Music Reviews

Iggy Pop
Avenue B
Virgin
Attention longtime Iggy fans: This is not an “Iggy” album in the vein of his raging days with the Stooges. It is not some drugged, drunken horndog addition (ala his records with Bowie and beyond). It is more like the anti-Blah Blah Blah. On Blah Blah Blah, we were treated to “The World’s Forgotten Boy” made good. He was happy, wealthy and deeply in love and it came through the syrupy sweet crooning. Following that were several albums with the usual one or two worthy songs, plus a lot of dreck tossed in to pad things out. This is a break from all that he’s done before. Iggy is now over fifty, divorced and lonesome. His deadpan comes through in such a way as to suggest that he knows he is lonesome but is somehow unconcerned with it. The detachment is creepier then if he were to be more openly demonstrative. I was asked what I thought of this just a bit ago and I’ve got a one word answer: grim. I was then asked if the record is unlistenably grim or just Mister Pop’s grim perspective. My reply - it’s Iggy Pop’s grim perspective that makes this a very difficult record to listen to. It’s a downer all right, but it’s a sincere downer. His soul is “like an empty room” and you can imagine a ghoulish Edgar Allen Poe type holed up in some cave recording his thoughts off in the wilderness until things get pretty close to unbearable. Along comes the band at last for a pretty rocking cover of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates’ Shakin’ All Over, which Iggy sings like he wrote it. Then we’re forced to wallow some more, then a rocking Iggy original called Corruption kicks in and things seem to be back on course, as they would be if this were a “regular” Iggy album. If he’s a lonesome guy thinking of his last hours, then dammit, we’re gonna have to either join in the pity party or hit the stop button. Many people will choose the latter, understandably. I can’t even imagine how those unfamiliar with Iggy Pop would take this. A pleasant oddity on this is Espanol, which is sung entirely in Spanish. The band plays a leaner type of Chili Peppers riff and Iggy may just be able to have a good time again, or so we think. Then, along comes Motorcycle and we are informed that his romantic days are through. Now that he’s gotten this album out of his system, perhaps it’s not unrealistic to expect another album on the order of Lust For Life or New Values. Failing that, weren’t the Stooges supposed to be reuniting? After hearing this, it sounds like a very good idea. -Reverend Ed

The Stooges
Funhouse
Elektra
It took the Stooges’ first record to pound home the idea that I too could be in a band and make music and write songs. After hearing the two chord, ten word, Bo Diddly beats, who wouldn’t feel the same? Then, just as the entire world was ready to dismiss them as a bunch of midwestern, white-trash degenerates, they came up with this masterwork. It belongs on the list of greatest recordings of all time. It transcends mere rock n roll and belongs up there with anything Miles Davis or Wagner came up with. And it achieves this on a subconscious level. The songs come off effortlessly. From the muted, menacing first riffs of Down In The Street (I am certain I have read this before) to the relentless caterwauling of LA Blues, one is sucked in and puked right back out. Allegedly recorded completely live by Don “Louie Louie” Gallucci, the drums are violent, the guitars dirty yet completely distinct, the bass fairly singing with childish lines and an Iggy Pop we’d never heard before and will certainly never hear again. The vocals are at times so slurred that you can almost hear the drool hit the floor and at other times so shrill and disturbing you practically want to put the fucker down like a rabid dog. This album changed my entire life and it is absolutely no surprise that such greats as The Damned and Pistols cite this as being a major, if not thee major impetus for creating the first two English punk rock albums. Who can blame ‘em. Rock from the heartland. Nearly thirty years later, Funhouse will still scare the hell out of many people. -Reverend Ed

Omar Santana
Battle for the Planet of the Breaks
Moonshine
Omar Santana releases a mix of furious breaks and phat beats to get your head nodding and your ass shaking. This compilation features all new sounds from breakbeat artists old and new. Omar Santana has been a big name in the electronic scene for a while. His smooth mixing style has him touring clubs and parties all over the world. Planet of the Breaks definitely emphasizes his talent and mad skillz to rock the beats. The tracks featured on this disc contain some funky ass old skool beats and samples mixed with a new skool flava to give it a distorted tweaked out sound. Although the mix is flawless, the tracks are hardly diverse in sound. It is good to keep the party jumpin’, but it would probably drive you crazy if you were listening to it in your car for a long period of time. -e-love

Release
A Punk/Hardcore Music Documentary
Victory
This is not just a standard concert film. In fact, I don’t think any one of the bands play an entire song. The success of this film is how it captures the emotion of hardcore and makes you want to attend and be part of a show, not just watch this video. Moving past the actual live performance, Brant Sersen talks to the bands about the many reasons why they play hardcore and has them explain what the moment is all about. Also included is a great segment about a girl putting together a show (from booking the bands to hand cutting and copying flyers). I’ve tried to explain to more than a few people why a hardcore show is so much more than just watching a band play on stage, and this film explains it perfectly. Other topics covered include: the “selling out” controversy, straight-edge, and mosh pit violence just to name a few. The list of bands included is long and packed with greats: Bad Religion, Face to Face, Hatebreed, Yuppicide, Lifetime, Good Riddance, Deadguy, Less Than Jake, Earth Crisis, Ignite, MxPx, Agent Orange, Bloodlet, Bouncing Souls, and many, many more. Very inspiring. -Chris Sprouls

AFI
All Hallows EP
Nitro
As I start this review I feel obligated to warn you the reader that I strongly believe the darkside resides in the backbone of AFI frontman Davey Havok. AFI are back with another release All Hallow’s EP and although it’s only an EP it pack’s just as much punch as a full length! With the addition of Jade Puget (Redemption 87, R.I.P) on guitar and Mr. Havok’s intense lyrics and vocals, the band has been slowly evolving into an “eerie” East Bay hardcore act that no one comes close to touching. With three new track’s and one cover (the Misfits classic Halloween) I once again have found the fix that I so desperately needed. Not since the likes of the Damned, Misfits, Sam Hain or early Danzig have I felt so scared, trick or treat? -Robb Armstrong

Kane & Abel
Rise To Power
Elektra
Their record begins with an advisory which may someday be a mandatory warning, “Should listening to this CD turn you into some brand of psycho, perhaps you might consider seeking some form of professional help”. Kane and Abel tell it like it is. They’re mad, they’re dangerous, they rap reeeal fast sometimes and they have a lot to say. Sick grooves and bad ass jams. Two thumbs up. -Kenan

I Am The Freshmaka
Moonshine
Never hearing of the so called Freshmäka, I decided to give this CD a chance especially since it was on Moonshine. It turns out, The Freshmäka goes way back and has been doing this table turnin’ thing for quite some time. For those of you who don’t know, Samual Von Freshmäka was born in Germany and moved to Boston, Massachusetts at the ripe ol’ age of five. What you would never guess is that he got his first success by being DJ and mentor for the New Kids on the Block. He spent many an afternoon hanging out at local malls fighting through crowds of screaming teeny boppers. Oddly enough I must have seen this guy at work at least five times back then. I admit it. I was on of those screaming NKOTB fans. He split from the Kids and started doing his own thing. He did a track called “moi je t’aime Freshmäka” where he sampled Every Breath You Take from the Police. He did this 10 years before Puffy decided to do his version. There was a big ordeal, and his track never got distributed. The Freshmäka ended his long time career of samplin’ and table turnin’ and retired. A decade later the people at Pop Rox records found him because they wanted to use Hubba Bubba Beats as as title for a compilation CD. Low an behold, The Freshmäka had been climbing the corporate latter of Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum and he was the big wig Pop Rox had to go through to get permission to use the name. So thanks to Pop Rox and Moonshine here is the long awaited return of The Freshmäka. So check him out. The album is catchy. He has some beats and samples you don’t want to miss. Overall, his mixes are smooth and will keep you bouncing. The only thing I ask is that you chew a piece of Hubba Bubba while you listen. For The Freshmäka’s sake, it’s the least you can do. -Brandy

NIN
Yes / The Fragile / The Ladder / Broken
BMG
I’ve made this argument before, but here it goes again: Prog rock is back. Witness Math Rock. Witness the soundtrack to Buffalo 66 featuring Yes. Now witness the release of the new NIN double CD and a new Yes CD all in the same month. I used to be a big prog rock fan back in the day. Headphones, some good bud and Yes’ Fragile LP on vinyl. But alas, those days are gone for me. Vanished, with the discovery of punk rock and what I’d like to call honest, more soulful music. I did dust off my old Yes records after watching Buffalo 66, and it was fun to listen to them. They held up better than I thought they would. Except, of course for the lyrics. In the same way that the lyrics are the only thing that can make some Zeppelin songs a little cheesy now, songs about astral travels just don’t speak to me anymore. But, if they speak to you, then you’ll really like this new Yes CD which is a return to form and reunites original Yes men, Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Alan White. Thankfully absent is Trevor Rabin, the guy who, for better or worse, put these guys on the radio. Which brings me to NIN’s The Fragile, an album that more or less shares a title with a Yes album and lists Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd) in the production credits. Trent Reznor is hands down a musical genius and he knows how to use the recording studio as an instrument better than just about anybody working in pop music today. You will not hear a more well crafted and musically amazing record this year or even this decade. People just don’t make records like this anymore. But unfortunately, Reznor’s persona and lyrics demonstrate that pretension can come in two flavors; new age drippiness and goth-angst darkness. Both bore me which is why as amazing as both these bands are, I just won’t listen to either of these albums that much. There are lyrical moments on The Fragile that seem sincere and less immature, but they’re in the minority. Although, Reznor keeps getting better musically, lyrically he still hasn’t eclipsed Pretty Hate Machine. -JB

Tenpin
40 Hour Bus Ride
Rise
This 3 song 7” starts hard and stays solid throughout. This Portland, Oregon 4 piece reminds me of MxPx, with definite Dag Nasty, Descendents and Samiam influences. Produced and engineered by Bill Stevenson at The Blasting Room, this release is top notch. Crunchy, melodic guitars are backed by Jawbreaker-ish vocals. A strong indy release. Write to 2347 Oak Hill Road, Roseburg, Oregon 97470-Souvi

Dillinger Escape Plan
Calculating Infinity
Relapse
Dillinger Escape Plan have finally released their new full length and it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before. I really mean it. Technical guitar and drum work that is so precise I was stopping and listening to it twice. Never has there been guitar work so clean and perfect one second, and so blistering and overbearing the next. If this sound could be reproduced visually it would resemble a blur of numbers and formulas going through you and smashing against a wall. Screamed, tortured vocals add another layer to an already overloaded sonic experience. In it’s simplest form this is hardcore meets metal, but that is far too simple. Amazing. -Chris Sprouls

Offspring
Americana - The Movie
The only thing missing from this Offspring home video, is, well - The Offspring. Sure, they show some clips of Dexter Holland, circa 1983 playing in his garage, but besides that all you get is a few Offspring crowd shots of kids with really bad hairdos at some large European outdoor festival. Stuck in between this mess is a little bit of wake, snow, and surf footage. The Offspring providing the soundtrack of course. The Muska makes a brief appearance in the skate section, and Peter Line, Bjorn Leines, and Blaise Rosenthal show up in the snowboard section. The highlight of the video would have to be Mark Adkins & Co. of Guttermouth fame in the reoccurring beer run role. Also don’t miss the kid who likes to eat chewing tobacco. We all know what happens when you eat that shit, don’t we? Fans of The Offspring might find this a worthy watch, but watching this video produced more questions than answers about The Offspring. -Brad Oates

Donald Glaude
Off the Hook
Moonshine
Off the Hook is a worthy title for this disc because that is exactly what it is, off the fucking hook!! Glaude’s unique acid house/trance sound has got him spinning at clubs and parties all over. I’m not a huge house or trance fan, but this disc definitely kept my mind open to it. The tracks featured on this mix are diverse and unique in their own way, so it does not sound like the same beat being played over and over again. Some of the tracks featured on this disc contain samples that are easily recognizable from either old skool songs or other electronic music. Overall, this mix is pretty funky and entertaining. -e-love

Save Ferris
Modified
Epic
I have a special place for the first Save Ferris CD - my sock drawer. It’s not that I don’t love it, it’s just that I’m embarrassed to own it. I have to hide it from all the musical snobs who think that if you don’t get Portishead, you’re an idiot. Save Ferris’ second album, Modified, is indeed. The melodies are still infectious and Monique Powell’s vocals capture the band’s pinache. Trained in jazz and opera singing, Powell’s strength is rare. But, the band has broken out of their third-wave ska mold to become more guitar-driven. Turn It Up is evidence of this while Let Me In is a startling symphonic ballad. Modified relies less on the band’s brass section and shows more polish than their first album. It may be enough to get Save Ferris out from the sock drawer and me out of the closet. -Sung May Ling

Aphrodite
V2
Aphrodite’s tight beats and jump-up anthems have blown up clubs and dancefloors all over the world. Continuously mixed for you listening pleasure, this CD compiles some of Aphrodite’s best drum & bass works. This CD is also a perfect example of Aphrodite’s unique mixing skills and why he is one of the most in demand UK jungle DJ’s. Style From the Darkside, King of the Beats, and Woman that Rolls are a few tracks guaranteed to get your body rocking. If you appreciate good drum & bass music, then this CD is a must have for your collection. -e-love

Diseptikons
Solutions Supported By The Angry
Infamous
Here is a good, solid offering straight outta Sacramento that is hardcore as fuck, yet innovative and unmistakably original at the same time. Clocking in at just under one hour, the Diseptikons have managed to cram 23 songs (9 new songs, the entire Sick of Your Shit demo, and 7 bonus live tracks) onto a CD without coming off as repetitive or boring. Standout tracks include I’d Like to Propose a Toast, A Day In My Shoes, and the time-tested Punk of the Year. Guitarist Jesse never fails to amaze me with the crazy shit that he thinks up, and drummer J.D. is so fucking good that he almost makes me want to cry at times. Fans of hardcore will be pleasantly surprised by this album - there’s plenty of representin’ and h/c sing-a-long backup vocals yelled over the top of a blistering sonic assault to give you all the incentive you need to pick up any loose change you may have dropped. -Jackson Lynn

Ol’ Dirty Bastard
Nigga Please
Elektra
When I read about this album’s release, I pretty much dismissed it before it came out. The first Ol’ Dirty had a few songs with super good beats and the unique Dirt Dog lyric style, but it lacked the quality of the other Wu Tang solos that were being released at the time. And with the exception of a few minor contributions to the second Wu family album and singles by Busta Rhymes and Pras, the O.D.B. has been hiding out ever since. But now I have to take it all back. Give this album a few minutes, and you’re going to realize it’s a truly unique gift to hop-hop listeners everywhere. There are nearly as many producers working on this album as there are tracks, and the music reflects that diversity. The classic RZA sound sneaks its way in the mix, but not as prominently as his protegees True Master and Buddah Monk. I Can’t Wait features a catchy sample from the T.J. Hooker theme song, and has the dopest beat I’ve heard on a hip-hop album this year. The lyrics are dirtier and stinkier than ever. Osirus has a knack for bragging about things in his rhymes that most rappers would be afraid to admit. Whether he’s pissing on himself, trying to use a paper napkin for a condom, or just flaunting his fucked up teeth, you’re going to have no doubts he’s the dirtiest. Check these lyrics off the title track: “I’m immune to all viruses /I get the cocaine it cleans out my sinuses /I kill all my enemies at birth /so shut the fuck up, let me stick my hands up your skirt /I’m the one who burned your home /make a nigga fall like Rome.” If this shit makes sense to you, run out and buy this album. -Dave Margolis

Small Brown Bike
Own Own Wars
No Idea
I peeled the plastic wrap off this CD and stuck it in my car stereo. Before the first song finished I said, out loud, “This is great.” I remember that moment very vividly because I’m rarely impacted that fast by a band or album. I think these guys are good. Real good. I’ve read a few reviews blasting this band for sounding like every other emo band, but I beg to differ. If I had to compare them to existing bands, I’d have to say Boy Sets Fire meets Braid. Two vocalists trying to out scream each other on some tracks and complete harsh harmonies on others. I started reviewing music with the simple goal of sharing small, underground bands that deserve to be heard. Go, buy Small Brown Bike, and listen. -Chris Sprouls

No Use For A Name
More Betterness
Fat Wreck Chords
Most of the attention No Use For A Name has gotten lately centers around the fact that their guitarist, Chris Shiflett, left the band to join the Foo Fighters right after this album was finished. Don’t let that lead you to believe that the members of NUFAN are sinking their heads into the mud or contemplating drinking Kool-Aid laced with cyanide. Instead, they’ve enlisted the aid of Dave Nassie (Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves) to pick up the axe duties. What has ensued is their most melodic and harmonious album to date, More Betterness. Fans of their older stuff, like 1994’s La Leche Con Carne, may be a little disappointed by the path the band has taken. If you’re looking for more of a hardcore feel, this time around, you’re barking up the wrong tree. What you get instead is good, mellow pop/punk with plenty of singalongs. This is by far the band’s slickest production to date. Get this now. -Brad Oates

LTJ Bukem w/ MC Conrad
Progression Sessions Volume 4
Good Looking
If you like drum & bass, check out this wicked combo of MC Conrad and LTJ Bukem. I’ve been playing this disc for three days straight and I still can’t wait to get into my car and do it up again. LTJ Bukem’s style features some great keyboard layers, smooth drum tracks, and great, deep drum & bass tracks. MC Conrad juxtaposes the music w/ his erratic spurts of rhymes. LTJ has two of his own tracks in addition to Big Bud (!!) among the few. Good looking is a very small label w/ distribution by the fine folks at K7! Both will appear at the Coachella festival (over by the time you read this) in Indio w/ Roni Size, Raymond Roker, and many others. Get this release if you need an energy boost without having to take illegal drugs. This is caffeine for the soul. -Eddie Jorgensen

Huntingtons
Get Lost
Tooth & Nail
America’s favorite Ramones wannabes return with an album of all originals. Sure, if you’ve heard their previous releases you know they do the Ramones almost better than the Ramones, but would the formula work for delving into their own creative melting pot? Rest assured- this album doesn’t disappoint. The Huntingtons continue to reinvent the wheel of rock ‘n roll, keeping their music fresh and energetic in a world where the words rock ‘n roll don’t conjure up much excitement these days. Forget the jock-rock-rap-goth-core. I want my rock ‘n roll. -Brad Oates

David Bowie
Hours
Virgin
The first thing I notice about David Bowie is that to him everything is art. Or, I should say that to me he comes across that way. From the crazy 3D cover of his CD, to the very strange video for Thursday’s Child. At the very least, after one listen through his new CD I’m left with a strange curiousity to listen to it a second time, not even sure why. After a few listens, it grows on you more and more. Listening to Hours is a very emotional journey through moody soundscapes leaving a subtle aftertaste of older Bowie albums. His use of computer effects give it a similar feel to many of the electronic albums falling from the sky these days, but Bowie succeeds in using just enough effect to make his point without over doing it. Some of the songs have a very international feel because of the non-traditional eastern instruments being played. I guess a slight reference to Peter Gabriel would be impossible to ignore. All in all, another strong album for Bowie fans and non fans alike. -Brian Shevlin

The Wiseguys
The Antidote
Ideal
So I pop in The Wiseguys’ second CD The Antidote expecting a Big Beat extravaganza. The single Start the Commotion, with it’s thundering bouncy dance beats and oldies-style vocal harmonies, urged listeners in a brash voice to “Get up, get up, put your body in motion.” Then came Ooh La La, a Big Beat-ish, albeit downtempo, fun anthem whose use in a British Budweiser commercial launched it to #2 on the UK singles charts. But while the beats may be big, The Wiseguys’ sound is firmly rooted in hip-hop, with influences and styles from funk to soul to old school bounce. The Antidote demonstrates a new breed of hip-hop that incorporates beats and styles from electronic music to create a rich blend of genres. Nods to A Tribe Called Quest, sampled on We Be the Crew, and Depeche Mode, whose rhymes are borrowed and adapted by guest vocalist Shootyz Groove on Grabbing Hands, also add to the diversity of the album. After two appearances on the BBC’s Top of the Pops in the UK, spinning in the clubbing paradise of Ibiza, and turning heads last winter in Australia’s clubs, The Wiseguys are now poised to storm America with the entertaining and original album The Antidote. -6Q

The Friggs
Rock Candy
E-vil
I won’t hop on the bandwagon and call The Friggs a “garage band.” They aren’t a garage band in my mind. The production is too smooth, the songs are really tight, and the down home rock-n-roll is more bar/party music than anything else. With all the girl bands throughout the recent decades (Go-Gos, L7, The Donnas, etc.) it’s easy to pigeonhole all of them into the “Just Another Girl Band” category. I have little patience for cute girls who put out a CD under the pretense of being able to rock. I don’t embrace bands like The Donnas because I feel they lack originality. The Friggs at least come across with original songs, sound and styling. The surf-music type riffs, the edgy song titles (like I Cringe and I Thought You Said That You Were Gonna Kill Yourself), add humor as well to catch your attention. All of the girls are talented, hailing from back East and residing in NY, they have opened for such bands such as Southern Culture on the Skids and have played at the CMJ festival garnering many rave reviews. Yes, they are all attractive, (they are to The Donnas what Pam Anderson is to Marcia Brady), but their musical talent and knowledge of arrangement, showmanship, lets the CD speak for itself. -Melisa

Dieselboy
A Soldier’s Story
Moonshine
America’s most in demand jungle DJ explodes back on the scene again with his fourth major CD release. This continuously mixed CD definitely shows Dieselboy’s mad skillz and mixing ability. A Soldier’s Story is a little different from his other releases. Not better or worse It has a different drum & bass sound than his other mix CDs, and it definitely kicks ass. The mix starts off slow with a lengthy intro, but quickly shifts gears into a collage of fast metallic beats, crazy samples, and bad ass bass lines. Dieselboy compiled some of the illest tracks from some of the biggest names in drum & bass music today. Usual Suspects, Loxy, Peshay, and Decoder are just a few names whose tracks appear on this CD. Some drum & bass mixes (as well as other types of electronic music) can get monotonous and boring after a while. This CD is the complete opposite, offering nothing but the best drum & bass tracks and illest mixing in the scene today. In fact, I think the intro is the only busted track on the whole disc. To sum it up Dieselboy has definitely created another masterpiece in the world of drum & bass music. -e-love

Pinback
Ace Fu / Southern
Almost every issue, I stumble across a CD from an artist that I’ve never heard that just surprises the shit out of me with how good it is. This is definitely that CD. This reminds me of the Promise Ring crossed with Elliott Smith and there’s not a note out of place, nor a single song that’s not perfect. Beautiful. I think this was recorded mostly at a home studio, and it has that vibe, yet the recording is flawless as if a lot of money was thrown at in a bigger studio. I highly recommend this. -JB

Stavesacre
Speakeasy
Solidstate
This was one of those bands that I didn’t find out about until their second release, but I now consider one my favorites. They are also one of those groups who are instantly recognizable by their lead vocalist, Mark Salomon. He has one of those extremely effortless voices that only come around every once in a while. Smooth when the song needs it to be, and full throttle on others, it’s definitely a stand-out characteristic for this band. On their third release, Stavesacre continues to build those deep, dark brooding songs that many of their fans have become accustomed to. Lying somewhere between emo, punk, new wave, and straight ahead rock, their songs make you feel every ounce of what they have to say. Just as with Salomon’s side project Outer Circle, there are also elements of straight ahead punk that definitely add to the already diverse landscape of this band. As always, the lyrics are top notch. You can identify with and understand where each song is coming from. Yes, this is one of those ultra-serious bands, but don’t let that scare you. It’s their dedication and seriousness that makes this record so damn powerful. -Che Brooks

Skull Kontrol
Deviate Beyond All Means Of Capture
Touch and Go
This picks up pretty much where vocalist Chris Thomson and guitarist Andy Coronado’s former band the Monorchid left off. Think the Fall, mixed with circus music, and general weirdness filtered through Washington DC. There is a certain cynical genius in the lyrics that works perfectly with the music. The vocals are all snarls, ala Mark E. Smith, and are definitely better than most punk vocalists these days, which doesn’t say much. This isn’t really that different than the Monorchid, in fact, if you would have told me this was the third Monorchid LP, I wouldn’t have doubted you. Good stuff. -Scott Torguson

By A Thread
The Last Of The Daydreams
Revelation
Listening to this, you may think you have stumbled across a lost and missing Sunny Day Real Estate recording. But, don’t let that get in the way of you enjoying this CD. The songwriting and performance on this CD is sincere and energetic. This is as good an album as you are likely to hear this year with distorted guitars. Despite the obvious influences, you can’t help but like this record. A lot. These guys get it right and they do it with respect, which is more than I can say for most hard rock these days. -JB

Bombshell Rocks
Street Art Gallery
Epitaph / Burning Heart
I heard good things about these guys so I was eager to get this. After the first two songs I thought it was pretty good. This is the first release from these boys from Sweden and it keeps pace the whole album with an English sound with lots of sing along anthems. The songs have the same feel and tempos throughout the 13 songs and all are definitely worth checking out. -Young Mitch

Snapcase Vs. Boy Sets Fire
Split EP
Equal Vision
There is no question that Snapcase, along with Boy Sets Fire, are two of the most prominent hardcore bands of their generation - continuing to push and shove the boundaries of hardcore and music in directions never taken before. This split EP, featuring 2 songs by each artist, paints a wonderful picture of things to come. The first song, Energy Dome, is a new original from the Snapcase lads and it doesn’t disappoint. Snapcase’s songs are always rich with introspection and energy. Energy Dome, along with the cover of The Police’s, Truth Hits Everybody, are no exceptions. Their next album, Designs For Automotion, comes out January 25th on Victory Records. Get it, okay? The unreleased tracks Boy Sets Fire donates to this EP are amazing to say the least. These guys have really matured since their first release, The Day The Sun Went Out, and the two songs, Unspoken Request and Channel, seethe with a wonderful mixture of melody and hardcore. The perfect addition for fans of the hardcore movement. -Brad Oates

Divit
Low Speed Chase
Coldfront
Taking some radical lines in their own state-of-the-art-punk-rock-skate-park contest, Divit plays hard and fast. They’re not too popish, they’re honest, and they rock. Not too bad for what looks like four white bread dweebs. -Kenan

Cannibal Corpse
Bloodthirst
Metal Blade
Could my face be more ripped off? The answer is no. None more ripped off could my face be after listening to this death-rock delight. With songs like Raped by The Beast, Hacksaw Decapitation, and Blowtorch Slaughter, you pretty much know what you’re in for and they surely do deliver the bacon (or in this case the rotting remains of decaying, maggot-ridden, putrifying flesh). For total shredding, you can’t beat it. -Kenan

Dot Allison
Afterglow
Arista
You might recognize Allison’s voice from some of her previous endeavors with One Dove or her appearances with Death In Vegas, helmed by her good friend Richard Fearless, who returns some musical favors in kind on this CD. Both bands would be OK reference point as would the trip hop of say Portishead, but with less trippiness. Afterglow, is sparse and moody, but overall sticks to more traditional forms and melodies, which I think is a good thing. There’s also a bit of a jazzy, cocktail lounge feel to it as well. Definitely worth checking out. -JB

Coalesce
0:12 Revolution in Just Listening
Relapse
Damn. This is amazing. After a few albums, a couple EP’s, and many years of destroying everything and everyone in their path Coalesce have called it quits. But before calling it a day, they have left us with their best release to date. Although I really enjoyed their previous releases, at times the songs were too brutal and confusing. The tracks just started to melt together to create one wall of sound. With this one, Coalesce really separate the songs and make each one memorable. The sheer power in the vocals, and the grinding, off-center riffs make this one of the best metalcore releases this year. Rumor has it Coalesce are going to get together for a few farewell shows back east. I’m booking my plane ticket now. -Chris Sprouls

Rusty Nails
No Miracle in Ruins
Coolidge
Very rockin’j4 folk-punk-rock featuring some awesome bagpipe playing, great lyrics, and a very unique sound. Sometimes explosive, sometimes melancholy, these nails still work, but they are corroded by time, filled with sadness, regret, and even futility. All too many can perhaps relate, but many more should perhaps heed the warnings of sage “old” warriors who rock ‘till they drop. -Kenan

The The
Naked Self
Nothing
Matt Johnson is one of the best songwriters currently playing pop music. His songs are dark and searching without lapsing into pretentiousness. The arrangements and production are both contemporary, but lacking too much slickness that might date them. This album, his first real album since 1993’s excellent Dusk, picks up where Dusk left off and is solid step forward. On Trent Reznor’s Nothing Label, the packaging is a cut above the average CD these days, as is the new NIN CD. Props to a major label for taking this kind of extra step. -JB

Cradle of Filth
PandaemonAeon Video
Metal Blade
Most people either love Cradle of Filth, hate them with a passion, or are too scared to listen. This video only throws fuel on their controversial fire. The featured music video features a new song, Cradle to Enslave. The video itself, directed by British horror director Alex Chandon, features murder, screaming, torture, and freakish midgets... and that’s in the first two minutes. The censored version is shown first, and you might as well fast forward that. As always, the music is brilliant. COF are a kind of a macabre orchestra with amazing guitar work and vocals ranging from blood chilling screams to woman’s whispers. The rest of the tape is filled with a amazing live performance at London’s Astoria.Most of the songs featured are from their latest release, Cruelty and the Beast, and their musical skill live is amazing. This video is essential anyone into COF, or anyone who wants to be introduced to the best in extreme metal. -Chris Sprouls

Spaceboy
Getting Warm On The Trail Of Heat
Frenetic
Ever wonder what that crazy singer from B’last was up to? Judging from this album, he’s been smoking out and playing Dungeons & Dragons. I’m not kidding. Check some of the song titles from this album: Planet of Pot, Cannabis Island, Stoner Fort. This is some straight up stoner metal. B’last was always accused of being a Black Flag clone, and there is some Black Flag influence here, but a Black Sabbath influence is prevalent as well. Mix all this with some death metal, and you have Spaceboy. Honestly, I have trouble reading the lyrics without laughing, but this rages. If you ever liked B’last I would check this out. And this recommendation comes from someone with a straightedge tattoo. -Scott Torguson

Ash
Nu-Clear Sound
Dreamworks
I loved 1977. Nu-Clear Sound had a lot to live up to, but the continued association with producer Owen Morris continues to pay off and Butch Vig stepped in to mix the first 3 tracks, each of which has “Pop Hit” written all over it. If you liked any of Ash’s earlier stuff you should be pleased with this. Ash have always had two kinds of songs - the dance until dawn, make you wish summer would never end songs and the ones that fill you with the same kind of melancholy that you feel each fall, and at the start and end of every relationship. Not many bands can balance both extremes as well as Ash continues to do. -Cyanica

Afro-Mystik
Future Tropic
Om
This collective of bay area musicians called Afro-Mystik has designed one of the year’s best afro-cuban, drum ‘n’ bass, electro-house records around. Afro-Mystik features such notable talent as Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle), Simone White (Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy), and the vocal stylings of Liana Young and Ismail Azeem. This is afro-cuban music with live instrumentation. There’s even upright bass! This six-piece ensemble will tour next year and I can’t wait. Standout tracks include Ritual de Rua and Fluctuations. Om records have put out the fabulous Mushroom Jazz recordings and this is by no means a stinker. Itchy for a little samba in your electronica? Get this and satisfy your culturally deprived palate. -Eddie Jorgensen

Incubus
Make Yourself
Epic
If you were lucky enough to hear Incubus’s 1997 debut, S.C.I.E.N.C.E., then you’re no stranger to the bounty of rock goodness that Incubus can spread forth. Their sophomore effort, Make Yourself, is the most promising rock album of 1999. Seething with the kind of raw emotion and energy that seems to be missing so much from the rock fold of today, Incubus recalls a time when bands like Faith No More and The Red Hot Chili Peppers left jaws dropping across the globe with their ferocious skills. Incubus continues to mature as a band, the 13 tracks on this album are a testament to that. Whereas on their debut they mainly pushed the boundaries of thrash-rock, on Make Yourself Incubus slow things down a bit, letting the songwriting stick out a little more and the grooves melt into your cranium. This is the shape of rock to come. -Brad Oates

Bigfoot
Dark Old Days
Derailleur
As with their 1996 debut Sleepwalk, or their sophomore effort Dark Old Days, Bigfoot’s music is steeped in an overall mood of Appalachian melancholia - the kind that makes you sit around on the back porch after sundown with an acoustic guitar and try to flush out of your system, or maybe just try to drink away (however, the former translates to tape much better than the latter). In a recent review I wrote for these very pages, I compared a band’s sound to that of Bigfoot. I used words like “homely” to describe Bigfoot and I stand by that. Singing or warbling in a sometimes Bob Dylan-esque voice, songs about empty rooms (Dennison Avenue) and wondering, “Will we still be the same?/Or will it just appear that way?”,(Marrying Day), frontman/guitarist/songwriter David, and his wife/bassist Melanie Bleveans-Holm take stories of ordinary sense and sadness and make them extraordinarily beautiful. The passion and honesty with which they tell their stories reminds me of nothing quite as much as it does some sort of backwoods evangelists preaching their own private gospel. Drummer/songwriter Brad Swiniarski provides a change of pace when he brings his gruff, blues worn vocals to the mic on tracks like None Too Bright, and the title track Dark Old Days. While the band seems to revel in strummed acoustic misery lacedwith Bill Clark’s pedal steel, they prove they can rock out with the best of them, in a foot-tappin’, honky tonkin’, rockin’ jazzy blues kind of way on the tracks Hey Nadine, Total Au-Go-Go, and #@*!ed in the Head (no, really that’s the way it’s written on the CD). As with all truly great bands, Bigfoot are better live, but the CD is still well worth adding to your collection. -Karen Graves

The Baroness
Electric Manor II
Sunburn
Charlotte the Baroness is a girl that knows how to bring a house to its knees, as witnessed at her latest show in Sacramento. Charlotte mixes a beautiful blend of well-chosen music. Music by the Freeloaders, Sky Spooner, and Hawke are featured (to name a few). Sunburn is an S.F. based label that specializes in house, electro, and (dare I say) funk. The Electric Manor tour features the above mentioned artists in different locales. Baroness displays even greater depth by choosing music from all over the globe (San Francisco to the Netherlands, Manchester to North Carolina). A very nice record. -Eddie Jorgensen

Grade
Under the Radar
Victory
Let me precede this review by explaining that this record will go down as one of my favorite albums of the year! I had heard the buzz, and after a little sampling from their EP Triumphs & Tragedies I was leaning towards the light. But Under The Radar blows away all expectations and solidifies this band as the next big band in the emo/punk underworld. In fact, labeling it as emo or punk wouldn’t really even be fair. Sure, it has those elements, but this is one eclectic piece of work. Let’s start with lyrics to this amazing record. Lines like “I’m one fourth of what I used to be and half of what I need,” are part of the twisted ironies that play out in many of these songs. The poetry of these words could stand alone in a book of prose. But fortunately for us all, the music doesn’t let you down. Superbly timed rhythm structures with starts and stops that will keep your head spinnin. Grade has the ability to string your emotions along, only to trounce on them with those sharp hardcore chops, and then turn back around on a journey through the indie rock valley. This is the best hardcore record I’ve heard since last year’s Refused CD. And with those guys in retirement, I vote for Grade as the next leader of the new school of hardcore! -Che Brooks

Kittie
Ng
Let me just warn you, this is not what you think. Comprised of four Canadian girls between the ages of 15 & 17, you’d expect a band with a name like Kittie to sing songs about how they love Pokemon and ice cream. Well I’ve got news for you - these ladies tear it up! I haven’t heard any females rock like this since the Doughnuts. Ultra aggressive, tuned-down guitars, and a knack for changing lead vocals more in one song than most bands do in an entire record - this is Kittie. These four teenagers might seem like a gimmick to some, but let me assure you that after years of playing in a band together, this was a natural progression. Sometimes toying with melodic vocals over the thickest of riffs, only to change to a death metal scowl, and into a time change that will leave you breathless. The production is tight and gives these girls a chance to show what they can do. Combine Fear Factory with the visuals of the Donnas, and you’re there. An added bonus, watch out for their live show. Full of blow up dolls and 10” raver boots, these ladies are ready to kick a hole in the music world. This is the female metal band that will finally get all those heshers excited. -Che Brooks

Neckbones
The Lights Are Getting Dim
Fat Possum
Perhaps the most striking thing about the new Neckbones record, The Lights Are Getting Dim, is how much it drips with Oblivians and New Bomb Turks influence (especially the Turks circa At Ropes End, which itself harkens to Let It Bleed era Rolling Stones). Not that wearing one’s influences on one’s faded black concert t-shirt sleeve is a bad thing. In fact, rock and roll was founded on the notion of taking a sound or style (i.e. the blues) and making it your own, allowing it to evolve into something new (i.e. rock and roll) for someone else to borrow and build upon. Aside from the mock bobby soxer crooner yowling and sledgehammer guitars seemingly borrowed from the Turks, the Neckbones bring to mind Cracker (the vocals turn David Lowery-ish on You’re All Winners) while Red Wagon is chock full of understated pedal steel and the sort of homely, Appalachian soul present in bands like Freakwater and Bigfoot. Other names worth dropping for comparison’s sake - the Mummies, in a roundabout sort of way, and maybe even the Gibson Brothers and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, if only in attitude. -Karen Graves

United
Distorted Vision
Howling Bull
I’m not sure what it is, but sometimes it seems like when it comes to music, Japan is either extremely far behind or extremely far ahead. Thankfully, the latest from United fits into the latter. Melding the groove sections of early American hardcore with the thrash/death sounds of bands like Sepultura, United proves that they are more than a match for many of today’s top metal acts. In songs like Trust Yourself I hear some of that early Biohazard call & response that makes music like this so much fun to sing along with. But what I really enjoy about these guys is their ability to follow some of these American examples, but without the extremely annoying cliches. They refuse to fall into the trap of being one dimensional. There seems to be a conscious effort to try something new on every song so as to not get caught up in all of that traditional hardcore posturing. You’re not going to hear any of these guys scream out something lame like “C’mon, straight out Japan”, because that’s not what they’re about. These guys are about making quality, hardcore driven metal, that will make you not only bob your head, but wonder why there aren’t more bands like this in the United States. -Che Brooks

Bill Laswell
Imaginary Cuba
BMG
Cuba is very much on the collective minds of America as the century comes to a close. Legally off limits to Americans for decades, this large Caribbean island is one of the last places on earth, and one of the closest to the US, that hasn’t been economically colonized by US businesses. As such, despite the poverty of the nation, they haven’t been overrun by McDonalds, Nike and all the other blandness of US culture that has begun to take over the rest of the World. Still intact is a culture relatively un-blemished by the growing bland sameness of the rest of the civilized world, despite being so close to mainland USA. Besides cigars, music if becoming a big export of Cuba, with the Buena Vista Social Club, leading the charge. Enter musician, producer and remixer Laswell. The liner notes subtitle this Deconstructing Cuba with Transformations of recorded performances by Los Ibellis, Tata Guines, Frank Emilio and many others. I think this is an interesting idea but for me personally, it just doesn’t quite click; I’d rather listen to the purist recordings of Buena Vista Social Club. But if you’re into remixes more than the source material, you may not agree and for many people this may be just the introduction that helps open the door for them to seeking out the source material. Nicely designed packaging as well-JB

Dub Funk Association
Sounds of the Heavyweight
Tanty
“Dub Funk,” the bringing together of reggae, dub, jazz, breakbeat and hip hop. That’s the description of the Dub Funk Association’s sound and I would say that it is a rather good description. The D.F.A is a collective of musicians who have come together like many of the UK Sound Systems before them; Creation Rebel, Singers & Players, Jah Shaka Sounds, etc., who liked the freedom of playing with different musicians and producers. Although the D.F.A. would like to say they bring you back in time to the day’s of the mighty sound systems listed above, I tend to think not - I don’t recall there being any breakbeat or hip hop influence at that time. The D.F.A is no different than any other sound systems that are coming out of the UK; Alpha & Omega, Zion Train, The Disciples and this list goes on, and this is not a bad thing to be compared to. The D.F.A. bring an exciting fresh sound to the world of Dub and should definitely be checked out by any fan of the groups mentioned above.
-Robb Armstrong

Gomez
Liquid Skin
Virgin
Much-hyped Brit band that actually lives up to the hyperbole. Imagine Pearl Jam and Oasis with more talent and more willingness to explore strange, vaguely psychedelic textures, and you get Gomez. The singer has a slightly gruffy voice that will surely annoy some people, but then, some of the greatest vocalists are stylists that can border on annoying (Tom Waits, anyone?). Liquid Skin starts out promisingly with Hangover, continues to pick up creative steam with Blue Moon Rising, and lets it all loose during California. Gomez’s sidetrips through Krautrock and Grateful Dead territory keep the record loose and lighthearted (there’s nothing worse than an overly serious British band). In all, a CD that will grow on you. -Gooch

Dolorian
When All the Laughter Has Gone
Wounded Love
You gotta love a Finnish band that records in an Indian-named studio on an Italian label. Dolorian is a three-piece from Oulu, Finland, who have a 7 song CD of doom and gloom death metal. This is atmospheric sludge metal ala My Dying Bride that works well on any beauty in darkness comp. The band plays extreme metal and knows how to incorporate a dark ambience without sounding like some Type O Negative spin-off. This is not goth, it is more akin to Hypocrisy (vocally) than the goth schtick. Check out My Weary Eyes and Collapsed. I’d love to hear more from this label ...and this band. -Eddie Jorgensen

Comet Gain
Tigertown Pictures
Kill Rock Stars
“I apologize to all my friends, I tried to do my best and one of these days I’ll find peace in my heart I hope, before I die” ends the liner notes in Comet Gain’s new release Tigertown Pictures on Olympia’s Kill Rock Stars. Melancholy and thoughtful on the inside, lo-fi and poppy on the outside. Grabbing the listener immediately and pulling them in for this 14 track, 54 minute ride, Comet Gain takes the simplicity and straightforwardness of early pop music, but combines it with unpolished vocals, a bit more complexity on the underneath, and crazy feedback and other inexplicable noises to create a truly introspective, never dull or repetitive experience. Experimental in their sound and maybe even direction, Comet Gain represents that feeling of wanting to be happy and shiny, but knowing deep down that you don’t have the guts. -Lisa Gunter

Apocalypse Hoboken
Microstars
Kung Fu
A staple to the diet of a Chicago scene that loves them so well, Apocalypse Hoboken is out again with their latest release, Microstars, on Kung Fu. With brash vocals and thrashing drums and guitars (even the handclaps have authority), these boys create an unusual style of creative punk and rock that begs comparison to no one and rarely concedes to the repetitive style seen by so many others of the genre. Creating mayhem Hoboken-style, Microstars sings to the glam rockstar within with songs about what we want, what we need, and all those thinking stop-off points in between. A truly indescribable experience, Apocalypse Hoboken unrelentingly continues to create music for “all the kids who found out what’s missing”. -Lisa Gunter

The Dragons
R*L*F
Junk
I knew before hearing it that this would be a kick-ass album. Not kick-ass in the Tesla or Guns ‘n Roses way, but in a good way. In the way of Johnny Thunders’ Heartbreakers (a band which must never be mentioned in the same breath as Tom Petty’s L.A.M.O.S.). The clues are on the cover. 1. Album title: R*L*F stands for “Rock Like Fuck”; L.A.M.F. (The Heartbreakers’ first album), stands for “Like a Mother Fucker”. 2. Band name: The Heartbreakers’ rythm guitarist was once in a band called The Dragons (you gotta give the younger Dragons credit for knowing this—true connoisseurs). 3. Drugs: Junk Records is a reference to one of Johnny Thunders’ less healthy influences. So, by the time you put the CD in the machine, you’re expectations are running high. The Dragons don’t disappoint. R*L*F comes at you roaring, searing, twisting... with interesting chord changes and harmonies to boot. This isn’t a thrash band but something between punk and good old rock & roll in a way that makes labels seems pointless. -Tony Michels

The Swarm (aka Knee Deep In The Dead)
Parasitic Skies
No Idea
Ten inches of gray marble vinyl that made me stop and think. As far as your average hardcore record goes this is better than most. The kind of recording that as it shreds the speakers in your living room you instinctively know that this band would kick your ass live. But what kicked my thought process into overdrive and made my stomach fall was the monologue that closes out the album. Definitely one way to silence a room, even after the needle lifts. -Cyanica

Joe Strummer
Rock Art & The X-Ray Style
Hellcat
Brand new full length from the less-successful ex-Clash frontman. Featuring the UK single Yalla, Yalla, this CD is similar to Strummer’s earlier solo stuff: rock with a little worldbeat thrown in. Unfortunately, after the amazing records The Clash put out, most anything from any of the original members pales in comparison. Still, there are some great rock pop cuts like Diggin the New and Nitcomb, and the playing is passionate enough to warrant repeated listening. In fact, it’s better than at least one Clash record, if you count Cut The Crap as one. But then again, by the time you read this the long-awaited live Clash set should be out. -Gooch

Grandaddy
Signal to Snow Ratio
V2
The big problem with this record is that it’s only a four song EP teaser. This great band (rock crit shortcut: Neil Young meets Stereolab) from Modesto needs to put out a full length ASAP!!! I can’t wait to hear what they do next and if you can’t either, then get this. -JB

Peacocks
In Without Knockin’
Jump Up!
Mostly known as a leader in the ska world, Jump Up! Records puts forth the latest from Sweden’s version of rockabilly/punk in the Peacocks. As is the case with most Swedish bands, the production and playing on this cd are tight. I don’t know if it’s something in Sweden’s water, but it sure seems like these bands practice for hours on end. Peacocks are most comparable to the band Living End, but with less of the snotty edge. There is a maturity that comes across in songs like First where the upright bass is spotlighted. Super rockabilly sound! But let’s be honest, there are all kinds of different genres represented here. From the ska number of Untitled to the punkier number Shitlist, every song is done with quality and consistency. There are no throw away numbers on this one. Fans of any of the aforementioned genres should give these guys some serious consideration. You will not be disappointed! -Che Brooks

Type O Negative
World Coming Down
Roadrunner
Here’s a looooong, slooooow, goth-rock fuck. It’s creepy, it’s macabre, it’s like Trent Reznor met Vincent Price, they both did a bunch of downs mixed with L.S.D. and formed a band with the drummer from Pink Floyd. Perfect tunes for those who like to dress up in all black and dance like a kelp in a slowly receding tide. -Kenan

Enemy You
Where No One Knows My Name
Panic Button
It’s albums like this that make me thankful I have my own office, in which I can close the door and gain the freedom of hitting repeat on the CD player as many times as I like. Anthemesque, crunchy, chunky songs that go beyond toe-tappin to full on sing-a-long. Where No One Knows My Name is one of the best CDs I’ve heard this year. From the first listen on, and on, and on. -Cyanica

Pilot to Gunner
Hit the Ground and Hum E.P.
Me Too!
Well, I really hate to have to draw this comparison, but the lot of DC rockers bearing an aviation inspired moniker have a lot in common, musically, with another bunch of DC rockers with an aviation inspired moniker: Burning Airlines, or at least with that band’s earlier incarnation as Jawbox. Jaggedly rhythmic guitars that stutter and squeal around a smooth bassline, punctuated by vocals that emanate from somewhere deep in the spleen, make the case for Pilot to Gunner being voted (by me) “Band Most Likely to Capitalize on the Audience Left Behind by Jawbox, Get Signed to Atlantic, Disband, and Break My Little Heart, Just Like Jawbox did.” Seriously though, Pilot to Gunner are a good band with cool songs, but I think they could really benefit from allowing their sound to mature and flesh out a bit, and either move away from all of the Jawboxisms present in their music currently, or embrace them and make them their own. -Karen Graves

Korea Girl
Asian Man
Exceptionally earnest vocals filled with feeling and experience and understated, quietly encouraging guitars prevail throughout Korea Girl’s debut self-titled album on Asian Man. With 67 minutes and 13 tracks to enjoy the contemplations and contrast of both vocalists (Elizabeth Yi and Tobin Mori) and to softly rock from inside-out, the listener is left feeling quiet and wondering - not exactly happy, but none the sadder. Thought-provoking and a tad jaded, Mori sings - “I heard a singer say that God blessed her with a lovely voice; if that’s the case, he cursed me with a brain. I don’t want to be, I never could be no mariah: inside this golden cage. I don’t want to be, I will always be your pariah.” Perhaps a caged outcast or maybe a golden bird, either way, Korea Girl will never have to be worried about being an empty, mindless Carey. -Lisa Gunter

Hellchild
Bareskin
Howling Bull
Imported from Japan with a whole mess of anger, Hellchild creates their unique vision on what crust-core should sound like. The latest release from these veterans of the underground scene shows how to take an amazing array of guitar tones and combine them into complex and exciting songs. Aggressive in the way Pantera is aggressive (although with much more control) and vocally stunning like a Today Is The Day record, Hellchild uses its strengths wisely. How they get that sound out of a single guitar I will never know. The grooves grind through thousands of sounds, and sound smooth and effortless. Once again, these guys prove that Japan’s version of hardcore doesn’t have to be formulaic. They take what’s good and make it their own. And with the various vocal styles of Tsukasa Harakawa, this record is complete. With bands like Hellchild, Howling Bull Records is on it’s way into becoming a major player in the American underground. -Che Brooks

DeHumanized
Problems First
New Red Archives
Quality East Coast hardcore is becoming a rare find these days as the music from the ‘80s that made you jump around like a monkey is now second and third generation blandness. Thank goodness for Dehumanized to keep the music moving in one direction. Problems First is their first attempt at a full length in their two years of existence. Well worth the wait, Confessions, Convenience, and Gimme The Scoop are mighty rip-roaring hardcore ditties. Fuck You Where’s My Brew is the downside, creating punk overkill. DeHumanized do an excellent job at recreating the Circle Jerks era-punk all over again that is as spontaneous as it is riveting. -Andrew Duncan

Rocky Votolato
Status / Henry’s Finest
This is a sweet (mostly) acoustic LP from Mr. Votolato who also has a loud band called Waxwing. One of the things I like about this album is that it doesn’t just sound like Waxwing unplugged. Not that that would be horrible, but this is a better idea. Everything acoustic gets compared to Elliot Smith these days, and that is an influence here. But, I like this album because it is so much more sincere and unpretentious than most of the “singer/ songwriter” crap I hear lately. This record feels like it was written and recorded for a loved one, and then shared with the rest of us. -Andrew Duncan

Methodman/Redman
Blackout
Def Jam
I don’t get too excited about too many rap CD’s cuz there are usually only 2 good songs that I end up liking. I knew this would be different; 19 tracks worth all the hype. Whether taking turns or flip-floppin’ between verses they compliment each other like fine wine and aged cheese. Add a couple of guest appearances including LL goin’ off like he hasn’t since Radio along with production help from RZA and Eric Sermon and you got a for sure thing. What’d you expect? Why you listening to me, go get it already!? -Young Mitch

Sarah Dougher
New Day
K
Simply put, Sarah Dougher has little time on her hands with her work in the independent success stories known as The Crabs, Cadallaca and The Lookers. She made time to take center stage with her debut solo effort New Day. Does her hectic lifestyle make for a mundane approach or give her the inspiration to create a collection of folk-tale masterpieces? Masterpieces they may not be, but New Day makes for a collection of well crafted tunes. Whether it’s the early Smiths/ New Order musically-inclined opening Hold the Bar, the arty Secret Porno Collector, or the hauntingly acoustic Girl in New Orleans, Dougher can carry a tune that borders on amateurish but successfully makes each word seem human in a creative fashion. Instead of wailing out lyrics and trying to call it art, Dougher explores different avenues from the simple guitar/vocal stance Art Lover to a full band line-up Moving. Even the twist on Glen Frey’s Take It To The Limit surprisingly works. -Andrew Duncan

Steve Vai
The Ultrazone
Epic
Broad on the musical spectrum and bizarre as his earliest material this is one of Vai’s best and most Eastern influenced recordings yet. His unique approach to not only the guitar but other full orchestrated instrumentation as well, round things out including his best effort at singing yet. Track 4 titled Frank which I assume is his tribute to Zappa, is beautifully melodic and my favorite. I like this CD a hell of a lot. -Chris Carnel

Spitfires
Slick Black Cat
Junk
Don’t let the record company name scare you away ‘cuz they put out some rockin’ shit and this is no exception. Somewhere between Black Flag and Electric Frankenstein, this four song 7” includes the B-Side standout High-Test Sucka that’ll kick your ass! Served on delicious pink vinyl. -Young Mitch

Things that we got too late to review but are out as you read this include Tori Amos, Everything But The Girl, Breakbeat Era, Live, Ice T, Botch, Dr. Dre, Sixteen Deluxe, The High & Mighty, Critters Buggin, Dream Theater, The Jungle Brothers, Whippersnapper, Afrika Bambaataa, Hi-Standard, Spoon, Laptop, Scott Richter & EDL.