admin
22 December 2023
Here\'s what\'s making love to our ears this month. Click on the artist\'s name to visit their website, and click on the title to buy it on Amazon.
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ADRIAN BELEW - SIDE THREE (Sanctuary Records)
The third in Belew\'s \"Side\" series is his most accessible yet. For fans of Beck looking for something new, check out this disc and you’ll find someone new to love. There are also some great guitar freak outs for the regular fans as well.
THE GRADE: A
- Night Watchman
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CHACHI JONES - DYMAXION DAYDREAM (Reincarnate Music)
While I appreciate how Chachi Jones approaches the creation of the sounds he makes-- kids\' toys, gadgets, etc.-- what he does with those sounds is something rather generic. The disc isn\'t void of great tracks (\"Scracker\", \"Black As Hell\"), but with such a unique approach I expected an equally unique product. Again, it\'s not bad, just not as groundbreaking as I had hoped.
THE GRADE: B-
- Wayne Chinsang
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CINEMECHANICA - THE MARTIAL ARTS (Hello Sir Records)
Many indie-rock bands today easily get lost in the scene and become a nameless group in the mix. Cinemechanica actually sticks out. Their style provides a good blend of choppy time signatures and catchy hooks. Most importantly, though, they tend to keep the incessant emo whining to a minimum.
THE GRADE: A
- James Dolata
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EDITORS - THE BACK ROOM (Kitchenware Records)
If all the members of Interpol and The Killers met in a dark room and made sweet, beautiful man-love to one another, two things would happen. First, George W. Bush would tell you they made a conscious decision because no one is born gay. And second, the pus-covered offspring of these bands would sound like the Editors. Quite simply, if you like both those bands, you’ll like the Editors. As for me, I’m just going to hate George W. Bush.
THE GRADE: B
- James Dolata
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ERASURE - UNION STREET (Mute Records)
The idea of a synth-based band doing acoustic, almost country versions of many of their old songs sounds like a recipe for disaster. But this album proves that a good song is a good song, no matter how it’s performed.
THE GRADE: A
- Night Watchman
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GNARLS BARKLEY - ST. ELSEWHERE (Downtown Records)
Someday I\'ll play this album for my grandchildren to show them what my generation was capable of. They\'ll probably learn about it in art history class anyway, though, because it\'s a work of art, like Off The Wall or What\'s Going On. It\'s something light-years beyond everything else out there right now, but at the same time, absolutely timeless. It\'s beyond immediate comprehension, yet provides instant dance-floor gratification. God bless Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse.
THE GRADE: A+
- Vinnie Baggadonuts
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HALOU - WHOLENESS & SEPARATION (Vertebrae Records)
This is one of those CDs you can’t completely understand the first year you own it. You recognize something special is happening when you listen to it, but you can’t quite put your finger on it. The crescendos sound like heavy ocean waves, and you’re surfing them at night towards the haunting, yet oddly soothing vocals coming out of your speakers. The sounds become atmospheres and you’re breathing it all in, letting it consume you. And seriously, when it’s done, you’ll forget where you are or what you were doing. But you’ll want to do it again.
THE GRADE: A
- Vinnie Baggadonuts
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HAZARD COUNTY GIRLS - DIVINE ARMOR (Wooden Wheel Records)
There is such a tendency for all-girl bands to try way too hard to rock. The Hazard County Girls have found their own blend of rock that, by not trying to outdo everyone else, somehow manages to do exactly that.
THE GRADE: B+
- Night Watchman
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JOLIE HOLLAND - SPRINGTIME CAN KILL YOU (Anti- Records)
She was a legend to me as soon as I heard Catalpa, but she decided to trump it with Escondida. And this one? It cements her status alongside artists like Tom Waits and Björk, as musicians whose music is uniquely theirs: inspiring, dreamlike, timeless works of beautiful human genius.
THE GRADE: A+
- Vinnie Baggadonuts
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JUDGE JULES - THE GLOBAL WARM-UP MIX (Koch Records)
This would be the theme music to a night where I sit on sticky couch with duct tape covering its tears, sipping on a super-sweet, electric blue drink as I watch my coked-out friends dance with men who later will end up raping them.
THE GRADE: C
- Bethany Shady
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LAFCADIO - SHAM DUVET (Joyful Noise Recordings)
Dreamy Deftones/Team Sleep sounds are trampled by sparse and unnecessary bursts of death-metal screams.
THE GRADE: B+
- Bethany Shady
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LAUREN NEWMAN - YOU AND NO ONE ELSE (Stop \'N\' Rewind Records)
Although there are a few too many similar tunes, there are some bright spots that make it worth giving this album a few spins. Lauren Newman\'s fearless use of her voice makes her someone to keep an eye on, if for no other reason than your own safety.
THE GRADE: B+
- Night Watchman
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LUNAVERSOL9 - AFTER BIRTH (Popguard Records)
You need this album, and every album Lunaversol9 has ever graced. You need to see her onstage, alone, or with Def Harmonic. You need to write down her lyrics in your journals, your favorite lines on every available wall. This isn’t a review. This is me recognizing something that even Saul Williams recognized a few years ago when he saw her onstage with her Def Harmonic cohorts, and declared that they were the future of hip-hop. (He even wrote the song \"Grippo\" about it.) And After Birth is her solo debut-- an eleven-chapter lavender passage in the book of her life. Production thick like weather (courtesy of Ernie Brusubardis, Salva, and others) serves as the campfire for her ghost stories-- stories that will scare the shit out of you, they’re so good.
THE GRADE: A
- Vinnie Baggadonuts
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MAROON - WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (Century Media Records)
German hardcore in yo\' face! This is really kickass hardcore. Yes, they are vegan and straight-edge, so that helps them make more eviler music. They just want a beer and a burger, I bet, and then they would be sweethearts. It\'s very good music, so let\'s keep the review fierce. I really liked the evil on this CD.
THE GRADE: A+
- Eric Adkison
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MINISTRY - RIO GRANDE BLOOD (Megaforce Records)
Al is back with another face-ripping Ministry album. From the opening samples of Dubya confessing he’s evil, to the guest vocals of Jello Biafra, this is one of the best Ministry albums in years.
THE GRADE: A
- Night Watchman
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NO REQUEST SOUND PRESENTS: NO REQUESTS VOL. 2 (Self-Released)
If Murs is better than your favorite rapper, then the No Request Sound crew is better than your favorite DJ. Or DJs. It doesn’t matter. They were better when it was just Why B and Kid Cut Up, and they’re even better now, with Steve Marxx and Swan... John Swan. Volume 2 puts new gun Marxx on deck with Why B. The same hype party vibe is there. The same indiscriminate track selection is there. (Good hip-hop is good hip-hop.) And the same technical flawlessness, too. No cop-out echo effects. No sloppy blends. Just good hip-hop, done impeccably well.
THE GRADE: A
- Vinnie Baggadonuts
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QUEENSRYCHE - OPERATION: MINDCRIME II (Rhino/Wea)
For a sequel to one of the greatest concept albums ever there isn\'t much of a plot, which means that many songs on the first half are just treading water. Mindcrime II doesn’t really kick in until halfway through. But when it does, there are some really great songs and an appearance by Ronnie James Dio!
THE GRADE: B
- Night Watchman
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ROCK KILLS KID - ARE YOU NERVOUS? (Reprise Records)
Did you love living in the Eighties with all your groundbreaking post-punk/new wave, hairspray-lovin\' culture? Well, good for you. Good also that the band Rock Kills Kid exists just for you.
THE GRADE: B
- Sal Swayzo
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ROYDEN - BEST FRIENDS OUR WORST ENEMIES (Hopeless Records)
Unfortunately, Royden doesn’t have a shtick for me to write about. They don’t dress like Gwar onstage, they don’t tell reporters to fuck off like Johnny Rotten, and they wouldn’t expose themselves to Times Square if they were on TRL... maybe. They are, however, a good rock band with a viable sound. They may not have the spectacle of a KISS concert, but they’ll make your head bob and your feet tap. And isn’t that all that matters?
THE GRADE: A-
- James Dolata
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SUNSET RUBDOWN - SHUT UP I AM DREAMING (Absolutely Kosher Records)
This band is completely unique and fantastic. I can\'t compare it to anything else I\'ve recently heard, which is a great thing. Spencer Krug of Wolfe Parade gives us an album that is sure to be added to many a CD collection.
THE GRADE: A
- Bethany Shady
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TERROR 2000 - TERROR FOR SALE (Nuclear Blast Records)
When a Swedish metal band quotes Spinal Tap, has song titles like \"Wrath Of The Cookie Monster\", and includes poignant lyrics like \"Eat my johnson / Make it bleed,\" you have to hope that they’re not taking themselves seriously. I personally think that Terror 2000 is in on the joke. Henceforth, this album is fucking awesome!
THE GRADE: A
- James Dolata
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THE AGGROLITES - THE AGGROLITES (Hellcat Records)
It’s kind of disgusting how good The Aggrolites got in the two years since I heard their first record. Not only do they sound tougher and funkier, but that dusty, early reggae sound is so tight this time around, you’d swear to God they taught The Upsetters everything they know. Now let’s all watch as they leave an equally legendary legacy.
THE GRADE: A+
- Vinnie Baggadonuts
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THE EVERYOTHERS - PINK STICKY LIES (Kill Rock Stars)
I think these guys are awesome! I just hope they aren\'t as pretentious as their press sheet was! There is just something really glam and bell-bottomy about this CD. It takes me back to an older New York era, when life was trashed out and glamourous. Smokey and nostalgic, but still rocky \'n\' rolly.
THE GRADE: B
- Eric Adkison
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THE FENIANS - HAVE FUN OR GET OUT! (Mizen Head Music)
Goddamn, Irish people sure do know how to have a good time! The Fenians are balls-out Irish rock that will have you spilling your beer all over the pub\'s floor as you dance arm in arm with yer lady. Aye!
THE GRADE: A
- Bethany Shady
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THE FIERY FURNACES - BITTER TEA (Fat Possum Records)
I kinda stopped listening to a lot of rock music a few years ago because, frankly, most of the bands out now are so fucking lame. Unfortunately, this made me miss out on every Fiery Furnaces record before this. But God bless Bitter Tea. It’s weird, fun, smart, loud, and Eleanor Friedberger’s voice couldn’t be any more perfect for their intelligent, peculiar lyrics. Imagine Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland if it were music and not a story. That’s this.
THE GRADE: A
- Vinnie Baggadonuts
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THE GOLDEN GODS - THE THORNY CROWN OF ROCK AND ROLL (Control Group Records)
Pure arena rock at its best. Get ready to enter yourself into air guitar competitions and grow yer hair out!!!
THE GRADE: A
- Bethany Shady
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THE LOVE LETTER BAND - FEAR NOT, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, FOR I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE (Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records)
I\'ve got to give these guys credit for not sounding like everything else that\'s out there these days. Their indie folk rock is somewhat catchy, but this recording needs to be a bit more professionally tweaked to make this a great album.
THE GRADE: B
- Bethany Shady
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THE LOVELY FEATHERS - HIND HIND LEGS (Equator Records)
This is the weirdest music I\'ve ever laid ears on. I have no idea what they\'re talking about. The lyrics are really fucking stupid. With this band, music is just a mockery with no feeling. I love it.
THE GRADE: A
- Eric Adkison
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THE PRESETS - BEAMS (Modular Recordings)
Electronic music doesn\'t usually do it for me, but The Presets turn me on with their creative layering and funky beats. This kind of music is inherently limiting, but they somehow overcome this hurdle and keep each song different and fresh. They are also touring with Ladytron this spring. Check them out.
THE GRADE: A
- Goldfish
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THIEVERY CORPORATION - VERSIONS (ESL Music)
The D.C. duo that make up Thievery Corporation have definitely created their own sound. Here, they lend that sound to eighteen existing tracks, thus creating new versions of old songs. The sexy smoothness that is Thievery Corporation is tightly woven into each track, from Herb Alpert\'s \"Lemon Tree\" to The Doors\' \"Strange Days\". And while it\'s true that I\'d rather have an all-original new disc from them, Versions is a great example of what else they\'re capable of.
THE GRADE: B
- Wayne Chinsang
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UNTIED STATES - RETAIL DETAIL (Beet Nicotine Records)
Traditional rock and experimental music (make that a lot of experimental music) make Untied States real. Retail Detail is both melodic and creepy. Explosive beats and strange rhythm make Untied States strangely enticing.
THE GRADE: B+
- Sal Swayzo
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VARIOUS ARTISTS - POETRY ON RECORD (Shout! Factory)
Attention high school and college English teachers: if you do not have a copy of this four-disc box set in your classroom, stop teaching poetry immediately. You shouldn’t be allowed to do it without Poetry On Record because, frankly, you’ll never be able to get your students excited about classic scribes like Robert Frost and Alfred Lord Tennyson without it. This massive godsend of a box set contains recordings of ninety-eight of the most famous poets in history reading their own poems (as they were meant to be read). And believe me, hearing properly placed phonetic nuances will make you appreciate some of these legends a whole lot more. The experience alone of hearing the tragically beautiful Sylvia Plath, or the too-passionate-for-paper Amiri Baraka is something you could never get by simply reading their work. And the package comes with a beautifully designed book containing visually illustrated poems from the CDs themselves, short poetry-related essays by various authors, and a track listing complete with the whos, whats, wheres, and whens of each selection.
THE GRADE: A+
- Vinnie Baggadonuts
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A beautiful, lush, foot-tapping accomplishment of an album. Modern new wave with touches of Radiohead, Elbow, and Mogwai, Xrayok (pronounced \"X-ray-okay\") have put out one of the best albums so far this year.
THE GRADE: A+
- Night Watchman
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YOUNGBLOOD BRASS BAND - IS THAT A RIOT? (Self-Released)
The name says it all: a nine-piece brass band with a hand-held bass drum for some added oomph. But this ain’t no fuckin\' high school marching band showcase. This is the sound of Dixieland, but really, really pissed off. Just imagine Slayer playing hip-hop and rock with nothing but horns. That’s this iTunes-only release. And you can see this funky spectacle on tour all throughout May. Click here for their tour dates. See you at The Miramar in Milwaukee.
THE GRADE: A
- Vinnie Baggadonuts
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Z.O.N.K. - HALF HUMAN (Harmony Machine)
One of the great pleasures of doing this rag is being able to let folks know about shit I\'m digging. True, most of it is stuff that is sent our way by big record labels. But if I come across something on my own and dig it, I do my best to spread the word. And now I\'m spreading the word for Z.O.N.K. I have to admit that I don\'t know much about them other than the basics (they\'re a quartet from San Francisco; three guys, one girl), but I do know that I like what I hear. I came across their MySpace page one day, and all of a sudden their chilled-out and creeped-down cover of Alanis Morrisette\'s \"You Oughta Know\" started playing. From then on, I was hooked. I\'m trying to learn more about them now, but until then you can look \'em up on MySpace and hear their four-song EP titled Half Human. It\'s good, it\'s free, and it\'s got my seal of approval, so you have no reason not to check it out.
THE GRADE: A
- Wayne Chinsang
artid
3645
Old Image
8_9_listen_header.jpg
issue
vol 8 - issue 09 (may 2006)
section
entertainmental