SHEPHERDESS Tiny Radars I’m Saving Myself for Shepherdess 9 tracks Anyone who hasn’t followed Hilken Mancini’s post-Fuzzy work has made a grave mistake. This second record from Shepherdess finds Mancini on top of her game, leading the band through a set of songs that are in debt as much to riot grrl punk as they are to the power pop that she is known for. The music has a ferocity to it, but never at the expense of a good … Read More >>
WALTER SICKERT & THE ARMY OF BROKEN TOYS Soft Time Traveler 18 tracks Billed as a multi-media album, this collection features a variety of song stylings from the ever-innovative and ever versatile Walter Sickert and company. That there is something special and even uncommon about the experience of seeing the band live is undeniable; reviews often focus upon the spectacle of the band, and its carnival-like aspects. These studio recordings are densely textured and full of colorful touches which help … Read More >>
THE NEIGHBORHOODS The Last Rat: Live at the Rat ’92 (2-CD collection) 31 tracks The Neighborhoods may not have been the best or brightest Boston band back in the halcyon ’80s, but like many of their all-but-forgotten contemporaries—the Outlets, Dogmatics, Lyres, or anything with John Felice in it back then—they were always a sure bet for a good time, a solid rock ’n’ roll band that wrote good songs, delivered with enthusiasm. This two-CD set, recorded live at the fabled Rat … Read More >>
DARLING PET MUNKEE You Better Believe It! 7 tracks Darling Pet Munkee (Michael J. Epstein, Sophia Cacciola, and Cathy Capozzi of Axemunkee) presents a follow-up to their earlier release “Glows in the Dark!” which also featured a kaleidoscopic collection of comic-book-ad-themed sonic pulp. Opening track “Hypno Coin” belongs firmly in the Sparks/Queen axis of idiosyncratic and operatic rock. “Scary…,” with its use of ominous soundscapes, electronic effects, and droning overtones, features a deliberately abrasive post-punk sound in the school of … Read More >>
BIG DIPPER Almost Ready Records Crashes on the Platinum Planet 12 tracks Big Dipper was one of the A-list bands of the ’80s and early ’90s because of, not in spite of, their seeming frivolity. Admittedly, the band had some heavy competitors, such as the Volcano Suns (from whence they emerged), as well as Dinosaur Jr. (intense; not funny) and the Pixies (intense; funny; not altogether wholesome). But Big Dipper was and is a pure product of America, and, specifically, of … Read More >>
THE CHANDLER TRAVIS THREE-O This Is What Bears Look Like Underwater 14 tracks On opening track “Little Things,” which sets the tone for much of what is to follow, it seems like Fred Boak, John Clark, Berke McKelvey, and Chandler Travis don’t so much rock out as commit acts of vaguely rock-like instrumental pop which are not quite like anything you’ve ever heard before, unless you happen to be inordinately fond of spacy ’70s jazz pianists, obscure late ’60s prog-rock, … Read More >>
MICHAEL CHORNEY & DOLLAR GENERAL Hall of Records Dispensation of the Ordinary 9 tracks In this current era of compressed, incessant pulse, it is a genuine pleasure to hear a music so gentle and gracious that it feels like a quiet stream flowing through your body. It takes real talent to craft this style and Michael Chorney & Dollar General have a full till to offer. Last spring I reviewed their CD release show at Club Passim, … Read More >>
THE MICHAEL J. EPSTEIN MEMORIAL LIBRARY Faith In Free 3 tracks It’s fitting that this EP is one song broken into three movements because its wide breadth and artistic imagery evoke classical music as much as pop. In less capable or more austere hands, this could be a disaster, but Epstein and crew pull it off without a hitch. The first movement, featuring an array of instruments and voices, has a spooky, haunting vibe, and its use of repetition puts … Read More >>