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May 2007 - Issue 221

Ahab Rex
Blood on Blonde
Lens Records
Street: 10.31
Ahab Rex = Pigface + Tom Waits
After the first spin of Ahab Rex’s Blood on Blonde, I went searching the liner notes for Martin Atkins name. Sure enough, I found it. Ahab Rex is Pigface-bound with his raw Tom Waits style vocals and gritty beats the showcase electronic rhythms meet folk, particularly on “Thank You Mister Russia (An Alcoholic Love Story).” Bluesy beats and piano on “Blood on Blonde (Main Theme),” offer a basic instrumental piece that is quite repetitive, but hypnotically peaceful and pleasant. Pigface, not surprisingly, makes a cameo with a remix of “To Whom it May Concern.” In fact, this song could have been on the 1992 disc, Fook, and could have confused the listener for the vocals being those of En Esch. Another remix by Assassins of “Ordinary Things,” shape up the twelve-track disc with poppy beats and a desire to hear more Ahab Rex. -–Oneamyseven

Alias
Collected Remixes
Anticon.
Street: 05.15
Alias = Alias & Tarsier + Alias & Ehren + Alias & (respective artist goes here)
While I can’t help but feel Alias’ hawk like fingers produce a fairly repetitive sound at the large square buttons of his MPC2000. I also can’t help but love every repetitive moment. What’s really cool about this repetition is how well it helps in congealing Alias’ latest release, Collected Remixes as an album rather than just a collection of remixes. An assortment of import–only, lost or limited release tracks from a wide range of fellow rock stars! (Including but not limited to: Lali Puna; 13 & God; One AM Radio and John Vanderslice) are reworked under Alias’ drum machine ballistics into sound bites that, when fitted together make a clear picture of Brendon Whitney disoriented smiling face. Although there’s really nothing enduring about Collected Remixes it should be enough to keep any Alias fan happy until his solo follow up to 2003’s Muted hits record store shelves. (Insert time and place to listen to Collected Remixes. Preferably include something that leads everyone to believe you have a beautiful girlfriend even though it’s obvious you suck). –Miles Ridling

Amy Winehouse
Back to Black
Universal Republic Records
Street: 04.07
Amy W. = Lauren Hill + Emulation of a Genre + Motown Massacre
Wow, this album received a lot of good reviews. “Incredible! Rich! Addicting! Deep! Witty! Risqu!” That’s all fine and dandy, but I’m not a daily news writer nor is this a bullshit publication. We here at Slug are encouraged to tell the truth no matter how ugly. With that said, I would like to share my opinion. I read booklet of lyrics before even listening to the album. Remember the suited villain from that movie, Baseketball? Anytime Remer would say something, the villain would grab his head and scream because everything Remer said was painfully stupid. Well, I was screaming (loudly) as I pushed in the c.d. for a listen. Wow, every single fucking line rhymes, no matter if it makes any sense or not! Golden Star for structure! Every song sounds the same! Kudos for consistency! Ok, long story short…there are two good things about this album. Ghost Face Killa on a track and the fact that it helps evacuate the colon. –Lance Saunders

Antelope
Reflector
Dischord Records
Street: 03.26
Antelope = French Toast + The Evens + Joe Lally + early Cure +The Aquarium
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems as if all the recent Dischord releases (French Toast, Joe Lally, The Evens, etc.) have more similarities than differences. Is this bad? Not necessarily. Is this good? Not necessarily. While consistency is a safe vehicle for any decent record label, it can also cause things to become stagnant. That is not to say Antelope’s full length, Reflector, isn’t an impressive album, because it is. Antelope puts together smart and meditative music, which at some points, seems too daunting to take in and at other times hits just right. The overall feel of the music on Reflector is similar to The Cure’s, Staring at the Sea: The Singles, except less catchy, poppy and more stripped-down to a Joe Lally or Evens level of music. Antelope is a band whose music doesn’t make good background/thoughtless music, they are a band whose music needs to be listened to closely and pondered to fully understand and appreciate it. –Jeremy C. Wilkins

Behemoth
Chaotica – The Essence of the Underworld
Metal Mind
Street: 03.30.06
Behemoth = Carpathian Forest + Emperor
This release isn’t necessarily of unreleased material though a select few of the tracks have not been released before. This limited edition dual CD basically is a culmination of songs recorded from the mid 90s. This was the time before Behemoth was the brutal death metal beast that they are considered now. The Polish band played a form of black metal rawer in production and emotion. There are many elements at play here heavy folk elements seep their way into the twisted shape that was Behemoth in their early days as well as plenty of atmosphere. It is important to know that Behemoth wasn’t the death metal beast they are now, just to know what the bands roots are seeded in. For fans of the new material the under produced sound may be a turn off but for die-hards this release is just another piece to add to their collection, even though most of this material was already made available in the bands limited box set release. –Bryer Wharton

Ben + Vesper
All This Could Kill You
Sounds Familyre Records
Street: 05.22
Ben + Vesper = Low + The Low Lows + Something else with the word Low When listened to on stereo Ben + Vesper sound like two desperate faux bohemians crooning about sad sad, boo hoo. When listened to with earbuds, B and V sound worthy of the comparison to Low. There are still the husband/wife melancholy melodies, though Boo and Voo’s penchant for the personable hits an intimate buoy when coupled with Sufjan Steven’s heart–warming acoustic lovelies. All This Could Kill You is full of sounds so subtle that it requires many listens and headphones to grip everything; Danielson produced it while several others added uniquely antique sounds. The result is pop hauntingly. –Spanther

Boris with Michio Kuriahara
Rainbow
Drag City Records
Street: 05.08
Boris with Michio Kuriahara = fucking BORIS + Ghost + Sunn0)))
Color me excited. Adding the psych–rock guitar brilliance of Michio Kuriahara of Ghost and White Heaven fame to the dare–I–say sheer brilliance of Boris almost seems too easy. The only question I had was which Boris was going to show up here– the experimental, drone–worshipping Boris that continually pairs up with noise legened Merzbow, or the ungodly heavy Boris that produced classics like “Flood” and “Amplifier Worship.” This sucker lands right in the middle of the two, and this is probably the most listener–friendly of any Boris release I’ve heard thus far. The tracks “Rainbow” and “Starship Narrator” could easily have been 1960’s love–fest anthems if it weren’t for the shredding of Michio and the gut–wrenching low end provided by the bass and drums, and “Fuzzy Reactor” is one of the closest things to avant–garde psychedelia that’s been done well in the last 30 years. Enough. Just go buy this fucking thing. –loveyoudead

Brandon Adamson
Costume Drama
Uncharted Records
Street: 04.03
Brandon Adamson = Lou Reed + Daniel Johnston + Nick Drake
For me, the image of the chain smoking, alcoholic, loosely suspendered novelist–slaving away at a typewriter as his “masterpiece” comes slowly into focus–has been replaced by an image I have of guys like Brandon Adamson. I’m sure there are plenty of these songwriters, holed up in their studio apartments, banging away on toy keyboards, singing into their 8 track as they wait for their genius to be appreciated. It’s sort of like the “Great American Lo-Fi Album,” and really amazing music, like most of Daniel Johnston’s best, has been made under such circumstances. The problem, however, is that when such an album falls flat, it tends to fall flat on its face. When Adamson is at his best the songs feel more like spoken-word poetry, his lyrical wit and sense of humor becoming the focal point. Most of the album, though, feels like playtime with synthesizers and drum machines, and comes off silly and indulgent rather than artistic. –Jeff Guay

The Brokedowns
New Brains for Everyone
Thick Records
Street: 05.08
The Brokedowns = Dillinger Four + Leatherface + lots of beer
The Brokedowns sound like Dillinger Four. A lot. Now, this isn't really a bad thing, since Dillinger Four is one of the most rockin' bands in the world of punk rock today, but is it really too much to ask for some originality? The Brokedowns employ the use of multiple vocalists (just like D4), have an apparent sense of humor (a la D4) and combine the aggressiveness of punk rock with arena–rock hooks and singalong choruses (D4, anyone?). Still, New Brains for Everyone is a fun album that is a bit more aggressive and gritty than the output of a similar sounding Minneapolis band who will go unnamed. Opening track "Brains" is a highlight, with it's deadpan chorus, and the shout–along, fist–pumping chorus of "Barefeet" would probably be a blast live. Even though they aren't the most original band around, The Brokedowns play a solid brand of punk rock that shouldn't be ignored. –Ricky Vigil

The Chariot
The Fiancee
Solid State Records
Street: 04.03
The Chariot = Norma Jean + With All Sincerity + a more rock n roll Botch
The Chariot, or as most people like to think of them, “the band from the dude that used to sing for Norma Jean” is a big name in the Christian metalcore scene. I don’t see it getting much further than the walled in city of the Christian music community though. In my observations talking to the Christian metalcore crowd, musical tastes are pretty split along a Chistian/secular line, and unfortunately there are holes about what came before in the hardcore community as a whole. The Chariot is anything but groundbreaking, The Fiancee sounds more like the demo sessions of prominent hardcore bands (Botch, Disembodied, and others of the rock/metal/spastic ilk) than a revolution. In some circles this will be heralded as the best thing since sliced bread, and credit is due for experimentation in some areas – old time singing thrown in, harmonicas, random noise, and varied vocal/scream patterns – but the music is derivative and sounds painfully like the band is trying to play something complicated, when in actuality it’s not that brilliant. Nice try Chariot. I’m sure people will be picking this CD up, but it’s not going down in any history books. –Peter Fryer

Clorox Girls
J’aime Les Filles
BYO Records
Street: 04.17
Clorox Girls = The Ramones + The Briefs
I’m incredibly sick of 77–style punk with a twist of pop music so sweet it will rot your teeth out just thinking about it. When there weren’t a million bands doing it, it wasn’t bad, but now it’s overkill. Clorox Girls sound like an incredibly diluted version of the Ramones. Their love songs lack the tongue in cheek humor and come off as pitiful. During “Straight to My Heart” when lead singer Justin Maurer sings “It’s Monday night and I need you/ and I don’t know what to do,” it just comes off as creepy. On “Stuck in a Hole” when he sings “I want to shipwreck between her thighs” its just gross. The only saving grace on J’aime Les Filles is their cover of “Le Banana Split” (originally done by Lio), but other than that Clorox Girls never mustered enough energy to make me want to do anything more than change the CD. –Jeanette Moses

Dalek & Haze XXL
A Purge of Dissidents
Ipecac
Street: 05.29
Dalek & Haze = crazy animation + experimental rock music
First of all this is not Dlek the experimental rapper who is also on Ipecac this is Dalek (with out the two dots over the letter a) who is visual artist that creates pictures of deranged space monkeys, also signed to Ipecac. Haze XXL is the former guitar player of Halo Of Flies. These two have teamed up to form an art project that consists of graphic art, animation and music. The whole project is called A Purge of Dissidents and when purchased comes with a book of Dalek’s art, a DVD consisting of Dalek’s art pieced together in animation with the Haze XXL soundtrack playing over it, and a CD with just the Haze XXL soundtrack. This stuff is quite complicated and confusing at first but once to you start absorbing all the different media it begins to make sense. The DVD is definitely the most entertaining part of the package; it ties all of the projects elements together. The animation consists of a lime green self mutilating space monkey stabbing himself and floating around in a rainbow house with a canon that shoots diamond bullets at evil faces with money signs for eyes. The soundtrack is short bits of songs performed by Haze XXL, The Melvins, Grant Hart (Hsker D), and Kenny Greenbaum (Princess Dragon/ Mog Stunt/Team 555), that sounds like a more cohesive version of Fantmas. It’s all pretty experimental and psychedelic. Buy this package if you feel like tripping out and driving yourself insane. –Jon Robertson

Dan Deacon
Spiderman of the Rings
Carpark Records
Street: 05.20
Dan Deacon = Experimental Animals + Wizardzz – Quintron + Job Micah Och El
A bleep–infested clusterfuck of dance pop, Dan Deacon produces ear–friendly noise music that you can show to your parents or not–quite–understanding significant other without considerable backlash or “You call this music?” comments. The song structures are very simple and conducive to busting a groove, or a nut for that matter, and the wide array of filter sweeps keep the sound fresher than a Georgia peach. That being said, the album is quite relaxed, and at times transforms into a supercharged Zelda soundtrack, which, by any measure, is fucking awesome. Oh yeah, and he tours by Greyhound bus with a bunch of custom noise machines in suitcases. Rad. –Ryan Powers

David T. Chastain
Countdown to Infinity
Leviathan Records
Street: 04.03
David T. Chastain = instrumental guitar rock you may not have heard before
I’ve never been a huge fan of instrumental guitar based rock/metal, in many ways I find it a little pretentious for a player to make only his work the focus of what you are listening to. While creative control on Countdown to Infinity may lie solely in the hands of David T. Chastain his playing is subtle enough to stomach not being overly pretentious and the drumming from Mike Haid is more than just background to the guitar playing it is truly part of the album. Since I don’t listen to the genre much I had never heard of Chastain going into listening to this album so I had no preconceived notions of what to expect. The end result is something that isn’t just an exploration into what one man can do but more of an artistic experience led by the guitarist. Apparently Chastain has a lot of solo albums under his belt and also a couple of full–fledged bands to add to his repertoire. The end result of Countdown to Infinity is something that is catchy and diverse enough to garner repeated listens. So if you find yourself in my boat of not listening to instrumental guitar rock give it another chance and try Chastain on for size. –Bryer Wharton

Death of a Party
The Rise and Fall of Scarlet City
Double Negative Records
Street: 05.24
Death of a Party = The Blood Brothers – The Plot to Blow up the Eiffel Tower + The Maeshi + Hot Hot Heat
Death of a Party provides an intriguing hybrid between the spazz–punk and punk–pop rock. The end result lacks teeth but is strikingly reminiscent of The Blood Brothers. In fact, with their vocals mimic the style so closely it almost sounds like a cover band. Take that however you will, the record is a relatively solid rock album, but by no means interesting or by any means done better than the Blood Brothers themselves. I want to like this band, but I can’t imagine telling someone, “Hey you know the Blood Brothers? Well, I found a band exactly like that, but just not as good!” At any rate the band has a lot of potential for growth, but too bad this is a music review and not the stock market, because potential doesn’t add up to shit. –Ryan Powers

Delicate Noise
Diversion
Lens Records
Street: 10.31
Delicate Noise = Haujobb + Sister Machine Gun +Nine Inch Nails
Walking into unscathed vocals over mesmerizing beats and astute melodies immediately draws parallels to Wax Trax era industrial on the debut from Delicate Noise. It could be 1989 during the time that Pretty Hate Machine was unleashed and the solo project of Mark Andrushko would rival Trent Reznor in a passive-aggressive manner. Eighteen years later, the construction of Delicate Noise is sharp with attention to detail, drawing the listener into a sea of noise synonymous with the project name. While the sound is thoroughly developed in the way Haujobb masters the synths, the vocals walk the fine line between charming and nave. However, both synthpop fans and industrial fans will be able to agree that Diversion is a gem. Andrushko had no intentions of pursuing this project as a musician, but rather craved another outlet for self-expression, thus resulting in a magnificent debut. -–Oneamyseven

D.O.A.
Punk Rock Singles 1978–99
Sudden Death Records
Street: 04.01
D.O.A. = D.O.A.
What a sweet collection of singles. As the name indicates, the newest release from Sudden Death is sure to satisfy your need for D.O.A. The album contains songs from thirteen of the band’s seven inches. Punk Rock Singles puts all the best songs in one place. While it isn’t nearly as cool as owning originals of all those singles, it is a bit more convenient, plus this way you can throw them on your iPod. The sound quality on the collection is great too. My favorites include “Fucked Up Ronnie”, “New Wave Sucks” and the utterly cheesy “Marijuana Motherfuckers”. –Jeanette Moses

Drawing Voices
Drawing Voices
Hydra Head Records/Double H Noise
Street: 03.20
Drawing Voices = Merzbow + Blood Axis + A tape recorder being left on outside all night
Now here’s one that’s not for everyone, although it’s much easier on the ears than, say, most of Merzbow’s stuff. Plodding ambient soundscapes abound, and I’ll give ten bucks to anyone that can identify ALL of the various “natural” sounds used in the track “Scattered Shavings” (I have no doubt there is the sound of a pencil being put to paper in there somewhere.) I found it surprising how much actual rhythm there was to this, and how easily my mind began to wander while attempting to digest the whole thing. I get the impression that this would be the perfect soundtrack to some weird, foreign art film that ten people would ultimately give a shit about. –loveyoudead

The Dreadful Yawns
Rest
Exit Stencil Recordings
Street 05.01
The Dreadful Yawns = the Byrds + Nick Drake + Neil Young during his cocaine years
Indie rock seems plagued with bands that rise and fall before anyone gets a chance to hear them. This was almost the case of the Cleveland, Ohio, five–piece, The Dreadful Yawns. By the time this album was finished, everyone but Ben Gmetro, the band’s chief songwriter, had quit. The two–year journey of lineup changes and recording studio hardships resulted in this rather surreal collection of psyche–folk tunes. At times, the vocal melodies, pedal–steel and full orchestration combine so beautifully that it’s hard to imagine why anyone would want to listen to anything else. Highlights include the partly acoustic “You’ve Been Recorded,” a cover of Gram Parsons’ “November Nights” and a set of musical interludes bundled together under the name “Mountains.” And though at times it seems that Gmetro and company are trying a little too hard (a tad too much saw in a few spots), the bulk of Rest is genuine, warm and breathtakingly gorgeous. As the Dreadful Yawns continue to reinvent themselves, they are worth checking out—especially on days when you need a little sunshine. –James Bennett

Erasure
Light at the End of the World
Mute
Street: 05.22
Erasure = Bright & Shiny Synthpop
Erasure continues their renaissance with Light at the End of the World which finds the duo returning to their perfected analogue pop after a brief (and surprisingly brilliant) flirtation with acoustic (dare I say country) music. Going into the album Vince Clarke put emphasis on recording a few more up–tempo tracks seeing their recent output as a bit mellow. The result is an album that is reminiscent of 1991’s Chorus (albeit without the real stomper of “I Love to Hate You”) where the dance floor selections are anchored by a handful of mid–tempo songs. The lead single “I Could Fall in Love with You” is classic floor filling Erasure, “Sucker for Love” is an energetic romp while “Sunday Girl” is a bright homage to glitter laced clubbing. “How My Eyes Adore You” are “When A Love Leaves You” are sweeping cinematic soundscapes while “Glass Angel” sounds like a castaway from the highly underrated self–titled album. But it is the middle of the album, the more seriously toned “Storm in a Teacup” leading into the equally fantastic “Fly Away” that stand out as classics. This is shamelessly great pop music. (USANA: 06.09). –ryan michael painter

The Fades
The Fades
Dirrty Records
Street: 04.10
The Fades = The Futureheads + Gang of Four + The Strays
The Fades sound almost identical to every single British band that has made it over to the U.S. over the last couple of years. Start off with Gang of Four style jerkiness, maybe add some generic Police or Clash style reggae, throw in some trite lyrics, and voila! You're the saviors of rock music as we know it! The Fades are a little bit rougher around the edges than their peers, especially on the aggressive "Caca" (which translates to "Poop" for you gringos), but overall they don't do anything that The Futureheads or Bloc Party didn't do better two years ago. The punk inspired energy that is seething beneath tracks like "Fruit Machine" is totally suffocated by the slick production and vocals, which is a shame as that energy could potentially set The Fades apart from the pack. The Fades, and all British bands for that matter, need to remember that just because you're British doesn't mean you're the holy offspring of The Clash and Gang of Four. –Ricky Vigil

Feist
The Reminder
Interscope Records
Street: 05.01
Feist = Ella Fitzgerald + Joanna Newsom
It is a musicians dream come true to be able to move into an old Parisian manor, fill it with various musical instruments and then be able wake up leisurely and record music. That is exactly what Miss Leslie did on The Reminder, and the album is full with that wonderfully intimate and organic moments. There isn’t anything necessarily new or original on this album; if anything this is exactly what you would expect from Canada’s indie rock princess. Still, the songs have incredible depth and are in a more ethereal place than her previous album Let It Die. Maybe it is the haunting nature of that old French house, or maybe it is the fact that Feist has been restless for the last two years; either way, she continually delivers when it comes to country inspired jazz/folk songwriting. –Andrew Glassett

Filthy Thieving Bastards
I’m a Son of a Gun
BYO
Street: 04.03
Filthy Thieving Bastards = Billy Bragg + The Pogues + The Who + Merle Haggard
No matter what these guys call them selves, 3 of the 4 members are in the Swinging Utters, they always put together a great interesting record. Pulling influence from every where each track is a surprise. Out of the gate comes “Phony Drunken Poet” a rollicking Irish style folk tune that will keep you jigging. “Down Every Day” is a resonating old time call out song about the harshness of life, the last line says it all “Each minute don’t mean a thing if inside your dead and old.” This is the third FTB record and they keep getting better. It’s funny that as the Swinging Utters these guys play pretty straight forward street punk, but under a different name they have the freedom to do what ever they feel like. –James Orme

Fully Consumed
Fully Consumed
Epitomite
Street: 10.17.06
Fully Consumed = Cannibal Corpse + Skinless + Deicide
When it comes to Fully Consumed it’s all about the extreme. Extreme vocals, extreme guitars, extreme drumming everything is perfectly brutal. The band falls somewhere between the land of death and grind metal. The drumming isn’t necessarily blast beats and the guitars are a bit faster than your death metal standards. Although the lead work doesn’t say grind at all in fact they scream death metal in oh so many ways. It’s hard to tell if the vocals are a double attack or it is just one guy and with no liner notes this reviewer is left in limbo but that isn’t really important. The important thing is the quality of the music, which luckily for Fully Consumed is top notch. Production is clear yet still retains that raw edge needed for a good death/grind band. The lyrics stem from either anti–religious sentiment or good old–fashioned gore. All in all if your are looking for some good grinding fun with a hint of death metal then by all means consume Fully Consumed with a healthy appetite. –Bryer Wharton

Grails
Burning of Impurities
Temporary Residence
Street: 04.27
Grails = Led Zeppelin + world music + Explosions in the Sky
Grails fifth release is like traveling around the world. On this new album the band has immersed their selves even deeper into the sounds of world music while mixing it in with their past influence of progressive and classic rock music. The beginning track “Soft Temple” builds slowly as if the band was traveling across the desert and about to ascend a mysterious pyramid, after that its’ a new story with every track, each song on this album seems a like a new adventure into another foreign country. It’s like listening to an evil sound track of an Indiana Jones movie. Through out the album the band uses a wide variety of instruments and genre’s of music, Burning of Impurities is a sound collage of so many different instruments the members of this band must truly be experts at playing everything. All though the album can wander in its rich worldly texture it still contains a driving rhythm section provided by a traditional drums and bass sound that pushes the songs ahead and keep it grounded into familiar progressive rock territory. –Jon Robertson

Gnter Mller
Reframed
Cut
Street: 02.20
Gnter Mller = La Monte Young + Rashied Ali
If you were to attempt to characterize Gnter Mller’s career, you could say that his manifesto is to buck idiosyncrasy. On paper, he’s a drummer, but his technique, involving contact mics, homemade pick–ups and eight–second delays, flips your expectations, as there’s nary a sidestick or otherwise acoustic attack in his music. On his latest, Mller applies his system to a series of recordings of bowed cymbals (string bows dragged across the edge of the metal). He replaces the usual shrieking, tinny harmonics with rich, deep drones, muted–and–almost–string–like–passages, subtle pulses and a serene aesthetic, one where the listener doesn’t have to squint to hear the army of harmonic and color shifts. Not to diminish or trivialize the astounding musicality of these five pieces, but ten minutes of Reframed and your mind searches for similar visual images such as a drizzling country–side, or the nervous energy you feel at the sight of storm clouds approaching over a mountain. Another brilliant color in Mller’s ever–expanding palette. –Dave Madden

Hanson
The Walk
3CG Records
Street: 04.17
Hanson = Mmmmm….bop, bitches!
You have GOT to be fucking kidding me. These little bastards are still around? And on top of that, a self–professed metal fan has been tasked with reviewing this thing? But wait…this isn’t a half bad little summertime rock n’ roll record. It’s the kind of thing I could see millions of just–graduated OC fanatics “rocking out” to while they cruise around in their convertibles their folks bought them for said graduation. Infectious almost to the point of being annoying, this record is destined to end up as one of two things: a staple in the discount bin at your favorite local used CD shop, or the guiltiest of guilty pleasures you put on when you’re having a really good summer day. –loveyoudead

The Hard Lessons
The Hard Lessons Wise Up! and Self–titled
Kiss and Dwell Publishing
Street: 01.09
The Hard Lessons = Sesame Street interpretations of Neil Young + Rilo Kiley + Redd Tape
Here’s a hard lesson: You suck. I was all ready to hate The Hard Lessons from the beginning, admittedly. One glance at the twee oil painting on the cover of their self–titled three–track EP assured me that THL were three hippies disguising themselves as rockers. However, I backed down from my initial dismissal upon hearing “Bamboo,” off The Hard Lessons Wise Up! “Bamboo” is tough, proto–punk–sounding stuff with male–female vocal calling, proggy, experiemental synths a la Starmy and blase lyrics. However, the illusion was short–lived as they spelled “C–A–R–E–Y–S–A–Y–S” in “Carey Says (Alright),” then sing “Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!/When you say alright it makes me feel alright, alright,” and that is just, like, so nerdy. They’re an eager bunch, The Hard Lessons, and eagerness can get you a long way. However, it can’t take away painfully mediocre cheesiness, or the faux pas of recording two (!) ho–hum versions of Neil Young’s “Hey, Hey, My, My” as two of the three tracks on your demo. The female vocals of Ko Ko Louise bring up smoky shadows of Patti Smith, and are really, the only redeeming part of this band. –Rebecca Vernon

Hoots and Hellmouth
Hoots and Hellmouth
MAD dragon
Street: 04.17
Hoots and Hellmouth = Pin Hill Haints + Rilo Kiley + Short Stack
This record is about forty percent great idea and sixty percent alternative country elevator music. They take themselves way too seriously. The songs that they had fun on are the ones that standout, and its so easy to tell. The mix of high energy gospel and popping country gives hope, but they slow it don’t for these ballads, and all interest is lost. It’s so frustrating when a band shows you a little bit of what they could be and then tucks that away to give you something boring. This band is probably amazing live because to get you on your feet they are going to need the upbeat stuff to do it. They’ve got the idea they just need the right recipe. –James Orme

The Horrors
Strange House
Stolen Transmission
Street: 05.15
The Horrors = The Cramps + The Kills + T.S.O.L. + Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
British music critics have been creaming their jeans over The Horrors for months now, and though Strange House may not entirely live up to the hype, it's still a fun (albeit very dumb) slab of horror–influenced garage punk. The songs deal with standard horror fare from "Jack the Ripper" to "Sheena is a Parasite," but their sheer simplicity and brutality pounds the songs into your brain and keeps them there for days. Vocalist Faris Rotter sounds like a crazed carnival barker as he delivers his accented snarls over sinister synth loops and organ blasts throughout the album's 11 tracks. The overall mood of the album is best exemplified by "Horror's Theme," where Rotter's vocals transform from incomprehensible slurs to shrieks over the bouncy organ as plenty of cheesy "ooohs" and "ohs" pop up in the background. Between the brooding organ, the screeching guitar and the scathing vocals, there's a lot going on in every song, but the unrefined and chaotic nature of The Horrors is what makes Strange House such an entertaining album. (In the Venue: 05.16) –Ricky Vigil

Hot Rod Circuit
The Underground is a Dying Breed
Immortal Records
Street: 04.03
Hot Rod Circuit = Get Up Kids + Piebald + Limbeck
The underground may be a dying breed, but thanks to Hot Rod Circuit, whiny songs about girls are more alive than ever! These guys have been making tear–soaked music for pussies for the better part of the last decade, and it really shows. I totally mean that in the best way possible. The band is tight and energetic as hell throughout the album's 12 songs, and vocalist Andy Jackson's contribution is emotional without being too grating. Granted, there are some ridiculously cheesy lyrics ("You are the taste on my tongue/...You are the blood in my veins" etc.) but Hot Rod Circuit really seems to have a knack for crafting a song around that kind of crap. Building on their emo sound, Hot Rod Circuit adds some country twang on "Stateside" and "Camo" and gets downright aggressive on "Vampires" and "Cali". A few of the tracks are pretty boring, but when The Underground is a Dying Breed is good, it's really good. So break out that box of Kleenex and that picture of your ex–girlfriend as you let Hot Rod Circuit guide you along in the sob–fest that is your life. –Ricky Vigil

Infidel
I, Oathbreaker
Caroline Records
Street: 03.20
Infidel = Hellfueled + Black Label Society + Monster Magnet
When I put this in, my first thought was “how many more fucking bands are gonna jump on the current stoner rock bandwagon before it gets really lame?” After a full listen, though, I was turned into a semi–believer. Weed–laden riffs and a better–than–average rhythm section hooked me pretty quickly, but the vocals leave a lot to be desired. It’s obvious the guy can sing, but he tries too hard to take his voice to levels that just don’t belong on this type of album. All in all a solid effort from these guys, but they’d be better off without the power–metal vocals. –loveyoudead

Intense
As Our Army Grows
Napalm Records
Street: 04.03
Intense = Iced Earth + Judas Priest
In the case of Intense the name is not fitting for the music. Don’t get me wrong though that doesn’t mean that their brand of metal is bad in any way. In many instances the band sounds much like Iced Earth without the ballads. Intense is a mix of progressive and power metal only without the extremely high falsetto vocals; the group’s singer sort of takes a middle ground. Melodies are thick and bass lines plentiful subtle keyboard work, all complimenting a guitar shredders paradise. Intense it may not be but it is still fun classic and epic sounding metal. –Bryer Wharton

Jana Hunter
There’s No Home
Gnomonsong
Street: 05.07
Jana Hunter = Cat Power + The Eagles
Jana Hunter has been associated with the “Freak Folk” movement, but leaves out the Indian headdresses and squealing vocals. Her new album, There’s No Home is a richly textured blend of folk–pop and psychedelic rock. She weaves through those two poles effortlessly, from the John Denver–ish adorability of “Bird,” to the sparse, hallucinatory jam “Pinnacle.” She reconciles masterfully the electric guitar–driven psychedelia of the 60's with all those peaceful, easy feelings of the 70's–taking a more cohesive approach to the former and a meditative, layered approach to the latter. She has a way of making squealing guitars and chaotic drums feel meticulous and intentional, whereas her folk songs can feel as spontaneous and organic as the dirt between a hippie’s toes. –Jeff Guay

Jason Kahn
Fields
Cut
Street: 02.20
Jason Kahn = Terry Riley + Smegma + Boyd Rice
There is a stigma in the broad so–called experimental music community that an artist has to cram a multitude of sounds and styles into every single piece of music he writes. Not so with the Cut label oeuvre; as label owner Jason Kahn explained in an interview, “I want to create an environment the listener can enter into, where they will have to listen”. As evidenced on this new solo work, Kahn prefers to focus on a “single” sound per piece, each containing a tight, internal polyphonic texture you’ll discover if you’re listening. Sculpting his pieces from analog synthesizer, short wave radio, percussion and multinational field recordings, Kahn pulls the listener along with an assiduous narrative of crackles, energy spikes, dusted neo–train whistles, mulched environments and otherwise non–representational (to us, maybe) sonorities, offering drones in a way few can conceive let alone execute. In a genre where the abyss of creative freedom constantly nudges musicians towards a kitchen–sink approach, Kahn, much like a veteran sumi painter, prefers solitary strokes whose gorgeous details you notice only after careful inspection. –Dave Madden

Je Suis France
Afrikan Majik
Antenna Farm Records
Street: 05.29
Je Suis France = the Flaming Lips + Sebadoh + Superchunk
Il est difficile de communiquer combien ils ROCKent, ce groupe nomm Je Suis France (dit aussi : la France). Un mlange cryptique de la musique lectronique et du Dub–jam, il se montre capable de bouleverser compltement ceux qui cherchent l’inspiration dans l’espace vide de la musique enregistre. Ceci est surtout vrai quand les gens cherchent cette inspiration dans le milieu du Pop, du Krautrock et de la Psychdlie. Le son composite de la France me fait penser la possibilit qu’il existe un enfant btard des Flaming Lips et de Guided by Voices. Je Suis France pourrait tre cet enfant terrible—cet orphelin venu d’un monde musical parfaitement bizarre. Venant de la Georgie, et fait des membres qui viennent et vont volont, ce collectif de neuf musiciens se rejoint cette fois–ci pour faire clater les dfinitions raides de l’industrie. Ils y russissent assez bien. Les douze chansons sur Afrikan Majik capturent le point haut de leur capacit et de leur puissance magique. C’est vraiment un disque qui devrait tre cout au moins une fois. –James Bennett

Junior Boys
The Dead Horse EP
Domino Records
Street: 04.10
Junior Boys = DFA + ATOC
Yet another remix album filled with 10 minute renditions of three minute songs from the Junior Boys album So This Is Goodbye. It is not to say that those who have remixed are not talented, they are just boring. The idea of a remix is not a new one, and is slowly becoming the laughing stalk of the music world. Remixes should be breaking new ground; they should be more than just lining up vocal tracks over different beats. It seems unnecessary to remix the music of someone whose music sounds remixed in the first place. The Hot Chip remix of “In The Morning” is less annoying that their status quo over produced dance pop, and the Kode 9 remix of “Double Shadow” sounds even more dance hall than the original. Everyone will be better off just revisiting the original Junior Boys album and enjoying the simplicity of their groove. –Andrew Glassett

KGC
Dirty Bomb
KMFDM Records
Street: 01.24
KGC = Curve – Toni Halliday + Lucia Cifarelli
Once upon a time the UK press called Curve the future of music and for a brief moment in time they were, only it was Republica and Garbage who were cashing in while Curve fell apart only to reemerge in a musical environment that was disinterested, if not hostile. So it would seem Dean Garcia and Toni Halliday would not be welcomed as the new Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. They still went on to release some of the better distorted, bass–heavy, sexy, dark–noise pop in their final years before Halliday called it quits. Garcia now returns to familiar ground with KGC, a collaboration with KMFDM’s Sascha Konietzko and Lucia Cifarelli sparked by a fan’s insistence the two sides work together. Dirty Bomb is almost everything a Curve fan could hope for; the massive bass rumble, the distorted guitar with electronics cracking along beneath and a vocal that might not be as sexy as Halliday’s but is more than simply serviceable. A great goth–electro–industrial cocktail that hopefully will be more than a kiss kiss bang bang. –ryan michael painter

Kings of Leon
Because of the Times
RCA
Street: 04.03
Kings of Leon = Tom Petty + The Strokes + My Morning Jacket + Jimmy Buffet
Kings of Leon are one of the bands that when I listen to them I always wish that I was sitting in the sun relaxing and getting drunk. They have the power to make me optimistic no matter what the weather is like or what kind of a mood I am in. They make me think back of the good times in my life or good times I have coming up. The Followill clan comes back again on their third release Because of the Times, with the same feel of hope and relaxation but, with more of a punk vibe similar to early Stooges. Every song on this album is good, even though they sometimes run the risk of ruining their good vibe with their added use of fuzz, distortion and more complex rhythms. Caleb Followill still uses his excellent delivery of laziness and passion like he can’t be bothered with fully enunciating the words he sings because he’s too interested in putting emotion into the vocal melodies. The way he sings about life and love is simple and inspiring; it provides the perfect dose of beauty to their new brand of dissonant southern punk rock. –Jon Robertson

Krypteria
Bloodangel’s Cry
Caroline Records
Street: 04.03
Krypteria = KMFDM + Nightwish + Therion + Lacuna Coil
With Krypteria you have to take the lesser of two evils, the music is actually fairly decent it is the vocals and lyrics that ruin everything. The band sort of mixes female fronted power metal with gothic metal and lets just say it isn’t a good combination. If I were ever to hit a girl this singer would rank right up there with the top females I’d like to pummel. Krypteria seems like they trying very hard at being something I just can’t really figure out what that something is. There are moments when I find myself tapping my foot and then shaking my head in disbelief wondering how the band thought that what they were doing sounded remotely good. If you like being really bored while listening to music then fancy yourself up for Krypteria’s crap. –Bryer Wharton

Little Wooden Men
Songs of Praise & Joy
Splinter Records
Street: 01.24
Little Wooden Men = Nick Cave + Grizzly Bear
Don’t be fooled by the cute–as–a–button, color penciled cardboard CD sleeve the disc comes in, or track titles like “Super Jesus Sunshine Songs,” this is a folk album with some bite. Sure, Vermont’s Little Wooden Men invite you into their little log cabin of warm, melodious instrumental tracks like “Don’t Wake the Purring Kitty,” but they quickly bulldoze the cabin and build a parking lot over it with “The Business Man,” a nightmarish vision of industrialization. Imagine one of Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti western scores, as performed by a drunken Leonard Cohen while he hurries to make it back to Grannie’s house in time for supper. –Jeff Guay

The Locust
New Erections
Anti–
Street: 03.20
The Locust = Neurosis + Dillinger Escape Plan + Black Dice + MOOG
Holy shitclouds! Consistently known for their innovation and constant pursuit of the unclassifiable and incomprehensible, The Locust swerve off the math–core path for their latest release, New Erections. Achieving an even more extreme dichotomy of sound, half the album is reminiscent of sludgy stoner metal, while the short blips of energy maintain an ear–blistering speed and precision. Such a radical change suits the band well, as master Moog player Joey Karam‘s low, growling, synth sweeps complement Justin Pearson’s punishing bass rhythms to generate a sound so deep and brutal it sucks the breath out of you. This record redefines The Locust and creates a benchmark for all the Three.One.G wannabes so unreachable it will send copycats into epileptic fits. Fucking mindblowing… –Ryan Powers

Machine Head
The Blackening
Roadrunner Records
Street: 03.26
Machine Head = Pantera + Fear Factory + Exhorder + Skinlab
I went into listening to this new offering from Machine Head to be bland, boring and lacking power or emotion. To my surprise it is a return to the bands glorious Burn My Eyes album. Honestly the band hasn’t sounded this good in such a long time, it is pleasing to hear something so honestly raw and heavy to come from them because the talent has always been there. It is as if Rob Flynn decided that guitar solos and leads were cool for modern metal bands to do again, and his vocals well yeah it is okay to sing with emotion, something must have really pissed this guy off to get him to the state he is on this album. Seriously listening to The Blackening is like having your head slammed against pavement repeatedly and then when things are calm enough you get up only to be kicked square in the balls, this thing does not relent. –Bryer Wharton

Magnum Carnage
Digital Wolves
Self Released
Street: 12.21.06
Magnum Carnage = Cradle of Filth + Death + King Diamond
I find myself torn while listening to Magnum Carnage’s Digital Wolves the guitars are technically proficient the vocals are diverse and haunting but the keyboard work is either straight from a bad Italian horror flick or sounds like a kid piddling around on a toy keyboard. Also the albums production sounds like it was recorded in the bands basement with programmed drums coming in strong and actual drums just a faint noise in the background. I’m all for raw production but you can tell these guys were aiming for better. Hawaii doesn’t really have a metal scene so you have to cut these Honolulu based black/death metal players some slack but with four full length albums under their belt one would think they would have established their sound and have more direction than Digital Wolves conveys, I’ve heard worse but I don’t see this record knocking down any barriers. –Bryer Wharton

Mansbestfriend
Poly.Sci.187
Anticon
Street: 05.07
Mansbestfriend = Sole + Morr Music + New Human
Drum machines, samplers, and a slough of hand–me–down instruments are all boondoggled by this Anticon resident beat head. On the usual Sole release, he’s shown vocally polishing his inimical distortion of satirical morals. Rather, on Poly.Sci.187, he’s up in the air surveying a vast musical landscape as a producer. Yes, you read it right. Sole is now the lyrical free former whose voice bellows through his instrumentals. Sole has noticeably transformed into Mansbestfriend, his Morr Music is now an Anticon highlight. The creepy and surreal tracks that make up this record delve deep into the human psyche and stands up to label–mate releases like Alias and Odd Nosdam with idiosyncratic finesse. Full of cluttered grime and progressive grit, Mansbestfriend is an uncommon mixture of the compelling and the extraordinary. This album truly flickers the lights in the attic and gets you thinking outside the box of contemporary hip hop. –Lance Saunders

Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
II
Ferret
Street: 03.20
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster = Underoath + Willie Nelson + Every Time I Die
This is some southern heavy punk rock. It seems like bands that used to be in a more hardcore screamo genre are starting to head more in this direction. It is basically hardcore music mixed with 12 bar blues. It makes bland hardcore sound so much more entertaining. It’s like they started listening to Pantera or something like that. MATSOD is basically a bunch of unknown hardcore musicians fronted by former Underoath lead singer Dallas Taylor. Taylor is definitely the star of the show his voice is ruff and dirty, it adds a huge amount of originality to the band’s sound. The best tracks on the album “Memories of the Grove” and “Darkest of Kin” are two tracks where Taylor’s gritty voice adds the maximum amount of southern hostility. The southern blues twang and three guitar attack make MATSOD’s music a little bit more entertaining and slightly more enjoyable but, the compositions and chord progressions still lack originality. –Jon Robertson

Metal Church
A Light in the Dark
SPV
Street: 09.27.06
Metal Church = Judas Priest + Accept + Iron Maiden
It is a sad fact that in the history of metal listening this self proclaimed metal head has never heard an actual Metal Church album before. So on that note I have nothing to compare this new record to. That could be bad, could be good… only long time fans of the band will be the judges of this review. If you love your metal screaming, in the sense of falsetto vocals and plenty of guitar solos with big time riffs then A Light in the Dark is ready to provide you plenty of that and more. While it may not be the best metal album to come out in 2006 that doesn’t mean it isn’t a fun romp in the old school vein of metal in its truest form. Even though I can’t really call myself a full fledged fan of the band because I’ve only heard this album I can still respect them and thank the metal gods that bands like Metal Church still exist, because let’s face it if bands the metal scene were only bands like Mastodon and As I Lay Dying populated the scene it would be a pretty damn boring metal scene. –Bryer Wharton

Middian
Age Eternal
Metal Blade
Street: 03.20
Middian = Isis + Cult of Luna + Neurosis + YOB + Black Sabbath
“Middian… born from the ashes of YOB,” states the bands bio. Apparently, all according to Middian’s bio founding member Mike Scheidt decided to start a new band rather than have to replace the lineup of YOB. The end result seems something like Metal Blade Records answer to doom bands like Isis, Cult of Luna and Neurosis, with one exception there is a huge stoner vibe playing out on the bands debut album. Some of the guitar passages remind me a lot of Celestial era Isis in that syrupy thick sort of way. Everything is as epic as it gets songs are over eight minutes in length yet instead of enveloping territory already explored like many bands before them Middian seems to keep constructing instead of playing on themes that have already been produced. Regardless Middian’s brand of stoner doom is angry and havoc minded and interesting enough to keep the most seasoned heavy music fan interested. –Bryer Wharton

Mindless Self Indulgence
Another Mindless Rip Off
Metropolis/Uppity Cracker
Street: 12.05
Mindless Self Indulgence = Thrill Kill Kult + Genitorturers
At last, Mindless Self Indulgence has released something that is actually listenable. The latest EP, released exclusively through Hot Topic, was limited to 15,000 copies and sold out within days. Five original songs combine the New York acts punk sensibilities and industrial laced synths making for catchy music that new wave and electroclash fans can embrace. With “Pre-Teen Violence,” MSI delivers a song that will be as epic as Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out for Summer,” with lyrics aimed at the younger listeners. Five remixes of “What do they know?” is an essential ingredient for making Another Mindless Rip Off work. Julien-K & Chester Bennington throw down the beats on the track perfecting it for the dancefloor. VNV Nation does the same, but with harder beats that will convert serious industrial fans into MSI followers. This act needed to prove that they were worth all the hype and Another Mindless Rip Off will convince the naysayers to give Mindless Self Indulgence a second chance. -–Oneamyseven

Miracle Fortress
Five Roses
Secret City Records
Street: 05.22
Miracle Fortress = Beach Boys + Aloha + The Hidden Cameras
Yet another Canadian release from yet another Canadian collective type thing. Collectives have to be, like, one of the coolest things around these days. Although the idea of collectives, especially with musicians and visual artists, have become somewhat of a clich, you can’t help but appreciate what comes from the bowels of such creative pool. It is a little different with Miracle Fortress because Graham Van Pelt took it upon himself to record every sound on the disc, ranging from Brian Wilson to Brian Eno to John Vanderslice. The songs are recorded superbly and are what you could term orchestral pop, with a heavy dose on synthesized strings and vintage sounding percussion. The performances are absolutely flawless, seamless and enjoyable from start to finish. Surprisingly, the only thing that is lacking on this album is the cover art; a little too many pastels and flowers for my taste. The album is called Five Roses, but a literal representation of a rose seems very trite. –Andrew Glassett

Morningbell
Through the Belly of the Sea
Orange Records
Street: 06.05
Morningbell = The Flaming Lips + Built to Spill
Intriguing and entertaining: two words that definitely sum up this little album in a few choice words. While there's not really anything new or innovating introduced in Morningbell's latest shot into the psychedelic rock scene, they definitely have managed to reinvigorate a genre that has been a bit stale as of late. Touted as the first “choose your own adventure” album in existence, all of the songs include a back story in the album's foldout. The premise is simple: start with the first song, read the story, and choose where your adventure takes you! As useless as this little gimmick really is, I still must give these guys props for the nostalgia factor. In addition, their music is definitely a pleasure to listen to. While you won't find anything revolutionary here, its still a fun little CD that I'd recommend getting, especially if you're a Flaming Lips fan. –Ross Solomon

The Mother Hips
Kiss the Crystal Flake
Camera Records
Street: 04.03
The Mother Hips = Silver Jews + Cake + Tom Petty
After a six year hiatus, cult favorites, The Mother Hips have returned with a full–length indie rock album. Granted this sounds less indie rock than all their many side projects: Ball–Point Birds, The Sheets, Sensations and Tim Bluhm's solo work, yet still remains as relaxed and psychedic. "Let Somebody" plays like it could be a 70s era love ballad by Air Supply or Chicago. The very next song, "Confirmation of Love" could be an 80s love ballad by Tom Petty. Not every song is lovey–dovey, such as "Mission In Vain" which has Queens of the Stone Age influenced guitar. Singer/guitarist Greg Loiacono, describes it best: "Kiss the Crystal Flake is about embracing everything. It's about standing face to face with whatever comes." What's coming is a US tour and an album that has consistant California rock style, but isn't too exciting. –Jennifer Nielsen

Naglfar
Harvest
Century Media
Street: 03.06
Naglfar = Dark Funeral + Dimmu Borgir
Naglfar have been a long–standing staple in the Swedish black metal scene for roughly 15 years. The band has officially now released five albums each honing different themes and most importantly different sounds. Though the staying element is the bands pension for adding subtle melody to their blisteringly scathing black metal sound. Naglfar have never really been a lo–fi black metal band, production values on all of their records has usually been tight and only gotten tighter with time. Personally I don’t think the band has surpassed the moody and powerful anthems of their second album Vittra. But they have established themselves as one of those slickly produced black metal bands that continue to pulverize audiences. The atmosphere, emotion and mood of the new material unfortunately lacks what I find in many other black metal bands these days but it is still always nice to have a thick slab of cleanly produced metal to offset those more raw outings, and admittedly the band has concocted their catchiest record yet. –Bryer Wharton

Neil Young
Live at Massey Hall
Warner Brothers
Street: 03.13
Neil Young = White Stripes + Ryan Adams + country gold
This is the second installment of eight live performances in a series of re–releases called the Neil Young Archives Performance Series. As far as archives go, this is one to pay attention to. This time around he is going about it alone, without his backing band Crazy Horse. It is interesting to be able to hear the audience members whisper to each other because the concert is so intimate. Young was a superstar at this point in his career, and the audience lets him know when he begins well known favorites such as “Journey Through The Past” and “Ohio”. It feels like a piano recital at times and his playing is superb. His banter with the audience is sincere and enlightening. The most enjoyable song is “Dance, Dance, Dance” in which the audience immediately claps the rhythm with great enthusiasm. It is the last song of the night, and the audience claps and stomps for literally four minutes straight. He plays one more song to round out the night. –Andrew Glassett

Nightrage
A New Disease is Born
Lifeforce
Street: 04.17
Nightrage = In Flames + Killswitch Engage + At the Gates + The Haunted
Well Nightrage used to have the claim that they had the former At the Gates singer Tomas Lindberg and renowned drummer Nicholas Barker in their ranks. Such is not the case with the current incarnation of the band for their third record. Fortunately for Nightrage it doesn’t affect the band or its music all that much. The band’s tried and true brand of melodic death metal is a standard amongst the pack. The only solid thing the band has going for them is their songwriting which is surprisingly pretty damn catchy. Also there is a wealth of clean singing coming from the bands new vocalist Jimmie Strimell, who actually does a better job of it than Lindberg ever did. Nightrage isn’t going to get further than they did with the metal superstars in the band this time out, but I’ll be damned if they didn’t write a slick, colorful and catchy 12–track record that should appease any fan of the modern melodic death metal style. –Bryer Wharton

Odious Mortem
Cryptic Implosion
Willowtip
Street: 04.24
Odious Mortem = Skinless + Morbid Angel + Necrophagist
Every once in a while you come across one of those death metal treats that allows your senses to be bombarded by more than just the standard blast beat fare. Odious Mortem have given us one of those treats, as bloody and gritty as it may be. Who can go wrong with ominous song titles like “Dysmorphic Avulsion,” or “Subcortical Desiccation,” they say pretty much what the band is about, technicality in extremity. The pace is faster than the average person can bang their head and the guitar leads are just plain perplexing. Not since Necrophagist’s Onset of Putrefaction album has guitar technicality and death metal songwriting been utilized so well. Not to mention the drumming is all over the place and speedy as speedy can be. Production is clean but not so clean you could wipe your ass with the CD. So don’t bore yourself with the overproduced stuff that is getting passed off as death metal these days, take this latest from Willowtip and frame it on your wall, because works of art like this don’t come often. –Bryer Wharton

The Other Side Berlin/Los Angeles
Deaf Dumb & Blind
Street: 04.28/05.08
The Other Side = Lonely Planet + Stone Throw Records + Vespa
The Other Side series is the brainchild of Deaf Dumb & Blind Communications—a “multi–faceted entertainment company” hailing from who gives a damn. The idea had is to spawn a new generation of media/artist driven travel guides to meet the proprietary needs of the bohemian, aka the traveling hipster, in all of us. The math is cool: CD + DVD = a sonic + sonically visual tour of particular big city as lived through internationally acclaimed “local” musician. Both the fourth and fifth one–two–punch CD/DVD packages in the series will certainly up your utils—utils are the tokens you use in heaven if you want to play a round of darts with say Marx. The fourth installment raids the historically red and green streets of modern day Berlin through the eyes of house extraordinaire Ellen Allien. Taking the viewer in and out of her favorite record shops, food spots and fashion bars Ellen’s translation of what I guess we could call her Berlin is aesthetically as a whole very pleasing—there’s a panoramic moment visiting the Berliner Fernsehturm that’s perfect in so many ways. The fifth installment brings it back a little closer to home as Peanut Butter Wolf combs the hip–hop out Los Angeles. PB throws some interesting facts about how he met Madlib and at the very end of the DVD PB gives a kick ass interview in which he talks about the evolution of StoneThrow Records. But for the most part the DVD is spent watching the wolf buy new kicks and lacks the intimacy found on Ellen’s tour de Berlin. The only thing that saves the Los Angeles package is the Madlib mix accompanying the DVD. A heavy dose of funk Jazz and early roots reggae gives the listener a good idea where Madlib’s beat inspirations have been coming from. In the end, while I find the format a little impractical as a lonely plant substitute. I would still recommend both installments. The Other Side Berlin for anyone interested in the house/techno mecca that is Berlin or The Other Side Los Angeles for the excellent Madlib mix CD. –Miles Ridling

Part Chimp
Cup
Monitor USA
Street: 04.27
Part Chimp = Nirvana + Books About UFOs + The Black Angels
This is not an album of new material! That being said, Part Chimp made quite a splash with their previous album I Am Come, so much so that they decided to do what any respectable garage rock/noise rock band would do, and that is release an album of rarities and alternate versions. Talk about banality. It is hard to understand why so many bands feel the need to release filler albums or remix albums between formal releases. The noises on this album are definitely raw and rocking, but it makes me wonder if that takes away from their upcoming album. There is also a version of a Beatles tune, “Wild Honey Pie” which bears little resemblance to the original in the ways of subtlety, but captures the strangeness of that particular song. This is definitely an album for fans of the band and not for common stoners. –Andrew Glassett

Retconned
Unhappenings
Stickfigure
Street: 05.29
Retconned = Adult. + Ministry + everything about the world that makes you angry!
Upon first listening to Unhappenings I was completely taken aback at how grading and obnoxious mass amounts of distorted synth can be to the expecting ear. Upon my sixth or seventh listen I still don’t completely understand why anyone in right mind would want to use such a disconnected sound for an album that is apparently about “people trying to get by.” There’s nothing minimalistic about this abstract punk music (as the albums cover art might mislead you into believing)—it’s wholly bombastic. Too frantic for even those among us “lucky” enough to have the capacity or audacity to pretend we understand those things falling under the moniker: high art. Unhappenings is at least “experimental” and at most an album that would find itself comfortably tucked in the pages of a BLAST publication, if it were still around. Unhappenings: Cyberpunk? I’m having a hard time calling it music. So, along with the majority of the world I’m going to have to be contented in the fact that I’m not avant–garde enough to understand shitty music. –Miles Ridling

RJD2
The Third Hand
XL
Street: 06.03
RJD2 = Herbert + DJ Shadow
Whether it’s done from behind the boards by producing/remixing for Mos Def, Massive Attack or the Polyphonic Spree or done combining funk/trip–hop into his own unique style of instrumental hip–hop (see Dead Ringer; also Since We Last Spoke); RJD2’s been breathing life into an otherwise dull, ambient–filled gene pool for sometime now. And while RJ’s latest, The Third Hand, continues to satisfy his prolific career, it definitely won’t satisfy any of those “traditional” late night D2 cravings. This is due mostly to the fact that TTH marks a distinct shift in RJ’s style away from that of the head–nodding beat–wizard towards that of the more durable pop singer/songwriter. Rambling John finds a handful of “new” instruments (see electric piano; also guitar) to complement his robot–gospel distorted voice, producing an album with an uncharacteristically emotive sound. Now, is this a good thing? No. Is it a bad thing? Again, no. It becomes an expectation thing. If you don’t let your expectations get in the way, you’ll enjoy yourself later. But truth be told, The Third Hand sure as hell ain’t no Dead Ringer. –Miles Ridling

The Sea and Cake
Everybody
Thrill Jockey
Street: 05.08
The Sea and Cake = Shrimp Boat + the Cocktails + Gaster del Sol + Tortoise
Everybody is the new album from the Sea and Cake, but it begs the question, “is it for everybody?” While it would be easy to talk about a Sea and Cake album (and this is no exception) it won’t do this album justice; it sounds like every other Sea and Cake album. Instead, I played it for my mom and dad, who don’t like music. My mom thought it was a little whimsical, didn’t understand the lyrics but overall thought it was “fancifully poppy.” My dad thought it was okay but said it sounded like every other album I owned. I then played it for my handicapped older brother; he just drooled, but I can tell he liked it. Verdict? With its simpler, more direct rock n’ roll approach, forward guitars including songs that depart from their standard electronic maneuvers, this dreamy, easy, breezy pop/rock album is a hit with EVERYBODY! –Erik Lopez

See You Next Tuesday
Parasite
Ferret
Street: 04.03
See You Next Tuesday = Converge + Dillinger Escape Plan + Drowningman
See You Next Tuesday (what a crafty name) is intense grindcore, metalcore action. This is their first full length album. It consists of 14 tracks total with only one of the tracks the last one “Pogonatrophy (Part Two: The Parasite)” lasting more than two minutes. The album whirls by in an angry 19 minutes of schizoprhrenic growls, all the songs shredding their way to a screeching halt before you even notice it. The songs tend to blend together with the exception of the seventh track “Paraphilia” which sounds like an outtake from Mastodon’s second album Leviathan with JR Hayes from Pig Destroyers vocals over the top of it. These guys are definitely experts at the genre of music they have chosen to play. Their so good at the music that they need to branch out into longer song structures and incorporate other influences because they have already mastered the grindcore genre. –Jon Robertson

Seven Storey Mountain
At The Poles
Thick
Street: 01.23
Seven Storey Mountain = Jawbox + Tar + Quicksand
Apparently the Phoenix, Arizona native band Seven Storey has expanded their name to Seven Storey Mountain. They have also shortened their ranks. The only person left in the band is Lance Lammers. Drummer Chad Kinney and bassist Dave Norwood names are no where to be seen in the album credits or promo sheet. So assuming that Lammers is now a one man band it is surprising how energetic and proficient this pop inspired D.C. hardcore is. At The Poles is the first release in five years from the band a first under the new band moniker. Lammers still has talent after taking this much time off. He plays guitar, bass and especially the drums with expertise His voice reminds me of a more intense version of Arlie Carstens from Juno. The album is cohesive and solid. At The Poles easily switches from angry rants such as “Twelve Times” to more melodic tunes like “Take The Lead”. Although Lammers has recorded produced and preformed everything well, I have to wonder how much better the album would have been with someone else’s input and with the possible growth the original members would have gained on their respective instruments. –Jon Robertson

Skid Row
Revolutions Per Minute
SPV
Street: 10.24.2006
Skid Row = never the same without Sebastian Bach
There are two ways to look at this latest record from Skid Row, one compare it to the band previous glory or two, take it as it is and on it’s own. If you listen to it with the bands past in mind you basically will be bored and think it’s hard rock that can’t even compare to the camp and fun of the bands old material. Then again if you just listen to the record on it’s own you will find a fun that is all of it’s own. The album is basically hard rock tinged with a southern/country edge peppered with some punk rock. Again on it’s own it is fun to listen to, catchy and more interesting than one would think from a washed up 80s glam/buttrock band. This record is worth the listen from its bonus track, “You Lie,” which is almost rockabilly in the beginning then going hardcore/punk rock. I don’t know why they made the song a bonus track, because it’s the best thing on the album. Just keep in mind when considering the new incarnation of Skid Row, they are not the same band as they were in the 80s but they can still rock and have plenty of fun doing it. –Bryer Wharton

Society’s Parasites
Society’s Parasites
Hellcat Records
Street: 05.22
Society’s Parasites = M.D.C. + Rancid + Black Flag + Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards
Society’s Parasites bring home some serious punk rock and hardcore, old school–style, on their self titled Hellcat Records debut. The exasperating screaming from Freddy and the unrelenting guitars and uncompromisingly fast drumming are enough to prove that these guys are not joking around. Society’s Parasites are a punk band in the old sense–fast, brutal, LOUD and angry–not like the horrific punk or pop–punk and commercialized punk the masses know and hear today on the radio and MTV; these guys are the real deal. With songs titles such as “Doomed,” “Maggot Girl,” and “Wishing Armageddon,” it’s obvious before you even experience their music that this isn’t music to help you smile, but it will help you get your aggression out–that is for sure. The bass guitar and its solos throughout the album closely resemble that of Rancid’s Matt Freeman and the album rocks like the loud and fast tracks on Rancid’s Poison album. Though there is a noticeable similarity, it doesn’t detract from the originality and ferociousness of Society’s Parasites’ own effort. (Avalon Theatre: 6.16) –Jeremy C. Wilkins

Stars
Do You Trust Your Friends
Arts & Crafts
Street: 05.22
Stars = too much talent focused inappropriately
It is really too bad when so much work is put into a project that is destined to fail. Stars have released some very interesting albums of orchestrated pop songs and this is supposed to be twist on the classic remix album as a track to track interpretation by various “friends”. There are some really interesting moments in this album, such as the beautiful lo–fi orchestration by Montag on the song “Set Yourself of Fire” and the groovy mix of “Sleep Tonight” by synth addicts Junior Boys. It is too bad that all of this talent couldn’t have come together to create something new instead of rehashing old stuff. The label is trying to breathe life into a band that has trouble being prolific; the album ends up sounding more like a eulogy to a band that has seen better days. –Andrew Glassett

Strata
Strata Presents The End Of The World
Wind–up
Street: 05.15
Strata = Muse + Dredg
Strata’s second record is basically a cheap version of Dredg’s third album Catch Without Arms. The band has moved from ripping of Taproot and Hoobastank, what they did on their self titled first record. To almost blatantly ripping of Dredg’s more mellow sound. Guitar player Ryan Hernandez must have sat and studied Dredg guitar player Mark Engles’ guitar style over and over until all he could do was write songs exactly like him. Even though the musicianship lacks originality it is tight and the band has created some interesting interpretations of their new found copy cat sound. The main problem with this record is singers Eric Victorino lyrics. His lyrics are at their worst during the fourth track “Cocaine (We’re All Going to Hell)” a song that describes a young girl getting let into a club, doing cocaine and being taken advantage off. Victorino’s obvious and sappy lyrics never seem to stop, which is sad because the bands Dredg impersonation is actually quite entertaining. –Jon Robertson

Sundowner
Four One Five Two
Red Scare
Street: 03.13
Sundowner = The Lawrence Arms – the punk rock attitude, electric guitars and drums + Matt Skiba
Some of music’s best surprises are often born out of side projects from musicians we enjoy. The Lawrence Arms’ front man Chris McCaughan would appear to fall into this category, but technically doesn’t. McCaughan has made a name for himself through his Chicago punk band, but has been playing shows as Sundowner since before TLAs’ birth. Only now is there recorded and released proof that Sundowner is much more than a past time of McCaughan’s. Four One Five Two might shock steadfast fans of TLA with its acoustic guitars and the accompaniment of Jenny Choi’s cello, backing vocals, keys and Neil Hennessy’s (also of TLA) acoustic bass. The result of these three is an amazing blend of thoughtful music that is easy on the ears, something McCaughan is unable to accomplish with a punk band. Though the music is sung and played with soft tones, it screams volumes to McCaughan’s talent for playing thoughtful, mature music. For TLA fans, there are Sundowner renditions of the classics: “Boatless Booze Cruise,” and “100 Resolutions.” Four One Five Two is a solid album from start to finish. –Jeremy C. Wilkins

Symphorce
Become Death
Metal Blade
Street: 03.20
Symphorce = Nevermore + The 69 Eyes
There is something very interesting going on with Symphorce’s sixth record Become Death. The record is strongly based in traditional and power metal but carries slight gothic metal undertones. The guitars on the album are big I mean gargantuan, they plow you over like a snowplow doing 80 mph lopping your extremities off as you are dragged by the massive sound. Then again the freight train effect isn’t the entire notion of the album there is lots of melodies keyboard induced and guitar oriented on the record that sometimes seem a little off because they sound like what gothic metal bands do even though the sound of Symphorce isn’t really gothic at all. Regardless the album is a whirlwind of sound and raw emotional power. This is the first Symphorce album I’ve actually heard and it has got me wanting to dig up the bands extensive back catalogue. –Bryer Wharton

Tarwater
Spider Smile
Morr Music
Street: 05.07
Tarwater = Depeche Mode + Bruce Springsteen
If the German duo Tarwater were to throw a rave in the Nevada desert, I could see whiskey–eyed cowboys dancing alongside burn–out, avant garde Euro–hipsters. Ok, maybe this isn’t the all–uniting album of the century, and older generations of Americans would certainly find it as pretentious and “weird for the sake of weird” as they have numerous other European electronica albums, but it is taking a strong step in the right direction. There is a heavily produced electronic sound met with rock and blues elements–such as live guitar, violin and harmonica–creating songs that have both a droning, German nightclub feel as well as a drunken, bluesy, campfire atmosphere. No, it won’t be found on any jukeboxes in Texas, but it’s a start. –Jeff Guay

Threshold
Dead Reckoning
Nuclear Blast
Street: 03.23
Threshold = Nightingale + Thunderstone + Hammerfall
Well all you progressive metal fans out there (I know there is a small few of you considering the flack I got from my Edguy review a while back) you will be pleased to know that Threshold’s 8th studio album literally knocked me on my ass. First off Andrew McDermott’s vocals are something to behold as well as the catchy as all hell lyrics. Then you have the instrumentation flowing like the beer flows at Germany’s Wacken Open Air Festival. The guitars are tight and they keyboard even tighter full of intricacies and melodies that sound like nothing I have heard before and that is something to truly astonish yourself over. This is an album that I will listen to over and over again even though the promo version I have has the tracks split up into 30 second intervals, now I can’t put the thing on my Ipod. If you love rock/metal that is full of melody heavy, intricate and full of character then Threshold is the answer. Aside from Nightingale’s Alive Again this album will find itself as one of my favorite progressive rock records period. Bands rarely hit the head on the nail correctly Threshold just hit the nail and drove it straight through the two–by–four. –Bryer Wharton

Timbaland
Shock Value
Interscope
Street: 04.03
Timbaland = a bunch of electro pop with a bunch of random guests
Everybody knows him it’s ya’ boy, my boy, super beat producer extraordinaire Timbaland! If you have listened to pop or rap radio within the past 10 years you probably have heard at least one of Timbaland’s beats. In my opinion Timbaland creates some of the best beats out there. His rhythmically catchy beats are right up there with other super producers like Dr. Dre and The Neptunes. Shock Value is supposedly Timbalands fifth solo release even though there are so many guest collaborations on the album that it’s hard to call it a solo album. It’s more like a compilation of Timbaland beats with a bunch of random vocalists. The guests featured on the album cover a wide array of music, they range from: Justin Timberlake to Fallout Boy to 50 Cent to The Hives to Elton John. The best track on the album however is the opening track “Oh Timbaland” the only song that Timbaland does solo. The beats on the album are all cool sounding, but some of them seem like they are left over beats that weren’t catchy enough to make hit singles. The songs with rock oriented artists like the track 16 “Apologize” featuring One Republic are seem a bit forced but, at least Timbaland is trying to expand and grow in his crazy beat making. –Jon Robertson

The Tossers
Agony
Victory Records
Street: 03.20
The Tossers = The Pouges + Flogging Molly + The Young Dubliners
Hands down, this release is amazing! Agony is 17 tracks of traditional Celtic music blended seamlessly with punk to create an energetic and authentic sound. This is the band’s sixth release and after listening to it continuously for about two weeks I’m a little ashamed that I hadn’t heard of them before. The Tossers incorporate traditional instruments like the tin whistle, mandolin and fiddle to round out their sound. The seven–piece band writes poetic lyrics to the songs and despite the gloomy title and sometimes–dismal lyrics the album is surprisingly up lifting. My favorite tracks on the album were “Never Enough” and “Traps and Ultimatums” although honestly it was hard to pick even two favorites. The whole damn album is just too good. Unfortunately the band won’t be making a stop in SLC on their upcoming tour, but if you’ve got 10 hours to spare check them out in Tempe AZ on 06.06. They’ll be worth the drive. –Jeanette Moses

Two Tears
Little Tea
Simple Social Graces Discos
Street: 04.10
Two Tears = Red Aunts + Lunachicks – the punk edge + Beehive & The Barracudas
Kerry Davis, formerly of Red Aunts fame, as well as Beehive & The Barracudas, has made her latest effort, Little Tea, something of a garage–rock/alt–country compilation. The nine tracks blend the best aspects of the two genres to create a raw and emotional recording. I, for one, am not a fan of this record, simply because it doesn’t appeal to me musically for one reason or another. However, that does not mean Davis is not extremely talented and good at what she is doing with this musical endeavor, (and has been doing for over a decade) because although the record is simple, its real and sincere sound are what make it a success and showcase the talent behind these songs. –Jeremy C. Wilkins

Utah Carol
Rodeo Queen
Self Released
Street: 05.15
Utah Carol = The Sea and Cake + Mojave 3
Are there mountain–men, sad cowboys or prophetic Jesus–types lost in the Uintahs, sitting next to a lake, strumming these songs of lost lovers named Ruby? Probably not, but I’ll settle for this duo from Chicago and their gentle, resonant folk–pop. They were a perfect fit alongside Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s on the soundtrack for David Gordon Greene’s masterpiece All the Real Girls, and are back with another helping of warm country–lovin’, like chicken noodle soup served in an acoustic guitar. Like our best contemporary folk and indie–folk acts, such as Iron & Wine, Utah Carol approach tradition without a sense of irony or self awareness. It’s proof that sometimes all a folk singer needs is a simple melody and a girl to break his heart. Throw a beard into the mix and now you’ve really got something. –Jeff Guay

Vanna
Curses
Epitaph Records
Street: 04.24
Vanna = From Autumn To Ashes + Atreyu + Funeral For A Friend + Norma Jean
I can’t say I didn’t like this record, because I did. I can say that a lot of it has been made clich by countless fashion–core, metal–core, screamo, emo and whatever other kind of “Core,” and “Mo,” that can be thought of. With their debut album, Curses, Vanna makes a strong first impression with vocalist Chris Preece’s throat–blistering screaming, thick discordant breakdowns and heavy guitar riffs. Vanna’s weakness as a band is only apparent when they start actually singing and whining in the middle of a massive breakdown. There were a few bands at the forefront of the emo–screamo/metal–core/post–hardcore movement–whichever term is most proper–that pulled off (some continuing to do so) the singing and screaming and did it well, but really, by now it’s overdone and has mutated into a self–pity, fest with all the pouty singing. Curses is a great hardcore/metal–core album if you can get past the tear–in–the–eye singing that plagues it on occasion. –Jeremy C. Wilkins

Various Artists
Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash
Dualtone Music Group
Street: 06.19
Anchored in Love = an all–star mix of Cash family and friends playing songs that made June Carter Cash a legend.
Anchored in Love is a twelve–song tribute record celebrating the musical legacy of June Carter Cash. Conceived and produced by her son John, Anchored in Love is a respectable mix of songs paired with solid musicians. Some highlights include Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow singing together on “If I were a Carpenter,” Loretta Lynn doing “Wildwood Flowers” and Rosanne Cash delivering an emotional version of “Wings of Angels.” The best song by far is Elvis Costello’s rendition of “Ring of Fire,” though Ralph Stanley playing “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” is also really good. It’s all really good. The one lack–luster performance comes courtesy of Billy Bob Thorton—an awkward voice–over reminiscent of Spock. Many of the songs on the compilation were written by Cash, though some are country standards that date to her time touring with the Carter Family. These well chosen songs seem to be perfectly coupled with each musician’s distinct flare and strengths (having Billy Joe Shaver play “Kneeling Drunkard Plea” is nothing short of brilliant). This is a fantastic disk that pays homage to a fantastic woman—a testament to how good country music once was, and a reminder to us all that, in the right hands, it can still be pretty damn spectacular. Now if we could just stop Rascal Flatts. –James Bennett

Various Artists
Soul Sides Vol. 2
Zealous Records
Street: 05.22
Soul Sides Vol. 2 = John Shaft + Smithsonian + www
Soul Sides mark II by Zealous Records is a rare collection of Souuulful covers that will send you straight to the corner store for a box of extra large condoms, and a 40 of O’E. These 14 picks are a collection of classic rare masterpieces gathered to integrate young listeners to the chocolataay smooth magic of black American Soul. Many of these picks were featured on the blog itself, while others have been handpicked from the Smithsonian of soul to provide a deep’n fresh cross–sampling of the who’s who and the what’s what of soul. Favorite picks including a Beatles cover by the reverend Al Green, Ester Phillips with Home is Where the Hatred Is, Donovan Carless with the upbeat Be Thankful for What For Got. Express Yourself done by Byron Lee & the Dragonaires is a hot pick which was interestingly also covered on NWA’s hallmark 88 release; Straight Outta Compton. The comp is a handful of roots soul, with samples of Cuban, afro–beat and reggae. Herein one can expect to find the right blend of jivey wah–wah and bass licks to give you flashbacks of 3–2–1 Contact. Overall this collection can wake any white–ass up to the soul he never knew he had in’m, you dig? –j. Richmond

Xiu Xiu
Remixed & Covered
5RC
Street: 03.07
Xiu Xiu = Xiu Xiu + more blips and bloops
An entire album dedicated to remixing and covering a band’s songs can seem a bit uninteresting and not original, but Xiu Xiu’s Remixed and Covered is the total opposite. Of the two discs, the covers side definitely takes the cake for the most originality and is the more diverse of the two. Devendra Banhart takes the sinister ‘song’ “Support Our Troops OH!” and turns it into a poppy, acoustic number with his quivering voice singing what was spoken in Xiu Xiu’s version. Her Space Holiday covers the song “I Luv The Valley OH!,” arguably their most popular song, and turns it into a piano driven track, complete with the French verses found in the version on Fabulous Muscles. Xiu Xiu does the best remix on the remix side, turning their song “Ceremony” tinnier, and adding a few more effects and nasty synth lines. Other notable remixes on the release include an incredibly female version of “Hello From Eau Claire” by Gold Chains, and a blippy, electronic version of “Bishop, CA” by Kid 606. There are plenty of interesting tracks on here, and it’s definitely a must–have for any Xiu Xiu fan. –Tom Carbone Jr.

Yoko Ono
Open Your Box
Astralwerks
Street: 04.24
Yoko Ono = Joy Division + Basement Jaxx
Do you like to pump iron? Do you like to do aerobics? Do you like to dance and do Aerobics while pumping iron, all at the same time? Jog in place? A couple curls for posterity? If this is the case I might have something you’re interested in. Open Your Box is Yoko Ono’s 14–track dance remix package that will have some of you in real shape real fast—Shakin’ your ass every other night to the Pet Shop Boys electro–pop mix of “Walking on Thin Ice” or disco skatin’ to the techno–funk of Basement Jaxx’s spin of “Everyman Everywoman.” This is not the type of smooth techno you can sit down and just listen too (I laughed after writing this). Every beat wants your body in a fluid physical interpretation of what it’s like to be on X in some massive Ibiza club. If you’re down with hyper–dancy techno or just need something you can aerobicize the shit out of, Open Your Box will certainly wet yours. –Miles Ridling

Young Galaxy
Young Galaxy
Arts & Crafts
Street: 04.24
Young Galaxy = Stars + Spiritualized + Flaming Lips
Even before I read the press packet it was clear while listening to Young Galaxy that at some point Stephen Ramsay had been involved with the phenomenal dream pop band Stars and true to form he played a bit of guitar for them before leaving to focus on this project with his girlfriend Catherine McCandless. While most side–projects and departures tend to end in less than satisfying results Young Galaxy is the exception. The mix of space synths, ethereal and jangled guitar with male and female vocals woven into the mix as the songs balance between pop and ambient space ballads is nothing short of smile inducing; which in this case makes it the clear front runner for my summer favorite. Now if I could only convince the gods of giving me a summer as warm, beautiful and fun as this the next few months would truly be blissful. –ryan michael painter