can add flange guitar and wear cowboy hats! Wake
up dudes, you’re just washed up, too slow 90’s “alternative”
GOOGOO DOLLS sounding crap. (LD)
(www.lostparade.com)
MATES
OF STATE
“Two Of Us” DVD
These California cuties are unequivocally the most adorable, endearing
married couple in contemporary indie-pop and only further that image
on this outstanding compilation of live performances, videos and studio
time. Though some of the footage isn’t terrifically framed (this
is, after all, a fan-made documentary), that only adds to this disc’s
charm. And the rare time our transplanted Kansans utter the softest
of swear words, shucks if you don’t want to give ’em a hug.
So, if you’re only hearing about them now because they’re
opening for world-beaters JIMMY EAT WORLD and TAKING BACK SUNDAY, this
comprehensive piece will educate you fast. For the informed and uninitiated
alike, it’s a definite delight. (TS)
(Polyvinyl / www.polyvinylrecords.com)
MERIT
“When We Fight” CD
Female fronted radio rock. There’s no excuse for a band this bad.
Honestly. (MWB)
(www.auxrecords.com)
THE
MIRRORS
“A Green Dream” CD
First off, this isn’t the old Cleveland punk band from the ‘80s,
but rather a Texas garage band from a few years ago that featured current
GRIS-GRIS main man Greg Ashley. This CD is cool, (GRIS-GRIS are pretty
cool also), drawing heavily at times from the their lone star state
fore fathers like the 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS and DANIAL JOHNSTON, with
some hints of solo SYD BARRET or early GUIDED BY VOICES thrown into
the mix on a few cuts. Overall, this CD isn’t great but it comes
close a lot of the time. (JC)
(Birdman/ P.O. Box 50777/ L.A., CA 90050)
THE
MOANERS
“Dark Snack” CD
Sultry, yeah sultry is a good word for it. Two sultry southern ladies
that are like a more casual WHITE STRIPES filtered through the first
PJ HARVEY record. This CD has a good beat and a swagger, a feel of teetering
on the edge of going out of tuning and not being all together bothered
by it. I like this and get the impression that this is going to be one
of those that I will like a lot more in the weeks to come. (JC)
(Yeprock.com)
MOB
STEREO
“Too Young To Go Steady” CD
This has a real demo quality to it. It’s not bad--it just doesn’t
seem finished. Lo-fi and lo-volume indie rock that reminds me of early
‘90s bands like VELOCITY GIRL and TSUNAMI. It’s dreamy,
it’s gentle, but I can only give it a lukewarm recommendation.
(JC)
(dollarrecord.com)
MORE
TO PRIDE
“This Is Life” CD
There is a lot of great hardcore coming from the lower half of the Golden
State these days, so I was really interested in hearing MTP had to offer.
Well, what they have to offer is some of the sort of clenched fist hardcore
intensity that makes you grit your teeth, furrow your brow, and look
for a fight three seconds after pushing play. So often, the bands that
come from L.A. represent the shitty fame-and-fortune contingent of SoCal,
which is why some many hardcore kids down their look like extras from
90210 (or extras from 90210 dressing like AFI). But that isn’t
the L.A. that I know. I know the vatos and the river and the gridlock
and the grime and downtown and all those nasty, fucked up things that
are truly the flesh-and-bones of Los Angles and that is the Los Angeles
that MTP represent. Fuck the Los Angeles of all that fashioncore suburban
bullshit that is really just the modern day GoGos, this album is the
Los Angeles of Black Flag. Fans of CARRY ON, KILLING TIME, and INTERNAL
AFFAIRS will eat this shit up. (STM)
(www.rivalryrecords.com)
MOTORMARK
“Chrome Tape” CD
I’m not advocating drug use here, but this great album would sound
even better after a pill or a line. This is Scotland’s answer
to ERASE ERATA - a catchy frenetic post-punk duo. It’s all about
frantic robotic & seizure inducing. Put on your new wave outfit
and groove to this! It’s slick as shit. (LD)
(www.naildistribution.com)
NEVER
ENOUGH
“Dead Set On Destruction” CD
These rights here dig in the crates to a time when punk and hardcore
weren’t such separate beasts and one could love MDC as much as
they loved YOT. With energy and anger in spades and a slew of thought-provoking
though instigative lyrics, this is a band that you may love or hate,
but will most likely not be indifferent to. (STM)
(www.organizedcrimerecords.com)
THE
NEW YORK REL-X
“No Way Out” 7”
Sweet-ass looking vinyl on this release, you should pick one up and
see. Cool all girl (as far as I can tell) melodic street punk. The A
side is off of their upcoming record and the flip is a VIOLATORS cover
and is exclusive to this release, both are solid. (JC)
(tkorecords.com)
NIFTERS
“Allein” CD Single
2 tracks only from this Swedish band that used to be much more straight
forward agro punk. Now they are a lot more polished and alternative
sounding. Compare to recent A.F.I. with raspier vocals and more of a
Nu Metal approach. (JC)
(nifters.com)
OVER
IT
“Silverstrand” CD
Third full length from this OC quartet. They've done lots of Warped
tours, and this record suffers accordingly. Immaculately played modern
pop/punk/rock, without much of a spark of inspiration whatsoever. I
can see them making the crossover to radio and MTV though. Accomplished
and insipid. (RK)
(Lobster Records/www.lobsterrecords.com)
OVERISE
“A Long Story” EP
Self-released CD that is CD-Enhanced to have a video? Wow. These guys
spare no cost to get their “music” out to the masses. Too
bad it sounds like every other boy-band pop-punk act out there today,
with a huge nod to the likes of STARTLING LINE and NEW FOUND GLORY.
Ugh… (MWB)
(www.overise.com)
PEACOCKS
“It’s Time For” CD
I have to admit I’m a sucker for the stand up base. It’s
just so much more interesting, and even sounds better than your standard
Yamaha or whatever. This band manages to wield their powers for good
old time punk rock. Very infectious, and ready for lots of kids to just
eat it up. I’m a fan. (LD)
(www.asianmanrecords.com)
PENSIVE
“Something About the Stars” EP
The winner of the most emo title of the month goes to PENSIVE, for their
uber-gay title “Something About the Stars”! Seriously though,
this is a solid release. Faster than most of the sissy crap with some
good hooks thrown in. Along the lines of AUTOPILOT OFF. It sounds and
looks good too, considering this one appears to be self-released. (MWB)
(www.pensive.net)
A
PERFECT MURDER
“Rehearsal” CD
With everyone trying to combine hardcore and metal these days and coming
up with a mess of phony shit, this is what the world needs. An amazing
HATEBREED/COLD AS LIFE/HOODS type of tough guy hardcore band that can
bust out actually metal songs, in this case a SLAYER cover, a METALLICA
medley, and a little SABBATH for good measure. Man, this shit is great.
Look into this band or look like a jackass when everyone else has their
T-shirt and you don’t. (STM)
(www.cyclop-online.com)
UTAH
PHILLIPS
“Starlight On The Rails” 4 x CD box set
I guess AGAINST Me! are ok. DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL aren't. But if you
want the real deal with folk music, acoustic music, hell, even punk,
you have to go to the source. UTAH PHILLIPS is one of those springs
from which life trundles on eternal. Celebrating his 70th birthday this
year, this is more than a fitting tribute. Korean war vet, hobo, itinerant
worker, Wobbly, pacifist, anarchist, and troubadour bar none. In the
tradition of WOODY GUTHRIE, PHIL OCHS and PETE SEEGER, UTAH has been
telling it like it is for, well, quite a while now. Over these 45 discs,
spanning 30 years of studio, live and unreleased recordings, are 61
songs - each introduced by the man himself. Spinning history, wisdom,
politics and oral education. A real treasure. Do yourself a favor, and
start saving to invest in this now. (RK)
(AK Press/Daemon Records/www.akpress.org)
THE
PHOENIX RISING
“Lullaby” CD
What starts off sounding like a COHEED AND CAMBRIA cover band actually
turns out to be decent CD. I was scared at first by the high pitched,
almost girl-esque, vocals. But they pulled their shit together, and
the songs got more interesting as the CD progressed. My advice for this
band is less C&C, more of their own rock songs, because they’re
fucking good. Definitely worth checking out if you’re into COHEED
AND CAMBRIA, though. (MWB)
(www.actionheights.com)
PINK
SPIDERS
self-titled LP
Now don’t take this the wrong way, but I found this to be a perfect
blend of The BRIEFS and RICK SPRINGFIELD. What we are talking about
here is some bold new power pop that is fresh and fun. Check them out.
(JC)
(pinkspiders.com)
PISTOL
GRIP
“Tear It All Down” CD
Put this record on & you’ll feel like you’ve finally
woken up from a sweat-stained nightmare. PG bring no frills punk rock
that you won’t be able to stop playing. Awesome! (LD)
(www.byorecords.com)
THE
PLOT TO BLOW UP THE EIFFEL TOWER
“Love in the Fascist Brothel” CD
This band comes at you like a tornado from the get go. They are a swirling
mass of psychotic post-punk with the tempo jacked way up. Think ARAB
ON RADAR, if you haven’t already heard ‘em. Very short songs
with an enormous amount of distortion. This album is a treat, and they
destroy live too. (LD)
(www.revelationrecords.com)
THE
PRESS
“Noxious Saucy Beast” CD
Well this was hopeless by the middle of the first song. True the music
is pretty creative, but as soon as the vocals kick in, it’s all
over. His voice & lyrics just inspire complete annoyance. Post-punk
orchestrations with WEIRD AL singing. (LD)
(www.goodnightrecords.com)
RIGHTEOUS
JAMS
“Rage of Discipline” CD
This CD ruled the first time it came out, last summer, on Broken Sound
Records. So now Broken Sound Records is in cahoots with Kung Fu Records,
and it’s re-released with pretty much the same packaging, with
just a little different coloring, but thankfully the music didn’t
change – it’s still straight-forward old-school hardcore
at it’s best. RIGHTEOUS JAMS might be putting Boston Straight
Edge back on the map. Not to mention that RIGHTEOUS JAMS might just
be the fucking raddest band name ever. What a great fucking band!! (MWB)
(www.brokensounds.com/www.kungfurecords.com)
RUM
RUNNER
“Association” CD
This new one is really going to win fans of the rough & tumble SHANE
MCGOWAN type of punk rock fan. It’s that mixture of beer-swilling
anthems and rockabilly beats that’s pretty much a sure bet with
a certain crowd. There’s even a POGUES cover - “Streams
of Whisky.” Totally rocks. (LD)
(www.longshotmusic.com)
SABERTOOTH
ZOMBIE/JUMPSREET
“Headsplitterz” CD
Most new bands suck these days not because they are new and wet behind
the ears (which is actual endearing), but because bands are all bullshit
these days and just do generic versions of whatever generic bullshit
is jumping off at that specific moment. SABERTOOTH ZOMBIE is the antithesis
of this without being so desperately unique that they alienate the listener
and produce music that is either boring or difficult to give a shit
about. These kids deliver everything that is great about being young
(anger, energy, naivety, and innocence) while also showcasing a wide
variety of influences and an appreciation for the craft of hardcore
(it ain’t easy to deliver something exciting in a genre that,
bless it’s heart, is almost based on a very simple formula). What
I am saying is that SZ is one of those rare bands that can seem totally
refreshing and yet wonderfully familiar. Oh fuck this, just get into
them and thank me later. For shit’s sake, that Cody dude yells
out, “So kick rocks, dummy” as a mosh call out. You can’t
beat that with a stick! As for the JUMPSTREET tracks, again you get
some exciting, youthful hardcore. While it is not as invigorating as
the SZ songs, it is still a great batch of songs by a promising young
hardcore band. These kids represent everything that is great about being
young, dumb, and hardcore as shit. Classic hardcore jams kicked out
by a band still too young to be jaded and shitty. People, just get this
fucking thing and then, when these bands are huge, you can sell it on
EBAY for a gazillion bucks. (STM)
(www.blacksummer.com/stz)
SALEM
LIGHTS
“Secret Cistern” CD
Another local band continues to make good. This Oakland five-piece are
playing their hearts and loving every minute. It’s tough being
an underground band here - everything’s so expensive & the
fans are fickle. It’s just good to see that bands like this are
still fighting. (LD)
(www.dollarrecord.com)
SELF
AGAINST CITY
“Take It How You Want It” EP
I honestly can’t tell the difference between this band and THE
ACADEMY IS… They both play power-pop with a style that is quite
similar. So if you were digging the new THE ACADEMY IS CD, then you’d
probably be into this. (MWB)
(www.rushmorerecords.com)
SHAMELADY
“The Winter Days Were Nights” CD
Well, the title for this CD is horrible. The Winter Days Were Nights?
What the fuck does that mean? But hey, whatever…the music itself
is pretty damn good. DILLINGER-esque metal with equally brutal vocals.
Not quite as technical as DILLINGER, but who is? Not to mention these
dudes are a trio. If you can create this kind of sonic insanity with
only three dudes, you’re doing alright. (MWB)
(www.rottenrecords.com)
SIBRIAN
“Face the Change” CD
I have to say that I feel pretty wishy-washy about this record. Although
it’s not on a major, I feel like the band desperately wants to
be. They’ve got that middle of the road safe rock sound that’s
really popular with young kids right now. I don’t know, it’s
not really working for me. (LD)
(www.sibrianmusic.com)
SINAI
BEACH
“Immersed” CD
It’s hard at times, it’s melodic at times, it has vague
lyrics that are stained with the ink of a melodramatic thesaurus. It’s
a good record if you are a fan of HATEBREED, MARTYR AD, et al, but it
isn’t breaking any new ground. “Brutal” doesn’t
make you stand out from the herd these days, and while SB does a great
job of bringing the “brutal”, this album doesn’t do
much to separate them from the masses. (STM)
(www.victoryrecords.com)
SINGLE
FRAME
“Boy/End/Basement” CD
Second full length of weird, ambient lo-fi musings. Reminds me a lot
of LUNGFISH. Fans of NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL will also slaver over this.
Personally, it left me cold. But then again, I'm a sucker for harmony
and melody, not arty weird stuff. (RK)
(Volcom Entertainment/www.volcoment.com)
SINGLE
FRAME
“Boy/ End/ Basement” CD
Well, you know Vice Magazine? This must be a favorite around the office
there, because the sound of this band matches disturbing off-ness of
said magazine. They play a combo of tweaked-out lo-fi and maxed out
electronics. Not a record for Sunday morning, but if you are feeling
saucy, this might be the one for you. (LD)
(www.volcoment.com)
SLEDGEHAMMER
“Your Arsonist” CD
Dwid returns with Euros for a record that “Humanity Is The Devil”
would have eaten up as a light afternoon snack. It isn’t that
it’s bad, it just isn’t great. It sounds like a HATEBREED
cover band covering a CROMAGS cover band. It’s enjoyable but feels
a little phoned in. And AMERICAN NIGHTMARE already used “Your
Arsonist”, playing off of “Your Arsenal”, but that’s
neither here nor there. (STM)
(www.martyrrecords.com)
SMALLTOWN
“The Music” CD
I dunno. This trio might be Swedish. But I could be wrong. They certainly
sound remarkably like THE STRIKE - spiky pop punk, with that jangly
mod feel to the guitars. I bet they love the JAM. Good stuff. (RK)
(Deranged Records/www.derangedrecords.com)
SMOKE
OR FIRE
“Above The City” CD
Debut full length from these Boston transplants. Immersed in the southeast,
they've distilled the driving rhythms, melody and grit of AVAIL and
HOT WATER MUSIC, and mixed it up with the exuberance and effervescence
of AGAINST Me!. Yup, they're that good. The new hope for the current
backpack generation. And not a beard in sight! (RK)
(Fat Wreck Chords/www.fatwreck.com)
SNOW
MACHINE
self-titled CD
Solo debut from half of NINETEEN FORTY FIVE. well, sort of. The voice,
and silvery songs of KATHARINE McELROY. What you do get is 9 songs of
melancholy pop, shimmery vocals, tinkling keyboards. Think the PIXIES
unplugged, or SUGAR gone semi-acoustic. Plus heaps of reflective BEATLES.
A smashing effort. (RK)
(Daemon Records/www.daemonrecords.com)
SNUFF
“Six Of One, Half A Dozen Of The Other” 2 x CD
A fitting tribute to, and documentary of the band, that along with LEATHERFACE,
reinvented punk/hardcore in the late 80s - and have been doing it to
the kids ever since. Mixing MINOR THREAT with Motown, DAG NASTY with
the SPECIALS, and MOTORHEAD with the BUSINESS, you can't really get
better than this. One of the few bands never to have done a bad record.
Disc one is a great hits (and bleedin’ great it is too); Disc
two is a B-sides, rarities (ie. lots of their legendary covers) and
unreleased disc. It's all wonderful. If you already know SNUFF, you
know I'm not exaggerating. If you don't, dive in, and find out the truth...(RK)
(Fat Wreck Chords/www.fatwreck.com)
SNUFF
“Six of One, Half A Dozen of the Other” CD
HOLY SHIT!! A double disc set of SNUFF, covering 1986 all the way up
to 2002? FUCK YES!! The first disc brings you SNUFF’s greatest
hits, while the second disc gets all the singles, b-sides, rare tracks,
and ever some unreleased jams into your hands. I’m sure there
are plenty of kids out there saying ‘Who the fuck is SNUFF?’
Don’t waste your time waiting for an answer – just get off
your ass and buy a SNUFF CD! This one might not be a bad place to start,
either. This band helped return punk to the UK back in the 80s, and
deserves to be mentioned among the greats of punk rock history. (MWB)
(www.fatwreck.com)
STATIC
AGE
“Neon Lights Electric Lives” CD
A quirky mix of atmospheric music a hard bass line and melodies this
release from THE STATIC AGE is very intriguing. If you are looking for
a new sound and want to try some new music, I would recommend this cd.
You will either love it or hate it, I personally thought it was a great
release, and come on they are from VERMONT how can you not like them!?
(MR)
(Tarantulas Records/www.tarantulasrecords.com)
STRAITJACKET/
SHOCK NAGASAKI
split 7”
Pretty swell street punk split. SHOCK NAGASAKI have a huge sounding
track that sounds like it was released in the UK during the heady late
punk rock ‘70s boom times. STRAITJACKET are a band that I have
heard nothing but good tracks from and this stands well with all that
I have heard. You might be hearing the next big street punk band here.
(JC)
(tkorecords.com)
STRYCHNINE
“Born in a Bar” CD
STRYCHNINE’S particular brand of poison goes down easy, unless
of course
you’re part of the Bush administration. This band doesn’t
pull their punches. It’s all out punk rock & after nearly
ten years, they’re shaped like a poison dart. Get your ass kicked
here. (LD)
(www.tkorecords.com)
THE
SUICIDE FILE
“Some Mistakes You Never Stop Paying For” CD
I’ll say it right now and I’ll fight anyone who dares disagree:
SUICIDE FILE was one of the greatest bands to be unleashed upon the
world in the past ten years, and sadly, it seems that the world wasn’t
ready. While those enlightened few in the know gave this band it’s
due props, the vast majority of new schoolers overlooked this amazing
unit in favor of shitty generic hardcore bands that do nothing but give
sub par renditions of bands that were sub par in their own time. SUICIDE
FILE was one of those rare beasts that was as loyal to the tenets and
traditions of hardcore as they were daring and refreshing. They were
original, but not in the sense of post-ironic time change metalcore,
in the sense of being genuinely honest to what they played and what
they said, and, somehow, actually made that sincerity unbearable apparent
without writing it across their foreheads. The lyricism is riveting,
both in it’s form and in it’s view, and the delivery is
crushingly pure. The music is as raw and raging as it is original and
creative. Yes, I am rambling. Why? Because I can’t even think
about this band without getting all worked up. Seriously, I’m
typing this and I getting all fidgety in my seat (and I’m not
even listening to the cd right now, just thinking about it.) Look, let
me just break it down to this: SUICIDE FILE was an amazing band that
delivered the goods. That’s what they did, motherfucker, plain
and simple, they delivered the goods. They did it better that 99% of
the bands to ever deem themselves “hardcore” and if you
don’t buy this album, well, then the terrorists really have won.
It’s a shame you are gone, FILE. These kids could use you. (STM)
(www.indecisionrecords.com)
SUMMER
AT SHATTER CREEK
“All the Answers” CD
It took me a few songs to figure out why I liked this album so much.
And then it hit me; they remind me so much of early RED HOUSE PAINTERS.
But, don’t worry - there’s still a lot of originality in
this LA “band”. Really this is another band name that covers
up the fact that this is a solo project (like IRON & WINE). If you
absolutely can’t get enough of that lo-fi folky sound (like me),
you’ll love this. It’s like discovering a perfect 45 of
NICK DRAKE in your family’s attic. (LD)
(www.badmanrecordingco.com)
TIN
HORNS
“Champions of Victory” CD
Formed from the dust of the band THE TIDE comes this new pop record.
Experienced players doing a mixture of KARATE styled instrumentation
with a more modern rock vocal that sometimes sounds like BECK when he
goes into falsetto. The album is as all over the place as its members,
but still pretty good. (LD)
(Formula For Repetition/ PO Box 6302/ Minneapolis, MN 55403)
THE
TRACK RECORD
self-titled EP
So this is a new band on Drive-Th…I mean, Rushmore Records. It’s
got the sound that makes the girls go crazy, swaying in the front row,
asking for autographs. Oh yes, they’ll be big. In the same grouping
as other pop acts like JENOAH or HELLOGOODBYE. Uber-sweet bubblegum
pop. (MWB)
(www.rushmorerecords.com)
THE
TRACK RECORD
self-titled CDEP
Now that Maryland pop-punk newbies have found the right label, maybe
someone ought to tell them they don’t have to go on sounding like
this. Though the sample’s only five songs, nothing here distinguishes
them much from anything associated with a Drive-Thru imprint in the
last five years. Harmonies abound and feelings fly, right in line with
the formula that makes a good STARTING LINE b-side. Fortunately, no
screaming’s forced into these admittedly exuberant pop-punk numbers,
but just because they’re excited doesn’t mean you will be.
(TS)
(Rushmore / www.rushmorerecords.com)
TURNOFFS
“Shut Down” CD
I was on a role - one good CD after another - until I popped this piece
of crap into my Discman. The songs are boring, basic chord structures
& the lyrics are just lazy. These guys should stick to rocking out
in their basement or at least come up with some more interesting material.
(LD)
(www.geociities.com/turnoffs77)
UNDERTOW
“Everything” CD
UNDERTOW is one of those bands whose name you’ve seen a million
times, but maybe you never really knew enough about them the plunk down
the money for a seven inch. Well, such is the case with many great hardcore
bands, but fortunately for the world, the scene loves discographies
and this one is the latest to come along and hopefully turn some of
you green people onto a great band. UNDERTOW, a couple of fresh faced
young un’s from Seattle when everyone in Seattle were dressing
like some dude named Kurt, played straight forward straight edge hardcore
and sincerely delivered anthems that any respecting hardcore kid can
stand behind. Think of TRIAL with a little UNBROKEN, but a Niked foot
planted deep in the roots of ‘87 youth crew. It’s good stuff
and the booklet is golden. While we hardcore kids love our snapshots,
this collection of flicks really captures that glorious innocence and
exuberance of youth. You can tell by the pictures that these kids were
having a great time and, if you’re old like me, you’ll look
at them and think, “We’re we ever really that young?”
(STM)
(www.indecisionrecords.com)
THE
UNSEEN
“State of Discontent” CD
Fist off, being from Boston, and being raised on the Boston punk scene
of the 90’s, I’m far too biased to write this review. Having
said that, this is a great fucking CD. But I’m not just saying
that – this is a truly remarkable CD, and proves that after all
these years, THE UNSEEN have stepped up the tempo and decided to really
fucking kick ass. I’ve never been a huge fan of their early stuff,
but they’ve continued to get better and better with every release,
and this one is finally a true classic. Angry, fast, and political,
they’re playing punk for the right reasons, something that is
far too uncommon these days. THE UNSEEN might be one of the best street
punk bands out there today, and this latest release is definitely their
best work to date. (MWB)
(www.hell-cat.com)
VARIOUS
ARTISTS
“Locked And Loaded 2” CD
A multi-label sampler that not only brings you some of the best in modern
day hardcore, but because it is not restrained by a single roster, you
enjoy more than one form of hardcore. You gets the tough guy thugcore
of HOODS, SLUMLORDS, and MADBALL. You get the fast, pissed, and youthful
jams of LIGHTS OUT, DESPERATE MEASURES, THINK I CARE. You get bands
that veer from the straightforward without losing their core... uhh...
core like WITH OR WITHOUT YOU and BLUE MONDAY. Top this up with some
formidable up-and-comers like COLD WORLD and you’ve got a pretty
amazing fucking hardcore compilation. (STM)
(www.perfectvictim.com)
VARIOUS
ARTISTS
"Brewed In Sweden" CD
The third showcase of Swedish streetpunk presents 23 bands offering
their best Oi!, punk and tough guy stuff, Swedish style - which actually
sounds remarkably like what you'd expect from folks that love COCKSPARRER
and RANCID. If you do too, you might want to check this out. (RK)
(Kjell Hell Records/www.kjellhell.se)
THE
WARRIORS
“War Is Hell” CD
This isn’t a review. I already reviewed their CD when it came
out. I just wanted to remind everyone that THE WARRIORS are the shit.
(STM)
(www.thewarriorz.net? I think? Myspace it, bitch!)
WHEN
TIGERS FIGHT
self-titled CD
Whoa, what the fuck is this! I have never heard of this band and assume
it was going to be some shitty college punk (I don’t know why,
shut the fuck up), but I couldn’t have been more wrong. This thing
is killer! There’s a fucking big fat punch in the face of classic
‘80 L.E.S. NYHC, but booted feet planted firmly on the blood-soaked
Cuckoos Nest dance floor of late ‘70s BLACK FLAG and CIRCLE JERKS.
And yet, they still manage to sound new and fresh. I hope these dudes
aren’t edge, because this is the fucking soundtrack to a teenage
drunken brawl. Seriously, this is awesome. Cross JUDGE with THE BRONX
and then make BLOOD FOR BLOOD cover it and you’ve got this. Chalk
up WHEN TIGERS FIGHT as this month’s amazing discovery. Oh and
fuck you dudes for getting me all excited and then giving me only 5
songs on this CD. Send me a T-shirt (I wear a medium or a small, depending
on your stock). (STM)
(www.indecisionrecords.com)
WILLOWZ
“Are Coming” CD
The WILLOWZ are vintage well beyond their years. Comparisons to REDD
KROSS, DESTROY ALL MONSTERS and the WHITE STRIPES among others could
easily be made. Also, judging from the (teen) age of this band, it gives
me hope for the future. Good to see the kidz not accepting the bullshitelectronica/
moneygrubbinghiphop/ mallpunksham/ americanidolpablum that permeates
youth culture of today and digging deeper to the good stuff. Hail, hail
rock and roll. (JC)
(www.sympathyrecords.com)
WITH
HONOR/ THE DISTANCE
spilt CD
Connecticut, be proud. Not since a certain amazing band released a seven
inch with a screaming monkey on the cover has the CT enjoyed as much
hardcore glory as it does right now. Two supreme yet unjaded bands bring
the thunder with this split release. Mosheriffic anthems of edge pride
and social rage that will whip any self-respecting hoodie-wearing, brass
knuckle-packing, fingerpointing, windmilling little core boy proud.
These two bands right here are amazing alone; together, they create
a hardcore record to be reckoned with. Dig it. (STM)
(www.crosscheckrecords.com)
WITH
OR WITHOUT YOU
“Six Reasons To Drop Out” CD
I already reviewed this a few moths ago, but that was because I was
so impressed by their live show, that I got their CD and reviewed it
without being told too. Now, it’s been sent to me for review,
and it’s so good, I will review it again. I love this band because
they are a blending of all forms of hardcore into a singular stripped
down sound. Whereas as most bands these days try to mix genres by doing
separate, different parts, WOWY is a band that simply plays hardcore
music but lets their myriad influences shine just beneath the surface.
What you get is a band that is completely enjoyable and invigorating
without being a chore to appreciate. Most kids my age grew up on punk
rock and hip-hop, then found hardcore, and started getting older and
appreciating straight up rock. Well, this band knows us well. Get into
this record, you will not be disappointed. (STM)
(www.martyrrecords.com)
ZZZ
“Sound Of ZZZ” CD
Sounds like a bunch of high ass motherfuckers, aggressively grooving
out on their keyboards and drums. They come across as kind of like SISTERS
OF MERCY with a sense of humor and a penchant for freaky old circus
music. (JC)
(Howler)
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