Aesop Rock -Labor Days
Def Jux Records
In a time when hip-hop has become saturated with posturing and
stagnation, AesopRock emerges as the breath of fresh air I've
been waiting for. I'll cut right to the chase: Labor Days is
nothing short of a fucking masterpiece. On Labor Days AesopRock
has not only figured out how to say everything you and every
MC in the world has ever wanted to say, but has come up with
a whole new way to say it. The simplicity of Blockhead and Omega
One's dark/solemn beats and musical backdrop on Labor Days act
as the perfect vehicle to carry the complexity and depth of
the lyrics. The quality of the lazy yet machine gun like delivery
of AesopRock’s verse overflows into hypnotizing choruses.
There is a desperation and honesty in AesopRock's poetry and
voice that materializes into the image of a frustrated man at
the end of his rope making his final plea, yet AesopRock is
so careful never to cheapen it by sounding manic. The focus
in the delivery of these images combined with the sinister beats
is beyond compare. Labor Days is the music of experience; the
hard and desperate times in life that eat away at you. Somehow
AesopRock manages to turn all of this into a coherent story-rhyme
soundtrack that reminds the listener that there is no shame
in being down; there is no shame in admitting that life is a
long, lonely, and frustrating road. -Jacob C. Jordan III
Fu Manchu-California Country
Mammoth Records
This So-Cal quartet has been driven by a penchant for motorbikes,
low-rider cars, and Mary Jane since their debut on Bong Load
Records. Their latest album, California Country, explores territory
not unlike their peers - Kyuss, Spirit Caravan, Mondo Generator,
etc., with considerable effect. Fueled by a healthy dose of
fuzz guitar and powerhouse drumming, songs like Squash That
Fly and Downtown in Dogtown rock as good as any Queens of the
Stone Age track. As always, the band's attention to timely artifacts
such as the horrific Bultaco motorcycle and the once popular
Mongoose bikes. California Country wreaks of practice sessions
swathed in excess of beer, pot, and motorbike smoke. If you're
wondering why Black Sabbath made the wrong turn years ago, do
yourself a favor and investigate this release. A must-have for
head shop enthusiasts. -Eddie Jorgensen
The Eyeliners-Sealed with a Kiss
Lookout Records
I'm not a huge fan of poppy punk, but I am sucker for female
vocals. The Eyeliners mix me up and make me feel like I just
got done watching Thelma and Louise as I rock out to this while
driving down the road. All the songs are catchy as hell and
you'll be singing the love style choruses in no time. Sexy like
the Go-Go's and rockin' out like their Lookout colleagues-you
know you want it. I love it. -Mitch S.
Butthole Surfers-Weird Revolution
Hollywood Records
I once said, "There's two types of people in this world.
There's Ted Nugent, then there's everybody else!" Well
maybe I should change that to Gibby Haynes, world famous weirdo
and frontman for the Butthole Surfers. This guy is ultra bizarre
on a consistent basis. I really liked their last CD Electric
Larryland a lot. Gibby has a really cool voice and can write
great songs. On Weird Revolution, we see the same charisma and
eccentric charm as before. But this time, there are more experimental
cuts; more like an art record. Gibby is undeniably an artist
before he is a musician. If you're a fan of the group, pick
this up for sure. If not buy Electric Larryland first. Then
go check this out. It will make more sense. My favorite song
on the disc Red Bike, is almost worth the price alone. -Drew
Lawson
Land Of The El Caminos-Subourbon
Boojm Records
Chicago-based trio Land Of The El Caminos have more in common
with bands like the Replacements, Social Distortion, and New
York's gutter-punk movement than their name would allude to.
I would have guessed they’re a stoner rock outfit. Their
third full-length album, a mix of anthem-laden punk and street
savvy rock n' roll, shows the band's attention to great hooks
and melody. Unlike most trios, LOTEC features keyboards, xylophone,
and even the classic Moog. Unlike the budding Chicago indy scene,
'Subourbon' combines the raucous three-chord song with delightful
keyboard work. Lyrically, LOTEC is miles ahead of their punk
rock ilk, taking the personal approach one step further. Says
Fanelli, "Heaven is a place where you spray everyone in
the face with your love. I'm never gonna see your face again."
Taken in context, LOTEC's anecdotes could be the answer to every
man and woman's relationships. A triumph for punk rock.-Eddie
Jorgensen
Brand New-Your Favorite Weapon
Triple Crown
Pop punk had the potential of going in two different directions.
In the first, basically the way that it ended up going, songs
got real bland and cheesy, and all the new bands ended up sounding
exactly like their predecessors. Or, pop punk could have taken
another route and gotten a lot deeper musically and lyrically,
a bit more technical, and be anything but annoying. This is
exactly what Brand New sounds like; great, witty, lyrical compositions,
which are a little on the dark side at times. Supported by some
nicely placed guitar hooks and an abundance of catchy stops
and breaks; a mix somewhere between Pully and Gameface. The
last song on the album is a rad acoustic song, which seems to
be quite the rage these days and its songs like this that proves
why. -Dustin Klein
Garrison-Be A Criminal
Revelation Records
Awesome is the only way I can define Garrison's new release
Be A Criminal. Now I know I use the clichéd‚ word
"awesome" in almost every review I write, so I figured
I wouldn't stray to far from that pattern because this release
is just that fucking good! Be A Criminal, Garrison's second
full length release on Revelation Records is an Emotional-Hardcore
shot in the face that doesn't hurt, it just gets your attention.
I loved their first full length A Mile In Cold Water, but this
release is the golden ticket that Charlie found in his Wonka
bar. With great song writing, strong production (J. Robbins
of Jawbox/Burning Airlines fame) and nice packaging, Garrison
is to Revelation Records what At The Drive-In was to Fearless
Records; a meal ticket. I hope these guy's get their due and
that Rev gives them enough publicity/promotion to take them
to the next step because it would be a shame for only fans of
the band, and not the general public to hear this masterpiece.
-Robb Armstrong
Jimmy Eat World-Bleed American
Dreamworks
If the new label change doesn't hint enough towards which direction
this once outstanding group is headed, then you are probably
suffering from a bad case of denial, or you don't waste all
your time with music. Regardless, Bleed American is definitely
a lot more radio friendly then any of Jimmy Eat World’s
other releases. Not to say that the album isn't good, it is
just very poppy with a whole lot of sing along parts and catchy
choruses that get stuck in your head all day. It doesn't seem
to be as from the heart and personal as their other stuff and
has that whole major label over produced "everything is
perfect" ooze all over it. Jimmy Eat World definitely has
their eyes on the Top 10 charts and in store play at Target
with this new album. If Blink 182 and New Found Glory are big
on your lists right now then you will love Bleed American, and
if you've heard Jimmy Eat World before then well all I can say
is, it's not Clarity. -DKlein
Hoobastank-S/T
Island Records
Island Records' latest entry into the nu-metal sweepstakes comes
in the form of an Agoura Hills four-piece. Their self-titled
debut, the follow-up to their self-released They Sure Don't
Make Basketball Shorts Like They Used To, is a worthwhile affair
comparable to Incubus, Linkin Park (sans the power growl workouts),
and Papa Roach. Of course, it's only fitting that the boys chose
two of the aforementioned band's producers to help them navigate.
Hoobastank, although still in their twenties, show a remarkable
sense of melody on tracks like Remember Me, Pieces, and the
standout track, Too Little Too Late. Dan Robb is competent in
most vocal registers, aided by the able rhythm section of Markku
Lappalainen and Chris Hesse. Although not my particular cup
of tea, if I spiked my hair and wore loose pants once again,
Hoobstank's logo just might make it's way onto my speedway jacket.
-Eddie Jorgensen
Revolution Smile-We Are In This Alone
Buddyhead
A few issues back I reviewed the Rev Smile EP which was one
of my fave guitar based rock CDs that I heard last year. 2002
finds the band now releasing their first full-length on the
new Buddyhead label. The EP was really good, but this full length
is much better. Rev Smile is a new band with former Far guitarist
Shaun Lopez fronting the band. Although I liked everybody in
Far, I was never a huge fan of their music, so it was a very
pleasant surprise to find that Shaun has matured into a very
above average songwriter and is also possessed of one of the
best rock voices I've heard in quite a while; powerful, believable
and on the edge. Think melodic hard rock-kinda like the Foo
Fighters but much more powerful and hard edged. While basically
hard guitar pop, both American hardcore and British electronica
equally influence the disc, giving Rev Smile a unique sound.
I'll readily admit I'm a bit biased as the band recorded the
basic tracks in my studio and I helped out a bit with the engineering,
but I only did it because I like them so much, so my bias is
moot. What's even more impressive about this disc is that Shaun
self-produced and mixed it himself and is making a bit of a
name for himself in NorCal as a producer. I guess all the time
he spent around folks like Brad Wood and D. Sardy was well spent.
There are lots of really cool production touches, yet the disc
never comes off as overproduced. That Shaun mixed this very
"pro" sounding disc in his bedroom on Cubase is a
testament to both him and how powerful home recording has become.
There's also a couple of stripped down moodier, more atmospheric
songs with out the full band that showcase further showcase
Shaun's production and songwriting skills. If you're feeling
like a lot of guitar based bands are treading water, find this
disc. -JB
cLOUDDEAD-S/T
Mush Records
Why hasn’t the Bay Area’s Anticon hip-hop collective
become the biggest thing since sliced bread? Deep Puddle Dynamics,
Them, cLOUDDEAD (just to name a few) are all producing some
of the most interesting, progressive, and cerebral hip-hop in
the country. cLOUDDEAD’s most recent release is a collection
of 10’s recorded between 1998-2000. As a collection it’s
almost too much. Every track is so dense, so honest, so compelling,
so confusing, so full of hopelessness that by the end of the
record you can’t help but feel totally overwhelmed. It’s
more surrealism than it is hip-hop. They’ve stripped everything
down to its bare essentials simplifying every element within
each piece, blurring the line between imagination and reality.
The beats and samples seem like they would be more suited to
a Neotropic and the lyrics/rapping/spoken-word seems an ode
to Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea. The density of the verse
combined with the layers of nakedness within the beats create
avant-hip-hop soundscapes that become more addicting and pleasure
inducing than mainlining morphine. - Jacob C. Jordan III
Ratos De Porao -Guerra Civil Canibal
Alternative Tentacles
Athough they never gained the popularity of fellow country-men
Sepultura, RDP garnered much respect from their peers, not to
mention a whole legion of US punks. After a brief run on RC
Records, the move to Jello's incestuous yet always boundary
pushing label would only seem proper. On their latest 8-song
platter, the band's punk roots materialize to make up this fetid
compilation of sloppy metal and boundary-breaking punk rock.
Like a bad case of halitosis, RDP dish out their own versions
of covers of such disparate artists as Jello Biafra, Half Japanese,
and Sepultura, leaving their trademark foul taste. Even the
cover art is stolen from www.rotten.com, featuring a cannibal
devouring a seemingly decomposed human calf. In addition, the
band sings in their native language on a few of the band's more
confrontational tracks such as Toma Trouxa and Obesidade Morbida
Constitucional, my favorite track of the lot. -Eddie Jorgensen
Jim O' Rourke -Insignificance
Drag City Records
Ex-Gastr Del Sol's Jim O'Rourke has never been an easy man to
peg. Perhaps he was born to disconcert the masses (and the press,
for that matter). Maybe Jim detests conventional rock formulas.
Insignificance, his latest album for the Windy City's finest
label, is far from insignificant. From the opening riffs of
All Downhill From Here to the dirgy Therefore I Am, his latest
platter could best be compared to Howe Gelb weaned on a steady
diet of Pavement, or Malkmus' latest solo project. Jim gets
some help from Ken Vandermark, Jeff Tweedy, Tim Barnes, and
a host of assorted friends with multiple talents. At times,
O' Rourke evokes the cynicism of Cat Stevens or an early Jim
Croce and then, like a true dilletante, embarks on a Stones
riff. O' Rourke is a songwriter, first and foremost, who could've
easily passed for one of his mentors, whoever they may be. Sounding
always unfinished, like he's ready to complete yet another thought,
O'Rourke's latest is yet another victory for those Drag City
kids. Nice work....- Eddie Jorgensen
Lost Prophets-The Fake Sound Of Progress
Columbia
Imagine a combination of DJ Shadow's smooth atmospheric beats,
the ever decisive vocals of Mike Patton (Mr. Bungle/Faith No
More), the bone crushing emotional hardcore of Boy Sets Fire,
and the song structuring of the late Orange 9mm and what do
you have? The Lost Prophets. These guy's are just flat out insanely
technical and deliver some of the freshest sounds I've heard
form the Hardcore/Hip Hop/Metal genre in a long, long time.
I picked this disc up on a whim because of a friend who had
mentioned how sick they were, and with one listen and I was
sold. The Fake Sound Of Progress is put in line with such recently
released technical wonders such as Tool’s Aenema and At
The Drive-In's Relationship of Command, in the sense that the
listener is left to wonder how the hell someone wrote something
so good. From what I am hearing and seeing these guy's are getting
rave reviews in almost every publication that's reviewed them
and Heckler is no exception. To anyone who's a fan of the above-mentioned
bands do yourself a favor and pick up this release.-Robb Armstrong
Cutthroats 9-Anger Management
Reptilian Records
Some albums bring out the worst in us. Upon hearing Anger Management,
I felt the strange urge to drop an anvil on some unsuspecting
chaps' head. The second album from Chris Spencer (Unsane) is
an eyebrow-raising affair to say the least. Fans of Spencer's
former band will rejoice that this three-piece delivers the
goods and then some. Fans of long forgotten metal alternative
label, Amphetamine Reptile Records, Will Haven, and early Helmet
will embrace tracks like the seemingly familiar Prey or Bleed.
If you've been looking for the perfect album to clear the classroom
during show and tell, Anger Management should do the trick.
Of course, I'd never drop an anvil on anyone's head. I'd use
a mallet....-Eddie Jorgensen
Clinic-Walking With Thee
Domino
It's hard to separate a band from excessive hype and Clinic
has been getting plenty of that lately, with critics comparing
them to Radiohead while the band themselves (Radiohead) citing
Clinic as one of their fave bands at the moment. It's hard to
listen to this CD without those comparisons in mind or for this
disc to live up to the hype. While the vocals are slightly Thom
Yorke-ish, Clinic seems to lack some of the mystery and uniqueness
that has defined Radiohead as of late. Overall, Walking With
Thee is a more straight ahead rock record and with it's liberal
use of guitars in the early rock idiom, Harmonica, Rhodes, and
even Farfisa organ, the CD sounds more like a remix of a traditional
rock band that the total re-take on the genre that Kid A is.
That's not to say that Walking isn't a good record, 'cause it's
really good. One of the better things I've heard recently. It's
just too bad that hype is the first thing you're likely to hear
from the band. -JB
Eban & Charley-A Soundtrack by Stephin Merritt
Merge Records
Indy aficionados already know Merritt's work with Magnetic Fields,
The 6ths, and Future Bible Heroes. Eban & Charley is a movie
about the awkward relationship and pairing of two young men,
Eban (age 29) and Charley (age 15). Merritt's song selection,
including some stellar takes on such public domain staples as
"O Tannenbaum" and "Greensleeves," display
a breadth and depth not seen in today's soundtracks. On Maria
Maria Maria, we're treated to Merritt's version of lazy folk
showcasing his beautiful baritone. Some Summer Day sounds like
a phased-out spaghetti western offshoot whilst the one minute
This Little Ukelele does wonders for the imagination. Like the
movie which will open to art house theaters worldwide, this
soundtrack will go down in the annals of indie rock for it's
brilliant soundscapes and melodic interludes. Subtleties aside,
'Eban & Charley' is a graceful collection that any good
film producer would kill for. James Bolton (film's producer)
should be thanking his lucky stars that Merritt was able to
work his magic. -Eddie Jorgensen
Om Lounge 6-Various Artists
Om Records
It's hard to believe that Om Records is already on their sixth
installation of the highly popular 'Om Lounge' series. Om has
beefed up their roster considerably with such notable acts as
dZihan & Kamien, Soulstice, and Afro-Mystik. This particular
collection includes some rare 12" only tracks and is accentuated
by the addition of Mo' Horizons, Andy Caldwell, and Diffusion.
Folks looking for down-tempo without sounding like trite smooth
jazz will fast become fans of 'Om Lounge 6.' From the retro-funk/R&B
of Dance Naked Under Palm Trees to the sensuous synthesized
backdrops on Two Minutes, this is one collection that transitions
multiple genres into one homogeneous mix. Fans of Kruder &
Dorfmeister, Tosca, or any of the G-Stone family needn't look
further than San Francisco's boutique label du jour, Om Records.
-Eddie Jorgensen
Smogtown-Domesticviolenceland
Disaster Records
Smogtown returns with a fully loaded barrage of tracks. Their
last album had you fiending for more and this album delivers
it. These guys are SoCal's finest beach punk band: old-style
guitars blaze, heavy surf-style drums pound you and Chavez tells
it like it is. From the opening title track, (one of my faves)
they pick up where they left off attacking suburban America
once again; this time for it's mass development of tract homes.
Other songs paint old pictures of adolescents like Here Comes
Those Freaks Again; you know when you and your punk friends
would walk down the street and everyone would stop and stare.
Think Suburbia. Sneaking Out details when my brother and friends
would wake me up in the middle of the night to go skate the
Tilt Pool and all the things that we'd encounter in between.
And just like all their releases, every song kicks ass. Good
album, great band-highly recommended.-Mitch S.
Sugarcult-Start Static
Artemis/Ultimatum
Long ago, when you were just a candy bar in your daddy's back
pocket, a band called The Knack was the biggest thing around.
Gold records up the ying yang. Personally I can't listen to
The Knack anymore based on a bad memory with this mustached
girl named Ronlyn. But this band reminds me of a modern day
version of them, and they kick ass! Sugarcult blur the lines
between rock, pop, alternative, and power pop. Did I mention
they kick ass? Rockin', melodic tunes that sound good good good.
If you like your pop rockin', or your rock poppin'- pick this
up for sure! Soul Train dancers not included. -Drew Lawson
Good Clean Fun-Straight Outta Hardcore
Phyte 25 Records
Invoking the ghost of D.C. Hardcore legends Minor Threat, G.F.C."s
musical style is to grab you by the throat and not let go. Blistering,
mosh-inducing punk that kicks butt at the speed of light. These
guys are straight edge and follow it's doctrines to the letter,
but you don't have be straight edge to like them. They are just
about positive energy and having, well, "Good Clean Fun!”
Skating to this would probably amp you to try shit that a sane
man would decline. Play it for granny at the retirement home,
and she might bust out the H.B. Strut. If you are into fast,
tight punk, check these dudes out. -Drew Lawson
Locale A.M.-Before You Knew Me
Popsmear
A true melting pot of musical styles, Locale A.M. blend Hip
Hop, Pop, Jazz, and tons of other shit to make a real cool debut
record. A little bit of 311 and Red Hot Chili Peppers, combined
with turntables, guitar, and M.C's/singers to craft a sound
different from most hybrid bands popping up nowadays. As hard
as it is to sound fresh, these guys do a good job redefining
the future of music. A lot of talent makes the difference between
this going in my CD book or winding up as a pellet gun target.
If you love 311, and bands in that genre, Locale A.M. will make
a fan of you real quick.-Drew Lawson
Suicide Machines-Steal This Record
Hollywood Records
Those fans of Jack Kevorkian who brought us the punk classic
The Vans Song , are back with their third offering. But, unfortunately,
aside from the best version of R.E.M.'s It's The End Of The
World As We Know It I’ve ever heard, this album falls flat.
Song after song of fast, muddy, uninspired punk numbers that
blur together into one mishmash of mediocrity. This is a good
band, and I was bummed to hear such a haphazard effort from
them. Better luck next time fellas. -Drew Lawson
Stretch Arm Strong-A Revolution Transmission
Solid State
This new Stretch Arm Strong CD is amazingly diverse. It is all
over the board from melodic choruses to wailing guitar riffs
all the way to straight up hardcore breakdowns. That is what
makes SAS so unique and fun to listen to. This album reminds
me slightly of Avail’s Over the James with traditional
hardcore over tones. A Revolution Transmission is hard to nail
down into a genre, which is becoming increasingly harder and
harder to find these days. So many bands these days are biting
so hard on the next big thing, that they fall right into a certain
genre. No matter what type of music you are into odds are you
will like SAS. Check em' out dammit.-Dustin Klein
Bane-Give Blood
Equal Vision
Hardcore veterans Bane are back again with more breakdowns and
sing along parts that we have all grown to know and love. Clever
lyrics (as usual) and aggressive guitar help to get the point
across stronger then ever. A bit more up-tempo then any of Bane's
previous recordings, but not so much that it gets bland. One
of the best things about Bane are the vocals which are more
of a yell then a scream, and it works out surprisingly well.
Good fun hardcore more on the old school side of things and
less metal then a lot of HC bands. So go get your jerseys on,
do some windmills, and let the finger pointing begin.-Dustin
Klein
Converge-Jane Doe
Equal Vision
Converge is back once again with a new album that is literally
insane. This is not that hard to believe coming from a band
that once dedicated an entire set to "their brothers in
the Trench Coat Mafia," days after the whole Columbine
shooting. Jane Doe is a lot more technical and a bit less spastic
then any of Converge’s previous releases. Vocals are still
a higher scream then most bands in hardcore, and would be considered
more metal vocals then anything else. Musically they slow the
tempo down on everything on this new one which actually works
quite well. Don't get this confused with them getting any softer,
Converge can still hold the attention of any fan of hardcore
and metal and still not be classified into any particular genre.
Jane Doe is a very fitting new chapter for Converge; don't worry
you'll hear about it.-DK
Hey Mercedes-Everynight Fire Works
Vagrant
Vagrant is a label that continually surprises me by putting
out great album after great album never, missing a beat. They
help support that statement with their recent Hey Mercedes release.
More then half of the band are Braid members, so only good things
can happen. Everything Fire Works isn't as poppy as a lot of
the band’s label mates but, could be considered a poppy
indie style that is pulled off quite well. The vocals, which
are powered by some well thought out lyrics, sound a lot like
Promise Ring shying away from what Braid sounded like. These
guys have definitely matured musically and it really shows on
this album.-DK
Long Beach Dub Allstars-Wonders of the World
DreamWorks
The Dub Crusaders from Long Beach (L.B.D.A.) are at the controls
of a brand new release entitled Wonders of the World, a smooth
ass Reggae, Rock, and Hip Hop journey. Wonders, their second
effort on the DreamWorks label, is nothing short of awesome
and once again incorporates two of Reggae's premier Singer's
& DJ's in the form of the mighty, mighty Half Pint and the
quick rambling's of Mr.Tippa Irie. L.B.D.A., just like so many
of the great backing bands of the Rocker's era, (The High Times
Band, The Roots' Radics, Sly & Robbie and the Soul Syndicate)
take you on an orchestrated dub flight through the imaginative
mind with lot's of heavy bass lines and some ever so sweet horn's.
I definitely lean more towards their Reggae efforts than their
other stuff, but not being defined by one style make's them
one of a kind in a not so one of a kind scene (like all the
bandwagon bands that have no Reggae in their heart's what so
ever). I would love to see these guy's get a chance to do some
work with other singer's and DJ's (such as Rocker T, Determine
and Sizzla) or even releasing an album covering some Reggae
Classics, but that's just being flat out greedy now isn't it?
Alrighty then little kiddies, ask the folk's for some cha-chang
($$$) and get this now!-Robb Armstrong
Dungeon Family-Even In Darkness
Arista Records
I’m sure all of you Outkast fans out there are creaming
in your pants over this album. It’s your bad-top-40-hip-hop
supergroup dream come true: Outkast and a bunch of other assholes
(Mello, Big Rube, Witchdoctor, Khujo, Big Gipp, Freddie Calhoun,
Cee-Lo Sinatra, Ray Murray, blah blah blah.) making futile,
vapid, generic hip hop that sounds like a hundred other records
out right now. Don’t get me wrong, I like Missy and Ludacris
and Jay-Z and DMX and all that other shit I hear on the radio
as much as the next guy but the Dungeon Family just straight
up sucks. In fact, the Dungeon Family is kind of like the NSYNC
or Backstreet Boys of hip-hop; the right names, the right look,
the right time; a marketing department’s dream come true.
Just the fact that this album exists is obviously based on,
“well shit, everyone loves Outkast, that Sorry Miss Jackson
song was fucking huge so let’s let these assholes do whatever
they want cuz you know we’re going to make fucking bank
on it” reasoning. This absolutely sucks; it’s not
even worth writing about any further.-Jacob C. Jordan III
Sodom-M16
Steamhammer/ SPV
Germany produced a number of blasphemous metal acts in the last
twenty years. Leading the satanic crusade was Sodom, fronted
by Tom Angelripper, the band's only original member today, whose
subject matter - masturbation, war, death, sodomy, etc. - disturbed
many in both the UK and US. Ever since the In The Sign Of Evil
e.p., the band continued to expand on their sound and, in effect,
create a sub-genre for generations to follow. Dubbed war metal,
Sodom's lyrical content fixated on the trials and tribulations
of war. Songs like I Am The War, Marines, and Minejumper are
some of the albums stand-out tracks. Like some of their early
efforts, particularly Persecution Mania and Agent Orange, mid-tempo
thrash reigns supreme. Fans of Destruction, Onslaught, or even
Tankard will appreciate Sodom's devotion to the tremolo bar.
It's time to get tough...your death will be methodic. Abomination,
the final godsend.-Eddie Jorgensen
AmFm -Getting Into Sinking
Polyvinyl
AmFm's Brian Sokel had me hooked with the opening line on their
last record Mutilate Us with, "Hallelujah what I said to
the stars every night that I thought you might have crashed
your car/Hallelujah what I said to myself every day that I thought
you might have fucked some else.” And less than a year
later the Philadelphia duo of Sokel and long time friend Michael
Parsell, have released another album even though I still haven't
gotten over the last. Getting into Sinking picks up where Mutilate
Us left off, with simple song songs that unravel themselves
into everything and anything between pop classics, funky melodies,
electric folk, and acoustic dissident post punk. Their influences
are obvious, but Sokel and Parsell don't hide it, covering the
master storyteller Leonard Cohen's song "Hey, That's no
way to say goodbye." Still Sokel’s honest and bittersweet
storytelling shines on tracks like “Virgins! Virgins”
and “If We Burned All the Assholes The Earth Would Look
Like the Sun.” With wit, irony and attention to craft,
AmFm makes pop music that maters.-Jrawks
Antipop Consortium-The Ends Against The Middle
Warp Records
Unlike the rest of their label roster, the APC collective producers
a clever collection of beats and underground hip-hop in addition
to trademark, idioyncratic rhythms. E. Blaize provides the backdrop
for each of the three talented M.C's - Beans, Priest, and M.
Sayid - to compete for their limited space on each track. APC
disturb the status quo of hip-hop and offer non-traditional,
organic beats and, similarly, fuse them with rapid, often fluctuating
keyboard lines. Tracks like the biting Splinter ride on a single,
syncopated synth note and feature some awesome vocal trade-offs.
For fans of accapella rants, check out the breakdown in "39303.
Formed in 1997 to "disturb the equilibrium," this
collective breathes new life into both Warp's roster and hip-hop's
floundering genre. Fans of record labels such as Rawkus, Def
Jux, or even the Second Nature collective will be dumbfounded
that there's a semi-new kid on the block that'll go to verbal
war against anyone at anytime for a good laugh. -Eddie Jorgensen
Mike Ladd-Vernacular Homocide
Ozone Music
I’ve been a fan of Mike Ladd’s side project Infesticons
(Big Dada/Ninja Tune) for a couple of years now and it’s
too bad his solo work isn’t nearly as good. The one sheet
I received with this EP refers to Ladd’s “unique style”
as “Afro Punk.” I think “Afro Suck” is more
like it. Vernacular Homocide is it’s own worst enemy. Ladd
dabbles with different “styles” of music throughout
this EP but that’s all he does, dabble. Ladd’s music
seems to lack any sort of focus or innovation. He seems to play
with so many ideas but doesn’t ever let them develop into
anything of any substance. The Last Word is a sad attempt at
electro-funk bringing to mind what the Undisputed Truth would
have sounded like without soul. The track Northampton has inklings
of being a nice fuzzed out ambient hip-hop track but is ruined
by its annoying and pointless vocals. Cookie Jar has moments
of being great breezy lo-fi electro pop but goes nowhere. Music
For Tanks is definitely the highlight of the EP, bringing to
mind the same type of brooding and damaged beats, glitches,
and rhythmic patterns that Company Flow was known for. I won’t
even comment on the last track The Art of Timing (Freestyle
Poem For Moms). Hopefully Mike Ladd will tap into some of his
creative focus from the Infesticons and bring it to his solo
work.-Jacob C. Jordan III
Neil Halstead-Sleeping On Roads
4AD/Beggars Banquet
If there were any doubt that former Slowdive and current Mojave
3 member Halstead were an avid surfer, one look at the cover
art of this disc and one listen to the first cut, Seasons, on
this disc will end all doubts. The song directly quotes the
theme song of Endless Summer, probably still the most popular
and seminal film ever made about riding any kind of board, surf,
snow or skate. Fans of M3 and Halstead will not be disappointed
as the man that the British press calls "England's secret
weapon," turns out his 8th (four with Slowdive, Three with
M3 and this disc) beautifully crafted disc of quietly, beautiful
pop songs. Yet, this is just an interlude as apparently Mojave
3 are already working on a new album. One of the most reliable
people making music today. -JB
I Am Sam-Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
V2 Vermont -Calling Albany
Kindercore The Promise Ring-Woodwater
Anti/Epitaph
First off, let me get a few things off my chest and explain
why I'm choosing to review these three CDs together. As for
the first, I rarely find it worth my time, or this magazine's
while to review compilations or soundtracks. They are mostly
market driven re-hashes of previously released songs. But I
Am Sam got me to thinking a bit more than most soundtracks and
even most CDs that show up in the PO Box these days. The 17
songs for this Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer flick (that I
haven't seen and as of press time hasn't been released) are
all written by the Beatles and are covered by some of the better
musicians, bands and artists in what is mostly a pretty anemic
music scene today and if you disagree, then fuck off and go
buy a Brittney Spears CD. The more music I hear, the more I
find it hard to deny the genius of the Beatles, at least as
far as their songwriting and the way they recorded music is
concerned. Try to put into perspective how unique what they'd
done was at the time and then think about how well it holds
up today and still has resonance. Maybe you disagree and if
so that's your prerogative. However, if you disagree with me,
I would venture a guess that maybe you're not a "song"
person. I am firmly a song person. I believe in the power of
a well written and sincere song to effect people's emotions
not only at the time it was written, but if it's a good song,
for a period of time that can exceed it's writer's life span.
I think that because most pop music today pretty much sucks
as far as song craft and melody is concerned, that a lot of
people look elsewhere for their reasons to like pop music artists.
This would explain why gimmickry, sonic explorations and shallowness
rule the pop charts as if they were the program guide to Saturday
morning cartoons. Bad costumes, middle class kids frontin' as
gangstas, tuneless music made with computers, phony angst, and
"groups" assembled by entertainment lawyers rule the
choices available to the average music consumer who isn't willing
to look a little further beyond the mainstream. The only part
of mainstream music that's not a crass, shallow joke is hip-hop
and it's fast on it's way, as it too is subverted by the major
corporations. At least it's roots, like rock music are from
the streets.
Nevertheless, I'm a song person and, as much as I admire the
street roots of hip-hop that go back to the blues, and slaves
singing at night and continued with Woody Guthrie popularizing
the protest song to middle America, it's the melody and words
of a timeless pop song that just slay me. Which brings us back
to the Beatles and this album. I hate tribute albums, but this
one is really well done, and hey you just can't deny that the
songs are pretty good. Some come off as slight like the Wallflowers
on I'm Looking Through You or Sarah McLachlan's version of Blackbird.
They're not bad renditions, but they don't do much beyond a
straight reading of the song. In other words, knowing the artist,
about what you'd expect. Some are bad, like Heather Nova's We
Can Work It Out. Only one or two go anyplace new like Grandaddy's
take on Revolution, but when they do, it doesn't necessarily
work in a lasting way. The most successful pairings here are
when the artist and the song somehow seem to connect and it
just works. Aimee Mann and her husband Michael Penn (Sean Penn's
brother) bring real feeling and sincerity to the Two Of Us.
(It's interesting to note that Mann's songs were the primary
inspiration for Magnolia, probably one of the best movies of
the past decade) Rufus Wainwright almost channels the voice
and sprit of John Lennon on Across The Universe and legendary
front men who's best moments with a band seem behind them, Eddie
Vedder and Paul Westerberg turn in their best performance on
tape in years on You've Got To Hide Your Love Away and Nowhere
Man respectively. And, when Nick Cave closes the CD with Let
It Be, it's hard to think of this as just another soundtrack,
compilation or tribute album. However, as good as this CD is
and despite the fact that it was in pretty regular rotation
in the CD player, it ultimately just sent me back to the original
Beatles discs where my appreciation for the "Fab Four"
just went up yet another notch. What crossed my mind was this:
every artist on this CD is pretty damn good, but almost across
the board the songs they did on this CD were better than just
about anything else they've done in recent years. It kinda made
them all look pretty weak. Then I thought 'But hey this is the
Beatles they're covering, you gotta cut them some slack.' There
is a certain historical resonance to these songs that is hard
to separate from the here and now of this CD and these artists.
Nonetheless, I couldn't help but wonder why there aren't any
songs like this any more and why there aren't any bands like
the Beatles any more.
Fast forward a few weeks and Brad Oates is raving about the
new Promise Ring CD. "It's totally different for them,
you're going to love it, but I'll bet they get a lot of shit
for it." I'm intrigued, but I'll have to wait. It's not
out yet and we don't get serviced by Anti/Epitaph, their new
label. But then, a few days later I do get the new Vermont CD,
Calling Albany, a Promise Ring side project from the über-cool
Athens, GA indie Kindercore. I put it in and it's good. It's
really good. In fact if this were an Elliot Smith or Belle and
Sebastian CD, people would be falling over all themselves to
call it a fucking indie-rock masterpiece. But these guys are
smart, they're safely hiding behind the auspices of a throwaway
side project. Don't be fooled, this will be one of the better
'song' CDs released this year. Fans of the Punk Rock, might
be a bit disappointed with it's quieter, kinda rootsy or folky,
mostly acoustic moments but I suspect the ever maturing Promise
Ring and this side project has left most of these more dogmatic
folks in the dust anyway. You could think of this like Neil
Young's Harvest next to his work with Crazy Horse if you wanted
to. I've been a big Promise Ring (and Vermont) fan for a while
now. Even in their early more "punk" albums, you could
tell that there was an instinct for song craft that was dead
on and was only just beginning to develop. Now, they've obviously
hit their stride and I get the sense they've thoroughly digested
and assimilated the best of the pop music canon to date. And,
they're ready to make their own statement. If you're not sure
they're in touch with their roots, just check the direct quote
of The Beatles The Long And Winding Road on the 6th track of
Calling Albany, Hello_Goodbye Sex. If you're not sure if they're
ready to move on and make their own statement, then one listen
to the new Promise Ring disc, Woodwater should change your mind.
Brad was nice enough to burn me a copy of Woodwater and it's
barely left my CD player since. The first track starts off as
a straight ahead mid-tempo rocker with the vocals pretty distorted
as if to make sure the song won't have a chance at being played
on mainstream radio, or maybe just to say "Fuck you,"
to anyone who might think twice about denying the song it's
inherent majesty. The second track, sounds more like 'classic'
Promise Ring, yet still sounds like a huge progression for the
band. By the time you get to the 4th track it's apparent that
Woodwater is nothing short of a masterpiece of the "song."
Song #4 (Sorry, I don't know the names of any of the songs)
is an absolutely classic and a perfect pop masterpiece that
answers the question I posed earlier about why nobody makes
records like the Beatles anymore. Like the last Jets To Brazil
album, Four Cornered Night, (Who used to share a label, the
excellent indie Jade Tree, with the Promise Ring) this CD reminds
me of the Beatles' Let It Be with it's mostly straightforward,
yet excellent songwriting. And, like the Beatles, the Promise
Ring along with producers Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys, Beck)
and Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur), have turned the recording
studio along with their gift for arrangement into a strong ally.
By the time you hit the second to last track with it's huge
sing-a-long ending that evokes Hey Jude, the comparisons to
the Beatles are harder to deny. The band takes it a step further
(Or backwards toward the past, depending on how you look at
it) with the soaring gospel vocal that rises above the group
vocal on the tune. It's a final achievement on an album that
masterfully blends layers of vocals, guitars and keyboards without
sounding cheesy to create one of the best written and produced
albums I've heard in quite a few years. As the album closes
with it's final quiet and intimate track, you can't deny you've
heard one of the best records to date from one of the most promising
young bands around right now. That this band is still in their
twenties is incredible; I can't wait to hear where they go next.
Is this band punk rock? Definitely not. Have they stayed true
to the scene and ethics they grew out of? Most definitely, yes.
While the music biz seems to fall all over themselves for bands
like The Strokes (Derivative, un-original, un-inspiring and
total biz "insiders"-check the head shots of their
handlers on their CD graphics) and Ryan Adams (can you say wannabe
poser? Did this guy go to some kind of 'how to be a rock star
school' or something?) the Promise Ring is a band that has come
up from the indie underground and are, in my opinion, the real
thing . Each album they make makes the previous one pale in
comparison, yet they're all excellent when they come out.
This decade is much different than the 60's and I don't mean
to say the Promise Ring is the 'next Beatles' or burden them
with the comparison, but Woodwater is as fine a rock record
as you're likely to hear. The only discs that come close in
recent years are Wilco's Summer Teeth and the aforementioned
Jets To Brazil disc. The Promise Ring has raised the bar quite
a bit, yet both Wilco and Jets are scheduled to release new
albums in 2002. It should be a very good year for the 'song.'
-John Baccigaluppi
