Parsimonious Reviews of Quette Daddie, Aaron Cole, Beyond This Flesh and a Couple More!I Am Electric and On Vibrato CD Releases- Dec. 3, Urban Lounge; Dec. 4, Kilby Court w/Middle Distance, The New Transit DirectionTake The Fall CD Release- Dec. 17, Kilby Court w/The Contingency Plan

Aaron Cole
Aarotica
Aaron Cole = The Prodigy + Clover
With Aarotica, Aaron Cole, who has been involved in local projects for over a decade, blends repetitive electronic beats with dub and drum and bass with soft alt-rock and world music, resulting in an infectious dance mix for a party of monstrous proportions, or maybe just something to lose yourself in while soaking in Calgon. "Yesterday's Darling" is the best track due to the great beats, followed closely by "Seduction," "Bite Me" and The Prodigy-ish "On Drugz." Gritty is better than pretty. www.xortium.com

Beyond This Flesh
Self-Titled
Beyond This Flesh = At The Gates + The Black Dahlia Murder + Kreator + Total Chaos
Scream as high-pitched, loud and hard as you can—really hard!—for half an hour straight. You now have a feel for the vocals of Beyond This Flesh. Imagine the intense, technical yet thrashing riffs of any band from the Swedish death camps, then add some old-school Kreator or Slayer speed-drumming. Throw in some death growls from the second guitarist to complement the frantic shrieking of the main vocalist. Now add a picture of the Nauvoo temple burning on your CD artwork—perfect! Experiencing this band live is as close as you can get to having your face sonically ripped off! –The BUTCHER

Empty-Handed
Self-titled EP
Empty-Handed = Cat Stevens + Counting Crows
Empty-Handed could probably sell 3,000 copies of this EP on the U of U campus in a couple hours. "I need time to think this whole life through/I'm so sick and tired of feeling blue" warbles Empty-Handed on "This Life" while alt-countryish emo arpeggios with a wicked pan in "Caution" make you feel like you're in a washing machine. All quite mediocre, but not necessarily so off-putting that you'll push open the door of said washing machine and struggle to escape drowning. musiclife47@hotmail.com


The Jukejoint 45's
Self-titled EP
The Jukejoint 45's = The Cramps + Elvis + Robert Johnson
Grammar, children! If I see another Salt City CD's or Go-Go's emblem again, I'll maul. Plurals don't have apostrophes! Anyway, The Jukejoint "45's" make some really kick-ass rockabilly that's not different from a dozen other rockabilly bands you've heard before, but what sets them apart is their ability to channel the true, primal, good-time, old-fashioned sound of genuine rockabilly with primal blues, unaffected flair and rummy, suave, Elvis-trembly vocals. Hell, they might even be good enough to tour with The Reverend Horton Heat! www.thejukejoint45s.com

Midnight Rhythm Combo
Self-titled
Midnight Rhythm Combo = Nikki Costa + 20 years of musical theory
Midnight Rhythm Combo is a disgustingly talented, tight and professional blues combo with jazz overtones and organ. Their female vocalist hovers between silk and husk. They're a band who could play a Las Vegas casino, demand a rider of a five-star hotel + linened dinner and a guarantee of $1000 and not be laughed at. They could play a double two-hour set with a 15-minute intermission. They could make clubs sign contracts and fax them back. And, well, that's all I really have to say about that. www.midnightrhythmcombo.com