"Music That Ruins Your Underthings!"
Having worked in a used record store, you quickly learn even the very color combinations of CDs that will end up the the 99 or even 25 cents bin. So the colors used together on this cover and generic artwork scream out to me that this album will one day be seen in your local record store being sold at sub-basement prices, if they haven't already been shipped to the same landfill where all those Atari 2600 E.T. games were sent. In fact I could name off every font used in this album (but being a designer, I guess that isn't too hard). This album is one of those boy band "punk" albums not unlike BLINK 182. You know that kind of "punk" where there is extra care given to the many layers of harmony on top of perfectly clean distortion. So I think the generic packaging fits the band inside who are so punk that they dare to never try anything newer than what you've already heard. The title "Beg, Borrow, Steal" is perfect for this band which rips off everything it knows from the worst things to happen to punk ever. And these are probably good musicians too, but you wouldn't know it, because every little note and beat is so perfectly crafted that it was possibly all run through a computer to clean up anything possibly interesting from the songs. Bad CD! No candy for you! You're too full of sugar already. 
I was a little leary of putting this cd demo in my cd player as the cd itself feels rough due to it being spraypainted on (as it seems). Cool idea though...just feels a little rough. the music contained within is good, but maybe not my kind of good. Perhaps I just don't see anything new here. Capable lead singer with accoustic guitar backed up by a mellow bar band. The songs are a little whiney...which is a lot coming from me because I whine about everything. With song titles like "Hello This Is Goodbye," "Hate Being Lonely," "I'm Sorry," and "I Don't Miss You,".... Yeah, it's THAT kind of whiney. And the cover shows him applying make-up like some lost soul left over from the hey-day of the hair metal sunset strip. There is definitely a wide audience for this, but I have trouble falling for the boy who seems like he's singing to the wide eyed girls in the audience rather than the whole crowd. Get this CD as a gift for that girl you know who just doesn't understand your "weird" music.
Ok, what happened? I like THE COLOR GUARD. This album feels like a misstep to me. There is singing when it feels like there should have been screaming. "Your Kiss Is My Command" is a good example of this. Those lyrics would have mean't much more to me if they were shouted out rather than having every word easily understood with odd renaissance fair musical elements underneath. It made the difference between a song I would have liked a lot and the one you hear on this CD. It gets a little better as the CD ges on, but first impressions are everything. Had I not heard their last album I would have turned it off by that track. And speaking of first impressions, I have to say that that cover is not very flattering. I love the use of silver and the font, but the photo isn't saying anything to me. Oh wait, it IS saying something... "Dark Pop." What the heck is that? That's like Elliot Smith putting an album out called "Emo." I kinda wish that the artwork on the CD itself was the cover artwork. Oh, and for all you Christopher Walken fans out there, this album DOES have some cowbell. I actually did find myself saying, "This song is nice, but I gotta have more cowbell!" I'm being a little hard on them but only because their last album sucked me in. This album has latin prayers.
THE VOLTA SOUND take you back to the early seventies instantly with their first song on this CD called "There Is No Question" and you go willingly because while that decade was full of a lot of bad, there was a lot of good that fell through the cracks. A good example is the second track "I Love You" which could have easily been a BRADY BUNCH KIDS cover. Admit it, you liked a lot of those Brady Bunch songs. The way that song builds, you almost see the singers being raised on day-glo platforms with tamborines materializing matrix-like in their hands. And what do you expect from an album that could have come right out of a 70s time warp? That's right...a full on 10 minute jam session...and this time it's not annoying! Seriously, this band treds on areas that I would very easily strike critically in lesser hands, but this band takes their influences and makes them their own much like how DIOS MALOS does. You know the influences are there, but you don't care because they do what they do so well. I highly recommend this one for garage rock collectors out there. I can also imagine fans of BLUR, STONE ROSES, and THE HAPPY MONDAYS getting into this. Get this CD for your next psychedelic free love party sans actual hippies. Good CD design too. I would love to see that same design applied to a vinyl version of this album.
I recieved a few Owen CDs in a short time and each has hi and low points to them. There are a few gems hidden in each and thus we played a couple on No-Fi "Radio". Since I wasn't able to get to the last two, here is the latest CD I've gotten from Owen. Spread among 24 tracks are little lo-fi recordings, most short, featuring little more than a guitar, vocals, and keyboard or harmonica. The vocals on the first track need work, but get better on following tracks. I especially like the VELVET UNDERGROUND meets early Beck-esque track "Dream". This is a pretty mellow album. Much of this CD could be good hanging out in the bedroom with the black light on kind of music. It's definitely much better than the last 2 CDs sent to me. I think Owen are finding their sound and may be much closer now with this CD (although some songs do need some vocal work). I also like many of the mini orchestral soundscapes that would fit well as background for certain somber films. It's hard to go wrong with short songs. I guess you could, but even a bad song is better when it's short. This certainly isn't a bad album though and I think a lot of people who like a more mellow sound will find something they like about it.
Ah, another year, another Rusty Santos album. Don'tcha love it when good bands are reliable like that? This is a good album as are the last two that were sent to us (which we've played on No-Fi "Radio" as well). Rusty's music always make me want to give him a good hug. He doesn't go out of his way to explain what the songs are about (although I think that there is a religious theme behind it all with it being called "The Heavens" and a song called "Alms"). He does so many cool little simple things on this album, it reminds you that you don't have to have layers upon layers upon layers of sound to make a good album (ARMY OF FRESHMEN I'm looking at you and YES, I'm still mad). Rusty Santos has an open invitation to visit No-Fi "Magazine" and "Radio" any time he wants. It would be a good thing to add this album to your collection. Whether it's listening while taking a long bath in a dimly lit room, or playing it on your boombox while walking on the beach at 2am, this is a good album. Get this album for somebody you like a lot.
This three song demo from THE TRANSMISSIONS is nice, but I don't know if they exactly get my own motor runnng with just this taste of their sound. The three songs are very similar to each other and textured with many layers underneath that seem like they would be presented better as part of a bigger work rather than as a demo. Maybe if the songs were a little more varied, that wouldn't be a problem. For the songs themselves. think a tamer, more bluesy FUGAZI meets MODEST MOUSE with a little bit of AMPS ON TEN thrown in for good measure. Perhaps their next full length will tell a grander tale.
Something tells me that I've seen a few variations of this cover and album name before. But there is no denying that the music contained within is really good. From the first attacking notes of "Intro For Real" you know the rest is going to be good. Sometimes you "know" that and are disappointed, but this album stays great all throughout. The vocals that come in with the the second track "Loaves" only sweeten the deal falling somewhere between THE MAKE-UP and MUDHONEY but not really sounding inspired by either. THIS is the kind of band I love to promote the most in No-Fi "Magazine" or play on No-Fi "Radio". The kind of band that really needs to be heard despite what the record industry allows you to hear. I guess a simple way of putting it is to say that this band is punk rock new wave. You want to scream along with the singer and jump around to the music, perhaps waving your arms around recklessly knocking off all the drinks from the bar. The oddest track is the hidden track at the end featuring a computer voice explaining how Paul McCartney ripped off THE WEEGS shortly before this album was censored and the band died in a mysterious car accident. There is no background music...and the computer voice drones on for about 7 minutes. I love it!
I thought bands stopped using the word theory in their name. But, you know what? I like this band. The guitars are super late 90's emo and still super awesome! I also love a band with a lead singer that actually seems to feel the words he's singing. Jordan Griggs doesn't have the most amazing voice i've heard, but i believe him when he sings. Music like this puts a lump in my throat and hits me where it counts. I would much rather see this band be the current emo sensation for all the high school girls instead of stuff like NEW FOUND GLORY or BRAND NEW. This band has heart, which is exactly what made bands like THE GET UP KIDS and SAVES THE DAY so great. Get this if you're a high school girl or if you still believe in love. 
I don't know much about heavy metal music, but I will admit to liking some of what i've heard. I also don't know what kind of metal to classify this as...is it death metal or black metal or viking metal? Hell if I know! But it is kinda catchy for heavy metal. It's loud, has a driving beat, it's really pissed off...good, good and good! The lead singers name is Jenocide and i'm guessing it's a girl, but her voice reminds me of the singer of 400 BLOWS. She has the same kind of growl. I guess I can recommend this CD to people that like loud, pissed off, angry metal. But the rest of you can just go listen to that new Elliott Smith CD Eat The Living, www.eattheliving.com 
This CD is 11 tracks of pure Rock'N'Roll. The band definitely has a 70's glam feel and the guitars are super rockin'. Even the CD cover photo of the band and the disc itself, which happens to be pink, reminds me of the NEW YORK DOLLS (except these girls really are girls). There also seems to be a bit of a RAMONES influence and that never hurts. The only thing lacking a bit is the vocals. The backup vocals are a tad lifeless and unfortunately it doesn't mix well with the guitars and lead vocals to me. The lead singer has a great voice for the most part, but she gets better when she gets louder. The best tracks are "Real Thing" "Snake Eyes" and "Ain't So Cool" (which is a Jeff Dahl cover). That one made me smile. So, put on your leather jackets, scarves and high heels, girls AND boys, and get this CD now.
This band is dance-y and thier lyrics are ridiculous. It seems like they want to be part of the whole electroclash movement, and maybe they succeed. I don't know. They have some OMD style beats ans synthesizers and some more G rated style GRAVY TRAIN!!!! lyrics. This band did send me a press kit with a band photo, but I just don't think they can be taken seriously. If that's what they're going for then grreeeaaaaatt! But I tend to believe I just don't get them. Oh well. My dog liked it when I put on the CD really loud though. 
This band brings back a sound that I have loved since I was a little kid. Growing up by the beach and hearing things like THE VENTURES and DICK DALE AND HIS DEL TONES, surf guitar rock is something I hold very close to my heart. This band's latest CD is somewhere right between MAN OR ASTROMAN? and SONIC YOUTH. Amazing guitar instrumentals that bring back that classic sound, but they also propell the sound into the future. My favorite songs on here are "reptile Boots" which is closer to a MAN OR ASTROMAN? sound, and "Asteroid" which is more experimental and strange. Also, strangely enough the second half of the album moves more into an experimental direction with the sounds while still maintaining the surf sound. Get this one for the next time you cruise down by the beach. Don't go in though and don't cruise by too much or the cops'll get ya.
My three favorite voices of all time are Carl Wilson, Elliott Smith and Sam Beam from IRON AND WINE. He has this smooth, sweet, bordering between husky and breathy croon that makes the hair on my neck stand up. Every single song on this album, his second one, is perfection in every way. And if you loved "The Creek Drank the Cradle" you are sure to love this as well. The songs on here are easily interchangeable with the previous CD and they are all just as sad, romantic, beautiful, hopeful and amazing. The song that really does it for me on here and I'd say it's this album's "Lion's Mane"...is "Love and Some Verses". Could be that I heard It exactly the right time, when I really needed to hear a song like this, but even if I didn't...it's still perfect. Four big bright shining stars for this perfect record. It always makes me nervous to write a review for a friend's band. And I really had no reason to be nervous while reviewing this...it's really really good. If it wasn't I'd just be honest, but this is exactly the kind of music I am into and It's exactly what I want to hear. The song writing and musicianship in this band is really good, but the thing that oddly enough sets them apart from the rest is that their sound is very 1993 or 94. I listen to this and I can hear a super strong SEBADOH influence as well as NIRVANA and SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE There is also an unmistakable early punk rock music influence. They even have a really loud and fast song on here called 'Rites of Spring'. The last thing I'll say about this is that it is great to listen to in the car. I love to drive to fast music. If music is good in the car, then it is damned near perfect for me. 
Let me start by talking about the cover art for this CD, because it definitely sets the mood. It's 60's style artwork with the silhouette of a woman holding a gun. It immediately puts James Bond films and images from "In Like Flynt" or even the old TV show I Spy in my head. The music follows the same format, and it's done really well. The best way i can describe it is to have you imagine that CIBBO MATTO did the music for an old Pam Grier film. There's lots of organ and horns and other weird instruments thrown into the mix to create some amazing and super catchy instrumentals. I don't listen to alot of music like this, but this definitely has me tapping my fingers along witht he beat. I would use this music to play in the background while i'm talking on my radio show. I think it would create a good, fun vibe and set a nice beat. Get this one for your next dance party.
Another album with interesting cover art that sets the mood for the album. This is music is really dark for the most part, with lots of minor keys. The organ on "Lied to Me" is really nice and wonderfully sad. Track nine on the CD, "Nothing" remind me of a super depressing BALLBOY song, if there were super depressing BALLBOY songs. But, not all of the songs on here are sad. There are two hidden tracks on the CD and the second one is pretty funny...I'm guessing it's called "How Did You Wind Up In Porn?" That song doesn't fit on here at all, and it's a strange way to end such a somber album, but it's still a good tune and this is still a good album. 
Yes, this is it. The greatest indie rock album ever made. And this time it's a two disc set. The first CD is a remastered version of the classic album released in 1994, as well as every B-side to every single off of the album. Among these is one of my very favorite PAVEMENT songs "Strings of Nashville" from the "Gold Soundz" single. Also included on disc one are 11 other B-sides. Disc 2 includes some songs recorded for the album that didn't make it with Gary Young on drums. And, as if that weren't enough, there's more tracks from a John Peel Session and a bunch of other amazing unreleased stuff that you haven't heard unless you have some PAVEMENTbootlegs. So, if you know what's good for you, you'll just go out and get this, even if you had it from before. It's just that much more worth having now, and it was already essential. For any other information, E-Mail Chris Beyond at the link below.
