Jimmy Reject -- the lost reviews

Killed By The Bull (Dick Harris Records)

It’s hard to pin point this band’s sound, but placing them somewhere among the realm of 80’s and 90’s quasi-alternative shouldn’t be too far off. With their stark, organic and sloppy sound, they bring to mind yesteryear’s notables Death of Samantha and yesteryear’s more-notables Lone Justice, with more than a nod to mid 90’s slackery added. While both the above mentioned bands occasionally turned in some catchy and memorable work, Killed By The Bull just piddle away at safe, abysmal, cappuccino jams for this whole record. This band, with their own CD out, would hardly raise an eyebrow if they were to perform amongst all the poetry slinging Napoleon Dynamite fans at your local coffee house open mic. In scenarios like the Gen X flick “Girl”, this band would shine only if the Cobain-esque singer were flattered by turquoise stage lights as he croons these smack lilted paens to jaded angst to the quivering eyes of the movie’s female lead. But such is not the case here, and you realize what a stupid movie that was, and what a horrible singer that guy was. When you take away the celluloid focus, which is what time and changing trends might be doing to 90’s hack music like this, you’re left with just the music, and not everyone can be a Jim Ellison or Paul Westerberg. Let it go, kiddies. 120 Minutes has been off the air for quite some time.

Former Cell Mates

Hustle" (Newest Industry Records)

This is good in that it blends a kind of a melodic, rockin’ 2nd LP Dead Boys feel with the less dilettantish elements of newer bands like At the Drive In. These are the sounds that would fit seamlessly with the guileless sheen of college or even FM radio, yet you’ll hear the sweet old school ring of Cheetah Chrome or Handsome Dick Manitoba grinning through the grooves. The Dead Boys aspect comes from the confluence of Detroit-rock noise that you’ll hear in the leads and the same kind of understated pop feel that the Young, Loud and Snotty ones borrowed from bands the Choirs and the Raspberries. The modern, At the Drive In feel is pretty much the package this music is sent in, the courier to their more authentic letter writing style. This is a modern, college radio rock record with harmonic hints at the ghosts of Max’s Kansas City that drift throughout like potent, white smoke. Uber catchy, radio ready gems like “Rocky 3” and “Inhaler” really steal the show, but every track is well worth your time in their own way. Whether or not the radio will pick up on these glossy rockers remains to be seen, but on my turntable, this will get some heavy rotation for sure.

Big D and the Kids Table

How It Goes" (Springman Records)

Ska is divided, in my mind, into two chronological sections, with one brief interim bridging the two ends. First would be the very first wave during the 50’s and 60’s (many don’t know that ska actually predated reggae). Artists of this genre would include the likes of Theophilus Beckford and even early Bob Marley. Never a stateside success, this was music that was heralded in Jamaican dance halls and such, and was one of the pop genres that consolidated the emergence of the original (and of course non-racist) working class skinhead culture. This music is still adored by older skinheads and geeked out, young ska collectors today.

Decades later, an international, commercial infatuation with this style would endanger the humble authenticity of the original form. But first, the Two Tone movement in England would make ska trendy for the first time in 79-‘83. These musicians would dress in the Rude Boy style and form bands such as the Specials, Bad Manners and the Fun Boy Three, who did very well in Europe but only made an underground dent over here. I’m sure even you younger readers needn’t be reminded of the horrible ska revival of 1996 when, true to American style, the music had to be totally butchered and sold out in order to make it here. From Goldfinger to Save Ferris to the great Satans that were and are No Doubt, these bands sounded like the back up bands of Huey Lewis or Madonna trying to play this music after a very brief, failing lesson by one Tony Hall. It took about forty years for Beckford’s “Easy Snapping” to turn into Gwen Stefani’s “Ain’t No Holla Back Girl”, and even that seems like a rapid descent.

I’m sure that a lot of you knew that stuff already, I bring it up to demonstrate where I feel Big D and the Kids table stand within this timeline, which would be right between the Two Tone movement and the commercial style that emerged about ten years ago with auspicious, yet sparing, throwbacks to the original style. They show their authenticity by throwing in a cover the Special’s “Little Bitch” and yes, I would have a great time pogoing to some of Big D’s faster numbers in large, crowded venue after a few beers. But I don’t drink anymore, so I must now judge music accordingly. The faster songs bring on the fun vibe, which is what I gather ska is all about, but in their polished style and strife remitting grin, they approach the overly benign affect brought on by newer ska bands. Fairly often, the songs will simmer to a near reggae speed, and this approaches the original style. Many of these songs will just tread on in a faceless, innocuous fashion, and not recall the sun dazed groove of their Rude Boy elders. I’m not sure just where they fail, but perhaps the Big D kids just don’t have the melotonin to make those throbbing quarter notes work. At their best, the two extremes oddly meld they hit the middle ground and dance around your speakers like the English ska heyday of 1979. There are more than enough moments like that on this CD to keep the checker-print creepers moving on the dance floor.

I don’t consider myself particularly partial to ska at all, so perhaps this review should serve as a glowing recommendation for die hard fans. If offbeat guitars and linear rhythms are your thing, then you’d probably like this CD very much. If, however, your idea of maximum fun is “Rockaway Beach” or “Rock And Roll All Night”, you may want to start with some old Specials vinyl before you get to this.

Chach (Chach Music)

This seemingly self released CD strikes this listener as being inspired by the better of mainstream rock circa 1994-96, which a noticeably modern gloss evening out those scruffy frays. At its best, this disc recalls those times when the better grooves of bands like Stone Temple Pilots and (later) Sonic Youth would get you sway your drunken frame sensuously on the dance floor of some cheesy, Gen X dance club. And when they’re on, Chach’s studio gloss shines with the kind of pop diva sensibility of songs like Lisa Marie Presley’s “Idiot” (which both you and I know is the best damn song that American Heartbreak or the Beat Angels never wrote; c’mon, just admit it.) Their best track, “Found That Love”, does an excellent job at combining that pop sheen with the bulldozer chords of 90’s rock. It’s got a melody that Rick Nielsen wouldn’t leave on the cutting room floor, and with lyrics like “I’ve been waiting to come back home/ I’ve been away too long/ And you’re glad I’m gone” riding over the suave but rugged rhythms, this is very much the song you would put on a mix tape for a boy or girl you’re destined not to get. So yeah, take a chance on this CD. I wouldn’t be the least displeased had I spent money to listen to it.

Red Invasion

I’m Too Young To Die" (Pelado Records)

Since the hardcore heydays of the early 90’s, the Boston scene often tended to affect a macho front that was always a potential threat to individuality and musical freedom. Too late to disturb hierarchal hardcore matinees at the Channel, or the inclusive Guinness Stout and scally cap revelry of the late 90’s, Red Invasion nonetheless find themselves aiming their glam touched, three chord lust at a receptive audience in the middle of a new decade. While louche local 90’s Boston glam rockers the Medveds, and their early 00’s counterparts Bio-Pop, gave a coquettish leer to the scowling toughs in their day, Red Invasion’s tireless work ethic and amped up charisma has built them a loyal and growing fan base. A new breed of Boston youth cheer them on as they smirch the Hub’s wiry laud with lipstick traces of classic, punk rock, pogoing musical acumen. The ammo is stored and ready to decimate the Hub’s hard veneer into obsolete shreds. And this debut CD is the steel cannon ready to shoot missiles about our fair city.

Some bands get it right with their first album and, whatever potential might blossom upon further releases, the R.I. boys sure get it right with this. Red Invasion claim to be revivalists of “Boston Punk history from 75-79” and to claim that they deftly mirror the sounds of old greats like the Neighborhoods, La Peste, Nervous Eaters or the Real Kids is no generous exaggeration. But with their quick tempos and venomous snot, they add something more, perhaps a dose of the subversive spirit of punk that would swell in later years. Equal parts Jonathan Richman and Darby Crash, this reeks of broken glass on dance floors yet soars with golden choruses and skilled song crafting. The title track is the perfect anthem for pogoing yourself dizzy in your eyeliner, leather and spikes, while the slower paced “A Year Ago Tonight” is a song that dwells on more power pop and glam tendencies. This is an enticing sampler of what may be ahead for them. Within the band’s methodical design is a catchy comprisal attractive to anyone who deserves to buy any punk record. This one is for the glam rock burn outs, the rock and roll purists, the 30 something 80’s throwbacks with Misfits and Dead Kennedys tattoos, the ’82 liberty spike drunks, the ’77 revivalists, confused mall punk dorks, flanneled slam dancers, original Oi! music fans, real skins, power pop snobs, pop punk girl crazy losers, trendoids in Creepers, stiff dancing mods, Killed By Death experts, Un-PC drunks, new wave retreads and three chord fanatics of all kinds. While Red Invasion may be focused on a finite time in our history, their appeal is one of the most far reaching I have heard on record.

I’m hoping these guys can help usher in a new era in Boston punk history, one unique in its capacity for freedom and expression. A new door is peering open, abandoning the rigid dictates of hardcore. As a rock n roller, I find it my duty to pry the door a bit wider, and invite you all to the other side.

Champion

Time Slips Away" (Bridge Nine Records)

Granted it’s on hardcore label Bridge Nine and not say, Velvet Hammer Records, but, to me, this smacks of the “screamo” sound that got so much mainstream press in the previous two years. A cathartic and boisterous style that derives liberally from metal, hardcore and emo itself. The main problem is that while this is the first screamo record I’ve ever owned, it does nothing to teach me anything I didn’t already suspect about the genre

I think that’s because, sonically, Champion describe screamo the same way I just did in the previous paragraph. This record consistently obeys the influences that are typical of the genre, yet throws very little punches that would make you curious about the band’s record collection and any erratic and/or tear jerking gushes of emotion are kept at bay in favor of stock caterwauling. The best part of their sound is that they do their best to imbue the songs with melodic, dimensional guitar textures. But given the steep competition they have in that area (even from within their own label) nowadays, they could’ve beefed up that particular aspect a little.

I didn’t get a press kit with this CD, so if Champion do not consider themselves a screamo band, I apologize profusely. But the slightness of their power would cause me to react the same regardless of what set their claiming. One positive is that they cover 80’s band Dag Nasty (while titling the track “A Thank You Note”). As a thirty something whose been meaning to dust off his copy of “Can You Say” I appreciate that. Otherwise, not an amazing release.

Decahedron

6 Songs + Full Live Performance" (Lovitt Records)

Ever wonder what would happen if the band Pitchshifter were to resurface without the danceable, pop trappings and focus their superior equipment on vistas as distant and bleak as the ones their technology would suggest? This ominous CD, complete with liner notes quoting a rather compelling, apocalyptic prophecy from science fiction writer William Gibson, takes the industrial soundscapes which otherwise would compel a lot of hedonistic, Special K fueled dance floor marathons and instead expands them into vast Syd Barret like prospects of doom.

Yes, these guys seem convinced that the party is soon to be over, and they convey their depression in a manner that gets the gloom across without falling easily into the musical stereotypes that one might suspect. More Fugazi than Joy Division, more Can than Trent Reznor, this band serves a time honored tradition of awareness in music without succumbing to the rote tendencies of many like minded bands. The music is mostly a mixture of experimental rhythms and yawning, dour guitar lines. A sound which suggests a few of its preconceived labels, yet conforms to none. The most effective way in which Decahedron make their departure is with their excellent lyrics, which add a noticeably poetic streak while sparing any indulgent, thesaurus derived verbal masturbation. Case in point, this verse from the song “Terrhetoric”: “Fear the feeding hands/facades of care/burn the innocent/and maim the mothers.” These words preach the anti-gospel while staying far away from polar extremes such as, “bittersweet tears of shrapnel descend on my despondence/when will the flowers of jubilance ascend through bitter earth” or “The president is such a dumbass fascist/ I pray that revolution will come”. Not too smart and not too simple, Decahedron’s lyrical approach abides by that tasteful discipline which is the most challenging feat for any writer.

Basically, this band provides an educated romp through of familiar gloom and doom scenarios, but does so in a way that’s very respectful to the listener and edges a little bit ahead of the competition. In the late 70’s, bands like Television and the Talking Heads got mad props from the music press for reflecting on stark realities in an artful yet understated way. Let’s hope that some of that light comes back and shines on the bright and talented lads in Decahedron.

Blacklisted

We’re Unstoppable" (Deathwish Records)

This is new school hardcore all the way. Metal-ish playing, ’88 youth crew chanting choruses, and, are you ready yet, you’ll really be surprised- mosh parts! I haven’t heard much of this type of hardcore, but it usually fails to impress me, unless they add an air of sophistication and melody (and enough bands of this genre do) to the pectoral ripple glowering through their aural assault. When it’s delivered in an invective and somewhat tuneless manner as this, I throw another Crippled Youth 7” on the fire and warm my hands.

I have to hand it to bands like this, they play really well (a common feature of new school hardcore which, paradoxically enough, was characteristically uncommon during hardcore’s early 80’s onset) and they have a shitload of stamina. For any of you reading this who are stoked on the new hardcore, I’m sure this won’t disappoint you. I think Blink 182 are the new Cheap Trick and I regard the first Knack album reverently, and unless you’re much the same, don’t let my tastes veer you away from this tight, sullen band.

I must give props to the singer sporting a noticeable Jack Daniels t-shirt, an offense that one Jack Kelly would surely find punishable by way of hockey stick.

Thor

Thor Against the World" (Smog Veil Records)

I’d heard of this band before, and was expecting thick necked Euro metal of Manowar proportions. Not that that would be so bad, but I was pleasantly surprised by this CD. This is a testosterone meddled glam rock romp that brings to mind the hard rockin’ delights that all you 50 year olds were enjoying before “Anarchy in the U.K.” came out.

I’m almost confounded as to how Thor’s metal reputation came about, because I hear way more Alice Cooper, Mott the Hoople, the Dictators and AC/DC (in that order) than I do Virgin Steele or Shadows Gallery. It seems that every intro I hear is lifted from an old Alice Cooper or AC/DC tune, but the song always launches into its own vibe, departing seamlessly from my memorized selection. And the album credits show that every song was written by Thor themselves. “Gonna Have A Hard Time” sounds like best, broken hearted ballad that Hanoi Rocks (another European band falsely labeled as metal by some) never wrote. In fact, the second half of this CD boasts a rather Hanoi/Stones glam/riff rock feel. Damn, this is good.

This is one of those promo items that I surely will listen to as often as, say, a new bought Generation X box set or an ebay bought bootleg goody. I will destroy Thor’s mislabeling by borrowing this out to friends for quite some time. Rawk!

Useless ID

Redemption" (Kung Fu Records)

Given the name, I was expecting more of a geeked out, suburban hardcore vibe. This is basically more FM ready emo punk that easily earns it’s (ahem) redemption on the strength of a catchy vibe and one very exceptional track.

This comes across as a pop punk amalgamation of the less experimental tendencies of both Fugazi and Anti-Flag. However pop was the operative word in the last sentence, and more than a few of the tracks would fit seamlessly on a mix tape put in between the Descendents (drummer Bill Stevenson co produced this record) and the Beach Boys. The absolute stand out here is the track “Turn Up the Stereo”, which mixes a “Give ‘Em Enough Rope” era Clash feel with song structuring and melody befitting of any pop aficionado’s most saccharine wet dreams. If you don’t love this song, you don’t deserve to hear it. This is an absolute gem that will be featured prominently on any mix tape or CD I make in the next five years. A must hear, and there are many other tracks here that easily compete with it.

Sure enough of these songs just piddle on in that predictable, emo wuss sort of way, but those tracks are tactically pushed to the front, allowing the climactic crest of this CD to guide you along in a rush of pop punk heaven. I can’t praise this CD. Useless ID are a band to look out for!

An Angle

We Can Breathe Under Alcohol" (Drive Thru Records)

Roxy Music. Solo era Iggy. Patti Smith’s “Ethiopa” record. Nick Drake. Hell, even lame 90’s shit like Cracker and Beck. Its music that doesn’t selfishly horde your attention, yet justly earns it during its more sterling moments. Music for cleaning your house. Music for gazing at that young crush as the dim lit candles exude a story from your eyes. This is “music for grown ups”, a hard vibe to get into after a testosterone fueled spree of slam dancing or a hedonistic beer bash. But give it a few hours or a few years and tasteful sounds like this will find you in the subdued hours.

Alternating from sparse guitar and vocal arrangements to orchestral bombast, this CD exists to arouse emotion, usually melancholy, often despondent, occasionally joyed. The lyrical map for these feelings is a boozed up antipathy toward the tangles of personal relationships. Most of the songs refer to either booze or drugs in the titles, and all of them feature spirited dirges to some friend who’s found a girlfriend, or some lover who’s found a better friend. When the impassioned vocals crest along with the soaring arrangements, it creates a moment that makes drinking over a lost love seem glorious and timeless, just as it has seemed to that way to many of us in the past. Some of these songs take on that elusive quality of classics like Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees”, or Stiv Bators’ “I Wanna Forget You Just the Way You Are”. It’s in that uncanny ability to lend a sense of poignancy to the dead end avenues of failure and pain.

Overall, this is a tasteful and effective means to usher in all those emotions that flooded us we sat about drinking with the blues on the stereo. If you’ve got time to kill in between Blue Eyes’ “In the Wee Small Hours” and Dino’s “Walk On By”, pop this one on and forget about her, man.

The Van Ermans

Under the Gun" (Broken Spoke Records)

Sporting a pastel color scheme and a drawing of the band in Newbury Street, uber slacker gear, one might take a look at this CD and dismiss the band as yet another crew of wantonly lite, emo pop FM contenders. That assumption may be right, but one listen to this undoubtedly proves that “pop” was the operative word.

The sun glazed guitar progressions and humble production are certainly there. But rising above that yielding din is a knack (no pun intended) for producing shamelessly catchy choruses and pre choruses for every song. Don’t take this in a bad way (at all), but this reminds me of a lighter MXPX. The emo comparison really only applies to the band’s sound. For the most part, this is an endearing collection of pop hits that frequently drive on in the kind of quick, eigth driven beat that would do the Romantics proud. More Buzzcocks than Bright Eyes, this is the perfect soundtrack for driving home from one of your typical Friday nights out spent pogoing to the traditional three chords and loud harmonies.

The Van Ermans are for fans of pop, power pop, and yes, emo. Don’t let the trendy packaging fool you. This is some catchy fuckin’ stuff.

Zatpokens

Ain’t Nobody Left But Us" (Stardumb Records)

I guess that Stardumb is my favorite European label. When I first heard their (great) feature band the Apers, it was a rock n roll infatuation of a rare degree. For the earlier part of the decade, I would receive either promo copies, tape dubs or CD burns of bands like the Manges or the Backwoods Creatures. It seemed the label was bringing back the leather and Coverse spirit of Ramones, Queers and the Beach Boys to whip coolly like a breeze through all the beaches of God’s green earth.

Now, after a long absence, I get this Stardumb disc featuring a band called Zatpokens. I can confidently say this band revives the spirit of the Undertones, the Rezillos and a million old, catchy bands. Like a few other bands on the label, a noticeable rockabilly vibe often blends in with the Ramones chords and sweet vocals. It’s a seamless mixture that doesn’t confuse the formula, but makes it more accessible. Overall, this is that tried and true pop punk style that’s as welcome in frequent doses as Simpsons reruns or Deborah Harry movie cameos. What could be more reverent to the fading innocence of American pop culture than yet another gaggle of lovelorn lads cranking sugary pop that sounds like Duane Hickman and Tuesday Weld cuddling together with a steady supply of wine glasses and teary eyed airings of the end of each “American Pie” movie? This band obviously isn’t from America, but the telling rays of late night TV have brought the fruits of Western culture to them. And this record is where they spew it all back in a jangly mirth of sing along fun.

Yeah, I can’t really get enough of this stuff. And if you’re the same, and are familiar with Stardumb’s sterling reputation, don’t hesitate to pick this up. Hey Ho Let’s Go.

The Dead Betties

Summer of ’93" (Heartcore Records)

This is reminiscent of the late 70’s NYC No Wave scene (chronicled by the famous Brian Eno produced compilation LP “No New York”) and the handful of 80’s bands (Sonic Youth, Pussy Galore) that followed that influence into broader pastures

While the sloppy guitars and hectic energy maintain an archaic vibe, the off time rhythms and paranoid nerd vocals make this an aptly intellectual listen. Quite often the taut anxiety of the vocal will stretch into this impassioned howl, as the backing band will crest along. This is one feature that links the band to 90’s crooners like Thomas Yorke. However “alt” the sound or songs get, the sloppy and atypical arrangements steer this disc very clearly away from FM complacency. This is more for weather battered fans of the early 90’s noise rush of bands like Babes In Toyland or Lubricated Goat than it is today’s coffee house denizens

Overall, this sounds as though James Chance had been reinvented in 1991 with a deal on Sub Pop records and a studio apartment full of Homestead LPs. Spirited yet aloof, tangible yet experimental- this is where the smart kids get noisy.

Bullet Treatment

"What More Do You Want?" (Basement Records)

With a spastic back beat, snotty, aggro vocals and guitars bursting forth like wayward shards of shrapnel, this brings to mind a simpler version of Poison Idea. Or, more to the point, Poison Idea without the obligatory metal influence. This barrels on with little deviation from the punk/hardcore style; perhaps not reinventing the wheel, yet none the less turning in an enjoyable romp through the days of flannel bandannas and boot chains.

Yes, this is very reminiscent of 80’s hardcore, and an honest listen to any of P.I.’s earlier wax slabs should demonstrate a likeness to this. In their simplicity, lack of rhythmic diversion and abundant store of raw energy, Bullet Treatment bring back the underground thrashings of the Reagan era. When radio pandering pop stylings or flamboyant shows of genre confounding were not required. When that frequent “thwap” of the snare drum would jolt throngs of angry youth into dancing even harder. Their cover of the Circle Jerks’ “What’s Your Problem” only further seals the band’s kinship to the 80’s scene.

If you have to hide your Misfits tattoo during a day at work, come home and reminisce with this fine record. I’m already dusting off the pink Chuck Taylors.

Bedouin Soundclash

"Sounding A Mosaic" (Side One Dummy Records)

Produced by Darryl Jenifer of Bad Brains fame, this is reggae with a Bob Marley influence that shines as subtly as a monsoon cloud of prime ganja stunning your lungs. Mixing song titles like “When The Night Feels My Song” “Music My Rock” with ones like “Criminal” and “Murder On The Midnight Wire”, this emulates the deceased star in the manner of it’s emotional polarity. Those sun blessed, feel good grooves are weighted by informed tirades of the proletarian lot.

Although I’m not sure whether this band ever grew up anywhere near Trenchtown, they match Marley’s deft skill at mixing happy and sad vibes together while remaining unwavering in their relentlessly positive sentiment. This is a CD to crank during the hard times as well as the good. One that raises your spirits in the notion that there are those worse off than you. Those people would be the hapless ghetto dwellers who become heroicized in the form of song. And the solar rays generating from this disc shine on them too. Perhaps the most sterling musical quality is that the band is able to mix traditional reggae beats with both pop and ska rhythms. It’s an ambitious angle at least, and Bedouin Soundclash tackle it with grace.

So, needless to say, if you’re a Bob Marley fan, this band delivers the kind of optimistic reggae that you likely haven’t heard in a while. And fans of reggae in general should not shy away from this band.

Meneguar

"I Was Born At Night" (Magic Bullet Records)

The Meneguars sound like they wear a lot of black. They obviously want you to know that they were ‘Born At Night’. Given the stock manner of alternative stylings on this CD, they are probably heard to shock neighbors with brazen phrases like, “I read Sylvia Plath! I listen to Bikini Kill!” Suiting music for that ‘Uniquely Rebellious Girl’ teen movie character, but unless you’re collection consists of nothing but “American Pie” and “She’s All That” soundtracks, the Meneguars do little to educate or stimulate.

Here’s my image of this band: I’m bored and waiting for, say, Afghan Wigs to come on and headline the show. These guys are onstage playing this swill, sweating and gesticulating in a way that’s designed to appeal to some owner of a label bigger than the one their on. The girl in black with the bob dyed vampire red stands to the edge of the stage, dancing obediently. She likes this band because they wear black and they’re a band that no one from her suburban high school has ever heard of. A burly skinhead is trying in vein to get a circle pit going because it’s 11:00 already and god damnit he’s drunk! I stare in comatose boredom waiting for the trend pandering din to end. I’m thinking that this band sounds like Sonic Youth without the feedback; Big Dipper without the talent. After a little bit too long, the band goes off stage and leaves the Wigs to come out and wow their fans with a sonic spree of drunken, dancing fun.

And that’s my point about this band. This is the kind of music that surfaces in the lack of excitement, and is washed off the radar whenever real excitement storms in. Just as Nirvana ended the career of Camper Van Beethoven, the emergence of stuff like this is a sign that things have become a bit stagnant and that the music scene needs another kick in the ass. The late G.G. Allin’s daughter must be about 18 years old by now. Hearing the Menegars makes me hope she’s soon to start a band.

The Templars

"Clockwork Orange Horrorshow" (Templecombe Records)

A white guy and a black guy play on this CD, whose title plays on the acute obsession that street punk bands seem to have with the Stanley Kubrick film “Clockwork Orange”. This is traditional, ’82 brit-style Oi that leaves the glossy innovations of modern street bands like the Swingin’ Utters and the U.S. Bombs behind.

This basically wins because it’s two guys recording very lo-fi. Thus they take a sound that would sound exhausted given it’s two decade history and late 90’s, overkill comeback and make it sound fresh. Kind of like Rip Off Records band recording an album after a day’s diet of Guinness and old Business and Blitz singles. The song writing here shows a knack for reviving the throaty melodies of the days of No Future Records and Stop the City Riots. So much so that when the band throws in covers by Major Accident and the Angelic Upstarts, they fit right in with the Templars’ originals.

If future releases keep up in this tradition, then the Templars have made a fan out of me. Given that I’m about as comfortable around skinheads as they would be around the Dicks’ Gary Floyd on a Quaalude goosing spree, the Templars have pulled off one mean feat in their conquest of my fandom. Street punk fans, do yourself a favor and get this.

V/A

"Vancouver Comp" (Sudden Death Records)

Being a punk history buff, I’m always happy when label heads spend some dough bringing us the forgotten artifacts from some far off location, be it Yugoslavia or Oregon. Sudden Death Records brings us this comp of Vancouver, Canada bands, most sounding like their contributions were recorded before 1980.

While some bands take a very rockin’ approach, most of this sounds like the artier of the tracks you’d hear on old Killed By Death comps. Sharing the bill with big names like the Pointed Sticks, D.O.A. and the Subhumans are more obscure acts like Wasted Lives, No Fun and the Dishrags. It’s too bad that Loose Lips, the Viletones, Teenage Head or the Lewd weren’t from the city of Vacouver, because tracks from them would make this comp just about perfect. With sparse textures blended in with sophomoric thrashing, this is the perfect sound track for chasing some Ludricil down with a six pack of cheap brew. While not as earth shattering as nation defining masterpieces like D.O.A.’s “Hardcore ‘81”, or art punkers Nomeanso’s pinnacle “Wrong”, this is a worthwhile peek at the zany antics of those Canucks who spiked their cool summers and back bacon with shiny new Ramones and Devo singles. Punk archivists, this is for you

The Lurkers

"26 Years" (SOS Records)

I’ve been very interested in scoring a Lurkers full length since I heard their ’77 hit “Ain’t Got A Clue” just about 20 years ago. Mixing cockney accents with Ramones worshipping guitars, this band played with most of the prominent late 70’s British punk acts and earned a healthy spot for themselves in the pantheon of glue sniffing, safety pin through the cheek nostalgia. And, like every other band that did pretty much the same, they’ve reunited perhaps to tap into the new FM punk revival that just popped up 11 years ago.

Like the latest offerings by the Adicts and Menace, this polished effort sticks to an almost modern street punk style. Tight, at times very catchy, yet overall lacking the archaic brilliance that made all those old Brit punk vinyl chestnuts age in our collections despite the months of rent money they could’ve yielded us on ebay. On this release, however, the strong playing and Clash tinged street-isms are easily enough to put the likes of the Templars or Patriot to shame. If you like a lot of these old British band’s new releases, then by all means pick this up. You will not, however, find any songs of the caliber of “Ain’t Got A Clue” or “Just 13”.

It seems this band has an obsession with Clint Eastwood’s “Go ahead, punk, make my day” saying, as ol’ Dirty Harry is featured in cartoon form on the cover, the singer is wearing a “Go Ahead Punk Make My Day” in every photo and there is a song on the CD named after that as well. Like Green Day’s recent fashion throwback to the 1998 glam punk trend, this is a humorous case of a band discovering a new slant somewhat after the fact. Three chord songs about mood rings and the skylab falling are just around the corner I believe.

Naked Aggression

"Heard It All Before" (SOS Records)

This is a document of a band that existed in Madison, WI from 1990 until a founding member’s death in ’98. This is your basic old school hardcore, with the sound lending itself to a late 80’s ‘core sound. This is usually very basic, yet occasionally flirts with compositional sophistication. This career retrospective comes with demo tracks and some CD-Rom features. Having been in a college punk band back in ’90, I can authoritatively state that this sounds what collegiate punk musicians were doing while waiting for Kurdt Cobain and Billie Joe Armstrong to bring the walls caving in. I’ve gotta hand it to this band: Naked Aggression is a name I’ve definitely heard of before.

Having stated the merits of the music, you sometimes gotta ask yourself, when a band gets popular, how did it happen in light of a noticeable flaw that would stop most bands in their tracks? With song lyrics like: “Fuck off/Every single day I get more pissed off/I protest in the streets and tell the government to fuck off” “There’s so much pressure to conform/I’d rather be dead then act fake” and song titles like “Smash the State” and “Religious Lies”, the verbal content on this disc makes me wonder how the two founding members met at college and not 7th grade remedial Social Studies. As a fan of both Skrewdriver and Moral Crux, I can understand the inclination not to judge music by the words that float over the chords, bass lines and beats. But in this case, with slogans like “Look at the way your parents live their lives” and “I hate this fucking system/want to smash it to the ground” the overtone of punk rock lyrical cliché mars would could otherwise be a stalwart record.

I’d say this is for dedicated fans of the band who do not have the demo tracks or the CD-ROM footage of the band. For the rest of you, just watch some footage Beki Bondage and you won’t need this.

The Wednesdays

"Invisible Youth" (Thorp Records)

This is somewhere between the acne caked bashings of your neighborhood junior high punk band and the emo punk of commercially successful bands like Jimmy Eat World and the Ataris. With mid range production and a certain early-Lookout-Records zest, this should appeal to those of you who skip through compilation CDs looking for the bands who are too young to use their drink tickets. The emo-ish tendencies come by way of arty arrangements and a ringy guitar sound. Though I’m not sure it matters to them, these hallmarks do almost nothing to seal the success that their FM counterparts enjoy. There are droves of young bands doing this style right now, and the juvenile grit that’s abundant here links the Wednesdays to their teenage peers. The slower songs seem to be where they go that for that modern sound, and the fast tracks just ooze with that juvenile snot. I prefer the punkier stuff but, overall, this is very good.

Curl Up And Die

"The One Above All The End of All That Is" (Revelation Records)

Oh, man. First the terrible name, now the terrible music. This assures that I will probably never spend my own money on a screamo record. This is like Danzig without all the old-metal sophistication and, of course, instead of Glenn’s Elvis Morrison, eighteen octave crooning you get this gravelly growl throughout the record. They’re like the vocals on most death or black metal albums but without that Hades-nipping-at-your-heels menace. The playing, both slow and fast, the production and, again, the vocals just dull the palate like the shitty take out that Hot Topic employees would eat while on break. No great, angry crescendos here, just track after track of indistinguishable, affected angst. This is a band you would retire to the bar for whilst seeing them open for Death By Chemical Fallout Boy. This is a band you would catch a nap to if you’re hipster friends were to play this on the car stereo after a gig. If you were to ever hear this on the radio, you would quickly turn the dial to some classic rock station and get down to some 38 Special. That is, if you have any taste. I do, and I have to, with utmost confidence, pass on this- big time. Bye.

Rooftop Suicide Club

"Always Like This" (Stop, Pop and Roll Records)

I don’t know, this is really lightweight and trendy. Upon first impression, it sounds like Nick Drake with a much higher pitched voice, no prodigious guitar ability, and a very light, full line up band behind him. Acceptable for emo fans I suppose, but so many of these tracks just glide by like air spray, a barely audible anathema for anyone whose gotten down to some KISS records or has had a good time in a Saturday matinee slam pit.

But like many bands who are trying to reach the hearts of kids and the radio at once, they sneak in some real stuff in between the pap to keep real people interested. At times the song is taken with a real propulsive 4/4 beat, and in those moments the song catches a damn fine groove. A place where the sentimental crooning and airy acoustic chords affect a gentle lift like the sight of a sunset during a long afternoon commute. Such songs are definitely the highlights of this CD and they’re among the few moments that make me see this release in a partial light. But I’ve got to warn you, these guys are out for the pre-teen cash in in a huge way. Consider this lyric (from the aptly titled song “Indie Girl”): “Your dashboard confessional/ was just the Xerox of somebody else’s heart.” Sheesh. Such severe trend pandering can irk the sensibilities of authentic rockers everywhere.

If your older sister was the girl with the bob hair cut who rushed out to buy the Lemonheads’ “It’s A Shame About Ray” CD and you live to emulate her, then you doubtless already have this CD with its accompanying tour poster and cell phone ring. The rest of you may want to go for something a little less typical of the genre. For emo diehards only.

Trouble Bound

"Here to the End" (Hangmen Records)

Like the Badtown Boys before them, Trouble Bound like to funnel ’77 style, Ramonesy chords through a sieve of fast quarter beats and a pronounced rockabilly feel. This is pretty much the envelope that their modern sound comes forth in and, with any decent band delivered in full length CD format, extra dimensions shine forth when the seal is broken. They manage to sneak in a lot of Operation Ivy/mid 90’s Rancid ska-punk feel amidst the quick Chuck Berry-isms, and it’s from that strange sprout that some real authentic melody comes forth. Toward the end, a strong street punk mood dominates a lot of the numbers; we’re talking modern street punk like Swingin’ Utters or the Randumbs S.F. This Fred Perry boots and crew cut veneer brings even more melody out of the mix, a melody as understated as any on this disc. This band has potential, even if they’re not one of the greats just yet. Those with a short haircut that uses both a little bit of wax and beefy sideburns would really enjoy the fledgling talent that this band provides.

Issue #9

For The Worse

"The Chaos Continues" (Bridge 9 Records)

This is straight up hardcore, kiddies, just like they played back in 83. This is basic, raw and in your face, just like good hardcore should be. The lyrics are equally divided between the political/social tirades of the old style and the more personal themes typical of new school hardcore. Bands like this will always pop up all over the place to extend on a musical development established in the 80’s, and that’s a good thing. As long as there’s enough hardcore kids out there willing to play fast and hard and fight the powers that be, the circle pit will keep goin’.

Rocket From The Crypt

"Circa Now! +4" (Swami Records)

I’ll admit it. You wanna know where I first heard Rocket From The Crypt? On MT fucking V. I vividly remember watching the video for “Sturdy Wrists” on “120 Minutes” and being stunned. Who the fuck were these guys? What was this new sound? It wasn’t Pearl Jam. It wasn’t Nirvana. It was something completely different and I had to have it. Bolstered when the video for “Ditch Digger,” the second track off Circa Now! hit the rotation, I rushed out to buy the disc. I still have that original copy in my collection but thanks to the fact Interscope dropped the fucking ball with RFTC, John “Speedo” Reis got the green light to rerelease this landmark album with a complete set of liner notes and four extra tracks. I’m sure they found the masters tucked away in a closet next to a box of Marilyn Manson’s soiled cod pieces and bunch of tattered Return of Saturn promo posters.

Like most supplementary songs tacked on as a bonus feature, there’s a reason why they were left off the original sequencing. While that may be the case here, “Flight of the Hobo” is pretty damn good.

If you don’t own Circa Now! you’re a goddamned fool. You don’t even have the excuse of not wanting to feed the corporate machine anymore. Each purchase now goes to a good cause - Speedo’s beer and pizza fund.

Guitar Wolf

"LoverRock" (Narnack Records)

Fuck yeah! Take all the great punk bands from the late 70s, roll ‘em into one, have them sell their soul to Sky Saxon and ban themselves from studio forever. This is raw. Not raw like that shitty punk band you saw at some matinee basement show. This is raw like a shot of ace speed that you inject before a hell raising night on the town. This is the most punk sounding thing these Japanese garage fiends ever did. In the same song, it has them singing blatantly out of time before soaring off into a catchy punk chorus. Fucking brilliant. This as punk as Dee Dee Ramone puking out mouthfuls of reds in the fetid toilet of CBGB’s in 1977. This pisses all over anything that Rip Off Records have ever done! Even the band Teengenerate could never touch this! Fans of ’77 punk or garage noise cannot go wrong with this! Japanese Joan Jett groupies shall rule the world!

GBH

"Punk Junkies" (Captain Oi! Records)

This is the return of the ancient glue-core legends, now looking more like truck stop dwellers than the liberty spiked punk fashion models they were in the day.

While not as decrepit as the Exploited, these guys lack the amphetamine driven D-beat power they used to so deftly possess. Only the mid tempo tracks seem to have any oomph, and even they rattle on like some forgettable Dead Boys wanna be band lolling a bunch of drunks to a stupor in some small bar on a Tuesday night. For the most part this is extremely forgettable mid tempo hardcore with an undisciplined strew of rawk guitar leads dawdling above the redundant din.

A lot of the promo I’ve gotten this month is by oldsters making another run at the punk circuit. It’s really a hit or miss scenario. G.B.H. miss with this one. If you are a Punk Junky, then consider this your methadone.

Various Artists

"Dragging The Lake, Vol. 3" (Sideone Dummy Records)

Atticus, a clothing company owned by Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus, has previously released two compilation CDs, boasting numerous unreleased tracks from the pop-punk bands who wear those Atticus T-shirts onstage. The clothing company is now back with a triple threat, but this time there is a lot more variety than just what is heard on the side stages of the Warped Tour.

Seriously good songs like Murder By Death’s “Until Morale Improves, the Beatings Will Continue” and a remix of The Sounds’ “Living in America” have very little of the pop that usually makes up pop-punk. Other non-punk bands like Gratitude and the whiney Death Cab For Cutie keep the disc balanced against new songs from Rise Against, Motion City Soundtrack and Fall Out Boy. Even Hoppus’ Blink-182 (who are now on “permanent hiatus”) offer a new song.

Dragging the Lake Vol. 3 is interesting and presents some solid new material, but ultimately it’s something you’d be better off borrowing from a friend than actually spending money on.

7 Seconds

"Take It Back, Take It On, Take It Over!" (Sideone Dummy Records)

The first I heard of recorded 7 Seconds was the pre-LP demos pen pal Donny the Punk sent me. Dating from 1980-81, these began as snotty pogo punk and became increasingly more hardcore, at one point throwing in an auspicious Negative Trend cover. The Seconds’ tune “Rather Be Defiant” was a favorite of mine. However, it was with the purchase of “The Crew” CD that I gave up on the band, and their seemingly banal strain on 80’s hardcore. Well, I would’ve never expected this, a poppy hook fest the kind hardcore has rarely produced. It’s with this new release that I become a Seven Seconds fan!

The playing is a tight and inventive expansion on the band’s blueprint sound. Their sense of melody and harmony have greatly improved, making the better moments of this CD shine through like a posi-core version of Cheap Trick. Lyrically this is the cry of aging hardcore idealogues trying to pass the torch on to a new generation as they once had done to their fans. This is most pronounced on tunes like “Big Hardcore Mystery” “Where’s the Danger?” and the aptly titled “Y.P.H. (Your Parent’s Hardcore)” The most poignant song on here is “Still On It” which has a refrain of “this song goes on and on” which floats on an angelic cloud of melody. Perhaps it suggests that punk and hardcore have proved their staying power and will keep producing their street weary anthems to echo until the demise of western culture, and even longer in the stark impressions of our ageless consciousness.

At the late 80’s end of their first dalliance with hardcore, Seven Seconds, understandably disenchanted with the movement, grew their hair and emulated “Joshua Tree” era U2. They waved an FM friendly good bye to the circle pit, perhaps never to return. With this catchy CD, I feel a fire being lit under my ass. I want to start a zine, or a band. Thanks Kevin and crew, it’s good to have you back, long hair or not.

Pitch Black

"This Is The Modern Sound" (Revelation Records)

When this band opened up for Alkaline Trio a few years ago they were often met with harsh glares and cold receptions by the bespectacled teenagers in the audience. Pitch Black’s sound was just that — dirty, eerie and, I’ll admit it, often mesmerizing. Although their latest CD, This Is The Modern Sound, is a bit more subdued and a hell of a lot cleaner than their live show, the point is still driven home with bone rattling precision.

Backed by a haunting barrage of synthesizers layered over punk rock guitars, you occasionally catch glimpses of The Damned but the music offered forth by Pitch Black isn’t fully derivative. Many bands try similar musical experiments and most of them fail. Here’s three cheers for a band that has their shit together.

Hellbillys

"Blood Trilogy Vol. II" (Split 7 Records)

This isn't bad. It's kind of like a sloppier 82 era Misfits with some unobtrusive metal elements coming in. The drum sound is particularly dry, bringing to mind the sound Lars Ulrich had on "...And Justice For All", not a desirable sound for punk rock. Not as catchy as the Misfits at their best, but this CD would fit comfortably on your disc changer after "Earth A.D." On a scale between Balzac (who are much better then the Misfits ever were) and the shittiest Misfits band you can think of, these guys would come in somewhere in the middle.

Horror freaks unite.

Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards

"Viking" (Hellcat Records)

How easy was it to initially write off the second offering by Rancid mainstay Lars Frederiksen? Much like his partner in crime Tim Armstrong’s side project, The Transplants, very easy.

Based on their Rancid pedigrees, you expect some sort of tradition of excellence from both Armstrong and Frederiksen in all of their musical endeavors. Perhaps we’re holding them to an unfair standard because when taken out of their pre-existing contexts both records pass with flying colors. Neither band is intended to be Rancid-lite and once you get that through your thick little skull you can begin to appreciate them both. It just takes you a bit of time.

Viking has more than enough guitar driven firepower to hold its own with The Bastards’ first album but the subject matter comes at you from left field. We have all heard the stories of Frederiksen’s past growing up in Campbell, California, but we have never been privy to some of the more explicit details. Here he barks out tales of knife fights, biker gangs and whores. It’s certainly not your typical Rancid fare. The CD jacket reads like a porno and the lyric sheet like excerpts from 50s pulp fiction novel dripping with teenage lust. After the passing of his brother and a nasty divorce from his wife, it’s all in a day’s work for Frederiksen.

Much like The Bastard’s debut, there are plenty of cameos and cover tunes on Viking. To no surprise Armstrong makes an appearance, as does the rest of Rancid. Skinhead Rob Aston of The Transplants lends his rhyming ability to “Switchblade,” a track he cowrote with Armstrong and Frederiksen. As for cover cuts, The Bastards aptly spice up The Blasters’ “Marie Marie” and “For You” by the Anti-Nowhere League, the latter being one of the album’s strongest.

If you’re looking for something to knock you on your ass give Viking a spin. Just don’t come looking for Let’s Go part II.

SugarDaddie

"American Rickshaw" (Thorp Records)

Boy, this fuckin' sucks. I don't care if you're going for that bad ass stoner rock biker boy Jim Beam thing: hire a singer that can fucking sing. The playing, the songwriting... everything here is botton tier. Let the Hellacopters rock the redneck style, and you boys just go back to your 20 oz. six packs and come back when you're ready. Just because you put a chick with big tits on the cover doesn't mean your music is worthy of the time spent listening to it. Bad.

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

"Ruin Jonny’s Bar Mitzvah" (Fat Wreck Chords)

Admit it, you were a little disappointed with the Gimme’s previous studio album, Take A Break. Maybe it was the song selection, maybe it was the fact that it sounded half assed. I mean, c’mon, how can you really rock out to a bunch of reworked R&B tunes? Well, fret not, the Gimmes are captured in all their glory — as well as some snazzy powder blue tuxedos — on their first live release, Ruin Jonny’s Bar Mitzvah.

I was hoping this album would be a recording of their normal, nay, legendary, live set but the Gimmes pulled the wool over our eyes and scribbled together a setlist including a whole new batch of bastardized classic rock cover songs like Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind,” The Carpenter’s “Superstar” and an unforgettable rendition of “Heart of Glass” that I’m sure excites Debbie Harry immensely.

Compared to most of their infrequent live performances, the Gimmes sound relatively sober on Ruin Jonny’s Bar Mitzvah but it doesn’t take away any of their charm. They do manage to fit in some inane banter, on-stage fuck ups and bad decisions such as letting Jonny’s uncle butcher “Seasons in the Sun” on this 16-song CD.

Strike Anywhere

"To Live In Discontent" (Jade Tree Records)

Shortly after their formation in 1999, Richmond, Virginia’s, Strike Anywhere recorded their flagship EP, Chorus of One. Released two years later the album debuted the hardcore band’s signature, politically driven punk rock. Long out-of-print, the EP has been seemingly forgotten until now — Jade Tree has recently refurbished the seven tracks from Chorus of One and combined them with several other of the band’s rarities, outtakes and B-sides to creating To Live In Discontent.

This new collection, which admittedly is tailored more to the adoring fan than the recent discoverer, offers insight into Strike Anywhere’s tearing chords and coarse vocals with more depth than their two full-lengths. Including dynamic covers of Dag Nasty’s “Values Here” and Gorilla Biscuits’ “Two Sides,” To Live In Discontent is an inspired attempt at creating a fuller backdrop for one of today’s best political hardcore bands, even if it does require some prior knowledge on the part of the listener to be truly enjoyed.

The Fully Down

"No Fate...But What We Make For Ourselves" (Pop Culture Records)

More Jimmy Eat World inspired pop punk here. It's not really half bad, the occasional exceptional chorus rises from the slackiferous lull. While hardly the greatest commercial punk album ever made, this is still better than most of the promo I get. I bet these guys would give alot of FM bands a run for their money if they were to open for them. These guys have TRL ambitions written all over their faces, but we'll forgive them. Reccomended for introspective girls addicted to their "My So Called Life" DVDs.

Gasoline Fight (Thick Records)

This is straight up hardcore with no melody or balls to speak of. You could just put this on in the background and lull yourself into a mental sleep while you sew Assuck patches on your sweatshirt. You could drink 40's with your friends on the street with this playing and never expect better for yourself.

You could write lyrics like "USA Fuk the war/ ain't gonna be society's tool no more" to this music and come to consider yourself a lyrical genius. Not for me. Pass.

V/A

"Sacramento Scene Report" (TKO Records)

I’ll review this band by band then wrap up the CD as a whole.

Whiskey Rebels- Standard street pop punk. They’ve got that animated ’77 tempo, those Clashy leads and gruff, Al Barr style vocals. Not a bad band, although hardly tops in their genre.

Pressure Point- A rough around the edges version of pre bagpipe Dropkick Murphys. Lacks the Clashy leads that made Whiskey Rebels sound sort of anthemic.

Killing The Dream- Perhaps Sacramento has an affinity for late 90’s Boston. This is rough street core that goes a little Oi! in the choruses just like the Trouble. The second and better of the tracks had a metal feel.

The Secretions- This is a band I’ve heard of, I believe they’re on my myspace friends list. With their slogan “Taking Advantage of Young Punk Girls Since 1996," we’re certainly kindred spirits. The first track “All My Rowdy Friends” is where they show their rocker side. “Long Lonely Road” is the best track on this disc, and it has a cool power pop feel.

The Roustabouts- These guys reside at the point where street punk and hardcore meet. The verses are machine gun paced hardcore and the choruses are Dropkicks style anthemic shouts.

Demolition Doll Rods

"ON" (Swami Records)

The blonde bombshell female guitarist/vocalist dresses (on the insert) like a porn star about to slip off her belt/dress and perform an unholy act. But even that can’t redeem this highly mediocre disc, which makes me feel that the expansive influence of Rip Off Records has gone too far.

This is a lo-fi attempt at the kind of late 60’s psychedelic/r ‘n’ b/rock that Grace Slick and Janis Joplin made famous. The guitar alternates between jangly r ‘n’ b rhythms, garage punk bombast and leads that come across as a very weak imitation of Jimi Hendrix. Perhaps they’re trying to bring a little bit of 60’s retro to these modern, fickle times. Only a fool would say that those proficient times had little to offer, but the Rods should be reminded that the paisley stars they’re emulating were usually great musicians, and provided a soundscape way more involved than the base garage-isms heard here.

The Demolition Doll Rods attempt to make sexy, rootsy rock, and while the CD insert makes for prime spank material, the music here leaves me flaccid.

Annihilation Time (Manic Ride Records)

This is total Black Flag worship, replete with Raymond Pettibon artwork. The animated playing and expressive vocals hint that Henry Rollin’s solo work may have been an influence. This is pretty much a synthesis of later Black Flag and early Rollins solo, if you discard the sparse, artsy “Hot Animal Machine.” The lyrics read like a really juvenile version of Henry’s writing. Yeah it’s safe to say these guys are pretty stoked on old Hank. Truth be told, this isn’t half bad, and it certainly has an audience among those fond of the looser variant on Black Sabbath that Greg Ginn and Henry Rollins put forth.

The Flaming Stars

"Named and Shamed" (Alternative Tentacles)

A refreshing change. This is lounge infused pop that brings to mind every cool alt/pop band or artist ever. The low key, yet emotive sounds will evoke images of Thin White Duke era Bowie, post Stooges Iggy, Eno era Roxy Music, solo Nick Cave, solo Lou Reed, Tom Waits and Peter Murphy.

With jazzy drums, loungey guitars, ethereal vocals and atmospheric bass, this is the perfect music for chilling late at night with some candles and a Bukowksi book, or for seducing that elusive noir vixen when she finally slinks into your abode. The only complaint is that it lacks the lush production that makes the artists they remind me of such a slick listen. Or perhaps that’s what makes them special. Moonlight music on a reasonable budget perhaps.

This is among the promo that I’ll listen to over and over again, as though it’s something I bought. Get your hands on this, and you’ll be doing the same.

Blitzkrieg/Paradox U.K.

"The Gathering Storm" (Street Anthem Records)

Ah, stagnation, that crime only forgiveable for the Ramones. Neither of the bands here earn that reprieve.

For those not in the know, Blitzkrieg are that U.K. punk tradition since 1979 who never really caught on in the States. On this CD, they sound like Chaos U.K. playing in the basement of an ale brewery. Fast, sloppy, pissed off and with those inebriated Brit vocals. C’mon guys, I know the early 80’s were a great time for Brit punk stars like you, but eventually you have to apply what you’ve learned and move on. Do you see Ron Howard still hanging out with Henry Winkler and calling his detractors “mebucko”? Hell no, he directed “A Beautiful Mind”! Think of the new frontiers you could be climbing at this stage in your tenure! Pogoing glue core is all fine and well, but you cats could be spinning the dope tunes ala Exploding Hearts or Electric Shadows! Ah, whatever boys, have it your way, 1982 forever.

Paradox U.K. don’t really fare much better, they come off as kind of a lame Discharge with the beat and song structuring of an even lamer street punk band. Their redeeming quality is that they sound like the music chosen for one of those great 80’s punxploitation flicks, where the music is always chosen by a hack producer who doesn’t really care about punk. (Exception: the casting of Teenage Head in the awesome “Class of ‘84”).

So, 1982 revivalists might enjoy this split. As for me, I’m gonna go for my Raspberries discs and wash my hair.

Unit F

"Security" (Finger Records)

With political images plastered in a subtle dolor throughout the CD layout, and its title being “Security”, it’s clear that Unit F are going for a political image. Appropriate, perhaps even urgent, for our George W. times, but you gotta have the musical quality to drive your message home. Unlike successful alchemists like Moral Crux and the Clash, Unit F deliver a rather rank soundtrack to their rebellion.

For the most part, this band sounds like a weaker version of “Frankenchrist” era Dead Kennedys (consider that that was their lamest album.) With a mid tempo punk beat, and guitars that alternate between banal rhythms, East Bay Ray style surf leads, and rawk noodling, this reminds me of Jello’s rather unspectacular outing with the Melvins, yet without even Jello’s scholarly musings.

I appreciate the band speaking out in this Iraq era hour of darkness, I’ll applaud that kind of thing until I die, but a record is more than just lyrics, or else we’d all just be buying books. Hey boys, study your vinyls of “Give ‘Em Enough Rope” and “Nobody’s Heroes” and I’m sure your protest will come back with ten times the bite.

Coffin Lids

"Rock ‘n’ Roll" (Bomp! Records)

Of course garage is one of the genres where poor recording can bring out what a band has to offer. Nowhere is this truer than with the Coffin Lids, who sound like a cross between the Standells and the Dictators as recorded through one of those shitty little tape recorders you could get with a box of cereal. Staying true to the juvenile roots of garage rock, they feature a lot of love songs, thus issuing a nice pop vibe to come floating through the lo-fi din. There’s also a pronounced horror theme going on which should appeal to fans of the Cramps. Well I like the Coffin Lids better than the Cramps. I’m now sorry as fuck that I missed them last Saturday at the Abbey Lounge (I left early because it was crowded.) Definitely one of our better local bands.

Detonators

"Static Vision" (Alive Records)

This trio sounds like early solo Iggy backed by a fuzzed out garage psych band. The rhythm section drives on like the Bobby Fuller Four on crank, the leads are pure James Williamson worship, the rhythm guitars are the Kingsmen with a three dollar amp, and the vocals are that ’77 era James Osterberg spastically barking about whatever neurotic synapse misfiring that’s got him crawling up the wall this hour.

This is not a clone of the Stooges, but rather a sampling of what came before and after, perhaps with an updated tint of lo fi chaos. The Iggy sound-a-like vocals are not the acid slighted banshee wail of the Stooges, and the rhythm guitars are not the dense, metallic wall of sound known to the same band. But fans of Iggy, the Stooges, and 60’s garage punk will undoubtedly enjoy this high energy romp.

Napalm Stars

"Misery" (self-released)

Comin' atcha straight outta NYC, packin' the punch of a Mike Tyson knockout is this debut cd by the Napalm Stars! Mix the energy and attitude of the Clash with the hooks of Cheap Trick at their best and this is what you get! A total punk/rocknroll/powerpop attack to beat you kids silly with! Plus a live show reminiscent of the early Manic Street Preachers; just flat out explosive! Originally just a four song ep, this disc has three live tracks tacked onto it AND a self made Quicktime video as well! A better bang for your buck would be hard to find, slappy! These guys prove that NY still has some relevant, kick ass bands amid the over-hyped fluff if you just dig deep enough. Check 'em out at www.napalmstars.com if you want a life that burns!

The Spaceshots

"Siren Sounds" (Hearbox Recordings)

Thank God for the International Pop Overthrow festival! For it was at one of their awesome showcases that I became acquainted with one of Boston's best bands - The Spaceshots! To call these guys Weezer-like would be selling them short of their own songwriting merits, even though that's one of the first bands that came to mind upon first hearing them. This disc has ten songs on it and not one of them comes off as filler. "Misery Love Co." alone makes this cd worth every freakin' penny and is my pick for one of the best songs I've heard all year. Every song is chock full of punchy hooks and bounce and wicked cool lyrics courtesy of ace songwriter Patrick Emswiler. A fantastic disc that no lover of truly great pop music should go without! Support your local scene and give these guys a listen. You won't be sorry you did!

The Pills

"A Fistful of Pills" (Primary Voltage)

This is the third disc by Boston's premier mod/powerpop outfit (and first with Details mainman Dave Aaronoff on guitar) and I gotta tell ya, these Pills show NO signs of wearing off! Like a one-two punch of speed downed with Jolt cola, these cats blow the roof off in grand, in-your-face, tearing off down Mass. Ave. on a Vespa style. Especially on tracks like live faves, "Fighting Words", "Continental Breakfast" and "Butterfield 8". They ain't no one trick pony though, no sireebob! They can and do bring out some beautiful, slower numbers like "Brand New Pair of Eyes" and "Rock & Roll Heart" that just suck you into that bygone era of psychedelic 60's action, making you feel what they feel and NOT in some pretentious neo-hippy way. The Pills are masters of their instruments and one of the best bands going today! Believe it, slappy-ass! And if they hit your town, make damn sure you check out their loud and explosive shows just full of white noise and white heat! Bring earplugs as a precaution! Like the first track says, Hang On Tight!!!

Strike Anywhere

Exit English (Jade Tree)

Strike Anywhere straddles that line of punk/hardcore, offering both scenes something special. Exit English features pounding punk drumbeats, gritty and grinding guitar and vocals of melodic hardcore, and catchy chorus singalongs. SA's political lyrics remind you of the days when punk wasn't just a bad dye job and and a pair of Doc's.The lyrics are angry and political, yet optimistic and inspiring. The unity track "To The World" cries "I pledge allegiance to the world", eliminating borders and boundaries, celebrating human pride as opposed to national pride. Strike Anywhere actually has something to say and they deliver it to us in a well produced album that simply shreds. Exit English showcases more of their influences than any of their last efforts, not settling on just one particular "style". Some say that SA got softer, I just think they got smarter.

Frenzal Rhomb

Sans Souci (Fat Wreck Chords)

If it's true that everyone has a twin, then I think I just found the Vandals Australian counterpart. Part punk, part Beach Boys, Sans Souci is loaded with silly tracks with titles that pretty much sum it all up. Yes, "Ballchef" is a song about a place that serves up everyone's favorite 'rocky mountain oysters'. That's testicles to the lay-person. "Who'd Be A Cop?" talks about the military rejects and washed up jocks that sport a badge so they can still install fear in people. "Beautiful and Mine" is a delightful, and revolting ode to the "mature" women who are out there, strutting their stuff. Lock up your Grandmothers, these guys are up to no good. This is a fun, no-brainer, good record.

Curl Up And Die

But The Past Ian't Through With Us (Revelation)

Preachy talk. Incessant screaming. Rinse and repeat. Granted, it's only an EP, but I Ian't impressed. I honestly don't even know why they bother with lyrics. You can't even follow them when you're reading them. Don't bother to, by the way. The music wades between speedy hardcore and slow melodic, but never seems to hit either. It kind of wades in "bland-land". The lyrics are more sad and sappy than pissed and angry. They don't fit the music at all. Then again, he might not be singing what I'm reading. The song titles are remotely amusing, but like the lyrics, don't really fit in. Just like you trying to fit in your "skinny pants" right before the first day of school.

The Star Spangles

Bazooka!!! (Capitol Records)

These guys are young, extremely well dressed and on a major label, but don't let that fool you! They know their stuff when it comes down to some well-penned, catchy rocknroll! Merely swiping clothes from the Heartbreakers' closets does not a good rock band make, so it's a damn good thing they have the skills to write such would be hits like "I Live For Speed", "Angela" and the ultra infectious "Which One Of Us Is Gonna Burn This House Down?". And instead of predictably covering a Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers tune, they went one better and covered Gang War's "Crime of the Century"! Now that's class! Hopefully the label won't drop the ball and will let these guys develop even more over time. They're off to a great start!

El Nada

Nothing for Nobody (Finger Records)

Generic, traditional west coast skate punk. Influenced by Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies, and T.S.O.L, just not good. Not awful, but not good enough to keep listening to. It's got no substance to it at all. Nothing for Nobody has Nothing to Offer. The lyrics are as generic as the sound. Maybe worse. The recording is terrible, beyond even 'punk' standards of raw and under produced. If this were a demo, it would still be bad. If you like California thrash, pick up a U.S Bombs album, this isn't worth it.

The Carnations

In Good Time (Ductape Records)

There must be something in the air right now making Canadians crank out some fantanstic nu-wave influenced pop. This debut sounds a whole lot like those other poppy Canucks, Hot Hot Heat, except that this cd is actually more cohesive and consistent than theirs. One or two tracks aside, this is one fun pop gem of a record with plenty of catchy tunes and hummable hooks. Seeing as how this bouncy, dancey-indiepop sound is going pretty strong right now, I can only hope to hear them on the radio any day now. Also seek out some of their earlier tunes like "I Wanna Be Your Ferris Beuller". Good stuff, lads.

Senses Fail

"From The Depths of Dreams"

Finally a c.d. off of Drive Thru Records that doesn't sound like everything else. Recently I had lost a close friend of mine and my roommate made me a mixtape..the opening track of which was "Steven" also the opening track on "From the Depths of Dreams" simply this c.d. strikes a chord in the listener that resonates from Steven until the last The Grounds Fold "acoustic". Senses Fail brings you in all a c.d. that drives home raw emotion with intelligent and thought provoking lyrics. Not enough to restore my faith in Drive Thru Records though.

Against Me!

As The Eternal Cowboy (Fat Wreck Chords)

There hasn’t been a band that galvanized the punk scene while still being relatively low-key like Against Me! in years. Every little punk rock clique is completely enamored with these guys from denim-clad scruffs to crusties with mohawks to courier bag-toting poseurs. Negative criticism has been few and far between and for good reason - they’re a talented ensemble with a sound that no one has figured out how to completely jack. Yet. While many are touting Tom Gabel as the one-man version of the Strummer-Jones writing team, let’s not trip over our own dicks here. The lyrics and musicianship on As The Eternal Cowboy are great but it’s a far cry from London Calling.

Against Me!’s Fat Wreck Chords debut is far superior to anything the band has put to tape in any form. All thoughts and musical arrangements are complete and well structured and for all of you cynics, no, it doesn’t sound like NOFX. There are still the sing-a-long, anti-establishment, punk-folk rabble rousing anthems but this year, everything is tighter. The cleverly titled “Cliché Guevara” is easily the best tune I’ve heard by them to date and I’m sure some people may come at me with torches and pitchforks but I’m man enough to say As The Eternal Cowboy blows the band’s last offering, Reinventing Axl Rose, out of the water. Heresy? Go back and compare the two records with an honest ear, I dare ya! Stack this in the pile labeled “Nominated for Album of the Year.”

Various Artists

Boston Scene Report (TKO Records)

I live in Boston so I know how good our punk scene is. Do you? I’m sure you know about the Dropkicks and probably Darkbuster and the Street Dogs but what about the four bands featured on this great new comp by TKO? Here’s your introduction.

Suspect Device kicks off the disc with their raw, Springsteen-meets-Stiff Little Fingers assault. Although “The Life We Lead” doesn’t catch them at their best, “Dead City Lights” does a pretty decent job. This recording does sound pretty rushed, though.

Next on the chopping block are Tommy and the Terrors, possibly Boston’s most consistent punk band. These guys always put forth a boneshaking effort and the guitars sound pretty strong during the intro of “Bitter Pill.” The A-Team bust out next with a nice old-school attack. Not quite punk, not quite hardcore but all good, their two contributions - “Quit The Hysterics” and the (fucking!) Motorhead cover “Iron Fist” - conjure up images of early Slapshot. Excuse me while I wipe away a tear.

Rounding out Boston Scene Report is the almighty Fast Actin’ Fuses with their grimy rock and roll. This is the type of band that could open up for Turbonegro without running away scared like a little pussy. Rock on.

Saturday Night Kids

“Birthday Girl” w/ “Don’t Do It To Yourself” 7-inch (Route 13 Recordings)

The first unwritten rule of most successful pop-punk bands is rip off The Ramones. Saturday Night Kids don’t fully go that route, they actually follow the second unwritten rule - rip off Screeching Weasel. And when I toss around the phrase “rip off,” I don’t mean it in the pejorative sense. Those are two of my favorite bands. Many bands make a lucrative career following those paths while others thumb their noses. The latter are probably the type who found a splinter of quality in that last AFI record so their opinions are no longer valid.

Saturday Night Kids follow up their last studio record with a decent two song vinyl platter showcasing their sugary sweet songwriting. The first cut, “Birthday Girl,” is your typical pop-punk fare while the flipside is a cover of the often-neglected Devil Dogs’ track “Don’t Do It To Yourself.” Quality selection, more people need to pay tribute to this band.

Various Artists

BiggMassive Records Presents: Salute This Vol. 1 (BiggMassive Records/ Warner Special Products)

No one can deny the impact that Slash - both the record label and the fanzine - had on music for nearly three decades on the west coast. Releasing timeless records by punk pioneers FEAR, X and The Germs as well as paving way for the alternative movement with Faith No More and L7, it was as if the label could anticipate the future. Bob Biggs and his cohorts made the competition look sluggish, making them play catch up while they sat back and laughed. For that, they will always be remembered and praised.

After a relocation to New York and a restart of the label under the shingle BiggMassive, Mr. Biggs is shooting to catch lightning in a bottle a second time. With the new music released on this label retrospective and glimpse of tomorrow it’s going to be hard to do so. He may think Shiner Massive’s dub-hop sounds are the wave of the future but Biggs is mistaken. They aren’t the next underground sensation and they certainly couldn’t hold Lee Ving’s Beef Baloney. I understand the crew at BiggMassive want to keep music fresh but I do so with much skepticism.

Biggs writes in the liner notes “Times have changed, but one thing hasn’t. You can still either tune in or fuck off.” Excuse me while I go pleasure myself to new music that’s interesting, Bob.

The Riffs

Death Or Glory (TKO Records)

To avoid any confusion, ladies and gents, this here band is from Portland Oregon, not a British ska band or some New Jersey rock outfit and I highly suggest you give their latest Death or Glory a listen.

Everything about The Riffs reminds me of the New York Dolls. The guitar solos, the bass lines, the singers timing - everything screams the Dolls. And that makes me very happy. But with some Dead Boys and The Clash thrown in for good measure you get The Riffs. There’s a great bunch of musicians on this release although, as a collective, they’re sometimes overshadowed by the singer.

For instance, on the track “H-Eye On Me” he just sounds tired, but then again it’s the last track on the disc so maybe he is. However, the guitar is so fucking great there’s no way I can complain.

Rydells (Spiral Records)

Even in these days of Pro-Tools and the electronic “perfection” of punk rock by knob-twiddlers in the studio, a good, stripped down record by four young kids who couldn’t give a shit still sounds the best.

The Rydells look like The Ramones, write like The Ramones, hell, they even layed out their CD like The Ramones’ eponymous debut so you have a good idea what you’re gonna get. If you’re like me, that’s exactly what you want. I’ll take a great derivative band over some ridiculous band with shaggy haircuts trying to reinvent the wheel while taking themselves too seriously. At least this shit is fun.

The 12 songs on this full-length debut are short and sweet familiar-sounding four-chord barrages with such clever titles as “KGBs Took My Girl” and “Shock Therapy At The Zoo.” But when lead vocalist Denny Rydell rips through “School Sucks,” at least he’s an authority on the matter unlike the 30-somethings still beating that dead horse.

The Rydells prove to me that I shouldn’t give up on the kids just yet. I guess they’re not all fucking dummies. At least somebody still remembers where punk came from and what it’s all about. Check them out at www.rydells.cjb.net.

The Slackers

Close My Eyes (Hellcat Records)

I absolutely adore The Slackers both personally and professionally. I’ve been a fan of theirs since the early days and their catalog has served many a purpose for me. I’ve popped in Redlight for the pre-cocktail hour while dancing around the apartment. When I have that ‘special someone’ over I always have The Question in rotation and I’ve played Wasted Days just so I could belt out “What have I done wrong that I should be sorry?” when that special someone lets me down. I’ve played these CDs so much I’ve worn them out - not a one is skip free.

Close My Eyes sets itself apart from the rest of The Slackers’ catalog and could possibly be their best release to date. Extremely emotional and personal, it’s a far cry from Redlight’s “Fried Chicken/Mary Mary.” The Slackers have matured musically and lyrically. Their blend of rootsy ska/reggae with sweet melodies and smooth rhythms will have you swaying you hips involuntarily especially on the tracks “Axes,” “Bin Waitin” and even the slower “Lazy Woman/”

Singer/keyboardist Vic Ruggiero’s vocals have never sounded better. Very crisp yet still sultry. Yet there are some pretty melancholy tracks like “Old Dog” and “Real War” but the one track that tugged at the heartstrings is “Mommy” dedicated to the Vic’s mom who recently passed away.

The first time I heard this track was when they were playing live at the Knitting Factory in New York City and tears were streaming down my face. What blew me away was just how upbeat and cheerful this song is, but when I heard the lyrics it threw me back. It’s absolutely beautiful, that’s why it still makes me cry.

After being around the scene for a decade I’m glad to see The Slackers are still going strong. If you don’t have at least one of their CDs in your collection you are missing out.

Horrorpops

Hell Yeah (Hellcat Records)

Let me be the first to say Brody who? If Hellcat was looking to add a little estrogen to the family and replace the Distillers along the way, Horrorpops will fill the void nicely. This is no token “girl group,” this band is in it to win not just fill a quota on the punk rock census.

Built from the ground up by a handful of Copenhagen musical mainstays (most notably Kim Nekroman of the Nekromantix and former Peanut Pump Gun singer/guitarist Patricia) Horrorpops refuse to be classified. They equally traverse 80s pop, 50s doo-wop and good old fashion rock and roll with ease. Patricia, with her haunting Debbie Harry meets a young Gwen Stefani voice, really lays down a solid foundation on which everyone builds. From there, the drums interlay seamlessly with the stand up bass and well placed guitars on this wild ride.

There are numerous elements which tug at the interests of a wide range of music fans on Hell Yeah. From the pogo-inducing, fist-pumping “Just A Girl” for the new millennium, “Drama Queen,” to the 2-Tone revival of “Girl In A Cage” and the surf-rock bombast of “Horror Beach,” there’s something for everyone.

The best track, hands down, has to be the nostalgic “Dotted With Hearts.” Conjuring up images of the dawn of rock and roll with The Ronnettes, Horrorpops may have a radio single on their hands here if they can get past Kim Nekroman’s spoken interlude in the middle of the song. It’s fine on the album but wouldn’t really translate well for the afternoon drive.

Certainly not new kids on the block - they actually formed in 1996 - Horrorpops can really breathe some fresh air into this stale punk scene. Most new artists deliver the same punk by numbers routine with predictable songs and unimaginative music. This band transcends all that nonsense without a single hint of pretense. They manage to make music fun again and from what I hear, their stage show - complete with go-go dancers - is even wilder. Owning this CD is mandatory.

Various Artists

A Santa Cause (Immortal Records)

Just because this is a benefit CD doesn’t mean it gets a free pass from criticism. I wish it did but I checked in the rule book and there was nothing there.

Although for a great cause - parts of the proceeds benefit The Pediatric AIDS Foundation - even that charitable action can’t save this sinking ship. There are a few good punk rock staples mixed on here like “I Won’t Be Home For Christmas” by Blink 182 and “Ex’ Miss” by New Found Glory but those are heavily overshadowed by at least 12 tracks of flotsam. Cuts by Something Corporate, The Matches, Gatsby’s American Dream and The Beautiful Mistake make me want to convert to Judaism. Seriously, how can you look at yourselves in the mirror without laughing? These songs, or interpretations of Christmas caroles, are just repugnant.

But none are so egregious as From First To Last’s “X12 Days Or XXXMASXX.” Is that a typo? Who knows? This is a mix of rap core and metal that makes me want to wrap myself in holiday wreaths and jump on top of some homeless guy’s barrel fire. Sorry for the hyperbole but it is just that awful.

There are a few saving graces in addition to the two previously listed. MXPX contributes the great, and completely unexpected, “Christmas Night of the Zombies” while The Mighty Mighty Bosstones donate their previously released ditty “This Time of Year.” Too little too late.

The Mars Volta

De-loused In The Comatorium (Universal Music)

The Mars Volta are like the sushi of music - nobody really likes them but you appear more cultured if you’re caught eating it. And judging by the people fawning over these guys, folks at the food court are really digging in.

In today’s musical landscape, everyone has a miniscule attention span. Trends come and go at the drop of the hat and every major label band has one goal ingrained in their minds - get on the radio. Along comes De-loused In The Comatorium with its songs that average nearly six minutes each. Six minutes? I was weaned on The Ramones, get the fuck out of here with that nonsense. Not only that, it’s six minutes of pure noise that is just plain unappealing to the ear.

If you are a fan of The Mars Volta please report to the small shed behind my apartment for your shearing. I need a nice new sweater, anyway. You’ve been fed a line, you took the bait and swallowed the hook. The only thing left is to get mounted on the wall.

Various Artists

Return to The Scene of the Crime (Good Cop/Bad Cop Records)

Sometimes a comp like the Scene of the Crime series can get really shaky. Twenty-four bands recording a tune in 24 hours? By the end of the night everybody ends up drunk and hooking up in the corner. Plus, where are you gonna find two dozen good bands from one city? Return to The Scene of the Crime serves up a couple of stinkers but all in all, this CD serves as a great testament to the bands in Boston that are bubbling under.

The Downbeat 5, who signed on with Sympathy For The Record Industry earlier this year, offer up the best track on this release with the scathing “I Got It Bad.” Vocalist/guitarist Jen Rassler outdoes herself here. Rassler returns on the next song, “Same Old Situation,” with her other band The Dents, but in a backing role.

Other stand out tracks include Lenny & The Piss Poor Boys’ comedic country ditty “Homo Rainbow,” The Jabbers’ “Groovy Motherfucker” and “Cunt Hunt” by Black Fag, who happen to have Joe Queer and Matt Drastic formerly of the Teen Idols in its lineup. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t make note of the terrific track by newcomers Locket Love. I’m note sure if they actually play gigs or not but their song “I’m Gonna Steal Your Boyfriend” conjures up memories of The Donnas before they totally transformed into the female version of Motley Crue.

Check out www.goodcopbadcoprecords.com for more information on this fun little compilation CD.

Pinhead Gunpowder

Compulsive Disclosure (Lookout Records)

Pinhead Gunpowder, to me at least, has always been a bit of an enigma. The band is fronted by Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, the band sounds like Green Day and writes songs that are just as good as any penned by Green Day. Therefore, you’d think that these guys would all be living high off the hog, right? Apparently not. I remember hearing “2nd Street” for the first time on a Dillinger Four/Pinhead Gunpowder split 7-inch and thinking, “Why the fuck isn’t this song being overplayed on the radio? It should be the new ‘When I Come Around.’” Maybe it’s because the band doesn’t tour and their releases are few and far between because of their time consuming outside lives?

Compulsive Disclosure appears to be the requisite hard-to-find track compilation disc but this one is actually worth buying. Every cut on this annoyingly short nine-song CD is a killer throwback to the days when East Bay punk rock, and Lookout Records for that matter, were fun and exciting. Lookout may have lost its way in recent years but Pinhead Gunpowder’s scraps from the cutting room floor will never leave you disappointed.

Various Artists

Bad Scene, Everyone’s Fault (Dying Wish Records)

Consider this the anti-We’re A Happy Family, that painful-to-the-ears tribute disc to The Ramones featuring some of today’s most bloated rock stars. Bad Scene, Everyone’s Fault may not have the household names your mom would recognize but if you know your shit about punk rock, you’ll know this actually promotes the legacy of Jawbreaker, instead of taking a steaming dump on Blake’s forehead.

Jawbreaker was one of the biggest pop punk bands to grab the reins of the underground and steal the hearts of thousands. If a pop punk band comes out of the woodwork today and doesn’t cite them as an influence, they’re a fucking fraud. They proved you could write an emotional song about heartbreak that wasn’t full of humor or sappy beyond belief.

The bands paying tribute on this album adhere to the same principles, for the most part. Kudos to Dying Wish for not bowing to the flash-in-the-pan bands that I’m sure were chomping at the bit to get on here; the selection is excellent. Big Wig and Face To Face, perhaps the biggest names on the record, turn out flawless covers of “Ashtray Monument” and “Boat Dreams From The Hill” respectively while lesser known acts Name Taken and The Gamits follow suit. Even Fall Out Boy and Kill Your Idols, two bands who can’t write decent tunes on their own, get passing grades on Bad Scene, Everyone’s Fault.

Like on every tribute CD, this record is complete with one band who thinks they’re recording a hip new version of a classic song, totally embracing it as their own. While many fawned over The Æffect’s rendition of “Boxcar” with all of its dance club beats and grooves, let me go on record as saying it completely takes the heart out of the song, bastardizing it in the process. In fewer words, it’s a piece of shit. There are a few songs in the world that I thought no one could fuck up and this was one of them. My ears are permanently sullied thanks to The Æffect. Assholes.

Paint It Black

CVA (Jade Tree Records)

Man, it’s easy to see who is the better band to surface from the ashes of Philadelphia powerhouse Kid Dynamite - Paint It Black or None More Black. When the smoke clears, Paint It Black’s CVA may go down as the hardcore album of 2003.

From the get go, you know your ears are in for an audio ass beating as vocalist Dan Yemin snarls into the mic. The effort he puts forth is awe-inspiring for a healthy young man and downright inspirational when you hear that Yemin is a 35-year-old who just suffered a stroke while working on his Ph.D.

Knowing that life is short through personal experience, CVA clocks in at under 20 minutes and you savor each one. Drawing from their influences in Gorilla Biscuits and Minor Threat, Paint It Black keep their politics personal and well supported through their music. “Womb Envy” is a powerful track that Yemin has described as a feminist song performed from the male point of view. While they do have some heavy material, Paint It Black can keep it fun as well.

In a scene where more bands are turning metal every day, Paint It Black release their own musical anthem. “Less Deicide, More Minor Threat ...” isn’t just a song, it is an instruction manual for all of their peers to get with it and stop fucking around.

Various Artists

Swami Sound Systems Vol. 1 (Swami Records)

Comps and label samplers can be a dicey thing at times and I gotta say, this one is really freakin’ good. There’s a great mix of primal rock and roll and punk on here like the fractured, quirky garage rock of Beehive & the Barracudas; the straight ahead rock of the Hot Snakes and the Husbands; the dark punk of the Dead Boys-like Testors; the rockabilly/60s surf of Dan Sartain and Testors’ main man Sonny Vincent kickin’ out a new track of old school feelin’ punk/rock and roll.

Being that this was put together by the Rocket from the Crypt guys, you know you can expect some engaging and challenging quality rock.

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros

Streetcore (Hellcat Records)

The main reason I love Joe Strummer is because he never cared about “labels” and “classification.” Streetcore has bits and pieces of every sound and culture Joe ran into over his short life, and in a way only Joe can do. If I had to review each different song, I’d need a zine of my own.

From the Clash-y opening track, “Coma Girl,” to the reggae-jam “Get Down Moses,” this album is a great bookend to a brilliant career. His version of “Redemption Song” nearly brought me to fucking tears. “Arms Aloft” is reminiscent of early 60s and 70s rock, while the slower, more somber tracks like “Ramshackle Day Parade” still remain uplifting.

Some purists might not consider this a “punk” record, but they’re probably the same douche bags who consider buying a Good Charlotte T-shirt with their own allowance from Hot Topic D.I.Y. Do you homework, kiddies - this is as rock and roll as it gets. If Streetcore doesn’t move you, you have no soul.

Naked Aggression

The Gut Wringing Machine (Rodent Popsicle Records)

The story of Naked Aggression, and The Gut Wringing Machine especially, is an extremely sad one. The day the band set out to tour in support of the original release of this record in 1998, Phil Suchomel, guitarist and husband of lead vocalist Kirsten Patches, died of asthma complications on his way to the emergency room. His passing crushed Naked Aggression and when they decided not to tour, the original label who had planned to put out the disc decided not to promote its release.

Rodent Popsicle, the wise folks they are, got their hands on a demo, and much more raw, recording of The Gut Wringing Machine and trust me, they’ll throw their full support behind it. Naked Aggression have a unique sound that blends hardcore riffs with introspective lyrics over Patches’ rough and tumble vocals. And over is the correct word. Although these demos were remastered for this release, Patches’ vocals are distractingly far back in the mix which takes away from the songs. Despite that flaw, this is one punk rock record you shouldn’t pass up. Fans of F-Minus with longer attention spans will really enjoy The Gut Wringing Machine.

Cheap Sex

Launch Off To War ... (Punk Core Records)

Some politically tinged punk records urge you pick up a brick and take part in the revolution while others just prompt you to grab a beer and enjoy the music. Cheap Sex’s latest, Launch Off To War, falls into the latter category.

Though you should never judge a book by the cover, it’s easy to fall into the stereotypical thinking that the higher and more colorful the mohawk, the more ridiculous the music will be. That’s not the case here. These kids address important current topics with more intelligence than most of the other clowns around them and they can really fucking play.

Turning Blue

... Whatever ‘till We Die (Pal-Tone Records)

Wow, Turning Blue manage to out Atari The Ataris on their new record by writing a bunch of memorable pop-laden tunes to which everyone can relate. Somewhere in Santa Barbara, California, Kris Roe is pissed off. This four-piece from Rhode Island have put together a very fine record while most of their competition can’t walk and chew gum without ripping off New Found Glory. Turning Blue may not be treading new ground but at least they’re original enough to hold their own. Even their cover of “Break My Stride” has heart. Nice work, guys.

Radon

We Bare All (No Idea Records)

Radon was an underground sensation. If you knew them, you loved them. If you’re new to their world, now you have your chance. Fans were waiting with fingers crossed for a brand new studio album but the band called it quits and that day never came. Always having their finger on the pulse of the eclectic underworld, No Idea Records cobbled together a CD of all of Radon’s singles and a host of live tracks - some released, others unreleased. We Bare All is filled to the gills with great playing and wackiness. I mean, how can you take the song “Facial Disobedience” seriously once you find out the words are “Hello boys and girls/This is Alistair Cookie/Welcome to Monsterpiece Theatre/Bababababa?” Luckily the song is tight enough for you not to notice. The live tracks are surprisingly well recorded and actually listenable. Their covers of The Pixies’ “Debaser” and “Divide and Conquer” by Husker Du are quite good as well. This CD rules and so will you if you buy it.

The Slackers & Friends

(Special Potatoe Records)

Ska/reggae/dub darlings The Slackers are back with a new release, and this time they brought along some friends. When I heard they were recording this album I thought hey, I’m friendly with a few of the boys in the Slackers, maybe they’ll call me up and request my presence in the studio. I guess they weren’t ready for my maraca and tambourine assault because my phone never rang. Maybe it’s because they have friends like Glen Adams of The Upsetters, Ari Up of The Slits and leading lady of The Skatalites Miss Doreen Schaefer to help them along. The Slackers & Friends exhibits the band’s musical talents by showing just how diverse they can be. By blending different styles of ska, your ears stay tuned instead of getting lost with the same ol’ beat. It’s a truly beautiful release, especially tracks “The Party” featuring Miss Schaefer and “Running From Safety” with Chris Murray. The Slackers released this disc themselves on Special Potatoe Records so I’m not sure how widely it’s distributed. Go to www.theslackers.com because this shouldn't be missed.

Dirty Water

(Street Anthem Records)

Being a resident of Boston, it’s pretty easy to keep track of our native son Mark Lind. We saw him rise with the street punk stalwarts The Ducky Boys and venture off into a new direction with his brother in Sinners & Saints. His latest endeavor, Dirty Water, samples elements from both bands, culminating in his best work to date. Anyone who’s met Lind knows his affinity for Bruce Springsteen and Guns N Roses. These influences are easily identifiable on Dirty Water’s debut record, along with a pinch of Social Distortion. Just like with The Ducky Boys and Sinners & Saints, the lead vocals alternate between two frontmen. I’m not sure if Lind’s not confident enough to be the sole figurehead but he shouldn’t have such fears. Regardless, Andrew Mauriello does a great job on the mic as well. The songs on this eponymous record are great rock and roll tunes from the heart with no pretense or posturing. It’s the real deal. Despite it’s mellow nature, “Ashes” may just be the best track Lind has ever been associated with and the line “It ain’t real rock and roll it’s only dollar signs” is pure outcast poetry. Track this seven-song CD down at all costs

Favorite Atomic Hero

Who Will Save You Now? (Lonesome Recordings)

Just when you got in the habit of saying “Oh no! Emo!” a great band like Favorite Atomic Hero comes along to set the record straight. Hook filled, emotive lyrics with an 80s New Wave flair, these guys could be your cure for the never ending pop punk doldrums. When FAH are on, their music is insanely catchy - combining the finer, rock-laden elements of Jimmy Eat World but with enough individuality to carve their own niche. Who Will Save You Now? launches off brilliantly with the Moog-filled anthem “Rocket” and keeps the propulsion red lining until they hit the only sour note on the disc, “She.” FAH pick it back up from there. The tongue-in-cheek “The Risk of Being Cool” is a definite stand-out track. After one listen, all of the tracks begin to sound familiar. And that’s a good thing.

Tommy & The Terrors

13 The Hard Way (Rodent Popsicle Records)

The old British Oi! bands had a knack for putting together strong throated terrace chant albums for years but their Yankee counterparts couldn’t quite get it together. Maybe because soccer was never big over here? Who knows, but Boston’s Tommy & The Terrors give those geezers a run for their money on their latest effort, 13 The Hard Way. The liner notes list Tommy as the lead vocalist but so many of the tunes on the disc are barked forth with gang vocals it makes that title almost obsolete. “Pull The Plug,” is a good example of this, as well as being a great song. The Terrors also scrape together a new version of “Turn The Screw” which is just as strong as the original. Street punk bands may come and go but Tommy & The Terrors have yet to disappoint. They bridge the gap between pub punk and hardcore like The Bruisers did before them and that’s no easy task.

The Amazombies

Bitches & Stitches (X-Communicated/ Go Kart)

There are some people out there who say they just can’t get into a band if it has a female lead singer. While that statement is just plain retarded, let me be the first to point out that those naysayers better get over themselves or they’ll miss out on one of the best punk records of 2003. The wise folks over at Go Kart decided to rerelease The Amazombies’ full length debut and for good reason - from the opening chords of “Thumb War” to the closing anthem “At The Bar,” Bitches & Stitches is a very complete album. Taking a healthy dose of Screeching Weasel’s pop punk and meshing it with its polar opposite - street level rock - The Amazombies string together a unique sound. It’s not Earth shattering but it’s leaps and bounds better than pretty boy, whiney-ass emo. Do we need any more of that? That’s what I thought.

Various Artists

Smoking Popes - Tribute (Double Zero Records)

The Smoking Popes were never the big buzz band. They never had a bunch of hits but somewhere along the way of their relatively short existence, they touched a lot of people with their alt-pop sound. Double Zero Records, owned by former Smoking Popes drummer Mike Felumlee recently slapped together 13 of the former band’s most noteworthy songs performed by other artists and it’s brilliant. Bands like Bad Astronaut, The Red Hot Valentines, The Ataris and even Felumlee himself get in on the action and bring these forgotten favorites back into people’s consciousness. Most of the covers keep the feel of the originals while adding their own intricate elements of style. Death on Wednesday turns out one of the best tribute tracks with the Ramonesy “Let Them Die” while Tom Daily blips and bleeps his way through “Waiting Around.” If this record doesn’t make you want to run out and buy the Smoking Popes back catalog, you’ve got no soul.

The Blood Brothers

Burn Piano Island, Burn (Artist Direct Records)

Back in the late 80s, early 90s, Super Mario Bros 3 was one of the coolest video games in the world. If you didn’t play that game, you were blackballed by your community and persecuted like a witch in 1692. It took the existing characters from the Mario Bros universe and added a whole new dimension. The electronic masterpiece also added a cast of new characters, namely the Koopa Kids, sons and daughters of the all powerful King Koopa, Mario’s arch nemesis. Eventually, Super Mario Bros. became so huge that it spawned it’s own television cartoon show and all the characters were invited. It was cool for a while but then it faded away into oblivion. Ten years later, I finally found out what happened to the people who provided those nasally, snarling voices for the Koopa Kids cartoon characters. They’re fronting The Blood Brothers and that may just be the only cool thing about this band. Why everybody loves this band confounds me. The Blood Brothers and their major label album Burn Piano Island, Burn are complete garbage. There are no redeeming qualities about their music - sonically, lyrically or technically. If I wanted to listen to crap, I’d stick my head in a septic tank. Songs like “Fucking’s Greatest Hits” and “USA Nails” are everything that’s wrong with what’s being called hardcore these days. Certain punk rock Internet nerds have said that if you don’t like The Blood Brothers then you don’t know anything about punk rock. Well, you’re fucking wrong. I shit more punk rock every day than you fruits can cram into your backpack sporting, tight shirt wearing, MP3 pirating mouths. If you want to throw me out of your punk rock club because of this review, send a S.A.S.E. to the P.O. box and I’ll return my membership card. Dicks.

Various Artists

Underground Screams (Asian Man Records)

Asking unsigned bands to submit songs for a compilation CD is often as safe asking an alcoholic to drive you cross country - it’s an accident waiting to happen. Mike Park and the crew at Asian Man had their hands full on Underground Screams, narrowing down over 600 submissions to 26 tunes on this impressive undertaking. While they say cream rises to the top, crap still floats and stinks just as bad. On this record, you get your fair share of both. There’s a lot of dodgey, cut-rate screamo bullshit and tired ska paired up with some downright fantastic songs. It’s hard not to be impressed with bands like The National Pastime, The Swayback and the Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution. While Asian Man might not be the one to offer them a contract, the truly talented artists on Underground Screams will, not doubt, be picked up by someone. Those who don’t make the grade? There’s always open mic night and bar mitzvahs.

NOFX

The War On Errorism (Fat Wreck Chords)

When did punk rock become so tame? Well Mike, perhaps when they realized they could make money hand over fist by copying your band in a disgusting paint-by-numbers way? That’s no knock against NOFX, it’s not their fault honesty is at an all-time low in the punk rock scene. But at least they’re doing something about it. The War On Errorism is hands-down the most invigorating album they’ve done in years. Many of the tunes are square pegs in the traditional NOFX songwriting round holes. They still manage to have a laugh with simple fare like “She’s Nubs,” “Mattersville” and the song “We Got Two Jealous Agains” (which sounds a lot like a song dedicated to his wife) all while reverting to their political roots with candor and spite. Decorating their album with caricatures of the President will surely catch the attention of many and tracks like “The Idiots Are Taking Over” and “Anarchy Camp” will keep them hooked on the political tip. Good Riddance or Rise Against they may not be, but NOFX isn’t a cartoon band. They raise points and address them without beating you over the noggin with a political spectrum-sized mallet. And that’s all we can ask of them.

The Unseen

Explode (BYO Records)

Without venturing into uncharted territory, The Unseen mix up their sound slightly on the short, fast and loud audio menace Explode. Most of the time, tinkering around this far in your career is a death warrant but everything they touch on their new record turns to gold. The vocals put forth by the band’s triumvirate of frontmen - Paul Russo, Mark Unseen and Tripp - all have their different highlights setting different moods and tunes. Sometimes the cuts tear at you like a hardcore knife while others offer more melody than The Unseen have in the past making Explode a lot more accessible to new listeners. The production highlights the band’s solid performing and never waters down the intensity. If you’re looking for some truly aggressive punk rock to set your mind at ease, look no further than this new gem by The Unseen.

Legend of a Rock Star: The Last

Testament of Dee Dee Ramone Dee Dee Ramone (Thunder’s Mouth Press)

Hop in the van with Dee Dee and his band as they take off on the chaotic and tiresome journey of life on the road. Legend gives us the report of just how unglamorous a tour can be, especially if you’re Dee Dee Ramone. Cramped in a tiny van, Dee Dee and his new set of brothers travel through Europe dealing with shifty promoters, unrelenting groupies and fans who mean well but just won’t leave the man alone. Dee Dee also give us a brutally honest yet touching account of the weeks leading up to and just after the death of Joey Ramone. Part Chelsea Horror Hotel, and part Lobotomy, Dee Dee mixes fact and fiction and it’s up to the reader to decipher which is which. Completed before his untimely death in June 2002, Thunder’s Mouth Press delayed the printing and added a tribute section in the back of the book with passages from many associated with The Ramones camp including Johnny and Tommy Ramone, Daniel Rey and Arturo Vega. But it’s the tributes by Dee Dee’s music/art collaborator Paul Kostabi and photographer John Nikolai that tug on the heartstrings and turn on the water works for me. If you love punk rock then you love Dee Dee Ramone. However I can’t help but wonder what Dee Dee would think of all this if he was still with us.

Bouncing Souls

"Do You Remember? 15 Years of The Bouncing Souls" (Chunksaah Records)

Every year, bands release great introspective DVDs which highlight their careers, each trying to one-up their competition. It’s gonna take a hell of an effort to surpass this one. The Bouncing Souls have constructed the mother of all music DVDs with “Do You Remember? 15 Years of The Bouncing Souls.” The band’s sordid and often humorous past explodes on the screen in vivid color through hours of interviews with the Souls and the friends and family who helped them along the way. You get the straight dope on their Jersey roots from parties at punk houses to sleeping in Kate Hiltz’s futon shop and all points in between. The band speaks with such candor and honesty that it’s impossible to not walk away from “Do You Remember?” without a new found respect for the Bouncing Souls. They pull no punches, even when they discuss the reasons behind the departure of original drummer Shal Khichi. Once you’re done with the documentary, scroll through the live show archives on this professionally produced two-disc set and don’t forget the hilarious bonus footage. Where else will you find a dead squirrel wearing a Bouncing Souls T-shirt?

The Bad Luck Charms

"Rich Girl"/"Ain’t Gonna Be" 7inch (TKO Records)

Someone up there is listening! I’ve been praying for the return of true dirty, gritty, slimy rock and roll and the Bad Luck Charms are brining it to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you! U.S. Bombs guitarist Kerry Martinez has a side project going on, and the lovely people at TKO put out a 7” with two songs “Rich Girl” and “Ain’t Gonna Be” that will rock your fuckin’ socks off. Very Dead Boy/Demolition 23ish. Great guitar, great lyrics and vocals - this is how the shit’s supposed to be done. It’s rock and roll kiddies, get your hands on this and learn something.

5 Cents Deposit

We Have Your Daughter! (Radical Records)

Heavily Face to Face/Screeching Weasel influenced pop punk from New York never sounded so good. 5 Cents Deposit present nothing Earth shattering for your cynical ears but at least they were taking good notes from the albums they listened to in their formative years. If only their peers had done the same we wouldn’t be hit with such a deluge of shit every Tuesday. We Have Your Daughter! is basically premised on what sounds like the search for a female fan who ran away from her parents to follow the band around the east coast. If more time and answering machine messages were devoted to this I would have been pumped but the tunes at least bring a smile to my face. Hopefully the same will happen for you.

Black Widows

Stops A Beating Heart (Initial Records)

Just when the screaming, angry, hard-edged punk scene looked extremely trite and passe, the Black Widows step up to the plate and set the suckers strait. Stops A Beating Heart does just that with its searing guitars and hauntingly distorted vocals. This is a game anyone can play but a select few do it well. Cuts like “Answers To A .45” and the no nonsense closer “It Gets Dark So Early” are pure audio explosives. Quit fucking around and get into the know. Get into the Black Widows.

Tiger Army

Early Years EP (Hellcat Records)

Five songs are not enough to cure your jones for the hottest psychobilly band in the world. Hellcat reaches back into the vaults for some hard to find and out-of-print tunes from Tiger Army’s formative days that everyone has been missing. “Temptation” and “Jungle Cat” fit in nicely with the band’s current repertoire while their splendid covers of “Twenty Flight Rock” and The Misfits’ “American Nightmare” pay homage to their influences. The Early Years includes the two demo tunes that got them inked to Hellcat as well. If you claim to be a fan of rock and roll, it doesn’t get any more exciting than Tiger Army.

The Kings of Nuthin’

Fight Songs (Disaster Records)

Finally, a punk rock record that would make my grandfather smile. The Kings of Nuthin’ have been floating under everybody’s radar for a few years now and let me tell you, these hometown heroes are where it’s at. Fight Songs comes at you with a swagger and womps you upside the head like a blow from a sock full of pennies. Taking the best aspects of early rock and roll - saxophones, pianos and a friggin’ washboard! - the Kings give them their own toothless and tattooed flavor. The band really strikes a chord with the tune “The Kids Will Have No Say.” Anyone from the greater Boston area knows exactly what they’re talking about. If you take pride in the music you listen to, Fight Songs is a required purchase. The Kings of Nuthin’ are truly a unique band and may have recorded one of the best records of the year. Hop on their bandwagon before it gets too full.

CKY

Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild (Island/Def Jam)

It takes balls to proclaim to the world that when you leave the studio in your hands will be the best album heard in years. Luckily for CKY, their ability not only to perform but produce this epic as well didn’t leave them looking foolish. Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild accomplishes every goal the band set forth after joining the Island/Def Jam family. CKY may not be able to change the face of radio overnight, but this album is a sturdy enough slab of granite on which to build their foundation. With the eerie howl of the horror flick themed “Escape From Hellview” to the pop-inspired tune “Plastic Plan,” the band who cut their teeth providing a musical score to a movie collection which shares their namesake break out from the label as “those guys from ‘Jackass.’” If IDR doesn’t showcase CKY as their own autonomous collective then you’re just too blind to see. They no longer need to covertly slip their tunes into flash-in-the-pan television shows as a guerrilla marketing scheme. CKY has written nine legitimate radio singles on a 10-song album and can stand on their own. Lyrically and musically, IDR stands apart from its peers on the store shelves. Effortlessly melding metal riffs with pounding drums and various studio effects, the album circulates an intense vibe without seeming overproduced. And when was the last time you can say that about monosyllabic rockers such as Linkin Park? Not in my lifetime. IDR is one of the most accomplished and intriguing records of the year, besides being one of the best. Composed by four guys who love music more than the air they breathe, it’s refreshing to see a band out there actually giving a shit about the sounds they make other than the cha-ching of a cash register.

Toxic Narcotic

We’re All Doomed (Go Kart Records)

Toxic Narcotic, another band who’s been around the block more than the town whore, releases their finest record to date with the overly pessimistic and haunting We’re All Doomed. To some people, punk rock is a hobby or a way to make a quick buck. To Toxic Narcotic, punk rock is nothing short of their lifeblood and that fact comes across in their music. Featuring heavy guitar, mind numbing vocals and some of the most psychotic drumming you’ll hear anywhere, We’re All Doomed displays the band at their best since the day they penned “Allston Violence.” The high production value of the record prevents tunes like “Whatever It Takes” and “5 Billion People Must Die” from turning into sonic sludge and on a record like this, that’s extremely important. If you like your punk fast, hard and evil you’ll want to add this to your collection.

Avail

Front Porch Stories (Fat Wreck Chords)

If you can find a band that’s better at fusing both aggression and raw emotion than Avail, you’re a fucking bold-faced liar. For what seems like decades, this multi-talented five-piece from Richmond, Va., have been penning the most heart wrenching tunes you’ve ever moshed to. With a stronger, albeit, less anthemic, follow up to their Fat Wreck Chords debut, Avail comes full circle, reverting to their roots when a song wasn’t just four chords and some cleverly strewn lyrics, it was a release. Cuts like “Black and Red” and “You” vent more frustration and spite than an entire Slipknot album ever could and I’d take Avail’s beards over phony face paint any day.

Madcap

East to West (SideOne Dummy Records)

Madcap may not be the most talented guys on the planet, but hell, at least they’re a honest to goodness punk rock band. That’s more than we can say for all the crap Epitaph and Lookout have thrown our way in the last year and a half. East to West reverberates with a San Francisco style attitude - like the Utters and One Man Army - set beside chant along tunes. Streetwise rockers such as “Streets of Belief” still ring true despite the fact you know the kids listening to it probably receive a hefty allowance from their wealthy suburbanite parents. That’s no knock against Madcap, their tunes are pretty tight. It’s just a commentary on the sad state of today’s punk rock.

Creme Blush

Basket of Bets (Industrial Strength Records)

Dear Creme Blush, I don’t know if you got the memo but the 80s are over. Sure, you see people wearing legwarmers and giant hoop earrings these days, but they were out of the office that day too and have yet to be informed. The title “next big thing” isn’t handed out to just anyone and it won’t be to you anyway. Thanks for playing.

Panic Attacks

Watch The Skies (Electro-Rock Records)

I’m not sure where you find this record, but you better start fucking looking. When I threw the Panic Attacks’ record on my newly restored turntable, I thought I was listening to four lost tracks by The Queers. The sound is tight and nowhere near a cheap knock off - Watch The Skies can hold its own. Some of the tracks are spooky in a Groovie Ghoulies sort of way but they’re all catchy as Ebola in a monkey farm. Both clocking in at under two minutes “No More Passengers on the Satellite of Love” and “The Crawling Eye” are pure pop punk mayhem without any of that technologically tinkered with nonsense. Perfect.

The Damaged

Victim of Circumstance (self released)

I love The Damaged! This four-piece punk racket has more heart, more spunk, more energy and more talent than any new band I’ve seen and heard in a long, long time. Five songs of pure power that leave me wanting more. I saw them live and they made my jaw drop. I’m assuming this is a self-release so if you are reading this, visit them on the web www.detriments.com to hear for yourself and get a copy of this release. You will not be disappointed.

One Man Army

Rumors and Headlines (BYO Records)

It took two years for One Man Army to put out a new album and know you know why? They wanted to make sure they released a memorable record with absolutely no filler. Hey, way to get the job done. Not to slag on OMA’s previous two releases, but Rumors and Headlines sees the band at their best in a more mature and crafty fashion. The arrangements are sharper and the lyrics display some pure emotion that few recent records can rival. There’s a sense of urgency in tunes like “Victoria” and “S.O.S.” without coming across as preachy or too politicized. But that doesn’t mean the guys can’t have fun. There’s plenty of room for that on “She Wants Me Dead” and “Next Generation.” One Man Army even pulls off a slowed down gem “Sleeper” to round out the disc.

The Control

The Forgotten (Go-Kart Records)

What do hardcore and punk have in common? Rage...and The Control. These guys are no more one than the other and intense in that nail biting, what-was-that-last-scream kind of way. When this record first hit my desk, the artwork immediately caught my attention. Lets just say the cover is as demanding and assiduous as the four tracks involved. I’m curious to see where this band will go, recently signed to Go-Kart and expecting and LP out soon. Sounds like this band could have an incredible live show, hopefully honest and captivating - not just another fleeting four piece.

The Class Assassins

State of Emergency (TKO Records)

After the opening licks of this CD I had to check to make sure I was listening to the right one. Holy shit this is great! Coming at you from Toronto, the Class Assassins includes members of such seminal Canadian punk bands as Chronic Submission, Vacant Lot, Direct Action, The Problem Children and Hockey Teeth. Fusing together the sounds of punk and street rock while adding the catchiness of sing-along anthems, The Class Assassins grab you right by the balls and command your attention.

Manda and the Marbles

More Seduction (Go Kart Records)

Finally, something with a little swagger that’s more than pretty packaging. Manda and the Marbles manage to combine well written tunes and an inviting sound with a Blondie-for-the -21st-century flair on this partial reissue, More Seduction. Manda’s powerful, bittersweet voice hits you like a warm, refreshing breeze, acting like an instrument alongside the guitars and bass. From the opening notes of “Dangerous,” she grabs you by the heartstrings and never lets the fuck go. The original tunes on More Seduction are captivating but their cover of Holly and The Italians’ “Wanna Go Home” is tops. A lot of bands have covered this tune and the Marbles do it the most justice by keeping the coolness of the original while adding more ampage. Very nice. Very nice, indeed.

Iron Maiden

Edward the Great - The Greatest Hits (Sanctuary/Metal-Is Records)

It seems like every great band who’s worth a damn is putting out greatest hit compilations these days. Therefore, to celebrate 25 years of metal mastery, Iron Maiden has issued a singles collection, Edward The Great, for the benefit of their enormous fanbase. It’s a terrific album, no doubt, but it’s far from a collection of their greatest tunes. These metal masterminds chronicle the cuts that put them on the map - “Run To The Hills,” “Number of The Beast” and “The Trooper” - but they fail by not including one of their all time best songs, “Die With Your Boots On.” No Maiden greatest hits album is complete without that masterpiece. However, Edward The Great does include a mesmerizing live rendition of “Fear of The Dark” from the Rock in Rio show. It’s amazing to hear 250,000 people singing along.

Rocket From The Crypt

Hot Charity/Cut And Play (Swami Records)

Two of the most ingenious records of the 1990s recorded and performed with no pretense, just raw emotion and the unbridled love of music and showmanship. Sound like I’m fawning over these records? I am and deservedly so. Hot Charity and Cut And Play are the epitome of rock and roll. There, I said it. Every nü-garage band worth their salt needs to pay homage and respect to RFTC if they want to have even an air of legitimacy. Just listen to these tunes - “My Arrows Aim,” “Lorna Doom” and “Who Let The Snakes In?” are undeniably powerful although they were spawned in times of great turmoil for the band. Who says tragedy can’t spawn genius? Not Rocket From The Crypt. Buy a few copies of this disc and hand them out to people you love. They’ll appreciate it and your adept taste in music.

“Beetle Uncensored” (Wet Pug Productions, Inc.)

Who doesn’t love Beetle Juice? We all get excited when he’s on The “Howard Stern Show,” but why wait for his next appearance when you can own hours of never seen before footage of Beetle at his best - or worst? Watch Beet pump gas naked, walk through a hotel lobby naked and hang out with a bunch of chicks that usually are, of course - naked. Yup, there’s a lot of nudity and nastiness on this video, definitely not for the younger kids. Some of the clips are a bit “much,” and I hope to God I never stay in a hotel room after Beet and his bunch of yahoos have stayed there. Yikes. This stuff is pretty funny, especially the bonus footage (which according to the cover is banned in 11 countries) where Beetle Juice tries to order Chinese food - I thought I was going to fall off the couch! Go to www.jollydwarf.com and check out some clips.