The Faint-Danse Macabre
Saddle Creek
Some people say The Faint are as close to new-wave as it gets, and they might be. There are more than a few rockin’ tracks on the album. Besides that, they’re developing quite a following consisting of disillusioned, lost-since-Brit-pop-died scenester indie rock supremacists. The Faint’s added a twist of goth and darkness to their noisy new-wave in a bit of a tame “we don’t really mean it” kind of way that would have Marilyn Manson rolling his eyes, rubbing his fake tits all horny-style and saying, “Hold on a sec while I eat these fuckers for breakfast.” They don’t seem to take themselves too seriously- the hippie looking bass player has a thick-ass beard because he thinks chicks dig it. -Ruvan

The Sixth Great Lake-Up The Country
Kindercore Records
I’m rather particular about the country I listen to and hardly ever like folk. With that established and the fact that this record falls solidly into both categories, I absolutely love this new record by The Sixth Great Lake out on Kindercore. Basically, the band is a collaboration of members from The Essex Green (Jeff Baron, Chris Ziter, Sasha Bell) along with Zachary Ward and Mike Barrett. They recorded the basics of the songs in Burlington, VT in the wintertime, and then got back together in the summer to record in the Catskills (with final mixing in NYC in the autumn). Normally, I wouldn’t mention these details except the seasons’ natures permeate the tracks on Up The Country. It feels very simple and honest – lyrics of melancholy and joy mixing with a very thoughtful, pensive approach on the guitar and keyboards. No tricks or schemes – just a faithful homage to a 60s, 70s style of folkish pop with a laid-back country style and outdoor landscapes romantically portrayed. It’s beautiful – the voices very pure and unadulterated. They even cover The Band’s Rockin’ Chair.“I’ll meet you any where in the sand, any way I can.” -Lisa Gunter

Pocket For Corduroy-As Soon As Impossible
Lab Results
PFC are not only one of the best bands I’ve heard coming out of NorCal in the past few years, but this is one of the best rock CD’s I’ve heard all year without having to put any kind of qualifier on it, geographical or otherwise. If you had to, you could put some kind of post-something tag on these guys, but unlike a lot of bands with similar sounds and textures, PFC knows how to write a song and a hook better than most musicians will ever hope to. Each of the six tracks on this CD EP is filled with cool sonic hooks and beautiful melodies. All this is apparent with one listening; repeated listenings reward with even more layers of songcraft and tasty production tricks. That the band recorded and produced this themselves in a pretty cheap home studio is even more impressive. Look for good things to come from this band, but get this EP now so you can brag about it 10 years from now, then dupe it and sell it on e-bay for $100. www.pocketforcorduroy.com. -John Baccigaluppi

Randy-The Human Atom Bombs
Burning Heart Records
Four Socialist Scandinavian youths with instruments, fighting for the proletariat worldwide. This is 17 anthems of blasphemous rebellion in the tone of crank lightning fast punkrockdom, Millencolin meets Noise Conspiracy. I dug their last release, You Can’t Keep a Good Band Down, and the fight for the common man continues here with the ghosts of Karl Marx and Little Richard pushing knobs and sending telepathy in the studio. Truly strange, I know, but what can you expect from the Swedes? A new Volvo? A Swedish penis enlarger? -Brad Oates

Rza aka Bobby Digital-Digital Bullet
Koch Records
His first album as Bobby Digital released in ‘97 through Gee Street, was a mind-blowing affair replete with rants about domestic violence to head-bobbin’ anthems. His latest, Digital Bullet, finds RZA re-addressing some of the same subjects with some stellar talent at his side. Show You Love and Throw Your Flag Up are just a few trademark songs that showcase Rza’s broken sentence technique. If you’re a fan of the Wu-Tang’s latter efforts and don’t mind tongue-in-cheek affairs about everything from misogyny to Brooklyn pride, this album is a must. While some of his subject matter may make those PC-minded folks quiver, those who delve deeper will find a soothing reward awaiting inside. Bobby Digital is on the warpath to destroy serious mc’s keepin’ it real for the Wu-bangers once again. - Eddie Jorgensen

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros-Global A Go-Go
Hellcat Records
Anyone who has spent any time listening to the Mighty Joe Strummer would know that he has a major affection for Reggae, World and Latin music. From his time with The Clash and various other musical endeavors to his latest project The Mescaleros, the sounds mentioned above are what would come to define Joe Strummer. On his latest release Global A Go-Go on Hellcat Records he uses just the right touch of each to bring us a release that is in every sense of the word, a melting pot. When I listen to this disc it’s as if I’m on vacation in South America, Jamaica, or some other tropical dreamland relaxing by the ocean enjoying the tranquility. This CD is perfect for sunny or rainy day’s and is sure to put your mind at ease. One of the better releases of the year and not just out of respect for a legend, but for respect of an open mind. -Robb Armstrong

The White Stripes-White Blood Cells
Sympathy for the Record Industry
Detroit’s Jack and Meg White- a brother and sister rock duo- The White Stripes, work with minimal instrumentation and sound to create highly charged drum/guitar rock that sounds like a stripped down Led Zeppelin who has confused Dungeons and Dragons with Hide and Go Seek. The songs are heavy and rockin’ at times in that 70s metal kind of way, then folky sing-a-long sounding at others. The simplicity of the instrumentation and music is definitely appealing in this age of overproduction. This is music you can rock out to. –Ruvan

Rival Schools-United By Fate
Island
The finest of New York’s hard-core dropouts resurface and record another legendary album amazing devotees worldwide and sending critics reeling. Will they disappear into obscurity again? Give music the finger and form a happy cow commune in upper New York? Lets hope not friends, because Rival Schools tugs their hard-core roots towards a more melodic middle ground giving shouts out and subtle references to their past in Quicksand and CIV, but never wallowing in old glory. United by Fate, hooligans for life across the globe, do not attempt to adjust the dial. Did I say sit down? I said rock out. -Brad Oates

The Starting Line-With Hopes of Starting Over...
RX Bandits-Progress
Both on Drive-Thru Records
Pop-punk is kind of an interesting permutation of punk, if you ask me. Big, crunchy guitars and basses blasting out major-scale dominated melodies. Double-basses pounding out some wicked double-time rhythms, under lightning-fast fills and cymbal crashes. And then there’s the singer(s), who can actually sing some beautiful harmonies, but they make sure to make their voices sound all rawkous and scratchy, so you think the shit’s legitimate pop-punk. If the afore mentioned description sounds like something you’d like to hear, then you definitely need to check out The Starting Line. Their newest EP With Hopes of Starting Over... is surprisingly complex, both rhythmically and sonically, yet remains accessible enough so that you could still throw shit around and mosh your suburban punk ass off. Songs about friends leaving, girls, parties and an amusing cover of the 80’s cheese-hit Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now make up the 5 songs on this EP. This band has definitely got some serious potential, especially considering the lead singer is only 16 and he spent his whole summer touring with bands like Goldfinger and The Get Up Kids. What did you do during the summer when you were 16? Jack off to the late-night episodes of MTV’s The Grind? Yeah, I thought so. All in all, this band is pretty cool, and worth checking out, despite their young age. However, if you crave some more mature, “progressive” pop-punk, then RX Bandits are the band for you. With their new disc, appropriately titled Progress, the Bandits mix ska-punk, reggae, and some dub-ier electronic sounding shit, with some surprisingly enlightened lyrics that insinuate equality and respect without getting all overly righteous. This band is one of the few bands I’ve heard that is helping fill the hole that was left in this scene when Sublime disbanded. That’s not to say that they are imitating Sublime. Like members of the same family, RX Bandits certainly bear a resemblance to their Orange County/LBC siblings, but they have enough of their own character and personality so that if you heard them, you wouldn’t confuse them with their older brothers. -Andy Barrett

Alpha-The Impossible Thrill
Astralwerks
Alpha’s latest release “The Impossible Thrill” is some of their best work to date, featuring a wonderful blend of melodic musical textures. Most often this CD captures a delightful ambient, space rock sound with occasional jazzy downbeats. I’ve been listening to this CD for almost a month and can’t seem to take it out of my stereo. Alpha’s laid back sound makes this CD perfect for any mood, especially with your morning coffee or those late night chill sessions. Fans of Radiohead, Cocteau Twins, Portishead, or Morcheeba might seriously consider picking this disk up.-e-love

New End Original-Thriller
Jade Tree
The career of a musician is probably right up there with a pro athlete. Usually, after a few semi-successful years, the business spits out all of its young talent only to regurgitate two more like minded kids with similar dreams and aspirations. Then there’s [one time Heckler contributor] Jonah Matranga. After years making his dreams come true with Far, the biz spit him out looking for fresher meat. Luckily for all of us he didn’t get the message. After the past few years perfecting his solo skills with Onelinedrawing, Jonah has decided it’s time to rock again with New End Original. Plugged in for the most part and dedicated throughout, “Thriller” is a return to form for Sacramento’s one time star in the making. A few of the songs are re-workings of previously acoustic jams written for OLD and the new arrangements are just as wrenching. Lukewarm powers forth the start of this record with energy that comes from the heart. Likewise, I’ve always felt 14 to 41 could be played as a rocker and these guys pull it off in spades. But it’s not all about Jonah folks. There is some real talent here as Norman Arenas [formerly of Tetus is the Reason] holds some steady licks throughout and shows his ability to jump from fast to slow at the drop of a freshly worn hat. Nowhere is his guitar skill more evident than the amazing Hostage, a song that showcases the emotion few bands can muster up from inside, let alone fake. It’s real, imagined rock the way it was meant to be made. Looks like where the industry lost we all won with an amazing record. -Che Brooks

System Of A Down-Toxicity
American
I know we’ve all slept through about the last 5 years of metal influenced hard rock that sells besides a few notable exceptions, (Rage, Deftones, Incubus) but drop D ain’t dead folks and after a stunning 1998 self-titled debut, System returns from the Los Angeles Basin with an album of hyper kinetic nu-metal-old- middle-eastern-mysticism-metal meets Marlon Brando up the river. Rumor mill has it that singer Serj Tanakian is set to star as silly old Charley Manson himself in a Cameron Crowe, Helter Skelter remake. Look out, Hollywood. -Brad Oates

The Dismemberment Plan-Change
De Soto
Very, very few artists really have an original sound these days, easily clumping into one or another genre that’s popular at the time like emo, pop-punk, etc. The D-Plan does not fit into any genre and they have a completely original sound, so the usual rock-crit on deadline fallback plan where you compare one artist to others (which bands hate, but readers seem to like) doesn’t apply here. Unusual song structures, melodies, and arrangements and vocalist Travis Morrison’s beautifullly unique voice, which he’s becoming ever more adept with, give the D-Plan their very own sound and style. Trust me, this is good. The only thing I can kinda compare these guys to, and it’s not really a comparison, but more the fact that they somehow remind me of listening to Gentle Giant, a 70’s prog rock band that was pretty obscure but really good. I suppose that in the sense that Radiohead could be labeled ‘prog’ you could maybe add that tag to the D Plan, not that they sound anything like Radiohead either. This band may have come from the punk/emo genre, but they’ve completely transcended it. Excellent production by the always very excellent J Robbins is also to be noted. My only beef with this CD is the cool graphic design of the package which goes uncredited. By the band I guess? Take a chance on something different and break out of whatever musical rut you may be in and buy this CD and support a good indie band and label. -John Baccigaluppi

P.O.D.-Satellite
Atlantic
The Christian tribal warriors from Southtown battle the devil and fend off other nu-metal acts in an attempt to defy the “sophomore slump”. With the help of H, “Let me hit you in the head with my mic stand” R, and good ole Eek-A-Mouse (“Biddy bong bong”), P.O.D. shows they have more soul and sensibility than the rest of the make me yawn popular rawk pact, and delving into other genres such as reggae and thrash sometimes appears effortless for this talented foursome. Comparisons to the great Bad Brains & 311 can be made, and while the legendary status of those bands is practically etched in gold, (When does H.R. get his star on the walk of fame?) P.O.D. still has to fight it out in the rock gallows to see if they’ll make the cut. With the intelligent and inspiring lyrical skills of singer Sonny on tracks like Alive the wait shouldn’t be too long.-Brad Oates

Orbital-The Altogether
London/Sire
Orbital is techno as hell and they’ve been doing the techno thing forever. They’re a bit anarchist too, which may make them punk…? I remember back in the early 90s, they recorded an entire album in a camper van using solar energy. What a pain in the ass. In any case, their new album is cool- different from most techno in that it’s almost jam-band-y, but still freaky enough to be interesting. They sliced and spliced a Tool song and made it their own. Congrats. They also feature vocals from Steve Ignorant of Crass, Ian Dury screaming “Oi!”, David Gray and others. Nice touch. The album also comes with a B-Sides/Rarities disc. Bonus. -Ruvan

The Murder City Devils-Thelma
Sub Pop Records
Rock-A-Billy punk fueled by soulful screams and haunting organs, the Murder City Devils create a steam roller of energy. Thelma is the newest 6 (5 new and one recycled from a rare release) EP from Seattle’s hardest working band. Listen to this and get fueled up by rock and roll music again. In a world where every shitty ass teenage crap band claims punk, the Devils are drinking, touring, and destroying stages whether you care or not. Support the real deal.-Chris Sprouls

Slayer-God Hates Us All
American
Few have come and few have conquered like the almighty Slayer and the saga of metallic death continues on this their most astonishing release since 1986’s, Reign In Blood. This is everything holy about death metal and Slayer purists will rise in awe of this album. As the asphalt wasteland crumbles in around us, and Armageddon looms ominously upon the horizon, it’s comforting to have Slayer on the drive home. -Brad Oates

Erick Sermon-Music
J Records
Judging from music on “Music,” Sermon has wasted little time gettin’ down to business as usual (pun intended). From the raucous Now What’s Up to the Dre-esque No Future, No Frontin’, it’s safe to say that Erick hasn’t missed a beat. From hardcore work-outs to R&B tinged singles (see title track with Marvin Gaye vocals), “Music” couldn’t be any broader in focus and scope. Erick’s flow is in top form to boot. If you’re looking to distort the lines of hip-hop a little further, “Music,” an apt title, is the perfect accompaniment. Erick Sermon’s releases have always been held with high regard. This time around, however, we’re all hoping he gets a little more than what he bargained for (not just kudos and accolades, mind you). Tracks like Hot and Do Re Mi - my favorite Sermon ditty featuring LL Cool slam-dunk single - are further proof that Sermon will be in the game for quite some time. Fake MCs beware, the Sermon is about to begin. -Eddie Jorgensen

Three Years Down-Snakes Bite
BMI
When I was a kid, I loved KISS. My friends and I would grab tennis rackets, blast KISS Alive 2, and play air guitar all day. Well, it looks as if Three Years Down did that too, and never really stopped. These guys are real heavy into the KISS sound, and even use the intro clip from Alive 2. If you like KISS, you’re all set. If you don’t, this CD may not tickle your pickle. Straight ahead rock and roll, with nice musicianship to boot, these guys can rock for sure. -Drew Lawson

Amorphis-AM Universum
Relapse Records
Mellowed out hessians of the darkside will rejoice in the hypnotic hi-fi of Helsinki’s very own Amorphis. AM Universum is big guitars, stoned out keyboards, and songs about Europeans amidst chaos. Who needs Eurorail when we can bring the Finnish countryside to your living room? -Brad Oates

Tora! Tora! Torrance!-Get Into It
The Militia Group
Well, you know, s**t happens and this is one of those times. My band was supposed to play a show with Tora! Tora! Torrance! But for one reason or another they couldn’t make it and had to cancel. Needless to say the show went on and we rocked but I was still bummed that I didn’t get to see these guy’s play. I was very fortunate to have received a copy of their release Get Into It a week or so before our show with them was to take place. I listened to it over and over (and still am) letting the song’s sink in and was eagerly awaiting their live set. I figured if they rock this hard on disc they damn sure will rock just as hard live? Well, this we’ll never know but what we do know is that this is a very good band with a very good release on their hands. Musically there are lot’s of melodic riffs and heavy bass lines, tons of spacey shit reminiscent of At The Drive In while their vocals are more in the vein of a band such as The Explosion. This release is awesome and won’t take very long before everyone is getting into it. - Robb Armstrong

The Varukers-How Do You Sleep?
Go Kart
Go Kart is adding some heavy artillery to their arsenal lately and The Varukers are like shotgun slugs. With a sound reminiscent of latter day Exploited and song titles like Gun Crazed Kids Where’s Your God? and Die you know it’s tough shit. Nothing new or groundbreaking but if you like shit on Profane Existence you should dig this. -Mitch S.

Q-Burns Abstract Message-Invisible Airline
Astralwerks
Q-Burns gets a little abstract here. His sound is, generally, happy-housey dance music. What I think is most interesting about this album is that the featured vocalists all have different styles, thus diversifying the music as a whole. Thumbs up, Q! Granted, some of the more diva-ish shit gets annoying, but that is expected, as a few of the vocal tracks are bad-ass. The mixing is pretty dope, all around. The happy house thing ain’t for everyone, but Q-Burns will hit it off with those who love it. –Ruvan

Mercury Rev-All Is Dream
V2 Records
What separates the Rev from the rest of the Indie triumvirate is their attention to song. From Jonathan’s beautiful vocal delivery to Dave Fridmann’s production, bass playing, and mixing skills, Grasshopper’s guitar and accessory antics to Jeff Mercel’s drums and piano playing, every nuance of their new album, “All Is Dream,” is realized and understood. Fans of The Flaming Lips, Sparklehorse, Neil Young, and even Grandaddy will embrace songs like Lincoln’s Eyes and Nite & Fog as if they were their own. Mercury Rev span genres across this multi-dimensional long player. From down-tempo songs like Tides Of The Moon to A Drop In Time, the band continues to lay new in-roads for upcoming bands to follow. - Eddie Jorgensen

Lisa Miskovsky
Stockholm Records
Jackpot! This singer songwriter with the funny name is here to show everyone there is nothing funny about her music. This CD is great; mixing folk, pop and some alternative styles, the album winds up sounding very well balanced and shines on almost every track. With talent to spare, Lisa M. manages to pull the best elements out of every genre she incorporates into her songs. Written primarily on acoustic guitar, she then adds in layers of music and sounds to achieve a rich, full sound that would give many of her peers a run for their money. Part Sheryl Crow, part Lucious Jackson, this is easily one of the years most promising albums. -Drew Lawson

Fugazi-The Argument
Dischord
Easily one of the best rock bands around, both in their live shows and recordings, Fugazi gets nothing but respect in my book for both the longevity of their career and being able to keep everything they do vital and fresh. I hate to make the comparison, but they are easily the Greatful Dead of punk rock. The band as instrumentalists is as tight and musically communicative with each other as a band can be. Their live shows are worth following the band on tour for and people do, knowing they’ll get a completely different set each night. But, what really makes The Argument another great progression for the band is how much they’ve grown vocally. I always found it really easy to pick out whether Guy or Ian was singing on past releases, as they both had distinctive voices and rarely ventured away from the ‘sound’ of their voice. This CD finds them experimenting, successfully I might add, with more melody and vocals that are sung more often than screamed. Several songs even feature layered background vocals. I had to call their label to even figure out who was singing the first song, although if I had to guess I would have said Ian, as it reminded me of the piano/vocal piece he sang on the Instrument soundtrack CD (I was right). Very few artists can continue to keep making records that still sound fresh and energetic after 10 years or so. Neil Young comes to mind as does Fugazi. Even harder is to progress and change without it sounding like you’re groping for a new direction, essentially bored with what you’re doing. REM comes to mind, but Fugazi doesn’t. The production by Don Zientara, who’s produced all of their CDs, is excellent and transparent, yet I’m sure that he had a fair hand in the sound of things. He’s almost a fifth member by now, the George Martin of Fugazi. A great record by a great band. Be sure to also check out the three song CD EP Furniture which was simultaneously released with The Argument.-John Baccigaluppi

Ann Beretta-New Union…Old Glory
Lookout Records
Ann Beretta’s latest release “New Union...Old Glory” offers a new approach to today’s punk sound. Vocally their style sounds similar to Rancid’s Tim Armstrong, but rhythmically their sound is incomparable. The drums and the bass are so tight that it forms a perfect background for the distorted guitar riffs and raw vocals. Ann Beretta’s lyrics are just as impressive as their musical talent. Songs like Nowhere Generation and Better Days touch on subjects dealing with today’s youth and the difficulties they face. Basically, it comes down to this: We are who we are and no one and nothing can change that except us. We just accept things the way they are and deal with it the best we can. A punk rock masterpiece.-e-love

Scanner-Funk Wave of Light by Wave of Light
Sulphur Records
Scanner is a combination of Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Autechre, and The Orb. He creates bizarre layers of sound to form a unique blend of electronic madness. Each track combines different types of electronic music ranging from ambient to trance. This CD starts off kind of choppy with twisted samples and a wall of different sounds. Then it down-shifts into a beautiful ambient flow of soft mushy sounds, only to change gears to fast trance style beats. Next comes funky style beats with a hip-hop flavor, only to fall back into a downbeat ambient feel. Basically, this CD is an electronic roller coaster from hell. Some of the tracks are beautiful and well produced, whereas others are rough and grinding, almost to the point of annoyance. Overall this CD is a good mix of different styles of electronic music. -e-love

Millencolin-The Melancholy Collection
Burning Heart/Epitaph
Amidst a wall of guitar feedback you hear Jason Lee’s voice emerge “I skateboard, I am an artist. I love art, and I love you. Come to me and kiss me.” No song and they’re already quoting Blind’s infamous, Video Days, Sweden’s ruling underlords of punk delight the fanatics with an album of hard to find EPs, B-sides, and rarities. This is a well put together release with a great CD inlay of photography (Caballero on bass!) and 22 tracks of edgy melodic punkdom - sunny side up Scandinavian style. Those new to the band should checkout: Pennybridge Pioneers (2000), For Monkeys (1997), or Life on A Plate (1995). -Brad Oates

The Word-The Word
(Rope-A-Dope Records)
So you say “Hey Andy, what’s The Word?”, and I say “Shit man, haven’t you heard?! The Word is The North Mississippi All-Stars, John Medeski, and this ill pedal steel prodigy named Robert Randolph. Apparently, they jammed a bit, decided to form a band and recorded a disc. They kick out these funky, dirty, down-home, gospel/delta blues jams that will make you want to jump out of your seat and scream ‘Hallelujah!’ Now, I myself am not a religious man in any sense of The Word, but you should definitely give this shit a listen if you’re looking for some top notch musicianship; warm, bluesy melodies and some of the fastest, nastiest pedal steel you’ll ever hear. It’ll make your day!” And you say, “Thanks Andy! I’ll check it out!” -Andy Barrett

American Steel-Jagged Thoughts
Lookout Records
You know, I have this friend who is totally into American Steel. She loves em’ and for the longest time I wondered, why? Their last release Rogues March just didn’t do anything for me and in fact I thought it kind of sucked. So I get a chance to review their latest effort Jagged Thoughts and was simply blown away by the progress this band has made. Jagged Thoughts is such an awesome heartfelt album, one that can take you to super highs and one that can take you to super lows, all depending on what frame of mind you’re in. With noticeable influences (at least to me) ranging from The Rolling Stones, The Clash, Ramones and Peter Tosh to the newer sounds of Hot Water Music and Leatherface, this album has made a definite impression on me and has definitely opened my eyes to appreciating their first release when I thought I couldn’t. Jagged Thoughts is a great tribute to rock n’ roll itself, a release not to be overlooked. - Robb Armstrong

Maximilian Hecker-Infinite Love Songs
Kitty Yo
This CD comes as close as you can get to gorgeous, melodic love songs without turning into total cheesiness. Yet somehow, it never completely crosses the line and is instead the most beautiful pop record I’ve heard in years. Hecker’s voice is angelic in his normal register but his falsetto goes to another level of lushness. The arrangements and vocals remind me a little bit of Jason Lytle of Grandaddy with Angelo Baldamenti (Twin Peaks) doing the production and arrangements. It’s all Hecker though, as he recorded this himself and played all the instruments. At only 23 years old, I expect great things from this kid. I can’t really find enough adjectives to describe the beautiful pop of this album, so I’ll stop here. Suffice it to say that if you’re into this kind of thing you should track down this album immediately. -John Baccigaluppi

Stanton Warriors-The Stanton Session
XL Recordings
If you can appreciate dance music that sounds dirty, urban, and street, pick this up. Sick is mixing Hip-Hop vocals over freaky-ass electro beats, and they’re doing it…well. The whole disc is bad as shit- it plays continuously like a mix and was recorded, basically, in one take. A notable track is their remix of Jump n Shout by Basement Jaxx. The vocals range in style and appearance- Flip Mode Squad members, British MCs, and more. -Ruvan

Superchunk-Here’s To Shutting Up
Merge
I must first apologize to Merge for not reviewing this sooner. My friend Keith Shore stole it and I just got it back. Now I know why he hoarded it for so long. This album is beautiful. With many bands these days, it’s so expected that their life cycle is short and that “the shitty album” is coming sooner than later. Superchunk keeps rock alive by continuing to write great songs and put out great albums. And with cello, violin and pedal steel, they haven’t given up on adding flavor to their winning formula. In the same vein, the packaging is not standard. Although it is a jewel case that fits ever so neatly in your CD stack, the inserts are super cool and unique. When dreamy singy pop collides with straight rock, you know where to look. -Sonny Mayugba

Baba-Mind Music
Velour Recordings
We all know there is nothing worse than hip-hop cliches. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Some wack-ass MC going “Now throw your hands in the air, and wave ‘em like ya just don’t care!” or some other stupid shit that was already played by the end of the ‘80s. Unfortunately, it seems like more and more hip-hop these days is just dressing the same old cliches in dope, new Roc-a-wear, ecko, etc. Enter Baba and his new album Mind Music. While Baba’s flow isn’t completely devoid of redundancy and occasionally boarders on that obnoxious, too-preachy-enlighten/save-the-world-thru-hip-hop head trip, my man here has something to say. With some ill production from 3D, gritty, laid-back beats swirl around eastern, koto samples and other atmospheric sauce and of course, Baba’s smokey, relaxing vocal extensions. While this album is not necessarily a ground-breaking epiphany of massive proportions, it is certainly better than a lot of the DM-Ja-Diddys out there. -Andy Barrett

Her Space Holiday-Manic Expressive
Tiger Style Records
Marc Bianchi, aka Her Space Holiday, received much praise for his “Home Is Where You Hang Yourself”, which landed him mucho praise and some coveted tours with Matador’s Cat Power and Arab Strap. ‘Manic Expressive’, although still a bedroom electro-pop generated effort, shows Bianchi’s scope broadening and a new sense of melody. Throw in a dash of Thomas Dolby (latter era), Stars, and Mr. Wright and you have the ingredients for HSH. The influence of Spiritualized’s formula - less is more and drive the melody to the floor - is evident in songs such as Lydia and The Ringing In My Areas without the overburdening guitar drone. Radiohead fans circa ‘Kid A’ and ‘Amnesiac’ now have something to listen to in the downtime between the next effort. If you’re into Arling & Cameron, The Eels, or American Analog Set, HSH will be right up your alley. ‘Manic Expressive’, the aptly titled 2nd record for Tiger Style, is a glorious piece of orchestral pop sweetness without the aftertaste of traditional pop confections. -Eddie Jorgensen

Ozma-Rock and Roll Part Three
Kung Fu
One of the hardest things to pull off is to write a good, succinct pop song. It’s even better if that pop song doesn’t forget that it’s much better to rock rather than flounder. Los Angeles quintet Ozma has done a lot of growing up over their short six year career. From their beginnings as a Weezer cover band to their dream coming true of opening for the band late last year, these kids have put together this collection of songs for our listening enjoyment. Obvious influences aside, there is a sense of pride that overcomes me as each song passes me by with affirmation that these are great rocking pop songs that rock. Ryen Slegr’s vocals drip with talent. To mean what you say is one thing, but this guy melts harmonies and lyrics to really drive each song home. Ozma won’t win in awards for originality, but they will be up front and center when it comes to consistency. -Che Brooks

Tori Amos-Strange Little Girls
Atlantic
There is a small group of artists whom I respect quite a bit, but just don’t like and Tori Amos is definitely in that group. I think she’s completely original and doesn’t pay attention to the mainstream or whatever her record labels tell her to do. I just wish I liked her voice. Despite the fact that her records annoy me, I always listen to them and am impressed by them, and this one is no exception. The 12 songs are all covers by a diverse and seemingly disparate group of writers/artists like Lou Reed, Eminem, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Boomtown Rats, the Beatles, Slayer, Joe Jackson, 10cc, Depeche Mode, and more. It’s a tribute to both Amos’ broad palette of influences that she’s managed to completely assimilate so that none show completely on her sleeve, and also her originality, in that almost most of these songs, no matter how popular, is remotely recognizable. Love her or hate her, you can’t deny her. -John Baccigaluppi

Omar Santana-Hardcore for the Headstrong
Moonshine
Most of the time when they say don’t judge a book by its cover, they are right, cause sterotypes are bullshit. Then again most of the time they aren’t talking about Omar Santana’s new album Hardcore for the Headstrong. This mix is exactly what its title suggests: This shit is fucking hardcore. Now let’s first make an important distinction. This album is hardcore in the techno sense of the word, meaning blistering relentless beats, 180+ bpm tempos, dark, nightmare-inducing samples etc. To his credit, Omar’s mix is flawless and his track selection is.... scary. This disc will help you continue scaring your parents, while simultaneously giving you some scorching tunes to crank. -Andy Barrett

Granfaloon Bus-Exploded View
Boxkite
This band from San Francisco reminds me a bit of later era Uncle Tupelo if Cake’s John McCrea had produced them. Really good songs well sung and a great recording make this a really good CD that I like to listen to. –John Baccigaluppi

Converge-Jane Doe
Equal Vision Records
The CD is placed in the tray. Press the close button. Take a deep breath. Take out the album artwork to view. Exhale. Crack knuckles. Quick breath. Hit Play. Oh…My…God. Like a swarm of locusts Converge pour through you and rip away everything and anything. I strangely feel a warm blanket of comfort every time I listen to this record. This is what despair, pain, and love should sound like. I tense up and feel every tempo change. I can see their energy, taste the sweat. It’s been three years since a full length Converge album. Too damn long. Exhale. -Chris SproulsThe Mad Capsule Markets

Osc-Dis (Oscillator in Distortion)
Palm Pictures
Instead of fucking around with bullshit I’ll get straight to the point: This is the fucking heaviest, most exciting album I’ve heard all year. Fuck Slipknot, fuck Limp Bizkit, fuck Mud-System-of-a-Roach-Pool. Let the fucking bodies hit the floor, cause The Mad Capsule Markets are the ones holding the smoking gun. Leave it to the Japanese to come out with a truely hard album to blast the fuck away all of the current bullshit, that’s clogging the arteries of the American music scene. Combining elements of hardcore (techno and punk), frenetic drum and bass beats, ripping synth lines, huge walls of distorted guitar and more energy than I’ve heard from an album of its kind since Refused, The Shape of Punk to Come, The Mad Capsule Market sound like what you might expect a super protein shake containing the ground up members of Atari Teenage Riot, Slipknot, Buffalo Daughter and Cibo Matto to taste like, bones and all. Alternating between Japanese and English, their lyrical content ranges from epic mediations on the future of mankind and other tripped out sci-fi shit to the importance of seizing the moment and blasting the bullshit away with super high powered lasers and shit. I won’t even mention the included ill mini-DVD containing the punk-Star Wars video for (pulse) and some other crazy shit. This album gets me pissed off, hyped up and in the mood the go out and eliminate all of the stupid bullshit counter-productive negativity and ignorance that exists in the world today. Basically, The Mad Capsule Markets give you two choices: Rock out to their shit or continue floating along in your bullshit existence, pretending that you’re satisfied with what is going on in your world. -Andy Barrett

The Thumbs-Last Match
Adeline Records
I didn’t know what to expect when I got this and at first I wasn’t sure I even liked it. Bordering a fine line between melodic hardcore and an emo-ish vibe to the vocals, the Thumbs play heartfelt music with very good lyrics and strong musical arrangements. The more I thought about it the more they reminded me of Lifetime. This disk should win over a variety of listeners and could be the sleeper album of the summer. -Mitch S.

Karl Denson-Dance Lesson #2
Blue Note Records
Former Greyboy Allstar, Karl Denson, returns to the jazz scene with a vengeance on his latest release “Dance Lesson #2”. From start to finish this CD explodes with a funky, hip-hop jazz-fusion, incomparable to any other jazz project being played today. Denson has compiled some of the best modern jazz musicians to help fuel his awesome sound. This CD features Charlie Hunter, Chris Wood, DJ Logic, and Leon Spencer. This is as extremely smooth as it is funky. Each track makes you want to keep listening for more. If you are into hip-hop, jazz, or any of the people featured on this disk, then it is definitely worth giving a listen to. –e-love

Goldie-Goldie.co.uk
Moonshine
Since there has been Drum and Bass there has been Goldie. Founder of the infamous Metalheadz label, Goldie is certainly one of the original pioneers of Jungle and certainly could be considered one of the first world class DJs of the genre. Fuck, the man’s got a mouth full of gold goddamotherfuckin’ teeth, motherfucker, which have landed him roles in Snatch and the last Bond movie. But that shit is beside the point. The point happens to be Goldie’s new mix disc the title of which happens to double as the link for Goldie’s new website, Goldie.co.uk. Whether that was planned or coincidental, we can only speculate. The only thing that the boys in Intelligence know for sure is that this gold-toothed son of a bitch can mix one hell of a drum and bass set. Technically? Flawless victory. Fatality. If it wasn’t for the fact that my computer’s CD player leaves a little time gap in between songs, I wouldn’t be able to tell when one track becomes the next. Style? Predominately that hard, nasty sound that you know and love, but there is some range here. This mix starts out with big, nasty, industrial-strength, speaker-blowin’ basslines that gradually segue into dubbier subsonic drop shit. By the time you reach halfway point, you start to tap your foot a little bit and order up a martini. By the time you get to Uncut’s Midnight, you’re up out of your seat dancing like you do when you’re alone in your room, all naked and shit (we have pictures). All in all, this mix is extremely solid. Will it break drum and bass in America? No, but the fact that Goldie released this album on Moonshine, America’s forefront electronic music label, means that it’s only a matter of time. -Andy Barrett

Aphex Twin-Drukqs
Warp Records
Aphex Twin is our generation’s poster boy for “misunderstood genius.” No single person is doing more to expand our notions of what is “musically possible” than Aphex Twin. This long awaited new double CD (quadruple vinyl!) release from electronic music’s most highly regarded and little understood father figure is nothing short of astounding. Anyone new to Aphex Twin will find listening to “Drukqs” similar to stepping onto another world where everything is upside down, backwards, and moves so fast that you can’t even think. But even those of you who already know Aphex Twin (records like “Come To Daddy,” “Selected Ambient Works II” and “Windowlicker”) will sink your teeth into Drukqs and find you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. The 30 tracks on Drukqs range from the most blazingly-fast intelligent programming (ala Squarepusher), to delicate solo piano pieces, to bizarre ambient Martian soundscapes, to minimal, fluffy acid tracks. This album is unmistakably the work of someone who is both mentally unbalanced and unquestionably brilliant. Every track is a peek into a world of unheard sonic possibilities. With Drukqs, Aphex Twin has not only cemented his place in the history of music, he has set a down a blueprint for the future of music yet to come. -Chachi Jones

Money Mark-Change Is Coming
Emperor Norton
Money Mark, aka Mark Ramos-Nishita, is a keyboardist known for helping out the Beastie Boys. His solo album a few years back was a pleasant surprise, debuting a sideman with some serious songwriting chops. And unfortunately missing from this CD, a great vocalist. His first CD contained some really great pop songs, but this is all instrumental mainly in the loungey-jazzy feel that some of the late period Beasties started to dabble in. At times, I feel like I’m hearing the theme music to some 70’s TV shows I somehow missed. This is a cool instrumental party or background CD, but I miss the vocals and pop songs a bit. Cool guest stars like Sean Lennon and Los Lobos make appearances as well. -John Baccigaluppi

Sparklehorse-It’s A Wonderful Life
Capitol
In one of the ‘major’ music mags I read one critic’s review that said this CD is a ‘lo-fi masterpiece.’ What a fucking insult. A masterpiece yes, but to call this disc lo-fi is like calling Sgt. Peppers lo-fi. I suppose that by today’s standard of artificial, phony pop recordings made shiny perfect by computer geeks practiced in the art of Pro-Tools manipulations, this is lo-fi. But coming from an aesthetically impoverished society that prefers margarine and fake boobs over real butter and titties, just give me the butter and titties. If Blink 182 seems real to you, then skip to the next review. If not, then buy this record immediately. Sound wise, this CD sets new sonic expectations kinda like Cake but without the kitschy cheese factor. This is not rock, no. This is more of a slowly burning trip akin to Low, Grandaddy or for you classic rockers, Pink Floyd. Nope, it’s not loud or distorted or angry. But, you’re brain dead if it doesn’t command your attention the instant you put it on in it’s quiet intensity. The recording with main Sparklehorse guy Mark Linkous helped out by folks like Tom Waits, PJ Harvey and her guitarist John Parish, Nina Persson (Cardigans), Adrian Utley (Portishead), and über-producer Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev) is absolutely stellar. Far from lo-fi, this CD is both the sound of the future and classic. Unlike most contemporary recordings, this will still sound great in 20 years. Enough about the recording, what about the music? I’m a Sparklehorse fan so after hearing good things about this disc, I bought it on Weds. September 19. Like a lot of people, the past week had been both surreal and depressing. It’s easy to take a negative view of humanity in the light of that weeks events. Beyond the political rhetoric of the news media, the sad soulfullness and beauty of It’s A Wonderful Life reminded me that humans are capable of not only unspeakable acts of brutality, but also, and hopefully most often, acts of kindness, beauty and passion. I credit my wife, family and friends for keeping me positive that week, but this disc is a close second or third. –John Baccigaluppi

Cursive-Burst And Bloom
Saddle Creek
“I’ll try to make this perfectly clear. I’m so transparent; I disappear. These words I lyrically defecate upon songs I boldly claim to create,” sings Cursive’s Tim Kasher on Burst and Bloom’s first track Sink to the Beat over a continuing strum of guitar before the drum and cymbal kicks in, and he gets to the meat of the subject. The voice effect lays off, and Kasher intensely relates the facts of the “marketing scheme” of the EP, their “DC Sound: Fugazi, Shudder to Think, Chapel Hill around the early 90s.” Think it’s bold? It is. Kasher is unrelenting until by the end of the track, he’s screaming, the guitars are thrashing, and you know this is no indie-rock posturing bullshit. He accepts the truth with all its violence and passion, and the pummeling of instruments continues feverishly onward through The Great Decay. Tall Tales, Telltales slows down the manic progression with a song, reminiscent of early Radiohead, through the eyes of precisely driven hardcore. Moods mentally push their way in and out of tracks, and the EP is all-together mesmerizing in its undeniably bleeding ache. With this EP and last year’s Domestica I’m continuously amazed with this bands madness and melody. -Lisa Gunter

Los Chicharrons-Blow for Me Blow for You
Tummy Touch
Over half of the bands that say they are doing “fusion” are either full of shit or boring as hell. Not Los Chicharrons, though. These two random dudes- Ramon, the Dominican, and Morten, the Dane- use Afro beats, Latin flavor, horns, computers and psychedelic, poppy, funky-ass vibes. This album bends and blends dance sounds and samples in an original way that is accessibly danceable, humorous, and intriguing. It’s one of the albums you can throw on so nobody leaves your party. -Ruvan

Batidos-Olajope
Six Degrees Records
Sometimes the only antidote for unhappiness is a good dose of dance music. Enter Batidos, a New York-based collective featuring producer & songwriter heavyweights Ron Trent and Jay Rodriguez. While most of today’s attempts at rhythmic, tropical faire seem contrived and coerced, Olajope features some top-notch instrumentation from Chucho Valdes - one of Latino America’s greatest pianists - and Eddie Bobe - a percussionist who needs no introduction. From tracks like Tengo Sed to the uplifting Buscame, Olajope is yet another reason to check into Six Degrees, the San Francisco-based label. Over the past five years, Six Degrees has made themsleves a household name in world and dance, and because of their inevitable fusion. If you’re a fan of David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label or just need an introduction into the Latino community, Batidos is a wise buy. Sixdegreesrecords.com. - Eddie Jorgensen

Bad Ronald-Self-Titled Debut
Reprise
Yet another weed crazed group of Hip Hoppers grab the spotlight for their 15 minutes of MTV style fame. This is a very commercial, pop kind of rap that seems to be gaining popularity these days. I wish I could say I didn’t like this CD but it is very catchy, and fun to listen to. These guys can rap pretty darn good too. And their new video is probably the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. All in all, a good effort that is definitely worth a listen. -Drew Lawson

Yellow Card-One For The Kids
Lobster
As the months have gone by I must have heard the name Yellow Card a half a dozen times or more, as the next band in line to take the emo throne. While I won’t go as far as their prognosticators, I will agree that this latest offering has all the tools to take these guys pretty far as the best in their genre. Hailing from beautiful Santa Barbara, CA, several songs find this punk/emo band refusing to rest on easy three chord structures. Adding the very interesting violin to songs like “Drifting” and the wondrous “Sureshot” brings an element of maturity that I think takes this band to another level. “Trembling” has the darkness of an early Bad Religion song as mixed with the lyrics and vocal styling of Saves The Day. The record is full of this capacity to mix different elements of their musical rainbow. They taking chances that most other bands would and ignore, Yellow Card steps up to the plate and makes the most out of every song as if it was their last. It’s easy to buy into these songs because they are so well written and catchy as hell. -Che Brooks

New Order-Get Ready
Warner Brothers
New Order has put out some of the most heartfelt music for depressed boys and girls- songs about breaking up, being pathetic and sad- songs that always seem to make us feel better when we’re left in the cold. Their first release in eight years, Get Ready, is no exception. While Get Ready sets itself apart with a harder edge and post-millennial sensibility, New Order still does the same thing it’s been doing since it started: distinct guitar riffs and ever-present bass-lines over trademark new wave techno accompanied by lonely, sometimes surfacey lyrics. New Order’s punk-inspired, danceable, melancholy pop has never made people feel so isolated on a crowded dance floor. Some of the songs, such as Crystal and Primitive Notion are louder and more frenzied than any of the songs before, but still as catchy as older hits like Everything’s Gone Green, True Faith, Bizarre Love Triangle, Regret or the timeless Blue Monday. Raw and jagged, Rock the Shack features Primal Scream [if you’re familiar with their XTRMNTR album, you’ll notice the guitar riff used in Shoot Speed/Kill Light] and Billy Corgan, surprisingly, makes an appearance on Turn My Way. I love New Order. –Ruvan

Cruiser-Northern Electric
Devil In The Woods
This is a stunningly lush and dreamy indie rock release. A delicate balance of understated female vocals floating over slow, swirling guitar melodies and an engaging use of both live and programmed drumbeats. Imagine a sobered-up, less claustrophobic sounding My Bloody Valentine married together with everything that’s good about introspective indie rock acts like Tortoise and Yo La Tengo. The Devil In The Woods label has fast become one of my favorites. -Chachi Jones

Solex-Low Kick & Hard Bop
Matador
AKA Elisabeth Esselink, Solex is a slice-and-dice, sound collage artist working in Amsterdam. Vocally Low Kick leans towards rhymey sing song chants which would almost get tiring if they didn’t work so well within the context of this disc. But the music is the most interesting part of this disc. Samples are pulled from a lot of sources, and as the title implies be-bop jazz is a primary source. But, Solex also pulls from just about any American music from the first half of last century including blues, R & B, big band and classical. In lesser hands, this kind of sound collage can quickly get tiring, but Esselink pulls it off with an un-erring ear for melody, rhythm and song structure. If you already like this type of music, you’ll surely dig this and if you thought you didn’t like sample based music, this disc just might make you rethink your stance. –John Baccigaluppi

Detroit Grand Pubahs-Funk All Y’all
Jive Electro Records
Prince+Daft Punk+George Clinton+some Viagra mistaken for Rolls+a bunch of stank-ass hos=Detriot Grand Pubah’s Funk All Y’all. This shit cracks me up. I don’t want to say too much, because it’s better to figure this sex-crazed dynamic duo on your own, but this is some quality ass-shakin’ goodness produced by a couple of fuckers even more perverted than yourself. And the one-two punch of One Hump or Two and Sandwiches back to back will have you in a good mood and mackin’ for the rest of the day. This disc works great at a party, up in the club or just kickin’ it with the crew. With one hand on the creative pulse of the music scene and the other down their pants, Detroit Grand Pubahs have struck.....ass. -Andy Barrett

Milemarker-Anaesthetic
Jade Tree
Milemarker’s big thing is making hardcore/punk music with samplers and keyboards. I suppose that’s no big thing anymore, partially because everyone is using keyboards and samplers, and hardcore/punk has veered down so many paths that if you tried to put your finger on it’s nose you’d either poke it’s eye out or find your finger up its ass. Hee hee. Regardless, Milemarker’s contribution to the enormous pile of CDs that came out this season is a notable one. They play with new wave, making it much much louder- banging drums, raging guitars, etc. The entire band sings, and the sound of their voices is appealing, even the keyboardist who I swore was female until I learned his name. The music is melodic and familiar, which can be attributed to hardcore/punk roots. The album is generally listenable, and reminiscent of early 90s Dischord stuff. If you’re an indie-rock kid give this one a listen- it’s worth it. If you are looking to buy your indie-rock lover a gift, this will work.-Ruvan

Pullman-Viewfinder
Thrill Jockey
Pullman consists of Chris Brokaw, Ken Brown, Curtis Harvey, Doug McCombs, and Tim Barnes. Chances are that if you are into indie-rock, at least one of these guys is or has been in a band that you love. In any case, this album is a celebration of the guitar and its relatives. There are no vocals and it’s, for the most part, acoustic but definitely organic. The sound is mellow and beautiful, sleepy and dreamy, thus, a highly recommended Sunday afternoon soundtrack. -Ruvan

Björk-Vespertine
Elektra
Iceland’s most beloved export is back with another uniquely great album of moody, quirky and beautiful pop. Continuing with her experiments mixing cutting edge electronics and traditional acoustic instruments like Homogenic’s ‘drum ‘n strings’ arrangements, Vespertine finds Björk using music boxes as a major new instrument while collaborating with knob twisters and mouse pushers like Spike Stent, Marius de Vries and Matmos. Found sounds and samples also seem to be a bit more prominent on this release, as are more Pro Tools plug ins and editing manipulations. With so little really original music being put out, Björk is always a breath of fresh air. She also seems to be an acquired taste, so you’ll either love or hate this. -John Baccigaluppi

Mr. Wright-Hello Is There Anyone Out There
Le Grand Magistery
Michigan-based label, Le Grand Magistery, has been putting out some of the best pop from the U.K. for better part of the 90’s. From the quirky laptop odes of Momus to the synth-pop of Stars to Kahimi Kirie, it would seem that Matthew Jacobson’s (label honcho) tastes were nothing short of impeccable. Mr. Wright aka Kevin Wright with some very special guests, finds a sound akin to the early works of Thomas Dolby, The Church, and his labelmate, Momus (for vocal delivery only). Sailor On The Sea could very well be your song request at your next high school reunion dance while songs like The Nightwatchman should have been in that Indie film with the name that eludes me. Kevin’s telling soliloquies scream to be heard by fans of High Llamas and Stereolab just as much as the avid Beach Boys or retro-enthusiast. Triumphs in this genre are far and few between these days and the timing of this release couldn’t be any more apropos. -Eddie Jorgensen

Will Haven-Carpe Diem
Revelation
On their third release, Sacramento’s most infamous monsters of mayhem return to their sick senses and dole out upon the masses an album, more intense than their two previous. Guitarist extraordinaire, Jeff Irwin, has upped his axe antics, and the accompanying riffage that permeates this album is a testament to the fact that Will Haven can lay down the hesh better than any drop d geeks. Grady’s signature raspy growl has not diminished (He still has vocal cords?) and Mike Martin’s bass experience will leave you grasping your head wounds after being battered by him (stay out of the front row). The new addition to the band is drummer Mitch, who has picked up the baton from original drummer Wayne Morse, and hasn’t missed a beat. I am positive this is Will Haven’s last release on Revelation, so support the only metal band on a label that continues to get blander every year, but not Will Haven; they are aging gracefully like a fine wine, or a blunt waiting to be rolled. -Brad Oates

Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions
Bavarian Fruit Salad
Rough Trade
Ms. Sandoval was the singer in one of the best chill out bands ever, Mazzy Star. She’s got a really unique, breathy voice that other less talented indie-rockers have imitiated, but never got quite right, too many times. Somehow, in Mazzy Star, David Roback always was thought of as the main musical force. On Fruit Salad, Sandoval clearly demonstrates that she can more than hold her own as a songwriter and producer, as well as having great pipes. I just picked this up as we’re going to deadline, but I can tell this will spend lot’s of time in the player over the next few months. -John Baccigaluppi

Bigwig-An Invitation To Tragedy
Fearless Records
The boy’s from Jersey are back with their second. After a ton of touring and a couple of line-up changes the guy’s sat down, stepped up and wrote one of the best punk albums of the year. This band reminds me so much of one of my favorite bands Strung Out, with the structure/progression on songs like Sore Loser, Mr. Asshole and Who Am I To Say. This band hides nothing and thanks numerous bands (NOFX, Pennywise) for the riff biting. Pretty fucking cool if you ask me, who doesn’t steal riff’s c’mon tell the truth? This will definitely go down as a favorite among listeners/fans and should definitely help the always touring Bigwig gain the attention they deserve. -Robb Armstrong

Mark Grant-Sound Design Volume 2
OM Records
DJ Mark Grant compiles some of today’s funkiest house music to create a very pleasing, soulful mix of dance tracks. Grant’s smooth mixing style creates a continuous flow of musical ecstasy. Each track blends into the other with remarkable accuracy and richness. With the tweaked out overbearing sound of some electronic music today, Grant strays away from that and brings the straight-up funk “disco” style. The funky bass lines, vivid samples and powerful lyrics make this CD rise above much of the other mix CDs being produced today. If you are looking for good house music on the old school tip, then you might want to check this CD out. -e-love