VARIOUS ARTISTS
Triple B Recordings
The History of Boston Rock “Here and Now”
16-song CD compilation
If you’re not a fan of good-old-fashioned hammer-and-tongs rock, you might wish to look elsewhere, though if you are, you could do worse than Noble Rot’s anthemic rabble-rouser “Rocket Fuel Mayhem,” The New Frustrations’ classy garage-rock thumper “Changed My Mind,” The Doom Buggies’ Byrds-like “Bruce’s Lament,” and Over the Edge’s over-the-top punk raver “Invincible.” Rounding out the bill are outstanding tracks by the somewhat twangy Acro-Brats (“Gone for Good”), and reformulated classics interpreted by Three Day Threshold (“Drunken Sailor”) and The McGunks (“Whiskey in the Bottle”). The final four songs are not for the fainthearted but will satisfy aficionados of old-style radio-unfriendly Boston punk: Nothing’s “Woo Dog,” Zippo Raid’s “At the Bar,” Rock City Crimewave’s “Red on the Razor” and The Illegals’ “Dream Date.” The fine folk at Triple B recordings are doing us an inestimable service by preserving some representative recordings by (mostly) hard rock bands, many of whom have been around for a goodly long time, and more than a few of whom have been flying forever below the radar of pretentious fashionableness. (Francis DiMenno)
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UNIVERSE NARROWS
What Makes a Weed?
11-song CD
The fact that this is a father-son duo is irrelevant, aside from the fact that it explains why these two work so well together. I expected a novelty act, and I got one of the best discs of the year. Okay, it starts off as a poppy-happy kind of thing, and that isn’t my bag, but then you get “Hole in the Fence,” which features some truly tasteful lead guitar work, and which is followed up by “Lost and Found,” which shows that Universe Narrows is just as comfortable exploring the (slightly) darker side. “Looking Through a Pane” is a Grant Lee Buffalo kinda thing, and that is far more than I could have asked for from this slab. This takes the “singer/songwriter” thing far beyond its expected constrictions, shows that pa and son have mastered more than one stylistic niche, and makes me listen a second time, and a third time, and ends up with me wishing I could hang with these two while they hit “record” and prove that simple, heartfelt songs are still at the core of this whole music-y kinda thing. (Tim Emswiler)
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SYMBION PROJECT
Wound Up by God or the Devil
11-song CD
This CD is 100 percent pure electronica. I was prepared to hate it because I find that most electronica is a cheap substitute for instrumental music and is devoid of any soul whatsoever. But this CD, the project of Kasson Crooker, proves otherwise. This is actually original classical music for electronic sound sources and makes me wonder if Johann Sebastian Bach were alive today, if he would have composed Toccata and Fugue in D minor on a synthesizer, because if you think about it, the pipe organ was the original synthesizer. Granted, Crooker isn’t exactly in the same league as Bach, but the point is that this CD opened my mind to electronica. In fact, one composition, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Divisioning,” is a variation on Bach’s similarly titled work.
But this is no Switched On Bach. Crooker’s sonic creations are thoroughly modern and original; “Le Fetischisme Dans L’amour” hints of something from the original Star Trek. “Antiphon” is quirky, melodic, and playful. Crooker arranges his songs much like one would arrange an orchestral piece; different sounds and moods enter and exit throughout. I was surprised to find that I really like this CD. (Robin Umbley)
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SAM BIGELOW
Hi-n-Dry
The Foundry
11-song CD
Sam Bigelow’s second CD, The Foundry, offers up powerful rocking piano which call to mind Billy Joel and Elton John manning the ivories back in their ’70s hayday. Several notable Beantown artists show up to support Bigelow, among them Dennis Brennan and Twinemen, Dana Colley and Billy Conway. Sam nimbly navigates and strides the keys. He’s a dynamic vocalist as well and drives the party into gear one moment and brings it down to a whisper for a parted lover. The emotional resonance of his voice charges the ballads “Julia” and “What To Say” and carries the songs even when the lyrics aren’t so strong. Another standout, “This Is Your Night,” sounds like the soundtrack to a New Orleans all-nighter. I can imagine the attendees getting ready to wander out to the nearest diner for requisite coffee and grease. “Geraldine” is an angel in the crowd musing where Bigelow fantasizes about the woman sharing his armrest with him on a flight. Overall, this is solid pianistic rock/blues songwriting from an up-and-comer. (Dan Leary)
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THE BAGS
Oaf Records
Mount Rockmore
14-song CD
First of all, I can’t believe that this album title/ cover art combination has never been used before. The Bags couldn’t have chosen a better cover for this CD; the giant snow-covered rock shaped like a hand throwing goat horns is the epitome of truth in packaging. The songs have a big, bombastic cock-rock sound with barely any serious hooks among them. The playing is awesome and Mad Oak Studios has managed to make this record sound gorgeous, but it doesn’t save it from the hollow songwriting. “Radio Tower” is the only one that held my attention the whole way through and the lyrics to “Banana Peel” are somewhat clever. However, the title track’s words are so awful that I had to stop reading them. Before Bags fans start writing angry letters, I’d like to point out that I realize (or at least I fervently hope) that this record is a parody of the genre, but Spinal Tap has already done it and done it much better… even with their second record. (Seth Cohen)
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WHITE
The Size of Our Souls
11-song CD
The Size of Our Souls has it all. It has insane rock hooks (try to listen to “Nobody Loves You” once without singing it for a week). It has killer guitars, big fat bass, and kick-ass keys and synths. And it has a classic, unapologetic heavy blues rock groove that makes every song worthy of throwing the horns. There’s no need to deconstruct influences—these guys lay it all right out there with unabashed tributes to Led Zep, AC/DC and Pink Floyd. “The Story” melts seamlessly into “Do You Feel In Love,” and “The River Song” similarly bleeds into “On the Crutch” with its ridiculously good guitars and a melodic hook that sounds like “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” if it were played by Skid Row. The coup is the last track, which also happens to be the title track, which amazingly clocks in at over twenty-one minutes. If it’s been awhile since you’ve had your mind blown by a rock band, get this CD. (Lexi Kahn)
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DUKE & THE DRIVERS
Groove International
Harder Than Before
12 songs
F. Scott Fitzgerald once opined that there are no second acts in American literature but he never reckoned on the likes of Duke & the Drivers, who started out in earnest in 1973, took a hiatus in the ’80s, and came back for awhile in the ’90s, and are now back again and so together it’s like they never really left. If you’re thoroughly steeped in British blues, Stax/Volt soul and some of the grittier Motown efforts, and you enjoy these genres above all others then you’ll certainly feel right at home here. Of all the tracks, the bluesy, doo-wop inflected “Angel” is by far the best—a modern classic and worth the price o admission all by itself. “Funk All Over the Place,” “Loco Loco,” and the cover of “Sixty Minute Man” strike me as failed attempts at mixing it up but the rest of the songs are solid. The tunes, the arrangements, and the performances all cohere marvelously, and even if you don’t know jackshit about this band’s long history you can tell that these guys know their genre backwards and are consummate professionals. The horn sections in particular are an endless delight. (Francis DiMenno)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS
Lowbudget Video
Live at the Midway Unplugged
31-song DVD
Tim Casey has been building a solid portfolio of video-based projects. Here he and his team have recorded a crystal clear unplugged show at the Midway with 18 artists. Here’s a rundown of the highlights. Phil Kaplan is probably the closest thing Boston has to Randy Newman with his wry sarcastic songwriting style. Backed with his guitar or ukulele, Glenn Williams is a sensitive storyteller in song.Clara Kebabian’s violin sweetens up Mr. Curt’s song that carry messages we may have heard before, but need to be reminded of. Church of Flying Dreams, an avant garde guitar and snare duo, break new ground in instrumental presentation. Lenny Solomon backs his Bonnie Raitt-ish folk tunes with guitar and harmonica. Bird Mancini is a cool two-piece (guitar/accordion) that sound like a full band from the ’60s with good arrangements and harmonies. Emily Grogan and Clara Kebabian do one of my favorite songs penned by Emily—“Weathervane.” Then Linda Viens joins Emily to perform another stripped down Angeline song—“Girl of Opportunity.” Thea Hopkins sets a peaceful trance with her soul-felt songs. She has a silent strength in her character and raises the bar in this compilation. John Patton is a classical guitarist who plays in a gentle traditional folk vein. Doctor X wraps up the video up with an ear for a good melody and a nice selection of songs that includes a folk rendition of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt.” (T Max)
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SCUBA
Midriff Records
Scuba
9-song CD
Scuba’s latest release on Midriff displays the rudiments of the original shoe-gaze bands mixed with modern genres such as indie rock and Brit-pop. If you are a fan of Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, Dinosaur Jr., and New Order then you should enjoy Scuba. It is clear that they are not entirely consumed by their influences but it helps to describe their sound. They label themselves noise-gazers, a cross between noise rock and shoe-gaze, which is an accurate description. What stands out most is their flavorful use of distortion over melodic guitar lines. The vocals are simple and sweett—not too whiny or atonal. Another impressive fact is that the album was produced by the lead singer/ frontman David Grabowski. The one thing that bothers me is that all the songs sound similar—which can bore me and make the hooks less effective. “Gary Powers’ Spy Plane” and “Freight” are my favorites because they prove that the band has versatility. Scuba is a band to watch out for and I predict that they will get better with age.; (Leonid)
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THE BEAU ROLAND BAND
Northern Hospitality
12-song CD
Here we have a good-natured and sometimes poignant country-rock album, which kind of puts me in mind of a gleeful John Prine backed by Dave Grisman and Jerry Garcia. The upbeat tunes are raucous and inviting (“Why I Oughta,” “Chicago Time,” “Just One”) and the best of the midtempo ballads are poignant and well rendered, with gladsome hooks (“Anastasia,” “If I Ever Come Back to St. Louis,” “Your Arms Are Gonna Carry Me Home”). The hokum-style protest tune (“229 Years”) seems a bit callow, and the addition of harmonica to tracks like “All the Alone Time” and “Where Delilah Lay” doesn’t quite come across. But, leaving these caveats aside, the ensemble playing is superb, the arrangements feel organic and natural, and the lyrics are grounded in real experiences and are affecting and memorable. (Francis DiMenno)
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SUCKA BROWN
RoHo Records
What Elephant?
10-song CD
The sucka that is brown is a talented funk-rock band that enlists the groove-vey talents of Todd Denman on guitar, Scott Sowden on bass, Brendan Hall on vocals, and Matt Slowik on drums. To say that Hall’s voice sounds like Anthony Kiedis at times would be an understatement, and these guys know they sound Chili-Peppery. That’s fine though. It’s a fine band, with tight compositions of funk and pop and rock and oregano and a cup of chopped onions and half a quart of chicken stock, and… Oh, sorry, I just glanced at the Food Channel. Lame as that tangent may have been, this album is anything but that. I would enjoy to hearing these guys live, they’ve been a college circuit and club band for a bit now. I wonder if they’re as tight on a stage as they are on this disc because the production is clean as a baby’s ass. A fresh, clean baby’s ass. Good music comes from Sucka Brown. (Mike Loce)
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PABLO PICKER
171 Nails Counted Then Dropped
11-song CD
171 Nails is a collection of David Gray-ish pop but artier and without the up-tempo material. Picker is like a modern Nick Drake, only armed with a piano instead of a guitar. The songs have a similar wistful minimalism. His impressively smooth vocals sound like a cross between Gray and “Meddle”-era David Gilmour, seamlessly gliding from a talking delivery into glistening falsetto. The lyrics are oblique enough to be verbal versions of the ink blot test although “You Know You Smile Too Much” seems like it could be a Bush-bashing with the line, “where is your army? You know this will cost you.” There is a strong satisfying poetic sensibility (though no doubt perceived as pretentious to some) throughout the proceedings.
This is definitely Sunday morning coffee-and-paper mellow listening. The opening track “Kabel” starts off with an up-tempo riff similar to the Smiths’ “Headmaster Ritual” but then it downshifts into a slower groove that’s maintained throughout the CD. Picker is definitely one to keep an eye on. (Dan Leary)
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INGE BERGE
No-Fi
The Zerosum
18-song CD
This is an odd, adventurous, and ultimately compelling amalgam of rock-opera posing (“Samsara”), spoken word (“Cold Steel”), backwards tracking (“Sir Percie Natase/ Superstring”), irresistible op-art hooks (“2 Little 2 Late”), swirly melodies (“Only Son I”), low-key compositional grandeur (“Home”) and goofball Brecht-and-Weill Cabaret-style one-offs (“Sweet Girl Insincere”)—all swimming in a sea of venturesome and sometimes perplexing electronica. You can break out individual tracks like the balladic lament “Who’s the Joke On,” or the bitter protest number “Home Again.” But it’s better experienced en masse, for the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, though a difficult nut to crack—assaulting this project with only two earthbound ears is rather like trying to penetrate a coconut with a toothpick. (Francis DiMenno)
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FORGETFUL JONES
Monkbam! Records
The Album
9-song CD
If it’s possible, Forgetful Jones is an incredibly tight band with a flair for being loose. They play well as a unit, but never measure things too much, which allows for a sound that is disciplined but exciting and far from stale. The music, which culls together the best aspects of ’90s alternative, funk and metal, from the progressive alt-funk of Jane’s Addiction, Living Colour, 311, and Fishbone to the nihilistic crunch-metal of Pantera, packs a punch but isn’t afraid to let its melodic sensibilities flesh out. Vocalist Kenyatta Savage is a great singer, and his voice provides a strong complement to the sonic guitar crunch offered up by his bandmates. Standout tracks include opener “Lights Out,” “Super Pitfall” and “Rushing to Wait.” (Ryan Bray)
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JEFF THOMAS
Boston to L.A.
10-song CD
Greetings, Zortar here. Jeff Thomas plays pop/ rock, which falls more on the pop side. While he plays and sings this well it is not to my liking. I prefer music that sounds like it was made by squirrels eating battery acid. I’m sure you understand, something a bit more abrasive. Only “Jerk” (possibly written about Slimedog) and “Attitude” excite my auditory sensors. Melodically it reminds me of Queen or Squeeze at times and sometimes, vocally like Freddy Mercury—high praise indeed. But then do I like Queen? No, I’m a cranky alien in need of more milk-derived substances in my taste sensors. In conclusion, metaphorically speaking you could say I need more stimulation of my auditory vagina glands secreting in preparation for thrusting musical hardness if you will. That’s it in a nutshell. (Slimedog)
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THE GOBSHITES
Get Bombed
14-song CD
Oh great, just what I need: yet another trad-Irish CD full of sing-along drinking songs. Although this is the kind of record that’s turning Boston music into a caricature of itself, I must admit that I was much more down on this CD before listening to it than afterward. Most, if not all, of the songs are covers and the approach used in their execution varies from the highly engaging, as in “Telling Them” and the obligatory secret track, to the derivative, as in “Questioningly,” which I didn’t much like even when The Ramones did it. The playing on the record is pretty good though, and so are the backing vocals, but the lead vocals and arrangements are nothing special. Aside from “Too Drunk to Fuck,” none of the song choices are surprises at all and some creativity in building the track list might have saved this CD. As it is, it’s something listenable to have on in the background at a party, but if I forgot it there, I wouldn’t go back for it. (Seth Cohen)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS
Frigid Ember Records
95 N: A Compilation
15-song CD compilation
The disc starts off slow but gets interesting by the second track with a tune by Stay Fucked. They sound like King Crimson but if they had been influenced by punk rock and noise bands. There is great use of dissonance in the melody. The highlight of the compilation is the next track by Tristan Da Cunha—Boston’s answer to Frank Zappa. Weird time changes, unique dynamics and great vocal melodies—all the fixings one needs make music interesting. Track four sounds like a darker version of The Jesus and Mary Chain—simple, loud and elegant. The CD loses its edge for the next six tracks with generic power/ punk pop bands then rejuvenates itself with Limbs’ “Silver Fetters,” which has a sweet sounding female vocalist over interesting guitar arrangements. The next tune is an acoustic piece which also features a female vocalist but isn’t as powerful or driving. Towards the end of the compilation the songs get heavier and heavier (bordering on sludge) with screaming vocals. This adds the certain oomph that slowly dissipated early on. Topping it all off and concluding the compilation is Piles with a four and a half minute, part-noisy, part-heavy and by all means brilliant instrumental called, “One More for Morgan. (Leonid)
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THE RHODE SHOW
The Rhode Show
12-song CD
The Rhode Show’s self-titled CD is a depiction of life as young person in his or her hometown, Providence Rhode Island. In the process of shaping that image, The Rhode Show questions and attacks the status quo. Like Thanksgiving dinner, everything is on the table. The Rhode Show bounces from too much TV in “Rewind” to the image of a “Blackman.” The driving force of each song is “the message,” which can be strong and poignant, but also overstated. The Show is more concerned with words than tunes, and their poetry can become prose-y at times. While they continue to grow and make note of the fucked-up world (sorry guys, it never stops) their message will naturally become more succinct and polished. In the meantime, the group needs to develop catchier songs and lasting tunes. The message will sink in better if everyone is singing along. (Kevin McDevitt)
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KARWRECK
Ditched
10-song CD
Indie rock, almost by definition, is designed to stand alone and work outside the box. But even indie rockers, who take on the fractured and oblique aesthetics demanded by the genre with pride, have their influences. Boston/New York-based four-piece Karwreck is no exception. But to their credit, they know how to draw inspiration from the right places. Ditched pays respectful homage to old-guard indie/art rock acts like Television and Talking Heads while pulling it all together into something that is uniquely their own. Lead-off track “Not Going Back” stomps along with a sort of primal, street rock urgency driven largely by pulsating drums and booming, Mike Watt-style basslines, while “Big Crush” sounds like it could be a cross between the Buzzcocks and Devo. Other stand- out tracks include “Ramble On,” which channels the sounds of The Clash and The Jam and “You Were Not There.” Good stuff. (Ryan Bray)
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DOUG MACDONALD BAND
Valiant Records
Somerville Summer
10-song CD
There is an inherent risk in naming a band after its frontman. When I read “The Doug MacDonald Band,” what I envision is a bar/cover band that can pull off the Tom Petty covers, but struggles with the Pearl Jam songs. It’s off base, but that’s where my head went. In this case, it turns out that the frontman can carry certain kinds of songs (the sort of confessional thing that some folks eat up these days), and since that is what comprises the majority of the songs here, that isn’t such a bad thing. If the “singing” verges closer to the spoken word, so be it.
If Neil Young is channeled through tracks like “Broadways Best” (sic), again, so be it. But the overall aura, for me, is one of who-gives-a-shit-ism. None of these songs beg for a second listen, the ones that make me tap my feet still make me yearn for other, more foot-tapping fare, and when all is said and done, I feel like I just had an appetizer, with my CD collection as the main course. (Tim Emswiler)
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MOES HAVEN
(Sh)oc(k)tober
16-song CD
This is a CD of novelty tunes by a two-person group with one vocalist singing along to a guitar or piano accompaniment with the occasional backing vocal. The music swings from lyrically sad and sappy to hokey, and only sometimes works when coupled with the quirky monster-movie lyrics. If Moes Haven had culled some of the filler from this release, it might be worth keeping in your car for a few laughs on road trips. Some tracks like “Halloween” are worth a listen or two but others like “X-Mas Evil” just aren’t clever enough to warrant the space on this paper-sleeved CD. However, “The Beyond,” easily the best track here, made me laugh both times I listened to it. Fleshing out the lineup into a full band might make them a bit more listenable, but would unfortunately also turn them into the hillbilly monster-rock version of Robby Roadsteamer; better they retain their distinctiveness and start aiming for quality rather than quantity. (Seth Cohen)
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MATT LUTZ
Undetected Plagiarism
Seesaw
11-song CD
In Matt Lutz’s solo project (he is also the singer for the San Francisco band The Herms) his quirky songwriting is reminiscent of a modern day Ziggy Stardust. Only Matt isn’t ripping lines off a toilet seat in a one-piece sequin suit; he’s plucking an acoustic guitar under the fading stars. Seesaw has nine good songs, one smooth elevator ride, and one instrumental filler. Despite his obvious skill as a songsmith, I get the uneasy feeling that Matt’s about to go out in the cornfield, put the barrel of a shotgun to his temple, and cash out. It would be a shame if Matt took himself that seriously. He is clearly capable of unique and memorable melodies. The gem of the record is “Took Me Awhile,” which is laced with xylophone and is pleasantly familiar to Morrissey’s “First In The Gang.” Unfortunately Matt fails to ever crawl out of his vocal comfort zone. His delivery is flat and frequently drab. Seesaw plateaus after the initial warm and tingly then just kind of fades away into mediocrity. (Kevin McDevitt)
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MOES HAVEN
Motern Music
August: Of Temporal Inconsistency
18-song CD
Judging by the music and the presentation of the CD (which looks like a reissue of a handwritten cassette made in the ’80s), Moes Haven is the 21st century version of Daniel Johnston minus the erratic behavior, colorful visions, bi-polar disorder and life-story that is worthy of a movie. But to their credit, this songwriting duo has more talent in respects to the ability to play their instruments and sing in tune. They recorded a thirty-minute album a day (365 in total) for the entire year of 2006 and took the best songs from each and released them in 12 separate records consisting of the best songs from each month. This one is from August. If you like catchy folky vocals with quirky lyrics then you will appreciate Moes Haven. They have a distinct sound and at times are brilliant songwriters who have the ability to produce something interesting out of something so simple. “Laying on the Hood of My Car” is a great example. Fifty percent of the songs are amazing, the rest sound forced. (Leonid)
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BRYAN MCPHERSON
Indecent Music
Fourteen Stories
14-song CD
In the opening bars of the first track, “Poor Boy,” I can see that Bryan is going to use his acoustic strumming as a jackhammer to demolish society’s long standing cinderblocks of bullshit and he does so with little ceremony. Bryan sounds like he’s been up all night, pissed and drinking strong coffee, and then he and his accomplices hit the record button. His delivery is about passion and conviction (not to be confused with items of similar product name sold by Bush/Cheney/Rove Axis of Truly Evil). On the CD, we get Bryan singing with such force that we can see his cords fraying—like a drunken punch in a bar fight, crudely thrown but with true heartfelt conviction. Bryan’s thoughts, however, are quite lucid. If you’re a lyrics nut, you’ll love this stuff. He turns the tables on the aforementioned Axis: “the klan of the bushes/ button-pushin’on-lookin’/wiretappin’, finger-snappin’/attackin’, patriot/…So don’t ya terrorize me!” Today being an angry man isn’t trendy, it’s a civil responsibility. Go Bryan go! (Dan Leary)
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MOES HAVEN
Motern Media
Victory Is Ours! (For Now)
16-song CD
Matt Farley and Tom Scalzo, the core nuclei of folk-rock duo Moes Haven, brag proudly of a yearlong project that found the duo recording 30 minutes of music every day in 2006. Victory is Ours! is designed to represent the 16 best tracks written and recorded during that stretch, but if that’s the case it doesn’t speak well for the other 349 songs that didn’t make the cut. The disc is clearly a tribute to the storytelling and folklore long associated with folk music, but with songs such as “Let’s Open a Deli!” and “Isn’t This Spectacular, Kite Flying,” there really isn’t a lot of substance to hold on to. Part of me wants to give these guys a break and just have fun with the music, which is more often than not silly and whimsical. But if the songs are meant to be a joke, they’re not funny, in addition to overall lackluster songwriting. (Ryan Bray)
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PLASMA FACTORY
Plasma Factory
9-song CD
Regards, Slimedog’s cat again. Seems like once again I’m obliged the odious task of reviewing these music discs for humans. Oh well. This CD has catchy songs in the classic rock vein that make me recall bands like Boston and Foreigner—pure high vocals with the beat restrained to make it more palpable for the masses. They have very good singing and good playing but it’s just dullsville for me. Didn’t these strategies work best decades ago? Jeez, it’s enough to make me want to spit a hairball, I tell you. If that worthless Slimedog wasn’t passed out beneath the home entertainment system I could ask him what else I’m supposed to say. Screw the mess box, I’m going to do what sounds like a Chinese restaurant, a “golden shower” on my fallen roommate. Ah, what a release, much more satisfying than this recording. (Slimedog)
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CHEATER PINT
Control Freak
1-song CD
A tease single from their upcoming full length, Head to Your Knees, Control Freak sounds like the Go-Go’s on massive steroids. Loads of pop hooks crammed into four and a half minutes with ten-foot tall drums, hand claps, climbing choruses, and oodles of sonic chocobliss. If the rest of their new album sounds as good as this single, my eargasm will never cease. Fuck, Yeah! (Joel Simches)
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SUTRA
Sutra
6-song CD
Cat Sutherland (singer) and Chuck Pukmel (multi-instrumentalist) are the dynamic duo comprising the Sutra sound. With production magic from Sir David Minehan, we have a CD packed with promises, penitence, and ponderings. If the haunting beauty of Cat’s voice sounds familiar, you might have been a fan of her 1990s band, Volition. The chemistry between Chuck and Cat is obvious in these rhythmic and accessible tunes. There’s a certain sophisticated, dark density that’ll get Sutra compared to bands like Evanescence. It takes more than one listen to absorb all that’s going on in these six tracks—headphones and a dark room enhance the listening experience. Standouts are “Away,” with its delicious hook, “Need,” and “Sentinel Horizon,” which boast a treasure of underlying studio wizardry. A nicely-turned project. (Lexi Kahn)
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CASH IN/CHECK OUT
The Good Honest Blood and Thunder
5-song CD
This sounds like the ultimate Meat Puppets/ Dead Milkmen Deathmatch-Unplugged! Acoustic angst with drive-by poetry is the goal of this project, fronted by the heavily caffeinated Jarad Bushnell. Poetry is more important when you shout it at the top of your lungs, strumming a six-string. Can’t you understand that? Well, if you can’t then I’ll shout it at you while I strum a lively tune. I haven’t been bludgeoned by poetry like this since 1991. Brilliant! Really! (Joel Simches)
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THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE
Talking Pictures of Ghosts
6-song CD
With the rallying cry from “The Bespectacled Wren,” “I don’t have to fucking impress you,” The Difference Engine makes it clear that the band and creator/ composer/ performer Chris Brown are making music for one, not the masses or people filled with expectation. Instead, we are treated to a sonic exploration not unlike the one Trent Reznor made with Pretty Hate Machine, full of angst, self-expression and lots of interesting sounds. While certainly not as heavy as anything NIN has ever done, the feel and emotion are very much the same. The influences reach a little deeper. There’s a lot of Joy Division/ New Order, Tones on Tail, Kraftwerk, and Depeche Mode in this to give the deep angst a little fashion sense. This is an EP that gets more interesting with repeated listening. (Joel Simches)
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VERONA DOWNS
Empyrean Records
The Light ReactionEP
5-song CD
I like a band that thanks me for listening before I’ve even listened to the disc. That’s what it says in the liner notes. This immediately puts this best-described-as-an-art-band in a positive mental zone for me. This complex mélange of poetry-infused music has nicely contrasting hues of light and shade, but as I said, it’s complex. You may want to get stoned before you listen to this. I’m sure that will clear up the allusions to photosynthesis in the phrase “light reaction.” It’s really well put together, this collection of five songs. Emotional, warming, and full of promise, this music. And no, you shouldn’t smoke before listening. If you do, you may turn into the Jolly Green Giant. (Mike Loce)
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VICIOUS DISORDER
Life is Chance
6-song CD
While their sound is big, heavy, and tight, Vicious Disorder sounds pretty much like every other metal band with any commercial aspirations. It is refreshing that their lead singer, guitarist Scott Laflame actually sings, without constantly relying on the obligatory Cookie Monster growls. Fans of early Alice in Chains, Metallica, and Static X will love the heavy chunk of the guitar. There is a shitload of wall of guitar here, so much so that the drums and vocals sound pretty thin at times. There is also a crazy musical homage to Halloween, “Pure Evil,” which was featured in the Halloween: 25 Years of Terror DVD. This is the best song on this CD, and certainly the one song with the most to offer from a creative standpoint. (Joel Simches)
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PALACE IN THUNDERLAND
Into The Maelstrom
4-song CD
Palace in Thunderland is interesting on paper. They combine the lyrical nonsense of Hawkwind with Led Zeppelin riffs, heavy, thunderous drums, and the deadpan monotone vocal approach of Ozzy and Helford. The band claim to be making music for the new millennium yet relies heavily of rock riffs that have been recognized and used ad nauseum for over three decades. Sometimes this CD’s saving grace is that there’s a load of great live energy, but it’s captured so poorly onto tape. The drum tempos feel like they’re on the verge of falling apart and the recording is oversaturated to the max. Maybe I just need to be more stoned, you know, like weekend-in-a-barn-in-Stowe stoned. Groooooovy. (Joel Simches)
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CEMETERY SUPERFLY
Green Banshee Records
Nothing is Something
4-song CD
Here’s another interesting band with an ill-conceived band name. If Davy Jones sang lead for Jane’s Addiction and were augmented by Gilmour and Wright from Pink Floyd circa 1977, it would sound a lot like this CD. There is a hippy, jammy good time side to the music, while at the same time trying to be heavy, heady, trippy, and poppy. The music is as intriguing as it is perplexing. There is a major risk in making a record that’s this hard to define. When that risk pays off, there is something unforgettable about the impression it leaves and I am left unforgettably impressed. (Joel Simches)
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BLACK SNOW
Snow White
1-song CD
There is not much to say about this 3:30 CD except that it is a potpourri of trance and noise with a mind-boggling speech played throughout. It’s encompassing yet plays with your mind like a bad acid trip, and draws you into its void then spitting you out three minutes later as the drums drop out. Suddenly, you feel as if you’re floating in space but just for a brief moment as an impressive wall of electronic soundscapes and synthesizers caress your ears. The voyage is interrupted by some final words as the eerie dialogue that narrates the song concludes. (Leonid)
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AMERICAN WATER
Moving Goalpost
4-song CD
One line of lyric from the first track sticks with me for the duration of this EP: “I’m gonna speak in clichés ’til I’m fit to be tied.” American Water’s music is riddled with indie rock cliché. They listen to the right music and cite the right influences: Pixies, Pavement, Sonic Youth, PJ Harvey, et al. The lyrics are really simply awful and are not helped by the lead vocalist who seems as oblivious to pitch as he is to the concept that not every line has to rhyme exactly the same way every time. Another example of “clever” is that the song “3/4 and after” is in 3/4. Actually, if you really want to get technical with chord structure and shit like that, the song is really in 6/8. You lost me again when the singing starts. Please make it stop. Press eject before my brain melts. (Joel Simches)