The Stevenson Ranch Davidians – Life & Death

This is an unusual one to be reviewing, kind of. Stevenson Ranch are much more mellow than pretty much everything else on this site, but the music is so damn haunting and cool, it will find a place on my iPod for sure.

Musically this is all jangly guitars with a lot of reverb on them to create a wide open space, acoustic guitars to give the depth, slow droning pedal steel to create some haunting atmosphere and a marching style snare to move things along. Don’t go in expecting them to rock you or anything. It’s more of the type of stuff that you sit at a table, relax, and just pay attention.

The vocals are driving me crazy as to where I would place them. They are definitely of the cooler folksy/psychedelic/Manchester scene from the early 90’s. Remember that scene? These guys are along those lines, but not annoying like that was. This is more rootsy, more real feeling.

The opening number, “Do You Feel Free?” is a beautiful little number that brings to mind Dylan to a certain extent. Better vocals, but it has that Dylan-ish feel. Dylan fans, don’t come expecting pure Dylan, Dylan detractors, same thing.

“Cosmic Blues” is a rather upbeat tune, and almost one you could hear being a sing along.

Every song has that haunting feel to it, but some have more build and intensity than others. “Time Is Going By” is a stand out with the chorus, for sure. There is a definite build up that becomes a rather large creation towards the end with an honest to God overdriven guitar brought in (though more as a sound effect) to really get across that feeling that “everybody’s gonna die” (or that is what it sounds like is being said…I have no lyrics here) that the chorus sings about. This isn’t “doom and gloom”, but a case of “the nature of things”.

The final song, “The Truth Shall Set You Free” is the most, I guess “upbeat” track on the album. But it loses none of the haunting aspects. It’s also work as a perfect close to the previous moods and feelings. It pulls everything you have heard before into one massive feeling.

I can’t say that this is a disc I would put on everyday, but it will have it’s place in my life for sure. I would actually go out on a limb and say it could fit at some point in everybody’s life. You just need to be in one of those moods where you only need to sit and think, or not if the situation is such. The Ranch folks can play, write, and haunt the hell out of your soul.

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Love Dictator – S/T

Are you one of those folks who sit there and say “gee, nobody does it like this anymore” while listening to a favorite (or semi-favorite) band from your past? Do you happen to say that while listening to UK Glam outfits from the mid to late 80’s? More precise, do you say that while listening to Wrathchild? And while thinking that…do you also think “but man, it would be so much cooler is Rocky Shades mated with Lemmy and they tried doing a Lee Dorian impersonation every now and then”???

Yeah, I know your type. It’s almost like I am living in your head right now, isn’t it? Well, my dear little friend, have I got the band for you and your sick twisted fantasies!!!

Totally silly, totally sleazy, totally over the top, but none of it in the forced or so obviously fake way of certain other “tongue in cheek” bands out there now. You get the impression that these, for as silly as all this is at times, just might be taking it serious. Well, as serious as a band like Wrathchild may have taken it back in the day.

“Love Dictator” has guitars that sound just barely in tune and just barely stay in key…and I think they sing about “female masturbation”. I think. Fun little ditty it is.

“Bourbon Lane” reminds me of the UK scene probably the most, and I think it might be the sped up Hanoi Rocks “Desperado”-like “do, do, do, dah, do” (or however you spell it…and I know Hanoi were/are from Finland but they were UK standards dammit). But this is one killer and fun track.

“Anyone But You” is ridiculously Wrathchild like. Man, these guys are so out of their time period.

“Sex Queen Of Rock And Roll” carries a dash of maybe NWOBHM in the lead guitar break bits. It’s the biggest departure from what they do the rest of the time, but only in those parts. Other than that it is all business as usual with the Cock Rock strutting to full force.

“Don’t Wanna Be One In A Million” is, yes, similar to the others. No surprises here, and I am pretty glad about that. In some ways I almost wish that they did have a silly little ballad, but that would take away from the over all enjoyment and “party” atmosphere that Love Dictator does achieve.

Musicianship is also fairly much as the old bands were, though possibly a step up in tightness. Oh sure, there is a bit of slop here and there, but never in an annoying way, as was much the case with some of the older bands. I won’t point any fingers though.

Love Dictator is a silly, fun release that is a great throw back to times past. I recommend this to anybody who was actually there in the UK scene in the mid-80’s and got to experience Wrathchild and any other band of the sort.

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Gonzales – Checkmate

O.K., first things first, songs 1 & 2 should never have been placed next to each other on this thing! They sound way too similar and the space between the songs sounds like a break in the song, not like a space between two different tunes.

Sorry, that just had to be said. I’ve listened to this thing a couple of times now and that has thrown me for a loop every time.

Gonzales are another one of the HIGH energy bands that Chorus of One Records seem to have a great skill for signing, though I probably wouldn’t rank them as high as Boozed or December Peals. Saying that though isn’t meant as a knock against them, as I expect someday they could very well be there someday, and damn soon. Gozales also has a tad of a Garage Band/60’s feel to them.

The disc starts with “Nothing To Lose” and the tune itself starts promising enough, but once you get to the verse it loses a little steam. It pulls it all together with the chorus, which is quite catchy.

“Checkmate” follows, and as I said, it is a little too similar to the previous track. It’s not that the riff is the same so much, as it is the pace it all moves at, and just…I don’t know, similar. I am thinking the intent was to create such a blast to the beginning that by song three you were a bit worn out.

Song three starts to bring it back for me, but I still have a little problems with it. This time it is the talk box thing used in the verse. Never been a fan of that effect. But again, the chorus brings it all together and is pretty good.

They do a fine revved up version of “Ring Of Fire” in my opinion. Granted, it is one that would probably cause Cash purists to have a heart attack. But they do it in such a way that even though it flies by at a million miles an hour, they retain the Country feel, and straight off the start you know what tune you are getting.

That one flows right into “Go To Hell”. I have a feeling that the blending of songs is a thing that they are trying to do. It happens too often and I am getting the feeling they are doing this to propel this disc along to the ending leaving you very little breathing room. If this is indeed the attempt, then they must be praised. Though this track sounds nothing like “Ring”, it was an almost seamless transformation into it.

Final song “My Son” is all sorts of cool and the production on the beginning of the tune is just wonderful. It’s just a very cool tune with some nice structure to it.

If there is a weak spot here I would probably have to go out on a limb and say it is in the vocal department at times. For as much energy as you have going all around, Markey Moon sounds a little more laidback than I would expect. This is just a personal preference. He’s a fine vocalist and does shine quite often, he just isn’t what I would expect considering the music.

Musically the band is rock solid, delivering high energy and remaining tight as can be. The guitars might be a tad thick in the production, but that is more of the style than a knock. I think it is the 60’s Psychedelic interest that probably leads to the vocals and the mix. Not that I have anything here that says that is what the influence is, it just kind of feels that way.

Make no mistake about it though, this is a fine release with a lot to offer and I would go see these guys in a second. It’s just that it could possibly use some extra tweaking in certain areas. I would also try and break up some of these tunes a bit more.

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Baby Scream – Identity Theft

Juan Pablo Mazzola amazes the hell out of me. Seriously. You see, Baby Scream, though a band, is really one guy, that guy being Juan. From as near as I can tell also, Juan is a pretty “free” guy in that he doesn’t really have one place he stays in. He’s kind of another version of Nikki Sudden (RIP) and Dave Kusworth, another Johnny Thunders. Rock and Roll nomads, we will call them. But what is so amazing is that he can exist like that, have a “band” that seems to be mainly himself and hired guns, yet creates pieces of music as lush as what he does, and always seems to be growing. His albums just get better and better. He almost seems to record, then analyze the hell out of his stuff and find what works and what doesn’t, then keeps the parts that work.

I read a bit just a few minutes ago that mentions how this album was inspired by the disappointment Juan felt after his last release, Ups and Downs, an album that I enjoyed. Supposedly this was going to be a dark album. I, myself, am going through a rather dark time in my life, so I kind of dreaded what I was possibly going to face. Though, Juan might have been in a dark mood, he brings that darkness out in the ways of the Beatles and early Rod Stewart, which is a different kind of “dark” and not depressing in the slightest, but rather more comforting. You end up feeling like you have a soul to share.

The album opens with the short and somber number “Be”, though the message is one of a positive sort, telling the listener to be themselves because the world is yours. I’m working with no book here, by the way. Juan sent me a link to a download. I think there might be a little political side to some of these songs, but with nothing telling me that, all I can go by is the direct message. But in that thing I read earlier, I saw something about a political slant here or there. I’ll confess to being a political idiot, so if there is one, it went right over my head. So for me, “Be” is just speaking to me in volumes right now and telling me to follow my heart.

“Dead Woman Walking” is the type of tune that blows me away. The production is amazing and the song is quite big and layered beautifully. We’re talking acoustic guitars, drums, backing vocals, and friggin’ orchestration! How the hell does this guy do this!?! It’s a great tune that just feels so nice.

“Nicole” is another winner. There is such a wonderful hook in the guitars, Lennon-ish vocals, an almost Steve Hackett sounding guitar in the background adding a nice texture to the strings. My only complaint with some of these songs is that they are ending a little too early for me.

The fourth track, “Memories” is my favorite on this release I think. Well, for the time being it is. This is the one that gets my “there is a Rod Stewart influence going on” remark. This is kind of Juan’s condensed “Gasoline Alley”. The mandolin, acoustics, melody, all harkens back to that tune. This, by the way, is a great thing. Again, I could go for another 2 minutes on this tune, with a nice long breakdown of the mandolin and guitars in the middle.

“Underground Blues” is a nice extra mellow tune. Picture candles, bottles of wine, and a slow dance with the person you love most. Yeah, I got a little cheesy there, but hey, when you hear the tune I dare you to tell me any different. Is that a waltz time to it…or is it a salsa? Ach, I need some more lessons. Can’t be a salsa…it’s too slow, I think.

“Ojos Orientales” is a unique one for the disc. I guess it was written by one Rinaldo Rafanelli who is was a member of numerous important bands in Argentina. This is Juan’s version of one of his tunes, with some English lyrics written by Juan. The song itself is a fairly heavy distorted beast with some over-drive on the vocals even. It still has the Baby Scream feel in it, but Juan chooses to replace the beauty with some anger and noise.

The album ends with “Mucho Mungo/Mt. Elga” which is a John Lennon and Harry Nilsson tune. I’m not sure how familiar I am with the original, or if Juan does such an amazing job channeling Lennon that I just think I have heard it before since the voice is so familiar.

Juan’s voice is one of those areas that I think he has done some analyzing of his material and figured out how to make it better and better. In early Baby Scream releases he sounded a little forced or lacking confidence. Now he has found how to make his voice work perfectly to the tunes and he sounds so comfortable, so relaxed. The man can melt a heart with his voice now days.

Baby Scream, for me though, is one of the most frustrating bands going now days. I keep hearing them getting better and better and better. I just wish some bigger label would hear them and sign them up. I can only imagine what Juan would be capable of if he had a budget and the time to create an album unlike any heard in 30 years. Hell man, I would even be cool with him just taking what he has considered the best material he has written yet and re-recording it all. Like I said, I would love to hear tunes like “Nicole” and “Memories” with a few more minutes added to them. But while we wait for those dreams to come, we have yet another wonderful release.

www.myspace.com/babyscream

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Banner Pilot – Collapser

I was standing in a Hot Topic recently with my daughter. She was off in one area flipping through shirt or whatever and I was just roaming around the store, remembering grander days when I could have gotten away with wearing some of the stuff in the shop.

Then all of a sudden a CD started playing, and I was transported a little bit further back in time. Something about the CD was making me feel like doing a little stage diving, and making me remember standing in my all-time fave record shop from years past, The Turntable (RIP Bob and Carol). Then I did something I haven’t done in years: I walked up to the counter and asked the girl behind the counter who it was, and she pulled out this CD from Banner Pilot. I grabbed my wallet, bought it and left. Seriously, it has been YEARS since I have done an impulse buy.

It seemed so right to buy this thing there. It was in Woodfield Mall, a place I spent many, many, many years, just down the road from the aforementioned Turntable also. Though the glorious Turntable is long gone and the owners are both gone.

Banner Pilot are a slightly Poppy Punk band that is more than fittingly from Minneapolis Minnesota, a city that is responsible for some of the greatest bands to ever grace the face of the music map such as The Replacements, Husker Du and Soul Asylum (to show my age a bit). If I had to point fingers I would say they share more with Can I Say era Dag Nasty in the Pop Punk area than any era of Green Day. There is more intensity on display here. They range from mid-tempo almost radio friendly tunes to full blasts of fury, but always melodic. You never lose the tune in noise.

The disc opens with a blast with “Central Standard” and if your foot is tapping along with that, or you find yourself moving in any way, rest assured that your movements will get more pronounced as the day goes on. The rest of the disc follows suit to this tune, but only gets better.

“Greenwood” was the song that made me start thinking I might need to buy the disc. It’s the third song and all three tunes had my interest. But for as good as this was, it was the next tune that sold me on this thing right then and there in the store.

If there is any justice in this world then “Starting At An Ending” will become a hit somewhere, or at the very least a longtime standard in certain clubs. I lay money on it there are two Punk kids out there playing this song to each other and when they get to be my age the tune will cause them to jump out of their chairs or get a little misty-eyed. It’s truly an outstanding song in construction and vocals. It’s also an odd thing that the slowest song on the disc is what got me to fall for a band, but the writing is that strong on this song.

“Skeleton Key” follows it up next, and at first you think the band might be deciding to stay in a slower pace for a spell, but that changes quick enough. Strong song with some nice guitar layers going on, but you have to listen close to find it.

Songs like “Empty Street” and “Hold Me Up” are what help keep them solid in the Punk world and not being lumped in with full Pop Punk with their full speed ahead style. But make no mistake about it, they still never lose site of the melody, which was always a strong point of the early bands that first started this style. Bands like The Descendents knew how to drive home the intensity, but still create something hummable, for lack of a better word.

Now, I know there are other bands doing this stuff, but I haven’t been privy to many of them. I’m open to hearing more.

The musicianship is pretty solid also. These guys can write a strong tune and play the hell out of it. Yes, I’ve even checked out some live footage of them and they have their chops live it also appears. Nice bass breaks, guitar breaks, and even though vocalist Nick Johnson has that ol’ yelling thing going on, he has a definite melody to his voice.

Banner Pilot does their hometown proud. They’re a strong band who shall hopefully only get stronger. For an “impulse buy” I sure couldn’t be any happier!

www.myspace.com/bannerpilot

Review by: Carl Isonhart

December Peals – People Have Demons

I’m kind of at a loss right now. This might be one of the first times I have had a CD sitting here in front of me that I absolutely love, but am finding myself at a bit of a loss for words, other than to just stand up and scream out my window at my neighbors that they are all leading meaningless and pointless lives if they do not have this CD sitting in their CD rack, or these files sitting in their MP3 player (or some such critter).

I’ll tell you this, it is indeed a rare thing to find a band that can take a simple Rock riff, one not too unlike what you expect out of AC/DC, and turn it on it’s head and create a tune that still sounds fresh. But that is just what DP do with “Bad Company”. It’s a big hook filled rock number right down to the brilliant lyrics of “Give me a break/My Goodness, gracious me/Remember these last words/Don’t bother me”. Very nice.

“The Devil You Know” was the one that really caused me to sit forward with the killer dual guitar on the intro. Then once the verses come in and Andreas voice just builds and builds in his intensity. The song just cooks along at a breakneck pace that moves on from song to song, but this is the first song to really tell you these guys have things really clicking on this release. There is also a wonderful break in the tune that fires right back up full force also, by the way.

At first you think that “Electric” will slow down the proceedings again, with the sound effect in the beginning, but then the guitars start to come in, and though it isn’t as full of rage as the previous two, you realize that this tune is more about an atmosphere or mood, mixed into the energy, than just about the “go” factor. This track is also more groove based than the others, with some beautiful backing vocal work.

“Best Of Luck” is far and away my favorite track on the disc. I must have listened to this song alone about 50 times so far. It covers all of the bases for me, killer guitar riff, high energy, vocals that go from Andreas screaming his lungs out, to him sounding damn near like Robin Zander from Cheap Trick on the chorus.

Every single second of the song is constructed incredibly well, with the pre-chorus having a wonderful riff where the guitar riff adds one little chord in a somewhat typical pattern that just changes everything up, then into the second verse with the single guitar hitting the riff and the lead break, to the slight feedback that breaks when heading into the second pre-chorus. There are so many little aspects that just make everything work so well. Then there is the harmonica “solo”. Perfect.

Song 5 is my wife’s personal favorite of the tunes she listened to. She said it sounded like All American Rejects…but much heavier. I smiled, as that is a pretty accurate description of the tune, though maybe selling it a little short, as AAR never constructed anything quite this good.

I mentioned it in the EP review, the bit about them and their wonderful breaks and backing vocals. Well this song in particular might have the best one they have done yet, where everything drops out aside from the drums keeping the standard beat, guitars striking single chords, and a vocal of just “La, la, la, la”. It creates a rather haunting moment that contrasts the previous intensity more than effectively.

“Hypoxia” is a prime example of something I realized with DP, they are a rare band in that they sound quite modern, and along the lines of something you could hear on the radio now. Something my kids and her friends would listen to, something that would sell big in a Hot Topik environment. But at the same time something that anybody into the underground Rock movement could get into. Something old folk as myself could also get into. They cram so many aspects into their tunes that they work for pretty much anybody who wants their music loud and energetic. They don’t sacrifice quality for anything. They’re the kind of band that can revitalize the spirit of a person in search of great Rock again.

Every single time I see a band doing a song called “Over And Over” I think they are doing an MC5 cover. I’m still hoping somebody can top that song so that I stop thinking it is a cover. Though it is a great tune here, no, it does not make me forget MC5.

The DP tune though does feature another one of their killer breakdown/middle parts. This one lacking vocals, but is a pretty cool little bit of drumming and dual guitar.

Track 9, “Saints And Sinners” is the most balls to the walls number on the disc, a straight up “GO!” style stuff bordering on full steam ahead Punk.

Track 10, “Prisoner” almost makes me think Funk. Add a few horns into this tune and George Clinton might turn an ear in this direction. It’s still big and heavy…but kind of Funky…man. Kind of a cross between a Funk band doing a stab at Deep Purple, especially when the old style organ kicks in.

Another thing about December Peals, the lyrics are actually pretty cool, and even they share the originality of the rest of the material. Just certain lines here and there really catch you, such as in “Prisoner”, the last line in the chorus is “I can’t save you from bad entertainment”, and that line speaks volumes. Though, if the person is listening to this CD, I would say the band can save us from bad entertainment.

“Capitol Cowboys” slows things down. It’s a mid tempo acoustic shuffling number. It’s a cool song, with a cool bit in the middle with a full group sing of “I don’t need your lullabies” and then builds to a bigger tune from there, but always staying acoustic (for the most part).

And that brings us to the last new song on the disc. I am going to go out on a limb and guess that this album was done with the intention of ending with this next song. The reason being is that the last track on here right now is “Got Taste”, which appeared on the previously released EP’s Back In The Back Of A Cadillac and If You Wanna Be Loud. Both of those, by the way, are the exact same release with the exception of Back… being paired with previously released material from Boozed. It’s a very good tune, but if this album was to have ended on nothing but all new material, with this song being the final song, it would have left the listener lying on the ground as a puddle of quivering melted flesh, bone and blood. As is, if you have heard the previously released EP’s, then a scorching album ends on the first listen in a little of an anti-climactic way.

“Slow Beat” starts with a bass quickly thumping away a single note, then a tambourine, high hat, bass drum join in.

You get the feeling something is about to give…

The the guitar comes in, playing a riff that you’ve heard before, in one form of another, but you realize you had that happen on the first track, and that worked out fine, and who really cares, because this feels like it is building to something special…

Then that high hat open, the snares cracks, and everybody opens up. The other guitar joins in and we are moving along! But still, you just know this thing is about to become a monster of a tune, the kind of thing that sets stadiums alight and leaves the masses exhausted with a smile on their faces.

The verse comes alive, and the music backs off a bit for the vocals to get the message across, then on the chorus it all comes back for that anthemic quality, “Are you ready to play? Are you ready to rock?”

As with the other tunes, the break in it is another fine one, but this time the energy is amped up with Andreas screams for his life.

The dual guitar trade off in the verses is just another grand aspect of the tune. It truly is a fine ending song for a CD, and possibly the perfect song to open a show with due to the lyrics and the slow building in the beginning.

The CD ends, as mentioned with “Got Taste”, which starts off the previously mentioned EP. I almost feel a little like I have sold the tune short, as on both releases it kind of takes a back seat to certain other tunes, but seems to be a favorite of the band since it has shown up here again. It’s this song though that caused a friend and I to butt head a bit over the fact that I feel the chorus is very reminiscent of early Hardcore Superstar, and he says I am crazy. I still think he is off his rocker, and I am sure I have listened to the tune a lot more than he has. But it is a killer track with a ton of stuff going on in it that seems to almost get lost in all the activity. Heck, there is a piano in that racket somewhere I am pretty sure!

Now, I’ve mentioned a few times the wonderful vocal work from Andreas Loba, and it should be stressed that he has many aspects of his voice that should promise for incredible stuff from him in the future. A voice like this will only grow and enable this band to pull off anything that they might wish to.

The guitar work from Ali Auch and Patrick Dirkes is also brilliantly done and both show that the future is wide open. There are so many little lead break, dual runs, little atmospheric bits (such as the feedback explosions that happen here and there) that the two guys obviously know how to enhance songs to give them that little bit of an extra “something” quality.

The rhythm section of Tobi Richter (bass) and Thomas Schepers (drums) keeps the whole beast chugging along. Both also throw so many little bits in and create such a killer atmosphere that makes this whole band into a monster of sound.

I can’t say enough good or even great things about this band. This CD fell into my lap at a perfect time in my life, just when I needed a band to give me that little spark of “oh yeah…this is why I love music as much as I do” again. They delivered that spark, and then so much more. They set my mind on fire again and restored more of that passion. This CD is start to finish quality, power, energy, heart, you name it. It’s everything Rock is supposed to be, it’s damn near perfect.

www.decemberpeals.com
www.myspace.com/chorusofonerecords
www.myspace.com/decemberpeals

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Boozed – One Mile

On the inside of the disc Boozed thanks The Hellacopters and Flaming Sideburns, and that is a good starting point to give you an idea of what to expect, but also add in a touch of the mighty MC5. But pretty much, full-tilt Punk Rock and Roll is what Boozed are serving up on this release.

Tracks such as opener “Save Me” and “You Gotta Go Again” move forward at such velocity that it is exhausting to even listen to them pretty much. The guitars are tight with each other in the single notes coming together with the chords on the choruses, and the drums and bass just drive those single notes into the cranium. It’s all an insanely intense version of Garage Rock, but with their own signature thrown on it all.

“Circus” give you an example of how good this band can be and how even though I might mention a band like Hellacopters as a similar style, they have no problem breaking that. The added almost Country style clean, Gretschy sounding lead breaks show a nice originality. They also work with some nice subtle dynamics on the tune, as the chorus and solo build to a volume just up from the rest of the tune. The whole tune carries a slight Southern Rock flare to the music, but they break into a typical RnR bit at the end that works in a surprising way.

Boozed wear numerous hats, but the super high intensity Garage Rock seems to be their safe zone, as they revert back to it almost every other tune, and this is a good thing. They experiment a little such as a track like “Easy” in it’s smoother style, kind of Country (maybe a little), but you know they will eventually get back to what you loved about them to begin with.

In this case though they follow up directly with “One Mile To The Moon”, and what a tune it is to follow up with! These guys really know how to pull everything together in a chorus and just rock the living crap out of the place!

But see, “Hypnotic Magnetic”, the next track, is back to that high energy Garage. So if you are here for the Garage Rock, fear not, they deliver in spades, but also give you shitloads of energy in other styles, but nothing that strays too far from what you love.

O.K., I paused the CD at this point. Track 9 is called “Don’t Hold Back” and it starts out with a quieter clean guitar doing a slight Boogie sounding riff. Now, if we have learned anything from this band so far, it is that this tune is going to explode all over the fucking place soon. I could be wrong and they could stick with a little shuffling type of thing, as they have not done that yet…but I have a feeling I will have the guts of chords strewn all around my abode sooner than later. Let’s see how long it takes them to get there.

0:48 seconds and it kicks in and at 1:03 the dynamics get cranked up more. From there we just keep moving. I have a feeling though that this thing will be another builder.

I had a music theory teacher once who told me one of the main problems with Rock and Roll is that nobody really plays with dynamics. It’s one of the things that Classical composers (using Classical in it’s generic term and meaning to cover all the different aspects such as Baroque) always used to their benefit. I don’t think this teacher ever listened to anything other than what was on the radio and didn’t understand that what was on the radio suffered from compression. But bands such as Boozed really prove that RnR bands do understand dynamics and use them to their benefit.

“Asphalts Burning” cranks along with a Southern Rock almost meets a Soul thing going on. Part of this is the very soulful voice, which I am just realizing right now.

The proper album ends with “Next Door”, a Southerny feeling Rock tune that closes out the affair quite nicely.

The version I have here is the Chorus Of One Italian release which contains two bonus tracks: “Hole To Hide” and “Sexy”. I’m going to have to recommend you get ahold of the Italian release as both bonus track are quite badass and Chorus Of One is a badass label. Plus, once you hear the rest of the CD you will only sit there and kick yourself because you will have the knowledge that there are two more track out there that you don’t have. And that would be such as shame, as you know you have a fine ass and it really does not deserve that kind of abuse.

All in all, this is a pretty goddamn cranking release from a band that must go home and just collapse every night after a show. I can only imagine how intense these guys are live. Between the tunes themselves, and the pics on the inside of the CD, the only conclusion is that they rock. Severly.

Review by: Carl Isonhart

www.chorusofonerecords.it
www.myspace.com/chorusofonerecords
www.myspace.com/boozed

Boozed & December Peals – Back In The Back Of A Cadillac

Split EP’s are a dangerous business, in my opinion. Well, dangerous for the bands involved. I get flooded by releases by a band I am not too overly fond of, and sadly they send me A LOT of CD’s. I mean, damn near a CD a month it seems like. Many of these are split EP’s. The thing is, on many of these CD’s they have sent, they are by far the lesser band. Numerous times I’ve spent listening to them and thinking “HEY, they finally got good”, then I look at the disc and see it is the other band I am thinking that about.

So when this split CD came my way, the label (Chorus Of One) made mention of Boozed, but didn’t mention December Peals to me (from what I remember). I would guess because this was part of the Boozed press blitz for their One Mile CD. But what happened was I enjoyed the Boozed stuff, but was blown away by the December Peals right off the bat! So I listened to the December stuff like mad, and kind of forgot about the Boozed aspect for a bit. Not that one band is really that much better than the other, but I had no idea what to expect with the Peals, whereas I had checked out the Boozed site.

Know what I mean at all? Split releases always risk hurting one band, and sometimes that isn’t fair as both bands could be outstanding, as is the case right here. This is quite possibly the best split release I have ever heard, and both bands are quite different than each other, which should cause one to not outshine the other. I mean, could you imagine if the Stones and Faces had both put out a split release before either made it? I mean, we might have no idea who the Stones were!

So this might end up being a rather lengthy review, as both bands deserve a decent amount of discussion here right now.

Boozed launch things off with “Gimme The Fire” in what I am fast coming to find is typical style for them: a tune that struts along and then explodes all over the damn place with the chorus.

“Take Me To Vegas” is a cool rocking track, late 70’s Anthem style, maybe, but with that high energy edge that they carry.

Both of those first two tracks are from an earlier release entitled Acid Blues (on the Bitzcore label, year 2007). And while they are cool tunes and very much like what you hear on the recent One Mile release, it is the next two tunes that really jumped out at me and both for similar reasons.

In 2005 it would appear the band released an album titled Tight Pants, on the strength of track 3, “Laserlight”, I am extremely curious to hear that album.

I said in the review for One Mile that at one point I picked up on some soul styling out of the vocal department. With the track “Laserlight”, the band basically is 100% Rock and Roll Soul. It’s an incredibly tune that almost doesn’t sound like the same band even. It’s a strut and stroll style instead of a race. It has keyboards/piano, female soul style backing vocals (“Ladies”, “Yes”’, killer) and is right in line with the best bands doing the style. They might even be better than most, due to that high energy burning underneath the swagger.

“Slave To The Band”, from the same time period but unreleased before this release, is along the exact same lines as the previous song. Wonderful Soul meets RnR style.

Due to the difference in the style here, I would be very curious to find out what changed their direction. It’s all Rock and Roll, for sure, but the energy is placed in a different direction with this material and it very much plays out like a different band.

Track 5 is a cover of Madonna’s “Like A Virgin”. It was recorded in 2006 and according to the CD cover this is the European Premier of the track. Not sure where else it might be available though. Oddly enough this cover is actually more similar to the material they are doing now as opposed to either of the two previous tracks. It’s a quirky Garage Band style and works at times, but feels a little awkward when it starts into the chorus, but it does pull together. I would take the version done by The Lords Of The New Church over this one, but I would take this over the Madonna version anyday.

The Boozed segment of the CD ends with a live version of their tune “Stop Your Revolution”. I would guess that the original version of the track appears on the album Acid Blues, though it is a little hard to guess that from the liner notes, as it almost reads like the live track is from then. Not having the album, I can’t tell you for sure, but I would guess it is a moot point no matter what.

The track itself is a cool rockin’ tune, but nothing that really set my ears alight as almost all of the One Mile CD did, or tracks 3 and 4 here did. But this EP just proves to me that Boozed is one hell of a band and one that I definitely need to get the earlier material from.

The second part of the CD is the band December Peals. This is a band I had never heard of and had no idea what to expect. After getting through the Boozed part of the disc, I was fully expecting a band similar to Boozed. Instead, I got a band that I was having an impossible time trying to place. The only way they really fit with Boozed was the insane levels of energy. If I was to do the comparison game with them, the list would go on and on and on and on, yet none of them would be right or accurate enough to give you an idea of what they sound like.

Now, if you are a fan of December Peals or have heard of them, be aware that this release is a re-issue and re-titling of an earlier release by the name of If You Wanna Be Loud. It would appear that DP have been around for a little while and seem to be on the steady climb upwards, and if you look at their site and look over their past, you can see the climb, and it is pretty cool. I have no doubt that within 2 years you will be hearing a lot more of these guys and they will sooner than later be a well known act.

The EP starts out with “Got Taste”, which does appear on the new album, People Have Demons, as the closing track. Though not my fave track of the bands (those come after this one and through out the new one), this is a fine blast of an example of what they are about: High energy verse, even more high energy chorus, just wonderful.

The second song is a very cool groover with a cool strolling style beat with a walking bassline. Cool guitar on the verses with a chorus that all comes together as one big anthem style. You can almost picture the lights swarming the audience with the chorus.

“Collapse” is probably the closest in fitting with what Boozed does. But these verses are so cool it is ridiculous. Cool drumming (U2 style high hat, which is how I always explained this type of thing) and a great bassline again keep a high energy moving through out, and again it all comes to a boil with the chorus.

“Puerto Rico” keeps you wondering how long these guys can keep up this energy. I’m trying to think of what the guitar lead breaks in this one make me think of, and I can only go to Iron Maiden, but that isn’t right. But it is of the dual guitars playing a melody in unison thing.

Track 5, “If You Wanna”, reminds me in the verses of Cheap Wine, an Italian band, who in turn reminds me of D.A.D., though December breaks that with the powerful chorus. That’s kind of the thing with December, just when you think you have it nailed down as to who they sound like, they drop something in that changes your mind. They are also much heavier than any of the bands you start to think of.

Oh, the breakdown aspect of “If You Wanna” is a signature type of thing that shows up all over the new album, and is one of the things I love about the band. They have a great skill for doing backing ground vocals in their breakdowns that just add so much to the songs and manage to fit no matter how out of place they might be.

The CD closes out with a track “Back In ‘98” which might be the most unoriginal thing the boys do, but it still works like crazy! Kind of straight up RnR meets a typical Blues Rocking riff. You’ll think ZZ Top, or that style riff. Boogie Woogie. Damn, I’ve used that music style reference more in the past few days than I have in years.

I’m going to give you a spoiler right away…I have yet to hear a bad song from December Peals, and I do have the new one here with me, People Have Demons, and I can tell you that I am expecting it to be my “Release of the Year”, unless somebody comes roaring up from nowhere (as December did for me) or I just play the living shit out of it. So, if you have NOT heard the band, save your pennies and buy the new album. But if you have extra cash, buy this also as you will get both DP and Boozed, and really, that will make you happy. But if you have oodles of cash, just buy the new one from both bands as both new releases are better than this one…but this one is still killer.

Review by: Carl Isonhart

www.chorusofonerecords.it
www.myspace.com/chorusofonerecords
www.myspace.com/boozed
www.myspace.com/decemberpeals

Skinny Bones & The Gonedaddys – Are on TV

When this CD first started, the first song started driving me crazy while I was trying to figure out who the hell they reminded me of. Yeah, that’s a poor way of describing bands, but at times it is the best way to handle this, especially when it drives you as crazy as it was. Then I realized the voice and style was making me think of mid-first generation TSOL, before the Metal damage.

Skinny Bones play a form of RnR, Glam, Punk, and this CD gets better as the play time progresses.

Track one “The Shakes” opens with that old Orange County vibe to it, but the chorus holds a bit of a Mod feel to it. Nice open to the CD for sure and enough to catch your ear.

“She’s Working Me Over” is a tad Bubblegummy and Glammy Pop, and kind of loses me a little bit. My not being overly fond of Bubblegummy stuff (aside from actual bubblegum) is the main problem, I think.

Now, I’ve been going track by track for a reason here this time, not just some pitiful attempt to be really indepth, but rather to lead up to track three, “On The Roof”, mainly due to what a big departure it is from the rest. The tune reminds me a bit of mid-period Replacements, and this is kind of where the band started making me think “hey…if you had Stiv Bators and Bob Stinson form a band with Johnny Thunders (solo break/bridge thing just happened in the song and it is sooo Bob Stinson it isn’t funny), and get Jim Carroll to rock with them…then yeah…this could be it…”

“Shit In My Head” is further proof to that description. It is also a fine example of how to make a brilliant chorus, one that will stick in your head all damn day. No questioning how the fuck this shit got in your head though! It’s because it is a great chorus that is so understated in it’s intensity that it just works.

“Lantern Light” just reeks coolness man. Great street RnR ala the cool bands from the late 80’s such as The Hangmen with Thunder-ish bends in the chorus that stay in key, just pure coolness.

“Luv Me Like Darth Vader”, aside from being a fun as hell song, shows the colors a little bit with the mention of Stiv Bator in the verse, and also with the mention of Dictators (either a real Dictator, or one of the cool ones, we are not sure). Oh, and there is that TSOL/Orange County backing vocal sounding thing on the end. I need some research to find out if these guys do have that influence or back ground.

Skinny Bones and gang are a very cool RnR band in the Thunders/Replacements/Stiv-solo style with a touch of Orange County Punk thrown in, and touches possibly of The Leaving Trains (thanks to songs like “I Wanna Pet Cats For A Living”). They are all sorts of fun, all sorts of cool, and all sorts of exceedingly refreshing in my life at this moment. They are also one of those wonderful bands that even if a verse isn’t quite working for me (“Shit In My Head” and “Time Won’t Wait”, the chorus comes along and makes it all worthwhile.

By the way, these guys are available on Nicotine Records, a label that keeps proving that they know what the hell they are doing. Between re-issues, re-packing of older bands, and their quality new releases, the folks there really have their shit together.

Review by: Carl Isonhart

The Chuckies – S/T

This is a rather tough one to release, and if I was to do the band any justice in the world, I would review it at numerous times: One time sober and happy, another time drunk and happy, then again depressed, and finally drunk and depressed. Through all four listens, I am sure I would be coming up with different reviews.

Let me explain, The Chuckies are a 3 piece acoustic outfit (vocalist, guitar and vocals, and percussion/piano/organ) that do mostly acoustic bluesy type of stuff. By that I mean Blues by means of the Dogs D’Amour, Mike Ness and other Punk/Gutter Rock Gods that dabble in the acoustic world. Though these guy very well be into stuff like Blind Willie McTell and Blind Willie Johnson, Robert Johnson, Son House, etc., I would bet they are not raised on it. But this is no knock, what they are doing, they are doing quite well. The dual vocal aspect is the strong point of the band and when they nail it, they really nail it.

The first track “The Roof Is About To Cave In” is just such a track where the dual vocals cause your ears to perk right up. Plus the production is killer for a track of this sort. It’s a slow dirge that brings to mind sitting in a smoky bar, rocks glass in front of you (no beer served in a bar this desolate and lost), cigarette butts all around, and the Devil laughing in your face. It’s the kind of track that can be a best friend when you’re in a bad way, but it is the friend that you don’t need, the one who leads you down a dark path. It’s a brilliant track.

“Evil Empire Vampire” took me out of the song in the first verse with the “woo-hoo-hoo” backing vocals, but the chorus pulled me right back into it. It’s a bit more rocking than the first track, but still with a heavy dark cloud over head.

“Ugly Motherfucker” is a killer Boogie Woogie little number that actually rocks pretty dang good with the dual vocals causing this one to shine again. The little Spanish style guitar break in the middle of it also. I guess that is Spanish, maybe Spanish guitar meets Surf. Hell, I just looked next to me and saw a CD by Ennio Morricone, and realized that is what the breaks remind me of a bit, especially with the backing vocals.

Track four, “Hey Now” is a bit of a skipper for me. SLOW dirge, plodding dirge. I swear…do NOT be depressed and drinking while listening to this one. This is like my 5th time giving it a spin and I am really noticing this time just how much this is making me think of the Devil dealing sins and deals to the heartbroken and strung out. Damn…I really hope this is what these guys are going for! Nah…this ain’t a skipper I am realizing, but it is a definite “need to be in the right mood” or it will throw you into that mood!

Then the goofs go and give you a tune that borders on “pretty” in “Fire Alive”, with some fairly nasty lyrics (if I am hearing right). Dual vocals working again in grand ways.

O.K., I’m not sure which of the Chuckies (the three guys all are named Chuckie, not sure if that is real or not) is the voice I am about to speak of, but since it is the lead most times I am guessing it is Chuckie Ransom, but I am going to recommend this CD on his voice alone. That guy has one of the coolest voices I have heard. I’ll become a fan of the band just for him.

“158” is a pretty killer rockin’ tune. Good ol’ Rockin’ acoustic type of thing that when it ends the bar erupts. Great Rockin’ Blues that really moves.

“She Moves In Murderous Ways” is just an acoustic number, no evil sides, no depression, but a nice number to kind of give you a breath of fresh air and relax you a bit and to shake that Devil off your tail.

The last two tunes “Radio Shadow” and “Roll” continue with that walking away from the dirge feel, to the point where the last track is a downright happy, almost bouncy number! But make no bones about it, this is a band that could play at any bar in Hell, even on these last three “happy” tunes.

There are 2 more tunes on true running order, then 3 “bonus” tracks, two of which are straight mixes of “The Roof’s…” and the last track “Roll”.

See, when I first listened to this a long time ago (sorry…shit was rough and things got put aside), I thought I would have to give a bad review. Then I listened again later, and liked it a bit more. Listened a few times again yesterday, and started liking it even more. Now today, I REALLY like it. The thing is a definite grower, but it is not the CD for a bright sunny day where you find out you won the lottery. This thing is full of despair. It’s best pairing is a bottle of Jack, a cigarette, and a deal with the Devil.

www.nicotinerecords.com

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Billy Carri – The Man In The Glass

Hard to believe, but this is one I should have reviewed a LONG time ago. This is also another filling me with regret that I didn’t jump on it a long time ago.

For those of you “not in the know”, Billy is the former vocalist for a band called Cherry Bang. Cherry were part of the 90’s underground movement that, in my opinion, is largely responsible for the fact that you still have Glam style bands now, and for the style that is out there now. It was these guys and their counterparts that really helped guide the way for many, many, many other bands to follow.

But Billy and Cherry Bang parted ways numerous years ago and Billy embarked on a solo career. I remember reading where Billy didn’t want to be considered “Glam” (if my old feeble memory is serving me correct), but was just hoping to create some great Pop, which is pretty much exactly what Billy did create, with a few minor missteps here and there.

Let’s get one thing straight right away: Billy knows how to write an incredibly catchy tune. No doubt about that one at all.

Let’s get one more thing out of the way: Billy’s voice at times can be an aquired taste, definitely of the 90’s underground style. He pushes his voice at times when he should probably hold back. Plus it is such a unique instrument at times that backing vocals fall off key easily, or it is him. It’s one of those voices that with some searching out the proper backing vocals, you will have an amazing combo. It’s a very cool voice when being used properly, which in Billy’s case (unlike many of the 90’s contemporaries), is most of the time.

The CD kicks right off with the wonderful “Hello To Goodbye” and instantly you can hear some care put into the CD playing for you. Hooky guitars, a cool voice, quality lyrics with a hook filled melody. Nice production on everything also.

Second song “Don’t Cry” assures you that you do indeed have yourself a winning CD in your hands. For all of the promises made to you in the first track, the second song makes good on. This though is the first case of some backing vocals that could use a little tweaking. Nothing that will turn you off, but it is there. Hell man, upon third or fourth listen you might actually find yourself enjoying the slight off-key side. If you do, just ignore this part of the review. Move along…

Dammit. “Watching You Sleep” is hurt by the off-key backing on the “ooo-ooo, ahh-ahh” parts (you find a better way to describe them). Again, you can hear what they were going for, so I will take it, but it is a little cringe-worthy on this one. Otherwise another good rockin’ tune.

“Air” might just be my fave track. It would possibly be one of my all-time fave tracks, but again, off key backing vocals. But the energy level on this tune, the writing style, the guitar tones, the lead vocals, everything shows what a great style Pop is when executed to it’s fullest potentials.

I’m starting to question my ears. With so much great stuff on this CD…why are the backing vocals slipping? Dammit, it has to be me. Just has to be. Or, could it be, this was the choice?

Ooo, the beginning to “You’re Still Here?” reminded me that this might be my favorite track on the CD…not “Air”. Nope, “Air” gets it for the verses. Still, great track that moves just right.

O.K., Billy has a thing for sleeping. We have two tracks about sleeping. O.K., maybe not a “thing”, but I am betting he likes his sleep. But the track that is called “Sleep” is our first encounter of a ballad. It almost makes me think of Jars Of Clay in vocals and writing style. But, due to my nature, there isn’t enough “oomph” here to keep me around…so I must move along to the next track.

The rest of the tracks are of the Pop variety of everything before the ballad. Think along the lines of what Kyle Vincent does when he ROCKS (which isn’t often), but it is that smart Pop with just enough of the Glam background to keep you rocking.

“Valentines Day”, the last tune, is a wonderful idea in the vocal department, and works for the most part, but stumbles a bit here and there. The verses are done in a rapid fire, pseudo rap style. At times it gets a little clunky, but it does work.

By the end of the CD you will realize that some of the songs bled together a bit. The style of the music and the writing in general is of such a style that on a first listen you will get a little lost. But with subsequent listens (and you will make many future listens) the songs will completely seperate themselves. But if you take the CD as a form of a demo, and not a true release, it will make the listening all that much more worthwhile. Billy is the kind of artist that if somebody would step forward, throw him a bit more money for a budget, hire a Butch Walker style producer, and you will have the type of release that should deserve platinum status.

Review by: Carl Isonhart

The Prodigal Sons – Emergency Bell Is Still Ringing

A band that I have loved for years is a Glam band out of Japan by the name Ziggy. Now, Ziggy was always considered the Japanese Hanoi Rocks, or if you will, a Japanese rip-off of Hanoi Rocks. It all kind of depended on what you thought of them. But their first album was full of Hanoi riffs and vocal styles, along with a vocalist who looked very much like a Japanese Monroe.

Later releases saw a few more Hanoi riffs being lifted, vocalist Juichi looking even more like Monroe, and “Don’t You Ever Leave Me” being performed in concert. They also eventually broke up, and oddly enough reformed (just a month or two after Hanoi reformed!)

But the thing with Ziggy was that they always had some stellar tunes. They all had this quirky thing about them where they would use a typical Western style rock riff, then all of a sudden break into some very much in the realm of Japanese Pop. If you’ve heard much music out of Japan, you know what I am talking about. It was almost like they couldn’t completely be a Western band. This was also an aspect I liked about them. But it was also frustrating as hell. They would have a brilliant straight RnR riff going, and all of a sudden it would fall into some odd timing signature with out of left field hooks.

Ziggy spiraled into numerous other bands (Snake Hip Shakes being the most well known) and solo careers, all of these bands suffering that same fate (or charm, depending on views).

That brings us (finally) to The Prodigal Sons.

This might be the very first time these guys have done nothing more than a straight up brilliant Rock and Roll release, with pretty much nothing but a Western influence. Sure, the vocals are in Japanese and therefore causing “sing alongs” to be a little tough for us that don’t speak the language, but dammit, I’m going to try!

I’ll be honest here right now: This stuff is ridiculously hard to get ahold of. All but a few of my Ziggy CD’s are burns. This review is being done from a download sent to me, so song titles are not at hand right here. I will search them out, but the review is being done without them. No, the band did not send this to me, I am not that big of a review outlet and I have tried making contact with them in the past, only to be ignored. But if there are errors, or if you are familiar with the CD and you have an actual copy and the answers to my errors are on the case or in the book, this is why. I did a naughty thing to get ahold of the CD. Sorry.

The opening riff pretty much tells you straight away what you will be getting. Pure, straight up RnR. Dual guitars playing off of each other, both throwing completely badass riffs back and forth.

Song 2 and 3 are your RnR tunes with cool as hell move along guitar work. The chorus on both are killer, with song 2’s being the cooler of the two possibly.

Song 4 steps away from the previous and is more boogie-woogie than anything else, making one think of ZZ Top actually. Nice quick departure for sure. Again, killer dual guitar work. Absolutely killer.

I guess if Ziggy was the Japanese Hanoi Rocks, and if we were to run with that type of rip-off label with these guys (only two here, by the way are Ziggy alum, the vocalist and guitarist), then one could consider this the Japanese form of The Rolling Stones. But make no mistake about it, a rip-off this is NOT. These guys have now been around too long to be a “rip-off” of anybody. But there are no doubts that this is a Stones style RnR, from the riff on track one to the Disco-y style riff of track 5, which sounds a tad like that damn Stones Disco tune, the name of which escapes me. But even in this tune the vocals elevate it beyond a Disco style and actually make the song damn cool.

Song 6 hits on that Japanese Pop feel in the chorus a bit, but not in any way that it detracts the rest of the tune. They flow into the chorus incredibly well and in all reality, this is a chorus I will be saying “language barrier be damned…I’M SINGING”!

Ah, song 7 hands us a taste of what Juichi will do to tunes! A stepped up Bluesy style thing with Juichi doing a scratchy style vocal that carries a few yelling style moments. Then there is the chorus. Man, I just don’t know how the hell to review a track like this one! It’s a crazy number, which for some reason reminds me of Sesame Street on speed and heroin. You would have to hear it. I think it’s that the harmonica is making me think of the early 70’s, which I associate with Sesame Street. Oh hell, that damn theme song uses a harmonica, and this is it. Fucking wacky.

Song 8, so far my “Song Of The Year”! I’m a sucker of a good bands sung “Baby” at the beginning of a verse! Killer dual RnR guitar work! Oh hell man, I am fine with Ziggy being disbanded if these guys are going to deliver this type of stuff from now on! That groove…that slide guitar…that’s fucking Rock and Roll man!

Song 9 starts with landing them straight into the “rip-off” category again…but then quickly creates their own tune out of a million familiar parts. Straight up brilliant RnR again, being typical RnR in that they are recycling and adding their own touches.

Before we get to actually hearing track 10, I am going to make a prediction of a Led Zep style thing, or a “Wild Horses” style tune. It’s 7+ minutes, so I am just going for the obvious. There have been no ballads, so I am thinking a 7 minute deal would have to be one, along the lines of a “Wild Horses” style. Or it has to be an epic jammy thing along the lines of Zep. Anybody want to take me up on the bet?

Chickens.

Piano starts it. Light tinkling. Total Blues? Dammit. I should have guessed “Gasoline Alley” Stewart, or something along that line. It’s a bit of an upbeat acoustic thing with a slide guitar on it, but not Alt Country. Maybe Alt Country by means of the Blues in Japan? Oh yeah…there is the Juichi sung chorus I love so much! He has this style on choruses he has done in the past (best example a song called “Sing My Song”) that is totally his own. He does it in this tune.

For as much as I loved Ziggy, they never produced an album that I would rate as a solid, possible “best of the year” type of release. This one though lands so far ahead of much of what I have heard as of late. This is a seriously badass release! If you have the abilities, chase this one down by all means, and start praying with me for a second relese!

Review by: Carl Isonhart

E.P.’s are an odd critter, I have always said. Too many times I will get a full length release and wish the band had just done an E.P. instead. Bad songs, or even mediocre ones, can really kill a bands release. Obviously. So when you get an album with 4 or 5 outstanding songs, and a bunch of “eh” tunes, obviously you wish the band would just do an E.P. and leave you wanting more.

Then there are those E.P.’s that give you 4 or 5 tunes and do leave you wanting more. Needing more. Really wishing the band had given you those extra songs, even if they did possibly give you some “eh” tracks…just so you KNOW…dammit.

This latter case is the case with the new release from Staci T. Rat. That would be Staci T. Rat from Chop Suicide fame. It’s a 4 song slab that strolls on into your life and leaves your feet tapping by the end and checking the time on it in hopes that maybe, just maybe, there is one more tune to spin.

Sound wise we are talking a bit of a “Classic Rock” sound…kind of. It’s also a little bit of a more laid back version of The Sea Hags maybe. It’s tough to nail down, as Staci also does a good job of mixing the styles up just enough that he makes you realize he isn’t a one trick pony, especially if you listen to this and then check out his band Chop Suicide. The man wears numerous hats of the Rock and Roll variety.

Opening number “Seven Years” is kind of a straight RnR tune with a unique take on the vocal melody. It kind of flows along in a manner you don’t expect. The vocals is where the tune is “laid back”, but still full of attitude. Not “lazy”, “laid back”. Towards the end the tune kicks it up for the harmonica solo, as performed by the legendary Charlie Harper from U.K. Subs, and the guitar solo.

Track 2 “Dead End Town” is a pretty rockin’, jammin’ tune with a KILLER guitar riff. This one is sung by Chop Suicide’s Danyell (she also provides backing vocals though the CD) and she sounds fantastic. Staci found a gem with her, that’s for sure.

Track 3 is probably the most “Classic Rock”, in my opinion. “Another Time” is an acoustic number where the vocals help bring it in those Classic Rock areas. Ridiculously catchy.

Track 4, “We All Laugh At You” is a pure ripper. Outstanding way to end the CD without a doubt, as it hits you in the gut and wears you out perfectly. The song features a killer vocal turn from The Pariahs Mike Pariah. By the time he hits the second verse he is just burning.  The saxophone accents are a wonderful touch also.

And that is where the damn thing ends. Burning your ears and leaving you want “just one more song of that style”. I’ve been craving some BBQ as of late, so I am going to consider this type of thing the half slab of ribs of the music world! Ya get just a taste of Heaven…then it’s gone…but you know there is more out there…you just need to wait a little longer…

Without a doubt, it is indeed the year of the rat!!!

Oh…wait…

www.stacitrat.com
www.myspace.com/stacitrat
www.trashpit.co.uk

Review by: Carl Isonhart

The Riverwinds – S/T

In the 80’s we called this stuff “College Rock”, in the 90’s we called this stuff “Alternative”, now I guess we call it “American Rock n Roll”. Whatever you call it, it’s Countrified Rock and Roll, Rock and Roll with a touch of twang. It’s the type of stuff done by The Jayhawks, Uncle Tupelo, The Replacements (in the end), Whiskeytown and Ryan Adams. You know the stuff, it’s also called “Alt Country” (the preferred term by the fans I do believe) and if you enjoy it, then these guys are for you. If you don’t like it, but like Pop and or Country, then you probably just don’t know you like this stuff and haven’t been properly introduced. Hey! I have a CD to introduce you to it with!

Yeah, just as I write that song 4 (“Up All Night”) rolls on and makes me have to say that these guys also play pretty straight up Rock at times. Pretty damn cool song with some really nice lead guitar parts. Killer tone on that puppy.

Pretty good stuff though I am not a huge fan of the “Alt Country” scene, but I will give this some future spins for sure and I am sure on numerous times I will sit there thinking “damn…I like this”.

www.myspace.com/theriverwinds

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Zen Boy & Karma Girl – Earth Vs. Zen Boy & Karma Girl

O.K., this shit showing up in my mailbox is prime example of people NOT looking over my sites and especially NOT having checked out the actual ‘zine. Why the fuck anybody would send something like this my way is beyond me. Maybe they saw that I like comic books and since they are doing some comic theme here with their cover that they could trick me. Hell, they tricked me enough to listen to this.

So what is it? Welp, kind of spacey, hippy-ish, acoustic bullshit. Yeah, it’s Folk. I hate Folk.

Nope, will never listen to this one again and nothing could get me to. Ugh. If you like acoustic, hippy-ish bullshit, you might like it. I on the other hand, can’t stand it.

www.zenboyandkarmagirl.com

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Omni – Ghosts

This is the type of stuff that is kind of tough to review. Mainly trying to come up with some way of explaining it, which in a way sounds like a good thing, but if you hear it you say “oh, they’re that style”. It’s that “Alternative/Metal/Industrial-feel” stuff. Kind of artsy, distorted guitars, but never too distorted. No riffs that jump out at you and make you say “FUCK YEAH”, but still full of talent. Ya get it? Tool maybe? Never been a fan, but that is who I think of when I hear this type of stuff.

I will say this, song 4 is playing now and I am not so sure I remember songs 1-3 having been on. Damn. It’s all kind of running together for me.

Song 5 kind of sums it all up. It’s an atmospheric thing with a bass line lightly playing, while sounds go all over the place and the singer lightly sings at times. These guys are running close on the modern Progressive Rock realm. I’m going to say if you like early Porcupine Tree, give this one a shot.

Song 7 is another atmospheric piece, this time centering on the guitar. Cool sounding guitar. Kind of nice.
It’s not bad, and would go good in the background, but it just isn’t “clicking” for me. 15 years ago, while on my Progressive Rock kick, I would have loved these guys. I’m making attempts at finding my appreciation for Prog again (stay tuned for future article on the journey), so maybe if that works I will revisit this and see how all goes then. Oh yeah…I know you’re excited.

www.myspace.com/omniband
www.omni-music.com

Review by: Carl Isonhart

The Movements – The World, The Flesh and The Devil

First off, this CD should be heard for no other reason than how fucking cool and bad ass the opening track is! It’s such a brilliantly constructed track with killer drums, guitar riff, vocals, everything. It moves at such a frenetic pace and just rolls along. The layering and construction is truly quite original and is a great example of how to take something old and wrap it into something fresh. It’s a very psychedelia style number, but still very modern. It’s a wonderful beginning to the disc for sure.

At time Garage Band like, at times Psychedelic, at times Proggy (very lightly) and at times bordering on Punk, but always blasting through your speakers will full energy. The problem I have had in the past with certain Psychedelic bands is that they might give you one song with energy, catch your ear, and then get quite mellow for everything else. The Movements never forsake their energy and always keep things moving, even on a track like “The Fun Ain’t For Free”, which starts slow and builds to a slow burn. You never feel like these guys are relaxing, their just biding their time waiting to explode all over the place.

The promo material mentions that this album was written while vocalist David Henriksson was laid up in a hospital bed fighting cancer. It would seem that David poured a lot of his energy and heart into this stuff, and the other members of the band did the same and decided to really give it all they have. The end result is a wonderful release.

This is actually one of those CD’s that is really tough to review, as it really needs to be picked apart piece by piece to really give you the reader a full idea of just what the hell this thing is all about. There is so damn much going on at all times, and even though a song such as “I Am You” might be a rather bizarre little number, it breaks into these horn (?) parts that are so catchy it is ridiculous, and it proves that no matter what you might think a song is going to be like, it just might eventually turn into something else entirely. You could almost write a book about an album of this sort. Wild stuff, and I HIGHLY recommend it to anybody looking for high energy, yet something rather adventurous.

www.themovements.com

Review by: Carl Isonhart

The Spittin’ Cobras – Year Of The Cobra

O.K., the rat and the cobra will have to fight it out over whose fucking year it is. Seriously…how weird is it that I get these two CD’s at damn near the same time?

O.K., let me ask you all a simple question:

WHO WANTS TO ROCK LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER???

Yeah, if you raised your hand, and you don’t own this CD, you might want to get this thing, as I would say this is a good way to find your way down the path of “ROCKING LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER”!

The Spittin’ Cobras are pretty much the equivilant of turning your amps up as loud as they will go, getting the biggest fucking drum kit you can find, getting somebody who can scream their ass off, then having them punch you square in the face! I know that last part doesn’t sound like fun…but yeah, that;s kind of how you feel after this thing finishes. You just kind of sit down and say “HOLY FUCK! WHAT JUST HIT ME”???? Then you look down, see the case laying at your feet, smile, laugh, and say “oh yeah…I’ve been rocked like a motherfucker”!!!

By the way…one of these guys is from KMFDM. That blows my mind. Absolutely blows my mind. Nothing against KMFDM, but no way would I expect one of them to turn this type of stuff out. No way.

Oh…and Jules from The Yo-Yo’s is in this band! That one also blows my mind.

So, whose year is it exactly then? Is it the year of the rat or the year of the cobra? I have no fucking idea…but I think it is the year of Carl, because I am winning by receiving these two CD’s in the mail! GO ME!!!

The Spittin’ Cobras play fast, loud, high energy Rock and Roll. Songs such as “Criminal Mastermind” make me think of what Wolfsbane would play if they did a lot of speed. Other times they make me think of Zeke, but with longer songs.

The band though really comes into their own track 5, “Throw Your Horns” where they show just how brilliant they can be. The energy, writing, vocals, every aspect comes together for a true ROCK anthem. This is a song where you can see an audience going out of their minds when it is unleashed live.

They close the whole thing out with a cover of Rainbow’s “Long Live Rock and Roll”. Yeah, with bands like this, I think we can all expect RnR to live a LONG full life! Just get ahold of this thing and hope to God these guys wander your way live soon, as I am sure they deliver one hell of a live show!

www.myspace.com/thespittincobrasrock

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Cactus – Tropical Terror

This is what happened to Grunge, in my opinion. Bit more Punk than what the old stuff was, and a bit more catchy. The old attitude is still the same, but the realization of “hooks” is more prevalent. But it is still all too manic and, I don’t know…”off”?

The second song “Daddy” is a fairly catchy little tune with a nice chorus, but song three “Perverted Shark” is that Grungy 90’s fucked up type of thing. Screaming vocals at times…manic drumming, fucked up riffs. Eh…kind of gets annoying.

4 songs into it and I am getting a little tired of it all. I’m sick of the guy screaming in the background. Maybe that is it…it’s like Grunge hanging with System Of A Down and a Scream-o band. Somewhere in here there is a cool band, but for now, I’ll pass.

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Echo Screen – Goodbye Old Life

I was going into this expecting Emo or something of that sort and was prepared to dislike it. But ya know what? It caught me by surprise and was not really what I was expecting. A bit more on the mellow side than I normally like, and bit more “jangly”, but man, these vocals really get inside your head!

Make no mistake about it though, these guys so share a lot with modern bands, sounding at times a little like All-American Rejects. But there is no doubt there is an ear to the past. The last song, “The Sun” reminds me of Ben Folds a bit, and there are dashes of Billy Joel at times through the disc, by means of Ben Folds…by means of All-American.

Song 2, “The Ballad Of Jack Shepard (Battle Chorus)” is really the stand-out track with a very good vocal performance on it. The song has that 80’s Political band feel to it, kind of a mix of U2, The Alarm and Ultravox, but brought a bit more modern. Full of atmosphere, full of soaring vocals, just a tune you can picture an arena singing along with the “Oh-ah-Oohhs”. It is a very strong tune without a doubt.

Echo Screen pretty much straddles numerous styles and they do it with a great skill and great ease. Strong musicianship, strong vocals, great melodies, and a very strong songwriting ability. It’s bands like this that make you realize that Pop does have a future as long as people listen up.

www.myspace.com/echoscreen

Review by: Carl Isonhart

Antares – Gentlemen…Start Your Engines

According to the band’s MySpace page, Antares hails from Appletown, British Indian Ocean Territory. I have no idea where that is. Not that it matters – the trio’s spiritual home is clearly some cheap dive in Hell, where the booze is laced with angel dust and the bar fights always end in blood. Gentlemen…Start Your Engines blazes away like a forest fire ignited by napalm, barely stopping to catch a breath of foul air. Peel back the teethgrinding aggression, though, and you’ll find actual riffs and real tunes hanging on for dear life. “Seek You Down in Hell,” “Nightmare (On St. John Street)” and the instrumental “Start Your Engines” sound like garage rock after being sodomized by Metallica. (That’s 80s Metallica, mind you.) Plus the band should receive some kind of “Let It All Hang Out” award for honesty for the song “Hard Cock Blues.” Frontdude PY could use a little dynamics in his scream, but he’s a hell of a picker – his six-string slashing helps put the tunes on a level above most punk thrashers. Antares is all gassed up with everywhere to go.

(Zodiac Killer)
http://www.myspace.com/antarespeedrock
http://www.myspace.com/zodiackillerrecords

Review by: Michael Toland

The Hitchhikers – Intellectual Properties of the Minimal Mind

Hitchhikers singer/bassist Mitch Cartwright used to be in the Humpers, and it probably goes without saying that this particular apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Intellectual Properties of the Minimal Mind spits out snotty punk & roll fireballs like a dragon with acid reflux, sparing no one, least of all itself. “10 Days On the Road,” “Nothinmatron” and “Somethin’ for Nothin’” rock furiously and bitch mightily, as classic a combo as a Les Paul and a Marshall Stack. The quartet occasionally takes time out for a pop song like “On the Phone,” but it ain’t pop as Maroon 5 knows it, with the sneering lines “Did you really think you could make it without me/So sad to hear you crying on the phone.” Bad attitude + killer riffs + freight train drive – as the song says, “That’s Rock N’ Roll.”

(Zodiac Killer)
http://www.zodiackillerrecords.com
http://www.thehitchhikers.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Space Cretins – Direct From the Superfreak Highway

Seattle’s Paul Diamond Blow is a legend within his city limits, and no wonder: ain’t nobody else that I know of in the Pacific Northwest with this much glitter trailing in his wake. His latest outfit Space Cretins is a rifftastic glampunk freight train, or, more accurately, rocket ship. Blow and his space monkeys slam out the usual ultra-catchy, Ramones/Detroit-happy punk pop, with the twist of overloading on the sci-fi space opera metaphors. Thus “Rockets On,” “Master Blaster,” the groan-worthy “Rocket Roll” and, of course, “Let’s Get Spaced Out.” It might be too much for some, but the tunes hit too hard, Blow sings it all too well (he’s got one of the gritty voices that determined his life path when he hit puberty) and the group is having way too much fuckin’ fun for Direct From the Superfreak Highway to be anything but a glitzy, good time supernova. The closing “Merry Christmas Baby” (not the Ramones song) is a bit of a headscratcher, but it’s as catchy as everything else on the album, so what the hell.

(self-released)
http://www.myspace.com/spacecretins

Review by: Michael Toland

The Stone Foxes – s/t

Young, white blues rockers are forever compared to the White Stripes and the Black Keys these days. The Stone Foxes will no doubt get the same treatment - indeed, at the group’s rawest and bluesiest, there’s a definite Keys vibe. But passing these San Francisco boys off as wannabes is lazy thinking. The group’s true inspirations lie further back in music history, back to the down-and-dirty club days of the 60s British blues boom, before the Yardbirds and the Rolling Stones went pop. Like their forebears, the quartet attacks their tunes (mostly originals, but Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf covers as well) with all the vigor of young men with a lot of talent and too little action. (Sexual frustration is the perennial inspiration for the blues.) The Foxes display an unfortunate tendency toward excess – “Under the Gun” is way too fucking long, and who told them a drum solo was a good idea? But the group mostly keeps its cuts short,  whether sleazy and savage like “Beneath Mt. Sinai,” “Walk On Down” and “Lookin’ Pretty Good” or tender and tough like “Mercury,” “Tin Stars” and “Black Rolling Thunder.” Best of all, while this record is strong enough to attract notice, the Foxes have left themselves plenty of room to grow.

(self-released)
http://www.myspace.com/thestonefoxes

Review by: Michael Toland

Lime Spiders – Live At The Esplanade

This is without a doubt a “must have” item for fans of Australia’s Lime Spiders. I mean come on…22 fucking tracks live!?! That’s simply what you call a “no brainer”! Being a bit of a fan myself, take it from me, you other fans want this one for sure!

Recorded live in 1998 this disc covers the bands career and offers up some stellar versions of the songs with great sound quality, great energy, just all around killer stuff. Mixed in with the classic Spiders tracks are also tunes like a cover of the Dead Boys “Ain’t Nothing To Do”, which is a fine version of a brilliant song and new songs “The Dead Boys” and “Society Of Soul”.

The Lime Spiders started out as a throwback 60’s style garage band, but eventually started adding other influences into the mix, with big guitars and eventually even a little bit of a Glam touch.

I think if I was to actually make a complaint about this release, it would be that through out all of these songs, all of these tracks covering their career, my single favorite Spiders track is nowhere to be found. Seriously, am I the only one who loves the track “Rock Star”???

www.nicotinerecords.com
www.limespidersmusic.com

Review by Carl Isonhart

The Accidents – The Beechcraft Bonanza / Frutti Di Bosco

Time for me to hang my head in utter shame, time to crawl back under my rock and think about just what the hell I am doing with this here fanzine. How can I possibly be telling you fine folks what to listen to, what music to buy, when I have let a band of such greatness as The Accidents slip right on by me!?! Seriously, this is amazing stuff, and it appears these guys have numerous full length releases out all ready.

What we do have here though seems to be a missing batch of tracks from this Swedish quartet. Apparently the first three tracks, the ones attributed to the “Frutti Di Bosco” name, are a single that has been attempting to see light of day for a little while now. While the last three songs I have no idea about. But yes, this is 6 songs of full on high energy Rockabilly, 50’s style Rock and Roll running full head on into some blistering Punk.

Opening track “High Powered Rifle” kicks us off with a stunning straight up Rockabilly style riff played at breakneck speeds that would make Eddie Cochran and Chet Atkins both smile with pride. The song launches us off and we just are not let go from there.

Songs 2 and 3 (“Insomnia”, I.O.C.) carry more of a Punk vibe than the first track, but the love of straight up 50’s RnR is still there all over the dang place.

But for as good as those three opening tracks are, for me it is the final three (“You Belong To Me”, “Midnight In Bhopal”, and “Left For Dead”) that steal the show on this disc. Not much different than what came before it, but just a little more hook going on.

All in all though, this is a brilliant disc that just grabs you by the hand and takes you out racing through the streets for a hell of a fun time. This is the stuff that gets kids hooked on Punk, and that keeps us older guys sticking around. It’s timeless, high energy, just a ton of fun. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

www.nicotinerecords.com
www.theaccidents.net

Review by Carl Isonhart

The Manikins – Crocodiles

Power Pop is such an odd creature for me. Sometimes it is the greatest sounding style of music to grace the earth, and at other times I can easily do without it, and I am not even talking about from band to band. I’m talking about the exact same song. I think it might be due to how Poppy the stuff is. Hell, I don’t think anything on the face of the earth sounds as sweet as a perfectly executed Power Pop track.

This brings us to The Manikins debut release “Crocodiles” from Full Breach Kicks.

The Manikins play your standard Power Pop, and they play it very well. You get your Fender Telecaster sounding clean channeled guitars, playing the standard jangle. Catchy backing vocals and harmonies all the stuff you have come to expect, and executed quite nicely. Think The Byrds hanging out in the late 70’s Punk scene and you get an idea.

“She Speaks Perfect French” shows the other side of the band when the 60’s feel kind of fades and the band takes on a bit of a Doo-Wop 50’s style.

This is a great disc, and on the right day I would say this is the perfect disc for what you might need. Strong Power Pop like this is hard to replace and hard to beat.

www.fullbreach77.com

Review by Carl Isonhart

The Ronnie Rockets – That Ain’t Nothin’ But Right

Straight up Rockabilly out of France is what we have here for the most part. Well, I guess you could say Rockabilly, if we were to pigeon-hole the poor guys. Think Rockabilly running on a surf-high from time to time.

Opening with a cool instrumental in the Link Wray tradition (more on that comparison later), and right from here you can tell these guys are pretty true to what they are doing. It’s all slap bass, killer clean guitar sound with some cool vibrato going on. The drums wail away right along with the thumping bass.

Song 2, “Satisfy Me”, pretty much gives you what the majority of the disc is like. Whilst these guys never try to get overly flashy on the guitar, ala Setzer, the playing is rock solid, and where they probably beat many of the other modern

Rockabilly styled bands I have been running across, is that vocalist Guig’s really works well on these tracks. Full of heart and energy, which is missing at times it seems as of late.

Make no mistake about it though, the guitar work is actually quite nice and steps up when they really need it to. I guess you could say there isn’t any flash just for flash sake, it always seems to come in when you really want it to.

You want killer tracks? Give the track “Hey!” a whirl. Starting with a nice Bluesy acoustic riff, then moving on into a killer swinging Blues meets Country feel. This song is why it’s damn hard to just say these guys are “Rockabilly”, as they incorporate more styles into their tunes, but still hold true to a vision.

Though it isn’t my favorite track on the disc, I do have to say that any CD with a track titled “Wild Shakin’ Boobies” on it is worth a purchase. Seriously, that’s just a great, silly title.

Personally, I also want to see this guys doing “Lady Dynamite” live. It has that feel on CD of being a barnstormer live. You can just feel the floor jumping through the roof with that number. It’s a high energy out of every single instrument moving at a speed that throws you forward but allows the band to stay out of being sloppy.

Getting back to the Link Wray comparison, well, track 7 is a cover of Link’s track “Slinky”. Now I can’t claim to being overly familiar with this tune in particular, but I can’t imagine this version is anything other than lovingly done, and done well.

“Dead End Street” is a haunting acoustic number with a slide guitar over the top to add to the haunting aspects. The harmonica also helps to create the mood.

Final track “Ghostly Sleepwalkers” might be the hardest one to describe on the disc. Yeah, it’s in the same style, more or less, but it sounds more like it is coming from a straight Rock band. Stepping away from the shuffling drumming and heading for a more straight forward beat, with the bass playing a more standard rhythm, it’s a cool track and leads one to wonder if this is a sign of what is to come in the future for these guys.

The Ronnie Rockets are a band that is easily accessible for Rockabilly fans, 50’s RnR fans, and just fans of great Rock and Roll. Killer guitar, killer tone, solid songs, you really can’t ask for too much more.

www.myspace.com/theronnierockets

Review by Carl Isonhart

Walter Lure – Live In Berlin

This one is almost silly to review. Seriously, if you know who Walter is, then you all ready know if you need this or not, for the most part. The only question will be “how is the sound”?

The sound on this disc is actually pretty dang good. Nice full sound, but no doubt live. You have the rough spots and vocal drops to let you know you are definitely listening to a disc with no overdubs, and really, that is the only true way to hear this sort of stuff. The charm is the imperfections that lead to the perfection of it all. Walter sounds like he has been to hell and back with his voice full of scratches, but again, this is actually enhancing these songs. It does appear that these songs were recorded through out Walter’s European tour he did a few years ago, and possibly the best were then put here, as the quality does change from time to time.

The backing band is also quite good on it, who they are, I have no idea, but job well done!
For my money, and I know this isn’t the popular opinion at all, but Walter was what made the Heartbreakers work. He was the better guitarist, singer, everything. So for me, a disc like this is always welcomed. “One Track Mind”, “Let Go” and even the Johnny standards “Too Much Junkie Business” and “Born To Lose” are represented here and all sound great.

If you are unfamiliar with Walter, by the way, or even Johnny Thunders or the Heartbreakers, then you won’t be going wrong by grabbing this. One of the first ways I encountered those guys was on the Heartbreakers “Live At Max’s Kansas City” album. These songs are almost best heard on the live album format, as the “warts and all” approach drives the tracks home a bit better than the tamed studio versions. So you new folks out there, looking for some trashy RnR can’t really go wrong with this.

www.nicotinerecords.com

Review by Carl Isonhart

Baby Scream – Ups and Downs

Though a bit more mellow than I usually listen to, there has always been something about Baby Scream that I just love. Partially it might be a slight bias to them being the first interview I did for Sonic Ruin. But I am also willing to bet that the main reason for a love of this band is the attention paid to song writing and just how well mainman Juan knows what he is aiming for, and how well he achieves those goals.

The sound of Baby Scream is along the lines of Chamber Strings. It’s that old Todd Rundgren Pop style. That mellow, hooky stuff that just seeps into your head, haunting you for you whole damn day. Songs you hum to yourself as you drift off to sleep.

Songs 1 through three are mellow, yet hooky. Song 4, “Everyday (I Die A Little Bit)”, however opens things up and Juan proves to all of us that he can rock out with the best of them. Guitars raging, drums open and moving quick, and a voice full of snottiness of the finest order. I tell ya, I could go for a track or two more of these types of numbers. Knowing the band has a Trash/Punk/Glam interest to them its nice to this style show up, and even nicer to hear it done so well.
Back to mellow town, “One More Chance” leads one to think of post Beatles John Lennon.

Now though, no matter what I have said about the mellow stuff, and my loving the driving track number 4, there is no doubt in my mind that the stand out track on this release comes along at number 8 in the form of “Morning Light”. This is the type of stuff that you lay down as a band, listen back to and just stare at the speakers in amazement that you pulled something off this good. Seriously, this track alone makes the whole CD worth whatever you might pay. Wonderful groove, wonderful production with a guitar that cuts through exactly as it should, and a keyboard that would make Ian MacLagan proud. This is a band hitting perfectly, in all aspects. Outstanding track.

After that track we move into a different recording session called Planet Michael. Though not as polished as the previous 8 tracks, it is still the wonderful style we have fallen into for the preceding tracks.

“Walls Crumbling Down” rocks out pretty hard in all honesty, and sets the band into more of a Rock and Roll vibe. Killer tune for sure.

Track 12 took me by complete surprise. In my opinion the greatest band from to the U.S. is The Replacements. For me, they are right up there with Faces and The Damned. A greatness that might never be seen again. So when I saw “Skyway” listed on the back of the CD I was fearful it was the Mats song. But knowing Juan, I had a feeling it was.
And it is.

But the version Baby Scream pulls out here is brilliant. The type of cover that needs to be sent on to Paul Westerberg, and I am sure he would love it. Faithful as can be, but it still changes the song up quite a bit with a wonderful shuffling drum that I would bet Chris Mars would adore. Just a perfect cover to a great song.
In the end, this is a great CD. Strong writing, wonderful execution, and a heart beating inside that could warm everybody. Place this CD right alongside your Chamber Strings CD’s and cherish the wonderful things that are Baby Scream.

www.myspace.com/babyscream

Review by Carl Isonhart

Electric Frankenstein – Burn Bright, Burn Fast

Consider this more of a public service announcement than a review. Burn Bright, Burn Fast originally came out in 2005 on another record label. It either fell out of print or the ever-upright boys in EF didn’t like something on the business side and took their toys elsewhere. Whatever – the disk is back and record store shelves are all the richer for it. If you missed this album the first time around, you missed an energy-spewing, power rocking, ass-burning set of punk & roll that takes everything good about Electric Frankenstein and splatters it across the universe for all to witness. Just as awesome the second time around.  

(Zodiac Killer)
http://electricfrankenstein.com
http://myspace.com/zodiackillerrecords

Review by: Michael Toland

The Erotics – Rubbish

It probably goes without saying that a band like the Erotics isn’t going for a makeover every time it does a new record. Sure enough, on Rubbish the NYC sleazebags keep doing the gutter glam stomp in much the same way as they’ve always done it. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that, as long as they do it well, which they do. If anything, bandleader Mike Trash has managed to somehow crank up both the glitter and the grit, dragging his growl through harsher gravel than usual but writing hooks as singalong catchy as ever. (Plus an assist from Bon Scott and the Young brothers on “Walk All Over You.”) His bug-eyed sneer rules “Terrorize You,” “Nobody Wants You Around” and “Get Away From Me (Mother F*cker),” though on that last he seems to want to temper his bad temper with an asterisk, a power pop melody and a pisstake Axl Rose harmony vocal. “Born to Let You Down,” “Dead Last in the Rat Race” and “Frustrated” at least acknowledge the feelings of other people, if only to flip ‘em off, but it’s enough humanity to keep Trash from coming across as a hollow thug. While the songwriting cooks, special kudos should also go to guitarist Rachel Toxic, who is really in touch with his inner guitar hero (the music category, not the video game). Oddly enough, I found Rubbish disappointing the first time I spun it, but it’s grown on me faster than any of the band’s other albums. Nice ‘n’ sleazy, just the way a gang called the Erotics oughta be.  

(Trashpit)
http://eroticrocknroll.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Kevin K and the St. Pete Allstars – Palm Trees and Humidity

If Kevin K’s name isn’t in the dictionary in the entry marked “prolific,” dammit, it should be. For Palm Trees and Humidity, he apparently got tired of waiting for the studio to open up, as he simply sequestered himself in a Florida garage with his buddies and an 8-track and banged out a dozen of his typical rock ‘n’ poppers. The tunes are his usual basic three and four-chorders, with simple licks, bullshitless lyrics and winsome melodies that suit both his wispy voice and his beautifully crunchy guitar sound. The production is the “hit ‘record’ and let rip” variety, but it’s still clear as a bell, and really, what more do you need for stripped-down rock & roll? He could record in a 64-track digital studio with Howard Benson and he’d still sound like the glorious bastard child of Alex Chilton and Johnny Ramone. And thank whatever deity you like for that. I’ll take “Nine Lives,” “Mr. Ruckus” and “Pleased to Meet Me” over anything on the radio any day of the damn week. May Kevin K never learn a fifth chord or find a real budget.

(Kicking)
http://myspace.com/kevinkrock
http://www.kickingrecords.com

Review by: Michael Toland

The Atomic Bitchwax – 4

What we have with 4 is what is known in the entertainment industry as sustained upward momentum. Three years since proving with their album 3 that they didn’t need no stinkin’ side project badge (originally pinned on due to the presence of Monster Magnet picker Ed Mundell, since replaced by ex-Core leader Finn Ryan) to justify their existence, the Atomic Bitchwax manages to best their own best effort. Ryan, new drummer Bob Pantella and bassist/keyboardist/driving force Chris Kosnik don’t exactly redefine power rock here, but their combination of bonghit boogie and Motor City madness has never been so graceful, so ribcage-grabbing, so frickin’ potent. As usual in these cases, credit sharper songwriting and arrangements; singalong melodies float out of the trio’s knotty instrumental attack, and Kosnik and Ryan’s mic mangling has never been so mightily musical. Ripsnorting ragers like “Sometime Wednesday,” “Daisy Chain” and “Run” rock like a Transformer dancing a crazed fandango, while still sprouting catchy choruses. Instrumentals “Giant” and “Super Computer” proudly wave their braintickling riffs right in your snout. The songs are so good that the Bitchwaxing of Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine,” while perfectly enjoyable, feels unnecessary. This, my friends, is what we mean when we scream “Rawk!”

(MeteorCity)
http://www.theatomicbitchwax.com
http://www.meteorcity.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Bubblegum Screw – St. Valentines Day Massacre

I have to keep checking the info on this disc to make sure I am getting this right. This is a new release, and this is not from New York or Detroit. I swear to God man, between the production, writing style, singing, everything, you could make an argument for this being a lost 1979 New York Underground band. Yeah, this would have been big at Max’s Kansas City…no doubt. There or the obvious choice of CBGB’s. Heck, this actually sounds like outtakes from We Have Come For Your Children by Dead Boys in the production department and Mark Thorn does a pretty good Stiv. These guys are from London and a further proof that you just can’t tell where a band hails from anymore.

Bubblegum screw might fool some people though, don’t go into this expecting to hear Bubblegum Pop, Punk, or Glam. There is little “Bubblegum” here. The band plays a swaggering style of ’79 Punk pretty much, with maybe a touch of the Glam in the backing vocals. Heck, song number 2 (“Feel The Pain”) even carries shades of the Dead Kennedy’s track “Government Flu” to it. This is a good thing.
 
If this thing had come out in 1979, make no mistake about it, the final track “Rock N Roll Loser” would be the anthem for many. Power, attitude, swagger, it has a lot going for it. It’s not so different from the rest of the tunes on here, but it just sticks in your head a little bit longer and has that certain something that makes a song a classic.

If you need some Trash, give the Bubblegum Screw a shot, I’ll bet ya a piece of Bazooka that you’ll be happy you did!

http://www.myspace.com/bubblegumscrew

The Hellacopters - Head Off

So Head Off is the last Hellacopters studio album. (Until the inevitable reunion, that is.) How does one of the last decade’s best rock & roll bands choose to ride off into the sunset? With, um, a covers album. Sounds like the band is breaking up because leader Nicke Andersson is bereft of ideas, don’t it?

But let’s be fair: the only ideas the Swedish quintet ever really considered was rockin’, rollin’ and rockin-and-rollin. Andersson and his buds have never been shy about borrowing tunes from the garage/punk/heavy/action rock catalog anyway – their own oeuvre is littered with cover tunes. (Hell, if you want to be uncharitable about it, most of Andersson’s originals are rewrites of Sonic Rendezvous Band’s “City Slang” anyway.) When it comes to the proverbial good rockin’ tonight, originality gets tossed in the back seat, away from energy, commitment and soul.

The ‘copters have never had any problems there, and since they know where their likeminded international compatriots keep their treasure boxes, they easily choose tunes that slide right into their setlist with no one the wiser. (Except that Andersson’s track-by-track explanation on their MySpace site gives the game away.) Borrowing from the catalogs of fellow Swedes, Australians and Americans, the band merrily makes any tune they borrow their own. It’s hard to pick highlights from such a consistently air-guitar worthy platter, but Asteroid B-612’s “I Just Don’t Know About Girls,” the Humpers’ “(I’m) Watching You,” the Peepshows’ “Midnight Angels” and the BellRays’ “Making Up For Lost Time” seem particularly suited to the ‘copters’ riff-blasting talents. Cuts nicked from Dead Moon, the Robots, “Demons” and the Royal Cream ain’t far behind.

Which points to the secret ingredient here: The Hellacopters don’t pick songs that they can mangle into their own distinctive Nordic rock & roll shape – they choose tunes that already sound like they wrote ‘em themselves. Strong selections and even stronger performances make Head Off easily the equal of any other record in the ‘copters’ collection of superlative slabs. Pat yerselves on the backs on the way out, dudes – ya done damn good.

(Wild Kingdom/Psychout)
http://www.hellacopters.com
http://myspace.com/hellacopters
blog: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=20187358

Review by: Michael Toland

Prima Donna - After Hours (Acetate)

Somewhere along the line “glam” became shorthand for “hairspray-addled dickweeds who think Kiss set the standard for half-assed songwriting.” Hey, man, how about those 80s? Who needs a sense of rock & roll history when cocaine and Aquanet are all that’s required to get the strippers to give you a private show and share their makeup tips?

Despite having an average age of 22 or so, the dudes in Prima Donna, shockingly, remember a time before Motley Crüe somehow became an icon. I don’t know how these kids ended up with New York Dolls and Ziggy Stardust in their collections – hip older siblings? Hip parents? Hip grandparents??? – but I ain’t arguin’. And not just the cream of the 70s glam slop – the saxophones and old-fashioned rock & roll melodies on After Hours (the quintet’s second album, following the self-released Kiss Kiss) hint at a grounding in that most forgotten of classic rock decades, the 50s (Same as Bowie and the Dolls, in fact). Riffs fly fast, furious and free, but the Primas keep the rhythms danceable in that old-fashioned, R&B-derived way that was forgotten practically the day the drum machine was invented.

Mind you, singer/main songwriter Kevin Tyler Preston is just as hormonally blitzed as those assholes from the 80s. Sex is never far from the lad’s mind, as is made clear by “Dummy Luv,” “Demoted” and “I Don’t Want You to Love Me.” But his greasy grasp on heady rock & roll hooks, his youthful yawp and the band’s obvious glee in blasting them out of the speakers goes a long way to making the horny libretto seem naughty instead of nasty. In other words, After Hours is just plain fun, with singalong songs that don’t get old before the bridge comes around. “Life moves real fast when you’re a wild youngblood,” Preston declares at one point. Exactly.

http://www.primadonnarocks.com
http://www.acetate.com

Review by: Michael Toland

The Quireboys - Homewreckers & Heartbreakers (JCPL)

I’ve always felt a little sorry for the Quireboys. In late 80s America the London combo was lumped in with the hair metal bands, for which their image seemed, at first, to fit. Never mind that the band has always had more in common with the Faces and the Rolling Stones than Poison. (The Dogs D’amour suffered a similar fate.) So it was one classic album (A Bit of What You Fancy), a lackluster follow-up, and out.

Except that wasn’t the end of the story. The band reconvened in the early aughts, knocking out two solid slabs (This is Rock ‘n’ Roll and Well Oiled) that hinted at a return to future greatness. Well, open the door and move the furniture to the walls, because Homewreckers & Heartbreakers is that return. Taking cues from singer Spike’s recent solo album It’s a Treat to Be Alive, the ‘boys swirl folk and soul into their blues-based rock & roll debauchery, with more relaxed tempos and incorporation of pedal steel, mandolin and lots of fiddle and slide guitar. Shimmering, soulful cuts like “Late Nite Saturday Call,” “Hello” and “One For the Road” display the clear influence (beyond Spike’s gravelly singing) of those classic early 70s Rod Stewart records.

Don’t get the idea, however, that the band has forgotten how to rock. “Hall of Shame,” “Josephine” and “I Love This Dirty Town” kick out the jams the Stones left behind 30 years ago, and “Blackwater” hits a heavy blues groove. The guitar wrangling by Guy Griffin and Paul Guerin is particularly fine here, but the glue holding everything together is Spike’s voice, which has never been better. There aren’t many singers who can take a clichéd line like “Keep on believin’” and keep it from sounding like a hackneyed rock Hallmark card. I hesitate to say that Homewreckers & Heartbreakers betters the youthful explosion of the group’s great debut, but the versatility, confidence and plain ol’ soul found here emphasize that even a bunch of reprobates like the Quireboys can wear maturity well.

http://www.thequireboys.com
http://www.jerkincrocus.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Suzy Wong And The Honkeys – 22

Let me start by saying that I think this thing is called 22. This is just an educated guess. The cover is a black and white cover with the band name scrawled on top and an odd painting/drawing/photo of a person who has their neck split and the blood is forming the number “22”. Not sure what the number means or anything, but what the heck, there was no press material in the envelope so it gets to be named “22”.
When the CD started to play my initial thought was “whoa…does this suck”. Seriously, the tune (“Pills”) is a noisy creature with a 1980’s 4-track tape sounding production with a female voice that jumps from screaming to a whiny type of voice. It reminded me of those terrible Punk bands from the 80’s that seriously did suck and purposely created the noise to hide their lack of talent. You know the bands, they were usually your best friends in high school and forced you to listen to them and make you lie to them about liking their tunes.
But before the first song was even done I was starting to change my mind. First thing that started that change was the realization that the drumming was actually pretty friggin’ tight. That type of thing never happened in those old bands. So I started the CD over and paid closer attention. This time I caught on to it that any noise and oddness going on was 100% deliberate. These folks were not half assed musicians, but instead they are people who actually know their instruments. Or so it seems. Could this be a band actually trying to recapture that whole 80’s vibe thing, yet doing it right? The extreme DYI of the disc would lead one to believe so, including the lack of the press materials. Plus remember the 4-Track recording? Well, the music even has drop-outs on it like the old tapes always had.
Musically make no mistake about it, this is acquired taste territory. It’s noisy, sloppy, and completely insane sounding. But that isn’t to say there are not redeeming qualities (though to some the “noisy, sloppy and completely insane sounding” is all the redemption needed). In fact there are breaks in the songs “Alcohol” and “Robot” that are such brilliant riffs and hooks that I wish they had created an entire song using that riff.
So be forewarned, this is crazy stuff indeed, but to folks with certain tastes, this is a fun band with some crazy stuff going on.

http://www.myspace.com/suzywongandthehonkeys

If nothing else, The Devil Rides Out will be getting money from me for both of the previous Volumes. Why? Well, because Volume III is the final part of a nifty cover that when placed together is a hot chick lying on her back. Oh, sure, it might just be an excuse to have a picture of a hot chick in my house…but it isn’t. I just think it’s a cool cover. Yeah.
But what about the music, swanky hot 60’s style cover chicks aside…how is the music?
The Devil Rides Out more or less are of the Stoner Rock world. Problem with saying that though is that there are numerous different facets of the genre to fit into, as is the case with damn near every genre now. So, think BIG fuzzy guitars tuned REALLY low with a growly vocal, not a Death Metal growl, but more a Punk / Crossover yell. No Ozzy impersonator with this band.
The opening track “Slow Gun” lost me right away with the out of tune sounding note run riff. In my car the whole thing sounded a bit of a mess. But later, after throwing on the headphones (and even more so after numerous other subsequent listens) I found the rest of the song to carry a fine drive to it. I’m still not crazy about the note run, but the rest of the song rocks pretty damn nice.
“Fiftyonepercent” has a killer riff on it with a great pace to it. Even with the break down section it still moves cool and doesn’t have a let up.
The only track on here I could take or leave it probably “Meet Joe Blues”, a slow Bluesy type of thing. I can see the reason for it, as the riff itself sounds pretty cool with the tone and production on the guitars, it’s just kind of a lackluster track. Now this probably shows how little I know about the style and this is probably the “signature” track.
Song 3, “The Shape Of A Heart” is standout track for me though. It’s got a killer riff, cool vocals, great pace, just a killer track all around.
I like “Volume III” enough that I am definitely interested in hearing the first two volumes, not just putting the cool cover lay-outs together. Not being a big Stoner Rock guy I can’t really tell you how it fits with the genre. But I can tell you I like it enough that the disc will more than likely find its way onto my iPod, with the exception of possibly “Meet Joe Blues”…but who knows…I might come around a bit more to that track.
Oh hell, I just listened to “Meet Joe Blues” again. O.K., the weakest aspect is the vocal track. Sorry, they just sound a little forced. But the last minute of the song with the backing vocals and slide work is pretty friggin’ great. So…yeah…it will also make the transfer to the Pod for that part.
Oh, and I don’t believe for a second this thing was really recorded in Hell. That just seems a little unrealistic. Ya know?

http://www.myspace.com/thedevilridesoutband

The Octagon – Nothing But Change

This is without a doubt one of those bands that took me by total surprise. I wasn’t expecting anything like this from looking at the cover. The name of the band, the title of the album, the look of the cover, I was expecting something along the lines of Pungent Stench or something LOUD. But nope, these guys run with clean channel guitars, cool harmonies, but still standing firmly in an old sounding “Alternative” sound. If you were a fan of the any of the bands that fell out of Minneapolis or Boston in the late 80’s or early 90’s, then you might want to check these guys out. If you are from Lawrence, Kansas and wish to find a band similar to Kill Creek, check these guys out.
The title for the album, Nothing But Change, makes it’s showing in the brilliantly executed track “The Narrow Road To Oku”. That song alone makes this CD worth its price.
Songs like the wonderfully hooky “The Cutter”, “Wally And The Gang”, and especially the high energy and ridiculously powerful “The Ten Thousand” make this album worthy of repeat listens. Mellower, more artsy numbers such as “The Awakening” break it up enough to keep you on your toes.
I love this disc, I seriously do. It keeps growing on me the more I listen to it. If you have any liking for early Soul Asylum (from the …And The Horse The Rode In On era) or early Lemonheads, check this one out. Nobody makes this style music anymore really, and hearing these guys makes me realize what a damn shame that is. No this is not Glam, this is not Rockabilly, this is not loud Punk, this is something else and it’s so very cool.

http://www.myspace.com/theoctagon

So for those able to say “la la la la” to his rep, here’s the skinny. Burzum truly was one of the best black metal acts of the period. On the first half of this collection, the drum tracks actually keep time and avoid the rhythmless chaos of so many of Vikernes’ peers, the guitars choke on their own fuzz without covering up the actual chords and riffs and the melodies evoke classic metal majesty rather than incoherent thrash. Vikernes is fond of epic song lengths – “Def Som en Gang Var” hits the 10-minute mark – but the tracks’ drive and tunefulness keep things from getting boring. The second half moves into more ambient territory (in part because Vikernes was imprisoned by that time and had limited access to instruments), with the creepy edge explored by fellow traveler Mortiis. “Gebrechichket” blazes then-new trails by interweaving heavy guitars and synthesizers to evoke moody melodies that make it a signpost for current metalgazers like Alcest and Caina. Vikernes’ lyrics are in his native tongue and delivered in the usual raspy shriek of a vampire with a stake through his scrotum, so if his viewpoints bug you (assuming they’re even addressed in the first place), they’re easy to ignore. (Unless you speak Norwegian, of course.)

For all of the author’s real and alleged philosophical extremism, the work of Burzum is surprisingly accessible for folks beyond metalheads with a penchant for the blackened. Whether that’s enough to entice the curious to overlook Vikernes’ non-musical exploits is another matter, and a personal one at that. That’s what freedom of choice is all about, ain’t it?
http://www.burzum.org
(Candlelight) http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com

Review by: Michael Toland

*Vikernes disputes most of the labels and accusations slapped on him, but that’s not saying much; few celebrity wackjobs are as adept at using verbal diarrhea to muddy the waters of his own grave as the Count. For details from both sides of the aisle, check out his Wikipedia page, the Burzum website or the book Lords of Chaos

ORANGE SUNSHINE SUPERMAN
Suffer + Bucketful of Brains
Get Off the Phone and Drive + It’s My Turn to Speak
I Spy + Lame Duck
By day, Will Psoma is a mild-mannered audio software engineer/sound designer, but by night he becomes…Orange Sunshine Superman! (Cue fanfare.) One glance at that band name and it probably goes without saying that Psoma’s musical tastes run towards 60s psychedelia and 70s guitar pop. The music on these 45s bears that out, all big, power pop hooks and folk rock jangle. But while his musicality may be fixed on the past, his libretto sits squarely in the present. “Suffer” and its flip “Bucketful of Brains” jab elbows in the ribs of organized religion, “Get Off the Phone” and “It’s My Turn to Speak” tackle the impatient, accelerated communication of the 21st century and “I Spy” and “Lame Duck” target a certain tunnel-visioned leader of the free world. Every tune is smart, funny (in an angry way) and loaded with hooks. If Psoma’s got more like this at home, it’s time for a full-length album.
http://www.myspace.com/orangesunshinesuperman
(Four-Way) http://www.fourwayrecords.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Rosetta West - Anymore
Joseph Demagore’s never-say-die attitude manifests itself once again, as he self-releases another Rosetta West record. The group’s third disk, Anymore keeps to the RW tradition of stripped-down blues rock. That’s not code for a White Stripes rip-off, by the way; there’s little flash to be found here, and the Led Zeppelin homages are subtle and serve the songs, instead being a raison d’etre. If there’s a specific blues-based obsession in this music, it’s the rough ‘n’ raucous power blues of the Northern Mississippi area – there are more hints of RL Burnside and T-Model Ford in the grooves of “Drop the Bomb” and “Found Myself Dead” than Chicago blues or the Yardbirds. Maybe it’s just because of the affinity for that music I’ve acquired over the last few years, or maybe it’s the sublime beauty of acoustic cuts like “Oh Death” and “Darlene,” or maybe it’s just because this is Demagore’s most accomplished set of songs and sharpest set of arrangements yet, but I find myself more taken with Anymore than anything the band’s yet done.   
http://www.myspace.com/rosettawest
(self-released)

Review by: Michael Toland

Garfield’s Birthday - Let Them Eat Cake
There are two ways you can go when you’re a musician that owns a record label. You can make it a vehicle for your every musical/recorded whim, whether it’s worth hearing or not. Or you can treat it like a business, promote the music you love and eke out your own stuff whenever you have a sliver of a break in your schedule. Simon Felton, owner of Pink Hedgehog and co-leader of Garfields Birthday, follows the second path­ - he’s put out a lot of great stuff from the likes of Anton Barbeau, the Black Watch and Cheese, but at the cost of giving his own band short shrift. That’s fine, though; when he, brother Shane and drummer Adrian Payne get ‘round to finally putting out a record like “Let Them Eat Cake,” it’s all the (pardon the pun) sweeter. The album spills over with sparkling pop tunes built on chiming guitars, ear-tonguing melodies and the kind of close harmonies that seem to come only from siblings. Rock-poppers like “Mystery Boy,” “Punch & Judy Man” and “The Bastion of Teenage” bewitch with their effervescence, while the acoustic ballad “You Should Know Better By Now” is nigh irresistible. Interestingly for a pop group, the band saves its best songs for the second half of the record, making for an unusually rewarding listen.
http://www.garfieldsbirthday.com
(Pink Hedgehog) http://www.pinkhedgehog.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Ascend - Ample Fire Within
Greg Anderson can’t get enough of the drone, apparently. Besides co-leading drone metal demi-gods Sunn 0)) and running the thrum-heavy label Southern Lord, he’s formed Ascend, a side project with his old buddy Gentry Densley (who was in experimental rock band Iceburn a decade ago). To be fair, Ample Fire Within ain’t exactly Sunn 0)) II. For one thing, vocals feature far more prominently than they do in Anderson’s usual milieu, and Densley’s testosteronized Tom Waits grumble is a perfect match for the bowel-rumbling sonic wash. There’s also a barely but definitely definable jazz element in the mix, provided mostly by keyboardist/trombonist Steve Moore (the guy from Earth, not the guy from Zombi). Glacial tempos and rolling low-end riffs carry the (pardon the pun) heavy load, of course, but the little touches keep this from being another beating administered to a deceased equine.
http://www.myspace.com/ascendamountain
(Southern Lord) http://www.southernlord.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Blacklist Union - Blacklist Union
With their sleaze rock riffs, glampunk image, arena rock production and whiff of every kind of sin imaginable, Blacklist Union couldn’t come from anywhere but Hollywood. But the band doesn’t so much celebrate excess as wave goodbye to it in the rearview mirror. Union boss Tony West has survived addiction, being slimed by music industry dirtbags and the premature deaths of two women close to him (including the much-missed Bianca Butthole from Betty Blowtorch), learning experiences all. Scratch at that layer of grime and black eyeliner on West and you’ll find quite the sentimental streak, but never fear – he can pen tributes to his son (“Say Hello”) and his dead lovers (“Sixty Five Steps Away”) and still make ‘em rock. West beckons anyone with good intentions to “Come Inside” his world, but gives the finger to the “King of Fools” and various “Liars, Cheats & Thieves.” The title track both laments West’s drug-rat days and warns off the kind of folks with junkie souls. It’s not all serious business, though – West takes time out for a tongue-in-cheek (or somewhere) blowjob in “Kiss the Monkey.” Whether West is smiling or sneering, his forceful singing rides this tight-muscled tiger of glistening guitar rock with reins firmly in steady hand.
http://www.myspace.com/blacklistunion
(self-released) http://www.blacklistunion.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Review by: Michael Toland

Another year, another generous batch of plainspoken, turbocharged gems. Holdin’ Onto Trouble’s Hand is a working man’s rebel manifesto, with dispatches from an America no political party acknowledges exists. And make no mistake, kids, this is American music with a capital C (for culture, and yes, we do have one) – notes, chords and rhythms derived from the blues, country & western, folk music and 50s rock & roll, made by disciples of Chuck Berry, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, Ike Turner and the Ramones. If the Rolling Stones had grown up in the country from which their musical loves came and had never touched supermodels or heroin, their music might still have the power the Rankoutsiders’ does now. Only Jason & the Scorchers have ever danced this rootspunk two-stomp with as much grace.

Todd’s songwriting continues its consistency and variety here, exploring the inner workings of the blue (collar, state, mood, heart) as well as anybody this side of Merle Haggard. “If you find some kind of love,” Todd advises on “One More Tank of Gas,” “Hold onto it/Give me one more tank of gas/And I’ll chase after it” - the Todd philosophy in a nutshell. The band, particularly guitarist Nick Alexander (who joins Cowgirls axmen Michael Leigh and DD Weekday in Todd’s pantheon of great six-string discoveries), confidently follows the leader down any path, taken or not.

You want revved-up C&W? Try “Sometimes Trouble Has a Name.” You like the tear dropping into your beer to be quieter? There’s the mandolin-driven “Tonight I Said Your Name.” Think the Beach Boys needed a punk shot in the ass? Give “Long Love Letter” (written by Todd but sung by Alexander – see, it really is a band) a shot. Prefer folk troubadourism? The calmly sneering “King of Drugs,” performed by Todd solo on a banjo, or the head-shaking-sadly accusation of “Playin’ in the Dirt” are your meat. Like a little spritz of power pop melodicism? You’ll take a trip “All Around the World.” Want a good, empathic wallow? The folk-rocking introspection of “There’s Nothin’ For Me Here” is da man. Looking for a raging roots rock epic? The eight-plus minutes of “The December 12th Blues” will scratch your itch.

Or would you rather just rock the fuck out, while keeping a little class in your air guitar-waving thrills? That’s most of this incendiary album, baby – “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” “Dangerous Times – Dead Ahead,” “Secret Heart,” “Billion Dollars Cash,” “I Won’t Belong” (Todd’s mantra for 25+ years now), “Theda” and the title track will dropkick any Hot Topic sprat’s Avenged Sevenfold-loving ass back to school where he can learn about real rock & roll. With guts, brains and passion to spare, Todd and the Rankoutsiders accomplish it all while acting like adults, not like kids still young, dumb and full of…well, you know. If more albums like this are what Holdin’ Onto Trouble’s Hand gets us, I’m gonna keep my paw out constantly and shake on it every time.
http://www.pattodd.net
http://www.rankoutsiderrecords.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Review by: Michael Toland

Review by: Michael Toland

Review by: Michael Toland

Frontdude Derek Cristensen wails, growls and shouts like Steven Tyler could before MTVhab, as guitarists Curt Florczak and Matt Lake mix ‘n’ match riffs stolen from their favorite records and the rhythm section juggles its balls with the surefooted grace of a stampeding stallion. With just the right homebrew of proficiency and ‘tude, the title track gives corporate radio the bird while boasting the kind of guitar glory the airwaves used to worship. Cristensen musters a surprising scoop of soul on the ballad “Cold After Dark,” putting enough heartbreak into lines like “Your love will haunt me until the end” that the clichés matter less than the feel.

Not everything cooks with propane – the closer “Renegade” suffers from the kind of painfully uninspired lyrics with which most tunes with outlaw-synonymed titles get saddled, and “Simmer Down” does little but prove that Cristensen has no business trying to imitate the Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson. But when the band is on, they’re fucking on, baby – “Bad Rain in Texas,” “Heaven” and “Flat On My Face” will make you believe in lighter-raising rock & roll again. Hopefully the B-Movie Rats won’t stay in the cellar for so long next time.
http://www.bmovierats.com
http://www.rankoutsiderrecords.com

Review by: Michael Toland

Review by: Ken Zalewski

The disk opens with the one-two punch of the powerhouse hipsway of “Groove On” and the good-humored raunch of “Big, Fat Sexy Mama,” both spiked with horns so perfect as to bring tears to Al Kooper’s eyes. The delicious combination of songwriting smarts and big ol’ six-string hooks makes both tunes easily the best things the band’s ever done. Those cuts would be hard to top, and Carlyle wisely doesn’t try, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other juicy bites of the Apple here. “Betrayed” injects a grungy power ballad with real spite and anger, “Can’t Get Through to You” kicks its way out the garage with steel-toed boots and “My Heart Still Aches For You” turns off the amps for a fiddle-laced, adrenalized two-step that takes the Pogues to a Texas honkytonk.

All that’s left is the band’s cover of Cale/Clapton’s “Cocaine;” whether or not this wah-wah and drum machine-infused pisstake will sit right depends on how overplayed you think the original classic rock dinosaur is. (Why “Cocaine” instead of including the great title tune, which so far exists only in privately distributed CD-r form?) But that doesn’t worry me much – I can forgive a combo as world-rockingly great as the Compulsions the occasional misstep, as long as they keep kicking my ass as does the rest of Demon Love.
http://www.thecompulsionsnyc.com

Review by: Michael Toland