The first song on Don Quixote de Suburbia made me hopeful. \"H\", as it\'s called, is a nice, straightforward piece. The bare bones structure is complimentary to the song. Davidson\'s acoustic guitar, along with a Mellotron, and unassuming vocals did the job without competing with each other. His strength lies in his lyrics-- his storytelling-- which would be enough to construct an album.

Satamile Records just sent us two electronic CDs to review: E.M.S.’s self-titled release, and Decal’s Release Through Velocity. Apparently, both artists are bigtime electro acts, and have been since the early Nineties. To my un-electro ear, they sound about the same. In fact, if you play them back-to-back, it’s like getting a double album. Since they are so similar, I decided I would break them down and review them both at the same time.
E.M.S. – Sounds like video game music. (Some game where you run a lot.)
Decal – Sounds like video game music. (Wizard Of War)

At some point between the late-Seventies and early-Eighties, disco burped up a version of itself that relied more on synthesizers and drum machines than live instruments. The beats were less monotonous, and more poppy. This became the sort of funk that pumped you up at the roller rink. At the same time, pop songs changed from Carole King serenading from behind a piano, to Robert Smith whining from behind Morrissey. Androgyny ran rampant, and everyone was a sentimental, sappy sod. But everyone loved it. They still do.

Strange name? Strange band. Even stranger sound. Country Club & the Porn Horns sound like the kind of rock \'n\' roll you sweat to. They’re musically schizophrenic, but sharp enough to make it work. And they’re no mere imitators. In one three-minute blast, Country Club & the Porn Horns can conjure up traces of Faith No More, Little Blue Crunchy Things (mostly in the horns), Hot Stove Jimmy, Fishbone, and Rancid Yak Butter Tea Party, while still sounding resiliently individual.

I have a love for the simple sounds of pop music. Not Christina Aguilera or some American Idol generic, mannequin shit, but real pop rock. You know, Beatles-inspired stuff that often sounds vaguely New Wave, Eighties, etc. Some guitars, drums, and sing-along choruses.
Which brings me to Le Concorde\'s self-titled EP. This is easily one of the most \"poppy\" new albums I\'ve heard in a long time. It\'s straight out of the Eighties, with a pop/New Wave/alt-rock sound. (How many lame labels can I string together? Christ on a bike!)

\"Don’t you know that I cried in silence / I was too afraid to be saved by the hands that held me / I waited without hope / Without you, I lose myself....\"

So this guy named Joel Peterson, who plays/played bass for the band The Faint, formed a little solo project called Broken Spindles. It began in late 2001 as a soundtrack for a friend\'s video project. But, soon enough, it became its own thing, and led to a debut recording in September of 2002 on Tiger Style Records. Now, two years later, Peterson releases his sophomore album, fulfilled/complete (Saddle Creek Records), under the moniker Broken Spindles.

Alabama’s Blue Epic has an unbelievably good album on their hands with their latest musical opus, Love & Hate EP. They\'ve been compared to Jeff Buckley, U2, Neil Young, Paul Westerberg, and Smashing Pumpkins-- all very valid comparisons.
If the band Ours was a more blues-rock inspired band that listened to The Cure a lot, they would sound like these guys. This album is melodic, atmospheric, moody, and filled with some really catchy guitar work. For a premiere full-length outing, Love & Hate EP is definitely one to be proud of.

If you\'re a Bad Religion fan, then these reissue CDs are a dream come true. I remember all too often having to blast the volume when listening to their older albums in order to get their full intensity. I always wished someone would take them and make them as ear-shattering as their newer releases were.
Well, I got my wish! These albums are so crisp, clean, and loud that it makes my ears happy and my body bounce off the wall!

What do you get when you take vanilla extract, a bag of glitter, and a decapitated Barbie doll head, and microwave it all for seven minutes? A freakin\' mess, that\'s what you get. What do you get when you take guitar-slinging Amy Griffin, drummer boy John Lynch, and former Mighty Mighty Bosstones bassist Joe Gittleman? Well, I\'ll tell you: you get Avoid One Thing, and their sophomore effort, Chopstick Bridge.