07/27/05 Matt Hursh
Githead - Profile
A spousal project (plus electronic artist Scanner) featuring Wire's Colin Newman and Minimal Compact's Malka Spigal, Githead is finely crafted dub-pop that works in spite of the protagonists' tag of producing largely “difficult“ music. This isn't the robotic punk that Newman's been playing over the last 3 years or so, and it's not Spigal's brand of darker Euro rock; this is rhythm driven rock with cut-up lyrics leaning towards postmodernism and it still manages to be accessible and infectious as hell. Whether this is a new direction for Newman or just a detour, “Profile“ is one of the most interesting and consistent releases of 2005.

07/27/05 Jon Keener
starflyer 59 - talking voice vs singing voice
14 albums in and these guys have created a little niche for themselves, pretty much picking up where later pink floyd left off. well produced dreamy longish cuts lull you into a state of catatonia the state to the right of nebraska. well played backround music for a very frustrating life ... mine; not yours.

07/27/05 David Douglas
Lee Perry - I am the Upsetter
Does the world really need another Lee Perry compilation? On the evidence of this Trojan offering, which covers Perry's pioneering productions from the period 1968 - 1978, the answer is an emphatic yes!
From rock steady, disc one moves to early reggae, “People Funny Boy,“ and skinhead instrumentals inspired by spaghetti Westerns, “Clint Eastwood“ and “Return of Django.“ Dave Barker (of Dave and Ansel Collins fame) doubles up as soul singer and funk deejay, and then it's on to roots from The Wailers and Junior Byles, with an early U Roy in Rasta mode and even a song advertising Perry's record shop, “Check Him Out.“ Disc two brings out Perry's absorption of soul influences, from Stax and Philly to Al Green and Millie Jackson (Susan Cadogan's UK hit “Hurt So Good“). There's also some quirky funk in the shape of “Bathroom Skank,“ and bona fide roots classics from The Gatherers and Junior Byles. The most astonishing track here, though, is “Cow Thief Skank,“ complete with it's original Staples Singers intro, a cut-and-paste collage that predates hip-hop by nearly a decade and remains one of the craziest records ever made! The third CD concentrates on the inimitable soundscapes created by Perry in his Black Ark studio in the latter half of the 70's, a period covered on previous Trojan and Island box-sets. While the originals are absent, there are versions of familiar tunes by Max Romeo and Junior Murvin. The last five tracks - notably Junior Delgado's blistering “Sons of Slaves,“ are all extended. The final CD consists of instrumentals and dub, including a track from the classic “Blackboard Jungle“( one of the earliest dub albums), another version of “Police and Thieves“ and a ten-minute Black Ark mix of “To Be a Lover,“ both featuring Augustus Pablo's melodica. There are plenty of Upsetter CD's around, but as an overview of Perry's unique contribution to Jamaican music, this has no rival.

Dubble D

07/27/05 Matthew “Funksoulbrutha“ Kurzman
Cafe Tacuba - Unplugged
I love this band, they are so much fun to see live. They're all over the place - rock, funk, ska, punk, polka, hardcore, traditional latin music. They once did an album of 9 traditional Mexican folk songs, but did each one in a different style. This performance from MTV Latin America really showcases their broad range of talent. All their classics are here: “Maria“, “Bar Tacuba“, and my favorite “El Baile y El Salon“. The CD comes packaged with a DVD of the performance as well.

07/27/05 Bill Stafford
John Coltrane - My Favorite Things
The first saint of bop, the prototype of Ginsberg's angelheaded hipster blasting his inimitable way through the unlikely title track and setting that Sound of Music standard on it's head. Remastered and re-released in a miniature LP-style sleeve, this is one of the classics of this or any other genre and deserves space on any self-respecting audiophiles shelf. Plus, your mom will like it (at least mine did).

07/27/05 Brad Sigler
Various - Ten CDs you need
1. Editors - Back Room (w/limited bonus disc)

2. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll

3. The Departure - Dirty Words (Japanese edition, with bonus tracks)

4. Tom Vek - We Have Sound (one man, post-punk band)

5. The Cribs - New Fellas

6. I Am Kloot - Gods And Monsters

7. Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger (w/limited, live bonus disc)

8. The Brakes - Give Blood (British Sea Power, Electric Soft Parade members)

9. The Others - self titled

10. The Subways - Young For Eternity (Ian Broudie produced three piece)

07/27/05 JEFF 'THE RECORD' WEBB
Foetus - Love
J.G. Thirlwell finally takes some time off from his day job, scoring Venture Brothers for the Cartoon Network, to revive his Foetus moniker with a new CD, Love, his first in four years.
He's still using that dark orchestration, melding a lot of different styles such as classical, big band, industrial, and heavy rock into a unique style all of his own. It's like a soundtrack to a sci-fi or horror film as a backdrop for Thirlwell's twisted tales. And the use of harpsichord is always a nice touch for extra creepiness. It's his most melodic release (in spots),but don't worry, no less evil. Also included is a full length DVD with videos (including one by Karen O. of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs), live footage and more. He's been doing this for almost 25 years now. Hear why Trent Reznor, Al Jourgensen, and Mike Patton cite Foetus as a major influence.

07/27/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
TISHAMINGO - WEAR N' TEAR
Athens, GA based band Tishamingo have returned with their second album, Wear n' Tear. The sound on here pretty much picks up where their self-titled debut left off. These boys ain't afraid to wear their classic- and southern- rock influences on their sleeve, with a sound that recalls Free, Santana, Lynyrd Skynyrd (whose 'Poison Whiskey' they cover quite ably), and the Allman Brothers. Highlights include the jamming 'Hillbilly Wine,' the slow, smoky vibe of 'Magic,' which flows nicely into 'Rome,' a laid-back instrumental with some great guitar work from Jess Franklin and Cameron Williams. Then there's 'Smoked Mullet,' a great tune with humorous lyrics and scorching dual lead guitars. 'Legend Of George Nelson' has some great vocal harmonies and country inspired guitars, while 'Worn Out Soles' slows things down a bit for some soulful blues, with some great slide playing. There's also 'Ain't Got Time,' which sounds like J.J. Cale sitting in with the Allman Brothers, with more slippery dual guitar harmonies and a great jam at the end. The short 'Reprise' wraps things up. Those who read the last review I did for this band and checked it out (all three of you) will probably love this; the rest of you would be well-advised to check Wear n' Tear.

07/27/05 Matt Hursh
Mark Stewart - Kiss the Future
This is a compilation of tracks from the former vocalist from The Pop Group (who desperately deserve a reissue of 'Y'. Are you listening Rhino? Thought not.), and it's a varied offering that runs from exclusively evil punk-funk to experimental pop and dub. The cuts from Stewart's aforementioned band are an obvious highlight, but his lesser-known work with Maffia is a nice surprise, and still manages to sound a step or two ahead of the current musical landscape. The track order is effective too, as it abandons the ease of chronology in favor of a scattershot overview. The end result punctuates Stewart's experimentation. If there's any complaint to be made here, it's that we only get 12 tracks.

07/27/05 David Douglas
Various - The Future Sound of Jazz Vol 10
I'll have to admit to being a bit skeptical about vol 10 of this once great series, as the last few haven't been up to usual standards, but I'm here to tell you this is one of the best this series has ever put out! This vol mixes it up with a delightfully disparate line-up: house heroes Fred Everything, techno titans Ricardo Villalobos, retro hipsters Hot Chip and production legend Maurice Fulton as Syclops, and Michael Reinboth's reworking of Cal Tjader's “Los Bandidos.“ So give the new vol 10 of this series a try, it is certainly the hottest edition Compost Records have released in a few years. They've maintained the chill-out aesthetic of the series while still pushing the boundaries of the sound with panoramic producers.

07/27/05 Twoie Myers
Noise Unit - Voyeur
Noise Unit is one of the many side projects from the highly prolific Bill Leeb, most notably known for his work in Front Line Assembly. The aptly titled Voyeur, features spacious atmospheric melodies layered with flowing strings, whispered vocals, electronic noises and mutilations, along side bass-lines that range from a drum n' bass vibe to an aggressive industrial assault. Perhaps the best album from a FLA side-project since Delerium's Karma, Voyeur is sure to please fans of Front Line Assembly and Delerium, as well as all of those in between.

07/12/05 Bill Stafford
Deep Purple - Live in Stockholm
Blistering, Heavy, Dense soundscapes of guitar-bass-drum-organ thunderous cacophony. Deep Purple blister through this live set with the Atomic Bomb intensity of the contemporaries in Led Zeppelin, but also unleash a flood of thick noise that sounds like a precursor to shoegazers (though the idea of any shoegazer listening to this assault would probably make their shriveled goodies crawl up into their bellies). For fans of true blue rockin' out with your....yeah, you know.

07/12/05 Jon Keener
Chris Holt - Summer Reverb
Music for me is memories and smells. Your favorite songs will always remind you of where you were in your life, and most of all, who you were with. Chris Holt knows this, I know he does. His songs burst with memory, longing, lust, dreams (both realized and faded), but most of all, with the guarded optimism of summer itself. Rock is represented here in all its many forms and guises: stadium rockers (Are You Listening?), sad and lovely ballads (Koka), feel-good-by-the-pool music (Good Luck), and mind-searing exercises in layered harmonies (Smoke). Brian Wilson would collapse with envy if he heard this (!! - ed.). But best of all is Slightly Open Ears, with its lines “I won't be the same as before/I don't feel that way anymore“, both uplifting and heartbreaking. All songs are good, some are great - a personal and musical triumph.

07/12/05 Scott Hunerberg
Gomez - Out West
British rockers Gomez have release their first ever live album, Out West. The album was recorded live at San Francisco's famous Fillmore over a three-night stand, and draws from those shows. Obviously the fools at Virgin records have no idea just how much talent these guys have, or they would have given them a little more respect, instead of just unceremoniously dropping them because they failed to sell as many records as the Gorillaz (puke!) or turn into the next Oasis overnight (just how overrated can one band be?). Disc one gets off to a strong start with "Get Miles," from the Bring It On album, followed by "Shot Shot," from In Our Gun. Then there's a great "Hangover," from the awesome Liquid Skin album. They also do a cool version of Tom Waits' "Going Out West." Elsewhere there's "Do One," (from last year's Split the Difference), "We Haven't Turned Around," and "Revolutionary Kind." Disc two starts out with a great "Bring It On" that had me singing along, which is followed by "Nothing Is Wrong," one of the stronger tracks from Split the Difference. They also get in a nice version of Nick Drake's "Black Eyed Dog," which is coupled with "Free To Run." This in turn slides right into "Ping One Down," and they stretch out on here a little. Other highlights here include "Get Myself Arrested," which gets everyone singing along; the very catchy "These Three Sins," and the closing "Whippin' Piccadilly." Out West would be great starting place if you're just catching on to Gomez, or if you just want a cool sounding live show from these guys.

07/12/05 name='Jeff "The Record" Webb,
Eels - Electro-Shock Blues Show
This is a great live document of an Eels opening slot in England circa December 1998. Trying to win new fans, they chose more uptempo stuff, mostly from the just released sophomore CD Electro-Shock Blues (natch). Some of the versions are even better than their studio counterparts like the opener 'Cancer for the Cure' sounding more sinister, and 'Not Ready Yet' from Beautiful Freak throws in the 'Satisfaction' riff to great effect. There are also some surprises with an early take on 'Souljacker Part 1', 3 years before release, and Stevie Wonder's 'Fingertips Part III'. Not so surprising is obliging a fan who had been yelling for the hit 'Novacaine for the Soul', and closing with a Christmas tune. The disc also boasts five bonus tracks of the more acoustic side of the Eels recorded in various cities during the same tour. Of course, this is a must for any fan, and it's only available in select indie shops, like your friendly CD World.

07/12/05 David Douglas
Susana Baca - The Best of Susana Baca
There is apparently a new album from Susana Baca in the pipeline. Meanwhile, to coincide with her summer tour we get this 12 track compilation from her first three solo albums, plus “Mario Lando,“ the intoxicating track that first introduced us to her velvet-toned voice back in 1995 via the David Byrne-compiled “Afro-Peruvian Classics - The Soul of Black Peru.“ If you don't own her records, it's a fine introduction that reflects the winning simplicity of her 1997 debut album as well as the more adventurous tracks enhanced by the electric guitar loops of Marc Ribot from 2002's “Espirita Vivo.“ In the middle came her second album, “Eco de Sombras.“ It's stand- out track “Valentin,“ featuring the guitar of David Byrne, is included here, with a bonus video of the song on which Ribot, Byrne and keyboardist John Medeski join Baca's regular backing band. There is even a very cool jazz remix of “Afro-Blue/Zum Zum“ by Koop to further the sound's of Susana Baca, one of the greatest singers alive! Thanks again to David Byrne for introducing us to this incredible talent.

Dubble-D

07/12/05 Brad "Snack Sandwich" Sigler
Various - 12"/80s
As an unabashed lover of all things synth-pop and new wave, I can't recommend this three disc collection enough. There's some classic, extended versions (The Cure's awesome “A Forest“, ABC's “Tears Are Not Enough“), as well as rare mixes of songs (Siouxsie and the Banshees with “Spellbound“, Lloyd Cole's “My Bag“) and some Top 40 fare (Animotion's horrid “Obsession“ and Tears For Fears overrated “Shout“). But, it's the obscure and forgotten bands that are the real gems. Black, Monsoon, Pete Wylie (of Wah!), Hipsway, The Passions and Icicleworks all sound great even today. Even groups like Bauhaus, Japan, Echo and the Bunnymen and The Jam find their way into this mix. Each song flows seamlessly into the next, and while disc one is the best of all three, the entire set works. Pop the whole thing into your cd changer, hit random and try not to smile.

07/07/05 Chris Holt
White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Go ahead and say what you will about them. Say that Meg's a terrible drummer. Haven't we heard that before? I'd agree, if I didn't think that she was perfect for the band that she's in...not unlike the great Ringo Starr. Wasn't he perfect for his band, too? I mean, how bad would the Beatles have sucked with, say, Neil Peart on the skins? You get my point. Meg isn't the one who matters, anyway. The one who matters is the man they call Jack. This guy's got something that the others don't have. He's a unique talent. In addition to his underrated mastery of the electric guitar, he's also developed some serious piano chops. And he's no slouch at the marimba, either. But what really kicks you in the teeth is his voice. The guy can sing virtually any style, and he's got balls. I have to say that I was a skeptic after hearing the first three albums. There were a few good songs here and there. Then “Elephant“ came along and I thought, “wow, there are a LOT of good songs here.“ And now, with the latest release, I'm becoming a serious Jack White fan. I could go on and on, but I won't. “My Doorbelll“, “Forever For Her (Is Over For Me)“ and “The Denial Twist“ are among the best songs he's ever written. Check this album out, even if you're a grumpy elitist skeptic. It just might change your mind.

07/07/05 JC
Echo and the Bunnymen - Heaven up Here
Ian McCulloch's favorite Bunnymen record & also mine...enough said !! Following their more psychedelia-based debut, Crocodiles, and subsequent “Puppet“ single, Echo & the Bunnymen returned in 1981 with the darkest and perhaps most experimental album of their career. Heaven Up Here lacks the signature hooks and melodies that would make the Bunnymen famous, showcasing instead a dirge-like songwriting.Show of Stength could be the most brilliant opening track to an album & that is saying alot when you have the Soft Boys “I wanna destroy you“, & U2's “Where the Streets have no name“,& London Calling.Every few hundred years fate aligns a few people to find each other & make beautiful things together.That is what happened here; to fucking bad we will never hear anything this perfect or experience living in a totally new & authentic scene.This record is so precious to me i feel like you should wait for time travel & go back to 1981 Liverpool to hear & see it live if you haven't yet .

So much to answer for !!

07/07/05 Brad "Snack Sandwich" Sigler
The Bureau - Deluxe 2 CD Edition
It's amazing that this is the first time that The Bureau's 1981 debut album has been on cd. At least Warner Brothers did it up right by remastering the studio disc, adding four bonus tracks and a live album to top it all off. Featuring founding members of Dexy's Midnight Runners, it's an incredible fusion of soul, ska, post-punk and pop, complete with horn section. Every song on the debut is bristling with creative energy and never lets up for one second. The live album is every bit as good, if not just a little bit better. It ain't cheap as far as import cds go, but it won't disappoint you and you'll wonder how you went with out it for so long.

07/07/05 Matthew Kurzman
Red Walls - De Nova
You say you love the Red Walls? Well, they're back at it again. Why waste all that time and energy developing your own sound? There are so many bands out there who've already done the legwork, Just borrow their stuff. If the first Red Walls album was a cross between The Beatles and Bob Dylan, then this sounds like The Beatles meet The Black Crowes. Next up: The Beatles crossed with Lenny Kravitz. They were gonna try Zeppelin, but realized Lenny'd already done it. Two birds, ya know.

06/29/05 David Douglas
Four Tet - Everything Ecstatic
Remember that scene in The Wall when Bob Geldof goes nuts and destroys anything and everything in his apartment? Judging from the increased intensity of "Ecstatic" compared to his previous albums, you get the sense that's how Four Tet, aka Keiran Hebden, felt after reading 8,000 articles about him mentioning the word "Folktronica." Given the skittering, pounding and downright hellacious drums that dominate the mix throughout "Ecstatic," it's safe to say Four Tet won't be making a career out of the "f-word" heaped upon 2003's "Rounds." Not to say he's lost his fondness for upbeat melodies (song titles include words like "joy," "smile," and "sun") but the UK musician/DJ's gotten more aggressive and it works! "Ecstatic" may not be the warm follow-up some people were expecting, but it's an equally fascinating, engaging album that continues to blur the boundaries between electronic, and organic music.

Dubble-D

06/29/05 Twoie Myers
Project .44 - The System Doesn't Work
Ahhhh... good old Chicago industrial. This band sounds like what you would record after listening to too much Ministry - "A Mind is a Terrible"/"Psalm 69" era. There is a twist on it that makes it far from a clone... the band features Louis Svitek FROM Ministry, Charles Levi from Thrill Kill Kult, and Martin Atkins from Ministry, PIL, NIN, and Pigface. Loud, fast, angry guitar-based industrial that is neither "quirky" or "uplifting". Music made for those of us that don't want to wear white sheets and be happy all the time...

06/29/05 J.C.
the departure - dirty words
post punk revivalists and newest english fashion band release their debut full length, "dirty words". with all of the joy division,echo and the bunnymen,cure retreads out there from nyc or abroad the departure are the real deal. despite being brutally ripped apart by the english press these guys seem to have something. they actually sound more like a really poppy Bauhaus with the extreme flange & delay guitars. fuck interpol comparisions. just come in and listen for yourselves.
thank you !!

06/29/05 Matt Hursh
T. Rex - Born to Boogie DVD
Filmed at the height of Marc Bolan's fame, this weird (both weird-good and weird-goofy) film/concert documentary is one I never thought I'd see make it to DVD let alone with a deluxe two-disc treatment like this. It's definitely a product of its time (early/mid 70s), so there's lots of indulgent editing and general surrealism, but the music - virtually all is culled from Electric Warrior and The Slider - is more than worth the price of admission. The extras are superbly enticing, featuring more concert footage and a "making-of." My favorite part about T. Rex? Bolan helped kill the 60s.

06/29/05 JEFF 'THE RECORD' WEBB
Electrelane - Axes
Electrelane is another band worshipping at the altar of Krautrock. Think Stereolab with occasional bursts of Sonic Youth guitar with no side trips to France and you've got the picture. Axes is their third album, second for the great Too Pure label. It was recorded mostly live in the studio with Steve Albini. It's more improv and instrumental than last years poppier The Power Out, but still has plenty of soaring melodies and hypnotic grooves. If you're a fan of the early 'lab, check these gals out.

06/21/05 David Douglas
Bill Laswell Presents - Trojan Dub Massive vol. 1 and vol. 2
Bill Laswell's shape shifting career - as label chief, performer, and legendary producer - has never been anything less than broad ranging and masterful. With a discography that begins in the '70s, and shows no sign of slowing, Laswell's latest endeavor is a reinterpretation of choice selections from Trojan Records' historical archives, and as he achieved greatness on Bob Marley's "Dreams of Freedom," and Miles Davis'"Panthalassa," the results are stellar! Laswell reconstructs the treasured recordings of King Tubby, The Upsetters, Prince Jammy, Augustus Pablo, Gregory Isaacs, and well you get the idea, virtually all the great Reggae artists of the golden 70's roots rockers. With consistency as his forte, Bill Laswell's latest offering reflects his status as a fearless musician who prolifically tackles projects that most producers wouldn't dare touch-and probably couldn't even if they wanted to! Turn up the bass!

Dubble-D

06/21/05 Matthew Kurzman
The Office - The Office - Seasons 1 and 2 DVD
About a week ago I finally made it around to watching the first episode of this BBC comedy. I was hooked immediately and have watched both seasons in the last few days. David Brent is one of the funniest characters I've seen. I instantly felt I knew this guy. I mean, who hasn't worked for someone who is completely ineffective at his job, who just wants his employees to love him, and who is completely oblivious to the fact that everyone around him thinks he's a buffoon? The show is shot like a documentary, so the humor is not situation-based. Many of the best laughs come from moments of awkward silence.

06/21/05 Matt Hursh
The Machinist - The Machinist - DVD
Almost universally known upon its limited theatrical release as "That Movie Where Christian Bale Loses 800 Pounds," The Machinist is sure to gain a cult following similar to that of Memento or Donnie Darko now that it has found it's way to DVD. Think of a Cronenberg/Kafka-esque character trapped in a nightmare (as if a character described as such could inhabit any other space) albeit a nightmare where Jennifer Jason Leigh's giving it up left and right. Bale's character hasn't had a proper night's sleep for a year, and things start getting hazy. Reality and fantasy creep up on one another, but where's the line? And what's the resolution for a guy cursed by his paranoia and thus devoured by delusion? Good movie - well acted, nicely shot, and enough supplements to satisfy. This makes a perfect companion piece to the newly issued (and criminally underrated) American Psycho Special Edition.

06/21/05 Chris Green
AudioSlave - Out of Exile
This is the 2nd release from the Seattle superband. From the former members of Rage Against The Machine and the front man Chris Cornel from Soundgarden, "Out of Exile" is a big step for this supergroup towards making their own sound. "Be Yourself", the first single off of the album, shows that the band has come together for the long run; most supergroups only stay together for one album. The album starts off strong with "Your Time Has Come" and ends on a high note with "The Curse". They have staked their claim as one of the biggest acts in the world and they prove it with this album.

06/21/05 Twoie Myers
Alec Empire - The Futurist
Finally... a new Alec Empire album!!! (if this excites you, you either have an amazing taste in music... or you are a total geek... or both) The follow-up to 2002's "Intelligence and Sacrifice" follows the same direction which mixes over-the-top distorted jungle drums, thrash guitars, Merzbow-esque noise, and punk rock vocals. The only difference is Alec actually PLAYS all guitars/bass/and live drums on the album. The front-man of the electronic group Atari Teenage Riot is now doing a guitar-based rock band. Kinda strange, but it sounds amazing! This is good music for angry people...

06/21/05 JC
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock n Roll
Art Brut is an art punk or "Art Wave" 3-piece from London who make laughably cheeky late 70's student type music. This band cleverly writes stream of conscience borderline silly 2 and a half minute tunes that sound utterly English and almost condescending because of the suspect subject matter.Take the Violent Femmes and Wire and slam them in the same practice space for 3 minutes and see what comes out. This could be the best most disposable record ever.

06/21/05 Scott Hunerberg
John Scofield - That's What I Say: John Scofield Plays the Music of Ray Charles
One never quite knows what to expect when John Scofield puts out a new album, what direction his music will go in next - funky grooves, experimental fusion, or traditional bop jazz. You just know that it's going to be interesting. That's What I Say finds him in a groove-oriented mode this time out, paying tribute to the wondrous music of Ray Charles. His band includes such top-notch players as Larry Goldings on Hammond organ and piano, Steve Jordan on drums, and bass legend Willie Weeks. He also gets some help from such special guests as Dr. John (who contributes lead vocals and piano to 'Talkin' 'Bout You / I Got a Woman), John Mayer (on 'I Don't Need No Doctor'), Melvis Staples (lead vocals on 'I Can¹t Stop Loving You'), David 'Fathead' Newman (tenor sax on several tracks), and Warren Haynes (vocals on 'What'd I Say,' vocals and slide guitar on 'Night Time Is the Right Time'). Highlights include the opening 'Busted,' 'Hit the Road Jack,' 'Night Time Is the Right Time,' and the timeless 'Let's Go Get Stoned'. There¹s also a cool take on 'You Don't Know Me,' which features Aaron Neville on lead vocals, and Scofield does a nice solo guitar version of 'Georgia On My Mind.' While this album isn't exactly a showcase for his amazing jazz guitar chops, he does get in some great licks and solos throughout. Where he'll go next is anyones guess, but for right now John Scofield sounds like he's having a lot of fun jamming with friends and reworking these old Ray Charles classics. If you're a Ray Charles fan (and who isn't these days) this should put a smile on your face and a groove in your step. At least, that's what I say. You can listen to this one on the Expand Your Mind player at either CD WORLD location.

06/15/05 Jeff "The Record" Webb
The Fall - The Complete Peel Sessions 1978 - 2004
Over the years, we Fall fans have been teased with a few snippets of their vast library of John Peel sessions. There‘s been a B side here, a 12 inch there, and a couple of compilations more recently. But what about the 60 or so tracks left? It's been rumored over the last few years that a box set was being compiled, and at long last the Holy Grail is here. The Fall, being Peel's favorite band, recorded more sessions than any other, 24 to be exact. 97 tracks that represent most of the incarnations of the band (and there have been many!). It's a great capsule history, of this most influential of bands closing in on 30 years. Most of their albums are represented, with the majority of songs being aired in their early form, months, even years before official release, with some different lyrics, tempo changes, and retitles. Every Fall fan will buy this, but what about those that just bought 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong? That's a great 2 disc compilation, but with only about 1 song per album, your appetite was wetted for more. This box set is perfect because a lot of The Fall's best songs are here, along with unreleased tracks, and even a couple of Christmas tunes! There's also a great booklet with full track annotation and lots of great photos. Sadly, with the passing of the great man last fall, there won't be any more of these sessions, but let me just say thanks John for helping make The Fall 'The band to which all others must be judged'.

06/15/05 Brad Sigler
Gene Loves Jezebel - Promise/Immigrant/Discover: Remastered & Expanded Editions
It's too bad that the brothers Aston got saddled with the “goth“ tag, because their sound is so much more. These three reissue cds, all remastered and expanded to two discs, show the boys had skill at pop, post-punk, straight ahead rock and yes - goth. Everyone knows the band primarily for the single “Desire“, which is included on 'Discover', the poppiest of all three releases. Yet, it's the early albums where the bulk of the best songs are. 1983's 'Promise' has the version of 'Wraps And Arms' from the first vinyl pressing. The second disc collects singles, mixes, rarities and unreleased tracks, including all of the tracks from the ultra rare debut EP, 'Shaving My Neck' which has never been re-issued since it's original vinyl pressing. 1984's 'Immigrant' consists of singles, extended mixes, unreleased alternate takes and two BBC session tracks, 'Waves' and 'Five Below'. A bargain at under $16 bucks each and will appeal to fans of Bauhaus, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and The Cure.

06/15/05 Twoie Myers
Knifehandchop - How I Left You
A great release from the Tigerbeat6 label (three of us out there are excited by that) that stays on par with the quality of music on this label. Cross drum&bass with industrial and some hip-hop and you get the mess that is Knifehandchop. Electronic music that is super-damn-catchy and made equally for shaking your booty or punching the people around you, yet too intelligent for your normal dance club. It is hard to pick a particular track as being the most stellar of the lot. All the songs are different and stand out from eachother, but work together to create a great listen from start to finish.

06/15/05 Bill Stafford
Graham Parker - Songs Of No Consequence
Graham Parker was one of the greatest songwriters of the late 70s to just slip through the cracks. While always a critical favorite, he never acheived any sort of long-lasting commercial success, and bopped from label to label throughout most of the 80s & 90s. However, despite never cashing in on his abundant talent, Graham never lost his songwriting chops & has slowly refined his craft over the decades until he is as fluent and literate a craftsman as ever spliced together an E A or G chord. “Songs of No Consequence“ is his latest and it shows that his biting wit and pointed lyricism has not been blunted as he matures. If you like your lyrics as acidic as a freshly opened battery then you'll gleefully wallow in the harsh nature of one of the “Angry Young Men“ who has remained as razor sharp as he was thirty years ago.

06/02/05 Jeff "The Record" Webb
Sleater Kinney - The Woods
Album number 7 finds the Olympia, WA. based trio on a new label (Sub Pop), and working with new producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev). They were born out of the riot grrrl movement of the early 90's (is that still around?). The Woods leaves that tag behind, being their most mature effort to date. That doesn't mean it doesn't rock, as you find out immediately with opener "The Fox" with its onslaught of rumbling, angry guitars, pounding drums, and Corin Tucker's inimitable wailing vocals. "What's Mine Is Yours" has a slight Zeppelin feel until the feedback laden Hendrixy solo at the end. I can almost smell the lighter fluid! Another great one is "Let's Call It Love" with its sexy beat and Tucker sounding like Janis if she was in a punk band. It ebbs and flows (at 11 minutes, it has a few of those), the second half featuring Sonic Youth-like guitar interplay between Tucker and Sleater-Kinney's other founder Carrie Brownstein. Lest you think it's all hard, "Jumpers" is an almost pop take on suicide, melodic, but still intense, and "Night Light"closes the CD on a spooky, but hopeful note. Buy it quick, because the first pressing comes with a DVD with 5 live tracks.

06/02/05 Brent "Peaches" Engel
Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
This album is the second studio release for Okkervil River, and it does not ring true to the fabled "sophomore slump" that most bands achieve. The album cleverly fuses folk and post punk influences to create an energetic new breed of sound. The album seems to perfectly pace itself from ballads to more up beat tracks, not leaving the listener to lose interest in the album altogether. The lyrics on the album are open and honest with a bit of fantasy mixed in. Many an extended metaphor is used to relate certain characters in the album with Greek mythological items. Once or twice "golden fleece" is used, and the main character (the black sheep boy) has ‘perfect curls of envied hair‘ that seem to attract so many individuals in the album. The themes range from love to loss and somewhere in between you'll end up admitting to yourself that you honestly do like Okkervil River.

06/02/05 David Douglas
Nostalgia 77 - The Garden
A healthy funk movement is rippling through dance music these days. Live instruments seem to be making a comeback, and songs with raw emotion are emerging from studios around the world. Heading up this real music revolution is Tru Thoughts- a small outfit out of Brighton, England best known for introducing the world to Quantic. A young fabricator of funk, his“ Mishaps Happening“ album was one of 2004's most moving works (and was reviewed by yours truly!). California's Ubiquity Records is partnering with Tru Thoughts to spread their heavy sound stateside, and Nostalgia 77 is the next player in this old-school revival. Ben Lamdin is Nostalgia 77 : a former hip-hop producer having an intense love affair with jazz. “The Garden,“ is a haunting sonic world created by a crew of Brighton's finest players letting loose under Lamdin's direction. All cuts contain a deep, heavy groove that guides listeners into new territory, never losing their modern edge and delivery. A hard-hitting cover of The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army“ features the wailing vocals of British siren Alice Russell, bringing the album to a heated climax. And speaking of Alice Russell, she is also the featured vocalist for the new Quantic Soul Orchestra album “Pushin' On,“ which I will be reviewing very soon, so for now enjoy this new generation of jazz!

Dubble-D

06/02/05 Matt Hursh
Iggy Pop - Live in SF 1981 DVD
Iggy's solo records of the late 70s (The Idiot, Lust For Life, New Values) are thought of with increasing kindness as perspective adds up, falling just short of the inarguable greatness that was his Stooges output of the decade prior. Party, the album that's being supported within this new DVD, isn't on par with the aforementioned records, but the songs from that album in conjunction with Pop's earlier "hits" ("1969," "T.V. Eye," "Dum Dum Boys") make for a show that shouldn't be ignored. First of all, his backing band is fairly badass, featuring Mike Page, Clem Burke, and Bowie rent-boy Carlos Alomar. Beyond that, Iggy's in some form of trashy drag throughout the majority of the performance, which only adds to his trademarked manic stage presence. It's been decided on here at the store that there's no such thing as a bad Iggy Pop show. Ever. No matter the material. This DVD only supports that argument.

05/18/05 Bill Stafford
Nouvelle Vague - NouvelleVague
In a few hundred years the era we are living through might be known as the dawn of the bastardization of genres. From Hip-Hop producers who cut-n-paste pop hits and dance rhythms to Internet artists whose mash-ups are the hottest downloads, the past few years have seen an increase the cross-pollination of not just ideas, but of whole styles, of a sort of societal/textural patchwork quilt that brings forth new concepts through its interweaving of often widely divergent established genres. While most contemporary artists are using technology to form their audio gris-gris, Nouvelle Vague has done it the old-fashioned way, they just grabbed something they liked with both hands and reworked it into a new form. The two styles they have chosen to meld are the new-wave predecessor post-punk and the classic Latin style of bossa nova. The improbable juxtaposition of the angst and edginess of post-punk delivered as a sweet, lilting tune with a bossa nova beat is initially just a novelty, but soon the listener will come to realize that the initial shock gives way to a better understanding both of the lyrical intent of the original songs and of how diversely satisfying the bossa nova style itself can be. With fluffy sounding adaptation of PiL (This is not a love Song), XTC (Making Plans for Nigel), the Cure (a haunting version of The Forest... yes, you need it), and even the Dead Kennedys (a giggly version of Too Drunk To Fuck that redefines the song for the better), Nouvelle Vague has a great ear for tunes and the perfect ability to re-interpret them in ways that only seem to wonderfully obvious in retrospect. This is an instant classic that belongs on the shelves of fans of either (or neither) genre.

05/18/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
Soulive - Steady Groovin'
Blue Note Records has released Steady Groovin', the first compilation from jazz organ trio Soulive. They consist of Eric Krasno on guitar, Neal Evans on Hammond B3 and keys, and Alan Evans on drums. This collection includes tracks from almost all of their albums, plus a couple of rarities including their cover of Stevie Wonder's Golden Lady (previously only available on the Japanese version of Doin' Something). And there's also "All Up In It," from their guest spot on DJ Spinna¹s Here to There album. Other highlights include "Flurries," the funky "Doin¹ Something," which features Fred Wesley on trombone, and "First Street." This would make a great starting place if you are just getting into Soulive, or just want to have a good selection from all of their albums, this will keep you Groovin' all day.

05/18/05 Matt Hursh
John Fox - Modern Art
John Foxx was the original singer for new wave outfit Ultravox, who would achieve a modest amount of success after his departure and the inclusion of Midge Ure. Unfortunately, Midge Ure-era Ultravox, with its flaccid synth and predictable vocals/lyrics sucks. Foxx was (and is) a more complicated and interesting performer, and his departure from the band only exaggerated the creative influence he wielded. Foxx's solo career has been sporadic and fairly obscure, but Modern Art, a compilation/retrospective, does a serviceable job of representing the more engaging moments of his robotic, detached perspective. The first half of the disc has the highlights, with selections from Foxx's debut, Metamatic, but there's enough accessibility and b-side material to please devotees and neophytes alike. Think of him as a thinking man's Gary Numan or at least just think of him. It's worth it.

05/18/05 J.C.
Engineers - Engineers
Engineers are about to release their first CD here in the states. This record is full of dreamy & ethereal music comparable to elbow and Blue States. These guys are swimming in the old pond that some memeorable shoegazer bands bathed in i.e. Ride,Chapterhouse etc… They could be a very forgettable band, but only after you’ve run this record into the ground.
Thank you !! jc

05/10/05 Matt Hursh
Nouvelle Vague - Nouvelle Vague
An easy nominee for the "Album Least Likely That Matt Will Endorse, But Kind Of Does Anyway" award (still working on the award's title - it's a bit wieldy. Shut up.), Nouvelle Vague's debut is nothing but reinterpretations of punk and post-punk staples, funneling French pop and lounge cocktail mellow into the (often) glacial starkness of the most unforgiving of genres. More novelty, hmmm? Well yeah, it pretty much is just by definition, but the re-workings here are actually pretty inspired, turning something as urgent as Killing Joke's "Psyche" into a slinking horror show and something as widely recognized as Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" into an almost uniquely stand-alone melody. That's enough of a recommendation from where I'm sitting, but then there's the matter of the track listing itself - interesting choices all around. You'd expect to see The Clash or The Cure or PiL (and you will), but Josef K? Tuxedomoon? Damned if those aren't obscure, but mighty fine, choices. This isn't going to replace any of your favorite bands or songs, but it's not a disposable joke either. Good "social event" record.

05/10/05 Matthew Kurzman
VA - 5 things I found in the $4.91 bin this week
Geraldine Fibbers/Live from the Bottom of Hell EP -- promo only pressing of live show from now defunct band fronted by Carla Bozulich; country/rock performed with the intensity of punk rock

Ratat/Ratat promo - guitar based electronica; sounds like a less monotonous Daft Punk

Bob Dylan/Greatest Hits without the front cover-art - need I say more?

War/Best of without the back cover art - see comments for Dylan above

Black Light/Selector Sound - Dallasite Bud Bush recorded these 16 songs while screwing around at home on his 4-track; great, well-crafted songs; at times reminiscent of Calexico or an
Ennio Morricone soundtrack to a Sergio Leone spaghetti western; at other times reminds of Ween's GodWeenSatan

Don't forget -$4.91 titles are always 5 for $20. (ed.)

05/10/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
J. GEILS BAND - ANTHOLOGY: HOUSEPARTY
Well here's something that's not exactly new (it actually came out back in the '90's.) but it was just added to stock, and I feel that more people should check out this great, often overlooked band from the '70's. This cool little box set from Rhino has (arguably) all the J. Geils a person might ever need. It includes all of their well known hits such as “Looking For A Love,“ “Must Of Got Lost“ (both the original studio version and a killer live take which has Peter Wolf's ultra-funky intro rap), “Love Stinks,“ “Freeze-Frame,“ and their smash hit “Centerfold.“ All of their original studio albums are well represented by such tracks as “Southside Shuffle,“ “Cruisin' For A Love,“ “Detroit Breakdown,“ and “Love-Itis.“ In addition disc two has got ten smokin' live cuts pulled from their live albums (most are from the excellent Full House Live and Blow Your Face Out albums). Highlights from here include “Sno-Cone,“ “Hard Drivin' Man,“ “First I Look At the Purse“ (good advice for you guys out there!), “Pack Fair and Square,“ and Magic Dicks' harp showcase, “Whammer Jammer.“ There's also a very informative booklet that gives a full band history, cool pictures, and a discography. This is a great collection if you're just getting into the J. Geils Band, or just need some good old-school tunes to kick-start your next party.

05/10/05 Jeff "The Record" Webb
The Go-Betweens - Oceans Apart
Robert Forster and Grant McLennan have been plying their craft of classic songwriting for over 25 years since their beginnings in Brisbane Australia. Oceans Apart is their third album since reforming after a 12 year hiatus. While the first two had some great songs on each, Oceans Apart deserves to stand with the best of their 80's classics. They've still got that great jangle-pop sound; equal parts Lou Reed and Brian Wilson with the poetic lyric style of Dylan. The opener Here Comes a City is a superb Forster rocker with a riff that sounds like a nod to the Talking Heads' Life During Wartime. The 6 minute Darlinghurst Nights, with its shimmering blend of acoustic and electric guitars contains some of his most moving lyrics. McLennan isn't usually as dark as his partner and the beautiful Finding You and the dream-pop of No Reason to Cry rank among his best. The first pressing has a bonus live disc with some of their old favorites including Streets of Your Town. This is music with class, and Oceans Apart is classic Go-Betweens.

05/10/05 Bill Stafford
Louvin Brothers - When I Stop Dreaming
Charlie and Ira Louvin were perhaps the finest harmony duo in country music history. The blending of their melodious voices, backed by some of the finest musicians the genre had to offer, was as breathtaking and beautiful as anything ever recorded. Razor & Tie records has collected together some of the best tracks from the brothers long career and assembled one of the greatest "best ofs" ever seen. From the opening track, "Broadminded", with its chorus reminding the listener that "broadminded" is spelled "S-I-N" you know that you are on a unique journey. With it's blending of Christian piety (to the point of scary fanaticism) and scary folk themes (their working of the classic murder ballad "Knoxville Girl" is THE definitive treatment of the tune) the Louvins combine disparate themes into impassioned tracks that will leave you humming the melody while simultaneously thinking deeply about the lyrics.

05/10/05 Jon Keener
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
second major label release from steven wilson and richard barbieri ex japan finds a far heavier approach than their last effort, in absentia. although trademark guitar work and vocal harmonies are present, overall musical effort is far more dense with less emphasis on effects and more on so called heavy riffing. not as accessable as in absentia but overall more rewarding.

05/10/05 David Douglas
Everything But The Girl - Adapt or Die : 10 Years of Remixes
In 1994, tender pop stylists EBTG (Ben Watt and Tracy Thorn) became radically transformed into dance music mavericks courtesy of Todd Terry's brilliant reconstruction of their single “Missing.“ The mix became that year's global dance anthem and mainstream crossover smash. its success would reinvent the chart-topping British duo and their subsequent full-lengths (Walking Wounded, Tempermental), while unearthing a desire in Watt to explore deeper into the underground of dance. Adapt or Die compiles 14 re-rubs of the pair's most well-loved songs from the latter period of their career (many rare and previously unreleased) onto one disc. It's hard to imagine that it's been 10 years since Watt was re-imagined into one of dance music's most dedicated disciples, yet this collection is a testament to that enduring legacy. Several new reconstructions from luminaries like DJ Jazzy Jeff (whose hypnotic soul reinvention of “Mirrorball“ is the perfect opener), King Britt, Kenny Dope, Todd Terry are highlights.But Adam F's sensuous jazzy drum'n'bass remix of “Before Today,“ Brad Wood's breathtaking recreation of the moody opus “Single,“ the brooding down tempo Pull Timewarp mix of “Tempermental,“ and the throbbing opulence of Jay “Sinister“ Sealee's remix of “Lullaby of Clubland,“ are the release's most potent and intriguing entries. Come check it out soon on our Pick's Player and celebrate a band I have been into for over twenty years now!

Dubble-D

05/06/05 Brad Sigler
For Against - Echelons & Coalesced

Nebraska band that never made it to the big time - Shame, since the band was a brilliant hybrid of Joy Division and jangle pop. These albums, a reissue of 1987's "Escelons" and 2002's "Coalesced", are a great way to get acquainted with their sound. They must have been listening to loads of UK post-punk, because that's what drives the sound here. Both albums are excellent and it's refreshing to see a band stay true to their sound for twenty years! Highly recommended to fans of Chameleons, Interpol and The Sound.

05/06/05 Jeff "The Record" Webb
Heavy Trash - Heavy Trash

This is a collaboration between Jon Spencer (of Blues Explosion fame), and Matt Verta-Ray, leader of Speedball Baby and member of Madder Rose. Instead of the punk-blues they're known for, Heavy Trash is an homage to early rock and roll and fifties rockabilly. They've recreated that vintage sound: raw and dirty guitars and lots of heavy echo. All the songs are originals by the duo with plenty of hooks throughout. "Dark Hair'd Rider" and "The Loveless" recall Gene Vincent. "The Hump"and "Justine Alright"are crazy handclapping rockers. "Under the Waves" is a great moody murder ballad. Doo Wop is also referenced in some of the background vocals. Of course, you still get Spencer's trademark yelping, half-spoken vocals. At least he's not hollering "Blues Explosion"! every five minutes! If they keep making CDs this good, I'll be shoutin' Heavy Trash! in no time.

04/27/05 Brett Engel
Tom Waits - Bone Machine
I know, It's an older record, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an amazing one. Every track on "Bone Machine" is pure gold. Waits riddles the album with themes of love, loss, and impending apocalyptic doom to create a dark but not completely hopeless landscape.
The album starts with a harsh shout from Waits' raspy voice "When the earth died screaming, while I lay dreaming" and finishes with the calm and reassuring feeling of "If there's one thing you can't lose, it's that feel". The album is extremely connected and coherent throughout and is relentless in it's display of raw power and emotion.
This album is definitely one of Waits' finest works, and a stunning one at that.

04/27/05 Scott Hunerberg
V/A - Bonnaroo Music Festival 2004
Sanctuary Records has released Bonnaroo Music Festival 2004, a double disc live document of highlights from the festivals' third year. This seems like it was compiled just for people like me who could never manage to actually make it to the festival itself for a variety of reasons, financial woes being chief among them.
Disc one gets off to a good start with Bob Dylan doing a nice version of "Down Along the Cove,"followed by Dave Matthews and Friends doing "Trouble." Although I‘m not a huge Dave fan, I did like this song, which has Friends Trey Anastasio and longtime DMB guitarist Tim Reynolds contributing some spacy sounding licks. Next up is the Dead with what is apparently a new song called "Self Defense;" this has some cool guitar work and all and may very well become a classic in its own time, but Mickey Hart's vocals just don't work that well for me. After that there's Steve Winwood doing a great version of his Traffic classic "Mr. Fantasy," with some brilliant guitar work that almost rivals the original. Gov't Mule kicks it up another notch with a blistering "Blind Man In the Dark," with Warren Haynes just tearing it up on the guitar as usual. Gillian Welch slows things down a bit with her folky stylings before Los Lonely Boys rock it up with their brand of Tex-Mex rock. My Morning Jacket rocks out with "One Big Holiday," and then the Black Keys do their thing with "the Breaks." Kings of Leon are next, and I find myself reaching for the next track button (Ive really tried to like this band, but the vocals just don‘t do anything for me). There‘s also a ripping track from Umphrey'sMcGee called "Nemo," and some cool piano jazz from the Bad Plus.
Disc two gets off to a cool start with Trey Anastasio's horn-fueled band doing "Curlew‘s Call," followed by David Byrne doing "Dialog Box." After that I'm afraid my finger got stuck on the track skip button for awhile until I hit String Cheese Incident doing a killer "Desert Dawn". There's also a great track from Gomez, "Bring It On," and moe. does a nice version of "Not Coming Down;" I know I'm not anytime soon, especially after hearing all of this!
Overall this makes for a great little souvenir of Bonnaroo '04, whether you actually made it there or not! Be sure to check this one out on the Expand Your Mind player!!

04/21/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
LOS LOBOS - LIVE AT THE FILLMORE
Los Lobos have released their first ever live album, Live At the Fillmore, and it's about time!! This album captures Los Lobos in their natural environment doing what they do best: rocking out and having fun. Things get off to a good start with the gritty "Good Morning Atzlan," which has some great guitar playing from David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas. Next up is "I Walk Alone," another tough rocker. There's also lots of old favorites such as "Kiko and the Lavender Moon," "Tears Of God," "The Neighborhood," and "Viking," which has more great fretwork. They also do a nice version of Marvin Gaye's "What¹s Going On" as an encore. The initial pressing also includes a bonus CD with three acoustic tracks including "Saint Behind the Glass," and "Maricela." Also recommended is the Live At the Fillmore DVD recorded at the same concerts. Anyone who has seen Los Lobos and knows how awesome they are live (Granada Theater last fall anyone?) won't be disappointed, and if you haven't this would make an excellent introduction. This is great party music, so crank it up!!

04/21/05 Chris Green
Buck 65 - This Right Here is Buck 65
While he is a little known Canadian MC from Nova Scotia, Buck 65 is starting to make a name for himself . With his latest release "This Right Here is Buck 65". This is a compilation of 9 tracks that were previously unreleased from his college radio days in Nova Scotia, plus 3 brand new tracks for this album. Buck 65 has a very unique style. He delivers his lyrics in a voice that isn't quite as gravely as Tom Waits, and with beats that have a slight country tinge to them . The new tracks start of with the highlight "Bandits" an apt Woody Guthrie cover of "Talking Fishing Blues". This is a very well rounded album that is fun to listen to.

04/21/05 David Douglas
Manuel 'Guajiro' Mirabal - Buena Vista Social Club presents Manuel 'Guajiro' Mirabal
This album will not be entirely surprising to fans of the World Circuit Cuban records from Buena Vista to Ibrahim Ferrer to the Afro-Cuban All-stars.The same great musicians feature, like Cachaito Lopez on bass, Carlos Gonzalez and 'Anga' Dias on percussion with Manuel Galban on guitar. The material consists of reworkings of the classic songbook of Arsenio Rodriguez, the revolutionary blind band leader who transformed the sound of Cuban music in the 40s and 50s, and this is the style of his great conjuntos of that era. This was recorded in EGREM Studios; label boss Nick Gold and Jerry Boys‘ production and recording are peerless. Guajiro Mirabel was a key figure on all the World Circuit albums. Now 71, he gets his first solo record, with his instantly recognizable, melodically fluid trumpet pushed to the fore, although other more familiar characters like Ferrer get to guest on several tracks, notably on "Me Bote de Guano", which features Roberto Fonseca's inventive piano soloing (the late Ruben Gonzalez plays piano on the quirky final track "Dombe Dombe", which he personally requested be on the album). The album has a warm feel, as you might expect from the mainly live recordings, intimate acoustics and a group of musicians utterly comfortable with each other. Demetrio Muniz's delirious brass arrangements are truly exceptional. Indeed, the playing, material and production are first rate. Surprising? Perhaps not. A fabulous record and one of the best of the World Circuit series? Absolutely! Dubble-D

04/21/05 JEFF "THE RECORD" WEBB
The Kills - No Wow
If you like stripped down rock n roll, look no further than bluesy punk duo The Kills. And their new second LP No Wow might even be rawer than Keep On Your Mean Side. Hotel's guitar crackles and spits out the dirtiest sound since Jon Spencer's in Pussy Galore. He doesn't sing much at all this time leaving partner VV and her sexy PJ Harvey moan to tell the tales. Most of No Wow has a mean, menacing tone. Gone are most of the poppier elements from the 1st LP, but "Rodeo Town" is perhaps the best gritty ballad the band has recorded. No sophomore slump here, No Wow is one of my favorite CDs of the year.

04/14/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
ACETATE - THIS BAND MAKES ME FEEL
From Sanctuary Records comes Acetate with their debut album, This Band Makes Me Feel. Featuring Dave Schools from Widespread Panic (bass, naturally), Kevin Sweeney on guitar and vocals, and former Counting Crows drummer Ben Mize, Acetate is a rather loose, raw sounding album. It basically sounds like three guys getting together to jam and crank up some rock tunes on a Sunday afternoon. The album gets off to a rockin‘ start with "Can‘t You Can‘t You," which has kind of a ZZ Top feel to it. This is followed by "Things Goin‘ Down," another rocker. "Pungeoned Again" shows off these guys classic rock influence, with some meaty guitar riffs. Other highlights include "Jacob‘s Ladder," which offers up more rock riffage; "Good Riddance," which has some nice, gritty slide parts from Sweeney; the churning riffs of "Time to Let You Go;" the tough, grinding guitar on "Captain Bringdown" (hey, that would be a great nickname for at least one of my coworkers!!); and "Out Of My Hands," which has, you guessed it, even more rock riffing, and a great chorus. The last song, "Nothin‘s Still Going On" starts out sounding like it was recorded after listening to some Metallica albums or something before it goes into a psychedelic guitar solo. This is not really an album that goes into a lot of jamming, but WSP fans should find plenty to like here. You can listen to this on the Expand Your Mind Player at either CD World.

04/14/05 Matt Hursh
Wire - The Scottish Play (DVD/CD)
Last year‘s release of On the Box, the only complete document (the only footage I‘ve seen at all, unfortunately) of the mighty Wire‘s first "phase" was cause enough for celebration. There they were - four guys stuck in punk, beyond punk, not giving sweet F.A. what you called them anything at all, playing largely unreleased songs to a roomful of confused Germans with a confident smirk. Never expected to see it officially, all sparkly and clean. The fact that the DVD was accompanied with a CD of the same performance was just gravy, and now it‘s proven that once, in fact, isn‘t enough with the arrival of The Scottish Play. A set from the third incarnation of the band finds Newman, Lewis, Gilbert, and Grey obviously older, arguably wiser, and angry. "Angry" isn‘t a reference to disposition in this instance more to the point that they‘re just playing the hell out of songs that were written to be played the hell out of. Fast and terse, chaotic and abstract, this isn‘t art rock/punk rock/whatever rock, this is a performance set on scalping speed. No banter, no time to breathe, no backwards glances save for an encore that does more to burn down four of the band‘s "classics" (see the 9+ minute version of "Pink Flag" or better yet the speed freak blink of "106 Beats That"). Newman presses a button on his smoldering effects module to end the set, and thus, the Send/Read & Burn era. Hopefully, that button was "Pause."

04/14/05 JEFF ³THE RECORD² WEBB -
Garbage - Bleed Like Me
Let me preface by saying that the debut from Garbage was my favorite album of 1995. It was a great blend of grunge, electronica, and pop with the added bonus of sexy vocalist Shirley Manson. Famed producer Butch Vig was also a member so the record sounds great. After the by-the-numbers Version 2.0, and a disappointing attempt at a more slick pop sound on Beautiful Garbage, I was apprehensive about the new CD coming 3 years later.
Bleed Like Me is a return to form. The guitars are beefed up especially on tracks like the great opener Bad Boyfriend whose lyrics suggest, along with several others, that Shirley has had a painful breakup recently. Maybe I still have a chance? I digress. The electronica elements are still there, just a little more subtle. While mainly harkening back to their first album, other bands/sounds are referenced also. "Sex Is Not the Enemy" could be a Breeders outtake, and "Why Don‘t You Come Over" is Blondie-style punk.
Even though no new ground is covered, fans (like me) will be glad they‘re back.

04/14/05 Brad Sigler
British Sea Power - Open Season
Finally a new release I can say will be in my cd player for a long time. British Sea Power‘s ‘Open Season‘ not only boasts two of the best songs of the year ("It All Ended On An Oily Stage", "Please Stand Up"), but also some of the best lyrics and production of any record so far in 2005. Comparing their debut to this album is not only silly, but shows that most people just want more of the same. Instead of going with a formula and duplicating ‘Decline‘, the band opted to make a classic pop record that has more in common with prime era Psychedelic Furs than early Echo & The Bunnymen. It‘s truly a stunner of an album from the beautiful second track "Be Gone" to the album‘s epic closer "True Adventures", this one grows better with each listen. Those wanting another post-punk noise fest need go elsewhere....will easily make my top 10 this year!

04/14/05 David Douglas
Boom Bip - Blue Eyed in the Red Room
Boom Bip has been producing emotive electronic music that bridges the gap between Boards of Canada, indieavant-hop and Aphex Twin for a while now. Coming up in the relatively unexciting Midwestern confines of Cincinnati, a recent move to the endless summer of Southern California has had a subtle but profound effect on his music. While tinges of IDM still linger (the Autechre-ish "The Move"), sun-drenched epics like "Do‘s and Don‘ts‘" reference TV on the Radio with spooky choirs and the vocals of Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals. "Girl Toy" even touches on electronica like Ultramarine with it‘s hypnotic feelings.Boom Bip can evoke a tangible humanity from his machines, especially on the dreamy "The Matter(of our Discussion)," where Nina Nastasia‘s clear, warm tones perfectly capture the song‘s melancholy mood. This album is an ideal response to claims that electronic music has no soul.

04/14/05 Twoie Myers
Damage Manual - Limited Edition
The Damage Manual are back- sort of. The follow up to the super-group‘s phenomenal debut has finally arrived! There are changes in the group‘s line-up on this one: Martin Atkins (PiL, Ministry, Pigface, NIN, etc) and Chris Connelly (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface) are back, but Jah Wobble and Geordie Walker are absent. Stephen Seibold (Hate Dept, Pigface) is taking over guitar duties for the album. The album is post-punk noise made by old, snotty guys that started the genre. Flawless production and HUGE sounds make this album special. Martin Atkins‘ druming is amazing as always and Connelly spits venomous lyrics with incredible form.The tracks "Revenge Fiction" and "Mad Dialect" show off what the Damage Manual do and school younger bands trying to play in the genre.

04/14/05 Bill Stafford
John Fromage - Pieces of Hate
The legendary, long-lost third album sneaks out of Europe in a limited edition disc. Originally
a double-LP set, this single disc offers none of the bells & whistles that one expects from a contemporary re-issue, no bonus tracks, no expanded liner notes, no alternate cover or photos, thedisc doesn‘t even credit who might have helped Fromage assemble this forgotten masterpiece. Nevertheless, this is a welcome addition to any collection, as "Pieces of Hate" was as influential a record as was ever released. Starting with the ethereal tone piece "RazorShivers" (often credited as the inspiration for much of Brian Eno‘s late-70s works) and continuing to the epic "42nd Stre et VooDoo" (a side-length track that combines deep dub basslines and sinister guitar effects with distorted loops of zydeco-influenced keyboards) this album offers up one amazing song after another, tunes that will imprint themselves in your mind and heart like no others. Fromage would continue on to produce works that achieved more mainstream acceptance and sold more copies, but as far as altering peoples perceptions of how music could expand one‘s mind and re-shape the boundaries of sound, nothing would touch "Pieces of Hate"

04/05/05 Chris
Beck - Guero
Well it‘s been 3 years since the release of “sea change“ but unlike that release this one is more back to his roots with “Guero“. This album is a lot more like “mellow gold“ and “mutations“ where he obscures the lines between different genres of music. He teamed up again with the dust brother‘s on this album. This gave him an advantage going into the studio with producers that he is so familiar and comfortable with. There is no mistaking the distinct sound that he has created with the first single of the album “ E-pro“. This is a great album from beginning to end ending it with “Emergency Exit“. It has been awhile since he came out with a new album and he did not disappoint with this release.

04/05/05 Doug Shingler
Flesh For Lulu - Long Live The New Flesh (remastered)
Think solo Paul Westerberg backed by Flodland-era Sisters of Mercy. They had a minor hit in the 80‘s with the song “I Go Crazy“ when it was featured in the John Hughes movie “Some Kind Of Wonderful“. Finally this lost gem receives the Expanded, Remastered attention it deserves. Paul Westerberg even covered one of the tunes off this album for his Stereo/Mono effort. This is a must-have for you 80‘s-philes.

04/05/05 Twoie Myers
The Dresden Dolls - The Dresden Dolls
There is much to be said for a band that can do anything new and unique these days. The Dresden Dolls are one of the rare bands that manage to pull off being a one-of-a-kind bands that can cross genres. They mix Tori Amos-styled piano playing with German cabaret. Dynamics also play a big part in the music, where each songs goes from a whisper to a scream and back at the blink of an eye. The band is a two piece, with a female vocalist/pianist and a male drummer. They are also going to be on tour with Nine Inch Nails, so if you get a chance go see them!

04/05/05 David Douglas
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - Naturally
Sharon Jones‘ voice pours out loud and clear as she tells tales of life and love with vintage soul style. Solid, groove-heavy backing from the Dap Kings compliments Jones‘ hollers, wails and scoops, recalling an era of jive talkin‘ and long cool nights. Naturally is a honest-to-goodness rhythm and blues record that makes no excuses as it swings. Jumpers like “Fish In My Dish“ and “Your Thing Is A Drag“ dare hips not to swivel, while laments such as “Stranded in Your Love“ awaken the wistful. Naturally resists the tendency of throwback records to fall into parody‘ drawing the listener back to the days when music was pure. In today‘s saturated world of sugar-coated faux-soul and cliched pop singers, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings are a welcome foray into the meaty savor of our funky heritage! Dubble-D

04/05/05 Matt Hursh
Nick Cave - B-Sides and Rarities
Simple black and white box, crisp and stark cardboard sleeves inside, this triple disc set is straightforward in presentation, and (consequently?) priced to move. Following Cave‘s increasingly prolific career can be consuming on levels of time, finances, and patience (as Bad Saint Nick has gone from crazy out/feedback bluesman to brimstone puffing, Bible verse piano crooner and back again), but this collection rounds up a good deal of the now out-of-print singles and gives some overall perspective into the band‘s ambition, goals, and talent. Try the acoustic versions of “Deanna“ and “The Mercy Seat“ on Disc One, the “O‘Malley‘s Bar“ trilogy on Disc Two, or the spooky crawl of “Nocturama“ on Disc Three. There‘s 58 tracks in all here, and that‘s a whole lot of murkiness to take in at once, but it‘s also a set that will reward the dedicated listener for a long time to come.

04/05/05 Bill Stafford
Drive-By Truckers - The Dirty South Tour: Live at the 40 Watt Club (DVD)
This is how a band like DBT seems most natural - in a small sweaty club, packed full of drinkin‘ folks who can sing every word back at the band. Recorded before an audience of the faithful in the legendary Athens, Ga. club, “The Dirty South Tour“ drags you into the beer and sweat and smoke of a blistering set by one of America‘s premier rock-n-roll ensembles. Featuring a set-list culled primarily from their two most recent albums, the band saves a few of the older fan-favorites for the encore. However, long-time listeners should use this as an opportunity to wallow in the majesty that is the new albums. Even without touching upon “Southern Rock Opera“ or earlier material, the band shows their formidable live chops and highlight the talents of all three (!count ‘em!) singer-songwriter-guitarists. The audience at the club is clearly enraptured by the performance, and you will be, too.

04/05/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
PROJECT Z - PROJECT Z
This is something that is not really a new release,(it actually came out back in 2000) but was just recently added to stock: Project Z, which features Jimmy Herring, guitars; Jeff Sipe, drums; and Ricky Keller, on bass. Those who know Jimmy Herring from any of his many previous groups (his resume includes Aquarium Rescue Unit, Jazz Is Dead, Phil and Friends, and the Dead - quite impressive, if you ask me!) are probably already aware of his jaw-dropping skills with a guitar. For those who aren‘t, Project Z should serve as an excellent introduction to his world, warped as it may be. The music here is all original, mostly improvisational, and at times very experimental. The album gets off to a great start with the appropriately named “Raging Torrent;“ from the beginning Herring‘s astounding guitar playing is on full display, as he rips off one amazing lick after another. After a short but weird interlude called “Guitargument,“ (there are many of these brief little moments scattered throughout the disc, and they add sort of a Zappa-esque quality to the whole thing) there is “Mud Bug,“ which features some nice slide work from guest Derek Trucks. More weirdness follows, and then we have “Agusta‘s Ankle,“ and then the truly bizarre “Psychic Flutter,“ which in turn is followed by the colorful “Rainbow.“ Other highlights on here include “Albright Special,“ which is a brief detour into bebop swing territory; the experimental “Genetic Drift;“ the ripping “Yachtz;“ and “Utensil Oceans,“ which starts out with some gorgeous piano playing, before moving into some jam-goes-prog sounds (or is that prog-goes-jam...hmmm.). The last two songs, “Seperated Gestures,“ and “Isolated Light“ also feature more of Herring‘s typically rip-snorting fret work as well. The term “shredding“ could definitely be applied to most of this stuff here, although Herring is also a player with a strong sense of melody. Guitar players and jamband fans should take note- this is very, very highly recommended!!

04/05/05 JEFF “THE RECORD“ WEBB
Stereophonics - Language. Sex. Violence. Other?
Stereophonics showed some promise with their punk inspired debut Word Gets Around in 1977. Albums 2 through 4 had moments but lacked cohesiveness. This brings us to the new CD, number 5. This is the record they‘ve been trying to make all these years! Leader Kelly Jones has never sounded more confident, albeit raspier, having to sing over the raucous riffage. They‘re equal parts punk and classic rock with hooks galore especially the Oasis like “Dakota“, which deserves ‘hit‘ status. With a little luck, this Welsh trio might be ready to break through in the U.S.. Can‘t wait for the tour!

04/05/05 Brent Engel
The Locust - Safety Second, Body Last
What the hell is grindcore? In a culture that has a penchant for dividing and subdividing every genre, the locust stands as a shining beacon to all who have strayed from the typical category of “hardcore“. On the Locust‘s new album “safety second, body last“, the seemingly changeless wall of noise that this rawkus band creates has a definite new spin put on it. On the previous record “Plague Soundscapes“, the record boasts over 23 tracks and all of them clocking in under a whopping minute. The new album however has only two tracks totaling ten minutes. What gives you ask? Well it seems that out insect clad boys have grown up a little. The Locust, having currently been on tour with Mike Patton (Fantomas, Mr. Bungle, Faith No More) and being signed to the latter‘s label, are exploring the more experimental side of their chaotic sound. The album has the same old fun bursts of spasms, noise and screams that all locust fans have come to love them for in the past. However, in between these bursts there are prolonged instrumental interludes. This is definitely an album to check out if you are currently or not currently a Locust fan. And if you‘re not already a Locust fan, you should read the titles of their tracks…that alone is enough to convert you to their fanbase.

04/05/05 Matthew Kurzman
Calexico - Calexico (or highlights from my trip to South By Southwest)
This isn‘t a review of any particular album per se. Rather, it‘s a tribute to one of my favorite bands which doesn‘t get the appreciation which it deserves. Hailing from Tucson, Arizona, Calexico is the best of what is often referred to as “desert rock“.
The best I can do at describing their sound is to call it lazy-paced Americana blended with Mariachi trumpets and guitar (usually played at a hush, but occasionally building to a frenetic pace). People often ask me which Calexico album I recommend, I can‘t really recommend one over the others, I can only offer the following conversation I recently had with my buddy, Stevie:

ME: It doesn‘t matter which album I put on, everytime I play Calexico in the store,
someone buys it.
ST: Except the first one.
ME: What, Spoke? I don‘t play that one.
ST: Yeah, it‘s the kid we don‘t talk about.

So, yeah, Spoke‘s not my favorite, but other than that one, you can‘t go wrong.

And live, Calexico is amazing. Their performance Friday night at Antone‘s was definitely the highlight (or, rather it was tied with Erykah Badu‘s Saturday night show at Austin Music Hall) for me at South By Southwest. There was a large Tucson contingent in the crowd off of whose energy the band was feeding. Furthermore, the band is gearing up to record their next album, so they played a slew of new material. Add to that, a lot of musicians were there to catch the performance, many of whom joined the band for a song or two. Neko Case‘s performance, in particular, blew me away. The girl‘s got an unbelievable set of pipes. After building the crowd to a frenzy, they broke into a mind-blowing cover of “Alone Again Or“ by Love.

Another highlight of my weekend at SXSW was an encounter with Sammy Hagar. After hearing of his interview at the Convention Center in which he declared his love of Austin and his desire to soak up the local atmosphere, I ran into the Red Rocker in the bathroom at Hooters, where he was truly experiencing the best Austin has to offer. I immediately took the free urinal next to him and struck up a conversation. After a couple of awkward attempts to break the ice, I asked him what he was doing in Austin, as he wasn‘t performing anymore. He told me the makers of Depends undergarments were trying to enhance their product‘s image by marketing it to aging rock fans, and he had been employed as their spokesman. I made some comment correlating the inability to drive 55 and the inability to control one‘s bladder at 55 to which he apparently took offense because he immediately zipped his fly and began muttering something under his breath as he headed for the door. Before he could make his exit I said, “That was pretty shitty of Eddie and Alex to invite Diamond Dave back in the band and then boot him again like that. You know, one minute he thinks he‘s got a career again and the next minute he‘s back to begging change again.“ At this the Red Rocker truly turned red. “For your information, me and Dave are working on a project together.“ “Really? Ya‘ll got a band called Kill Eddie or something?“ “We figured Rod Stewart‘s made a killing milking old standards, so me and Dave are working on a duet album of Porgy & Bess.“
Well, you heard it here first. Watch out for my next review in which I will somehow tie in the story of meeting Harry Shearer at Waterloo and badgering him into recording an outgoing message on my cell phone in the voice of Montgomery Burns.

03/29/05
Brenden Benson - The Alternative To Love
The sweet sound of Power Pop - Jellyfish, Raspberries, Cheap Trick, Matthew Sweet, Big Star - all extremely influential on today‘s music. Brenden Benson is just one of those artists, a young songwriter and musician with a knack for sugar coated melodies and catchy little tunes about love and loss. His style is that of Jon Brion (underrated) and Jason Faulkner (or the ever great Owsley for that matter) and on this his third album release, Benson seems to have a firm grasp on how to twist a song in every direction, to squeeze in every hook he can. Produced by the brilliant Tchad Blake, the album has a nice familiar feel to it, while always maintaining a solid identity of it‘s own. It‘s the best Power Pop release since A.C. Newman‘s ‘Slow Wonder‘ in 2004 and will most certainly be on my year end list.

03/23/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
MARSHALL TUCKER BAND - STOMPIN‘ ROOM ONLY
Not exactly a new release (it came out in late 2003) but just recently added to stock, Stompin‘ Room Only features the original Marshall Tucker Band playing live in their prime. Perhaps the most misunderstood of all Southern Rock bands, (for one thing, there ain‘t noone named Marshall Tucker in the band, just like Lynyrd Skynyrd) Marshall Tucker combined elements of blues, boogie-rock, country, western swing, and even jazz together to create something wholly unique. Things get off to a stompin‘ good start with the instrumental “Long Hard Ride,“ which has some great chicken pickin‘ lead guitar from the late, great Toy Caldwell. This is followed by a great version of “This Old Cowboy,“ a prime example of their western swing influences, with more tasty licks from Caldwell, and nice leads from sax/reed player Jerry Eubanks. Next up is “Fire On the Mountain,“ one of their many hits, with vocalist Doug Gray‘s vocals leading the way. Then there‘s “Searchin‘ For A Rainbow,“ another minor hit for MTB, which has more typically fiery lead guitar from Toy. But the real highlight here, IMO, has got to be the rockin‘ “Take The Highway,“ where the band just goes into overdrive behind Toy‘s blazing guitar licks. Hot Damn!! And if that ain‘t enough for ya, they follow it up with a great version of their #1 hit “Can‘t You See,“ with Caldwell on lead vocals and screaming lead guitar as well. Other highlights include the country-rocker “Blue Ridge Mountain Sky,“ “Ramblin‘“ and a cool cover version of “The Thrill Is Gone,“ which features guests Dickey Betts and Charlie Daniels on guitars for a real Southern Rock guitar army jam. This is great, jamming stuff from this often overlooked classic rock band. Those who always thought that Marshall Tucker Band was just “too country“ ought to check out this live document; they may be surprised at just how much they rocked out live. May the South do it again some day!!

03/23/05 Bill Stafford
Penn & Teller - Bullshit! (Second Season) DVD
If it‘s a fact that sacred cows make the best hamburgers, then Penn & Teller are fucking McDonald‘s. They gleefully and efficiently rip apart every myth, deconstruct every poorly thought out fallacy and abort misconceptions. They are street-punk, coyote-tricksters with an agenda to relieve you of the burden of living a life of ignorance, and they do so in a way that is clever and amusing, as well as accurate. Penn‘s bombastic, explosive presence, contrasted with Teller‘s expressive stoicism provides the comedic prestidigitators the ability to comment in a number of ways - if Penn ain‘t shouting himself hoarse about something, then often Teller‘s cocked eyebrow and impassive features can speak volumes. They spare no targets, from P.E.T.A. to recycling to the holy Bible, no one is spared. But don‘t think that P&T just tear things down haphazardly, if they find something accurate and worthwhile in the course of their investigations they report it - however, they thankfully tackle subjects that pretty much routinely wither before their flame-thrower assaults and need to be exposed as the frauds that they are. “Bullshit“ is the sort of show that you will gleefully share with friends - dragging the animal-rights activist over to watch the P.E.T.A. episode or your holy-roller buddy to try and dispute the Bible accusations , for instance - but it is also the sort that can genuinely help folks out in an informative way. And, hey, if you can get some chuckles out of it, too, I say “Why Not?“

03/23/05 JEFF “THE RECORD“ WEBB
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
What hath Franz wrought? It‘s another British invasion! What is it now, the seventh or eighth? This time it‘s danceable post-punk. All the usual elements are here: the Gang of Four angular guitar, the quirkiness of XTC, and what sounds like a close relative of Robert Smith on vocals. Throw in some Brit-Pop and a little new wave (on the slow ones), and you‘ve got Bloc Party. I‘m a sucker for this sort of thing and this is one of the better albums to come out of this movement. There‘s a lot of great hooks throughout. I‘m sure most of these bands won‘t make it past a couple of albums, but for now, keep ‘em comin‘!

03/15/05 Brad Sigler
Doves - Some Cities
First of all, let me incur the wrath of Radiohead and Coldplay fans by saying how much these two bands have ruined the face of British pop music. Both groups owe their sound to the dream pop and shoegaze of 4 A.D. and Creation Records, and in Radiohead‘s case, 70‘s Prog Rock. Yet, everyone has tried to compare other bands to their so called “sound“. So, here we have the third Doves release in five years, which will no doubt be dubbed with the “sounds like“ tag. It‘s a soundscape of sorts, a moody piece of work, every bit as good as “OK Computer“ (not as good as “The Bends“) and “A Rush Of Blood To The Head“ (Waaaaay overrated), but more soulful and beautiful than either of those records. It might take two or three listens for it to soak in, but once you get it, you‘ll hear how much is going on in every song (nice bit of “Heatwave“ used for the structure of “Black And White Town“), how much is happening, without it being cluttered, or annoying. It comes off as one long piece of music, rather than individual songs and it works just beautifully. The atmosphere is thick in here and I don‘t mind it at all. Nice to have a record to add to my top ten so early in the year...

03/15/05 David Douglas
Domenico + 2 - Sincerely Hot
David Byrne‘s ever reaching presence in presenting music from around the world has been going on for over 10 years with the crucial Luaka Bop label, and their latest release ( from Brazil), is Domenico + 2, “Sincerely Hot,“ and it will be sure to please.This is the second of three albums by Brazilian musicians Domenico, Moreno Veloso, and Kassin, with each member taking the lead on a different record. The first release brought a great deal of attention to bear on singer/instrumetalist Veloso‘s pan-national style. Now it‘s drummer Domenico‘s turn on point, and he accomplishes nearly the same feat! Opener “Alegria Vai La“ is a percussive-forward piece that only a drummer could conceive, and the hip-hop inspired samba of “Te Convidei Pro Samba“ is equally rhythmic. But “Possibildade,“ with it‘s happy-go-lucky flutes, guitars and trombones, proves that song craft doesn‘t play second fiddle to any particular beat. Kassin produced this whole affair, with his delicate synthetics never obscuring the core musicians, yet you can tell this would be a sleeper without his effect-laden touch. Looking forward to when he steps front and center on the final album, and thanking David Byrne for taking us on the journey!

03/15/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
THE MOTET - MUSIC FOR LIFE
From Harmonized Records comes the Motet with their third album, Music For Life. The band is Dave Watts, drums; Mark Donovan, guitars; Garrett Sayers, bass; Dominic Lalli, tenor sax; Greg Raymond, keyboards; and Scott Messersmith on percussion, with guest Jon Stewart helping out on alto sax. The Motet combines elements of rock, funk, jazz and even world music. Things get off to a good start with the horn driven “Cheap Sh*t,“ followed by the uptempo, Latin flavored “Power.“ Up next is the funky “Black Hat,“ which has some cool sax playing from Lalli, and some nice guitar work from Donovan. This is followed by “The Magic Way,“ which starts out kind of slow before moving into a fast, dance groove, with more tasty sax lines. Other highlights on here include “Corporatic,“ with its tight funk rhythms, and inventive keyboards, the jazzy sounding “Fearless,“ the jazz-funk (or is that funk-jazz? HmmmÂ…) of “What‘s the Purpose,“ and the closing “Them Or Us,“ which has more great keyboard work, and cool jazz guitar licks, as well as some very tight ensemble playing from the rhythm section. For those who enjoy horn-driven jazz funk with lots of Latin influenced percussion (think Santana, or Rusted Root), check out the Motet. Also just added to stock is their excellent live album, the Motet Live. This is available to listen to on the Expand Your Mind Player at CD World.

03/15/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
GONG - ANGELS EGG AND YOU
Virgin has reissued Angels Egg and You, two pivotal slices of pure psychedelic weirdness from ‘70‘s prog/psych-rockers Gong. The sticker on the cover of You proclaims it‘s “sort of like King Crimson on 10 doses of acid.“ Cool, and I believe it, too, especially after hearing these and looking at the cover artwork! Wow, Far Out, maaan! Fusing together elements of psychedelia, jazz, and space rock, Gong was one of the leading bands in the early ‘70‘s prog-rock movement. Angels Egg and You make up two-thirds of an elaborate trilogy involving gnomes, witches, Pothead Pixies, a strange character named Zero the Hero, Octave Doctors, and God knows what else. Angels Egg starts out with the spacey “Other Side Of The Sky,“ followed by the whimsically titled “Sold To the Highest Buddah.“ There‘s also the jazzy sounding “Flute Salad,“ and the slippery “Oily Way.“ “Inner Temple“ is an instrumental space-rock track with a jazz edge. The real highlight here is probably “I Never Glid Before,“ which goes thru several movements and time signatures and was most likely a great excuse for the band to stretch out live. The reissue includes four bonus tracks, which continue the weirdness even further into space. The follow-up album, You, would be the last album to feature founding member Daevid Allen (Guitar, Vocals), and found guitarist Steve Hillage playing a much more prominent role in the band. Highlights here include the jazz-oriented “Perfect Mystery,“ the instrumental “Isle Of Everywhere,“ and the closing “You Never Blow Yr Trip Forever.“ Very cool stuff from this long-forgotten prog-rock group. Just remember this: Gong rhymes with bong!

03/15/05 Bill Stafford
Various - Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story“ (DVD)
As anyone who has lingered long in the Addison store (especially when Your ‘umble Narrator and JT have been stretched to their limits) there was a recent exquisite compilation of tunes released called “Do You Know The Difference Between Big Wood & Brush? The American Song-Poem Anthology“ that highlights the little-known (and less understood) musical underground of song-poems. For those who are wondering what the hell a “song-poem“ is & why you should care, let me explain. Ever check out the tiny ads in the back of old comic books, or pulp magazines, or odd tabloids & see folks requesting your poetry ? Usually featuring come-ons such as: “Popular, Rock and Roll, Country, and Sacred poems needed AT ONCE! Send your poems today for prompt FREE EXAMINATION AND APPRAISAL.“ ... “We need new ideas FOR RECORDING.“ ... “Your songs or poems may EARN MONEY FOR YOU!“ - these ads served to lure the gullible (or desperate) into sending in their random doggerel in the hopes it would pan out as chart-topping gold. Then the suckÂ…pardon me, lyricist, gets their words welded onto some random tune banged out by session musicians who do HUNDREDS of these things in a couple days sessions. Not quite lovingly crafted by the finest composers around, but hell, “Louie Louie“ ain‘t Stravinsky & it charted, right ? So maybe one of these little gems from the heart will be heard by the right person & the masses will embrace it & life will be skittles & beer from then on for the songwriter. It hasn‘t happened yet, to any of them, but maybe this documentary, which serves as a bizarre (and bizarrely touching) look into this oddball subculture will allow them to share their songs with more than just their friends and families.
Now, don‘t get me wrong - these folks are not like the stinkingly desperate folks on “American Idol“ who want to be STARS!!!, no these folks are just people with much simpler dreams, dreams of having their art recognized. I sat down in front of this thinking it‘d be a hoot - kick the feet up, crack a cold one & just laugh at the rubes who produce such minor masterpieces as “Human Breakdown of Absurdity“, “Jimmy Carter Says YES!“, “I Lost My Girl To An Argentinean Cowboy“ or the Addison favorite “How Long Are You Staying (aka DISCODISCODISCO)“. What I found instead were some desperately touching moments. Sure, there are plenty of places to whoop & laugh (for god‘s sake the first song in the film is “Non-Violent Taekwondo Troopers“ - featuring lyrics like “Thank Jehovah for Kung Fu Bicycles and Priscilla Presley“) but there is also a very sweet appreciation for these folks efforts. Yes, they might be delusional, they might have WAY too much time on their hands and they DEFINITELY could use some song-writing help, but there is no way you can just disregard them, ignore their efforts, deny their pain, even. The moment that Iowa Mountains Tour gets off the stage of their first live gig, you know that they have stared a bit too hard into reality‘s ugly face, and you sympathize. Here‘s a guy that all but has his dreams sucked out of him onstage, trying not to show it, trying not to be seen on camera being anything but up, but his pain, his heartache is real and vivid The filmmakers are to be commended for their understanding of the heart of this matter, they can laugh at the music without laughing at the people whose music it is. The DVD is crammed with extras and is a perfect companion to the “Song-Poem Anthology“ CD - come on in, pick them both up & start humming such classics as “The Moon Men“ & “Blind Man‘s Penis“.

03/15/05 Matt Hursh
Black Eyes - Cough
It‘s saying something - what, exactly, is up to debate - when you can say that a particular album from Dischord Records is unusually abstract and noisy, but that‘s a statement that applies to Black Eyes‘ second full length release. Their first, self titled, was a messy burst that recalled some of the artier noise of the early-80s while fitting nervously on the current musical landscape as well. Cough expands the sound, with Stooges-esque horns cutting through the layers and some nice, thick dub bass boiling on the spine. The vocals might be the biggest point of contentionÂ…the lyrics are existential (which is fine), but dude‘s voice can grate a bit. I suppose the same could be said for this whole record, but for those with a penchant for harder edge stuff that‘s not afraid to explore a bit more than three chords, there‘s plenty to be found within this record‘s just-right 30 minutes.

03/15/05 JEFF “THE RECORD“ WEBB
The Saints - Nothing Is Strange In My House
Australia‘s pioneer punk band, The Saints return with their first album in four years. These days (since 1980) it‘s been vocalist Chris Bailey and a revolving door of different members. This time there‘s a notable addition-Marty Willson Piper of The Church on guitar. His outstanding work transforms this latest batch of Bailey tunes into the best Saints LP since All Fools Day in 1986. It‘s the usual mixture of 1977 era punk, hard rock, and blues we‘ve come to expect, but Chris seems almost reborn. It‘s good to see these veterans still delivering the goods.

03/01/05 Matt Hursh
Deadwood - (Complete 1st season DVD)
This series, in combination with Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Sopranos, and Carnivale, is more than reason enough why every other network - cable or otherwise - is eating HBO‘s poop. Deadwood is dark, foul, and perverse. If that‘s not enough of an endorsement right there, then how about this: it also features some of the most well drawn, interesting characters, vibrant dialogue (and yes, it‘s quite filthy, but I‘m not a baby, and chances are that neither are you, so get over it and focus on WHAT they‘re saying rather than HOW), and engagingly layered storylines that have graced the small screen in years. It‘s a period western that completely re-imagines and re-defines the genre; the good guys (who are far outnumbered) are caked in mud rather than decked in white, the damsels are still in distress, but they‘ve got guns, bad pasts and attitudes, and probably a handful of venereal hassles, and everyone‘s got an agendaÂ…namely their own. It‘s also a character actor aficionado‘s wet dream, featuring Powers Boothe, Tim Olyphant, William Sanderson, and Keith Carradine among others. The highlight, however is Ian McShanye‘s role as Al Swearengen, the evil, but entirely consistent and not entiiiiirely illogical, saloon owner who all but runs the ramshackle Black Hills settlement. I‘d write more, but I‘m on the season finale. Be seeing you.

03/01/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
LOTUS - NOMAD
Harmonized Records has released Nomad, the second album from Lotus. The band consists of Steve Clemons, drums; Jesse Miller, bass; Luke Miller, guitars and keyboards; Chuck Morris, acoustic and electronic drums; and Mike Rempel, guitars. This is another band that blurs the lines between rock and techno/electronica, with a healthy dose of jazz thrown in. This is music that you can you can either dance to, or lay back and trance out on. Clemons and Morris provide a steady, pulsing beat that grooves along steadily, while Miller and Rempel provide layers of swirling keyboards, and clean-toned, jazz influenced guitar lines. Highlights include the opener “Suitcase,“ the fast-paced “Spiritualize,“ which has some very hypnotic guitar playing (I think it‘s Mike Rempel who does most of the leads, while Luke Miller plays rhythm and keys); “Plant Your Root“ takes things even further out into dance/electronica territory, with its fast break-beats and trippy keyboards. This is a good album to get lost in, perfect for trance-dancing or just spacing out late at night. Also recommended is Germination, their live debut album from 2002. Fans of house and trance, as well as today‘s jam scene should find plenty to like here. Be sure to check out Lotus on the Expand Your Mind Player!

03/01/05 Brad Sigler
The Field Mice - Snowball, Skywriting & For Keeps
Sarah Records put out some great records, from 1987-1995, by bands like The Orchids, 14 Iced Bears (Record and I believe THIS band to be more important, but whateverÂ…), Heavenly and The Sea Urchins. Yet, most critics consider the label‘s most important band was The Field Mice, a twee pop band that only put out a few records and a slew of 10“ and 7“ singles. Most of their output has been unavailable and LTM Records (the same label that puts out obscure 80‘s bands - The Room, Minny Pops, Stockholm Monsters, Josef K, Section 25 - on cd) has remastered their catalog and added bonus tracks over two cds. All the releases, ‘Snowball + Singles‘, ‘Skywriting + Singles‘ and ‘For Keeps + Singles‘ are brilliant from start to finish and essential listening for fans of Trashcan Sinatras, Close Lobsters and Trembling Blue Stars.

03/01/05 Chris Green
Aesoperock - Fast cars, danger, fire and knives
This is another solid release from Def Jux. I was very anxious to hear this album a few weeks ago. Now that the wait is over I can enjoy this underground hip hop masterpiece . While it is a short cd Def Jux did include a 88 page book including all of Aesop‘s lyrics from his previous 5 albums. Wich gives you great insight into his songs. “Fast cars, Danger, Fire and Knives “ is the first material he has released in a year and a half it was worth the wait. With tracks like “Holly smokes“ and “Rickety Rackety“ featuring CamuTao and El-P this album has realy set the tone for underground hip hop.

03/01/05 Matthew Kurzman
Thievery Corporation - Babylon Rewound
This limited-edition collection features 8 previously unreleased dub remixes from
The Richest Man in Babylon CD. Think chill-out gone reggae. Several tracks featuring sultry female vocals are reminiscent of Morcheeba and Zero 7, but with more riddim. The best comparison I can make is to Hi-Fi Killers‘ Jamaica, but more laid back
This disc is a great way to wind down at the end of a late weekend night. Turn the lights down, light one up, and chill.

03/01/05 JEFF “THE RECORD“ WEBB
The Waterboys - This is the Sea (2CD Deluxe Version)
1985 saw the release of the third album from Mike Scott‘s Waterboys. To me, it‘s his finest hour, where the “big music“ he had been striving for, became fully realized. In addition to Scott‘s guitar and piano, he was greatly helped out by Anthony Thistlethwaite on sax and Karl Wallinger (World Party) as a veritable one man orchestra. Scott‘s political, spiritual, and inspirational lyrics are among his best. 3 of my personal favorites of his are on here. The uplifting “The Whole of the Moon“ (his biggest UK hit), the pounding piano led rocker “Medicine Bow“, expanded on the 2nd disc with an insane 2 ½ minute solo, recalling the best of Mike Garson on Aladdin Sane, and the over the top anthemic title track.
Disc 2 has 14 more tracks including the aforementioned “Medicine Bow“. In addition to some b-sides, a Van Morrison cover (Astral Weeks is a big influence), and a great live version of “This is the Sea“, you get an albums worth of unreleased songs, many of which could have been worthy of inclusion on the original release. There are also fascinating liner notes from the man himself. Fans probably have this (it was released last spring), but if you‘re interested in one of the best songwriters to come out of the middle 80‘s, look no further than This is the Sea.

02/24/05 JEFF “THE RECORD“ WEBB
Low - The Great Destroyer
Low is an acquired taste. As pioneers of the “slowcore“ movement of the mid 90‘s, Low were a little too slow for me. I could appreciate what they were going for but I rarely played them. You had to be in the right mood for their sparse sound.
This new album changes everything. The Great Destroyer is Low‘s most accessible album to date. While it‘s a rock record in every sense of the word, the various styles still sound like the old Low is still in there. For one thing, the subtle harmonies of guitarist Alan Sparhawk and drummer Mimi Parker are still there, but when they do start off a song slowly or quietly, it usually builds to a full-on climax with distorted guitars or a choirlike chorus. You‘ve got dream pop, distorted guitar rock, gorgeous epics and even pop on here, something for everyone. The opening track “Monkey“ is my favorite with its distorted drums, organ, and guitar. Man, those lower frequencies make me wish I had a sub woofer! It‘s a long way until December, and records released in January tend to get forgotten, but I see a potential Top 10 in its future.

02/24/05 Matt Hursh
Donnie Darko - Donnie Darko: Director‘s Cut DVD
Achieving (widespread) cult status faster than any film in history - and perhaps not entirely unintentionally so - Donnie Darko gets the extended digital treatment with a Richard Kelly-approved cut. The movie‘s a tough one to encapsulate, and may even better served without an explanation, but its basics involve disenfranchised youth, time wrinkles, and a mal(bene?)evolent, human-sized rabbit. See? No expository justice for a film that deserves better. The direction‘s solid, and the Director‘s Cut slows the pace down without getting weighed down by pretension. The soundtrack‘s 80s memorable and appropriate, and the story is one of ingenuity and legitimate originality. If you haven‘t seen it before, now‘s the perfect time. If you haveÂ…you haven‘t like this. Donnie Darko: it‘s not just for 15-year-old girls dressed in black anymore.

02/24/05 Bill Stafford
Drive-By Truckers - Pizza Deliverance
Re-issued (along with “Gangstabilly“) DBT‘s second record shows how they were already adept at crafting lingering character sketches while still rocking out. All sorts of stories are spread throughout the disc, from delusional suicides on a budget (“Nine Bullets“) to encounters with punk rock legends (“The Night G.G. Allin Came To Town“) and the “Did I HEAR that title right?!?!“-Award winner “The President‘s Penis Is Missing“ yet all show the solid southern grooves that just seem to come second nature to these boys. Imagine the cast of “Twin Peaks“ suddenly dropped into “Poor White Trash“ country and you have the beginnings of a grasp about the diversity of engaging oddity that drips off the average DBT record. Not as dark and vicious as “Decoration Day“ or “The Dirty South“, “Pizza Deliverance“ is much more of a just don‘t give f@#$ kinda thing, with fun stories that intertwine with the pathos. For those who already have copies of the first two records, you‘ll still prolly wanna spring for these, as the sound is superb, the packaging is expanded and there are revealing liner notes from Patterson.

02/24/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
PERPETUAL GROOVE - ALL THIS EVERYTHING
Harmonized Records has re-released All This Everything, the second album from Atlanta, GA. Based Perpetual Groove. The band is Brock Butler, vocals, electric and acoustic guitars; Adam Perry, bass, bass synth; Matt McDonald, piano, organ, synthesizer, vocals; and Albert Suttle on drums and percussion. Perpetual Groove is another “jam band“ (yeah, I guess that‘s a genre now; whatever, it‘s all music!) who blurs the line between rock and electronica with their streamlined, trance-inducing sound. Things get off to a good start with the brief “Life,“ which is quickly followed by “All This Everything Parts I & II.“ The first part has a very catchy, sing-a-long chorus, while the second half leads into a nice little jam led by guitar and keyboard. Next up is “53 More Things To Do In Zero Gravity,“ an incredibly tight instrumental. And that illustrates exactly what this band does best: they lock into one tight groove after another, always pushing upwards towards the next plane, the next galaxy. Although P-Groove have got ample chops to spare (Butler and McDonald, especially) it‘s not so much about taking long solos (that‘s “wanking“ to you ignorant, narrow-minded new wave types reading this) as it is serving the almighty groove. Standouts include “The Universe,“ “Long Past Settled In,“ the spacy “Scooter,“ and “Occam‘s Blazer,“ which has some great rock guitar riffs from Butler, before it flys way out into deep space. Other highlights? The whole album, it‘s that good!! This is an album that you can just get completely lost in, and forget everything for awhile. This is very highly recommended to fans of Particle or STS9. Be sure to check out All This Everything, as well as the excellent debut, Sweet Oblivious Antidote, from Perpetual Groove on the Expand Your Mind Player at a CD World near you!

02/16/05 Brad Sigler
Graham Coxon - Happiness In Magazines
I‘m very happy to report there is life after Blur and it comes courtesy of Guitarist Graham Coxon. Now this isn‘t his first solo outing, in fact, this is his fifth release since 1998 and the third on his label Transcopic (with help from EMI). Most of Coxon‘s songs wouldn‘t have sounded out of place on any of Blur‘s albums (except the flacid ‘Think Tank‘), let alone a Pavement album. The cd is polished, yet it sounds like a homemade record - catchy, memorable songs, delivered in an immediate, imaginative fashion. The disc will please longtime Blur fans and convert those who loved ‘13‘, but didn‘t care for ‘Parklife‘. Favorite song: “People Of Earth“, a tongue-in-cheek rant from the view of an alien who finds us all pretty insane and just a wee bit stupid.

02/16/05 Twoie Myers
Finntroll - Nattfodd
This is the absolute most original metal band that I have ever heard! Imagine a band from Finland that sings all in Finnish and plays black metal-meets-traditional polka and all the songs are about trolls. Genius! They refer to their music as “trollish hoedown metal“. The song “Ellytres“ sums up what Finntroll is all about. I never thought polka and black metal could/should be combined, but they seem to go together seamlessly- trollish um-pa metal. This album is a must-listen if ever there was one!!!

02/16/05 Johnny Christ
Harper lee - All things can be mended
Harper Lee haven‘t changed a thing since the release of 2002 ‘s Everything‘s Going to Be OK. On All Things Can Be Mended, the duo of ex-Blueboy leader Keris Howard (vocals, guitar, and keyboards) and Laura Bridge (guitar, drums, backing vocals, and piano) maintain a steady course straight into the heart of Sarah Records-style indie pop nostalgia. What this means for the listener is swooning synth washes, gently jangling guitars, melodic bass lines, and most of all, heartbroken and tender vocals singing wistful songs of love lost. Just a look at the titles lets you know what you are in for: “Everybody Leaves,“ “There Is a Light in Me That Is Gone,“ “This Is the Sound a Heart Makes When It‘s Breaking“ - each more sad and blue than the next. Even the one song that promises a ray of hope, “Everything‘s Going to Be OK,“ is pretty darn gloomy. No surprise there. In fact, there are no surprises at all, just solid indie popcraft perfect for wallowing in heartbreak and ennui

02/16/05 Doug Shingler
Tommy Stinson - Village Gorilla Head
While the following suggestion certainly sounds far more ominous than intended, one gets the feeling that hanging out with Axl Rose has started to rub off on Tommy Stinson. The former Replacements bassist has been a member of the Chinese Democracy-era edition of Guns N‘ Roses for a few years at this writing, and just as Rose seems oddly intent upon beating all the rock & roll fun out of his brave new version of G n‘ R, Stinson‘s first proper solo album, Village Gorilla Head, is significantly short on the rave-up excitement and loopy enthusiasm of his earlier sets with Bash & Pop and Perfect. Which isn‘t to say that Stinson has completely lost his sense of humor or his inclinations toward straight-ahead rock & roll - just check out the Stones-style raunch of “Motivation“ and “Something‘s Wrong,“ the ace Ronnie Lane lift of “Hey You,“ and the onslaught of attitudinal snot of “Bite Your Tongue“ and you‘ll get some much needed reassurance about the state of Stinson‘s abilities. But the electro-processed spookiness of “Without a View“ and the title track suggest he‘s been listening to trip hop without really figuring how to do it himself, “Couldn‘t Wait“ is blunt hard rock lacking in both hooks and swing, and most of the cuts on this album lack a much-needed élan - the songs are solid, the playing is great, but there‘s a certain sweat-inducing passion that‘s in unfortunately short supply. There‘s just enough good stuff on Village Gorilla Head to remind listeners of the scruffy kid with the flawless rock instincts they knew as Tommy Stinson, but at the same time there‘s a bunch of stuff suggesting that maturity and a more serious outlook are taking a toll upon him. Here‘s some advice: less Guns N‘ Roses, more Minus 5 in your musical diet, Tommy.

02/16/05 Matt Hursh
The Prefects - Are Amateur Wankers
Considering their latter project/incarnation, The Nightingales, have reformed of late are actually slated to play this tear‘s SXSW, I suppose this is the perfect time to review The Prefects. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAÂ…..see what I did there? HaaaaaaaHahahahahahaaaÂ….Phew. Whew. BoyÂ…Shut up.
Anyway, this is another of those spiky little lost secrets from the A.D. side of the punk movement, something in line with The Sound or The ExÂ…only The Prefects are a bit messier, more succinct, and a maybe just a shade angrier - more aloof at the very least - than either of the slightly more revered outfits. They‘re punkier than (the also very worthwhile) The Nightingales, and although this 10-track CD represents the whole of their recorded output, it‘s not much of a stretch to see these l‘il gits mentioned in the same breath with gawds like Mission of Burma and Wire. Due to their collective brevity and lack of honest-to-goodness production, The Prefects aren‘t going to change your life, but they‘ll ease the tripÂ…and it‘s always nice to hold a comprehensive collection in your grubby little paws, isn‘t it?

02/16/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
GARAJ MAHAL - MONDO GARAJ
Harmonized Records has released Mondo Garaj, the first studio album from Garaj Mahal. The band is Eric Levy, keyboards; Fareed Haque, guitars; Kai Eckhardt, (who has played with Larry Coryell, among others) bass; and Alan Hertz (who was originally part of KVHW w/ Steve Kimock a few years back), on drums. Sounding like some mutant cross between Mahavishnu Orch. and Return to Forever, these guys have got chops to spare, and then some! With moods ranging from explosive to surreal and everything in between, the album is transcendental and technically amazing all at once. Highlights include the opening title track, “Hindi Gumbo,“ which has some cool electric sitar licks from Haque, the super-funky “Be Dope.“ Next up is “Junckt,“ which has some great keyboard work from Levy and some very trippy slide guitar licks from Fareed, as well as more cool sitar vibes. I think it was at this point that my lava lamp started trying to talk to me and, uh, never mind. There‘s also “Poodle Factory,“ an amusing little tune which features some scratchings from a DJ Fly Agaric (frankly, this sounds out of place on here, but it‘s mercifully brief. I prefer to scratch my own records, thank you very much.). Other highlights include “New Meeting,“ which has more otherworldly guitar playing from Fareed Haque (he‘s brilliant on most of this stuff!) and a guest appearance from SCI mandolin wiz Michael Kang; the fusion sounds of “Beware My Ethnic Heart,“ “Madagascar,“ which has some jazzy guitar work that reminded me of Pat Metheny, and another guest spot from Kang. There‘s also “Gulam Sabri,“ which offers up some tight Rhodes playing from Levy, “Bajo,“ and the closing “Milk Carton Blues.“ This is intense, heady music from this bunch of extremely talented players. Check out Garaj Mahal on the Expand Your Mind Player at a CD World near you!

02/16/05 JEFF “THE RECORD“ WEBB
The Wedding Present - Take Fountain
David Gedge has resurrected the Wedding Present after 8 years; the majority of those spent fronting Cinerama. I for one couldn‘t be happier. The Weddoes were one of my favorite bands of the late 80‘s-early 90‘s with their distinctive brand of guitar pop.
Every kind of fan will find something to like here. There‘s poppier tracks like those on Saturnalia, and more aggressive like those on Seamonsters. Some feature the more American indie sound of Watusi (whose Steve Fisk returns to produce the new CD). “Ringway to Seatac“ even harkens back to the hyperspeed strumming of the George Best era. To show a new side, terrific 8 minute opener “Interstate 5“ slowly builds in power before abruptly morphing into what sounds like an outtake from a Morricone score. Dave‘s still having problems in the love department, and his conversational lovelorn lyrics are a highlight as usual. Take Fountain is a triumphant return, and hopefully there‘ll be a tour stop in Dallas!

02/16/05 Chris Green
Sage Francis - A Healthy Distrust
It‘s been three years since his debut release “Personal Journals“. He has made up by the length of time between albums with “A Healthy Distrust“. This is a very provocative and intelligently written album. It has separated him from the pack of other underground mc‘s. This is a much better produced album than his last, with all of it done on an 8 track mixer. One of his finer points is that he doesn‘t beat you over the head with repetitious lyrics. He uses a lot of metaphor‘s so you wont learn any lessons immediately the more you listen you will pick up on his meaning like in “Gunz yo“ talking about why we need stricter gun laws. He starts it off with “The Buzz Kill“ which really sets the tone for the whole album. Insightful yet heavy .This is definitely one of the best underground hip hop albums of the year.

02/16/05 Brad Sigler
Black Tie Dynasty - This Stays Between Us
For those of you who can‘t get enough of Interpol, The Killers, The Cure & Elephant, have I got a local band for you. Black Tie Dynasty sound mightily like those bands, plus a dash of The Sound, a smidge of Echo & The Bunnymen & small helping of The Comsat Angels - ALL bands I put in my “top ten“ lists time after time. The six songs EP starts with “Crime Scene“, a song that could have been lifted straight out of the mid eighties. Each song is layered in delay guitar work, solid bass lines and synths. The band should be huge in Dallas and could break out nationally with the talent they‘ve shown on this promising debut. Black Tie Dynasty show there‘s nothing wrong with pillaging the past, as long as you do it with style

02/08/05 JEFF “THE RECORD“ WEBB
The Fall - Hex Enduction Hour (Expanded Edition)
It‘s March 1982. The Fall, recently expanded to a 6 piece with a 2 drum attack, release perhaps their greatest album, Hex Enduction Hour. They had been building up to this, their fourth album. It‘s dark and dense (the extra drums only add to the cacophony). The production was the best they had had up to that point. Richard Mazda did a great job in capturing the din. This never came out in the original vinyl, as with any record that has 30 minutes per side. The remastered CD brings out a lot of stuff I don‘t remember hearing all those years ago.
Some of these songs are all-time Fall classics. The awesome opening groove of “The Classical“, a great Smith rail against the ‘New Romantic“ movement has, gasp, a bass solo from the much missed Steve Hanley. “Hip Priest“, a part of their live set for a year previous, ends up years later in Silence of the Lambs. “Mere Pseud Mag Ed“, a rant against the music press was in their live set last year. The relentless closer, “And This Day“ takes a Beefheartian riff and stretches it past the 10 minute mark.
The second disc has the usual abundance of Peel sessions, b-sides, and assorted live tracks. If you‘re a recent convert and haven‘t gotten any of the early stuff, look no further. This is the shit.

02/08/05 Twoie Myers
Jesu - Jesu
Kind of a reunion of the band Godflesh with Justin Broadrick pairing up with Ted Parsons (from Prong, the Swans, and Godflesh) again and revisiting the same moody, incredibly harsh yet beautiful soundscapes that Godflesh was creating. The songs are long and complex on this album (the shortest song on the album clocks in at just under 7 min) utilizing many different sounds and instruments. This is a must-listen for fans of Godflesh, the Swans, Neurosis, and people that want to hear what Black Sabbath would have/should have sounded like in 2005. This is a must-not-listen for people with the attention span of earthworms.

02/08/05 Chris Green
Linkin Park & Jay-Z - Collision Course
When you take one of the biggest names in rap and one of the biggest names in rock and mash their songs together this is what you get- “Collision Course“. This CD comes with a live recorded DVD on their concert together, and the DVD is definitely the best part of this pack. There is also nothing better than watching a live performance when you have the performers feeding off of the energy from the crowd. The best track on “Collision Course“ is definitely Jay-z‘s “Dirt off your shoulder“ with LP‘s “Lying from you“. But following in a close second “Points of authority\99 problems/One step closer“. While it is a short CD (only 6 tracks) the DVD picks up the slack. This is defiantly a CD any LP or Jay-Z fan should own.

02/08/05 David Douglas
Various - Rewind! Vol. 4
First off, I want to thank all of our great customers for the positive feedback on our new space (it‘s great!), and invite all of you who haven‘t, to come see our new digs and reacquaint yourself with the new world! Well it is a new year, and with that , another version of Ubiquity‘s great Rewind! series, this making volume 4. As a reminder, the Rewind! series invites artists, producers, and bands to record new versions of classic,underground, or favorite tunes that inspired them. As with volume 3 these tracks are all made from scratch- there are no remixes, re-edits, or samples from the originals. This particular volume is one soulful, funky brew of tunes from artists I wasn‘t familiar with, but what a great collection it is! Starting with a great soul version o Woody Guthries “This Land is my Land“ (has Woody ever sounded this funky?!) from Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, this couldn‘t have come at a better time.
Another great gem is Nostalgia 77‘s funk, soul version of the White Stripes “7 Nation Army,“ watch for their new album in mid 2005. Right out of LA is Orgone‘s great afro-beat meltdown of “Funky Nassau,“ proving that the spirit of Fela is alive and well all over the world! Anyway I think you get the idea of what the Rewind! series is all about, and I invite you to come check out volume 4 as soon as possible, it just might be the best of the series so far. Hey it‘s a good excuse to drop into our new location! Dubble-d

02/08/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH - NEVER ODD OR EVEN
Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist extraordinaire from the String Cheese Incident, has released his first solo album on SCI Fidelity, Never Odd Or Even. The band consists of Kyle, keyboards and accordion; Ross Martin, guitars; Matt Spencer, bass; Dave Watts, drums; and Jans Ingber, percussion. Things get off to a cool start with “Prevolution,“ followed by “the Crusade“ (which features some nice sax playing from guest JoshuaRedman) and “Seventh Step,“ both of which are funky, jazzy tunes that SCI has been playing live for a while now. Next up is “The Bridge,“ a song with gospel-like vocals from Yvonne Brown, before guest Robert Randolph comes in with some of his amazing pedal steel playing. The gospel theme continues on next into “the Preacher,“ with its spoken word weirdness and SCI electric mandolin player Michael Kang harmonizing nicely with Martin. There seems to be a sort of fixation with electricity with the trio of “Gigawatt>The Arc>Ohms,“ which have a very tight rock-goes-electronica sound. This goes into “Don‘t Say,“ which features Hollingsworth‘s only vocal on the album, it is a great tune about a relationship gone sour that‘s been in SCI‘s setlist for a while now. Other highlights include the closer “Revolution,“ and “Bam!“ yet another SCI tune with a Latin-funk feel. The whole album has a very modern, tripped-out studio production vibe to it. Much of this reminded me of a cross between Particle and STS9, with a little bit of the Cheese sprinkled on top, a nice mix that ends up being neither too Odd or Even. Check it out at a CD World near you!

02/08/05 Matthew Kurzman
Richard Linklater‘s Slacker - Slacker Criterion Collection
First off, Criterion is any movie collector‘s wet dream. Not only do they always combine the best quality prints with awesome sound reproduction, but they also package their dvds full of bonus material. In the case of Slacker, they give us an entire bonus disc of goodies. Featured here are early films of Linklater‘s, documentaries, and a great commentary track.
Slacker is one of my favorite films. Linklater‘s first release, Slacker was made for peanuts and showed many other filmmakers that they too could make self-financed movies. Most famously, Kevin Smith was inspired by Slacker to make Clerks, which itself has led the way for countless other indie filmmakers. Slacker was also the first film to capture a growing anti-establishment segment of our society. The one thing which unites these characters is their alienation from mainstream culture and their refusal to buy into it. And the structure of the movie was revolutionary as well. There is no coherent story line. Rather, the movie follows two characters as they walk down the street talking. When two other characters pass heading the other direction, the camera picks them up and follows them for a while. It‘s free form at its most vital, and it‘s finally found its rightful home within the Criterion Collection.

02/08/05 Matt Hursh
The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette
One of the bigger cases of “hindsight is 20/20“ within the punk genre, The Damned‘s third record has proven to have a timeless vitality that‘s influenced countless bands since its 1979 release. After their undeniable (and instant) classic, Damned Damned Damned, the band take a step backward - or at least a misstep forward - with the Nick Mason-produced Music For Pleasure, but quickly regained their focus with a collection of smart, aggressive, and snotty songs. Highlights include (but aren‘t limited to) “Smash It Up,“ “Love Song,“ and the title track, and it‘s reasonable to assume that adding a former member of The Saints (Alastair Ward on bass) lent just the right amount of diversity to the tried-but-still-true formula. Japanese noise rockers Thee Michelle Gun Elephant named themselves after the phonetic mispronunciation of this album‘s title. Countless “awesome points“ right there. This has been hard to find for too long now, and finally a nicely re-mastered edition is available through Chiswick Records complete with B-sides and alternate takes.

02/08/05 Matt Hursh
Metallica - Some Kind of Monster (DVD)
Watching this acclaimed documentary, a number of revelations arose:
1. James Hetfield, while obviously intelligent, uses embarrassing musician clichés like “vibe“ far too often. Seriously. Three times. At least. I kept waiting for a “dig“ or “hepcat“ next. WTF, Cowardly Lion?

2. Lars Ulrich, while a legitimately talented artist, is a self-obsessed douchebag. (Not that that‘s a revelation for the general consensus, but it was to me, as I‘ve never paid attention enough before to notice.)

3. Kirk Hammett is pretty cool.

4. I hate Metallica.

5. A well-made film can transcend - or at least detach itself (in spite of itself) - its subject and create a revealing, informative, and wholly entertaining experience.
That‘s more revelations than can be found on any number of “stock“ (to coin a lightning rod idea within the band‘s camp) live show DVDsÂ…or even conventional dramatic productions. This is as good as advertised, and even if Metallica makes you cringe, cower, or just blush in the wake of mass steakhead aggression, it‘s a documentary worth owning.
Oh, and one more:
6. Man, Dave Mustaine is a pathetic mess, isn‘t he?

02/08/05 Brad “Snack Sandwich“ Sigler
Graham Coxon - Happiness In Magazines
I‘m very happy to report there is life after Blur and it comes courtesy of Guitarist Graham Coxon. Now this isn‘t his first solo outing, in fact, this is his fifth release since 1998 and the third on his label Transcopic (with help from EMI). Most of Coxon‘s songs wouldn‘t have sounded out of place on any of Blur‘s albums (except the flacid ‘Think Tank‘), let alone a Pavement album. The cd is polished, yet it sounds like a homemade record - catchy, memorable songs, delivered in an immediate, imaginative fashion. The disc will please longtime Blur fans and convert those who loved ‘13‘, but didn‘t care for ‘Parklife‘. Favorite song: “People Of Earth“, a tongue-in-cheek rant from the view of an alien who finds us all pretty insane and just a wee bit stupid.

01/26/05 Twoie Myers
Error - Error
This is the result of what happens when Brett Gurewitz from Bad Religion joins Atticus Ross from Tapeworm/Nine Inch Nails, his brother Leopold, and Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Greg Puciato. Pure electro-punk mayhem! This is only a five track EP, but it has kept me drooling for more. Error is in the vain of digital hardcore bands like Atari Teenage Riot and Ec8oR, so anyone into punk rock should hear what the next evolution of punk will be.

01/26/05 Matthew Kurzman
Bootsy Collins - Play with Bootsy
Just when I thought the whole duet thing was way past “played-out“, along comes Bootsy to make it hip again. And this is the coolest thing Bootsy‘s done in a decade! Featuring guest performances by Snoop Dogg, Kelli Ali (from the Sneaker Pimps), Lady Miss Kier (of Deee-Lite), Fat Joe, Rosie Gaines, Fatboy Slim, and more, Bootsy and company‘re gonna take you on a journey through the funk and they ain‘t gonna stop ‘til you‘re shakin‘ yo ass. I‘m not a big Snoop fan, but I dig his laid-back southern rap on “Love Gangsta“. Rosie Gaines (you know her from Diamonds and Pearls-era Prince) never sounded better than she does on “Don‘t Let ‘Em“ and you must check out the Jamaican-style rap of Eased on “A Life for Da Sweet Ting“. “Groove Eternal“ sounds like a leftover track from Prince‘s eponymous album and features Bobby Womack. In short, this album gets groovin‘ right away and doesn‘t let up ‘til the music‘s over. So, stop playin‘ with yourself and come play with Bootsy.

01/26/05 Chris Green
Green Day - American Idiot
Like a fine cheese or a vintage bottle of wine ,Green Day gets better with age. With there newest release “American Idiot“. They haven‘t put out an album of this magnitude since they landed in the mainstream with “Dookie“. With tracks like “Boulavard of Broken Dreams“ and “American Idiot“ leading the way on this album. Makes it a must have for any Green Day fan and if your not one you need to pick this up and become one.

01/26/05 Jon Montpas
The Coachwhips - Peanut Butter and Jelly at the Ming Lounge
Take the hardcore group the Locust and ask them to play Kinks songs. The Coachwhips, from San Francisco, combine sixties elements coated with a constant wall of distortion and noise. +However, there remains a bit more structure on their albums rather than just unorganized white noise. Like the rest of their discs, this live recording is brief, pummeling, and cluttered with feedback and all sorts of noise goodies. For fans of hardcore noise this album might be a little too catchy. For fans of trendy garage revivalist bands, like the Strokes, this album is too abrasive, and your mother wouldn‘t approve. So there lies the beauty of mixing current trends, retro and new, all recorded deep in the red. Again, you can‘t understand the lyrics but you can feel the anger and disgust of lead singer, John Dwyer, through his overly distorted vocals and his gritty guitar playing. Less than thirty minutes and that‘s more than plenty for this band.

01/26/05 SCOTT HUNERBERG
OM TRIO - GLOBAL POSITIONING RECORD
San Francisco‘s Om Trio has come out with their second album, Global Positioning Record. The band, which consists of Brian Felix on keyboards and organ; Pete Novembre, bass; and Iiya Stemkovsky, drums and percussion, combines elements of rock, jazz, and electronica. Although the all instrumental, keyboard-led format might seem to invite comparisons to MMW, Jacob Fred, or Robert Walters, Om Trio is actually more rock based than any of them. Global Positioning gets off to a good start with the short “Shant,“ followed by the jazzy sounding “Discrepancy.“ “Bulbous“ has some very nice organ playing on it, while the next track, “Hedd,“ gets into some cool funk grooves. On the next cut, “Drop Q,“ features guest guitarist Jason Concepcion, who adds some hard rock riffs that reminded me of Umphrey‘s Mcgee. He also adds some nice lead guitar lines to “Demarcation,“ and “Romeo.“ There‘s also a cool instrumental version of Living Colours‘ “Cult of Personality“ which goes to a few places that I‘m sure Vernon Reid and Co. hadn‘t thought of. Other highlight are “Tor S,“ which has kind of a Meters groove, and “Fives and Sevens,“ which has more great keyboard playing from Felix. This band has a very tight, driving sound that keeps you guessing where it will go next with its innovative improvisations. I recommend Om Trio for fans of today‘s experimental and jam-rock sounds.

01/26/05 JEFF “THE RECORD“ WEBB
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
In 1980 the sub-genre now known as ‘post-punk‘ was beginning to spawn countless new and exciting bands. Only one still sounds unique-Young Marble Giants. They stripped their songs and instrumentation to its essence. Start with a softly clicking drum machine, add a funky bass and either choppy guitar (not abrasive) or a simple organ. Top it off with Alison Statton‘s coolly plaintive vocals. The sound is very sparse and spacious, almost sounding like demos. Make no mistake, these are fully realized songs; the catchy melodies and that voice will suck you in. The best way to describe them is ‘pop minimalism‘. This CD contains all 25 songs YMG recorded in their brief career. Principal song writer Stuart Moxham went on to record under his own name and as The Gist. Alison Statton joined the pop-jazz group Weekend and released stuff under her own name. Young Marble Giants were one-of-a-kind and Colossal Youth was one of my favorite albums of the 80‘s.

01/26/05 Matt Hursh
The Slits - Cut
1979 was a lovely year for rock…especially considering the emergence of punk a couple of years earlier was meant - at least existentially - to be the end of all things guitar indulgent. When the three-chord wonders proved feisty but ultimately limited, bands like Public Image Limited, Magazine, Wire, and The Slits pushed farther, and (mostly) accidentally created sounds and styles that have proved more durable than the critically revered nihilists that preceded them. The Slits, an all-girl trio, crafted their debut around the deep bass driven rhythms of dub and the sharp simplicity of punk, all the while keeping their themes both personal (“Instant Hit“ references PiL‘s highly influential lead guitarist) and fairly lighthearted. The end result is highly infectious and timeless, an album whose originality seems almost effortless in the face of all the pale imitations that have arisen in its wake. Available only on import for far too long, Cut has finally been given the domestic remastering it deserves. Essential.

01/19/05 JEFF “THE RECORD“ WEBB
Pavement - Crooked Rain Crooked Rain (L.A.‘s Desert Origins)
These guys do reissues right. After the landmark expanded “Slanted & Enchanted“ in 2002 (the first indie band to really open up the vaults like this), album number two gets the deluxe treatment on its 10th anniversary. 37 bonus tracks are added to the original 12 including all the b-sides and compilation tracks from that time period. Gathering all those together is nice, but a die hard fan (like me) wants more. Disc 2 has, count ‘em, 25 previously unreleased tunes, including a Peel session from when the album came out. The first 8 are early shelved demos with original drummer Gary Young including a hard rockin‘ “Flux=Rad“ that wouldn‘t show up until “Wowee Zowee“. The next 13 are outtakes from the New York sessions for the album. Some, like “Hands Off the Bayou“ would have been great b-sides. Others are interesting early versions of songs from the album as well as “Wowee Zowee“. There‘s a few instrumental noodlings, but hey, 37 ‘gems‘ might be asking too much. The booklet is great too; lots of pictures and reminisces about the sessions. The price is the same as a single disc. What a great deal! I can‘t wait for “Wowee Zowee“!

01/19/05 Matt Hursh
Curb Your Enthusiasm - Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season Three DVD
This doesn‘t have to be much of a “hard sell.“ Curb Your Enthusiasm is easily the finest comedy currently running (with The Office shutting down for good recently), so the third season installment of Larry David‘s latest brainchild can be met on a “need to know“ basis rather than with a neophyte‘s introduction. While Season Five is rapidly approaching on the show‘s natural home, HBO, Season Three sees Larry involved with opening a restaurant with fellow celebrities and friends Ted Danson and Michael York, which culminates with one of the most memorable “closers“ of recent yearsÂ…let‘s just say it involves a chef with Tourette‘s Syndrome and Mr. David‘s spontaneous stab at good will. Highlights also include his brief flirtation with the gangsta rap lifestyle, as a friendship is forged (and predictably lost) with “Krazee-Eyez Killa,“ the hardcore fiancée of Wanda Sykes. Watching Larry struggle to find Killa‘s phone number through an operator at Information (“Maybe it‘s Kill a with an ‘A-H‘ at the endÂ…can you try that?“) may very well be worth the cost of this set by itself. Beyond that, this series represents situational comedy in its purest form; stories that rely on an always expanding string of events that actually go somewhereÂ…whether the end result is collapse or not is beside the point. It‘s a sitcom not bound by cheap sets and even cheaper formulas; it‘s a truly twisted, unique, and improvisational view on life.

01/14/05 MattHursh
M - M (Criterion 2-disc DVD)
Fritz Lang. Director. (Obvious) German. Total bad-ass. The type of filmmaker that has heavy, oversized biographies dedicated to him, Lang‘s catalogue stands up to the best of them, new and old. His work was/is progressive, inventive, and engaging enough to be film class fodder essentially since each title‘s release, but they remain accessible enough to enjoy on a more elementary level. Known best for the epic Metropolis, Fritz‘s most effective film may be 1931‘s M, a tense, paranoid film that made Peter Lorre a star (a ultimately a legend) and is now widely regarded as the first “serial killer“ flick. It‘s no slasher, but considering the era and the social themes that run just as essentially as the driving plot, it caused quite a stir upon its release. The only shocking element that remains is the absolute quality of the story, the adept acting, and the gorgeous photography. M was one of Criterion‘s earliest releases, but now that a beautiful new print has surfaced, this double-disc set has made the prior issue obsoleteÂ…although Criterion was thoughtful enough to retain the original‘s spine number of 30 (in the blasted name of completion). A new print is worth the price alone, but there‘s a ton of special features that are new and exclusive to the set as well, including a feature length commentary and an in-depth documentary on the making of the film. It‘s Criterion, so you know it‘s a bit pricey, but what‘s the length of quality? Besides, support “The Collection“Â…the more we buy, the more they can release.

01/14/05 Brad Sigler
Simple Minds - Silver Box (1979-1999)
Before you sneer at the thought of actually listening to a box set from Jim Kerr and Co., there was much more to this band than “Don‘t You (Forget About Me), not to mention six albums leading up to that fateful turning point. Way back in 1979 the future New Romantics were playing an arty mix of krautrock and dance music, some produced by Steve Hillage, and up to 1985 the band made some of the most compelling and underrated music you‘ve ever heard. Bass and synth driven songs like “Life In A Day“, “I Travel“ and “Thirty Frames A Second“ were light years away from the bombastic, U2 posing of the late 80‘s and early 90‘s. So, here is a five cd box set covering 1979-1999 - demos, live and unreleased songs - that capture their best and worst work. The first two discs are where you‘ll find the real gold - Three songs live in Paris and four John Peel sessions from 1979, plus, eight alternate versions of songs like “Celebrate“ and “Capital City“ that are raw and dark. Disc two starts with four demos from 1981, including “The American“ and “Love Song“, with a menacing bass line that destroys the original. Then it‘s on to the “New Gold“ years of 1982, with six great David Jensen sessions, the best of is “In Trance As Mission“. After that, it‘s all stadium time - Live Aid, The Barrowlands, Wembley - where they abandoned the early sound for straight ahead rock. Discs three and four are all energetic live sets from 1985-1995, the big hits “All The Things She Said“, “Alive And Kicking“ and “Sanctify Yourself“, including a Bono/Kerr duet on “New Gold Dream“. The rest is pretty tame and the inclusion of an “unreleased“ album from 1999 just confirms that there‘s nothing left in the tank - it‘s not bad, just boring, which in a way is even worse. So why buy this expensive import set? The answer is simple: you can‘t get any of the early stuff anywhere else (other than bootlegs) and it‘s so good, you‘ll never even want to listen to the other three cds. And until we get a proper collection of singles, b-sides, etc. ! from the first phase of their career, this will serve to remind you of how important Simple Minds were before they thought they were important.

01/05/05 David Douglas
Earl “Chinna“ Smith - Dub It!
It has definitely been a great year for re-issues, especially for those of us in the Reggae world, just the Trojan re-issue series alone can keep a man very busy! But then out of nowhere you get an essential release from some label out of left field, like this crucial release from Nature Sounds (where did this label come from!), Earl “Chinna“ Smith‘s “Dub It !“ Earl was a major part of the early 80‘s Dancehall movement, as his band, “The High Times Players,“ along with The Roots Radics Band and Sly and Robbies Taxi Gang were the most sought after group‘s of the day.“Dub It !“ is the long overdue (22 years!), dub version of Mutabaruka‘s classic 1982 album “Check It !“. The combination of Chinna‘s production, The High Times Players musicianship, and Mutabaruka‘s relentless, uncompromising, insightful, and sometimes uncomfortable words created a potent blend that came to be known as “Dub Poetry.“ This version, in the true Dub spirit, virtually eliminates Mutabaruka‘s words, except for the occasional vocal floating through the mix, we are left with the wonderful skeletal dub from The High Times Players Band which included amongst others, Carlton Barrett, Wire Lindo, (both from The Wailers), Leroy “Horsemouth“ Wallace, Augustus Pablo, Dean Frazier, Nambo, and Bobby Ellis creating a virtual who‘s who of Jamaican music at the time. This is a seriously dread affair with some of the best dubs you will ever hear, heavy duty basslines, rim shots that stretch out to eternity, keys, horns, melodicas, and some great Nyabinghi percussion all sneaking into Chinna‘s Dub production. This is a dub of the whole “Check It!“ album with the addition of 4 bonus tracks, making a long overdue appearance, I say check it as soon as possible and thank you Nature Sounds, whoever you are!!

01/05/05 Matthew Kurzman
The J.B.‘s - Funky Good Time: The Anthology
Well, Hanukah came early this year. As my gift from my parents, I asked them if they would pay the legal fees for me to have my legal name changed. It is official, from here on out, please address me as Dat Lil‘ Crunk-Ass Nigga Matty K, or Dat LCA for short. I‘ve been using it all week, and it has been a real hit at rabbinical school.
After not listening to it in several years, I recently broke out my copy of the J.B.‘s 2-disc anthology, entitled Funky Good Time, and I can‘t get stop playing it. The set consists of full-length singles released under the various incarnations of James Brown‘s horn section. There are cuts by Fred Wesley & the J.B.‘s, Maceo and the Macks, The First Family, The Last Word, and more, some are instrumental, but many feature vocals by The Godfather himself. Included are a 12-minute version of “Doing It to Death“, “The Grunt (Parts 1 & 2)“, “Pass the Peas“, and one of my favorite song titles “You Can Have Watergate Just Gimmee Some Bucks and I‘ll Be Straight“.
This collection is a must-have for any fan of jazz-funk; these guys are the originators of the genre. If you only own James Brown‘s Greatest Hits, this is the perfect companion piece, with extended versions of songs you already know as well as lesser known titles. I am playing it in the store right now as I write this and there are three customers whistling along and at least 4 more shaking their money-makers. In summary, buy this CD today or we will ridicule you forever more.
There is a great quote in the liner notes from Maceo Parker. It reads: “I believe there is a place of vision and clarity that lives within us all. It is the rhythm of life moving in harmony with a higher consciousness. The purpose of our music is to take you there.“ UhÂ….yeah. To that I would add the following: the cosmic effect is what you get when you improve your inter-planetary funksmanship. And remember, don‘t touch the funk and nobody gets hurt.

01/05/05 Matt Hursh
Public Image Limited - Second Edition
With new releases grinding to a halt over the holidays, why not take the opportunity to fill up some shelf space withÂ…oh, I dunnoÂ…the GREATEST ALBUM OF ALL TIME. Released originally as Metal Box, PiL‘s second album laughs in the face of The Sophomore Slump and proceeds to create the rarest of rarities within the rock/pop genre: a unique sound. We like to call it “Red Planet Dub“ around these parts, with John Lydon‘s (still a bit wounded but far better equipped following the dissolution of the Sex Pistols) lyrics ringing more personal than previous incarnations while still managing to get farther and farther detached from the sounds around himÂ…almost to a point where his presence - and the talking of albatrosses, coffin nails, and bacteria laced rivers - approaches a paranoid paranormal conscience on the record. The music? Well, it‘d be dub-from-Mars, wouldn‘t it? If it could be, it is. Keith Levene‘s guitar is so sharp you could write with it; abrasive and concise, with a clear goal in mind: to cut through (and therefore accent) the thick, inventive bass of Jah Wobble. Seriously, with a good remastering the bass on this record will make you move your bowels. In a good way (is there a bad way, even?). “Careering“ is still the strangest song to ever appear on “American Bandstand,“ and stands as the highlight of an album full of highlights; an effort singular in vision and sound. It‘s evil. And you can dance to it.

12/15/04 Matt Hursh
Wild At Heart - Wild At Heart (DVD Special Edition)
Another Lynch film is finally dusted off and given the Special Edition treatment, and while there‘s a rumor circulating that this MGM release is censored in some form or fashion (whether it‘s an appeasement of the MPAA, a weird cut/adjustment ala Mulholland Drive‘s crotch blur, or just unfounded tripe from picky zealots is currently up in the air), it‘s a more than welcome holiday release. As with most of the director‘s work, Wild At Heart is a love-it-or-loathe-it kind of film, full of sex, violence, general weirdness, and leftfield fetishism, but for those who appreciate the eccentric and unique, it‘s an Alice in Wonderland-y trip worth taking. Nicholas Cage and Laura Dern are starry eyed lovers, and actually make for a believably tragic coupling within a seamy and steamy little Americana bizarro world. This is one of Cage‘s finest roles (i.e.: before he won the Oscar and decided to be one of the blandest action movie stars in cinematic history), and everyone else involved - most of whom are former Lynch alumni - seem to be fully committed to spinning the taleÂ…particularly the greasy, feral performance turned in by Willem Dafoe. The special features are good, especially the making-of featurette and the short specs documentary with Lynch himself. Of course, there‘s no commentary (Lynch has and always will refuse to do themÂ…a stance both admirable and frustrating), but the packaging (housed in a snakeskin sleeve and formatted to be a companion piece to Blue Velvet‘s Special Editon) and overall presentation make for a no-brainer. Good price, too.

12/15/04 SCOTT HUNERBERG
Various - UNDER THE INFLUENCE: “A JAMBAND TRIBUTE TO LYNYRD SKYNYRD
From Sanctuary Records comes this Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute album, Under The Influence. Tribute albums in general usually tend to be mixed bags, and this one is no different. While this disc has got some of the best bands in today‘s jam scene, not everything here really works, and I question whether or not a group like Skynyrd truly needs such a tribute album, since they themselves weren‘t really known for their jams. Roughly every other song on here works (barely), and there are definitely some ill-advised choices: Les Claypool ruins “Call Me The Breeze,“ with his highly annoying pseudo-hick voice, Galactic doing “Saturday Night Special“ just don‘t feel right to me, and the pairing of Moe. with John Hiatt doing “Ballad of Curtis Lowe“ just does not work at all. The main problem here is for a bunch of jam bands, there‘s a real noticeable lack of jamming going on. The good stuff here includes Drive-By Truckers take on “Every Mother‘s Son,“ Yonder Mountain String Band‘s version of “Four Walls Of Raiford,“ North Mississippi Allstars version of “Whiskey Rock A Roller,“ and Disco Biscuits reworking of “Gimme Three Steps,“ which just barely works. The real highlights out of all this mess, though, are Particle‘s awesome instrumental version of “Workin‘ For MCA“ (which works so well because they actually do something fresh and new with it, using the song as a launchpad for one their space-porn-funk jams); and Gov‘t. Mule‘s killer take on “Simple Man.“ Warren Haynes‘ voice and muscular guitar style are perfect this tune, and the Mule does it full justice. Unfortunately, these are about the only places where this disc gets it right. Check it out on the Expand Your Mind headphone player at yer favorite CD World location.

12/15/04 Jeff “The Record“ Webb
Luna - Rendevous
One of my favorite bands born in the 90‘s is calling it quits. Dean Wareham says that “Rendevous“, Luna‘s seventh studio album will be their last. Their atmospheric dream pop, equal parts Lou Reed, Tom Verlaine, Yo La Tengo, and The Feelies was the perfect soundtrack for many a late night drive, or early morning hangover.
“Rendevous“ still has their trademark hypnotic guitar sound, but not as many uptempo tracks. Other than the excellent “Malibu Love Nest“ and the rollicking “Speedbumps“, the mood is pretty reflective throughout. A couple of tracks also continue their recent experiments in alt-country. It‘s still a solid final chapter in a great career. First timers should check out “Bewitched“ and “Penthouse“, Luna‘s fine mid 90‘s releases.

12/15/04 Chris Holt
The Simpsons - The Simpsons - Complete Fourth Season DVD
I am inclined to tell you that this is the greatest television comedy DVD ever madeÂ…and that really wouldn‘t be a false proclamation. Because honestly, the only thing that could top it would be a massive box set containing this, and the as-yet-unreleased fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons. It takes me back to that glorious time when The Simpsons‘ writers could do no wrong. For me to call this collection “flawless“ might sound like a gross exaggeration, but DUDEÂ…have you seen the freaking thing? There‘s nary a weak episode. I could ramble on and on about it, interjecting quote after quote until I‘m blue in the face, but you get the point and surely you agree wholeheartedly. This is Conan O‘Brien‘s finest hour. I‘ll stand by that statementÂ…at least until next fall, when the fifth season hits the shelves. Then the world will truly be a better place.

12/08/04 Jeff “Record“ Webb
Foetus - (Not Adam) E.P.
J.G. Thirwell returns with a taste of his forthcoming album “Love“ to be released in early 2005. It shows a new side to the man who would be Foetus.
(Not Adam), the only track lifted straight from the album has, a slowly building keyboard intro accented with sinister classical-style strings. It finally bursts into Foetus‘ trademark wall of sound with him wanting to “Help relieve your suffering“.
“Miracle“ adds horns to the strings in the track that most closely resembles his past work. “Not in your Hands“ sounds like an outtake from Outkast‘s “The Love Below“, and “Time Marches On“ is Aphex Twin hitching a ride with Man or Astroman? into the future.
Keeping his 4 letter titles going with “Love“ doesn‘t mean Thirwell has softened his image. After a few listens the dark side began to show through, and all was well with this Foetus fan.

12/08/04 Chris Holt
Garden State - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Great songs make great albums. You‘re probably thinking “wow, you have a marvelous grasp of the obvious“Â…and you‘d be right to think that. But my point is simple - “Garden State“ is a great album. And it‘s not even a real album. For those of you who have no idea what I‘m rambling about, please allow me to explain. Movie soundtracks are often a lame excuse to compile steaming heaps of disposable rock and/or hip-hop flavors of the month, and sell it to the dumbed-down masses of teen sheep that will predictably lap up the latest Limp Bizkit record, because MTV told them it was cool. So therefore, it‘s easy for snobs like me to scoff at any film soundtrack that doesn‘t include the words “original score“ on the spine. “Garden State“, writer/actor/director Zach Braff‘s low budget coming-of-age tale, is not your typical Hollywood drivel, however. It carries an emotional and philosophical weight that most big budget studio movies can‘t begin to touch on, for fear of going over their audiences‘ heads. “Garden State“ is both hilarious and heartbreaking, a rare gem of artistic triumph, especially for a first time director under the age of thirty. The excellent soundtrack, featuring songs compiled by Braff himself and expertly integrated into key scenes of the film, brings together a motley crue of indie favorites, as well as a few rock legends both living and dead. Because of the high ratio of great to not-so-great songs that comprise this dozen-plus-one compilation, this album gets high marks from me. SeriouslyÂ…any record that can sandwich the greatness of The Shins on either side of Zero 7‘s ethereal “In The Waiting Line“, and follow it up with Colin Hay‘s “I Just Don‘t Think I‘ll Ever Get Over You“ - a heart-wrenching lament to lost love by one of the most underrated songwriters of the past two decades - wins major points in my book. And yet there‘s more to rave aboutÂ…Sub Pop‘s latest one-man-band Iron and Wine turns in a lovely acoustic cover of The Postal Service‘s “Such Great Heights“, while Simon and Garfunkel‘s “The Only Living Boy In New York“ (one of my all-time favorite songs) is a most surprising and welcome inclusion. Thievery Corporation, Frou Frou, and the late Nick Drake all make strong showings as well. So, in case you haven‘t already figured it out, this is the best movie soundtrack I‘ve heard in a LONG time. Seriously. Buy it. Or just settle for Fred Durst

12/08/04 SCOTT HUNERBERG
RUSTED - LIVE
Rusted Root returns with their first ever double live album, the aptly named Live. Recorded live during their 2003 Tour, Live captures Rusted Root in their natural environment. The bands‘ lineup includes frontman Michael Glablicki, guitarist/vocalist Liz Berlin, multi-instrumentalist John Buynak, drummer/ percussionist Jim Donovan, bassist Patrick Norman, and vocalist Jenn Wertz. The band sounds very raw and loose as they work their way through such old favorites as “Voodoo,“ “Rain,“ “Martyr,“ and “Lost In The Crowd.“ “Lost In The Crowd“ slips into “Welcome To My Party“ which in turn goes into the funky “Cat Turned Blue,“ which includes a segment of “All Along the Watchtower.“ There‘s also a cool cover of Neil Young‘s “Powderfinger,“ and a great version of “Send Me On My Way“ (which was the closest Root ever got to a hit single). Disc 2 also includes a rhythmic drum orgy, “Ecstatic Drums,“ which segues into the tribal sounding “Ecstasy.“ Other highlights include great versions of “Food And Creative Love,“ “Back To The Earth“ from ‘94‘s When I Woke album, and “Scattered,“ from ‘96‘s Remember. There‘s also an incredible jam on “Cruel Sun“ to close out the second disc as well. This ragtag band of hippies still knows how to throw down a great jam live, and this new set gives full evidence of that. Available to listen to on the Expand Your Mind Headphone Player at your favorite CD World location.

12/08/04 David Douglas
Linton Kwesi Johnson - Live in Paris
LKJ is all you need to say to those of us that have celebrated each new release of Linton Kwesi Johnson, the father of Dub Poetry. You see, Linton started out as a poet, but discovered that his cadence and certainly his subject matter (the plight of the English black man), were a perfect match with the Dub Reggae sounds of Dennis Bovell (the great English Bassist, Producer, and Band Director, and also founding member of Matumbi). This new live release recorded in 2003 at the Zenith, in Paris, France, celebrate‘s the 25 years LKJ and the Dennis Bovell Dub Band have been together. Going through his 25 year career, “Live in Paris,“ showcases music from his earliest release like,“Dread Beat an Blood“, as well as classics such as “Sonny‘s Lettah“, “Fite Dem Back“, “Mekkin Histri“, “Tings and Times“, as well as more recent material such as the poignant “More Time“. England‘s number one poet, combined with an ace band, delivers more than just a fantastic reggae album, it‘s the sound of a mighty artist at the height of his powers. Come celebrate 25 years of LKJ.

12/08/04 Brad “Snack“ Sigler
Robbers On High Street - Fine Lines EP
With their debut album, Tree City, due out in January, I though it was time to go back a few months to rediscover the band‘s first release. Another New York band (i.e. The Strokes, Interpol, Longwave, Ambulance LTD, etc.), with more of the “sounds like“ Gang Of Four-Television-Joy Division thing going on, but the band somehow make songs like “Hot Sluts (Say I Love You)“ and “A Night A Star Castle“ sound fresh and retro at the same time. The group sounds so tightly wound, that you think they might snap at any moment and that‘s another thing that sets them apart from all the “copyists“ coming down the pike. Instead of being content to just go through the motions, Robbers On High Street sound genuine and inspired - a rare commodity with so many pretenders to the post-punk throne.

12/08/04 Bill Stafford
Faces - Five Guys Walk Into A BarÂ… (box set)
First things first : Faces was never “Rod Stewarts earlier band“ that‘s kind of like saying “Yeah, McCartney had a group before Wings“. As the Sixties slowly bled into the Seventies there was a fundamental shift in rock-n-roll as it moved from the soundtrack to the counter-culture to become the sounds of the culture, no prefix necessary. Faces were one of those band to embody that shift, a reshuffled and re-armed Sixties pop combo that became one of the bands to pick through the debris of the ending decade to develop a raucous, blistering soulful sound that would seem tailor-made for the let-the-good-times roll, cocaine-and-champagne decade that would eventually crash land in the years of Reaganomics & the Iran hostage crisis. Faces were the band that deftly straddled both eras, offering feel-good boogies with a pop sensibility and smokin‘ grooves, combining Sixties iconic blues-rock soulfulness with a Seventies “been there done that“ wink and nod slyness. And, they did it all by being a great combination of talents, from Ronnie Lanes supple basslines, to Ian McLagans keyboard dynamics, Kenny Jones rhythmic perfection (a tight-but-loose drummer whose talents would be employed by the post-Moon Who, as well, and who often suffers in comparison, but on this set is shown as the terribly efficient drummer that he was), Rod Stewarts grizzled & throaty vocals and the guitar stylings of one Ron Wood, who would end his tenure with Faces by jumping ship to join his buddy Keith Richards in a little bar-band called the Rolling Stones. These guys were a BAND, not just sidemen to a pretty-boy, nor just a collection of coulda-shoulda-woulda-beens with impressive resumes, they had that unbelievable spark and fire that only those people who genuinely enjoy not just each others company, but who enjoy crafting art together have. This holiday season there are hundreds of box sets that‘ll get shoved in front of the average record buyer, begging for attention, like a dog after the Thanksgiving carcass, but there will be one box set with the swagger to not give two tosses whether you take it home or not, and that, my friend, is the one you need to heartily embrace and wallow in, and it‘s called “five guys walk into a barÂ…“.

12/08/04 Matt Hursh
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral: Deluxe Edition
In lieu of any actual NEW material from good ol‘ Trent, Universal/Interscope has seen fit to join the holiday cash-grab with this “special edition“ treatment of Halo 8. It‘s been 10 years since The Downward Spiral was originally released. That‘s a decade, y‘all. There‘s been one new NIN record since then. One. It‘s beyond cliché at this point to bring up that fact, but seriouslyÂ… One? One in 10 years. Whatever.
Anyway, this record - one that I haven‘t pulled off the shelf in years - has aged like a fine wine (red, of course). “Mr. Self Destruct“ is a fine introductory mission statement, epitomizing the pounding sturm-und-drang industrial fuzz that Reznor managed to make mainstream, and with “Piggy,“ “March of the Pigs,“ (notice a trend?) and “Closer“ all playing out within the first 5 tracks, it‘s easy to think that the album‘s front loadedÂ…but on the contrary, the songs that follow are even better: “Ruiner,“ the Bowie rip-off “A Warm Place,“ “Eraser,“ and “Reptile“ (arguably the highlight) all sound fantastic with this new 5.1 surround sound mix. The second disc is good-to-great stuff as well, with a wise selection of b-sides and non-album tracks that make all of your singles virtually obsolete. Try “Burn“ from the Natural Born Killers soundtrack, the Joy Division cover of “Dead Souls,“ and the superior version of the “Eff you like an animal“ song, entitled “Closer to God.“ A couple of demos dangle like a collectible carrot for all of you completist donkeys, making for a package that‘s worth a re-visitation and a re-purchase. Besides, if you show Trent the love that he‘s seemingly missing and pining for throughout all of these years, maybe he‘ll work up the ambition to turn off Doom 3 and finish bleedthrough. Or is it With Teeth now? Whatever.

11/30/04 Jeff “The Record“ Webb
Lydia Lunch - Smoke In the Shadows
Original no-waver Lydia Lunch returns with her first “music“ album of the millennium. “Smoke in the Shadows“ is “night music“, a soundtrack to a long-lost film noir B-movie.
She‘s got a killer band featuring Nels and Alex Cline, Tommy Grenas, Len Del Rio, Adele Bertei (Contortions), and Carla Bozulich (Geraldine Fibbers). They keep the jazz very intimate with occasional sax and horn flourishes. Lydia‘s spoken/sung narratives never overshadow the music or vice versa. Her tales of broken love, drugs, car crashes, and murder show Lunch at the top of her lyrical game. A couple of tracks, “Blame“ and “Touch My Evil“ have minimal hip hop backing tracks with layered loops and drum lines.“Smoke in the Shadows“ is a great listen from start to finish. Turn out the lights and let Lydia Lunch take you on a trip through her world.

11/30/04 David Douglas
Paul Simon - Graceland
I was very excited about the Paul Simon re-issues, as he has always‘ been one of my favorite artist‘s, but the one I was looking forward to the most was, “Graceland,“ which is one of my all time favorites! This was a period when Paul was really taken with African music, especially “Mbaquaga,“ the street music of South Africa. He not only brought these element‘s together for “Graceland,“ he even went to Africa to use some of the musician‘s he had been exposed to. Especially popular were the songs, “Homeless“ and “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes,“ which featured the wonderful acapella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The album kicks off with, “The Boy in the Bubble,“ which feature the strong accordion jive sounds that Paul was so into, and also has Adrian Belew on synthesizer guitar. There are also songs like, “Graceland“ and “Under African Skies,“ that will remind you of classic Juluka or Johnny Clegg & Savuka. The two album closer‘s have some great Zydeco sounds, and show how closely they are related to the sounds of South Africa. “That Was Your Mother,“ has Good Rockin‘ Dopsie and the Twisters, while the last track and one of Paul‘s finest moments, “All Around the World“ or“ Myth of Fingerprints,“ has a great Zydeco kick courtesy of Los Lobos (who will be at The Granada Theater on DEC 1). Not only worth it for the great re mastered sound, but also adding three demo versions as a bonus. Still as fresh as it was in 1986!

11/30/04 SCOTT HUNERBERG
WAYNE SHORTER - FOOTPRINTS: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF WAYNE SHORTER
Columbia Records has issued this nice little 2 disc set which covers the long and varied career of saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Footprints covers tracks from Shorter‘s beginnings with Art Blakey all the way up through his most recent solo works as a leader. Shorter‘s style on tenor and soprano sax set a high standard for modern jazz, and as a composer he contributed some of its more memorable, melodic pieces. Highlights include “Speak No Evil,“ from his great Blue Note solo album of the same name (this set is a little light on his solo output from that era; for a more comprehensive view, get The Classic Blue Note Recordings as well. Better yet, seek out any of his ‘60‘s solo albums on Blue Note; they‘re all great!), “Footprints,“ and “Nefertiti,“ with Miles Davis‘ great ‘60‘s Quintet. This is improvisational post-bop jazz at its finest here! Then we have “Sanctuary,“ from Davis‘ ground-breaking Bitches Brew album, and the early fusion sounds of Weather Report. They are represented by such tracks as “Mysterious Traveler,“ “Lusitamos,“ “Elegant People,“ and “Palladium,“ which all still sound fresh today. Also included are a couple of Shorter‘s more notable session appearances, including “The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines,“ and “Aja,“ from Steely Dan. The rest of disc 2 includes selections from Shorter‘s solo album through the ‘80‘s and ‘90‘s into the present. The last track, a live version of “Masquelero“ from 2001‘s Footprints Live! proves that even into his 70‘s, he is still capable of playing modern jazz that is timeless and exciting. This would be a great starting place for someone who is just getting into the wondrous music of Wayne Shorter.

11/30/04 Matthew Kurzman
Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama - There Will Be a Light
As far as I‘m concerned, Ben Harper‘s recent releases have sounded a bit too pop. So, I was thrilled that he has returned to his roots with a more stripped-down sound that reminds you of Welcome to the Cruel World and Fight for Your Rights. This project began when the legendary gospel group The Blind Boys of Alabama asked Harper to write and record a couple of songs with them for their next release. They enjoyed working together so much that the project turned into a complete album. Harper‘s sound, which I would describe as acoustic folk with bluesy slide guitar, blends beautifully with that of the gospel group. Tracks that standout: “Take My Hand“, “Church House Steps“, and my favorite “Well, Well, Well“. I spoke to Ben Harper on the phone from his hotel room in Hamburg, Germany, where he is currently on tour. When I asked him about his experience working with the Blind Boys, he said, “I believe there is a place of vision & clarity that lives within us all. It is the rhythm of life moving in harmony with a higher consciousness. The purpose of our music is to take you there.“

11/30/04 Matt Hursh
Seinfeld - Seasons 1-3
Your decision on whether or not to buy these sets (split into two boxes - Seasons 1 & 2 together, Season 3 stand-alone; or in a super-duper super set with all kinds of minutia) is probably already made. Seinfeld is something of a “love it“ or “hate it“ kind of thing (or at least a “don‘t get it“ feelingÂ…however puzzling that remains), but there‘s no denying the anticipation of the series‘ digital arrival. Is a summation even necessary - or possible, given time, space, and ambition constraints - for a show of Seinfeld‘s influence, stamina, and creativity? Truth be told, Columbia Tri-Star could have released the series one season at a time with no little to no supplemental material and it would sell like the puzzlingly proverbial hotcakes, but the bare-bones treatment is and should be reserved for the likes of embarrassing pap like 227or The Golden Girls. Columbia went all out for these 4-disc boxes, filling each with audio commentaries, episodic text notes, documentaries, featurettes, and deleted scenes (to name only a majority). The menus are varied and lovely, the episodes themselves look and sound better than the nightly syndication hamster wheel (and each runs a full minute longer than the familiar re-runsÂ…at their original broadcast running times), and the price is more than right in comparison to the amount of quality and care put into the sets. It‘s Christmas. You know someone who wants these. It doesn‘t get any easier than this.

11/30/04 Chris Holt
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (Expanded Edition)
This expanded double disc version of Franz Ferdinand‘s relentlessly infectious debut may be little more than an attempt to cash in on their overnight success, but it‘s definitely worth checking out. In addition to the eleven disco flavored seductions from the original album, the bonus disc provides a few gems that didn‘t make the original cut. Their current single “This Fire“ (now remixed “This Fffire“) kicks a little harder than its sister version from disc one, while “Words So Leisured“ is a humorous take on their previous single “Darts of Pleasure“, with singer Alex Kapranos putting on his schmaltzy lounge crooner voice to great effect. “Shopping for Blood“ and “Van Tango“, both previously released on the Darts of Pleasure EP, dig a little deeper into Franz‘s mixed bag of retro pop influences, and hint at what may be in store on future records.

11/23/04 Matt Hursh
Eyes Without a Face - Eyes Without a Face (Criterion DVD)
A horror film for the art fan (or an art film for the horror fanÂ…tah-may-to/toe-mah-toe), Georges Franju‘s 1960 flick follows the traditional mad-scientist/creature-feature arc that we‘ve all seen (and loved) before, but does so with a deliberate pace, beautifully framed black & white photography, and a rarely-seen (for the time) metallic premeditation that sets it apart from genre peers. A progressive surgeon uses the needs of his patients to lure specific young women back to his home in the hopes of finding - you guessed it - a new face for his tragically disfigured daughter. Screwed up in a car accident, the girl is forced to wear a mask to hide her hideousnessÂ…a mask almost lifelike enough to fool at a glance, but chilling enough to convey nothing in the way of emotions outside of the eyes. Hence the title. And probably the Billy Idol song. Don‘t blame the movie for that, howeverÂ…it‘s quite good, featuring a prolonged and squirmy “operation“ scene that caused a bit of controversy upon release. It‘s all been restored and classily presented by the lovely Criterion Collection, along with Franju‘s vintage documentary on Parisian slaughterhouses and an old video discussion with the director. Now if only Hollywood would remake this with someone like, oh I dunno, Jessica Biel and spotlight a cover of the Idol song by the likes of Hoobastank in the trailerÂ…my life would complete. Highly recommended anyway.

11/23/04 Dave Thomas
Les Savy Fav - The Cat And The Cobra
So, I‘m at the McLusky show a few weeks back and the band‘s singer told me about one of his favorite bands, Les Savy Fav. Okay, truth be told I wasn‘t allowed at the cool kids table and was thus roundly ignored by everyone but someone who was at the cool kids table told me about it and I checked them out. I‘m glad I did. How can you not like a punk album with a song on it called “Who rocks the party“? They sound much like McLusky with elements of the Pixies and Brainiac. The dual guitars of Seth Jabour and Gibb Sliff slap you in the face. The snarky high pounding drums of Harrison Haynes and bass work of Syd Butler keep things on track. And Tim Harrington‘s nicely generic indie rock guy vocals round it all out. These songs shouldn‘t be catchy and yet somehow they are. If you like Archers of Loaf , Jawbox or any of the bands listed above I‘d check these guys out.

11/23/04 SCOTT HUNERBERG
GRATEFUL DEAD - THE GRATEFUL DEAD MOVIE DVD
Well now, here‘s something that I‘ve been waiting on for years: the Grateful Dead Movie on DVD! And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. Originally released in theaters in 1977, the Movie documents the Dead‘s farewell shows. Worn out after years of nonstop touring, and with the behemoth Wall of Sound fast becoming a financial burden, they decided to go an extended hiatus in late 1974. Since there was a chance that these might be the Last Shows, they decided to hire a film crew to capture it all for history. And you should be glad they did, for a Grateful Dead show in ‘74 was something to behold! Now released on DVD for the first time ever, it has been padded with an additional disc of bonus material, with previously unreleased footage that was not used for the film, your choice of three different sound mixes (a 5.1 version of the original theatrical audio mix; a new 5.1 mix from the original master tapes; and a new 2.0 stereo mix.; they all sound great!), full-length commentaries from the directors, “making of“ documentaries, and multiple camera viewing options. That‘s over five hours of goodies on two discs!! Highlights include the opening animation sequence (which is still some of the most trippy, psychedelic footage I‘ve ever seen!), cool footage of Deadheads, and oh yeah, the music. Every note of it is amazing: “One More Sat. Night,“ “Casey Jones,“ “Playing in the Band,“ an incredible “Eyes of the World.“ In addition to the original movie, there‘s also a second disc with over 95 min. of previously unreleased footage, including an amazing sequence of “The Other One>Spanish Jam>Mind Left Body>The Other One,“ a very spacey “Dark Star,“ a great “Scarlet Begonias,“ and a nice “Weather Report Suite.“ It is such a treat just to be able to watch the Dead play so close up in ‘74, when they were at the height of their powers musically. Jerry actually looks young and healthy in all of this; there are several moments in this that almost brought tears to my eyes. I could just go on and on forever about how freakin‘ great this whole thing is, but the bottom line is this: this is IT, the Holy Grail, the Mother of all Grateful Dead videos. It just doesn‘t get much better than this. If you‘re a Deadhead, or any kind of fan at all, then THE GRATEFUL DEAD MOVIE BELONGS IN YOUR COLLECTION!!!!

11/16/04 Johnny “JC“ Christ
Ted Leo - Shake the streets
Shake the Sheets is more of the same from Ted Leo. Tough, wiry, and smart, bristling with anger, hope, and fervor, the record is another much-needed dose of thinking-person‘s punk. Sort of an antidote to pouty, made-to-order girl punk and pretty-boy, mall-rat pop-punk, sort of a giant FU to anyone who acts like punk is a set of rules one has to follow in order to be authentic, Leo and his band craft their punk out of attitude, commitment, and dynamic tension. This record is more affected by the tenor of the times than past releases (detainees, bad presidents, broken systems, war, and rifles are among the topics covered) and Leo has stripped away some of the more convoluted language he loves to use in order to deliver a more direct message. The sound of the record is more stripped down as well. Using only guitars and drums, the Pharmacists whip up a powerful mix of wild abandon and subtlety that is a perfect backing for Leo‘s vocal dexterity and clanging guitar heroics. Throat problems and subsequent surgery haven‘t affected Leo‘s amazingly acrobatic yet heartfelt vocals too much. He may not vault into the high range quite as much, but that is also due to the simpler, more direct nature of the songwriting too. At a time when many writers find their talent beginning to desert them (that tricky third album!), Leo has come up with songs that are as good as any he has written.
“Me and Mia,“ “The Angels‘ Share,“ “Little Dawn,“ “Shake the Sheets,“ and “Walking to Do“ are all going to be on his greatest-hits collection and the rest of the record is no letdown either. Fiercely political without being to specific, filled with moments that will have you jumping out of your seat with excitement, Shake the Sheets is more proof that Ted Leo & the Pharmacists are the only band that matters, punk or otherwise.

11/16/04 Jeff “The Record“ Webb
The Fall - Live at the Hacienda 1983-1985 DVD
The great Cherry Red label out of England has been responsible for great music since the early years of punk. Recently, they‘ve been reissuing a lot of influential early to mid 80‘s bands on CD. Now they‘re turning their focus to DVD‘s.
The Fall has one other DVD, “Perverted By Language“ that features a live show from 1981. This release showcases footage recorded at 4 shows at the famous Hacienda club in Manchester. The then Mrs. Smith, Brix, injects her ‘pop‘ influence to cuts mainly from the albums “Wonderful and Frightening World of“ and This Nation‘s Saving Grace“. 1984 also saw The Fall experiment with 2 drummers which gave them a powerful driving sound. It‘s shot mostly with 2 hand-held cameras right on the stage, so you get a lot of great close-ups. The sound is good, even better of you have 5.1 surround.
The enigmatic Mark E. Smith is in fine form, prowling the stage. In the intro to “Gut of the Quantifier“, Smith proclaims “This is a Cool Group“. “Live at the Hacienda“ will show you why.

11/16/04 SCOTT HUNERBERG
GHOST - HYPNOTIC UNDERWORLD
From Japan comes Ghost with their seventh album Hypnotic Underworld. Fusing together elements of rock, pop, psychedelia, and avant garde music, they create something new. They use such diverse instruments as cello, mellotron, harps, percussion, saxophone, and bouzouki, along with rock guitars, keyboards, bass, and drums. The first four tracks form a long suite entitled “Hypnotic Underworld,“ which starts out very edgy and creepy sounding, like some horror movie soundtrack, before moving into even more experimental territory on the third section with its otherworldly, choirlike background vocals set against post-modern rock that calls to mind Mono (although not quite as bombastic as that Japanese band.). The next song, “Hazy Paradise“ is a sublime slice of psych-pop that was apparently done by a group called Earth and Fire (what, did Wind quit or something?). This song has layers of harpsichord, mellotron, and guitars all melting together, with a very trippy guitar solo as well. After a brief (thankfully) spoken word piece, they return with the rocking “Piper,“ which features more inventive guitar work. There‘s also an almost unrecognizable cover of Syd Barrett‘s “Dominoes,“ which Ghost makes their own. Stylistically, this band is all over the place, yet they seem to tie all of their varied influences together to make some thing that is refreshing and unique. At times it reminded me of the Krautrock of Can and Amon Duul II with their hypnotic, often trance-like grooves. Fans of post-modern experimental music such as Tortoise, Godspeed!, Fly Pan Am, or Do Make Say Think ought to give Ghost a listen; they may find it haunting them for days afterword as I did.

11/16/04 Matt Hursh
The Swell Maps - Trip to Marineville
The first of two lovely reissues from Secretly Canadian, The Swell Maps‘ debut was initially released midway through the post-punk goodness of 1979. It‘s got all of the characteristics that you know and love from the era (a lead singer, Nikki Sudden, talking or Bowie-moaning over guitar noise, some chunky bass, and a bit of the keyboards), but it‘s a little more varied and experimental than a good number of the genre contemporaries. Some samples sneak in here and there (consider the era, this isn‘t exactly the same time that bands like Ministry or, later, White Zombie ran the whole concept into the ground), but there‘s just as many abrasive sound trials as there are straightforward “we remember punk ‘cuz it was 11 months ago“ attacks. The second track, “Another Song,“ is fittingly titled, as it sounds like vintage Wire filtered through vintage Stiff Little Fingers. That‘s a good thing. At the same time, the band doesn‘t overload you with pretensions; with track titles like “Don‘t Throw Ashtrays At Me!“ and “Midget Submarines,“ it‘s clearly more about the sound than it is the stance/pose. Many prefer 1980‘s “Jane From Occupied Europe,“ and I won‘t argue that fervently against the preference, but as an introduction, this debut‘s the way to go. Ask Pavement or Sonic Youth. Go ‘head.

11/16/04 Bill Stafford
Richard Thompson - Live in Providence“ (DVD)
For those of you who have spent more than a few micro-seconds in my company, the name “Richard Thompson“ should not be unfamiliar to you. As one of the greatest and most respected songwriters England has ever produced, his material has been interpreted by Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos, X, Bob Mould and even Del McCoury (winning a Grammy in the process), but his real talent shines brightest when he picks up his guitar and tackles his songs himself. If Richard is one of England‘s shining stars of songwriting, then he positively burns like a super-nova on guitar. Combining British folk, American blues, jazz, rock, country and world music influences into a unique and personally expressive style that is as emotionally moving as it is technically impressive, Richard is perhaps the greatest guitarist that the British Isles have yet produced, and yes, I‘m willing to argue this point for DAYS if you insist. Fortunately, I don‘t have to say a word, I can now just pop in the “Live in Providence“ DVD and watch jaws drop and eyes bulge. This is a beautiful package of crisp, clean visuals and sharp sound (both stereo & 5.1), with tons of extra supplemental features and all the bells & whistles one has come to expect in the DVD era. But the true joy is in the performance itself, a fine night of music taken from the RT Band‘s 2003 tour and featuring Richard‘s brilliant band, including Dallas‘ own Earl Harvin (Rubberbullet, Earl Harvin Trio, Psychedelic Furs, Seal) in the drumseat. You need go no further than this 90 minutes of exceptional musical virtuosity and passion to realize that if you haven‘t been listening to Richard Thompson, you have missed out on one of the musical geniuses of the age.

11/16/04 Brad Sigler
THE GO-BETWEENS - Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express, Tallulah & 16 Lovers Lane (Expanded Editions)
Remastered, double cd reissues of the band‘s 1986 to 1988 years, where they became more polished and produced, but no less heartbreaking in their song content. Most of Robert Foster & Grant Mclennan‘s best material was done during this time period - “Right Here“, “Spring Rain“, “The House Jack Kerouac Built“, “The Clarke Sisters“, “Head Full Of Steam“ - songs that make you smile and sing, even when it reduces you to tears. Their best pop songs are always bittersweet, brilliant melodies with stabbing lyrics, little ditties about infidelity, spousal abuse, weird siblings and love lost and found. In addition to the original albums, there are full bonus discs of b-sides, radio sessions, alternate and unreleased songs.

11/16/04 David Douglas
Wishbone Ash - Time Was : The Live Anthology
We are so excited to have Wishbone Ash coming to the Granada Theatre on Sunday Nov 28, it‘s been a long time since they were in Dallas, and while Andy Powell is the only original member left, he has had this version of Wishbone Ash for about 10 years, and they are as excellent as always! So I thought it would be a good chance to talk about a new release from Wishbone Ash called,“Time Was:The Live Anthology,“ which is a double disc chronicling what Wishbone Ash does best, playing live! Disc 1 is a show from Japan in 1991 featuring original members Andy Powell, Martin Turner, Ted Turner, along with drummer Ray Weston, which of course features tracks from their classic “Argus“ album like, “The King Will Come,“ Throw Down The Sword,“ “Time Was,“ and “Blowin‘ Free,“ and shows their dual guitar attack in fine form. Even their newer tracks at the time, “Lost Cause In Paradise,“ “Standing In The Rain,“ and Strange Affair,“ still retain the timeless quality of classic Wishbone Ash! Disc 2 features my favorite Wishbone Ash lineup of, Andy Powell, Laurie Wisefield, Martin Turner, and Steve Upton, but also featured an additional keyboardist, Graham Maitland, which makes this even more unique because I‘ve never heard them with a keyboardist before. Most of disc 2 was recorded in Davenport 1976, on a tour for one of the lesser known Wishbone albums, “Locked In,“ and feature some of my favorite tracks on that album like, “Rest In Peace,“ “Moonshine,“ and “Half Past Lovin‘,“ and shows why Andy Powell and Laurie Wisefield were two of the best guitarist‘s of the time. The sound quality is excellent throughout and makes me even more excited about their upcoming Granada Theatre show, see you Sunday Nov 28!

11/09/04 Brad Sigler
TRAVIS - THE SINGLES
Before Coldplay and Keane there was Travis. Initially an Oasis approved trad-rock band whose debut left me yawning, save for a few songs like “Happy“, it was pretty tame stuff. But something happened on the second release, “The Man Who“, the band went pop and became ballad driven and they‘ve never looked back. Four albums in and almost eight years later, the group has a collection of all their singles to date released - no b-sides or album cuts - plus, one new song. It‘s all very catchy, slightly fey, and very Brit - pretty much everything I love about music. C‘mon, I can‘t exsist solely on a diet of post-punk bands!

11/09/04 Chris Holt
Earlimart - Treble and Tremble
It seems like all I can do these days is point out how derivative contemporary music is. But most of the time, I don‘t mean it in a negative way. In all honesty, I think that virtually everyone sounds like someone else. Though I‘m sure many would disagree with me, I don‘t think it‘s such a bad thing to wear your influences on your sleeve. I guess it depends on just how much you rip someone off. If your music is so blatantly stolen that you have no chance of establishing an artistic identity of your own, then I guess it‘s a bad thing after all. That may not be the case with Earlimart, however. Named for a small town in their home state of California, Earlimart have released three indie records since 2000, establishing themselves as melodic yet unconventional songwriters. But on “Treble and Tremble“, their fourth (and finest) effort, Earlimart have channeled the sound and soul of Elliott Smith in a way that is at once chilling and disturbing. Singer/songwriter Aaron Espinoza‘s breathy vocals
and dark, ethereal pop songs sound so much like Smith‘s, that if I had heard “Treble“ before hearing Smith‘s final album, I would have believed that it was the work of Elliott himself. After doing some research, I came to learn that Espinoza and Smith were actually good friends, and that Elliott‘s death was the catalyst for the songs that became “Treble and Tremble“. And that was before I read the liner notes and saw that the entire album is dedicated to him. So, it may seem easy to slag off Earlimart as being rip-off artists, but when you consider the fact that Espinoza was channeling Smith intentionally on each of the songs, it begins to make sense. Whereas many derivative artists lose a great deal of quality in the translation, Earlimart‘s music possesses both the fragile beauty and melodic brilliance of Elliott‘s finest efforts. On songs such as “Hold On Slow Down“ and “Heaven Adores You“, it becomes quite obvious that Espinoza is singing directly to his dearly departed colleague. Instead of a sappy, inferior collection of knock-offs, Earlimart has delivered the ultimate tribute to their fallen friend, and a wonderful gift to fans of his music - an album of melodic gems that if you close your eyes and let your imagination run wild, you can almost believe that it‘s Elliott himself.

11/09/04 Johnny Christ
Blue States - The Soundings
With the help of a couple friends, Andy Dragazis‘ semi-kitschy trip-hop outfit Blue States became active in 1997. After playing out for a short amount of time, Dragazis relocated to Sussex, England, and was courted by Memphis Industries, a label that began issuing his singles. Between 1998 and 1999, five were released, setting the table for Nothing Changes Under the Sun, an LP released in 2000. In 2001, Thievery Corporation licensed the record in the U.S. on their Eighteenth Street Lounge Music imprint, adding bonus tracks to the original sequence. Dragazis also has several remixing credits, including work for Hefner and Badly Drawn Boy.The sultry, cinematic Man Mountain appeared in fall 2002.

11/09/04 SCOTT HUNERBERG
THE BLACK KEYS - RUBBER FACTORY
Ohio‘s Black Keys have returned with their third album, Rubber Factory. Patrick Carney, (drums) and Dan Auerbach, (vocals and fuzzed-out guitars) serve up another helping of their stomping, guttural, sludgy blues-rock. Rubber Factory, which was actually recorded in a rubber factory in Akron,Ohio picks up where the last album Thickfreakness left off. It‘s definitely not more polished than that album, it still has the same kind of rough-edged, lo-fi production quality to it, and they actually sound a little more confident this time as well. Highlights include “10 A.M. Automatic,“ with its huge guitar sound; “Just Couldn‘t Tie Me Down,“ which has some great slide guitar parts from Auerbach; “The Desperate Man,“ with its trippy, fuzzed-out guitars; and their cover of the Kinks “Act Nice and Gentle.“ Other highlights? The rest of the album, it‘s that good!! With Rubber Factory, the Black Keys prove that modern blues can sound fresh, vital and exciting, while remaining steeped in tradition. In short, the Black Keys are everything the White Stripes desperately want to be, but never will.

11/09/04 Bill Stafford
Slayer - Still Reigning (DVD)
There‘s something very comforting about listening to Slayer - they‘ve spent the past several decades honing their talent to a razor-sharp edge. You know what you‘re gonna get when you pick up a Slayer record - you‘re gonna get your head knocked off, first and foremost. With whiplash speed and an almost rabid aggression, Slayer has become the angry kings of the thrash-metal movement, with this video proving that they are “Still Reigning“. The idea is simple, go back into the back catalogue and find the fans all-time favorite Slayer album and perform it live in its entirety from beginning to end. Fans favorite? Easy, the legendary, step back or it‘ll bite classic “Reign in Blood“ - the 1986 masterpiece that has more buzzsaw bite almost twenty years after it was recorded than most records will ever have in their lifetimes. Now, just set the cameras up and unleash the band. Simple, no? Well, it would be, if the boys in Slayer left it at that, but nope, they had to punch it up a notch. What they decided was to end the show with a literal interpretation of the final tune “Raining Blood“ and have themselves, their equipment, and the stage drenched in a rain of blood. Pretty cool, huh ? And, of course, the fans now have a front-row seat courtesy of this brilliant DVD which captures all the subtle (and not so subtle) nuances of the performance without having to risk life limb or cleaning bill. With added songs from the show and bonus behind-the-scenes footage this is a must-have for fans of raw, unbridled aggression.

11/09/04 David Douglas
Little Axe - Champagne & Grits
Ambient, dub, blues, that was the description of the first Little Axe album “The wolf that house built,“ from 1994 on theold Okeh label. I thought this was going to be a one off project from the longtime On-u Sound sidekick Skip McDonald,but here we are 9 years later with their fourth release and first for Peter Gabriel‘s Real World label. This picks right up with what they have been doing all along, taking samples of old blues and spoken word snippets, and weaving their ambient,dub treatments around them to beautiful effect. “Champagne & Grits,“ is actually a more straight forward song collection this time around, not using quite as many samples, and bringing in guest vocalists such as Bernard Fowler, Ghetto Priest,Shara Nelson, the great reggae singer Junior Delgado, and on their most unique collaboration with ex-Squeeze guitarist and vocalist Chris Difford for the great song “All in the same boat,“ which sounds like Squeeze as fronted by a bluesband! Even though this is a modern take on blues, it‘s still inspired by what blues has always been based on, which istough times, as evidenced by some of the song titles such as, “Mean streets“ “Go away devil“ “living and sleeping in a dangerous time“ and “Will i ever get back home again“. This is serious music for those fans of blues and dub to embrace.We also have a great new Putumayo release called “Blues Lounge,“ which features two tunes from Little Axe and tracksfrom other groups using blues as their springboard for something new and exciting.

11/09/04 Jeff “The Record“ Webb
Camper Van Beethoven - New Roman Times
There‘s been a flurry of activity around Camper Van Beethoven in the last couple of years. A box set of their indie years, individual remasters of the same 4 albums with bonus tracks; not to mention their song-by-song cover of Fleetwood Mac‘s “Tusk“, all have hit the shelves since 2002. Even though they did a U.S. tour during this, I had no idea they were going to record a new CD. To top it off, it ranks up there with some of their finest work.“New Roman Times“ is sort of a rock opera about a teenager from Texas who enlists in the military after a 9-11 type tragedy. He becomes disillusioned and joins an anti-government militia. While political in nature, singer David Lowery still manages a number of his trademark funny one liners.
The usual smorgasboard of musical styles is still in effect. It opens with a “Lark‘s Tongue“ era King Crimson anthem, to the psychedelia of “I Hate This Part of Texas“, and of course, a lot of tracks featuring CVB‘s own take on Americana. Also, having 20 years to hone their chops, this is their best sounding album. Here‘s to hoping a tour is in the works!

11/02/04 David Thomas
Beastie Boys - Some Old Bullshit
If the Beastie Boys had stayed a punk band I‘m pretty sure no one would have heard of them past the 80‘s or outside of New York. This disc is full of fairly uninspired but catchy tunes; its importance is in the songs toward the end of the disc which showed the direction the band would head on later releases. “Some Old Bullshit“ starts out with a DJ talking about a show that The Beasties played with The Bad Brains the night before and then the disc launches into “Egg Raid On Mojo“ and you discover that the vocal style is a direct rip-off of H R (lead singer for Bad Brains) in fact there is a Reggae track (Beastie Revolution) which minus the horrible white boy lyrics could be a Bad Brains song. The worst aspect of this disc are the nine hundred re-workings of the worst song on it (Cookie Puss) I can see no reason they wanted to cram this song down everyone‘s throat. All in all an interesting disc with a little bit for everyone.

11/02/04 Matt Hursh
Placebo - Once More With Feeling: The Singles 1996-2004
This isn‘t billed as (or would it be if it were) a “best of“ collection. That‘s a good thing, since a majority of any artists‘ overviews often exclude essentials that leave devotees scratching their heads and neophytes missing out on the good stuff. “Once MoreÂ…“ is strictly a singles compilation of a band that‘s either fairly underrated this side of the Atlantic or an outfit that‘s ruined by the fey Rush-like shrill of lead singer Brian Molko. Sure, you remember “Pure Morning,“ with its catchy guitar hook and drug/sex references, but that‘s not a fair representation of the internationally mutt trio. Early tracks like “Bruise Pristine“ and “Nancy Boy“ rock like a Nirvana meets T. Rex, and even singles from their third (and weakest) record, Black Market Music, sound fresh and exciting within the confines of the collection. If you‘re looking for Placebo‘s definitive album, just pick up Without You I‘m Nothing. For others who‘ll be satisfied with a nice overview this domestically priced import will suffice.

11/02/04 SCOTT HUNERBERG
ASSEMBLY OF DUST - THE HONEST HOUR
Former Strangefolk lead singer Reid Genauer has released his second album with Assembly of Dust. The Honest Hour was recorded live in New York in 2004. The band is Reid on lead vocals and acoustic guitars; Nate Wilson (Percy Hill), keyboards and vocals; John Leccese (Percy Hill), bass; Adam Terrell (Percy Hill live band), lead guitar; and Andrew Herrick, drums. With players like this, AOD is very tight and polished musically, with great vocal harmonies and melodic hooks. Reid has a very soulful voice, and he writes great lyrics that capture the imagination and tell a story. “Man With A Plan“ gets things off to a good start with nice vocals from Reid, and inventive guitar work from Adam Terrell. Next up is “Harrower,“ an uptempo folk-rocker about a man roaming about looking for work and love. Terrell gets off a nice bluesy solo here as well. He‘s got a great melodic style that always seems just right for the song, and he doesn‘t overplay. Assembly of Dust also revisits a pair of old Strangefolk favorites, “Roads“ (from 1998‘s excellent Weightless in Water), and “Speculator“ (from 1997‘s awesome Lore album; both of these Strangefolk titles are highly recommended if you can find ‘em!). Nate gets into some beautiful piano grooves on the latter. “Honey Creeper“ starts off with a some wicked wah-wah guitar from Terrell, before settling into a funky groove. And the whole band really shines on the closing track, “Fountain,“ with more firey licks from Terrell as well. This is good stuff that grows on you with repeated listens. Fans of the original Strangefolk are advised to check out Assembly of Dust, they won‘t be disappointed!

11/02/04 Jeff Webb
American Music Club - Love Songs For Patriots
You may ask; Jeff why do you review so many review so many reunion CD‘s? Well, I do it because most of these bands didn‘t get the exposure the first time around, and a lot of people missed out on some great music.
American Music Club broke up about 10 years ago, and vocalist/songwriter Mark Eitzel was supposed to have a promising solo career. Even with his impressive voice, it never happened. Perhaps he needed sympathetic collaborators. So he rounded up ¾ of the band that recorded their last release “San Francisco“. Most important was Vudi, whose guitar soundscapes both jagged and pastoral, were the perfect compliment to Eitzel‘s melancholy lyrics. The tunes themselves range from John Lennon style acoustic ballads to Nick Cave dirges. AMC‘s music has been called “sensuous depression“. So, come on in the wallows‘ fine.

11/02/04 David Douglas
Kings of Convenience - Riot On An Empty Street
Here is yet more proof that Astalwerks is a label at the top of it‘s game and is releasing some of the best albums of the year, including The Kings of Convenience “Riot On An Empty Street“. This is very soft, contemplative music made by Eirik Glambek Boe and Erlend Oye from their home in Norway. This is a must have for fans of Belle and Sebastian, Nick Drake, Simon and Garfunkel and even at times reminds me of one of my favorite eighties bands, Prefab Sprout. This is the type of acoustic based music where you hear every moment on their nylon and steel string guitars, with additional piano, strings and stand up bass and even a drum shows up on occasion! These guys can say so much and use so little and it‘s not all heady material as they also humor in “I‘d Rather Dance With You“ where they don‘t want any misinterpretations, so let you hips do the talking. So if you are looking for that perfect album for a quiet Sunday afternoon, look no further than The Kings of Convenience. Brilliant!!

11/02/04 Johnny Christ
Arcade Fire - funeral
The Arcade Fire are not an emo band. Fronted by the husband-and-wife team of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, the group‘s emotional assault - rendered even more poignant by the dedications to recently departed family members contained in the liner notes - is brave, empowering, and dusted with something that many of that genre‘s angst-fueled acts desperately lack: an element of danger. Funeral‘ s mourners - specifically Butler and Chassagne - inhabit the same post-apocalyptic world as London Suede‘s Dog Man Star; they are broken, beaten, and ferociously romantic, reveling in the brutal beauty of their surroundings like a heathen Adam & Eve. “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels),“ the first of four metaphorical forays into the geography of the soul, follows a pair of young lovers who meet in the middle of the town through tunnels that connect to their bedrooms. Over a soaring piano lead that‘s effectively doubled by distorted guitar, they reach a Lord of the Flies-tinged utopia where they can‘t even remember their names or the faces of their weeping parents. Butler sings like Radiohead‘s Jonny Greenwood used to play, like a lion-tamer whose whip grows shorter with each and every lash. He can barely contain himself, and when he lets loose it‘s both melodic and primal, like Berlin-era Bowie or British Sea Power. “Neighborhood #2 (Laïka)“ examines suicidal desperation through an angular Gang of Four prism; the hypnotic wash of strings and subtle meter changes of “Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)“ winsomely capture the mundane doings of day-to-day existence; and “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out),“ Funeral‘s victorious soul-thumping core, is a goose bump-inducing rallying cry centered around the notion that “the power‘s out in the heart of man, take it from your heart and put it in your hand.“ The Arcade Fire are not bereft of whimsy. “Crown of Love“ is like a wedding cake dropped in slow motion, utilizing a Johnny Mercer-esque string section and a sweet, soda-pop stand chorus to provide solace to a jilted lover yearning for a way back into the fold, and “Haiti“ relies on a sunny island melody to explore the complexities of Chassagne‘s mercurial homeland. However, it‘s the sheer power and scope of cuts like “Wake Up“ - featuring all 15 musicians singing in unison - and the mesmerizing, early-Roxy Music pulse of “Rebellion (Lies)“ that make Funeral the remarkable achievement that it is. These are songs that pump blood back into the heart as fast and furiously as it‘s draining from the sleeve on which it beats, and by the time Chassagne dissects her love of riding “In the Backseat“ with the radio on, despite her desperate fear of driving, Funeral‘s singular thread is finally revealed; love does conquer all, especially love for the cathartic power of music.

11/02/04 Chris Holt
Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Please Describe Yourself
What‘s with all these UK bands that suddenly sound like XTC? It‘s amazing to me that in the last year or so, the “angular movement“ has produced a slew of post-punk bands that seem to live and breathe the bark and bite of Swindon‘s finest. It‘s funny that here in Dallas, we had a little band called Chomsky perfecting that sound FIVE years ago...but I digress. On to the review...the latest of these “Andy bands“ to catch my ear is none other than the Scottish quintet with the whimper-inducing name - Dogs Die In Hot Cars. While Sunderland‘s Futureheads spectacularly channel the frantic fury of the early XTC records, DDIHC‘s debut release sounds more like the “Skylarking“ era...if Howard Jones had joined the group. While that may sound like an insult, it‘s not intended that way - the only song that truly recalls HoJo is the goofy “Godhopping“, and even that gets stuck in your head after a few listens. The first single, “I Love You Cause I Have To“, is a delicious mix of ska and bubblegum, complete with a dead-on Partridge imitation from lead vocalist Craig Macintosh. Not everything works in this collection of retro throwbacks - on the lyrically trite, yet beautifully melodic “Celebrity Sanctum“, Macintosh name-drops his favorite celebrity fantasies, but stumbles by calling Angelina Jolie by the wrong name - “Angela“. Oops. Despite such occasional slips, the Dogs deliver the goods most of the time. Their hook-driven songs are instantly catchy, but whether or not they have staying power remains to be seen. I personally prefer the Futureheads‘ manic energy to this, but I‘d still take DDIHC over anything I‘ve heard on the radio this year. Well...except maybe that Franz tune.

10/25/04 Brad
TRASHCAN SINATRAS - WEIGHTLIFTING
Ok, I‘ll be the first to admit that I hadn‘t given the Trashcan‘s much of a listen since 1990‘s ‘Cake‘ lip was released and they was actually getting airplay with “Obscurity Knocks“ and “Only Tongue Can Tell“. The band always seemed like a pleasant diversion and nothing more - until now. Wow - how wrong could I have been! Jump to 2004 and the release of ‘Weightlifting‘ where the band has made their masterpiece. It‘s all sugar coated vocals and chiming guitars, with some of the most beautiful melodies that any group has produced this year. Fans of Crowded House, Beautiful South & The Beatles will love it, those without a sweet tooth will roll their eyes - but who cares! FYI: The first editions of the cd come with a bonus DVD of live performances.

10/25/04 John
the prosaics - aghast agape
Brooklyn‘s brooding, post-punk-influenced trio the Prosaics consists of vocalist/guitarist Andy Comer, bassist Joshua Zucker, and drummer William Kuehn. Comer, formerly of the band Tel Aviv, met Zucker early in 2002 through a mutual friend, and began working on demos. A cassette of their song-sketches made its way to Kuehn, who used to play in Rainer Maria. The three-piece honed its collaborative songwriting aesthetic, and by summer 2002, the Prosaics were playing local gigs that drew critical praise. New York Magazine named the group as one of the city‘s “25 Best New Bands,“ and subsequent gigs with the Liars, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and the Rapture cemented that reputation. In fall 2004, the band released its debut EP, Aghast Agape, via Dim Mak.

10/25/04 Chris
Elliott Smith - From A Basement On The Hill
So, here we are a year after Elliott Smith‘s tragic death, and finally we receive the long awaited follow-up to 2000‘s “Figure 8“ - a lush pop masterpiece that is often overlooked by longtime fans who prefer Elliott‘s earlier, more stripped down efforts. “From A Basement On The Hill“, which was whittled down to 15 tracks after Smith had recorded enough music to release a double, stands as his final musical testament, though we‘ll probably see a scattered collection of posthumous releases in the next few years. On first listen, “Basement“ sounds like the Elliott we‘ve come to know and love - dark, sad, beautiful, haunting...much like his other studio records. As usual, Elliott plays all the instruments himself, again showcasing his prodigious and often underrated musical abilities. There has been a great deal of speculation among critics and cynics that this album is not the album Elliott intended to make, as it was completed after his untimely death. But anyone who‘s familiar with his music can hear that Smith was firmly in control of the direction of “Basement“, even if his direction was changing. It‘s his voice, his guitar, his piano, his bass, and his aural stamp that you hear on each of the 15 songs. The ragged opener “Coast to Coast“ and the haunting closer “A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free“, hint at a darker, heavier style which might have emerged on future records. But the majority of the record is classic Elliott. “Pretty (Ugly Before)“ and “A Fond Farewell“ are on par with his best material, while tunes like “Strung Out Again“ revisit the familiar themes of addiction and alienation that have long dominated his lyrics. “From A Basement On The Hill“ may not be Smith‘s finest record, but it‘s a damn good one. If you‘re a fan, you probably have your own favorite, and it‘s always hard to embrace a new record the way that you love the old stuff. But “Basement“ is a fitting coda to Smith‘s prolifc career and if nothing else, it serves as a reminder that the world lost a truly gifted artist a year ago.

10/25/04 Twoie
Ministry - Early Tracks
Finally, a collection of almost all of the Ministry side projects. This disc starts with the Pailhead EP (Pailhead is Ministry with Ian MacKaye from Minor Threat/Fugazi singing), which is their first experiment crossing electronics with punk rock. The next four track are the 1000 Homo Djs EP. There is the most amazing Black Sabbath “Supernaut“ cover on this (which unfortunately does not have the rare version with Trent Reznor singing). These ten tracks are worth a cd by themselves, but they also included the PTP EP (featuring Ogre from Skinny Puppy on a track) AND the Acid Horse EP (which was a collaberation of Ministry and Cabaret Voltaire). This is a must-have for any fan of Ministry or industrial music in general...Also avaiable: Ministry “Early Tracks“
AND THREE REVOLTING COCKS REISSUES WITH BONUS TRACKS!!!!!!!

10/25/04 Matt
Killing Joke - For Beginners
A confounding compilation from one of the most varied, intense, and media savvy (in that their artwork, sound, and presentation has been potent and precise since Day One) bands ever, “For Beginners“ is a fairly ironic title in that it‘s really not…but what would be? Featuring “The Wait“ and “Primitive“ from their self-titled debut - an album without a wasted second - it‘s a good enough introduction to what I consider to be prime Killing Joke. Then again, that‘s a point of contention in and of itself: what is prime Killing Joke? The spiky, tribal quasi-punk of their early days, the (by comparison) slicker mid-80s stuff that put them on *gasp* the charts, or the growling brutality of their recent releases? Politics and general angst (and an apparent sense of humor…yeah, it‘s there) is a constant throughout, of course, but when it comes down to a “primer“ for the uninitiated, there‘s really no concrete, academic path to follow. Progressing from the early days (cuts from Revelations and What‘s THIS For…! and corresponding B-sides are most welcome) to the murky decadence of “Night Time“ and “Tabazan,“ this is all killer until the (arguably) generic niceties - for lack of a better word - of “Obsession“ and “Rubicon“…not exactly the most memorable output from this unforgettable band.
So is it truly “for beginners?“ Mmmm…it can be, but one might be better suited with the earlier compilation entitled Laugh? I Nearly Bought One! This is a nice piece for already converted, though, with some rarely seen live tracks and oddities included to entice.

10/25/04 Scott
ACOUSTIC SYNDICATE - LONG WAY ROUND
North Carolina‘s Acoustic Syndicate is back with their fifth album, Long Way Round. Their music is a blend of folk, pop-rock, jazz, and bluegrass. They use an interesting mix of acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, saxophone and percussion to create a sound that is somewhere between contemporary jazz and bluegrass. The opening title track starts out with some blues-influenced guitar, before the band kicks in with a bouncy rhythm. The next song, “Talk“ delivers an important message about communication. “They Come This Way“ has some great sounding acoustic playing over a funk-jazz beat. The next song, “Carry the World“ has some very intricate acoustic picking that reminds me of Keller Williams‘ earlier stuff, while “Been There Again“ sounds like it‘s from a Bela Fleck album. Other highlights include “Wake“, a short little jazzy sounding number, “Blue Bird Train,“ which reminded me of Sister Hazel, and “A Prayer For Solace.“ This is a cool little band that‘s obviously composed of very talented musicians, and they know how to sing and harmonize together as well. Fans of Bela Fleck, Yonder Mountain String Band or String Cheese Incident should check out Acoustic Syndicate; they‘ll find plenty here to like.

10/25/04 Matthew Kurzman
Jeff Buckley - Live At Sin-`e
That voice. That‘s what I think of when I think of Jeff Buckley: that beautiful falsetto voice. You can feel his pain as he belts out his songs. Songs that can only be described as twisted love songs. Songs full of anguish, despair, and heartache (is that redundant?). If you ever feel like wallowing in your sorrow, just enjoying your pain for a while, then Jeff Buckley‘s your man.
Live at Sin-`e was a series of performances at a small café in New York (where Jeff worked) designed to promote Buckley prior to the release of his first album, Grace. It was released as a four song EP and it was all just Jeff and his guitar, no band. I‘ve always felt it was his most powerful stuff; without the band, you can really hear his voice and his incredible guitar work.
Several years after Jeff died, I saw his mother speak and she promised one day to release the entire recording made from these performances. Well, it‘s finally here and it is well worth the wait. Live at Sin-`e is now a 2-CD set packaged with a DVD. The first track, “Be Your Husband“ is done a capella with hand claps and foot stomps as the only accompaniment, and it sets the stage for just how powerful this performance is going to be. He does versions of several of the songs that were later featured on the studio release Grace, including an early version of “Lover, You Should‘ve Come Over“ with some different lyrics. He also does several brilliant cover songs, including Billie Holiday‘s “Strange Fruit“, which is arguably the most beautiful protest song ever written. It also features versions of two of my favorite Van Morrison Songs: “The Way Young Lovers Do“ and “Sweet Thing“.
Do yourself a favor, next time you‘re in the store, grab a copy of Live at Sin-`e, take it to the counter and ask us to let you listen to it. You‘ll thank me later.

10/25/04 Jeff
The Cramps - How to Make a Monster
The Cramps are true innovators. Their concoction of rockabilly, 60‘s garage, R&B, and a whole lotta late night TV sounded like nothing else in the late 70‘s. Not much had been heard from the bands formative years. “How to Make a Monster“ rectifies that with 2 CD‘s of rehearsals, demos and live stuff, mostly from 1976-78. Bare in mind, some of the 1976 tracks are rather primitive, but you can hear that they knew what sound they were looking for that early on. The two live shows on disc 2 are fascinating. One features a brand new band in Jan. 1977, that is polarizing the crowd into equal parts acceptance and heckling; while a year later, after opening for the Ramones and other up and coming New York bands, the audience is totally into them.
Fans should also note the booklet with lots of great photos, flyers, and liner notes from Lux and Ivy. There would be no “psychobilly“ without them. Check out how it all began.

10/18/04 David Thomas
Asie Payton - Worried
I had forgotten how much I loved this album. I was digging around thru the stacks of possible blues choices and re-discovered “Worried“ by Asie Payton. For fans of the crunchier side of the blues coin this disc is made for you. Fat Possum Records shines with this release custom made for fans of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion or R.L. Burnside. From the two versions of “I Love You“ to the hauntingly dragging tone of “Nobody But You“ this disc works.

10/18/04 Matt
The Ex - Turn
Ah yes, The Ex. Like you know, hahaha. Not that you should. I didn‘t…so I‘m a unknowing non-elitist fellow (or fella…is that the female version?...no?) just like yourself. It‘s not your fault you haven‘t heard of The Ex before, regardless of the fact that they‘ve been around for the better part of two and half decades. All of their records up to their Touch and Go debut in 1998 are now out of print dating back to 1980, so what the dozen+ records that came before 1998‘s “Starters Alternators“ sound like is as unknown to you as it is to me, but that shouldn‘t discredit the quality output they‘ve had over the last 6 years. “Dizzy Spells,“ circa 2001, is a post-post-post punk record from some of the founders of the sound that more than lives up to its roots, and “Turn“ proves to be one of the luminaries of the entire pack released to this point this year. Full of jagged, noisy guitar and politically charged vocals (but not enough not to be sardonic…lyrics like “Surround sound DVD is ecstasy.“ prove that…), this is almost two hours of extended experimentation within the outer limits of the rock genre, and anyone that likes a bit of edge with their rock would be wise to find out what he/she can before these - like the others - are lost to the ether known as “out of print.“

10/18/04 Bill
Doug Stanhope - Deadbeat Hero (CD/DVD)
Mel Brooks (who should know) said “Tragedy is when I stub my toe, comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die“ a statement that points out that comedy is at its best when it‘s lethal. Good comedy hurts. Good comedy has a target and decimates it with the methodic precision and over-the-top righteous indignation of a serial killer. Doug Stanhope is the comedy equivalent of Hannibal Lector - you may not want to have dinner with him, but you gotta admire his savage skills. Stanhope may best be know to the Teeming Millions as one of the hosts of “The Man Show“, but if you only know him from his decidedly sanitized network appearances, then this new CD/DVD combo will show you the brutally savage beast that lurks barely in check. Beginning with encouragements to quit your job (after ripping the bosses off) and to drink only from Sunday through Thursday (because why should you waste your good weekend hung over?), Stanhope pulls no punches and leaves no hold barred in this stand-up set that places him firmly in the tradition of such greats as Lenny Bruce and Bill Hicks. If your idea of contemporary comedy is the limp and listless “Last Comic Standing“ or some particularly pitiful “observational“ comedian (you know the “You ever notice“ guys who ALWAYS have a bit about airlines & who invariable stink on ice) then you might find Doug Stanhope‘s “Deadbeat Hero“ shocking and offensive - good, you‘re just the folks who SHOULD buy this set - those of us who are familiar with Stanhope (or David Cross or the late Bill Hicks or other fringe-dwellers of the comedy scene) will laugh along, but those others out there - you guys NEED this stuff, this sort of spiritual/existentialist kick in the head to get some of those dormant neurons firing. So, go - get up off the friggin couch, turn off the idiot box, and go pick this bad-boy up - I promise you, it WILL offend you, but that‘s a good thing, because what did you expect from this world, a happy ending ?

10/18/04 Scott
JOHN HERMANN - JUST AIN‘T RIGHT
Well now, here‘s two new releases that ought to help keep Widespread Panic fans Happy until the band decides to return to the road (which hopefully will be real soon!): WSP keyboard player John Hermann‘s Just Ain‘t Right, and Barbara Cue‘s Rhythm Oil, which features WSP drummer Todd Nance. Barbara Cue is an Athens super-group that first started getting together in ‘97 to celebrate their mutual love of NRBQ. Their sound combines elements of blues, rock, R n B, and country, along with a healthy shot of the Q. The band is: Nance, drums; guitarist William Tonks (from Six String Drag); Jeff Neff, guitars and pedal steel (from Star Room Boys); David Barbe on lead vocals; and Paul “Crumpy“ Edwards (ex-Bloodkin) on bass. Rhythm Oil (their second album) gets off to a strong start with “Explode,“ a mid-tempo rocker with a propulsive groove and gritty guitars. The next song, “Cloven Hoof“ has kind of a Stones influenced sound to it. “Coach“ has some nice slide guitar parts and tough vocals. Other highlight include the loud ‘n‘ raw “Talking To Myself,“ “Everywhere,“ and the album closing “Do You Read Me.“ Cool stuff from this little Panic offshoot.
John “Jo Jo“ Hermann‘s new one, Just Ain‘t Right is his third solo effort, and features Hermann on guitars, lead vocals, and of course keyboards. He gets lots of help from his friends Luther and Cody Dickinson, the North Miss. Allstars boys, on guitars and drums, respectively. And Paul “Crumpy“ Edwards also plays bass on here as well. If you‘re already familiar with JoJo‘s first two solo albums, then you have a pretty good idea of what‘s going on here: tough, bluesy rock with lots of cool piano and keyboard parts. Highlights include the opening rocker “the Vultures Here Are A Little Slow,“ the rollicking “Here Lies Joseline,“ the rocking “Wishbone Man“ (I‘d like to hear Panic do this one live…),“Lonely Child,“ “Assassination,“ which has some wicked wah-wah guitar licks from Luther; and the piano based “Over Lubbock.“ While neither one of these releases are what I‘d call earth-shattering or anything (and I doubt you‘ll see either lineup on tour anytime soon, they‘re basically just stop-gap side projects) they do sound cool cranked up and both are a lot of fun, which is really what it‘s all about anyway!

10/18/04 Scott
BARBARA CUE - RHYTHM OIL
Well now, here‘s two new releases that ought to help keep Widespread Panic fans Happy until the band decides to return to the road (which hopefully will be real soon!): WSP keyboard player John Hermann‘s Just Ain‘t Right, and Barbara Cue‘s Rhythm Oil, which features WSP drummer Todd Nance. Barbara Cue is an Athens super-group that first started getting together in ‘97 to celebrate their mutual love of NRBQ. Their sound combines elements of blues, rock, R n B, and country, along with a healthy shot of the Q. The band is: Nance, drums; guitarist William Tonks (from Six String Drag); Jeff Neff, guitars and pedal steel (from Star Room Boys); David Barbe on lead vocals; and Paul “Crumpy“ Edwards (ex-Bloodkin) on bass. Rhythm Oil (their second album) gets off to a strong start with “Explode,“ a mid-tempo rocker with a propulsive groove and gritty guitars. The next song, “Cloven Hoof“ has kind of a Stones influenced sound to it. “Coach“ has some nice slide guitar parts and tough vocals. Other highlight include the loud ‘n‘ raw “Talking To Myself,“ “Everywhere,“ and the album closing “Do You Read Me.“ Cool stuff from this little Panic offshoot.
John “Jo Jo“ Hermann‘s new one, Just Ain‘t Right is his third solo effort, and features Hermann on guitars, lead vocals, and of course keyboards. He gets lots of help from his friends Luther and Cody Dickinson, the North Miss. Allstars boys, on guitars and drums, respectively. And Paul “Crumpy“ Edwards also plays bass on here as well. If you‘re already familiar with JoJo‘s first two solo albums, then you have a pretty good idea of what‘s going on here: tough, bluesy rock with lots of cool piano and keyboard parts. Highlights include the opening rocker “the Vultures Here Are A Little Slow,“ the rollicking “Here Lies Joseline,“ the rocking “Wishbone Man“ (I‘d like to hear Panic do this one live…),“Lonely Child,“ “Assassination,“ which has some wicked wah-wah guitar licks from Luther; and the piano based “Over Lubbock.“ While neither one of these releases are what I‘d call earth-shattering or anything (and I doubt you‘ll see either lineup on tour anytime soon, they‘re basically just stop-gap side projects) they do sound cool cranked up and both are a lot of fun, which is really what it‘s all about anyway!

10/18/04 Chris
The Futureheads - The Futureheads
For the past couple years, there has been a storm quietly brewing in the UK, which has resulted in a recent hailstorm of fresh, intelligent pop music. The so-called “Angular Movement“, characterized by post-punk guitar slashing, quirky arrangements, and frantic onstage energy, has been defined by such groups as Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, and The Futureheads. The latter‘s debut, which sees domestic release later this month (though we the fortunate here at CD World already possess an import copy), encompasses all the wit and melodic brilliance of the early XTC and Gang of Four records. Though “The Futureheads“ may sound a bit too reminiscent of “Drums and Wires“, Andy Partridge would be proud. The Futureheads not only possess a knack for instrumental mastery, they also succeed with clever wordplay, and most importantly, they don‘t neglect the art of songcraft in favor of tuneless energy. Fortunately, this first effort connects on all levels. For fans of post-punk angular guitar pop, this record is a must own.

10/18/04 David
VHS or Beta - Night on Fire
Astralwerks is all I need to see on our new release sheet to know it is one of the first things I‘ll be checking out, because they are one of the best labels putting out music today, not to mention the last 10 years. I noticed VHS or Beta a few weeks ago and have been jamming this one almost everyday since. These guys put beat into their groove and I‘m talking about big, bootylicious disco beats that should have you dancing like Napoleon Dynamite. This is no cheesy dance music though, this is Craig Pfunder and Zeke Buck (out of Louisville, KY) laying down their serious beat assault with slash and burn guitars that will remind you of early Cure records, especially with their Robert Smith sounding vocals. My favorite track “No Cabaret“ reminds me of Gang of Four‘s “Song‘s of the Free“ and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Out of the 10 tracks on the album, 3 are instrumentals, and show these guys to be great musicians and again I can‘t emphasize the great guitar licks these two guys spin around each other (they are my new Wishbone Ash!) I noticed one of the producers was Adam Dorn aka Mocean Werker, who put out a great album himself earlier this year called “Enter the Moko“ which is currently in our electronic listening station. So again, many thanks to Astralwerks for consistently putting out great music. Be sure to check out VHS or Beta at the Gypsy Tea Room on Mon., Nov. 8 with the Fever opening and make sure to bring your dancing shoes.

10/18/04 Jeff
The Fall - Slates (Remaster)
1981 was a golden year for post-punk, and the year I really became a Fall fan. I saw them live at Club Foot in Austin, and bought the 10“ Slates. It wasn‘t an album or an E.P.. It was though, 6 tracks and 24 minutes of the best stuff I had heard by Mark E. Smith and crew. I had the first 2 albums (I hadn‘t bought Grotesque yet), and while liking songs on both, I wasn‘t knocked out by them.
Slates was the first Fall record that had good (for them) production, and noticeably tighter musicianship. Most importantly, the songs were great! Although a casual fan might not be able to tell the difference, the band sounded confident and upbeat for the first time. The trio on what was side 2 would still be in my Fall top 20. The country-blues of “Fit and Working Again“; the two-chord attack on the competition that is “Slates, Slags, etc.“; and the fantastic “Leave the Capitol“ about the band departing Rough Trade were the tunes that won me over.
This new expanded edition includes a Peel Session with an early version of “Hip Priest“, the “Lie Dream of a Casino Soul“ single and an outtake. Check out Mark E Smith at his early angry best.

10/11/04 Bill
The Cramps - How to Make A Monster
Odd things grow in the dark - the slime and rot offer succor to the oddest varieties of life on the planet - hence, The Cramps. These freaks festered in relative obscure backwoods, untouched by the contemporary scenes that were sprouting around them and nourished, instead, by forgotten 5-for-a-dollar discarded rockabilly records. The Cramps bloomed like beautiful but intimidating psilocybin mushrooms, offering a dangerous edge, but also immense thrills to those willing to embrace their inherent disharmonies. “How to Make A Monster“ is a document chronicling the early periods of the Cramps genesis, setting down, for the historical record, the process of decay and rebirth that caused the flourishing of these unsurpassed psychobilly wonders. A double disc set (one disc studio, one disc live offered for the price of a single CD) that will excite the imaginations of die-hard fans with it‘s (human)fly-on-the-wall perspective on early rehearsals and concerts. This might be too potent an offering for the casual fan - certainly the rough quality of the earliest material here (it gets better with age) might dissuade those not thoroughly enthralled by the blistering primitive noise that characterizes these musical throwbacks - but for those for whom the protoplasmic sounds of Lux Interior & Ivy Rorshach are as scrumptious and delectable as the rarest of truffles, this will be a pair of platters that end up being greedily consumed with much lip-smacking and appreciative murmurs.

10/11/04 Matt
Various artists - Left of the Dial
Subtitled “Dispatches for the 80s Underground,“ this 4-disc box set from Rhino is just another in a string of high quality era overviews from the most loving and varied “restoration“ label presently alive. As with anything that serves as a compilation of sorts, subjectivity is key, and there‘s undoubtedly some personal glaring omission you‘ll spot (where‘s Big Black‘s “Kerosene,“ yo?), but in the interest of serving as a mood setter, this box is a success. From The Pretenders to Killing Joke to Magazine to Husker Du to Black Flag to The Go Betweens, the literal sonic variety makes for easy and fairly addictive listening. The accompanying book is typically interesting and aesthetically pleasing, and even notes in the introduction that this is to serve as an unofficial sequel to the greatness of their “No Thanks!“ 70s punk collection released earlier. “Left of the Dial“ isn‘t the glowing, representative triumph that that box was - it‘s simply a vast, multi-headed kind of animal - but its aim is true for those looking for a re-visitation or an introduction.

10/11/04 Jeff
The Bevis Frond - Hit Squad
Nick Saloman marches on with album number 20-something of his own style of psychedelic pop. Let me rephrase that: his own ‘styles‘ of psych-pop. “Hit Squad“ runs the gamut from the heavy Sabbath-Hawkwind sounding “Dragons“ and “Tou‘re Little Point“ to “It‘s a Gut Thing“ that recalls XTC. “High Point“ has ‘Neil Young‘ style harmonica, and the opener “All Set“ is very Beatlesque with its ‘Penny Lane‘ trumpet. The title cut sounds like the “Batman“ theme morphed with Blue Cheer grunge. And there is no shortage of great guitar solos on the soaring “Through the Hedge“ and the Hendrix sounding “Mission Completed“.
I‘ve never heard a Bevis Frond CD that was anything less than good. Saloman‘s consistency is amazing and “Hit Squad“ is sure-fire.

10/11/04 Brad
The Open - The Silent Hours
Available only as an import at this moment, The Open‘s debut cd is the sound of all their influences - U2, Echo & The Bunnymen, Catherine Wheel, Radiohead and Keane - all rolled into one fantastic band. Yes, it‘s anthemic, stadium style rock, with all the subtlety of a flying mallet, but when it‘s done this well, this BIG, you have no choice but to love it. Like The Delays (another fav from this year), The Open draw heavily from the 80‘s well of sound, while keeping their feet firmly planted in the present. Here‘s to hoping this gets a U.S. release soon.....

10/04/04 Matt
Mansun - Kleptomania
Mansun. A (The?) band of recent memory that turned out to be just too experimental, progressive (as a concept, not as a musical genre, thank Christ), and real-deal independent for its own good. Their first record, “Attack of the Grey Lantern“ went #1 in the UK out of nowhere, and its follow-up - “Six“ - is a masterpiece lost in the hype of “OK Computer“…a musical equivalent of television‘s acid sci-fi puzzle known as “The Prisoner“; dark, fragmented, and thoroughly realized. Stepping sideways can be fine, but a step backis what “Little Kix“ turned out to be, and it unfortunately proved to be Mansun‘s final LP as an active band. “Kleptomania,“ available on import through Parlaphone, takes away the adult contemporary aftertaste and caps the too-short career of Mansun much more satisfactorily. A triple disc set, Disc One is what can be pieced together as what would have been the outfit‘s fourth record, and it‘s a welcome step forward (and sideways) from their other material…both spacey and rockin‘, full of Paul Draper‘s acerbic and askew lyrics. It could have, would have, and now is something. The second disc compiles non-album singles and B-sides (90% of which are brilliant), while the third delves into the demo drawers. A lovely little set at a reasonable price, and as good a send-off as a band of this caliber deserves…if it had to happen at all.

10/04/04 Matthew Kurzman
Richard Linklater - Slacker - Criterion Collection
First off, Criterion is any movie collector‘s wet dream. Not only do they always combine the best quality prints with awesome sound reproduction, but they also package their dvds full of bonus material. In the case of Slacker, they give us an entire bonus disc of goodies. Featured here are early films of Linklater‘s, documentaries, and a great commentary track.
Slacker is one of my favorite films. Linklater‘s first release, Slacker was made for peanuts and showed many other filmmakers that they too could make self-financed movies. Most famously, Kevin Smith was inspired by Slacker to make Clerks, which itself has led the way for countless other indie filmmakers. Slacker was also the first film to capture a growing anti-establishment segment of our society. The one thing which unites these characters is their alienation form mainstream culture and their refusal to buy into it. And the structure of the movie was revolutionary as well. There is no coherent story line. Rather, the movie follows two characters as they walk down the street talking. When two other characters pass heading the other direction, the camera picks them up and follows them for a while. It‘s free form at its most vital, and it‘s finally found its rightful home within the Criterion Collection

10/04/04 Jeff
Blues Explosion - Damage
Don‘t worry, Jon Spencer is still there; I guess they‘re trying to show that they are a genuine band now. Damage is Spencer and co‘s first for Sanctuary and it‘s their best for years. ‘Damage‘ finds the Blues Explosion trying out different sounds, and with that you need different producers. Six in all grace the twelve tracks including electronica stars Dan the Automator, DJ Shadow, and David Holmes. Other notable guests are Chuck D and Martina Topley-Bird (worked with Tricky) who lend their vocal talents and no-wave‘s James Chance is featured on sax. Make no mistake, this is still a Blues Explosion record, just a more adventurous one. Jon Spencer still hollers “Blues Explosion“ about 20 times, and they still rock as hard as ever. Can‘t wait to see ‘em pull it off live!

09/27/04 Matt
The Wives - Erect the Youth Problem
Clocking in at just over 27 minutes, The Wives debut LP has a lot more going for it than a running time that doesn‘t wear out its welcome. It‘s a lovely little potboiler of noise and chaos, running from oldies-and-goodies like Big Black and The Minutemen to newies-and-goodies like McLusky and The Liars. Considering the album‘s title and the general points of reference, I‘m sure there‘s some socio-political stands being taken, but due to the lack of liner notes (not a bad thing, by the way, because to paraphrase the gods known as Pere Ubu, “to print lyrics is a bad thing“) and the fact that there‘s some yelling swimming around amidst the din, I haven‘t got that far yet. No matter. If you‘re a fan of the awesome, this $9.91 disc is academic.

09/27/04 Jeff
Giant Sand - Is All Over…the Map
Howe Gelb has been with us for over 20 years, releasing stuff under his own name, The Band of Blacky Ranchette, OP8, and his main vehicle, Giant Sand. It‘s been 4 years since their last album of new material and it appears Joey Burns and John Covertino have made Calexico their full-time gig. Even with some new members, it‘s still the same Giant Sand sound: atmospheric hushed tones, raw acoustic guitars, occasional intense distortion, a little rock and roll, and always Gelb‘s almost whispered vocals on top.
“Classico“ would fit on Wilco‘s A Ghost is Born. “NYC of Time“ sounds like a long lost shambolic Neil Young tune. Other songs recall “Beggars Banquet“ era Stones, and the piano led pieces bring to mind Tom Waits. The topper is a Sex Pistols/Waylon Jennings medley “Anarchistic Bolshevistic Cowboy Bundle“, a country-punk car crash with some funny lyrical alterations.
The most important thing is that Howe Gelb is a good songwriter. I‘ll bet Jeff Tweedy knows this, and if you‘re a fan of his, Giant Sand could be for you.

09/27/04 Chris
Elvis Costello And The Imposters - The Delivery Man
Elvis the Chameleon always keeps you guessing...honestly, when I heard that he was prepping yet another new album for release, I half-jokingly assumed that he had composed an opera and conducted the orchestra himself. Little did I know that “Il Sogno“ - his first fully orchestral work - would be released the same day as “The Delivery Man“, arguably the most consistent and focused rock record Elvis has made in years. While the album‘s loose concept falters at times (there is no direct narrative to follow, just a disjointed series of tales about a Southern delivery man and his interactions with various women), both Costello‘s voice and lyrical vision remain inspired, on par with his finest work. It‘s also the first album he‘s recorded with The Imposters, his current touring band that features ex-Attractions Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve, on drums and keyboards, respectively. While it may not be on the level of “Armed Forces“ or “This Year‘s Model“, “The Delivery Man“ towers over most of the material Elvis has released in the past decade. For nearly thirty years now, his versatility has made him one of the world‘s most respected artists, but for a great number of longtime fans, myself included, it‘s refreshing to hear him bring the rock again.

09/20/04 David
The Dzihan & Kamien Orchestra - Live in Vienna
Alot of people still think of electronic music as just a person or two sitting in a studio putting together sounds,but not actually involving a band. But those of us in the know have seen such a change in electronic music over the year‘s, that many of these artist‘s do bring in the human element of a band, and nothing capture‘s this aspect more than Dzihan & Kamien with their orchestra on this fine live album from their home base of Vienna, Austria. The orchestra consist‘s of 18 musicians (including horns and a 7 piece string section!), plus the vocals of Ma Dita and Ozden Oksuz, tearing through material on their two album‘s, 2000‘s “Freaks and Icons“ and 2002‘s “Gran Riserva“. This is world music filtered through with alot of jazz and a strong funk element provided by the superb Willi Langer on bass. This is top notch musicianship played before a very enthusiastic home crowd, and definitely shines a different light on electronic music. Kudos to the Six Degrees label out of San Francisco, who have put out some of the best world and electronic album‘s over the last 5 years, and all of the Dzihan & Kamien releases are amongst the best, especially this exciting live chronicle.

09/20/04 Matt
The Faint - Wet From Birth
Back to save the lives of li‘l black-haired and star-tattooed sweeties everywhere, The Faint‘s “Wet From Birth“ isn‘t their best record…but that‘s not to say it isn‘t worth your time and folding money either. There‘s no mistaking this is the same band that released “Blank Wave Arcade“ and “Danse Macabre“; the crazy synths still run rampant, the vocals are still affected, and the comparisons to all the usual new wave suspects can be made. Here, however, the scamps have thrown a little more funk into the frantic mix…and I‘m not talking George Clinton. Think more like Cameo or The Gap Band. Sound lame? Fair enough, but it‘s really not. Works quite well actually. Anyway, if you‘re a fan of the band‘s last two releases, there‘s no reason you won‘t like this. The strongest track? The final lone, entitled “Birth,“ which features *gasp* guitars and real drums and stuff. Could The Faint‘s next step from “Birth“ be rock? Stay tuned, star children.

09/20/04 Scott
HUMBLE PIE - HOME AND AWAY
What‘s new from Humble Pie, you ask? Well, nothing, really, but this cool little 2 disc set offers up reissues of two of their classic albums from the late ‘60‘s. The first disc (the “Home,“ I guess) is their 1969 debut “As Safe As Yesterday,“ while disc two (the “Away?“) offers their second album “Town and Country.“ Although it would have been nice if they had included any of the original artwork, there‘s still a great cover shot of Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton rockin‘ out on stage. “Safe As Yesterday“ basically set the stage for future Humble Pie albums with Marriott‘s soulful, bluesy voice and driving riffs, and Frampton‘s ringing leads. Highlights include “Natural Born Bugie,“ “Stick Shift,“ “Buttermilk Boy, and the title track. On “Town and Country“ the Pie takes a more laid-back approach, with songs that are built upon layers of acoustic guitars and hand percussion, with harmony vocals. Some of this actually sounds kind of like an offshoot of CSN or something. Standout tracks include “Take Me Back,“ “Shakey Jake,“ the psychedelic sounding “Light of Love,“ and “Every Mothers Son,“ which feature some great acoustic picking from Frampton. Only on “Down Home Again,“ and “Home and Away“ does Humble Pie revisit the hard rock boogie swagger of “As Safe As Yesterday,“ but these songs don‘t sound out of place here; instead they serve to balance out the overall sound. This is cool stuff from this sadly underappreciated band, and would make a great starting place for someone just getting into Humble Pie and is wondering what all the fuss is about.

09/20/04 Brad
The Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour
How could I have been so quick to dismiss this record? After being bludgeoned with the disc relentlessly by J.C. of the Addison store, then seeing them open for Franz Ferdinand with another great UK band, The Futureheads (more on them in October….), I finally gave in and I‘m glad. Led by brothers Greg and Aaron Gilbert, Rowly on drums and Colin Fox on bass, the Southampton, England band sound like the Cocteau Twins‘ Elizabeth Fraser (yes, that is a guy singing) fronting The La‘s. It‘s one of those albums that you have to give some attention and grows better with each listen. If the new songs they played live are any indication of what‘s to come on the next album, they may avoid the sophomore jinx and deliver another minor classic.

09/20/04 Bill
Drive-by Truckers - The Dirty South
Georgia‘s Drive-by Truckers are poised for greatness … Hell, they‘ve ACHIEVED greatness, but they‘re poised to have folks discover it. The newest album from these consummate songsters represents a lyrical maturation and development, even from last years mature and developed “Decoration Day“. From Lynyrd Skynyrd deifiers to the jam-band circuits‘ obligatory hard-rock heroes, the Truckers have moved on to a work that is dark and introspective, with empathy for the common man and a feel for the soil and heritage of the South. “The Dirty South“ is, in many ways, the Truckers version of “Nebraska“, a dark and introspective album that touches those hidden places in our psyche where lifes injuries and regrets fester and sore. Still fueled by the three-guitar attack and bolstered by an equal amount of singers & songwriters (sometimes it just don‘t seem fair that so much raw talent inhabits one band) the Drive-by Truckers have shown that they are about more than just ape-ing Skynyrd, but are, instead, closer to the blues tradition of chronicling the life and hardships of the everyday man. Of course, with a title like “The Dirty South“ the common men that the Truckers chronicle are not your typical salt-of-the-earth church-goers. The men whose lives are examined tend to walk much darker roads, from the “Boys from Alabama“ who live like hillbilly Mafia and flaunt the law at will, to the poor guy in “Puttin‘ People on the Moon“ who has found that trying to live the straight and narrow is frustrating and unrewarding compared to the life of crime that satisfied him previously. But, perhaps the darkest masterpiece on the album is “Cottonseed“, a rough and desperate braggadocio from a man who, in his own words “put more lawmen in the ground / than Alabama put cottonseed“. “The Dirty South“ is a brilliant album, full of vibrant songs that will leave you thinking as you hum along, something all too rare these days. The Drive-by Truckers are masters of the art of putting honest thought and expression to a soundtrack that draws you into the heart of their stories, and if they continue to progress as much as the songwriting on “The Dirty South“ shows, then I believe these Truckers will be here for a very long haul, and I‘ll gladly meet them at every stop.

09/13/04 Jeff
End - The Sounds of Disaster
Mike Patton‘s Ipecac label has come up with another interesting discovery in 1-man wrecking crew Charles Peirce (aka End.) The Sounds of Disaster is an exciting mix of spliced up electronics and samples that recalls the amped up hard techno of Aphex Twin, the big band stylings of Foetus and the genre-splitting chaos of Mr. Bungle. It kind of sounds like a meltdown of music as we know it and with titles like “Countdown to the End“, “World Went Down“, and “Fit to Die“, you can see why. What sets this CD apart from others in this vein is that it has structure and melodies that pop up amidst the chaos. A rockabilly line will meld into a techno-hyper synth, that morphs into a trumpet from the 40‘s, and then percussive synth.
It‘s challenging stuff, yet I still found it accessible. I couldn‘t wait to hear what was coming next, because I had no idea what that would be. Doesn‘t that make some of the best music?

09/13/04 David Douglas
Antibalas - Who is this America?
The spirit of Fela Kuti and his music still has a very strong presence today, and you can‘t get any better than the racially mixed New York based collective known as Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra. This is the type of music Fela revolutionized in the early 70‘s, politically motivated lyrics surrounded by a big band (at least 14 members!), that will not only have you thinking, but also seriously shaking your ass! “Who is this America“, is their third album and it immediately takes aim at George W, in the very inspired title track as well as in “Big Man“. Antibalas are in fine form throughout, the horn section blowing hard over a bed of steady rhythm, African percussion, and sinuous guitar lines. Do yourself a favor and check Antibalas live at Tree‘s this Saturday Sept 18 in their first ever appearance in Dallas, it should be one of the best of the year! Another side note to check out is their keyboardist Victor Axelrod‘s side project Easy All Stars dub reggae version of Pink Floyd‘s “Dark Side of THe Moon“, in stock at CD World.

09/13/04 Matt
Romero, George - Dawn of the Dead“ (4-disc DVD)
You‘re a person of culture, right? You know, keep up on current events, look at yourself in the mirror before exiting your hovel, read a bit more than 16 year olds‘ internet journal entries, things like that. Good…with that being the case, a worthwhile member of our community like yourself needs to own the “Ultimate Edition“ of George Romero‘s brain-eating magnum opus, Dawn of the Dead. What does flesh eating and rampant squib indulgent violence have to do with functioning positively within our finely honed social confines, you ask? It‘s multi-tiered, but very simple: firstly, having the crown jewel of any cinematic genre (or subgenre, in this case) displayed handsomely (and baby, this black slipcase package is hot sex) on the extension-of-you shelf is never a bad thing. Next, Romero‘s characterizations are absolutely masterful...you know the little group of human survivors holed up in the ultimate symbol of material excess - the shopping mall - like you know characters in a Coppola or Kurosawa film. That‘s a hallmark of pretty much every Romero film, actually (look at Martin…please). Finally, Dawn of the Dead works not only on the direct, visceral level of a gore fest zombie flick, but also as an observation on herd mentality, politics, and human duplicity. See? When broken down, this set is tailor made of an individual of discerning tastes. What‘s on it? Oh, the theatrical version, the “extended cut“, and Dario Argento‘s Euro edit…all of which are gorgeously presented in the correct aspect ratio and a wealth of audio options. Commentaries are present for each, along with other supplements of interest. The fourth disc houses the new “Document of the Dead“, a feature length retrospective on the conception, execution, and marketing of the film. “It‘s too much!,“ some might retort. They would, of course, not only be incorrect, but uncultured swine. Rise above it. Buy this.

09/13/04 Brad
The Kinks - Are The Village Green Preservation Society (2 CD, Deluxe Edition)
Anyone that loves all things British, 60‘s, mod and pop, will agree that The Kinks represent the ultimate culmination of all these things and the album that should be the band‘s legacy has now been expanded to a staggering 3 disc set, featuring the stereo and mono versions of the album, plus many unreleased tracks. Now some of these songs have been available on “The Great Lost Kinks Album“ and “Kinks Kronikles“, but most have never been out “officially“. The set is filled with classic songs, the title track, “Picture Book“, “Big Sky“, “Days“, “Wonderboy“, etc. With a total of 61 songs, you‘d think there would be some filler here, but the entire collection is five star from start to finish. My reissue of 2004.

09/06/04 Scott
MOSES GUEST - GUEST MOTEL - EDIT DVD
Houston based jam band Moses Guest have come out with two exciting new
releases: first, there‘s Guest Motel (on their own label, Aufheben Records), which is the bands‘ fourth studio album (fifth overall, including 1998‘s excellent Live Stages); and Edit, their first ever live DVD. The band is Graham Guest, lead vocals and guitars; Rick Thompson , piano, organ, and back. vocals; James Edwards, drums, back vocs; and Jeremy Edwards, bass. Moses Guest has a sound that recalls some of the great music of the ‘60‘s and ‘70‘s such as the Dead, Little Feat, and the Allmans, as well as modern rockers like Widespread Panic. Guest Motel starts out with the rolling “Preposterous Box,“ then settles in for “It‘s Our Love,“ which has a relaxed soul feel to it. Next up is Invictus with its poetic lyrics, and complex structure, this sounds like something the Band should have done. With “2 Of Everybody,“ Graham offers up his own theory on the subject of human cloning. “Victim of Hours“ has a rollicking uptempo feel that brings to mind Little Feat with its shifting riffs and tempos. This song seems to be about making a personal stand for individuality: “ I can‘t live in the shadow of a corporation, hell no!.“ Next is “Bird In My Hand,“ a great instrumental with melodic piano playing from Rick, and some burning guitar leads from Graham. Other highlights include the laid-back, almost country sounding “Jackson;“ the paino based “Dead Again“(Rick really shines on this one), which almost seems to be a reprise or coda to “Song For Dead,“ from 2002‘s incredible self-titled double album. Then there‘s Double-Double-Double God,which offers up a childs-eye view of religion in these strange times. Overall, though Guest Motel doesn‘t have the same kind of epic grandness of 02‘s Moses Guest, it almost seems little more focused, with intelligent lyrics and very tight instrumental work from beginning to end. More great stuff from this extremley talented band! You can listen to this one on the Expand Your Mind player at either CD World. Also new from Moses Guest is Edit, the bands‘ first ever live DVD. Shot live at the Last Concert Cafe in Houston TX, Edit offers up just about all you could ever want from a band like Moses: great live footage of the band tearing through old favorites like “How Does It Feel,“ “Boogie Heartache,“ “Ragdoll,“ “I Know You Rider,“ and “California,“ as well as new tunes like“Invictus.“ The band is joined throughout by Dan Johnson on pedal steel, which serves the bands‘ laid-back jam style quite well. There‘s also some neat bonus stuff as well, a nice acoustic campfire jam, and hilarious drunken footage of the band kickin‘ back at home. Fans who have already seen Moses Guest live and know how tight they are will definately want to check this out- it‘s the next best thing to being at a show. Highly recommended!

09/06/04 Jeff
Talking Heads - The Name of This Band is Talking Heads
Finally, the good folks at Warner Brothers have put out this great live document of the history (up to that point) of the Talking Heads circa 1977-81. The first half chronicles 77 and More Songs About Buildings and Food with just the original quartet.
The rest features the expanded 9 piece lineup touring to support Remain In Light and features revamped tracks from Fear of Music. Notables in the touring band were Adrian Belew on guitar, Bernie Worrell on keyboards, and Busta Cherry Jones on bass. The excitement of these shows is bursting out of the speakers on these remasters. It‘s the next best thing to being there (I saw this lineup twice and there wasn‘t a better live band around at this time). The original 17 tracks have ballooned to a whopping 33 with the new ones fairly evenly split between both eras. Even if you have Stop Making Sense, you need this much better live collection. I hope this means an overhaul of the catalog is just around the corner!

09/06/04 Jeff
Stan Ridgway-Snakebite - Blacktop Ballads & Fugitive Songs
One of rock‘s best storytellers returns after a five year hiatus with a 16 song, 68 minute set in 3 “acts“. I can‘t see a real thread connecting the tunes, but there is a recurring theme about traveling, and tales of outlaws and loners throughout. The music falls between acoustic blues, somewhat akin to what Dylan has done recently, twisted carnival tunes like a more upbeat Tom Waits, and Bo Diddley style rockers. His lyrics, some of his best ever, are as offbeat and funny as always. The CD‘s highlight is the candid tale of his first band, “Talkin‘ Wall of Voodoo Blues Pt.1“. It rails against the record industry and having to play ‘that radio song‘, as well as remembering two members who have passed. If you‘re a fan, you‘ll love this; it‘s arguably his best album. Newcomers, check him out and you will discover an American treasure.

09/06/04 Matt
Cronenberg,David - “Videodrome“ (Criterion DVD)
A few weeks I proclaimed the recent DVD release of Tod Browning‘s Freaks the DVD release of the year. If you want to talk technically, I lied, because the double disc set of David Cronenberg‘s lo-res/new wave/sci-fi/horror masterpiece Videodrome easily trumps the antiquated classic. However, if we can get down to the heart of the matter, Videodrome has been lovingly reissued by The Criterion Company, an organization so respected and revered that their DVDs cease being “DVDs“ by cinephiles - they‘re “Criterions.“ Quite simply, a Criterion release is in a league of its own. Undeniable evidence of this lies within (and even around…the packaging is a revelation: James Woods sinking in the cathode whispers of Deborah Harry‘s Nikki Brand on the slipcase, a Betamax cassette replica serves as the case, its label emblazoned with “Long Live the New Flesh“), with supplemental material previously unheard of. Two feature commentaries (one with Cronenberg and the DOP, the other with Woods and Harry), the Videodrome torture sequences unmolested and presented in their entirety, a new documentary on Rick Baker‘s simply awesome makeup effects - forget ‘the stomach slip‘, go on - and Cronenberg‘s Toronto Film Festival short, “Camera.“ Depending on your level of interest, that‘s more than enough to warrant the price tag. Outside of that, you‘ve got one of the finest films of the 1980s, a story that only becomes more prescient with the passing years regardless of its analog roots. What‘s it about? Haaaa…uhhhh, progress. And bodies. And fantasy. And reality. And stomach slits.
This would be the DVD of the year (promise that time), but it‘s not a DVD, now, is it? Mmmm hmmm, it‘s a Criterion. “See ya in Pittsburgh…“

09/06/04 Matthew Kurzman
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Looking for some cool mellow jazz to chill out to? This album is one of the greatest recordings ever made. Recorded in 1959, most songs were recorded in one or two takes (none of the musicians had seen the music before going into the studio). Miles was on the forefront of at least 8 different genres of jazz. Not to say that he single-handedly invented all of these forms of music, but he had an uncanny knack for selecting musicians for his band that were innovators of new musical styles, and then giving them the room (within his music) to work out their own sound.

Every track on this album is brilliant. From the fantastic bass line of the first song, “So What“ all the way thru the closer, “Flamenco Sketches“, I never grow tired of listening to this disc over and over. The cuts “Blue in Green“ and “All Blues“ have become standards, covered by everybody and their mothers. If you‘re in a mellow mood and want some relaxing music to go with a bottle of wine or a hot bath, Kind of Blue is the answer.

08/30/04 David
Martina Topley - Bird
For those fans who embraced Tricky‘s magnificent 1995 debut “Maxinquaye“ and his secret weapon, a then nineteen year old singer who just went by Martina, this official debut by Martina Topley- Bird will be a must have. Martina has such a soulful voice and it is featured front and center on every track, and with help from Tricky on most of the songs, they have continued the trip-hop theme they created on tricky‘s earlier albums, but also expanding their sound to include blues, soul and even rock on one song “Need One“ featuring Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age and Mark Lanegan. Most of the tracks were mixed by Tchad Blake (Los Lobos, Latin Playboys, Soul Coughing), so there are all kinds of sounds and really no conventional time signatures, which makes for very good headphone listening. So, you fans of Tricky, Massive Attack and Portishead will find this new release on the Palm Picture label, will be one to pick up as soon as possible.

08/30/04 Chris
Jeff Buckley - Grace - Legacy Edition
I could go ramble on and on about how sad it is that such an incredible talent as Jeff Buckley was lost before he had the chance to truly blossom as an artist...but I won‘t...plenty has already been said about all that. But I‘ll gladly rave about the new Legacy Edition of his debut, “Grace“. Of all the posthumous releases from the past few years, this one is probably the most anticipated. In addition to a remastered version of his sole studio effort, you get a second disc of outtakes, rarities, and live performances, including an incendiary version of the MC5‘s “Kick Out The Jams“, which showcases Buckley‘s stunning vocal prowess. The icing on the cake is a bonus DVD with previously unseen footage and a collection of all five of the videos Buckley made for the album, including “Grace“ and “Last Goodbye“. If nothing else, it‘s worth picking up just to hear Jeff‘s masterful interpretation of Leonard Cohen‘s “Hallelujah“, a track so hauntingly beautiful that it never fails to make the hair on my arm stand up straight. The promotional ads are calling this package “the ultimate fan experience“. For anyone who appreciates the immeasurable talent of Jeff Buckley, this is a must have.

08/30/04 John
Keane - Keane
Keane is a 3 piece of middle class childhood friends from east sussex england. the songs are written predominately by pianist/bass player tim oxley-rice with massive whimp vocals delivered in garish & strident color by a pudgy kid named tom chaplin.keane is the bread/carpenters of this newest generation.if they had been a 70‘s band they would have already had at least 5 major hits.the record is evenly piqued with sappy ballads & pop overtures.they have taken everything that travis & coldplay have gotten away with,and kicked them up the ass with the cheese factor.their songs are everything pop music needs when pertaining to wistful,plaintive,melancholic shit.keane are naturals at what they are doing & that is probably why they are the biggest trendy thing overseas this minute.

08/30/04 Scott
TISHAMINGO - SELF-TITLED
Athens, GA based Tishamingo have released their self-titled debut album. Like Drive-By Truckers, Widespread Panic, or Moses Guest, Tishamingo is modern-day Southern rock for the new millenium. With a sound that is equal parts country, blues, and good old gritty rock, Tishamingo is a band that is not afraid to show their Southern influences.They consist of: Cameron Williams- guitars and lead vocals; Jess Franklin- guitars and lead vocals; Stephen Spivey- bass; and Richard Proctor- drums and percussion. The album was recorded and produced by John Keane, a name that should be familier to Panic fans by now (Keane also helps out with some subtle pedal steel and banjo flourishes throughout). The album gets off to an amusing start with “First Of the Day,“ leading into “Whiskey State Of Mind“ (bonus points if you can identify the movie that the former is taken from. Hint: That‘s Jack Nicholson, folks). “People See“ has a nice rollicking honk-tonk feel to it; the next track, “Lazy Susan“ offers some smoky slide guitar with a catchy, sing-a-long chorus. “ Way Back Home“ starts out with a warm acoustic feel before moving to a laid-back Allmans sounding jam complete with ringing slide and duel guitar harmonies that would make Duane and Dickey proud. “Lickety Split“ has a funky feel to it, and more great fretwork. “Palmer March“ is a slow, short slide-based jam that goes right into “Tradition,“ something this band has plenty of. “Livin‘ life and being true to myself, that‘s what this is all about,“ Jess Franklin sings on here, and it‘s hard not to believe him the way he belts it out. He‘s got a great voice and vocal style that reminds me of Warren Haynes. “Pete‘s Lament“ is next, a slow blues tune with soulful vocals from Cameron Williams, and more great guitar work from Franklin and Williams. There‘s also “Turry and the Tellico Militia,“ which sounds like NRPS doing bluegrass, with some very tight harmony vocals that will get you singing along. Finally there‘s “ El Perro Frio,“ a sweet little acoustic guitar piece that slides right into “Last Ride,“ which sounds like the Allmans jamming with Santana with its duel lead guitars and Latin-sounding rhythms. This is a great debut from this promising new band, highly recommended. Fans of the Allmans, Gov‘t Mule, or Panic should check out Tishamingo, they won‘t be disappointed!!

08/30/04 Scott
UMPHREY‘S McGEE - Anchor Drops
Umphrey‘s McGee have released their fifth album, Anchor Drops, on SCI Fidelity Records. The band has an intense sound that is a heady mix of prog-rock, metal, latin grooves, jazz-fusion, and even electronica, peppered with doses of Zappa-esque humor throughout. Umphrey‘s McGee consists of Brendon Bayliss, guitars and most lead vocals; Ryan Stasik, bass; Joel Cummins, piano, organ, keys;Kris Myers, drums; Andy Farag, congas, perc; and Jake Cinninger, lead guitars. Anchor Drops kicks off to a rocking start with the prog-rock/metal sounding “Plunger“, which has some skewed time signatures and impressive guitar work. The acoustic guitar driven “In The Kitchen“ has a very catchy bounce to it, as well as some insightful lyrics: “the TV‘s on too much, and I don‘t ever think enough about the things that matter most, or what could make me old.“ “Bullhead City“ has a nice back porch vibe, with its acoutic guitars and dobro, and tales of outlaws and whiskey. On “Miss Tinkle‘s Overture“ the band goes straight into prog overdrive with Jake Cinninger‘s lightning fast guitar licks leading the way. This band is very tight instrumentally, with ample chops to spare, yet they are wise enough to know when to reign it all in before it all gets overindulgent. Other standout tracks include “Uncommon,“ the prog trilogy of “JaJunk Pt.1>13 Days>JaJunk Pt. 2,“ “Walletsworth,“ which takes a personal look at homelesness; and “Mulche‘s Odyssey,“ a day-in-the-life tale with lead vocs. from Cinninger and more blazing guitar work from him as well.“Robot World“ is somewhat of a departure from the bands‘ typical sound with its electronic drums and synths playing against distorted guitars. Almost sounds like something from a Kraftwork or Can album. Finally there‘s the hilariously titled “Wife Soup,“ a long jam which deals with issues of procrastination and motivation, before moving into a long sing-a-long coda:“you wouldn‘t even believe your eyes,it‘s all your circus now“ With Anchor Drops, Umphrey‘s McGee displays a growing maturity not only in their tecnically proficciant jamming, but also in their insightful lyrics as well. Great stuff from this up-and-coming jam band, highly recommended to jam- and prog-rock fans as well. Available to listen to on the Expand Your Mind listening station at your favorite CD World!!

08/30/04 Jeff
Mike Watt - The Secondman‘s Middle Stand
Mike Watt almost joined D. Boon, his best friend from the long missed Minutemen, recently. He had a near death experience involving a massive abscess that burst in his perineum. So upon recovery, it made sense that he would write about it.
On this new CD, his first in almost 7 years, he gives a first -person account of his illness and recuperation. Watt, one of the best bass players in music period, is joined by Pete Mazich on organ and Jerry Trebotic on drums. You‘ll notice I didn‘t mention guitar, which gives the sound a majestic, almost prog-rock feel to many of the tunes, with Watt‘s thick punk-jazz bass on top. It‘s not what you would expect from a punk rock hero. It‘s harrowing, funny, moving stuff, and I‘m glad he made it, in more ways than one.

08/30/04 Matt
Flux of Pink Indians - Strive to Survive/Neu Smell
All right, I‘m serious about this one. Wandering the shelves one humid evening, stumbled across Strive to Survive, had heard a real noisy mess of a record (that‘s a good thing) by Flux of Pink Indians before, and threw this on the headphones. Coworkers were summoned, knowing smiles and “shit‘s good“ nods were exchanged. Spending some real time with it, one thing is clear: this album is high, high, high quality. Fast, abrasive, inventive (even for the fairly conformist -aha ha--punk genre), chaotic and smart, Strive to Survive is a British masterpiece, full of infectious drumming that flip flops between tribal pounding and military cadence, chunky guitars that devolve into screeching feedback, and a vocalist whose delivery actually matches the chip on his shoulder. Released originally in 1982, you might get an idea of their direction if you think of Crass, but in all honesty, this record far exceeds anything their better known label mates released. This CD version includes an early EP called Neu Smell that‘s just as strong (and makes a case that Steve Albini‘s guitar sound might not be as revolutionary as we thought)…so what‘s it mean? This is the reissue of the year. Seriously.

08/30/04 Brad
The Mooney Suzuki - Alive & Amplified
Why would a garage band recruit The Matrix to produce their new album? The easy answer would be to sell out, sell more records and be loved by millions. If this was the case, the band would have been huge after ‘Electric Sweat‘ came out and the guys pimped themselves in a national beer commercial. Whatever the reason, ‘Alive & Amplified‘ is one huge, overproduced, Rolling Stones/MC5, gloriously inspired mess of a record. The cd opens big with ‘Primitive Condition‘, which proclaims were all just “fancy animals with hands“, but it‘s the second track that sells the “new“ sound to you. “Alive & Amplified“ has everything you want in a big dumb rock song - backup singers, phase shifters and riffs a-plenty. By the time you get to “Legal High“, you‘ve given up any hope of trying to hate what they‘re doing and just decide to give in to the whole damn thing! The same way Primal Scream got ripped apart for the retro sound of ‘Rocks‘, Mooney Suzuki will take a beating from the press, but don‘t let that deter you from enjoying the best guilty pleasure of the year.

08/23/04 Doug
Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First
I must say that when I first heard this newest disc from this classic SoCal punk band, I was less than impressed. But, with repeated listens, it has totally gotten me excited about guitar rock again. It has such a powerful 3-pronged guitar punch courtesy of Greg Hetson (also of circle jerks fame), Brian Baker (from minor threat, dag nasty and who could forget junkyard). And rounding out the triple attack is Mr. Brett (Gurewitz). Mr Brett quit the band about 7 years ago to fully devote his time to running his label, Epitaph. (not to mention: kicking a heroin addiction. ouch!). This one is a fully realized slab of punk fury that you can actually whistle along to. Especially the tune “L.A. Is Burning“. This is for fans of the “Stranger Than Fiction“ era of the band. And Greg Graffin‘s Lyric‘s are as intelligent and biting as ever. Purchase this now. It is punk rock for the discerning listener.

08/23/04 John
The Libertines - Libertines
The Libertines joined the pop fray of 2002, competing with the likes of the Strokes, the Hives, the Vines, and Doves with their debut single “What a Waster.“ The Bernard Butler-produced track entered the U.K.‘s Top 40 in June, leaving NME to crown the Libertines as the best new band in Britain. The double-A side song “I Get Along“ earned Single of the Week on BBC Radio 1. The Libertines, which inked a deal with Rough Trade in December 2001, is comprised of Carl Barat (guitar/vocals), Pete Doherty (guitar/vocals), John Hassall (bass), and Gary Powell (drums). Up the Bracket was released stateside in March 2003 while the single “Time For Heroes“ gained momentum on the UK charts.Their new release simply self titled“ Libertines“ paces it‘s self down a bit & incorporates some jagged instrumentation as well as introducing some different instruments i.e. piano,farfisa etc... The production has a very raw drunken feel to it which is how their sound shines.

08/23/04 David
The Orb - Bicycles & Tricycles
It‘s been 3 years since we‘ve had a proper release from The Orb, and as always‘ it‘s well worth the wait. Dr Alex Patterson with long time collaborators, Thomas Fehlmann, Simon Phillips, John Roome, and Jimmy Caulty, have constructed another great album showcasing their influences such as, Brian Eno(who Alex worked for in the mid eighties), Pink Floyd, Lee “Scratch“ Perry, and Killing Joke. Starting off the album with the ambient groove of “Orb is“ and the great dub track “Aftermath“ and continuing with their use of environmental textures, clanging, gritty percussion, and humorous samples, they have crafted another great psychedelic album for the 21st century. After a few track‘s in the middle that utilize a bit more of an industrial feel, they end with one of their best ever dub track‘s in “Tower Twenty Three“ and the wonderful ambient track “Kompania“, which sounds like something from Pink Floyd‘s “Wish You Were Here“! Even after 16 years The Orb still know how to make a vital electronic album, check this one on our electronic sound station today.

08/23/04 Jeff
Guided By Voices - Half Smiles of the Decomposed
How often does a band announce to the world that their next album (not due for 4 months) would be their last? But that‘s what Bob Pollard did and finally the wait is over. The final installment of one of the most important bands to emerge in the 90‘s hits shelves this week. And you know what; it sounds like a last album. The first track fades in like we‘re tuning in to Bob‘s wavelength one last time, while the last fades out into the distance, us wondering of his next destination. In between are 14 more gems to add to the massive catalog, 6 or 7 of which are as good as any from the vaults. The usual mixture of British invasion, jangle pop, and post-punk is joined by a prog-rock element that occasionally appeared before. The epic quality of several of the songs, ( if a 3 minute song can be ‘epic‘), reminds me of the Who circa Who‘s Next, or Quadrophenia.
Fans won‘t be disappointed, however newcomers should check out Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, or Isolation Drills first. With a recurring aviation theme running throughout their career, the last track is “Huffman Prairie Flying Field“. Haven taken us on a fantastic journey these last 20 years, I can‘t wait for the next one.

08/23/04 Scott
MOSES GUEST - GUEST MOTEL - EDIT DVD
Houston based jam band Moses Guest have come out with two exciting new
releases: first, there‘s Guest Motel (on their own label, Aufheben Records), which is the bands‘ fourth studio album (fifth overall, including 1998‘s excellent Live Stages); and Edit, their first ever live DVD. The band is Graham Guest, lead vocals and guitars; Rick Thompson , piano, organ, and back. vocals; James Edwards, drums, back vocs; and Jeremy Edwards, bass. Moses Guest has a sound that recalls some of the great music of the ‘60‘s and ‘70‘s such as the Dead, Little Feat, and the Allmans, as well as modern rockers like Widespread Panic. Guest Motel starts out with the rolling “Preposterous Box,“ then settles in for “It‘s Our Love,“ which has a relaxed soul feel to it. Next up is “Invictus“ with its poetic lyrics, and complex structure, this sounds like something the Band should have done. With “2 Of Everybody,“ Graham offers up his own theory on the subject of human cloning. “Victim of Hours“ has a rollicking uptempo feel that brings to mind Little Feat with its shifting riffs and tempos. This song is about making a personal stand for individuality: ““ I can‘t live in the shadow of a corporation, hell no!.“ Next is “Bird In My Hand,“ a great instrumental with nice, melodic piano playing from Rick, and some burning guitar leads from Graham. Other highlights include the laid-back, almost country sounding “Jackson;“ the paino based “Dead Again“(Rick really shines on this one), which is like a reprise or coda to “Song For Dead,“ from 2002‘s incredible self-titled double album. Then there‘s “Double-Double-Double God,“ which offers up a childs-eye view of religion in these strange times. Overall, though Guest Motel doesn‘t have the same kind of epic grandness of 02‘s Moses Guest, it almost seems little more focused, with intelligent lyrics and very tight instrumental work from beginning to end. More great stuff from this extremley talented band! You can listen to this one on the Expand Your Mind player at either CD World. Also new from Moses Guest is Edit, the bands‘ first ever live DVD. Shot live at the Last Concert Cafe in Houston TX, Edit offers up just about all you could ever want from a band like Moses: great live footage of the band tearing through old favorites like “How Does It Feel,“ “Boogie Heartache,“ “Ragdoll,“ “I Know You Rider,“ and “California,“ as well as new tunes like“Invictus.“ The band is joined throughout by Dan Johnson on pedal steel, which serves the bands‘ laid-back jam style quite well. There‘s also some neat bonus stuff as well, a nice acoustic campfire jam, and hilarious drunken footage of the band kickin‘ back at home. Fans who have seen Moses Guest live and know how tight they are will definately want to check this DVD out- it‘s the next best thing to being at a show. Highly recommended!

08/23/04 Bill
Nick Lowe - The Doings (box)
Nick Lowe needs no introduction to anyone who has had even the vaguest interest in catchy power-pop over the last few decades, but for those of you unfamiliar with the genre or the man, there is no greater way to get into the greatness that is the “Jesus of Cool“ than to wallow in this impressive import box set. Covering Nicks post-Brinsley Schwarz career, the box has three discs of selections from his various solo incarnations, as well as a fourth disc of rarities to satisfy the geeks. With guitar hooks a-plenty and enough clever lyrics to keep you quoting him for days, Nick offers up the sort of fun, feel-good tunes that will satisfy anyone‘s craving for vibrant, fun sounding music that hides a wickedly sharp wit and often deeply disturbing lyrics. The two styles combine surprisingly often in Mr. Lowe‘s world, as best epitomized by the classic tune “Mary Provost“, a cheery, sing-along tune that describes the death of faded silent film actress Mary Prevost (no idea why he changed the name) and her post-mortem devouring by her dachshund, culminating in the immortal chorus “She was a winner / Who became a doggie‘s dinner“. Pure genius. No Nick is not for everyone, only those with an ear for catchy tunes and an appreciation of the droll wit of one of Britain‘s premier songwriters - in other words, in a perfect world, he‘d be at the top of the charts to this day.

08/23/04 Chris
The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
The Hives may be the cockiest band on earth. That‘s not necessarily a bad thing - look what it did for Oasis. But like Oasis, they have their work cut out for them. Once you proclaimed yourself to be the greatest band on earth, you‘ve gotta deliver the goods. The Hives exploded onto the scene a couple of years ago, along with a slew of other new garage-rock bands, but their sound is not necessarily like the others. They‘re heavier than The Strokes, but not quite as melodic. They‘re more original than The Vines, but not as unique as The White Stripes. So, in order for The Hives to stick out, they‘ve had to run their mouths and rev it up full throttle. The new album “Tyrannosaurus Hives“ is basically a continuation of the frantic garage-rock of their previous effort, 2002‘s “Veni Vidi Vicious“. Vocalist Pelle Almqvist screams his throat raw on every track, while the band slashes and burns their way through the dozen tracks here in just half an hour. The Hives may not be as great as they claim to be, but it‘s hard not to smile and bob your head along with them…why the hell not enjoy them for what they are?

08/23/04 Brad
Adam And The Ants - Dirk Wears White Socks (Remastered & Expanded)
Finally, after years of being out of print and unjustly being ignored during the late 70‘s post-punk scene, Adam And The Ants ‘Dirk Wears White Socks‘ gets reissued as the original 1979 Do-It album version. Also included are the 1979 “Zerox“/“Whip In My Valise“ 7“, 1982 “Kick“ 12“ and 1980 “Cartrouble“ 7“ single, bringing the total track listing up to 19 songs! If you only know Adam And The Ants from their 80‘s new wave heyday, ‘Dirk‘ will definitely open your eyes to a harder, darker version of the band.

08/23/04 Matt
U2 - Boy
“Why review $#%&ing U2, Fancy? We all know about them already!“ True…and maybe not so true. Yeah, you know Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree and all the singles and mega tours, etc. etc. Now let‘s go back; back to their beginning: 1980‘s Boy is easily one of the most memorable and auspicious debut records in rock history. Released amidst a (new) wave of bands like Echo and The Bunnymen, Joy Division, and The Cure, U2 stood out due mostly to Bono‘s (known then as “Bono Vox“) pair of big, brass vocal balls. While everyone else was mumbling and moping about - or just doing different variations of The Bowie Croon - Bono was all over the place, making stuff up, not afraid to sound like a fool. Yes, folks, at one point, Bono was “gutsy.“ And try to deny the post-punk infection of “I Will Follow“ or the crawling funk of “An Cat Dubh.“ I dare ya. There‘s not a bad track here…it‘s all Edge hooks and solid, inventive rhythm. Now that the whole new-new wave stuff has come (and almost gone, if flag bearer Interpol‘s TERRIBLE new record has anything to do with it), it‘s funny that one of the most influential bands of the era is rarely cited as such. Hence, Boy is an underrated record. You read that correctly: a U2 record is underrated. It probably has something to do with their bloated fame of today, sure, but bottom line: if U2 had released only Boy, October, and War, critics and collectors alike would be falling over themselves like they do with Joy Division or The Sound. Sucks to rule the world, in that respect.

08/09/04 Jeff
T.S.O.L. - Divided We Stand
I knew the Offspring were good for something. Mainly letting the reunited original T.S.O.L. release perhaps their finest album on their Nitro label. Divided We Stand is actually their second release on Nitro after the solid Disappear in 2001. Disappear recalled the breakneck pace of their earliest recordings circa 1981. Now late 2003 brings us an even better follow up. Divided We Stand builds on the classic punk pace with Ron Emory‘s neo-psychedelic guitar, and a goth touch (in a Damned way) courtesy of guest Greg Kuehn‘s keyboards. He was a member of the band on 1982‘s Beneath the Shadows. But it wouldn‘t really be T.S.O.L. without the great Jack Grisham. Vocally, he has never sounded better, and his lyrics, whether political or personal are the usual top notch. About 8 of these tunes are running through my head on a regular basis, with the other 5 trying to worm their way in. Jack Grisham wrote “Abolish Government“ in 1981 and “Love Your Country, Hate Your Government“ in 2003. He backed it up by running for governor of California last year, trying to make a difference. The only good thing about him not winning is he‘ll still be making music, hopefully as fantastic as this.

08/09/04 John
The Chemistry Set - The Chemistry Set
Local Dallas band whose debut release has excited us yokels. Bringing a mix of 60‘s pop & quirky pop tunes. Every song is neatly crafted and infectiously catchy.jc

08/09/04 Brad
The Lyres - On Fire
Jeff “MonoMan“ Conolly had a short life with a major label in the late 70‘s with the much maligned DMZ (thanks for nothin‘ Flo & Eddie). By the 80‘s he was still doing the same thing, just better produced and better performed. The very best example of his Kinks-meets-Stooges style is on the classic ON FIRE from 1984. Remastered and expanded by Matador, it includes “Don‘t Give It Up Now“, “Help You Ann“, “She Pays The Rent“ (later covered by The Nomads) and 17 more classic slices of 60‘s inspired, farfisa fuelled garage savagery! Forget the White Stripes kiddies, The Lyres are the real deal….

08/09/04 Scott
UMPHREY‘S McGEE - Anchor Drops
Umphrey‘s McGee have released their fifth album, Anchor Drops, on SCI Fidelity Records. The band has an intense sound that is a heady mix of prog-rock, metal, latin grooves, jazz-fusion, and even electronica, peppered with doses of Zappa-esque humor throughout. Umphrey‘s McGee consists of Brendon Bayliss, guitars and most lead vocals; Ryan Stasik, bass; Joel Cummins, piano, organ, keys;Kris Myers, drums; Andy Farag, congas, perc; and Jake Cinninger, lead guitars. Anchor Drops kicks off to a rocking start with the prog-rock/metal sounding “Plunger“, which has some skewed time signatures and impressive guitar work. The acoustic guitar driven “In The Kitchen“ has a very catchy bounce to it, as well as some insightful lyrics: “the TV‘s on too much, and I don‘t ever think enough about the things that matter most, or what could make me old.“ “Bullhead City“ has a nice back porch vibe, with its acoutic guitars and dobro, and tales of outlaws and whiskey. On “Miss Tinkle‘s Overture“ the band goes straight into prog overdrive with Jake Cinninger‘s lightning fast guitar licks leading the way.
This band is very tight instrumentally, with ample chops to spare, yet they are wise enough to know when to reign it all in before it all gets overindulgent. Other standout tracks include “Uncommon,“ the prog trilogy of “JaJunk Pt.1>13 Days>JaJunk Pt. 2,“ “Walletsworth,“ which takes a personal look at homelesness; and “Mulche‘s Odyssey,“ a day-in-the-life tale with lead vocs. from Cinninger and more blazing guitar work from him as well.“Robot World“ is somewhat of a departure from the bands‘ typical sound with its electronic drums and synths playing against distorted guitars. Almost sounds like something from a Kraftwork or Can album. Finally there‘s the hilariously titled “Wife Soup,“ a long jam which deals with issues of procrastination and motivation, before moving into a long sing-a-long coda:
“you wouldn‘t even believe your eyes,it‘s all your circus now“
With Anchor Drops, Umphrey‘s McGee displays a growing maturity not only in their tecnically proficciant jamming, but also in their insightful lyrics as well. Great stuff from this up-and-coming jam band, highly recommended to jam- and prog-rock fans as well. Available to listen to on the Expand Your Mind listening station at your favorite CD World!!

08/09/04 Matt
Iggy Pop - The Idiot
Mr. Osterberg‘s finest solo record, 1977‘s The Idiot bridges the gap between Iggy‘s search-and-self destruct days with The Stooges and his quasi-rehabilitation as a vital artist and functioning human being. Recorded in the decadent company of David Bowie, this album rocks in a way that‘ll seem foreign to fans of Pop‘s earlier work, with dirge guitars chugging away (on “China Girl“, for instance…yes, it‘s originally an Iggy song, and yes, Iggy‘s is better) and staggering and dive-bombing (on the album‘s highlight, “Dum Dum Boys“) thanks to Rick Gardiner and future Tin Machine men, the Sales brothers. You‘ve heard “Nightclubbing“ before in some form…either in its own pulsing, menacing brilliance, or in a virtual sample on NIN‘s “Closer“ - that drumbeat is unmistakable - and “Funtime“ stands as one of the Naughty Little Doggy‘s all time classics. This is a damaged, weird, dark record. Sounds essential, hmm? You‘re right.

08/09/04 David
Starsky and Hutch - Starsky and Hutch - DVD (rated PG-13)
I just finished watching “Starsky and Hutch“ for the second time. From asking around I found most people had the same opinion I had upon hearing they had made this movie, why? But I began hearing from friends that are film geeks that they loved it so I thought I would give it a shot. It is a Todd Phillips film (“Old School“, “Road Trip“) and written byTodd Phillips, Scot Armstrong (who also helped write “Old School and “Road Trip“), and John O‘Brien. I found myself and the people I was with laughing out loud quite a bit as we watched this. The casting while it sounded hinky at first was great. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson carry the film nicely while Vince Vaughn puts in a great performance. The best bit of casting however has to be Huggy Bear played well by Snoop Dogg. “Citizen Kane“ this is not but then again very few films will ever be that great. This is a light comedy and it made me laugh which as far as I‘m concerned means it was a success. If you want to watch something to take your mind off of your day and don‘t want your brain taxed (at all) then get this I think you‘ll enjoy it.

08/09/04 Jon
Adam & the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier (reissue)
An essential album of the new wave era, “Kings of the Wild Frontier“ has now been remastered with a few bonus tracks. Yes, the album with Adam Ant dressed as an American Indian with black eyeliner. It definitely looks like a cheesy fad, however, this is the greatest album he has ever released. Soaked with the giant Burundi drum beat, which became the bands signature sound, and catchy guitar hooks this is a definite must own. Classics include “Antmusic“, “Killer in the Home“, and the title track. “Unplug the jukebox and do yourself a favor.“

08/09/04 Bill
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant - Gear Blues
Detroit rock-n-roll will never die. The high-energy guitar-driven angsty sound that bred in the burned-out slums and industrial wasteland of the Motor City has extended its tentacles as far as the Land of the Rising Sun. Thee Michelle Gun Elephant (their name a mispronunciation play on the Damned‘s seminal “Machine Gun Etiquette“) are (or more precisely “were“ as they broke up last year) Japans most powerful export since Godzilla, and twice as devastating. Combining lyrics in Japanese, with occasional English phrases randomly thrown in, with intense guitars, and a slamming rhythm section, TMGE shows how all too often Americas culture has to be sold back to us by outsiders before we can appreciate it. Recorded several years before the recent domestic outbreak of garage/Detroit revivalism, “Gear Blues“ is as powerful a rock album as you could ever hope to have land in your grubby paws. Explosive tracks, such as the opener “West Cabaret Drive“ as well as the blistering (pardon the pun) “Smoking Billy“ rub shoulders with oddball fare such as “Satanic Boom Boom Head“ (possibly the greatest rock song title ever - whose entire lyrics consist of the title repeated over & over with different inflections) and “Hotel Bronco“ (the same lyric arrangement as “Satanic Boom Boom Head“ except the lyrics are just the phrase “son of a bitch“ - don‘t ask me where the title came from, I don‘t read Japanese & it sees that all the websites on these guys are most assuredly not for gaijin). Don‘t worry about understanding it, though, because this record is all about the primal groove - you didn‘t have to understand the lyrics to “Louie Louie“ (a Senate subcommittee sure didn‘t) or know what the hell “TV Eye“ meant, either, so you don‘t have to care what TMGE are saying, just rock out with these cats & you‘ll be good to go. Take care.

08/09/04 Chris
Elvis Costello - Almost Blue (reissue)
Longtime fans are probably torn on this record, which was a radical left turn from Elvis‘ signature sound when it was first released in 1981. Some have called it a vanity project, but the simple fact is that Elvis can do just about anything. And he makes these country tunes his own. His voice may not have the same twang that you would expect from most country singers, but that‘s what I find most appealing about this record. Elvis‘ voice is like no other, and hearing him drawl these classic country melodies (instead of some lame “young country“ singer) gives this record a timeless appeal. The bonus disc is the real find, though. Duets with Johnny Cash and George Jones, as well as killer rare tracks like “Psycho“ make the reissue worth checking out. “Almost Blue“ is not Costello‘s finest work (how could it be compared to his first four records?), but it has aged well, and it furthers cements his status as one of the all-time greats.

08/09/04 David
Various Artists - Por Vida - A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo
I love when musicians come together for a great cause, because they put forth that little bit extra to make sure it‘s a success. Such is the case with this excellent collection of artists paying tribute to the songs of Alejandro Escovedo and seeing a portion of the proceeds going to the Alejandro Escovedo Medical and Living Expense Fund. Since falling seriously ill with Hepatitis C, he hasn‘t been able to tour (which is his bread and butter) or get to the studio to record. With the help of his friends and peers this should go a long way towards helping this wonderful song writer. This became a two disc collection due to the number of artists that wanted to participate, not to mention the huge catalog to pick from. Starting with Lucinda Williams version of “Pyramid of Tears“ and ending with a great previously unreleased rocker from Alejandro titled “Break This Time“, you will be entertained by some of the best roots rock you are sure to hear anywhere this year.With selections by the likes of Steve Earle with Reckless Kelly, Los Lonely Boys, Charlie Sexton, Cowboy Junkies, Jayhawks, Pete Escovedo with Sheila E, Son Volt, Rosie Flores, Charlie Musselwhite and a beautiful version of “She Doesn‘t Live Here Anymore“ by John Cale you can see what kind of talent this attracted and there is plenty more. Do yourself and Alejandro a favor and pick up “Por Vida“, it‘s for a great cause.

08/02/04 Bill
Smothers Brothers - “Smothered“ (DVD)
In the late sixties two of the most dangerous men in America were a pair of clean-cut, wholesome folksinging brothers. These two, with the generic All-American names of Tom & Dick, were more of a threat to the establishment than all the sign-toting hippies in the country. The Smothers Brothers hosted a weekend variety show that offered singing, comedy sketches and stand-up comedy, not exactly the sort of subversive activity that would have one hounded by the censorship dogs. However, the Brothers were doing this in the middle of the Vietnam war, and their humor, even their songs, were often pointedly directed at those in power who kept the war machine turning. They offered satirical send-ups of political figures, hosted folk-singers whose songs attacked the power regimes, and allowed stand-ups a forum for biting satirical commentary that skewered social institutions. They brought the counter-culture into the living room, offering the ideas and ideals of the peace & love generation in the squeaky clean form of two young boys who any girl would be proud to take home to mother. The Brothers were the face of the counter-culture that would not immediately turn off the average Mr & Mrs America. They weren‘t dirty hippies, or shouting college students, and they were welcomed into peoples homes by that comforting, stupefying invention, the television. Tom & Dick presented their side of the story through humor, intelligence and wit, and there were plenty of folks who took notice. This was the most dangerous aspect of their shows, they were the rational, charming face of the counter-culture, one that couldn‘t be dismissed as “freaks“ or “weirdos“ by the Establishment. Tom & Dick looked Establishment, with their suits and short hair & slightly corn-pone humor, but they sounded Anti-establishment. CBS had unwittingly let a Trojan Horse into peoples living rooms, and for this the Brothers had to pay. “Smothered“ is a new documentary chronicling the trials and tribulations of the Smothers Brothers attempt to entertain, enlighten and stay on the air. Featuring interviews with the Brothers, fellow performers and behind-the-scene staff from their show, “Smothered“ will remind those who were there how influential, important, and just plain funny the Brothers show was, and it will show those who weren‘t there that once upon a time there were entertainers, even those in the mainstream, who stood up and used their forum and talents to try and halt the outrages being committed by government. Where have you gone Tom & Dick, when we need you again ?

08/02/04 Twoie
George W. Bush - Bushspeak- The Curious Wit & Wisdom of George W. Bush
“... I wish I knew the law...“ George W. Bush
Here is a great concept for a disc- take the “interesting“ speeches that our wonderful leader makes and put them to cheesy patriotic music. The end result is a very humerous listen that is actually very scary. This is the man that we did not vote into office and is leading our country. This album is almost as good as the 80‘s Stiff Records title “The wit and wisdom of Ronald Regan“ that was blank on both sides. My only complaint with this album is that it is too short. There are plenty of other Bush-isms that needed to be on here. Very cheap, very amusing.

08/02/04 David
Widespread Panic - Uber Cobra
Consider this a double review folks.
When I saw the track listing for the new Widespread Panic album “Uber Cobra“ I was jazzed. I was jazzed because I was a fan and I saw what the track listing could have been. Once I listened to the disc however I realized this was a CD that was released for a reason, that being to give the fans an acoustic “greatest hits“ which it does. These are songs that any panic head would drive two days in a van without a shower to hear done in the middle of a muddy field.
Having said all that….
I would like to engage the casual Widespread Panic fan for a moment. Don‘t let the downbeat of “Uber Cobra“ sway you. Widespread Panic are at their finest on ““Til The Medicine Takes“ the album that finally crossed the jam band and pop sensibilities that were already at play in the make-up of this band. I could use names like the Allman Brothers ( “‘Dyin Man“) The Dead (“Bear Gone Fishin‘“) what would be the point though? In the end when you have heard Widespread Panic, you know it. And you walk away saying, “Still want more…“.

08/02/04 David
Widespread Panic - ‘Til The Medicine Takes
Consider this a double review folks.
When I saw the track listing for the new Widespread Panic album “Uber Cobra“ I was jazzed. I was jazzed because I was a fan and I saw what the track listing could have been. Once I listened to the disc however I realized this was a CD that was released for a reason, that being to give the fans an acoustic “greatest hits“ which it does. These are songs that any panic head would drive two days in a van without a shower to hear done in the middle of a muddy field.
Having said all that….
I would like to engage the casual Widespread Panic fan for a moment. Don‘t let the downbeat of “Uber Cobra“ sway you. Widespread Panic are at their finest on ““Til The Medicine Takes“ the album that finally crossed the jam band and pop sensibilities that were already at play in the make-up of this band. I could use names like the Allman Brothers ( “‘Dyin Man“) The Dead (“Bear Gone Fishin‘“) what would be the point though? In the end when you have heard Widespread Panic, you know it. And you walk away saying, “Still want more…“.

08/02/04 Lee
Keith Levene - Killer in the Crowd
Keith Levene, legendary for being an original Clash member and a founding father of PIL, has been silent for over a decade. Suddenly, he has reappeared, referring to himself as a “musician-magician“, with this 5 song, limited edition EP, “Killer in the Crowd“. Four of the Five songs are instrumentals, with all instruments played by Levene himself. The fifth is a regular song-type song with vocals and full arrangement. Of the five songs, the only ones that kinda sorta succeed are the fourth and fifth songs, the instrumental “Aztek Dub D“ and the title song “Killer in the Crowd“. Aztek Dub D is a short rhythmic dub that lays echo-y studio effects over a rainforest beat that sounds like it was played on empty bottles and a windchime. “Killer in the Crowd“ is a fairly standard repetitive guitar vamp (nice and fuzzy) reminiscent of some mid period Iggy solo work. Unfortunately, it lacks all of the charisma and balls of a Pop production. The remaining instrumentals sound like what they are: home studio jacking around by an uninspired musician. These could pass for demo tapes of any band that has no chance, or perhaps the soundtrack for the training video that comes along with a budget-priced 4 track recorder. I really wanted to like this record, but it is impossible to believe that this has any relation to the great early PIL music that Levene co-created. This CD was rightly limited, as it has very little appeal.

08/02/04 Steve
Drugmoney - Mtn Cty Jnk
Drugmoney‘s album is accurately titled, because it has the epic qualities of a mountain, the slick cool of a city, and a guitar amp that sounds like it was found in a dumpster. Of course, the first thing to cross my mind as I listened to the opener, “I Know“, was the similarity to Paul Westerberg and/or the Replacements. Which is refreshing in this age of pitch-corrections and vocal layering (read:auto-tuning). Singer Fisher Meehan‘s voice is exactly like Westerbergs if you put it in the freezer for a day: a little less flavor but much crisper. In other words, it‘s raw without being unfocused, as are the songs, which have a grit and uneasiness to them but are just as polished as any three minute mall-rock anthem. Catchy yet distinct from the same-sounding rock family, I‘d beg, borrow and steal for Drugmoney.
Rating: Three out of Five Indies

08/02/04 Jeff
The Briefs - Sex Objects
I say: Do you like 70‘s British punk?
You say: You mean like the Damned, UK Subs, and Buzzcocks?
I say: I‘ve got the band for you, and they‘re from Seattle!
You say: Do they have those catchy shout-along chorus‘s?
I say: Yeah, and they‘re tight, too. This is their 3rd CD.
You say: But are they posers?
I say: No, they‘ve got a good sense of humor and don‘t take themselves too seriously.
You say: I‘ll buy it!

08/02/04 Jon
Low Flying Owls - Elixir Vitae
Low Flying Owls are a psychedelic guitar driven band from Sacramento. This album shifts from various moods and tempos. They have a sound similar to BRMC, Love and Rockets, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Nothing new, but a good album nonetheless. Very trippy and very rocking.

08/02/04 Chris
Badly Drawn Boy - One Plus One Is One
You‘ve gotta give Damon Gough -a.k.a. Badly Drawn Boy - some credit…he never stops working. In just four years he has given us four full-length records, each one a different slice of his eccentric life. “One Plus One Is One“ is not all that different from his previous efforts, but the quality of his songwriting remains intact. And while this new one is probably not as consistent as 2002‘s “About a Boy“, there are some great moments nevertheless. Gough has long been a fan of lush orchestral production. Here he utilizes flutes, tympani, and even a children‘s choir on “Year Of The Rat“, while he spices up “Logic of a Friend“ with swooping harmonies and plunking piano. Gough utilizes his multi-instrumentalist skills to near perfection, which more than make up for the occasional monotony of his vocals. This is one that will grow on you. Badly Drawn Boy consistently delivers strangely beautiful music. In less than half a decade, he has carved out his own niche, and paved the way for a very prolific career.

08/02/04 John
Kings of Convenience - Riot
Kings of convenience are back with a classic sounding record full of plaintive, wistful tunes that are on par with any Simon & Garfunkel or Nick Drake record.Yes, they are from Norway but their lyrics are more poetic than English as first language bands out there right now.

08/02/04 Twoie
Add N to (X) - Loud Like Nature
Bizarre, trashy, analog-synth created electronic music that is NOT techno/house/trance. What you will not get on this album: a lone drumbeat for the duration of the album, annoying used female whiney vocal samples, mindless basslines that are the same on every song/every song you have heard in clubs for the last two years, or pretty much anything you would hear on most electronic albums. This is an album of well crafted songs that can‘t really be compared to anyone (which is a good thing- go originality!!!) that use analog (i.e. Moog) synths and male/female vocals. The closest I could compare this to is Trans Am if they were cool.

08/02/04 David
Thievery Corporation - The Outernational Sound
Rob Garza and Eric Hilton are the duo that are behind everything that has to do with The Thievery Corporation, whether it‘s Thievery‘s own music, their club (Eighteenth Street Lounge), or their label (ESL Music). These two guys have slowly built one of the most formidable forces in the world of electronic music and with tier newest release “The Outernational Sound“, which features their DJ set, they show why their mix of international sound is so entertaining. Kicking off with David Snell‘s loungy “International Flight“, Rob and Eric take you on a trip around the world of glorious grooves and chilled out dance music. A sampling of song titles even lets you know where they are coming from; Indian Vibe‘s “Mathar“, Alan Moorhouse “Expo in Tokyo“, Bobby Hughes “My French Brother“ and a great new Thievery Corporation track “Lagos Communique.“ They also throw in some great funk, a bit of Brazilian and of course some Dub and Reggae. This is the type of DJ set I could only hope to experience as Thievery Corporation is the best DJ duo in the land. You never know, maybe we could entice them to visit the Granada Theater so we can all experience the outernational sounds of The Thievery Corporation.

08/02/04 Brad
AMBULANCE LTD - LP
This is one of New York‘s best new bands. A mix of 80‘s new wave/power pop (“Primitive“), some shoegazing guitar pieces (“Swim“) and Television-goes-Krautrock gems (“Yoga Mean Union“). The album is filled with hooks and harmonies. Not a weak track in the lot - along with Franz Ferdinand and The Divine Comedy, one of my top 10 records of 2004. New cd any day now....

07/26/04 Brad
DREAM SYNDICATE - The Complete Live At Raji‘s
Ahhhh - The Paisley Underground. The scene that brought us the Rain Parade, Green On Red, Three O‘Clock and Long Ryders, also produced my favorite band of it‘s time. Now, most people will say that the post-punkishThe Days Of Wine And Roses is their favorite Syndicate record (mine is the Medicine Show and a cd release is demanded now!), but almost no one mentions this excellent live record from 1988. Remastered and expanded to 2 discs, with all their classic songs, including “Tell Me When It‘s Over“, “John Coltrane Stereo Blues“ (clocking in at over 11 minutes!) and “When You Smile“, This along with the new remastered cd of their final album, 1988‘s Ghost Stories , are both releases that deepen the legend of one of the most underrated band‘s of the period.

07/26/04 Chris
They Might Be Giants - The Spine
Nobody does clever, quirky geek-rock better than They Might Be Giants. So it should come as no surprise that this, their tenth or eleventh record (I can‘t remember anymore), is no slouch. The duo of John Flansbergh and John Linnell have never been afraid to jump all over the map musically, intertwining surreal oddball melodies with their bizarre senses of humor. There‘s a little bit of something for everyone here. Unless you just don‘t get it, which is understandable. TMBG is an acquired taste, to say the least. But once you‘ve acquired it, it becomes an addiction. The Spine proves that these guys are far from being out of ideas.

07/26/04 Matt
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Videos“ (DVD)
It was with a single tear and a smile that my worn VHS copy of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds‘ video collection came off the shelf and into the “To Sell“ stack. The little black box has served me well, you see, persevering through the years - and multiple viewings -- with plucky, but noticeably degrading, resolve. Still, with the DVD release/reissue of St. Nick‘s promo films, it‘s time to part ways because…let‘s be honest: VHS sucks. The videos contained here run non-chronologically up through the late-90s, so don‘t expect to find the indulgent brilliance of “Babe, I‘m on Fire“ here, with highlights being the filthy folk evil of “Stagger Lee“ done up in Vegas show glitz (complete with Cave in lounge mode with pink baby doll tee), the crook lilt of “Henry Lee“…because it‘s got PJ Harvey in it, and the cinematic hyper reality of “Where the Wild Roses Grow.“ Yeah, so those are all from Murder Ballads, so what? Not even my favorite Bad Seeds record, thank you. Anyway, “The Mercy Seat“ and “Loverman“ are absolutely essential as well, and each video is stitched together with interview/outtake footage with the band. Would have some extra material been welcome considering some time and albums have passed since this collection debuted? Sure, but the price is right (the price of a new CD) and the video and audio are pristine compared to its haggard video predecessor.

07/19/04 Bill
Bobby Beausoleil - Lucifer Rising“ (Original Soundtrack plus)
Bobby Beausoleil is not primarily known as a musician - his fame springs from a darker well, coming from a brief (and disastrous) association with notorious cult-leader Charles Manson. But, prior to his involvement with the Southern California death cult led by Manson, Beausoleil had resided in San Francisco and fronted several groups of progressive/art musicians, the Orkustra, and the Magic Powerhouse of OZ. His musical interest had attracted the attention of Kenneth Anger, the celebrated occultist and underground filmmaker, who wanted Bobby to not only score his latest epic, but to star as the titular light-bringer. Unfortunately, an artistic falling out led to the project being shelved and sparked Beausoleils flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles, where he would encounter someone else with much darker ideas of invoking Lucifer. In the early Seventies, years after Beausoleils death sentence was commuted to life in prison, Anger and Beausoleil re-established their friendship and their intention of bringing to life the long-buried idea of Lucifer Rising. By this point Anger had contacted Jimmy Page, disciple of the teachings of Aleister Crowley and guitarist for Led Zeppelin, to score his film. Page, however, was only able to complete a fraction of the required music, and so, after hearing Beausoleils demo tape, he was fired by Anger and replaced with Bobby and his all-prisoner band, christened, with suitable irony, the Freedom Orchestra. Through a prison work program, and donations of such necessities as a multi-track tape recorder from Anger, Beausoleil was able to score the entire film while behind bars, and after only seeing a partial rough-cut of the film. The results, considering the years of difficulty surrounding the work, are impressive. Beausoleil is an accomplished composer, and innovative musician (his early bands include his playing of an electric bouzouki, and in the Freedom Orchestra he plays a hand-built double-neck guitar/bass) and the album is a highly skilled prog-rock piece that doesn‘t need to be connected to Anger‘s film (or it‘s composers notoriety) to be worthy of attention. Sounding like a jazzed/orchestral prog band (think of Mahavishnu Orchestra or some of Hawkwinds less psychotic jams) the score is both heavy, in the sense of intensity, and light, in that it is a work of spirituality devoted to the “Bearer of Lights“ re-ascension into Heaven. The works is also much more thoroughly thought-out and mature than the original score ideas that Beausoleil had written in 1967, portions of which are included on a bonus disc included in the package. These tracks are closer to some of the more clichéd hippy meanderings so popular during the Summer of Love, but they do little but wallow about, more directionless than controlled (an interesting idea if viewed as a metaphor for their composers life, but hardly a stunning listening experience - fortunately, imprisonment and sobriety seem to have helped Beausoleils composing) The bonus material includes portions of one of the only live performances by the Magick Powerhouse of OZ, and also a live interpretation of the Lucifer Rising score performed by the Freedom Orchestra in a concert for other inmates. Rounding out the package is a beautifully designed gate-fold digipack and liner notes by Anger, Beausoleil and several of the people who helped to acquire and remaster these tapes. All in all, a lovely piece of work that should intrigue aficionados of prog-rock, those who love film scores, and even those with a macabre interest in the Manson Family associates.

07/19/04 Jon
V/A - N.Y. No Wave
This re-release is not the same compilation put together in 1978 by Brian Eno. However, many of the same bands, the main ones, who started this absurd genre are on this CD. Opening track kicks off with James Chance‘s “Contort Yourself“, a mess of free jazz and garage noise funk that wraps up most of the sound during that brief period in NY. Lydia Lunch, Mars,Suicide, and many others appear on this excellent compilation. Oddly enough there is not one single track by DNA, another one of the few obscure “No Wave“ artists. If you don‘t have Brian Eno‘s “No Wave“ CD than definetly check this out since it is readily available domestically. A sonic assault on the ears is what to expect. So have an open mind.

07/19/04 Mike
O.A.R. - In between now and then
One of those bands we sell like a cold beverage on a hot day. It took awhile to find that right mood to enjoy these guys, or maybe I just had to discover this ‘03 release. This is island roots rock, and seeing them at Nokia Live Sunday night cemented the good vibe of a powerful group of young white kids bringing sax influenced jams to the table. This group could easily be Bob Marley‘s children to a blind man. Their sound just has a nice reggae feel and makes you want to celebrate summer and all vacation minded activities. Play this and your day just gets better. Music has the power to enhance your moods, this bass line will have you groovin‘ in moments.

07/19/04 Doug
MONEEN - Are we really happy with who we are right now?
On its Vagrant debut, the Toronto quartet Moneen more fully indulges its mixture of emo dynamics with ambitious math rock songscapes. Are We Really Happy With Who We Are Right Now? really reminds me of scrappy garage rockers like soul asylum‘s early days or early replacements with higher vocals and sappier lyrics. As everyone I work with has pointed out: This is by-the-books PAB rock, which is its own genre. For fans of Alkaline Trio, Soul Asylum and Promise Ring.

07/19/04 Chris
Muse - Absolution
The first thing you think when you hear “Apocalypse Please“, the ominous opener of Muse‘s fourth album Absolution, is “this sounds like Radiohead“. And that‘s not an exaggeration. While Muse‘s over-the-top production, heavy keyboard textures, and thunderous drum sounds may have little in common with everyone‘s favorite Oxford quintet, singer Matthew Bellamy‘s wailing is an unmistakeable dead ringer for Thom Yorke. In fact, it‘s hard to take Muse seriously when you hear them for the first time. But once you get past the initial skepticism, it starts to grow on you. Bellamy, who writes the tunes and plays both guitar and keyboards, channels Yorke so perfectly that I sometimes find myself wishing that Radiohead would sound more like this. So, now that I‘ve made that bold statement, let me get to the point. Muse are a great band. The songs on this record are well written, impeccably produced, and performed with such intensity that it‘s hard not to appreciate the talent in this trio. The Yorke issue may cause a major identity crisis for them, if it hasn‘t already...but regardless, I think Muse is going to be around for a while. I‘m curious where they‘re headed next.

07/19/04 John
Wild Swans - Incandescent
Teardrop Explodes organist Paul Simpson formed his own band, Wild Swans, in 1982, trying his hand at vocals in front of such bandmates as Jerry Kelly (ex-Systems guitarist), Ged Quinn (keyboards), and Alan Mills (drums). The Wild Swans‘ single “Revolutionary Spirit,“ also the last single recorded on the Liverpool indie label Zoo, slowly gained a cult audience, in spite of the fact that the band had broken up soon after forming. The single‘s eventual success and the warm reception given a Peel Sessions EP in 1986 convinced the Wild Swans to re-form, and they released the LP Bringing Home the Ashes in 1988. This was followed with the more psychedelic Space Flower in 1990, after which the band called it quits a second time.This record called Incandescent is a double cd of rare & live tracks from the band‘s first record & early singles.Pay attention to Jeremy Kelly guitar playing; becouse if you are Johnny Marr fan, you will be blown away by his stylistic playing.

07/19/04 John
terry hall - ??????terry hall?????????
It seems like every few years Terry Hall pops up in some new outfit, puts out an album or two, then moves on to the next project. This time he‘s teamed up with Mushtaq, former DJ for Fun^Da^Mental, for a cross-cultural, strongly Middle Eastern-flavored pop album. As a touchstone, it‘s similar to Natacha Atlas‘ music, but with less emphasis on the dancefloor. Given Hall‘s detached delivery style, it might seem like a strange fit with the passion that generally accompanies Arabic music, but the amazing thing is how well it actually works. While the album has an Arabic feel overall, there are some interesting additional touches, like the scratching and reggae feel of “Ten Eleven“ (co-written by Damon Albarn) or the almost-ska of “A Tale of Woe“ with its Morricone-esque piano. “Sticks and Stones“ has some cool beats and a queasy melody loop with English and Arabic vocals trading off on the same melody. Terry Hall took quite a chance on this one, doing something unlike anything in his catalog and pulling it off without a hitch.

07/19/04 Brad
TELEVISION PERSONALITIES - Yes Darling, but is it Art?
England‘s musical genius Dan Treacy (with Ed Ball, later of indie band The Time, and Joe Foster) did it all - From the early punk sounds of “14th Floor“ & “Where‘s Bill Grundy Now?“ to the faux mod-psych of “I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives“, this 24 track CD collects most of the essential singles, b-sides and rarities from 1978, all the way to the late 80‘s. Alan McGee, former head of Creation Records, sites the band as his inspiration for starting the label - do you really need any more reasons to buy this….

07/19/04 Jeff
The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
Finally, the long awaited return of Sweden‘s Hives. It‘s been four years since their great second LP Veni Vidi Vicious(two years since “Hate To Say I Told You So“ and ‘Main Offender“ were all over the radio and MTV). After a big bidding war, Tyrannosaurus Hives has arrived on Interscope.
Every so often a band comes along that even though they‘re playing a style that we‘re all familiar with, (in this case, Nuggets-Stooges inspired garage punk), they put their own spin on it to still sound fresh. They‘ve got a charismatic, energetic singer that‘s like a pinball on stage, and a tight yet raw sounding band. Thank God they still have the same producer, who keeps every buzz and crackle of the twin lead guitars up in the mix. To top it off, they have a great sense of humor. With titles like “Abra Cadaver“, “SEE Through Head“, and “Dead Quote Olympics“ that‘s obvious, not to mention their matching outfits.
In short, if you liked the last CD, you‘ll love this one (I kinda think this one‘s even better!). If you‘re looking for some extremely catchy garage punk (I can‘t get the single “Walk Idiot Walk“ outta my head), you don‘t have to go back to the prehistoric 70‘s to find it. Tyrannosaurus Hives are alive at CD World!

07/19/04 Scott
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME - HOLY HAPPY HOUR
Stockholm Sydrome is the new side project from Jerry Joseph and Dave Schools from Widespread Panic. The group just release its debut album, Holy Happy Hour. Stockholm Syndrome started out as a one-off jam project between the two longtime friends (Schools produced and played on Jerry Joseph‘s last studio album, Concious Contact; Joseph has been known to sit in with WSP from time to time) and evolved into shorter, more accesable songs. Holy Happy Hour is a very dark album, peppered throughout with Joseph‘s biting, acidic lyrics, which never try to ease you in to his world view; you either come along for the ride, or get off! The album kicks off with the ferocious rocker “Counter-Clock World,“ then moves right into the stinging “Empire One.“ On a lot of the songs on here it seems like the music serves the words, rather than the other way around, as is often the case with so-called jambands. “Purple Heart“ deals with the contradictions and injustices of war, while “Tight“ warns not to take anything in life for granted, and to avoid complacency. The lyrics also serve to point out a growing American hypocrisy:
“Then we tell the kids it‘s good versus evil
and country and God are more important than people
we say it so much it‘s almost unbelievable fear we‘ll leave nobody behind
we get tight.“
Elsewhere the hard-hitting “American Fork“ tries to interpret America‘s obsession with its own greatness, taking on globalization, racism, mass media run amuck, corporate corruption, patriotism, and of course the ensuing genocide. This song is extremely political, and pulls no punches with such lyrics as:
“Clear the Channel for the next bling bling
And sell it to the kids with a strap-on dick,
Ayatollahs versus Coca-Cola
Drink black water while the blood runs thick.“
I recommend playing this track for your favorite Bush Supporter while you drag them to see Fahrenheit 911 for a fucking dose of the truth. Seriously :)
Elsewhere Stockholm Syndrome gets into some lighter grooves with the catchy “Bouncing Very Well“ (which still manages to serve up some disturbing lyrics),and their great cover version of “Couldn‘t Get It Right,“ a cool, funk tune made popular in the ‘70‘s by the Climax Blues Band. This is not music that tries to shock, overpower, or impress you (the lyrics will certainly do that, and more), but rather proves that these guys can rock out with the best of ‘em, while still maintaining a conscience. Dark, edgy music to make you groove and think. Be sure to catch Stockholm Syndrome live at the Gypsy Tea Room, Fri. July 30 (tickets on sale now at your favorite CD WORLD location!).

07/19/04 Matt
The Concretes - S/T
Sometimes there are albums where you don‘t really need to elaborate that much to get your point across. The shimmering second album by Stockholm band the Concretes is one of those, I could just simply say that the record sounds like Broadcast doing Velvet Underground with Nico covers and that would be enough. But I‘ll go further. I say the band sounds like Broadcast because of the smooth-martian delivery of lead singer Victoria Bergsman, whose performance is equal parts sultry and sleepy. The key to Bergsman‘s singing is a key to the production as a whole, as the players evoke a sound that seems simplistic but is lushly rendered. Which would explain the Velvet Underground reference. Also like VU, the Concretes present songs that make you feel okay about being miserable. Another quick way to describe this cd would be as an ideal Sunday morning listen. Or any morning. Rating: Three out of Five Indies

07/19/04 David
Sweetback - Stage 2
Most people know of Stuart Matthewman as the saxophone player/band leader for Sade; while not recording with Sade he has a couple of guises he‘s been working under to keep busy. Sweetback is Stuart along with fellow Sade band members Paul Denman and Andrew Hale. They continue to mine territory similar to the chilled Sade vibe utilizing some up and coming vocalists such as Aya and the ever soulful Chocolate Genius. If you are a Sade fan you need this album.
On a little more experimental note and a release I‘ve been wishing for, is Stuart‘s work under the Cottonbelly name. Cottonbelly is Stuart‘s chance to really immerse himself into dub productions of his original material and as a remixer. Kicking off with the still fresh dub-funk of “Edge Test 1“ from 1993 and going to “Take Me Away“ by Sky-Fi from 2004 this is a very nice collection. Highlights include a great remix of Noiseshaper‘s “The Only Redeemer“ and an excellent take on the Gregory Isaac classic “Night Nurse“. Finishing this collection are 3 originals which really show Stuart‘s love of ambient space and his ability to create the perfect chilled-out atmosphere. Stuart Matthewman is a very talented musician and producer and you should check out both of these releases which are perfect for a lazy summer afternoon.

07/19/04 David
Cottonbelly - X Amounts of Niceness NYC Sessions 1993-2004
Most people know of Stuart Matthewman as the saxophone player/band leader for Sade; while not recording with Sade he has a couple of guises he‘s been working under to keep busy. Sweetback is Stuart along with fellow Sade band members Paul Denman and Andrew Hale. They continue to mine territory similar to the chilled Sade vibe utilizing some up and coming vocalists such as Aya and the ever soulful Chocolate Genius. If you are a Sade fan you need this album.
On a little more experimental note and a release I‘ve been wishing for, is Stuart‘s work under the Cottonbelly name. Cottonbelly is Stuart‘s chance to really immerse himself into dub productions of his original material and as a remixer. Kicking off with the still fresh dub-funk of “Edge Test 1“ from 1993 and going to “Take Me Away“ by Sky-Fi from 2004 this is a very nice collection. Highlights include a great remix of Noiseshaper‘s “The Only Redeemer“ and an excellent take on the Gregory Isaac classic “Night Nurse“. Finishing this collection are 3 originals which really show Stuart‘s love of ambient space and his ability to create the perfect chilled-out atmosphere. Stuart Matthewman is a very talented musician and producer and you should check out both of these releases which are perfect for a lazy summer afternoon.

07/12/04 Steve
The Concretes - S/T
Sometimes there are albums where you don‘t really need to elaborate that much to get your point across. The shimmering second album by Stockholm band the Concretes is one of those, I could just simply say that the record sounds like Broadcast doing Velvet Underground with Nico covers and that would be enough. But I‘ll go further. I say the band sounds like Broadcast because of the smooth-martian delivery of lead singer Victoria Bergsman, whose performance is equal parts sultry and sleepy. The key to Bergsman‘s singing is a key to the production as a whole, as the players evoke a sound that seems simplistic but is lushly rendered. Which would explain the Velvet Underground reference. Also like VU, the Concretes present songs that make you feel okay about being miserable. Another quick way to describe this cd would be as an ideal Sunday morning listen. Or any morning. Rating: Three out of Five Indies.

07/12/04 Lee
The Angry Samoans - Back From Samoa
Ok, so, normally, I don‘t like stupid stuff…
The Angry Samoans - Back From Samoa is really stupid. Absolutely moronic. Mentally retarded. BUT GENIUS!!! 17 minutes long. 14 songs with titles that I‘d be too embarrassed to list here. I reluctantly affiliate myself with it, even in this small forum. The record is downright puerile. However, I must declare that it is INSPIRED!! ENDOWED WITH GREATNESS!!! VIRTUOSITIC! This album has been on my top ten list for over 20 years! Only a couple other albums have lasted that long on my lineup. Dare I compare the Samoans to…to…the great Nevermind the Bollocks or Generic Flipper?? I‘VE GONE TOO FAR! I‘VE GONE TOO FAR! I‘VE GONE TOO FAR!

07/12/04 Twoie
t.A.T.u. - Screaming for More“ DVD
So, I kind of feel like a dirty old man for painfully waiting for this DVD to come out, but it happens. All the videos from this wonderful Russian, teen, lesbian duet compiled for our viewing pleasure AND it includes a live performance from the European music awards. There are also many behind-the-scenes takes of the two delightful ladies slaughtering the English language. Who could ask for anything more in a video (at least that I should put here)?
This is a must-have for anyone that is a fan of hot, Russian, teen, lesbians that apparently make music.

07/12/04 Brad
THE FORTY-FIVES - HIGH LIFE HIGH VOLUME
First off, I‘m a sucker for 60‘s sounding, garage rock, both old and new. Of course, there‘s a glut of band‘s doing the “retro-revivalist“ thing and most of them just seem to be going through the motions. Not so with The 45‘s, who are great at duplicating the vintage sound of classic guitar and organ driven groups of the period, while fitting in snugly with modern garage band‘s like The Nomads and Reigning Sound (another band from their hometown of Atlanta). Every song is amped up high and there‘s even a spot on cover of R&B legend Otis Blackwell‘s “Daddy Rollin‘ Stone“ that bests The Who‘s version without breaking a sweat - and that‘s praise indeed!

07/12/04 Brad
SLADE in FLAME - SLADE in FLAME - DVD
Director Richard Loncraine is best know for the sinister “Brimstone And Treacle“ (hey, Sting CAN act) and “Full Circle“ (known to American audiences as “The Haunting Of Julia“), but way back in 1975 he made this dark, sour look at small bands, the seedy managers and dank pubs and clubs that British rockers played. The film features glamsters Slade playing themselves, but unlike most musicians who aspire to be actors (see Prince, “Purple Rain“), Noddy and the boys just go at it without trying to reach too far beyond their collective talents. For those who are looking for a light, musical romp, you‘d best be warned. It gets serious quick and never gets any easier for the band or the audience. Yet no matter how bleak the story is, you never get tired or bored by what‘s happening - it‘s pretty compelling stuff. The soundtrack (only available as an import cd) is a classic with two hit singles (“Far Far Away “ and “How Does It Feel“ ) in the UK. Critics loved it, audiences didn‘t get it, now it‘s considered a minor masterpiece and cult film almost thirty years later. Now, let‘s find a decent print and get a midnight showing along with Marc Bolan‘s 1972 flick “Born To Boogie“ somewhere in town! Glitter and platforms will be mandatory.....

07/12/04 Scott
THE BIG WU - TOOL FOR EVENING
Jam band the Big Wu just released their fourth studio album, Tool For Evening. The band, who are from Minneapolis, MN, are what could be described as a 2nd generation jam band who are heavily influenced by the Grateful Dead. The band consists of Chris Castino, guitars and vocals; Al Oikari, keyboards; Andy Miller, bass; and drummer Terry VanDeWalker. Standout cuts incluse the opener “Texas Fireball,“ “MIddle Of Nowhere,“ and the rocking “Stole My Girlfriend,“ which features some blazing lead guitar from Castino. There‘s also a cool version of “Jazz 88,“ a jazzy little jam that has been a live favorite for years. This album has a great, tight group sound that has an immediate effect, and the songs are mostly fairly memorable and stick with you (unlike last year‘s slighty disappointing Spring Reverb album, recorded when the band was going through a transitional phase). Overall, a solid studio release from this up and coming groove band that shows them incorporating their varied influences into their sound while still managing to sound new at the same time. Recommended for Deadheads and fans of today‘s new grooves!

07/12/04 Matt
Really Red - Teaching You the Fear
There doesn‘t seem to be too much information about Really Red…or at the very least, I haven‘t found it yet. What can be surmised from “Teaching You the Fear“ is that the band was from Houston and this is their one and only full-length release. Released originally in 1981, this is certainly categorically “hardcore“ punk, with overtly political lyrics (“NO MORE GHETTOS!“) shouted over incessant, whiplash guitar chords. Songs are short and direly named (“Starvation Dance“, “Pigboy“, “Bored With Apathy“) and split into two sides - all telltale signs of the genre - but where this record diverges from the rest is in its rhythm section. The drums and (particularly) the bass have a bit of the funk dripping off of them, turning what could have been a mundane exercise in bad anger management into a jaunty, interesting exercise in bad anger management. Any way you look at it, Really Red‘s an ideal example of the real deal, and together with Stick Men With Ray Guns they make a strong case for the vitality of Texas punk rock.

07/12/04 John
!!! - Louden up Now
This is another new deriviative record,but these guys do such a good job with emulating the obscure bands they are so adept at mimicing that it merits an honorable mention. this record is much more electronic than gang of four which they are often compared to, rather they sound more like an updated version of a certain ratio. ****

07/12/04 Chris
The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
In this day and age, when popular music is often as disposable as Kleenex, it‘s refreshing to find a pop band that delivers the goods consistently. The Shins, a quartet from Albuquerque, are fighting to give pop music a good name, and so far they‘re succeeding. With their second album, “Chutes Too Narrow“, the Shins, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist James Mercer, infuse classic melodies with simple, sparse arrangements, to create a sound not entirely original, but infectious nonetheless. Mercer‘s high-pitched wail is the band‘s signature instrument - he moves effortlessly from whisper quiet baritones to ear-splitting screams. But the real standouts here are the actual songs. “Saint Simon“ bounces along merrily, before soaring with Beatle-esque harmonies. The acoustic album closer “Those To Come“ recalls vintage Donovan at his best, while the opener “Kissing the Lipless“ - easily Mercer‘s finest song to date - is arguably one of the greatest pop songs of the past decade. While it might be a shame that it will probably not ever be a hit, or make The Shins huge stars...those of us who have discovered it are probably more than content to let them remain our own favorite secret.

07/12/04 David
Sofa Surfers - (See the Light)
The Thievery Corporation‘s label Eighteenth Street Lounge continues it‘s impressive run with the release of Vienna‘s Sofa Surfers Album, “See the Light.“ This album reminds me of classic Massive Attack in many ways, and for fans of the trip-hop sounds of Portishead, Kruder and Dorfmeister and Smith and Mighty; Sofa Surfers “See the Light“ is a must have. There are lots of progressive hip-hop beats and thick as molasses dub treatments, along with some very heavy vocals by the likes of DJ Collage, Junior Delgado, Desmond Levy, and Dawna Lee makes for one of the most intense albums since Massive Attack‘s “Mezzanine.“ The album kicks off with their classic instrumental “Sofa Rockers“ remixed by Richard Dorfmeister and ends with a Thievery Corporation remix of “Can I Get a Witness.“ In between you get the full effect of full Sofa Surfers, this is the sound of the future where the sounds of soul, hip-hop, and reggae collide with some serious dub production, creating music for the new millennium. So the next time you‘re in one of the stores make sure you go to the electronic music player and dial up Sofa Surfers “See the Light“, and you will indeed see the light!

07/12/04 Jeff
Alice Donut - Three Sisters
“Did You Miss Me?“ That is the opening line of Three Sisters, the reunion CD by New York‘s psychedelic grunge punkers, Alice Donut. The four key members that recorded their last CD Pure Acid Park in 1995 are back on board.
These guys (and gal) always reminded me of the east coast‘s answer to the Butthole Surfers with their brand of noisy-artsy hardcore punk. Not to mention the wacky, often hilarious lyrics of Tomas Antona and his Perry Farrellesque vocal ‘stylings‘. The opener “Kiss Me“ and a couple of others have that Janes Addiction groove. And back to the Surfers, “Mr. Pinkus“ is about their former bass player.
Is the album a success? Yeah, it‘s slightly more “in control“ than their late 80‘s- early 90‘s classics. But hey, aren‘t we all? 4 out of 5 stars.

07/05/04 Lee
The Finger - We Are Fuck You
Where do the talents of Ryan Adams end? This is certainly the question that we all turn over in our minds constantly, I‘m sure. The Whiskeytown records are cool. The alt-country solo albums keep coming, one after the other, endlessly. He even recorded a fairly successful rock and roll album last year, titled, oddly enough, Rock and Roll. I‘m here to tell you, though, that you haven‘t heard the best Ryan Adams project yet.
In 2002, While Ryan was producing the first album of alt-country, singer-songwriter croonings by ex-D-Generation glam punk, Jesse Malin, the two stole some studio time and recorded the 10 song album of 80‘s style hardcore punk, We Are Fuck You.
Initially, the record was released only in a vinyl edition limited to 1000 copies. Later, an import CD version surfaced with even more material, the added “Punk‘s Dead Let‘s Fuck“ record, another 10 great songs.
Of course, Ryan‘s record company refused to allow him to put his name anywhere on the release, but he publicized it by making cryptic references to it in interviews. The collectors found it and quickly sold out the vinyl pressing. It is a rare and expensive e-bay item these days. The CD just kind of appeared out of nowhere and is probably similarly limited. For the time being, we stock it in the Ryan Adams section at CD World.
The record is notable not only because it is a weird Ryan Adams collectible. It is also a very competent punk rock album reminiscent of the New York Thrash scene, early Black Flag, and New Bomb Turks at their best. It‘s certainly 10 times better than anything that D-Generation ever recorded.

07/05/04 John
The Singles - Better than before
Detro retro 60‘s style band who are heavily influenced by the sound of Who, Beatles, Kinks, & Flamin Groovies with an edge of garage to give them their own derivative sound.

07/05/04 Matt
Wire - Pink Flag
I‘ve put off talking about Wire as much as possible, as they‘re my all time favorite band of all time. This presents a problem because if I fawned over them as heavily as they deserved, I‘d 1. be here all night, and 2. never be satisfied with what I wrote anyway, so plain and simple: Wire‘s debut, 1977‘s Pink Flag, is arguably the finest punk record ever. (Arguably) Better than Never Mind the Bollocks. (Arguably) Better than London Calling. It feels absolutely meticulous and utterly effortless at the same time, and in short time (21 tracks over about 35 minutes…songs only last as long as they should; no repeated choruses for the sake of a hook). Lyrics are abstractly (and smartly) political, but just as much social, and the guitar sound is still extremely unique in its thick, doomy bursts (just thinking about the title track makes me want to cry) and grinding repetition. Still, it‘s not a “hard“ record…it‘s got a timeless accessibility; enough so that Elastica made a career out of the riff from “Three Girl Rhumba.“ There‘s something to be said for a record that never overstays its welcome no matter how often you play it. Pink Flag‘s a record like that. It doesn‘t adhere to the burgeoning “rules“ of punk rock, either…we don‘t even stock it in our (expansive and awesome) Punk section. It‘s just completely its own animal, and follows its own rules. “Punk“ in ways malls and Mohawks wouldn‘t even dream of. Listen, people have been praising this record for almost 3 decades now, and every word you‘ve read or heard is right. If you haven‘t yet, it‘s time you found out why for yourself.

07/05/04 Jeff
50 Foot Wave - 50 Foot Wave
Kristin Hersh sure is busy! Since Feb. 2003 she has released a folky solo album (her fifth), reformed Throwing Muses with a killer CD, did some touring, gave birth to her fourth son, and still found time to start this new band 50 Foot Wave. She‘s joined by Muses bassist Bernard Georges, and pounding drummer Rob Ahlers. And the bands‘ name is perfect, a wall of sound, crashing furiously all around; you unable, but not wanting to get out of the way. If you liked last years reunion Muses CD, this 6 song mini LP is all that with a more frenetic pace, 5th gear all the way. Kristin‘s guitar playing is more fast strumming with thick jagged shards, rather than the swirling sound of the Muses. A couple of tracks, “Lavender“ and Clara Bow“ recall recent Buzzcocks. I can just picture Pete Shelley repeating the latter‘s chorus “This is just another stupid summer“. Don‘t let me forget Kristin‘s vocals which are at her manic, howling, caterwauling best. She put this out herself, and another EP will follow every 9 months. She also plans to tour over 100 dates this year. Sure hope Dallas is on the schedule. Long may she wave! The Record

07/05/04 Mike
Fela Kuti - The Best of (2 CD Set)
Magical was the day I was turned onto this African. This compilation is an easy way to start considering Fela has about 50 records; the material here is mostly from the 70‘s, I‘ve got about 12 of his records and this is his best period. Unbelievable that this funk, soul revival and African jazz has been so unknown to the western world. With an attitude of a political leader of the people likened to Bob Marley, Fela had his life threatened constantly by the Nigerian government. They burned his compound, threw his mama from an upstairs window, which killed her and generally harassed him with jail, ect. This great blend of Afro-beat grooves right beside the Meters, Galactic and Sly and started in the early 60‘s right along side of James Brown. Take a bit of his soul power and dance to a 10 minute proclamation of peace, feel his conviction; if you don‘t feel it wash over you, you‘re just not alive. Maybe you can catch his son Femi Kuti,
I saw him at Jazz Fest in New Orleans 3 different times, he was a great authentic cultural throw down.

07/05/04 David
Quantic - (Mishaps Happening)
William Holland is Quantic, and with his third release which is the first for Ubiquity records, he has put out one of the best albums of the year. Mr. Holland is one of those guys who can effortlessly blend many different styles and make a commanding statement with each one. The opening track “Mishaps Happening“ kicks things off with a sixties kitsch feel combined with a killer breakbeat that will easily get your groove on. From there we head right to the serious afrobeat of “Use What You Got“ featuring an excellent vocal from Sonny Akpan, who will tell you to use what you got to get what you want! Alice Russell who is the main vocalist for the Quantic Soul Orchestra absolutely rips up the life affirming, finger snapping jazz of “Sound of Everything“ as well as the reggae soul of “So Long“. The legendary vocalist Spanky Wilson is also on board for a couple of funk-fueled numbers that harken back to some of the classic seventies soul sessions. Mix in some very nice instrumental tracks and you have an essential release of 2004, thanks to Ubiquity records. If you like the human side of electronic music then also check out the other Quantic albums.

07/05/04 Chris
Wilco - A Ghost Is Born
Wilco is one of those special bands, one that has long stood out among their peers, thanks to fearless experimentation, inspired songwriting, and constant reinvention. It is no secret that bandleader Jeff Tweedy changes band members about as much as he changes his socks - a testament to his stubborn, but focused musical vision. As a result, this revolving cast of characters has given each Wilco record its own sound, and it‘s safe to say that no two Wilco records sound alike. After the classic pop stylings of “Summerteeth“ and the dense sound collages of the critically acclaimed “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot“, Tweedy and Co have returned with their most stripped down effort to date. Much of this change can be attributed to the departure of songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett, who left during Wilco‘s well publicized battle with Reprise over the release of “YHF“. Bennett‘s influence may be gone, but Tweedy is still steering the ship in the right direction. He has said in recent interviews that while he enjoyed the sonic layers of the previous two records, he wanted the new one to sound like “four guys playing together in a room“. The arrangements on “Ghost“ are often simple, centered around guitar, bass, drums, and grand piano. Tweedy, who is now the band‘s lead guitarist, channels the spirit of Neil Young on “At Least That‘s What You Said“, with his frantic, distorted soloing. On songs like “Hummingbird“, “Hell Is Chrome“, and “Theologians“, newcomer Mikeal Jorgensen‘s bouncy piano lines recall the classic sound of later-era Beatles, while the album closer “The Late Greats“ actually sounds like a track that might have fit in on one of Wilco‘s earlier records. Two of the most striking tunes that may spark debate amongst longtime fans are “Spiders“ and “Less Than You Think“, both of which run longer than ten minutes and buzz with feedback and noise - yet another testament to Wilco‘s undying ability to challenge both themselves and their fans. As always, Tweedy provides provocative and often puzzling lyrics, further cementing his status as one of rock‘s most unique songwriters. After several listens, it‘s safe to say that “Ghost“, while very different from Wilco records past, is another major achievement in their ongoing evolution, now in its tenth year. I, for one, am hoping that Tweedy and his crew will stick around for another decade.

07/05/04 Twoie
Neurosis - The Eye of Every Storm
This is going to be a great summer! In one month‘s time, there has been a new Skinny Puppy, new Ministry, and now the new Neurosis is here.
The album starts with the signature drums and sucks you into their world from there. Slow, moody, and psychedelic, few bans can convey the dynamics and atmospheres that Neurosis puts into an album. They have toned down their music to focus on the moods rather than the rage, which I would usually complain about (old people selling-out and all) but it does wonders for Neurosis.
Psychedelic-hardcore at its best!

07/05/04 Steve
A.C. Newman - Slow Wonder
For the more jaded among you who feel that modern music is nothing but crap or pale imitations of earlier rock formulas, I give thee a Canadian, Carl Newman. Formerly of the band Zumpano (it‘s okay if you don‘t know who these guys are), a hired gun for artists such as Neko Case and Her Boyfriends, and ultimately the leader of brilliant power-poppers the New Pornographers. The point is, there‘s no gimmick in Carl Newman‘s ability as a song-writer, and precious little crap: the man just writes good, fun pop songs with ludicrously catchy hooks and with a strong, commanding voice. On Slow Wonder, Newman takes his exceptional gifts and uses them to express something a little more personal. Slow Wonder is filled with all the hypnotically cool guitar lines and solid harmonies you‘ve come to expect from Newman, but it also has a surprising depth of emotional content and a wider variety of instruments and styles. It‘s essentially like the New Pornographers‘ White Album. Poppy and meaningful, fun and food for thought. Take that bitter record-store types! (I realize I am essentially blasting myself with this one).
Rating: Three and a half indies

07/05/04 Scott
JERRY GARCIA - ALL GOOD THINGS STUDIO SESSIONS - Outtakes, Jams and Alternates
For the last few weeks or so I‘ve been reviewing the new Jerry Garcia box set, All Good Things. As I‘ve said before, wow, is this thing ever cool!! All of Jerrys‘ original studio albums have been digitally remastered and padded with TONS of bonus tracks (over four hours!). The last disc in the box is called Outtakes, Jams and Alternates, and that‘s pretty much what you get here, folks.This disc will probobly appeal mostly to Garcia/Dead completests like myself, but if you‘re in that category then you won‘t be dissappointed. Highlight here include cool alternate takes of “Deal“, “Catfish John“, “I‘ll Take a Melody“,and the gospel-tinged “My Sisters and Brothers.“ There‘s also a great acoustic version of “Lonesome Town.“ There‘s also a couple of really cool studio jams on “Hey Bo Diddley/Hideaway“, “Iko Iko“, and “Streamlined Cannonball.“ All in all, I‘d have to say that this box set is just simply amazing from begining to end. All Good Things is very highly recommended for any Jerry Garcia fan or Deadhead!!

06/28/04 John
Terry Hall and Mushtaq - Terry Hall and Mushtaq
It seems like every few years Terry Hall pops up in some new outfit, puts out an album or two, then moves on to the next project. This time he‘s teamed up with Mushtaq, former DJ for Fun^Da^Mental, for a cross-cultural, strongly Middle Eastern-flavored pop album. As a touchstone, it‘s similar to Natacha Atlas‘ music, but with less emphasis on the dancefloor. Given Hall‘s detached delivery style, it might seem like a strange fit with the passion that generally accompanies Arabic music, but the amazing thing is how well it actually works. While the album has an Arabic feel overall, there are some interesting additional touches, like the scratching and reggae feel of “Ten Eleven“ (co-written by Damon Albarn) or the almost-ska of “A Tale of Woe“ with its Morricone-esque piano. “Sticks and Stones“ has some cool beats and a queasy melody loop with English and Arabic vocals trading off on the same melody. Terry Hall took quite a chance on this one, doing something unlike anything in his catalog and pulling it off without a hitch.

06/28/04 Lee
The West Wing - The West Wing Season 2 DVD box
For the past couple of years, my bliss fix has been wholely dependent on the wide variety of West Wing showings on cable and network TV. My availability can be tracked easily by anyone with a TV Guide. If the West Wing is on, chances are that I‘m out of commission for an hour or so. Imagine my joy to finally own, watchable at any time, my very own copy of the very finest West Wing season, season two.
The second season is the one in which the writer and creator of The West Wing, Aaron Sorkin, really hit his stride. The season starts out with the President, aptly played by the great Martin Sheen, shot by white supremicists. Later in the season, the president reveals to his staff and the country that he has been hiding his pre-election diagnosis of the degenerative disease MS. Finally, the season ends with the decision to run for re-election in the midst of great controversy.
Now, granted, none of this may seem interesting to anyone other than the most addicted political junkie (which I may very well be...), but the crisp, clever writing, fantastic ensemble work by a very able cast, and the timeliness of the topics explored, make this a highly-watchable poly-sci soap opera.

06/28/04 Twoie
Ministry - Houses of the Mole
It is just not fair for one band to be this good! Ministry makes all other bands just sound like half-assed crap, and this album makes the last three Ministry albums sound like half-assed crap. Paul Barker, one half of Ministry, has departed and after hearing this album who cares? Nine tracks that all start with “W“ as an ode to George W Bush are filled with blistering guitars, old-school Ministry sounding pounding on the drums (finally), and Al Jourgensen spitting venom with his vocals. I made it through track seven before I had to clean myself and the album has had the same effect on many others as well. If you are a George Bush fan or a closed-minded, conservative member of the god squad, you may not be the biggest fan of this band. For me, this is the biggest release of the year and I am done, spent, through for 2004. This album IS that good!

06/28/04 Jon
Passage - Pindrop
Originally released in 1980 this is the Passage‘s debut album. The import re-issue contains the first two ep‘s and a six-song radio session from 1981. Like most Manchester post-punk bands the sound is usually dark and angular. However, this record sounds like nothing else the band has ever recorded. Most of these songs revolve mainly around synth and drums. Definitely wierd and a little dated but a must have for the post-punk collector.

06/28/04 Mike
Chris Knight - Self Titled
A rainy day it is and what better for the mood then one of my top 10 favorite mellow roots records of all time. Chris has the writing ability of Robert Earl Keen or John Prine and tells stories that you can relate to, because you may have already lived them, well hopefully it was your great uncle that lived them, ‘cause there‘s some pain in these tunes. It‘s ok to sing along, and darn it it‘s easy… because simplicity and honesty goes a long way, and that‘s what you‘re going to hear from this folk/country master. Knowing he lived in a trailer in Kentucky when he got signed, gives you a good idea of what Chris is writing about. Small town, home town and the people and friends that come with that scene are his writing inspiration. I wish we could take the day off, go fishing, and have this CD in the deck. That‘d be an all right day.

06/28/04 Steve
Sloan- - 4 Nights at the Palais Royale
Whether you know it (or care about it) or not, Sloan is almost as big in Canada as Rush. And, like Rush, they solidified their status as rock royalty (again, in Canada) with their flashy, energetic onstage performances. And, also like Rush, there is a great way to experience Sloan‘s punchy, Beatlesesque power-pop without moving to Montreal: the double-live cd. Hell yeah! Did Canadians invent the double-live lp? I‘ll look into that. Okay, no more about Rush, either. After listening to their live double, what surprises me is the clarity of the songs. Even while being played loud and sloppy live, the hooks are still as clear and catchy and the jaw-dropping pop harmonies are surprisingly spot-on. Although not as many outright rockers are played as could be desired, Sloan pushes through their appealing and varied catalog (all four members are talented songwriters, and did I mention Canadian?) with so much juice and gumption that it jazzes up even some of their sleepier ballads. Although almost any Sloan cd is a good bet, this one is an extremely enjoyable buy. Rating: Three out of Five Indies

06/28/04 Matt
The Joe Schmo Show - The Joe Schmo Show: Season One (DVD)
Now let‘s get something straight right now: I hate reality television. I hate reality television just like everyone else that‘s trying to appear as intellectual, “counterculture“, and (as a result) appealing as a viable option for potential mating hates reality television. I actually dislike it for real though, as well. Anyway, I started watching The Joe Schmo Show on Spike (which used to be The Nashville Network, and which still makes me laugh) during its initial run because it looked really, really subversive and mean spirited. It‘s one of those “living in a house together and voted off one by one“ games, only all the contestants, the host, and the crew are operating together for a singular cause: to simultaneously entertain and humiliate one poor, unknowing bastard. So cameras roll 24/7, scenarios unfold, relationships are forged, and it‘s all done with premeditated malice-masquerading-as-experiment for a voyeuristic nation. Morally corrupt? Perhaps, especially when you see the subject break down in very real tears after the eviction of a very fake contestant/friend. As the show wears on, something strange happens, though; you can‘t help but like Mr. Schmo, and neither can the conspiratorial folks pulling the prank. The ending, where the truth is unveiled, is fairly cathartic and pays off, and as far as “reality television“ goes, maybe it‘s only appropriate that the fakest of the bunch turns out to be the most genuine. This set has every episode of the first season in its uncensored rawness (the new season is airing right now on Spike, with a new cast of characters and a new type of elimination theme), along with some featurettes and a commentary.

06/28/04 Bill
Roky Erickson - Evil One (plus one)
Roky Erickson is crazy, and I‘m not speaking facetiously or metaphorically - he‘s a paranoid schizophrenic dude who has served time in Rusk and in prison for his psychosis. But, that don‘t mean he can‘t rock, and rock he does on the expanded re-issue of the classic “Roky Erickson & the Aliens“ album (it‘s original title was in Sanskrit, so it‘s usually just referred to by fans as the “Aliens“ album or as the “Evil One“ (a reference to one of the re-releases). Songs about two-headed dogs (who work for the Soviet secret police) alligators, ghosts and vampires, the album serves as a window into a VERY disturbed mind, but again, a mind that rocks. As an added bonus to the classic recorded (nicely remastered for the digital age) there‘s a bonus disc (the ‘plus one‘ of the title) of Roky on a late-night radio show, playing odd tracks and rough mixes of some of the “Evil One“ material and answering and interviewers questions in his own inimitable way.

06/21/04 Steve
The Warmers - S/T
This is one of those absolutely essential hardcore albums that just slipped through the cracks. Released in 96, it was the only album they ever put out in their three-year existence. This DC trio was comprised of Alex MacKaye (former singer of former Dischord band Faith and brother of Dischord founder, the famous Ian MacKaye) and Juan Luis Ferrera and Amy Farina, who both played in Lois Maffeo‘s band, Lois. All having sharpened their teeth in the D.C. punk scene, the Warmers came at their music from a different angle, adding starts and stops, concentrating on the pauses in the music instead of the phrases being played. Essentially, the Warmers were one of the first bands to produce what would now be called indie rock. Art-punk sensibilities collided with a post-rock aesthetic, with MacKaye‘s guitar sounding like half a riff, and his vocals essentially poetic hollering (somewhere Modest Mouse was taking notes). Combine that with Ferrera‘s stutter-stop bass-playing and lazy background vocals, and most importantly the stellar jazz-style, stop-on-a-dime drumming of Amy Farrina, and you get a punk band that can ebb and flow, that is capable of performing energetically on a number of levels. Farina smashes through ramshackle rolls and powerful bass drum assaults with skill and poise. Combined, they must have sounded revolutionary in the nineties, and plenty of bands today should take a tip or two from them. This is one of the few bands I can recommend to almost everyone.
Rating:Five out of five indies

06/21/04 Matt
Flux of Pink Indians - The Fucking Pricks Treat Us Like Cunts
Funny how some things come to your attention. A customer returned this record at one point because it (to paraphrase) “plays three tracks at once and won‘t skip ahead.“ The title suckered me, so I listened to it to 1. test the defect, and 2. get an idea of what Flux of Pink Indians were about. First things first: the disc wasn‘t damaged. There are 18 tracks listed here (including tracks 1 and 9, both titled “Punk“), but it plays as one continuous hour of sheer noise and leftist political fury. I suppose it‘d be “hardcore punk“, but it‘s only hardcore circa barked and shouted vocals and the fact that at its base, “hardcore“ has an aura of being uncontrollable. This record is unhinged, but it‘s full of enough interesting experimentation to lend some substance to the (sometimes) overwhelming assault. It‘s got some electronic/industrial elements to it, lots of filthy and furious guitars, and you‘ll hear some Big Black-ish type of aggression here regardless of the fact that FoPI is a band of Brits formed in the early 1980s. If you like it hard and smart, you should listen to this record. The most ringing endorsement: MattSteve listened to the opening minute, and said, “Iiiiiii don‘t know what‘s going on here.“ Sold.

06/21/04 Lee
Rudimentary Peni - Death Church
Like Flux of Pink Indians, reviewed nearby by Matt “Handsome Boy“ Hursh, Rudimentary Peni was one of those weird ‘80s British hardcore bands that had a little more going on than the usual “Society Sucks“ or “Reagan‘s Gonna Kill Us All“ battle cries of GBHC bands like the endlessly annoying Exploited or the full-on retarded Anti-Nowhere League. Nurtured initially by the anarchist group Crass, Rudimentary Peni crept out of a basement in sub-suburban Britain and released a handful of pretty swell Eps, full lengths, and the great album “Death Church“.
Led by obsessive-compulsive (check out the amazing album art), oft-mental patient, Nick Blinko, Rudimentary Peni initially created short metallic bursts of song dealing with a smarter, more personal political and social commentary, exploring themes of alienation, confusion and, of course, neuroticism and paranoia rather than broad-stroke political sloganeering. Later, the band experimented greatly with song structure and length, ultimately to create a noise-fest, Cacophony, that is a certain soul mate to The Flux of Pink Indians disc mentioned before.
Blinko has a way with the pen and creates horrifying images both pictorially and lyrically. I recall buying my first RP record simply because of the cover art. I was overjoyed to find the music contained within to be sufficiently satanic and the lyrical content clever and grossly poetic.
Rudimentary Peni has reformed over the years, releasing a couple of EPs here, and album of new material there. Each of these efforts has been interesting and bubbling over with the unexpected, some less successful than others. Death Church, however, is as solid as they get and is recommended as your introduction to this great and very fucked-up band.

06/21/04 Twoie
Decree - Moment of Silence
Finally, a band on the industrial label Metropolis that does not sound like all the other bands on the Metropolis label. Don‘t get me wrong, recently Meteropolis has brought us wonderful bands like... ... ... ok, they haven‘t really released much that I can tell apart until this album. This sounds like what happens when you listen to too much Godflesh, Atari Teenage Riot, and Ministry- my kinda people! Eleven tracks of noise put together to somewhat resemble “music“. Warning to all that might want to listen to this- this is not the disposable corporate garbage that you will ever hear on the radio (we can all thank Clearchannel/Satan for this). This is for people that like industrial music, electronic noise, or just good music that doesn‘t sound prefabricated and is actually quite original and good.

06/21/04 John
o‘rang - self-titled
Bassist Paul Webb and drummer Lee Harris were bandmates for a decade in the influential British band Talk Talk. A year after the band‘s final release - 1992‘s critically acclaimed Laughing Stock - Harris and Webb built a studio that they dubbed The Slug. Once the studio was up and running, the duo allowed all sorts of musicians to come in and improvise with them, using the resulting music as source material with which to create the music heard on ‘O‘Rang‘s albums. The band‘s recorded debut was the EP Spoor (1994) followed by two full lengths, Herd of Instinct (1995) and Fields & Waves (1996). The recordings were originally released on Echo Records and later picked up and reissued (except for the EP) in 1997 by Chicago‘s Hit It! Recordings, followed a year later by the new Remixes. ‘O‘Rang features Webb and Harris on a variety of instruments, incorporating dub rhythms, various percussion, and thickly layered atmospherics to create a rock music that has been highly praised

06/21/04 Doug
Amen - Death before Musick
New label, new band members, same hard-edged attitude. Casey Chaos has definitely been studying the work of Ian MacKaye and his band Fugazi. Chaos strikes a similar vocal inflection, while not sounding contrived. This is a must have killer album. It is revolution with a melody.

06/21/04 Scott
JERRY GARCIA - ALL GOOD THINGS STUDIO SESSIONS - Run For the Roses
Hey now! For the last few weeks I‘ve been reviewing the new Jerry Garcia box set, All Good Things, the Complete Studio Sessions. I just can‘t say enough about how cool this thing is, with all of the original studio albums digitally remastered in sparkling HDCD sound. All the discs are packed with previously unreleased bonus tracks, with new artwork, and a highly informative booklet. Last week we checked out the fourth disc, Cats Under the Stars; this week we‘ll get into Run For the Roses.
Originally released in 1982, Run For the Roses was Jerry Garcia‘s fifth solo album. The lineup here varies from song to song, but the core of the group was still Jerry on guitar and lead vocals, John Kahn on bass, Ron Tutt on drums, and either Merl Saunders and/or Melvin Seals on piano and organ. Unfortunately, as most Deadheads already know, this was not a particularily good time for Jerry: his last solo effort, Cats, had not done nearly as well as expected, and his personal demons were starting to catch up with him. As a result, Run For the Roses was kind of a mixed bag, although there is still some enjoyable material on here. Roses starts out strong with the title track, a cool, bouncy, little tune, with catchy sing-along lyrics from Robert Hunter. This one quickly became a staple of live JGB shows and even a few Dead shows. Other highlights include the Kahn/Hunter tune Leave the Little Girl Alone, which has some blazing guitar licks from Jerry (Unfortunately it‘s about the only time he really cuts loose on the record), Valerie, which deals with the perils of unrequited love, and Midnight Getaway, which is about a man hearing his lover sneak off into the night to cheat on him. There‘s also a very nice cover of Dylan‘s Knockin‘ On Heaven‘s Door, which also became a favorite of JGB (and later, Dead) shows. But some of the other tracks here from the original record suffer from somewhat lackluster performances and song arrangements.
The bonus tracks on Roses are interesting, but don‘t really add anything special to the album overall. There‘s a neat version of Fennario (whose lyrics are similer to the Dead tune Peggy-O), a version of Alabama Getaway which just sounds like an outtake or alternate version of the same song from the Dead‘s Go To Heaven album. The version of the Beatles‘ Dear Prudence included here is nice, but pales in comparison to the one on 1991‘s JGB Live album. Same thing with Simple Twist of Fate: it‘s nice and all, but far from being the definative version that Garcia recorded. And the JGB‘s take on Dylan‘s Tangled Up In Blue is just too quick in tempo, and the repeated background vocals are just too up front in the mix (again, see ‘91‘s JGB Live album for a much better version of this tune!). Although Run For the Roses is far from being the best Jerry Garcia solo album in this box, it still has it‘s moments, despite its shortcomings. Next week we‘ll check out the last disc, Outtakes, Jams, and Alternates!

06/21/04 Bill
Rocket From The Tombs - Rocket Redux
Most reunions suck. Let‘s face it, ever since the Eagles decided that getting back together would be a good opportunity to gouge the sheeple who like them for major Benjamins, most reunions have been sleazy attempts by bloated over-the-hill delusional burn-outs to cash in on Baby Boomer nostalgia (and stupidity). But, recently an odd thing has happened, perhaps sparked by the reformation of the Sex Pistols, in which old-school punk bands (including proto-punks and post-punks) have reformed to show that a reunion can have fire, passion and integrity. One of the most amazing of these particular reunions is that of Rocket From The Tombs, one of the semiminal Cleveland proto-punk outfits of the early 70‘s. They never had a full record out (though the decades would see bootlegs of their material appear), never gigged outside of Ohio and their main claim to fame was that the members went on to form such critically acclaimed (read popularly ignored & poor) bands as Pere Ubu & the Dead Boys. In other words, RFTT were about as obscure as you could imagine. But, despite there being almost no popular demand for their return, the Rockets came out of hiding to deliver not only an exciting tour (did you catch them at the Tea Room?) but an actual official record, made in a studio and everything. And the gravy is : It‘s great. Fantastic, just the sort of mouth-watering listening that gets the heart and soul of a music geek all a-quivering. This is a record full of tracks that, in any decent world, would be in heavy rotation on every other radio station on the dial, but of course, we don‘t live in a decent world - we live in one that‘s ruled by the Great Satan (aka Clear Channel) and these brilliant tunes have languished in obscurity for decades, instead of only being traded by fervent devotees (and being covered by Guns-N-Roses - but that‘s another story). Help great music get rediscovered, pick up “Rocket Redux“ and wallow in one of the few reunions that means something.

06/21/04 Jon
Pink Grease - This Is For Real
Pink Grease‘s full length follow up to the All Over You ep remains with the same campy, entertaining feel but more polished. The re-recorded version of “The Nasty Show“ takes away the original punch and rawness making it less nasty. There is more of a garage punk glam sound than the electro-rock from All Over You. Still, the album remains psychotic blending New York Dolls and the Damned with ultra sleazy lyrics.

06/21/04 David
Toots and the Maytals - (Live)
Reissue of the month. Island records continues their reggae classics reissue program with this legendary live album recorded September of 1980 at London‘s Hammersmith Palais. It shows Toots and his eight piece band at the height of their powers, like a reggae version of James Brown! Very few live excursions have been able to capture the feel and spontaneity of a performance like this one which makes you feel like you really were there. Toots is integral to the history of reggae music as he has been since its beginnings in the 1960‘s and he is still going strong today. This live chronicle showcases his musical abilities with not only reggae and ska, but soul, funk and gospel. True to form, Toots spares no passion on performances of hits that range from “Funky Kingston“, “Pressure Drop“, “Monkey Man“, “54-46“, “Thats My Number“ and “Time Tough.“ This great reissue also includes 2 bonus tracks, “I Love You So“ and an epic 10 minute version of “Reggae Got Soul“, which is pure magic. This is essential for any reggae fan, and a testament to the power of Toots and the Maytals.

06/21/04 Jeff
The Fall - The Real New Fall LP
HEY FALL FANS !!
Now that I‘ve gotten your attention, I can proceed. I don‘t have to tell you how great this new Fall CD is. You bought it late last year when it came out as an import. And you thought it was one of the finest of their 27 year career, as well as a top 10 release of 2003. Well, you‘ve got to buy it again! The U.S. version just out has 2 new songs added, as well as different versions of 3 others, not to mention a totally different cover. Highlights include the totally rerecorded football commentary “Sparta 2“, slightly faster with more up front vocals and guitar, the acerbic “Mod Mock Goth“, a different version from the X-mas single, and the new song “Portugal Tour“. To top it all off, Mark E Smith says it sounds ‘punchier‘ than its British counterpart.
So if you‘re a FFFL (Fall Fan For Life) like me (I‘ve got three 30 count boxes of CD‘s to prove it), you‘ll meet me down at the store. Hey, at least it‘s not another live CD!

06/14/04 Doug
Grant Lee Buffalo - Storm Hymnal
Storm Hymnal culls selected tracks from Grant Lee Buffalo‘s four studio albums on one disc, with rarities, alternate takes, and B-sides assembled on a second disc. The first disc functions as a sort of greatest-hits, and the band‘s two best known songs are included,“Fuzzy“ (their debut single), and “Mockingbirds,“ arguably their finest moment. The rarities on Disc Two are sequenced well, and they play like an autumnal statement from the group, who split in 1999. Highlights from the rarities disc include lead singer Grant Lee Phillips‘ John Lennon-esque vocal on“Goodnight John Dee,“ and the R.E.M.-sounding “Halloween,“ a song for the late River Phoenix.

06/14/04 John
Modern English - Mesh & Lace
The debut album by this overlooked 4AD outfit from Colchester in Essex. In many ways, Modern English helped to define the sound and image of that pioneering label; while admittedly pretentious at times, they were also sharp-edged, intellectual, and obsessed with aestheticism. The standouts here are the title track, “Smiles and Laughter,“ and “Gathering Dust,“ an epic post-punk exercise in aural dynamics. The keyboard rush that they employ is one of the punkiest uses of Stephen Walker‘s synthesizer imaginable - at least prior to the development of the industrial movement.

06/14/04 Jon
PJ Harvey - Uh Huh Her
Harvey‘s seventh release , as promised, is much darker and heavier than Stories from the City. It‘s not quite like Rid of Me, but it is a noisy mix of pent-up longing and frustration. Sonically the album is the most interesting with keyboards and other odd instruments. Liner notes include personal photos and snippets of Harvey‘s notebook. Uh Huh Her is one of her strongest albums ever even at her most vulnerable moments.

06/14/04 Lee
Comets On Fire - Blue Cathedral
Five-piece neo-psychedelic garage-punk freakouts Comets on Fire serve up an eight song bucket of guitar /echoplex/ keyboard sludge on their forthcoming Subpop release Blue Cathedral. This new record is mostly instrumental, although screamed lyrics, tortured through the echoplex, find some air. Mostly, though, this is a record of guitars and loud, feedback soaked electric jams. Did I already use “freakout“? It¹s really a very useful word in describing this record. “Sonic destruction“ works, as well. Comparisons to Hawkwind, Blue Cheer, Early to mid-period Floyd, Neil Young (Down by the River), and even early Mudhoney would be appropriate. Check out the extremely kick-ass sax solo in the third song, Whiskey River. Wow, what a smokin¹ record!

06/14/04 Shanna
Bebel Gilberto - ST
Bebel Gilberto (the very talented daughter of Joao Gilberto) is back with her self titled sophomore release, and it‘s even better than the first. I am always amazed at how similar Bebel‘s style of singing and songwriting is to Astrud Gilberto, yet always fresh and new, and completely unique to Bebel in her own right. The new record blends lush traditional Brazilian jazz arrangements with some slight hints of background electronics and instrument samples, making for a record that fuses some traditional Brazilian bossa nova sounds with a more modern musical motif. It is worth buying for her very melodic cover of “Baby“ by Os Mutantes alone, I have always adored the original, but Bebel‘s version breathes new life into this classic Brazilian psychedelic pop song. I‘ve found Bebel‘s new release to be a really great “summertime“ record, it is bright, blissful, warm and melodic, and yet somehow a bit somber all at the same time. Look for Bebel Gilberto‘s new album in our jazz section next to some other really great Brazilian artists.

06/14/04 Mike
John Scofield - EnRoute
My respect for Scofield has grown with each record I discover, and this live recording is no exception. You really can‘t be interrupted by a jazz audience, they only clap starting 3 seconds after the song diminishes, and for a short time, then there is reverent silence as this trio breathes thru some of the most intense compositions I‘ve ever heard. Sco‘s last few records starting with “A Go-Go“ (with Medeski, Martin and Wood backing - amazing!) have been funk odysseys with underlying jazz technique. “EnRoute“ is a return to classic jazz standard, but don‘t think you‘re getting some boring nap of a record from Sco and bassist Bill Stewart, and drummer Steve Swallow, this is beautiful intensity that will have you smiling and will cause rise in your spirit. Recorded at New York‘s classic jazz club, the Blue Note, this is super overdrive jazz with furiously busy, driving, tangled interplay. Check Sco out for the first time, even if you are a rock n‘ roll consumer, this is the type of jazz record that may bring a whole new genre to light. For you progressive music listeners this will be a total source of delight.

06/14/04 David
The Wailing Souls - At Channel One
I just want to take a moment to thank all of our reggae lovers who have taken advantage of our ever expanding section of the best music to come out of Jamaica, and to let you know we‘ve just begun!
The recordings made by the Jamaican vocal harmony groups of the 1970‘s constitute a pinnacle of reggae music and The Wailing Souls were up there with the best. They started out by cutting some wonderful sides at Studio One in the early 70‘s and hit another high spot at Channel One a few years later. It is recordings from this latter era that are featured in this typically well chosen compilation from Pressure Sounds. Classic tunes such as “War“, “Things and Time“ and “Jah Jah Give Us Life“ ring out with pure conciousness and each song is featured either in it‘s extended 12 inch version or followed by the dub cut from the original 7 inch. As these dubs feature the mighty Revolutionaries in their prime, this is a real bonus. Yet another essential selection from the vaults of Pressure Sounds, for our avid collector or those of you just getting started.

06/14/04 Twoie
Skinny Puppy - The Greater Wrong of the Right
We thought is would never happen (you know, with one of the three members dying from a heroin overdose and all), but Skinny Puppy has returned finally! All is now well in the world!!! “The Greater Wrong of the Right“ is the first album since 1996‘s “the Process“ and is shows what the members have been up to since. Not as dark and menacing as previous Puppy (this is what happens when you get off heroin apparently), but for what it lacks in over-the-top craziness it more than makes up for with programming and production. It was a damn-long wait for this cd, but the wait is no more. Long live the Puppy!!!

06/14/04 Scott
JERRY GARCIA - ALL GOOD THINGS STUDIO SESSIONS - Cats Under the Stars
For the last couple of weeks I‘ve been reviewing All Good Things, the new Jerry Garcia box set. This incredible 6 disc set features all 5 of Garcia‘s original studio albums remastered with bonus tracks, plus an additional disc of unreleased outtakes and jams. If you‘re a Garcia/Dead completest like me, you‘ll find this box to be awesome! This week we‘ll examine Cats Under the Stars.
Originally released in 1978, Cats Under the Stars was the first Garcia solo album to be released under the name Jerry Garcia Band, although the personel wasn‘t much different from the non-Dead tracks on Reflections. The lineup here is John Kahn, bass; Keith Godchaux, keyboards; Donna Jean Godchaux, vocals; Ron Tutt, drums; Merl Saunders, organ; and Maria Muldaur, vocals. The album starts out strong with Rubin and Cherise, a mythological tale with imaginative lyrics from Robert Hunter, and some inventive guitar work from Jerry. Love in the Afternoon has a nice relaxed reggae feel to it, and Palm Sunday has some beautiful vocals. The title track is a cool uptempo rocker with more great lyrics from Hunter and brilliant guitar work and vocals from Jerry. Rhapsody in Red also has some great scorching guitar licks, and Gomorrah has some Biblicly inspired lyrics and gospel sounding vocals.
Much of the bonus material on Cats continues in this same old-timey and gospel influenced vein: Magnificent Sanctuary Band has a kind of ragtime feel to it, while the gorgeous I‘ll Be With Thee sounds like it was recorded with a choir. The Garcia Band‘s version of the Smokey Robinson classic The Way You Do The Things You Do is great, with it‘s sing-along chorus. And Mighty High offers up some fast, up-tempo gospel sounds. There‘s also JGB‘s jamming version of Jesse Stone‘s Don‘t Let Go (which quickly became a staple of live JGB shows), and neat alternate versions of Down Home and Palm Sunday.Garcia once said in an interview that he considered Cats Under the Stars to be his most successful record, and it‘s easy to see why: this is some of the most beautiful, soulful material he ever put out under his own name, and it has the more cohesive feel than any other solo album since his debut. This is because it was made by the entire group, with contributions from everyone
There‘s also the very cool cover painting by Stanley Mouse, which quickly became a iconic symbol for Jerry among Deadheads. This is easily one of the best discs in this box so far! Next week we‘ll get into Run For the Roses!

06/14/04 Bill
Warren Haynes - Live at Bonnaroo
Warren is a busy guy, in case you haven‘t noticed. From Gov‘t Mule to the Allmann Brothers, the Dead, Phil & friends and all the other projects he has had his hand in over the past few years, it‘s a wonder he has the energy to stand sometimes. But, last year, he stood before a crowd of about 80,000 people and played a brilliant set. Luckily, the tapes were running and we get to hear it, even if we weren‘t in the grass and mud of those Tennessee fields. A sweet solo set that combines some of his choice original material along with some fascinating cover songs, Warren shows his influences without succumbing to them - he delivers songs in ways that take them over and make them his own, without losing the purity and intent of the originals.
Just for example, check out the set opener, a cover of Radiohead‘s “Lucky“. Now, like a lot of folks, I enjoy Radiohead, and “Lucky“ is a great song, but in Warrens hands it transforms, becomes something more, it becomes an authentic sounding blues number, full of world-weariness and desperation, devoid of the sterile detatchment that Radiohead is too often guilty. The entire set resonates with this passionate intensity in each some. Warren delivers lyrics and tunes with the drive of someone who believes what he‘s saying, and he‘s trying his best to help you believe. I don‘t miss muddy fields swarming with under-fed, over-heated, unbathed hippies, but listening to this set, I imagine that seeing a man offering up such a magnificent set of songs, it all must‘ve been worth it.

06/14/04 Matt
The Velvet Underground - Bootleg Series, Volume 1: The Quine Tapes
The “Quine“ of the title is Robert, an important figure in the VU canon in terms of documentation, an original member of (Richard Hell &) The Voidoids, and the guitarist on one of the resurrecting records of Lou Reed‘s solo career, The Blue Mask. Robert died within the last several days, most likely by his own choice (and furthermore reported that it was due to the recent loss of his wife). His passing is mourned at CD World, not least of which for the triple-disc 2001 release of his personal recordings from 1969 of The Velvet Underground. This box features prime pre-Loaded VU touring in San Francisco, a city known for its liberalism, but a city too hippy-dippy and swirling-hand dancy for the sunglasses-and-turtlenecks east coast evil of Lou and Co. Consequently, the band is as coiled and irritable as a cobra, yielding unusual and memorable versions of now-standards.
The tracklisting for each show (one per disc) varies, although each closes with a version of the epic “Sister Ray“; the best of which is on Disc 2 and tops out at 38 minutes of noise and menace. The recordings themselves are surprisingly clean and rival the relative greatness of the previously issued Velvet Underground Live records, so even the picky folks will find satisfaction here. We‘ve got it for $26.91…do the math. This is essential. Oh, and one more thing about Robert Quine: his guitar solo on “Love Comes In Spurts“ (Richard Hell) is one of the greatest of all time. R.I.P. baby.

06/14/04 Steve
!!! - Louden Up Now
There are two kinds of post-punkers out there: me and Matt Hursh from the Greenville store. I like the post-punk that drifts toward disco and jazz, like Blurt, Liquid Liquid, ESG and Pigbag. I also am snotty and dress like a nerd. Matt Hursh likes the post-punk that leans in the direction of industrial, like Wire, Crispy Ambulance and World Domination Enterprises. He is even snottier and dresses like a glam-baby of Gary Numan and Johnny Rotten. I love !!! (pronounced with any three percussive sounds) and Matt Hursh hates it. Maybe now you know where you stand.The killer thing about !!!, and about all the other bands that I mentioned I like, is they totally exude the hipness, and to some extent the darkness of the more screamy/mopey Big Blacks of the world, but without pigeon-holing themselves into basically one emotion: anger. Yeah, Steve Albini, we get it, you‘re pissed. That‘s nice honey, why don‘t you go lay down? Everybody else in the room is interested in actually enjoying themselves. In Louden Up Now, Nic Offer and the crew bring a few more synths and a little more rage, but they never lose sight of the fact that their audience, while just as capable of being pissed as anyone else, has kind of gotten past that point in high school and are interested in ass-shaking. Leave the social commentary to the satirists and writers, you‘re a band, you better rock the party, and !!! is as tight as ever, even as they flow from mellower funk to post-disco indie rock, they never skip a beat or let you down. There‘s a reason why this music is thriving now and that‘s because we‘re all sick of standing cross-armed in front of a wall of distortion (like that‘s original) and feeling our hearing go. Come on! Some of us would actually like to get laid every now and again! So give up your clove-smoking and pretending you read Kafka, get on the floor and have some fucking fun for once in your life.
Rating: 5 out of 5 indies

06/14/04 Jeff
Swell - Whenever You‘re Ready
If you‘re going to be doing any highway driving this summer, this 7th release from Swell is the perfect CD for you. Though the sound of cars, trains, and planes connects most of the tracks, it‘s their music that works great for driving, especially if you are cruising through the Southwest. The foundation is singer David Freel‘s loudly strummed fuzzed-out acoustic guitar, slide guitar that darts in and out, and the occasional keyboard underneath. Some might call Swell “dream pop“ as on the Pixies-like “Say Goodbye“. “Convince Us“ wouldn‘t sound out of place on a latter-day Pavement CD. Others might recall REM or early Grandaddy. But even if you‘re not leaving the comfort of your LazyBoy, you can still take a trip through the Southwest on “Sunny Sun Son“, hang out in the desert with “Word Gifts“ or go racing down the road to God knows where on “California, Arizona“. So next time you take a road trip or want to feel like you‘re on one, take Swell along for the ride.

06/07/04 Jeff
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
The post-punk nostalgia craze continues on with the debut from Glasgow‘s Franz Ferdinand, joining Interpol, the Strokes, the Rapture, and numerous others. As with all the others, it‘s spot the influences. This time out, early XTC, Talking Heads, Devo, Gang of Four, and fellow countrymen Orange Juice get the nod.
You can say they‘re unoriginal (what new band in the last 10 years is?). Unlike Elastica, you can borrow a style without stealing riffs. And what riffs they are! The sheer exuberance in their playing and singing is infectious enough, but these guys have the tunes, too. Every song is a keeper (what was the last CD you could say that about?).
Lest you think there‘s no variety, you‘ve got the dancy art punk of “Cheating On You“,
offbeat pop ala XTC/Talking Heads on “Tell Her Tonight“, and the moody synth-strings of “Auf Ausche“. You‘ll find a different favorite each time you play it, and you‘ll find Franz Ferdinand near the top of my best of 2004.

06/07/04 Jon
Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
The latest Sonic Youth record is better than the previous release Murray Street. Murray Street, however, was very good but this is better. This record features more of Kim Gordon. She appears vocally on four tracks including the opener “Pattern Recognition“ which could be one of the strongest songs on the record. Sonic Nurse rocks as much as the later 80‘s and early 90‘s records which proves they still are creatively powerful in songwriting. Mixing post rock guitar interplay with shards of feedback Sonic Youth still kick ass.

06/07/04 Lee
Destroy All Monsters - Bored
Bored is a collection of the amazing singles recorded by the mid-period (1978 -79) incarnation of Destroy All Monsters. It is a short CD, with only 6 songs and an unimpressive bonus track. Vocals are supplied by ex-model, current viual artist and full-time whack job Niagra. Stooge Ron Asheton is the guitarist and co-songwriter. Bass and Drums are supplied by Mike Davis of the MC5 and Rob King.
These are freaky, challenging songs that border on psychedelic with a quasi-industrial attitude. Niagra‘s caterwauling vocal style compliments the difficult, crunchy music. Her Nico-esque delivery, cool and detached, lends much needed grounding to the psychotic musical mess. Her insane lyrics concern witches, boredom, and Jackie Kennedy collecting bits of the president‘s grey matter from the back of the motorcade limosine
Every once in a while a CD comes along with a statement printed on the sleeve encouraging you to “Play This CD at Maximum Volume“ or somesuch. For the most part, the suggestion is redundant (ie Motorhead). This CD has no such warning, but the listener would be better served if it did. The music on Bored is so thick with quiet chaos, that low-volume listening cheats the listener out of the full Destroy All Monsters experience; screaming distorted guitars intertwining, riff after riff after riff after riff...

06/07/04 John
liars - we fenced our gardens
Liars was conceived in November 2000 after two friends and ex-Los Angeles art students Aaron Hemphill and Angus Andrew reunited in New York City. They responded to a “musicians wanted“ ad posted in a local record store by two Nebraskans, Pat Noecker and Ron Albertson. The lurching Aussie Andrew took on the vocal/frontman duties while Hemphill became their guitarist and drum-machine programmer. Bassist Noecker and drummer Albertson make up the Liars‘ rhythm section. Combined, they write music exhibiting fundamental elements of punk rock that is surprisingly formulated after the beats are laid down on the drum machine. Synthetic keypads, vocal modulation, and these interspersed pre-arranged compositions, mixed with their guitar-bass-drums equation, create angular yet melodic songs. Liars is reminiscent of U.K. groups who embraced dance music during the late ‘70s/early ‘80s - A Certain Ratio, Gang of Four, the Slits - bands who are all insidiously known for adding danceable rhythms to punk.

06/07/04 Matt
Kill Me Tomorrow - The Garbageman and the Prostitute
I know, I know…I cringed at the name of the band and the album title upon first glance too, but don‘t skim and scroll just yet. This trio‘s second full length is an unapologetic and fairly addictive mess, tearing down melodies and projecting images of sex and violence (not necessarily in that order) on the resulting rubble. If you want to get categorically cutesy about it, the sound is mainly that of the whole “dancepunk“ nonsense, but with the interestingly insane gutter sensibilities of, say, the first Liars record. There‘s lots of noise, plenty of processed (but not inaccessible) vocals, and lots of keyboards buzzing and stabbing throughout, all around a semi-formed story about a refuse collector who‘s possibly moonlighting as a bloodthirsty (is there any other kind?) serial killer werewolf. … … … … I know, I know… Anyway, this thing takes a chance when it didn‘t really have to, so that‘s something, right? Think of it as a just-as-ambitious, but leaner-and-meaner 1.
Outside (Bowie‘s 1995 “art crime“ record, which is both brilliant and absolutely laughable depending on the alignment of the planets). This comes packaged at single disc price with a DVD of short films that‘ll presumably correspond with the whole concept here, but I haven‘t watched that yet. See? I‘m honest…

06/07/04 Mike
Santana - Lotus
Anybody who attended the behemoth presentation of the blues this weekend at Clapton‘s Crossroads Festival, and witnessed Carlos Santana‘s performance, will be able to relive the intensity within this live recording. I have seen Carlos, but not like he played on Sunday evening, ferocious and relentlessly pushing the envelope of what any guitar player/fan could call melodic and flowing, yet was psychedelic and furious with not a pause. This player was at the top of his career when he played Woodstock, he found another step closer during a tour of Japan in ‘73 with “Lotus“, and my friends, on Sunday we all saw even another bound by Carlos closer to divinity. Life is a continual journey onward and upward, the artists that bring the idea and words of world wide love and unity to the stage deserve our applause. Seeing Carlos and Eric hugging on stage, crossing ethnic borders was a beautiful thing.

06/07/04 Jeff
Antietam - Victory Park
Another forgotten band comes back to life! From New York via Louisville, Antietam released 5 studio albums from 1985-1994. While critically acclaimed, sales were minimal, and after their best album “Rope-a-Dope“, the 3 piece packed it in. Guitarist Tara Key released a solo album, but until now that was pretty much it. “Victory Park“ is a welcome return. Along with Tara,longtime partner and bass player Tim Harris returns with Josh Madell, their drummer since 1991. Their sound evokes the urban coolness of Yo La Tengo(Georgia and Ira produced 1990‘s “Burgoo“), with Tara‘s Neil Young-like guitar bursting out at any opportunity. “The Annunciation“ and “Wish Factor“ have soaring solos that wouldn‘t sound out of place on “Rust Never Sleeps“. The real star of the show is Tara‘s out of control feedback and distortion that permeates through most of the songs, especially the grungy “The Hold“ and the riff-rocker “Stowaway“. Robert Christgau of the Village Voice called Tara “The best female guitarist this side of the Atlantic“. Well said Bob, I‘d have to agree. Antietam, welcome back!!

06/07/04 Scott
JERRY GARCIA - ALL GOOD THINGS STUDIO SESSIONS - Reflections
For the last couple of weeks I‘ve been reviewing the new Jerry Garcia box set. The box includes all of Garcia‘s original studio albums, digitally remastered, with new packaging and artwork and over forty previously unreleased tracks. Last week I covered the second disc, Compliments. This week we‘ll get into the third, Reflections.
Released in 1976, Reflections was quite different than its predecessors. Half of the album was recorded with the Grateful Dead, in a burst of energy leftover from the Blues For Allah sessions. The other half was recorded with what would later be known as the Jerry Garcia Band, including John Kahn, bass; Nicky Hopkins, piano, Ron Tutt, drums, and Donna Godchaux, backup vocals. The album starts out strong with “Might as Well“, a rocking tune about the 1970 Festival Express Train Ride across Canada, with Jerry and the Dead. Next is “Mission in the Rain“, backed by the Jerry Garcia Band, with lyrics by Robert Hunter that Jerry once described as “a page right out of my life“ “They Love Each Other“ is a nice bouncy little tune that the Dead had been playing live for a couple of years, and the ballad “It Must Have Been The Roses“ quickly became a live favorite as well. Jerry‘s take on Allen Tousaint‘s “I‘ll Take A Melody“ features some great vocals and tight ensemble playing from the JGB. Then there‘s the haunting ballad “Comes A Time“ (also a staple of live Dead shows); the lyrics, and especially Jerry‘s heartfelt vocal delivery gives me chills every time I hear this song.
The bonus material on Reflections includes a nice studio jam on “Mystery Train“, which has some great guitar work from Garcia, and a nice version of Hank Williams‘ “You Win Again.“ But the real highlight here, maybe even of the whole disc, has got to be the last track, “Orpheus.“ Here Jerry leads the Dead through an extremely complex, instrumental studio jam. This jam has got some very cool, jazzy sounding chord changes, and is a prime example of the almost telepathic level of communication the band was capable of reaching during this period. Why this jam has not seen the light of day before now is a mystery to me, because it is simply amazing!! Overall, Reflections is a great sounding album that points towards the direction that Garcia would eventually take with the Jerry Garcia Band. Never had such a good time indeed! Next week we‘ll dig into Cats Under The Stars.

06/07/04 Steve
The Interpreters - Back in the U.S.S.A.
How is this trio from Philly better at being British than the British? While the Queen‘s subjects are busying copying America(theDarkness=Aerosmith + Van Halen, Franz Ferdinand=the Strokes + Blur + boring the shit out of me), it‘s nice to look back on this 1997 brit-pop wannabe and realize that yes, they got a lot closer to nailing what was good about English punk-pop than most bands on that side of the pond. For most of these two-minute salvos the energetic beats and choppy guitar bursts are peppered with clever lyrics and about a million amped-up ‘yeah yeah yeah‘ style backup vocals. The Interpreters remind me of the young, Hamburg-based, amphetamine-laced Beatles if they spent the last 25-30 years listening to the Jam, the Damned, Supergrass and, well, themselves. But let me press upon you the catchiness, fun, and most of all quickness of this cd. Even on the slower numbers where they add in swanky horn bits the still sound punky as hell. Everyone who lives in Britain needs to look this oldie up and get their knickers in a bunch. It is knickers, right? Right.
rating: four out of five indies

05/31/04 Matt
Minus Story - the captain is dead, let the drum corpse dance
I have yet to actually finish this record because Lee keeps telling me to take it off (which could be a recommendation in itself). Even so, I don‘t have to hear the whole thing (or in some cases, half of it) to know it‘s as hypnotic and transcendent as records can get. This is the kind of album Mike Love would have had reservations singing on, the whole disc is awash with blurry melodies and scribbled-in intros, like an indie orchestra is rehearsing it for the first time, and it has a confusion and a muddiness that makes a dynamic counterpoint to the lush production. But unlike any other band described as an “indie orchestra“ these guys have a strong drummer and aren‘t all sunshine and butterflies. Suitable for fans of the E6 cadre who like rain in their parades and fans of drugged-out Brian Wilson‘s dark side.
Rating: Four out of Five indies

05/31/04 Chuck
Grateful Dead - Rockin‘ The Rhein
Hello Worldly people...well we got this new thing, on Mondays and Tuesdays we play new releases..... and leave it to me to find something new......that‘s old! This is from 1972 Germany.....and actually I only listened to disc 3, with my alltime favorite “Dark Star“.....yes people I whipped down my co-workers with listening to this in store.....it‘s long.....and spacey.....and weird....and everything i like about the Dead. This is so smooth that it slides in and out of other tunes with the listener hardly noticing. It‘s a good one to talk about.....or talk with....know what I mean? if you don‘t......oh well, your loss! Peace and Love,
Chuckdrums

05/31/04 David
The Beta Band - From Heroes to Zeroes
This is The Beta Band‘s first self-produced album and the result is an effort that is uncomprimisingly innovative and imaginative. Having taken 18 months to craft their third album, the Edinburgh- based quartet have grown up and proved themselves as serious contenders.
Kicking off with the spunky horn- assisted single “Assesment“, Heroes is a move towards a more straightforward pop record. It‘s more guitar- heavy than previous albums and it‘s exciting to hear frontman Steve Mason cutting loose on the axe. Another stand out is “Wonderful“, which is the kind of stoned, psychedelic ballad that they excel at. “From Heroes to Zeroes is incredibly diverse proving that not only is the Beta Band capable of writing ambient chillout music , but that they can rock out also. You need this album.

05/31/04 Lee
Soledad Brothers - Steal Your Soul and Dare Your Spirit to Move
I‘m coming in kind of late to the “Detroit Scene“ that everyone‘s already sick of, but I‘ve begun to find little nuggets of greatness. The Soledad Brothers‘ second album from 2002, Steal Your Soul and Dare Your Spirit to Move, crept out of relative obscurity and into my short attention just recently. This three piece band plays bluesy lo-fi rock that sounds like the AM radio in the middle of the night; a faraway signal from the swamplands that only the most unlikely convergence of clouds, planets and atmosphere will allow to travel the moonless airwaves into your pickup truck‘s receiver while you drunkenly try to find your way home from a particularly disappointing adventure with rotten love. When the singer, Johnny Walker, intones “My name is Johnny, you‘ll be with me now…“ you suspect that you‘ve been taken into the confidence of a man that understands (or perhaps abducted by someone whose sole mission is to bury you before morning…). The songs are sloppy, slide guitar-driven mossy rock, referencing Exile-era Stones, the Flaming Groovies, R.L. Burnside and even the Gun Club, circa Miami. While the production is suitably skunky, the sound is muscled up and sanctified by organ, saxophone, and various pieces of percussion. Fans of any of the aforementioned bands should seek out this record and rock it.

05/31/04 Jeff
Crispy Ambulance - The Powder Blind Dream
You talk about unlikely reunions that make you shake your head and wonder why! Here is a band that was on Factory in the early 80‘s and only released one studio album with a handful of singles (it didn‘t help that they were compared to Joy Division so soon after that bands existence), and that they were mostly remembered for their goofy name. Now fast forward to the turn of the century and after a successful one-off reunion gig, a new studio album “Scissorgun“ was recorded and released in 2002. It proved to be a worthy effort that stood up to previous work. Now comes “The Powder Blind Dream“ which is where they have put it all together.
Produced once again by good friend Graham Massey of 808 State, this album has a good live sound, great post-punk guitar work, washes of feedback that connect the songs on the second half, a powerful rhythm section, and the dreamlike wail of vocalist Alan Hempsall. Though more energetic, Joy Division is still the first influence that comes to mind with traces of Magazine, early Echo and the Bunnymen, Can, and gasp,even some prog rock thrown in. Even though I find it a bit curious as to why an obscure band would reform 20 years after their demise(only to still be unknown), I‘m sure glad they did if only for the fact that I now only need 9 more for my Top 10 of 2004.

05/31/04 Mike
Ben Harper - Diamonds on the inside
This record has been out for about a year and I‘m just getting around to my copy I bought March of ‘03. The acoustic/electric slide soul of Ben has caught my attention since his first record back in ‘94. Each of his 4 studio records up until this point have been like pilgrimages into the soul of a man that reflects Bob Marley thru his positive outlook, handcrafted acoustic slide blues that soothe the soul and then become powerful and shuddering with the strength likened to Jimi Hendrix or Zeppelin. This is a lot of territory to cover folks. I first wanted to make a mix tape with all the rockers, then some time and listens and Ben‘s sweet pretty soul side made me dream of making a mix tape of the mellow side. I‘m realizing on his 5th studio release how much the fluctuation from the beautiful to the gruff within any of his records are part of his magic. Support artists that have something positive to say. Love one another. Enjoy the day. Yes, it‘s your choice.
Quoting “With my two hands“... I can change the world, with my own two hands, Make a better place, with my own two hands, Make a kinder place, with my own two hands, I can make peace on earth, I can clean up the earth, I can reach out to you, I‘m gonna make it a brighter place, a safer place, help the human race with my own two hands. Nice...

05/31/04 Matt
Crispy Ambulance - Plateau Phase
Tony Wilson summed up the initial fate of this band in the commentary of 24 Hour Party People by saying (to paraphrase): “good band, worst band name ever.“ And Tony‘s right. “Crispy Ambulance.“ Say it to yourself. It doesn‘t roll off the tongue, it‘s not apparently clever (from where I‘m sitting anyway), and it‘s not even irritatingly memorable for those who may be indirectly interested. Yup, and a good band they were…and are. 1982‘s The Plateau Phase is the only proper studio work during their first phase, and it‘s the bee‘s knees for those into the whole post-punk/Joy Division/Martin Hannett/Factory Records scene. Lots of jangly, faintly evil guitars, minimal keyboards, and nice deep bass lines make up most of this record, and there‘s even a crooked nod to Bowie‘s glammy “Drive In Saturday“ within the first track, entitled “Are You Ready?“ Interestingly, CA (that looks and sounds better than the formal alternative, no?) has a little more variety and range than a good number of their contemporaries, adding some psychedelic and (almost) funky moments - check the 13-minute groove of “The Presence“ - to the glacial “rar, we are artsy semi-punk“ proceedings. The CD version tacks some singles onto the back of the record, maximizing your all-important dollar, and if you like what you hear here, it‘d behoove you to check out their 2002 return called Scissorgun. Cuz it‘s good. Different, but good.

05/31/04 Bill
Magazine - Rays & Hail 1978-1981
Magazine started PostPunk. There, I said it. I know that it‘s not a popular idea (especially amongst the “Joy Division are Gods“ contingent), but it‘s true. Howard Devoto left the Buzzcocks and started PostPunk with a series of cohorts that would include Barry Adamson and the late John McGeoch. By combining art-rock,punk and what would later water down into synth-pop, Devoto established a new style of rock that would be praised by critics and ignored by the sweating multitudes for years. Thankfully, there is still some weight to critical worship, and there are those who still believe that just because a band didn‘t sell a kajillion records doesn‘t mean that they aren‘t worth preserving. The “Rays & Hail“ collection allows for even a casual listener to get a sense of the passion and impact of Magazine without having to buy every record out there (or even indulge in the loverly three CD import box set) - from the blistering opening salvo of the first single (the immortal “Shot by Both Sides“) through such desperate classics as “The Light Pours Out of Me“ (covered by both Peter Murphy AND Ministry - now there‘s some street cred) and such haunting epics as “Rhythm of Cruelty“, “Back To Nature“ and the glorious “Permafrost“ (featuring the delightful lyrics “I will drug you / and fuck you / on the permafrost“) The “Rays & Hail“ collection is worth your time, money and attention.

05/31/04 Scott
JERRY GARCIA - ALL GOOD THINGS STUDIO SESSIONS - Compliments
Last week I started to review the new Jerry Garcia box set, All Good Things, from Rhino records. This very cool box set includes all of Jerry‘s original solo albums, digitally remastered, with new packaging and artwork, and over four hours of previously unreleased outtakes, and studio jams. There‘s also a nice booklet with new liner notes and pictures. Last time we checked out the first disc, Garcia; this time we‘ll check out the second disc, Compliments.
First released in 1974, Jerry‘s second solo album was much different from his first in several ways: for one thing, almost all of the songs were cover tunes chosen by his friend and longtime band mate John Kahn. And while he had played all of the instruments on the first one, here he used a variety of top session players including Larry Carlton and Michael Omartian (Steely Dan), and Ron Tutt (Elvis). As one might expect, the results were sort of a mixed bag: covers of the Stones‘ Let‘s Spend the Night Together, and Van Morrison‘s He Ain‘t Give You None just don‘t work that well, sounding too overproduced. And the one Hunter/Garcia original on here, Midnight Town is kind of a dud too. But most of the rest of the album works pretty well. Jerry‘s take on Chuck Berry‘s Let It Rock is pretty cool, as is the version of Dr. John‘s What Goes Around. His take on Little Milton‘s that‘s What Love Make You Do (which later became a staple of JGB live shows) never fails to get me up and dancing around the living room. The most surprising cover on here may be Jerry‘s take on Irving Berlin‘s Russian Lullaby, which he plays on an acoustic classical guitar. Given this unique treatment the song is simply beautiful.
When we get to the ten bonus tracks on here, it‘s easy to see how Compliments could have been a different album. Many of the tracks featured here are outtakes from the recording sessions, and quite a few of them might have worked better than what was actually issued on the album: the bouncing, That‘s A Touch I Like, the funky sounding I‘ll Forget You, the bluesy sounding Road Runner, or the yearning blues of It‘s Too Late. Jerry‘s blues side also comes across on tracks like Think, I Know It‘s A Sin, and Lonesome Town. It is here that Jerry plays some his tastiest guitar licks and riffs, something that was sort of missing on the tracks that did make the cut. Tragedy is a kind of haunting ballad that almost sounds as if it is coming from the same fragile place as Stella Blue. The last cut on the disc, Back Home In Indiana has kind of a laid back country/bluegrass feel that‘s very similar to the sound he would explore with David Grisman years later. Although Compliments is a little uneven in some places, and might have benefited from a different track selection (it‘s hard to see why some of the bonus tracks included didn‘t make it onto the original album), it‘s still a fine sounding disc with some great singing and playing from Jerry Garcia. Next week we‘ll get into Reflections, the third disc in this amazing box set. Until then keep on smilin‘!!

05/31/04 John
Rockfour - Another Beginning
Israel isn‘t often thought of in terms of its rock & roll bands, but the psych-poppy Rockfour could change that. The Tel Aviv-based quartet (singer Eli Lulai, guitarist Baruch Ben Izhak, bassist Marc Lazare, and drummer Issar Tennenbaum) bear some resemblance to Sweden‘s the Soundtrack of Our Lives, only with a wider sphere of influences, ranging from the Byrds and the Move to Julian Cope and the Gang of Four. Their mix of psych, pop, prog, and post-punk influences recall a less-pretentious and -overblown Radiohead. Even when the songs break the five-minute barrier, as about a quarter of them do, there‘s a strong compositional sense that keeps them from turning into the sort of longwinded noodling that occasionally mars Soundtracks of Our Lives or Radiohead albums. More importantly, songs like the catchy opener, “Government,“ and the gauzy single “President of Me“ are terrific pop songs with ear-grabbing hooks and memorable melodies. Another Beginning (originally released in Israel under the name One Fantastic Day) is a solidly enjoyable album from start to finish

05/3/04 Jon
Kids in the Hall - The Complete First Season - DVD
The crazy cross dressing Canadians have finally put out the beginning of one of the greatest sketch comedey shows ever! This box includes over two hours worth of bonus features which contain sketches from the rare pilot episode and much more funny stuff. From crushing heads to voodoo pork you can NOW own all 20 episodes from their debut season on DVD.

05/3/04 Steve
Moving Units - Moving Units EP
Finally, after crawling through the abandoned catacombs of indie rockdom, we here at the World were finally able to listen to anything by the hyped-to-nth-level funk punkers Moving Units. Was this 4-track EP moving? Sure, it‘d be hard not to tap a foot to it. The wiry, beat-and-bass driven songs throb like the Strokes doing Interpol covers or vice-versa. The influence of Gang of Four is immensely apparent, but the Units‘ exceptional bass-playing and smart way with their simple, dance-inspired lyrics count for a lot, even though it‘s hard to hear a single Moving Units‘ song without thinking of their many more inspired contemporaries filling the same genre, such as !!!, the Rapture, Radio 4, and the Liars. While not entirely a standout performance, Moving Units‘ songs are still worth checking out because, while not the best or most-memorable post-punk combo out there, they‘re still not bad. One major problem for them though: they have yet to release their album that was finish!
ed god knows how long ago, and while it is available to those Indie-anna Joneses with insane scrounging abilities, it would be a lot easier to like a band whose album you could actually buy.
Rating: One and a half indies

05/3/04 John
Art Brut - Formed a Band
Named after French painter Jean Debuffet‘s definition of outsider art - art by prisoners, loners, the mentally ill, and other marginalized people, and made without thought to imitation or presentation - South London‘s Art Brut make brilliantly simple, cleverly stupid art-punk. Tagged by NME as part of the “Art Wave“ scene that also includes bands such as Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party, as well as other bands from Art Brut‘s New Cross locale, the group is comprised of singer (and Top of the Pops fan) Eddie Argos, guitarists Chris Chinchilla and Ian Catskilkin, bassist Frederica Feedback, and drummer Mike. The band alleges that they began writing songs five minutes after they formed, including their single Formed a Band, which featured lyrics like “I wanna be the boy/The man that writes the song/That makes Israel and Palestine/Get along.“ Art Brut recorded a demo, Brut Legs, that attracted the attention of Rough Trade, which signed the band and then released Formed a Band in spring 2004. Around the time of the single‘s release, the band played a string of dates, including a set at the Rock Against Racism show; a gig supporting the Libertines‘ Pete Doherty‘s side project Wolfman & Pete; and dates with up-and-coming bands such as the Fades and Abdoujaparov, the latest project from Fruitbat of British indie stalwarts Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine.

05/3/04 Jeff
Nomeansno - The Peoples Choice
This is a collection of 15 songs spanning the 20+ year history of
this often overlooked Canadian band. For those not familiar, their
unique sound is a mash up of punk, jazz, prog, and a touch of metal,
blasted out by a power trio of men around 50. There‘s lots of
stop-start rhythms, weird breaks in the middle of songs, the
occasional thrashing, not to mention the lyrics which range from the
chilling “Dad“ to the almost silly “Rags and Bones“.
Other than the open-minded punk listener, I think fans of Zappa and
bands like Primus could find something to like here. Always remember,
old punkers do it better!

05/3/04 Matt
Chrome - Anthology 1978-1983
Chrome is one of those bands that has always deserved better in terms of public appreciation and acknowledgement. At the same time, considering the (still) insane combination of rudimentary keyboards, samples, and acidic static guitar, it‘s safe to say founding members Helios Creed and Damon Edge (who‘s deceased) couldn‘t have cared less. Formed in 1977 and revolving peripheral members over the course of the next decade+, there‘s no apologies to be found in any of Chrome‘s output. It‘s…ummm, kind of punk, more than a little industrial - before “industrial“ was synonymous with filthy thieves in semi-ironic cowboy hats, of course - and perfectly schizophrenic. Screechy, spacey (as a junky void), disturbing, and arguably genius. Yeah, that‘s Chrome. Anyway, Cleopatra has seen fit to release an anthology of the band‘s (no doubt about it) finest era, ‘78-‘83, and the track selection is formidable…though nowhere near “complete“. Focusing heavily on 1979‘s seminal Half Machi!
ne Lip Moves, this disc is most useful in that most of Chrome‘s catalogue in woefully unavailable domestically, and it‘s a perfect starting point for those unsure about delving deeper into their pockets for the legitimate albums. If track titles like “Perfumed Metal“, “Abstract Nympho“, and “Chromosome Damage“ hold any kind any initial intrigue for you, this is a very safe ($11.91, lovelies), solid, interesting buy…and that‘s without even considering the sweet-ass silver foil slipcase cover.

05/3/04 Doug
Bad Religion - Suffer
Always caring more about song craft than aggression, Bad Religion basically created So-Cal melodic punk/hardcore and without them, bands like AFI and Pennywise would simply not exist. Their sound, at the time, was totally unique. They managed to incorporate melodies and pop sensibilities with hyper-intelligent sociopolitical lyrics and blistering hardcore tempos. The result was divine, and it is shown in all its glory on Suffer, the best and quintessential Bad Religion record.
The album starts off with “You are (the government)“ and doesn‘t slow down from there. Tracks like “1000 more fools“, “Suffer“, “When?“, and “Do what you want“ will keep you coming back to Suffer for more. Bad Religion (and this album), as suggested in my title, are what I like to call the perfect median between pop-punk and hardcore. If you like Black Flag and Minor Threat, you‘ll like this (unless you‘re a die-hard hardcore fan and don‘t like anything more melodic and “softer“ than the aforementioned). At the same time, if you like Millencolin, NOFX, and other 90s pop-punk bands, you‘ll like this (unless you really, really like that “funny“ punk or songs about girls). Personally, I can‘t stand any 90s pop-punk, but I‘d assume that Suffer is something that a fan of it will like. This is an extremely accessible album, but, at the same time, never gets old. At first listen, the songs tend to all sound the same (a problem with practically all Bad Religion albums), but after you listen to it more, it really grows on you and you‘ll become addicted (to satisfy the addiction, you should definitely pick up No Control, their 2nd best).

05/3/04 Twoie
Richard Cheese - Lounge Against the Machine
Campy, Vegas-styled lounge music is always a fun listen. Talented singers with a big band of great musicians is always a plus as well. Lounge versions of popular 90‘s and 2000‘s radio songs done very well by a good band makes for a very interesting experience (and I mean that in the best way possible). Richard Cheese goes from Limp Bizkit (who could never sound this good themselves), to the Prodigy, to the Dead Kennedy‘s “Holiday in Cambodia“ done as a Christmas Jingle, to Nine Inch Nails, to Fat Boy Slim. The highlight of this album is the uplifting, happy-go-lucky, feel-good cover of Nirvana‘s “Rape Me“. When you think you have heard it all, listen to Richard Cheese...

05/3/04 Mike
Robin Trower - Bridge of Sighs (Remaster)
Anytime I‘m talking to a 40 something or older dude in the store about the greatness of some guitar wizard, or some perfectly played out solo, or just the sheer power of rock n‘ roll and rock/blues fusion, (and what records need to be bought), this record always comes up. Very rarely do experienced music lovers not start blatently high fiving each other when Trowers “Bridge of Sighs“ comes up. Now available in remastered form with 5 live tracks (all selections from same era Bridge record), it‘s celebrating the 25th anniversary of this Hendrix protege. Jam band fans, hard rock fans and anyone who wants to know what 70‘s rock is really about will check this power trio out.

05/3/04 Bill
Lou Reed - Animal Serenade (2cds - live)
Lou Reed has every right to rest on his laurels and just reap the benefits of years of being one rock‘n‘roll‘s premier songwriters, but last year he extended his reach further by releasing a sprawling double-cd set of music based on the life & writings of Edgar Allen Poe. The album was critically and popularly received with a shrug. Hardcore fans dipped their toes into it & didn‘t really go for the big swim, while more casual listeners (the “Oh, Yeah, ‘Walk on the Wild Side‘, right?“ folks) stayed away in droves. Now, Lou delivers a double disc live album from the “Raven“ tour, to give folks a second chance to hear some of the stuff they missed. By sticking primarily with classic tunes, Lou offers the fans a healthy dose of what they want from him, but gives them the artistic twists that long-time fans have come to love and respect him for. I am one of the long-time fans that believes that all of Lou‘s various incarnations have hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered (yes, even the horrid “Take No Prisoners“ live album)- with “Animal Serenade“ Lou has offered up some of those treasures himself, and surrounded them with vibrsant new interpretations of some of his stand-out classics.

05/3/04 Scott
Savoy Brown - Hellbound Train Live 1969-1972
Released in late 2003,Hellbound Train Live 1969-1972 offers up two full discs of live Savoy Brown. This long overdue collection was recorded at several shows, with four different line-ups represented here. As most fans know, Savoy Brown was a virtual revolving door of ever-changing personnel, the one constant being guitar legend Kim Simmonds. Although the sound quality starts out a little murky on the first couple of cuts, it improves greatly after that. Standout cuts include A Little More Wine and Savoy brown Boogie No. 2, with outstanding vocals from Chris Youlden. Lonesome Dave Peverret, who would after go on to form Foghat, handles lead vocals and rhythm guitar on seven tunes, including Leaving Again and the burning Memory Pain. And although Louisiana Blues goes on for over twenty minutes, there‘s hardly wasted note anywhere, as the band tears though a jam that calls to mind the Allman Brothers. Disc two features rocking versions of Looking From the Outside, Hellbound Train, and All I Can Do. The second half of disc two features vocalists Dave Walker, and Jackie Lynton on songs like Let It Rock and the rocking Tell Mama. Kim Simmonds is in fine form throughout, no matter what the line-up, with his stinging, biting blues guitar riffs that always sound just right for the song. This compilation would be a good place to start for someone just getting into Savoy Brown, and if you‘re already a fan, then consider Hellbound Train Live Essential!

05/3/04 David
Beanfield - Seek
The Munich-based Beanfield unveil a new sound and a new line-up with their third album, Seek. Following the departure of Tobias Meggie and Compost founder Michael Reinboth, surviving member Jan Krause reassembled the group with former Fauna Flash and Truby Trio session keyboardist Michael Mettke and main vocalists Ernesto and Bajka. Their resulting 11 song set is a stylistic departure from their previous full-lengths. Abandoning all samplers, it‘s a refined musical vision highlighted with lush orchestration, versatile arrangements and poignant soulful compositions that incorporate elements of Latin and Brazilian jazz, earthy soul, broken beat, contemplative folk and funk somewhere between Zero 7 , Vikter Duplaix, Herbert and P‘Taah. The meditative “Tides,“ the heartfelt and obtusely funky “Someone Like You“ and “Home“ are the finest examples of the group‘s renewed sense of purpose, but heads will undoubtedly embrace lead single“ Close To You“ and the club friendly “Welcome“ (featuring the dulcet-toned Marzenka). For me it‘s Beanfield‘s strongest work-to-date and offers a refreshing and vibrant blueprint for things to come.

05/24/04 John
Rockfour - Nationwide
Israel isn‘t often thought of in terms of its rock & roll bands, but the psych-poppy Rockfour could change that. The Tel Aviv-based quartet (singer Eli Lulai, guitarist Baruch Ben Izhak, bassist Marc Lazare, and drummer Issar Tennenbaum) bear some resemblance to Sweden‘s the Soundtrack of Our Lives, only with a wider sphere of influences,ranging from the Byrds and the Move to Julian Cope and the Gang of Four. Their mix of psych, pop, prog, and post-punk influences recall a less-pretentious and -overblown Radiohead. Even when the songs break the five-minute barrier, as about a quarter of them do, there‘s a strong compositional sense that keeps them from turning into the sort of longwinded noodling that occasionally mars Soundtracks of Our Lives or Radiohead albums. More importantly, songs like the catchy opener, “Government,“ and the gauzy single “President of Me“ are terrific pop songs with ear-grabbing hooks and memorable melodies. Nationwide is a solidly enjoyable album from start to finish.

05/24/04 Steve
The Fever -