While 2005 was a lame year for most people, it was a good year for music. Well, I guess that also depends on your point of view. In this special version of the music review section we review as many albums as we can from the last year that have been piling up on our doorstep...

CD review by Chris Beyond
I like the CD layout! That's always a good impression with me. Luckily the music is good inside too because there is nothing worse than a bad album with great artwork because then I feel totally ripped off. Anyway AIRPORT 81's music sounds like it was ripped from an Atari 2600 and backed up by some punk-tronic band which is perfect to play really loud at your next party. Don't forget to turn on your fog machine, but please make sure that none of your guests are asthmatics...or mathmagicians. They usually go hand in hand.
Breathing Room Records

EP CD review by Vahe Vahe
If you like serious/poppy Japanese music then this self-well-produced 3 song Sampler/EP titled "Baby" by THE AMPPEZ just might fit the bill. This 3 piece pop act from Japan is fronted by female cutie patootie, slightly sad sounding vocalist Marie along with Shinobu on bass and Juri on drums. If "My So Called Life" was remade in Japan this would be the music score throughout the whole show. The CD starts with the self-titled track "Baby" followed by "Michelle" and "Soraha-Aokatta". The lyrics are sung in Japanese so I can't really comment on what Marie is trying to say but you get the point. The music is very poppy with generic overtones with a "Missing You" kind of broken-hearted foundation. This is pretty much the vibe I'm getting on all three songs. If you just broke up with your boyfriend or girlfriend and you need a soundtrack to your sorrows whether you speak Japanese or not then go find this CD.

CD review by Chris Beyond
I hate this cover. Hate it hate it hate it. Sorry. I am a designer after all. Anyway, they lose further points with the song "Punk Beat" which can only be described by giving you an example of the lyrics; "Punk Beat. Beat of the punks. What do they think who gives a what? Punk beat." Uhhhhhh...yeah... It seems like this band may have taken a time travel machine from the early eighties and brought their "weird" and "strange" ideas to us with songs that have titles like "Kill The Radio", "One For The Road", and "Major Label Interest." Truth be told, this isn't bad music at all. I guess it's just that the themes of the songs aren't anything new to me. Heck, if you can get past the cover, maybe YOU'LL like it.

CD review by Chris Beyond
This album was made by a 10th grader and I think that says a lot because this album does not make me want to rip out my own ears. I wonder if he's a CREEKBIRD fan, because there are similarities here and there and that's a pretty good compliment. Good songs to check out first are "Up To Six (Speed Dial)", the polka-esque "Pirate Ninja", and "Livejournal". If he makes this stuff in high school, imagine what he'll do in the yeas ahead. That's right, I have challenged him to make something even better. It'll be tough, but I know he can do it. We're all behind you BEEBLO. Oh, and get somebody else to do your album artwork next time.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Oh, I love this. It's sweet and beautiful and makes me want to listen to this in bed in my footie pajamas. If you are a fan of STEREOLAB, you'll probably like this a lot too. Pretty singing, keyboards, and percussion come together to make this a truly enjoyable experience to listen to. Do I even need to mention the album artwork that you see here? It's good throughout the entire cover too. You can bet that I'll be listening to this one a lot on my free time too. Just don't bet money because you'll probably get caught and go to jail. Then there you'll be... In jail. Thinking about the time you bet money that I'd listen to this on my free time. Sure, I'll be home playing this and enjoying it A LOT, but you'll be in the prison shower worrying about dropping the soap. How did you ever get yourself into this? Anyway, I highly recommend this album.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Amazing, brilliant, and wonderful...and that's just the first few beats of the first track of this album. I love the overlong album titles like "I Came Here To Kick Ass And Chew Bubble Gum (And I'm All Out Of Bubble Gum)" (They Live fans'll love that title), "A Horse Is A Corpse Of Course Unless of Corse That Horse Is The Wonderful Mr. Dead" [sic] and the title that takes almost as long to say as to hear the actual song "Return Of The Night Of The Dawn Of The Day Of The Living Dead-Alive; Biker Zombies From Detroit: A Jet Rock N' Roll Film. Apocalypse. Holocaust." Now, trust me... I wouldn't spend the time to type all of that unless I liked this CD and I definitely do. I've already been playing it on No-Fi "Radio" and it almost made our top picks for the 2005 album of the year. I guess that technically DOES make it one of the best releases of 2005 so there it is right there. I've said it. Well...typed it.

CD review by Chris Beyond
First off, I love the album artwork. Can't go wrong with a big blue square with a giant letter in the middle. C'mon, let's imagine it together. I seeeee....a big blue box with an..."A" on the cover. Look's good, no? Anyway, the music contained behind the giant H is good too...even if the first 9 tracks are each called "Fun" (the last track being called "Funeral"). The album takes you along on a trip with ambient noises, guitar, percussion, and even bells. It all meets in the final track which feels like a nice release; kinda like you just got a massage from a friend. Get this for a long car trip where you get to sleep in the back seat.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Not horrible, but this album has this aura of cheesiness that is hard to shake off. Maybe it's the loving photos of the band with 'perfect' punk rock hair in the album art and songs with titles like "Suicide Drive", "She Likes Skulls", and "Devilchild" in an age where THE CRAMPS have done it all before and better. The album art is soooo generic. I like the font in their name with the line going across, but that's about it. The back cover has a skull and a switchblade on it. Ooooooo! Was this album made for 12 year olds? Perhaps if the music were a little looser, the lyrics more thoughtful, AND I were 12 years old again; I'd be more into it.
Disaster Records

CD review by Chris Beyond
Wait that spaceship on the cover of this album looks familiar... Is that the rocket that Dreamy Smurf built in an episode of The Smurfs? Or was it a book based on The Smurfs? The other Smurfs felt bad or him so they pretended to be aliens after letting him fall asleep in the capsule? Nobody else remembers that?

Anyway, this is pretty music, but a little too coffee shop guitar singer for me. They do it well, but not our genre nor are they really doing anything new.

CD review by Quin
This six song CD has both an early 70s rock sound and POLYPHONIC SPREE-esque feel good big sound. This band should appeal to you if you are a fan of anything from BUILT TO SPILL to LYNYRD SKYNRD. There are beautiful harmonies intermingled with psychedelic weirdness while maintaining a fun country guitar twangy landscape of sound. I like this CD a lot. A whole lot actually. imagine what would happen if Neil Young recorded an ELEPHANT 6 album...I do believe this is pretty close to what would happen. Some of the musicians present here hail from bands such as Ben Folds and MY MORNING JACKET. Is there any question now as to why this stuff is so good? Oh, and Matt Moody is a terrific song writer, great even. Trust me, you are going to want to get this and give it a listen or a million.

EP CD review by Chris Beyond
I've been enjoying this album way too long without having gotten a review done. Perhaps it's because I'm not sure that any of my words can properly convey the sounds coming from this disc or the feelings I get from it. I don't know why, but I get a OINGO BOINGO meets DEERHOOF feel from this band which is weird because they don't really sound like either. Still if you're a fan of either of those bands, I think you'll like this. My favorite tracks are "Invitation To A Beheading", "Bat-Man V. Dracula", and the spastic album closer "Bad Patterns." I hope to hear more from them in 2006 and you know I'll be playing this on No-Fi "Radio."

CD review by Chris Beyond
Ok, this band had me with the driving guitar and beat that opens up this album with the song "Blood Zombie"...and then the vocals kicked in and they lost me withing seconds of having me. The whole album is like that. I like the music, but really dislike the vocals. I appreciate that the songs are short (more bands should write shorter songs...THE BEATLES knew to do it, and so should you), but I wish I were into the vocals (singing AND the lyrics themselves) because that's the only thing keeping me from being a fan. They should try screaming more like the title suggests.

CD review by Chris Beyond
This is the first review I've done for this section this month and it's a good way to start out. Since the last album they sent us, it sounds like they've tighten up a bit, but not so much that they sound over-produced. In fact, I have a hard time thinking that this band could ever allow itself to be influenced by outside forces like that. I enjoyed each of the songs on this album. I don't care for the artwork very much, but that's just me. If you like a mix of screaming punk, minimal electronics, nice beats, but ISN'T industrial, this might be the band for you.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Solo performers always have a hard time when it comes to No-Fi "Reviews". We always try to go for something different and usually on the 'punkier' side of things...something hard to do as a solo artists unless you have that certain something that hooks us. It certainly happens, just not as often as bands do. That's something that's true in the rest of the music industry as well. Audra is definitely talented. I can even imagine hearing her songs on tv and film soundtracks during certain emotional scenes. It's just not my kind of music. I love the CD design though. The SMITHS-esque cover with lower case type is excellent. She's great. The album design is great. It's just not my thing.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Moody, soft, and driving, I like the cut of this band's jib. My favorite track "The Enemy" reminds me of a cross between SONIC YOUTH and VERY LARGE ARRAY. Great guitars, electric drums, and dense bass that sound like they were recorded in a really hot studio with a bad air conditioner and no lights on some summer night at 2am. I've been there so I know what it's like. This is a great example of the kind of bands we like to cover in No-Fi "Magazine". If you manage to find a copy of this album, snatch it up. Don't be afraid to use your nails if somebody else is reaching for it. Flesh grows back quicker than I imagine how easy it is to find this album. Go to their website and maybe you can get a copy there!

CD review by Chris Beyond
Wow, listening to this album is the 80's equivelent to a hippie's 60's flashback. It sounds like this album just jumped off of the soundtrack of a Molly Ringwald film. MING AND PING are actual twins from Hong Kong now residing in San Francisco. The songs on this album are perfectly catchy, BUT it helps if you are still into that sound. Personally I'm not really stuck in the 80's like some of my friends are. In fact I KNOW they'd love this album. While I don't think I'd play this very often, I know that those people would love it and play it over and over and over and OVER again. Anyway, I was scared off from this album because of it's obvious DURAN DURAN-esque cover, but it really isn't that bad. It's not progressing music any, but I think it's happy just where it is. Get this for your next 80's dance party and I bet nobody will ever guess this was a new album.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Sort of a cross between ELECTRONIC, THE LIGHTNING SEEDS, and R.E.M., MOMZER makes its way through this CD with their guitars pointed forward with very little variance to truly recommend this album as a whole.

I almost want to label this bands music as "Poetry Rock." Is that wrong? Well, it's what I'm going with for now. Get this CD if you love Poetry Rock. You know who you are.

CD review by Chris Beyond
I've heard of Japan's MUMMY THE PEEPSHOW before. Sadly this album wasn't exactly what I was expecting to hear from them. None of the songs really stand out enough to make me want to listen to this on a regular basis. They are not bad at all. They play really well, but perhaps they play it a little too straight. Or perhaps the album title (taken from one of the song titles) says it all. If I were a school girl, maybe I'd like this album a lot more than I do. But any high school girl I knew in my crowd probably wouldn't like this so I'm guessing a better audience would be in the elementary or middle school range.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Wait, I know I've reviewed this before. (checking past reviews.) Umm... Yeah, I did. But now I've discovered that all of my reviews from issue 52 are missing. Grrreat. Anyway, I can sum up this album again pretty quickly. This isn't really our kind of stuff. This is Bar Rock Heavy Metal and while they do what they do well, it's just not the kind of thing we like here in these No-Fi parts of ours. But, hey, if you like to pray to the guitar gods, are a regular visitor to the Sunset Strip, and want to grow your hair long and free, but can't because of your job at Albertsons, then this just might be the album for you. There are some bands I like on this label though.

CD review by Chris Beyond
At the first notes of the first track of this CD called "Child's Eye" I honestly thought I was going to start hearing Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto, but instead it goes nowhere except to the 2nd track "Astroids Collide" which isn't bad at all. In fact I like it, but it takes a few minutes for me to decide. I feel like that (and most of the songs on this album) would sound better live though. I don't like the cover of this album. I almost wish that there were a comic book version of the back cover on the front instead. Filled with samples, electronic noise, and beats that are danceable - but not annoying, this is a good album to bring to your friend's dance party. I look forward to what they come out with next.

CD review by Chris Beyond
They had me at the definitely 'no-fi' recording of "Better In Death" which sounds like a collaboration of SONIC YOUTH and MUDHONEY with a sound that can topple small buildings. While I'm certainly for no-fi recordings, the levels on this record seem to be all over the place. I can barely hear the third track "Always Nowhere" on my computer even turned up all the way. That said, this is still a good album to check out. Lots of screaming, sonic guitars, and heavy bass and beats to annoy your neighborhood with for months to come.

DEMO CD review by Chris Beyond
'Bits and pieces' is a good way to describe this, but it's how they fall that makes these tracks work thus making that description an understatement.

There are nice things to find for fans of noise and electronic music here. It's great background music or even driving home alone after going to a club music. Nice vocals too. Front CD layout good...back CD layout - not so good. (Just thought it had to be said.)

CD review by Chris Beyond
This is pretty cool for dinner background music. ON ENSEMBLE is an expiramental project focusing on doing interesting things with traditional Japanese drum, percussion, electronic music, vocals, and samples. The beats can go from hypnotic to tribal and each track on this CD is distinctive from the other.

All in all, it's really not something I'm qualified to describe to you in a short review. It's not something I'd listen to often, but your parents would appreciate it.

CD review by Chris Beyond
I've already been playing tracks from this album on No-Fi "Radio". This is good modern garage rock that you'll like if you are fans of THE MAKE-UP, THE FLAKES, and even THE CRAMPS. Really good stuff that actually surprised me when I popped it in. It's even made the jump into my own record collection so there you go. Get this album for a party in your converted den (make sure somebody brings the red lights).
Empty Records U.S.

CD review by Chris Beyond
This one was stuck at the bottom of the stack for too long. Just when the stack got lower, I piled on more CDs on top. Well, that pile was turned upside down and here was this CD (among various roly-polies and pincher bugs). The first track "So Why Not Now" reminds me of 90's brit-pop which isn't a bad thing. If you like pure pop with a british feel and are fans of OASIS, THE ROLLING STONES, and CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN (not from the U.K., but if you heard this album, you'd understand), you stand a good chance of liking this album. On my first listen, I wasn't that into it, but on my 2nd listen I was. Give it a chance and you like like it too.

CD review by Chris Beyond
This bands kind of reminds me of a cross between POSTER CHILDREN and SUPERCHUNK at times. Usually though they seem to be teetering on that edge where powerpop can fall into commercial pop. Pretty good, but maybe a little too polished for me.

Then again, it could be the mood I'm in at the moment. Get this for good background while hanging out with friends.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Excellent. Not only is the CD great, but the booklet that it comes in is a mini-zine as well with nice illustrations and layout. The music is soft, but haunting with pretty vocals from both male and felame vocalists. It kind of reminds me of if BELLE AND SEBASTIAN made music for a David Lynch film with a hint of BLONDE REDHEAD for flavoring. But they really do have an original sound that is all their own and I can definitely recommend this to you. This is music you can play at dinner, while doing homework, at the beach, or all at the same time. Plus you can get this CD at their website for only $5!!! That is seriously a steal for how good it is! I can't wait to hear what they do next!
Asaurus Records

EP CD review by Chris Beyond
There is some interesting stuff going on in this album...with its jewel case cracked from being at the bottom of the stack for too long. Parts of some of the songs remind me of my favorite L.A. band of all time; VERY LARGE ARRAY. I just wish they had a better album cover. Oh, and the lead singer's name is Garth. I just thought I'd throw that out there. I wonder if he throws himself around stage like John Grip of VLA did? Anyway, not a bad record. Not something I'd listen to a lot, but every once in a while.

CD review by Chris Beyond
The first track on this CD is "inspired by the Arthur C. Clark "Rama" series of books." It uses audio samples to tell a story over music, but I'm already familiar with many of the samples so it's hard to pull my mind away from what they were really intended for and I don't get much of an Arthur C. Clark vibe from it. The rest of the album is electronic music and vocals possibly inspired by Gary Numan and DEPECHE MODE. It's nothing groundbreaking and I can't imagine listening to it very much, but it's not horrible either. I like the fact that his songs are inspired by science. I recommend listening to this alone and in short sessions.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Wow, the people at Breathing Room Records know how to do album covers right. Kudos to you, sirs. So this album starts off great with the instrumental track "City Summer Rain" although I have to say I wish it did have vocals. Their sound can be found somewhere between and to the side of SUPERGRASS, SPORTSGUITAR, and...wait, there seems to be a stain on this album cov... Oh! That's supposed to be there. I kid. I really do like the cover. Anyway, I think my favorite track on the album is "In The City". It can get a little bluesy at times, but never in an annoying way. Get this CD for your next dinner party.
Breathing Room Records

EP CD review by Chris Beyond
The publicity sticker on this album says "The Sharking are out of Boston and want to play some pop for you." To that I say, "Ok." To be honest, THE SHARKING aren't very demanding with the music on this EP either. It's just like it says. Basic songs done in a pop structure. They don't challenge nor do they totally suck. They are just songs. I mean they sound like they have some personal thought behind them, but who knows. Oh and I really do love the album art. If you look close you can see this one (among others here) on our own cover next to good ol George Bush. Maybe their next album will be edgier.

EP CD review by Vahe Vahe
Each song on this EP is well crafted with haunting almost tribal beats (I love tom toms) and stargazer type vocals. The recording quality is straight-forward with just the right amount of guitar layers. I don't think I would want to hear it any other way. The CD kicks off with the song called "The Rat". The song reminds me of THE CRAMPS meets DEADBOLT meets THE GROOVY GHOULIES (If members of SHILOE are reading this then I would take it as a compliment). The next song "Lady in the Attic" takes a different turn from the opening track. This is more of an angular song which I like a lot. This song reminds me of PIXIES covering a song off the TSOL album "Dance With Me." Very haunting guitar riffs with excellent vocals that compliment. The song "Delay" would be the song to play if you were high and were getting the best oral of your life! A+. Last but not least the song "Black". Has a melodic indie vibe to it. It reminds me of something you would hear on KXLU in the early 1990's. Ya know the stuff you really had to look hard for in record stores because all the major releases sucked! All in all I really dig the disc. I can't wait to hear more!

CD review by Chris Beyond
Pleasant guitar and vocals. Not really my thing. Songs from this album would probably fit well in some Winona Ryder movie soundtrack.

If I had to pick a favorite song on this album it would be "Polly Esther Pants" but mostly because they almost sound like early R.E.M. and I used to like a girl named Esther. Get this for the next time you're drunk and'll listen to anything that isn't terrible.

EP CD review by Chris Beyond
Oh, SPY ISLAND... I love your album artwork... The music is pretty good, but there is something about it that holds it back. I don't know exactly what it is. There is definitely a brit-pop influence going on with a little 60's sound in there as well. Maybe I feel like the guitars are too much in charge here. I know that doesn't make ANY sense, but if you heard it maybe you'd understand. There are a lot of good songs here though. I'll go back and listen to it again, but if you'd like to check it out yourself, get this album to listen to your next Myspace session.

DEMO CD review by Chris Beyond
Sometimes I get things in the mail where I have to say, "Ok, this person/band obviously has never read No-Fi "Magazine" or just have the complete wrong idea as to what we're about." Sure, we're all about the independent artists, BUT we are covering a certain range of music...and this guy is definitely outside of that. Sadly it's not SO outside of it that it could even be considered to be 'Outsider Music.' The first song on this album sounds like a joke with its chorus "Tonight, Girl, Tonight!" And the 2nd song is called "The World Is A Groovey Place." So groovy that he had to add an E in there, I guess. Nuff said. I just can't rip on this CD any more. It'll make me feel bad and I'd prefer to say something positive in our reviews. That being said, I will leave this review saying that the underside of this CD is very shiny.

DEMO CD review by Chris Beyond
So here I was set to review this album...and then I lost it. But in a clean sweep of the living room I found it again and here I am reviewing it for you. This album has lots of catchy tunes under 5 minutes featuring Esmerelda singing along to her accordian and some nice beats too. My favorite tracks are "Ballad Of Flight 101", "Te Quiero Mucho", and the album opener "Introducing Esmerelda Strange". Fans of Dame Darcey and THE CENTIMETERS would probably be into Esmerelda's music...and what do you know? I just happen to be fans of both! I'm not really that hot on the album layout though, but mind you this is a demo CD after all. This is an act I'll have to see live. Maybe in 2006 I finally can.

CD review by Chris Beyond
Oh this is refreshing. Listening to this band is like drinking lemonade on a hot Summer day watching people go by. In fact I think that if you open a lemonade stand and play this music on a boom box, your lemonade sales will go up at least 53% from the previous year. I only wish I had a website to direct you to to hear the nice guitars and percussion on this album, but all I have for contact info is an e-mail address. I even tried googling them with no success. Oh, yeah, that's right...no vocals. And honestly I wish there were some vocals on this album, but it's still good without them. I wonder if the drummer on this album is the same one who played with the band SACCHARINE TRUST? Write them and maybe you can be their new lead singer!

EP CD review by Chris Beyond
I've seen this band grace our concert calendar here and there. This is the first time I finally got to hear them though. WHY THINGS BURN (or is it WHY?THINGS BURN as it says on the CD?) play sounds that lead me to think that they prefer not to be categorized. Still I'm going to go ahead and call them "Trip-Folk." Trippy beats and folksy songs...what else could I come up with? They definitely have beats that you can dance to, but not so much that you'd dance really crazy all over the place. It'll be interesting to see them live sometime, but I get the impression that they probably won't sound that different. Listen to this one alone in front of the mirror.