Johnny "JC" Christ - Addison Store

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

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.

11/09/04 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.

11/02/04 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.

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.

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.

08/23/04 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.

08/09/04 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

08/02/04 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.

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.

07/12/04 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. ****

07/05/04 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.

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.

06/21/04 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

06/14/04 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.

06/07/04 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.

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 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.

05/24/04 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.

05/17/04 John
The Divine Comedy - Absent Friends
With Absent Friends, Neil Hannon returns to his old form of crooning pop masterpieces. While Regeneration seemed mired in murkiness and awkwardly styled angry tunes, and some wondered if Hannon would recover from firing his bandmates, Absent Friends sees Hannon blending the finest themes of his previous albums into a gorgeous, mature tapestry of musical adventures. Longtime associate Jobi Talbot lends his usual magic and Regeneration producer Nigel Godrich stays on as mixer, allowing Hannon to expertly man the production boards himself. Album closer “Charmed Life,“ which marries jerky pianos with airy orchestration and a thoroughly jolly sense of self-discovery, is perhaps most indicative of Hannon‘s rediscovered optimism. The song perfectly blends the light, literary style of Promenade and Liberation, but with the added crunch and bombast of Hannon‘s West End-leaning Casanova and Fin de Siecle. “Sticks & Stones“ also traverses Casanova territory, while “Come Home Billy Bird“, “Absent Friends“, and “The Happy Goth“ all feel like souped-up versions of Promenade and Liberation tunes. “Come Home Billy Bird“ seems like the mature artist‘s version of “Bernice Bobs Her Hair.“ Where Hannon sang of schoolgirl pettiness on the latter, he moves onto the problems business travel causes family life on the former. Thus, Hannon has found a way to mix semi-autobiographical subject matter with the witty pop melodies that are his bread and butter. As always, it‘s Hannon‘s superb wit and impeccable sense of timing that allow him to mingle delicate and simultaneously revelatory turns of phrase for maximum emotional and musical effect. Who else could pull off a touching yet hilarious song like “The Happy Goth,“ where Hannon sings of lonely yet happy young lady “who wears Doc Martens and a heavy cross“? It is perhaps “Our Mutual Friend“ that really drives home the confidence and real nature of Hannon‘s songwriting and execution at this stage of his career.

05/10/04 John
The Shams - Take Off
The Shams debut disc is a cave-stompin‘ garage rock collection that owes a huge debt to the Seeds, the Velvet Underground, the Stooges, and anyone else who woke up the neighborhood on a Saturday morning somewhere in mid-‘60s middle America with a spirited blast of bass, guitar, drums, battered keyboards, and scratchy vocals. Take Off is an enjoyable lo-fi affair chock-full of cheesy organ sounds, way too much reverb (which is a good thing), amplifier buzz, and four guys looking to meet girls. Each track is a rollicking pastiche of eighth- and 16th-note rhythms that are rendered slightly out of time and just a pinch out of key. Down, but not out of the mix, Zach Gabbard howls à la Mick Jagger and Jim Morrison, as did countless musically inclined delinquent teenagers in decades past. His partners in crime kick out the jams as if their lives depended on it, relying primarily on simplicity and volume. Kudos to the boys for covering Alan Tousssaint‘s dirty funky “Get out My Life Woman“ and the goofy space jam that somehow found its way into the bridge of “I Get High.“ As long as there are concrete enclosures for parking, and as long as there are young men who want to be rock stars and impress the cute blonde cheerleader in chemistry class, there will be bands like the Shams.

04/5/04 John
Salim Nourallah - Polaroid
I have to start by saying this is one of the best records of the year, which puts it in high standing amongst the likes of British Sea Power, the new Travis, the Stills, etc...
This artist is no beginner songwriter, it seems as if he is compelled to write for fear of death or not existing. What is also brilliant about this record is that for every beautifully lonely ballad there is a complimenting pop tune that brings on a roller coaster effect. The music is also able to represent the emotional content whilst being effortlessly steered by melody, which many songwriters seem to struggle with. Every song has a real &
organic feel & a few of these tunes won‘t get out of your head. 5 BEERS !!!!!

04/26/04 John
Vitesse - You win again gravity
For all of the attention paid to electro-clash albums in 2002, most of them did not, in fact, sound much like the pioneering early-‘80s synth pop artists that were their supposed inspiration. On the other hand, the third album by Vitesse confirms the New York-via-Nashville duo‘s place alongside Future Bible Heroes, the Rondelles, and other indie-era revivalists of the halcyon days of Factory Records. Joshua Klein and Hewson Chen sound as if they‘ve memorized every note of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark‘s Architecture & Morality and the first
couple of Talk Talk albums, but alongside the note-perfect re-creation of the analog-synths-and-Linn-drums years, the duo shows a gift for wistful minor-key melodies and the sort of memorable hooks that would have garnered some decent airplay on MTV back in the day. The dreamy “Out Under Stars,“ with its chattering keyboard riff, is a particular gem, but all of these brief songs (16 in just over 50 minutes) have much to recommend them, particularly Klein‘s warm, throaty voice, which sounds like Stephin Merritt minus the deadpan irony, and the clever all-synth arrangements, which manage the neat trick of sounding as if they could have been recorded in 1981 without feeling dated in the least.

04/12/04 John
Vitesse - What cannot be
Vitesse continues to wear their influences proudly on their sleeve, delivering another batch of Magnetic Fields- and Factory Records-inspired songs on their third album, What Can Not Be, But Is.... However, the prominence of their inspirations in their music ends up being more reassuring than disappointing; pretty, bittersweet songs like “A Statue on Easter Island,“ “The Writing on the Wall,“ and “Starlight“ will please fans of old and new indie pop alike with their simple, dreamy synth melodies. What Can Not Be, But Is... features covers as natural as OMD‘s “2nd Thought“ and as unusual as Bruce Springsteen‘s “Unsatisfied Heart,“ both of which fit in perfectly with the rest of Vitesse‘s stylishly sad
material. Though the group doesn‘t really break any new ground with this album, What Can Not Be, But Is... is so soothingly pretty that it doesn‘t really matter

03/29/04 John
The Fever - Red Bedroom
Keep your ears open for this May 18th release. This band is set to blast the doors off the New York tidal wave that has been engulfing modern music. This band mixes the best aspects of garage & hyper no wave. Crooked guitars , funky bass lines, & interesting lyrics are the recipe that make the music exciting... in the meanwhile swing by & pick up the fever‘s “pink on pink“ e.p.

02/23/04 John
JFA - We know you suck compilation 2003
We Know You Suck compiles J.F.A.‘s earliest recordings for the Placebo
label, as well as 12 live and compilation-only tracks. The Blatant Localism EP, so important as an artifact from the initial unification of punk and skateboarding, appears here in its entirety; it‘s joined by the Valley of the Yakes LP, where surf anthems like “Baja“ and deceptively simple, Clash-inspired screeds (“Preppy,“ “Johnny D.“) illustrate the breadth of J.F.A.‘s definitive skate punk sound. Even if it‘s plagued by shoddy fidelity, the live material is nevertheless exciting as it encompasses the band‘s youth, aggression, and immediacy. Among the compilation tracks, alternate versions of “Preppy“ and “Great Equalizer“ are standouts. This release is the fourth volume of Alternative Tentacles‘ Skate Rock Reissue series; it includes some fabulous photography from the era, as well as liner contributions from the Vandals‘ Jan Akkerman, legendary skateboarder Steve Caballero, and Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster.

02/23/04 John
Agent Orange - Blood stained hits
This is a killer re-mastered collection from my favorite American punk band. They came on the scene in late 79 & releasing their first & best record in 1980( “living in darkness“. I consider them more of skate or surf rock band that mixed catchy driving melodies with a total garage energy & sound fidelity. lots of youthful exuberance & warm beer is the way to listen to this band.

02/16/04 John
Logic - Will Break Your Heart
When i listen to this record I can‘t help but feel like I‘ve been whisked back in time with all their Smiths and the Cure similarities. I know fashions and styles have a circular effect, they come back every x number of years but no matter what, you can‘t prepare for it. Anyway, while the Stills easily fit into that retro vibe of the New Wave movement, including bands like Interpol, they still bring some new ideas to the table. The album starts out with drums and crash cymbals galore, and then a manic strumming pace sets you up for the introduction of Tim Fletcher‘s aching vocals. Then with “Gender Bombs“ a guitar rings out and then drums kick in as we again wait for Tim‘s vocals. It seems as though The Stills have realized that Fletcher‘s singing is the bands highlight as they frame pretty much ever instant of his voice with masterful fence, not wanting to let him get out of hand. The Stills don‘t really bring anything radically different to the table. They are just a bunch of Canadian‘s that grew up with 80s radio rock and felt they would like to give something back. I have a feeling Logic will be a sleeper hit. Ever song on the album has potential for being a radio hit