The Apples in Stereo
Velocity of Sound
SpinArt Records

Velocity of Sound is a synapse-snapping sugar rush of a record, 29 minutes long and a perfect rendering in song of the buzzing in your head on the bus ride to school after a breakfast bowl of Frosted Flakes. Produced with a late-’60s-lovin’ lo-fi shagginess that thins out the drums but gives the guitars a wild, early-’90s kind of fuzz, the album is marked by vocals sung so high it sounds like the helium factory next door to the recording studio sprang a leak during the sessions. Not that this is a problem——husband and wife team Robert Schneider and Hilarie Sidney can write the kind of effortlessly sweet music that third-graders sing to themselves as they skip across the playground, and the chirping vocal lines perfectly suit Beatles-esque songs like "Please" or "That’s Something I Do." Yet when the Apples decide to turn a bit more menacing, as they do in Velocity of Sound’s second half, their voices grow a little snottier, the guitars squeal a little more, and the results, such as "Where We Meet," come off like a Rubber Soul-era pass at "She Said, She Said." The record could use a little more texture and out-of-the-blue moments like the Doors-style keys solo near the end of "Better Days." But on the whole, the Apples have crafted a lovely little pop album, a welcome gift in the fall that should help keep summer in your stereo as the temperature falls and the days grow shorter. Grade: B

——Steven Hanna

Atmosphere
Godlovesugly
Fat Beats/Rhymesayers

As indie hip-hop grows and congeals from a scene to a movement, three collectives with interweaving pasts are become the loudest voices for the future: New York’s Def Jux, Oakland’s Anticon and Minneapolis’ Rhymesayers. From Deep Puddle Dynamics to Cannibal Ox, a host of classic projects have emerged from these camps, but a radio-ready ambassador has yet to show. That's where Atmosphere’s Slug comes in: he wants his groupies and he wants them now.

Slug has never fronted about wanting to blow up (on Lucy Ford he set out to be "bigger than the Beatles and bigger than breast implants"), so it should come as no surprise that Godlovesugly is another step toward his auspicious goals. Ant’s production stands head and shoulders above any of his previous work and Sluggo’s delivery is as confident as ever. The hooks are even catchy! Unfortunately, nothing comes without a price.

Sadly, our hero’s lyrics are riddled with boasts and lacking the adventurous creativity that has come to be expected from the talented vocalist. It seems Slug’s content has been cut down to four topics: women, hip-hop, women and women. His ability to channel emotion and paint verbal masterpieces keeps him afloat, but there is nothing that comes near the poetic mark of Lucy Ford’s "The Women With Tattooed Hands."

Atmosphere’s latest may be the most commercial-ready record to surface from the indie-hop community, but it manages without being too commercial, if that makes any sense. The heart-wrenching end ("Fuck You Lucy") to the love-hate saga that fueled Slug’s last album bleeds with feeling, while "Shrapnel" bares the scars that criss-cross his damaged heart. Although it’s a shame to see Slug turn the page on his Deep Puddle days (perhaps to avoid the "avant" death mark), Godlovesugly still comes off as honest and unaffected. Grade: B+

——Chris Martins

Blackalicious
Blazing Arrow
MCA Records/Quannum Projects

Conformists, beware. You must avoid listening to the fearfully fresh West Coast hip-hop duo Blackalicious. Their second full-length disc Blazing Arrow is a groundbreaking fusion of old-school hip-hop and current social consciousness.

After a decade of building a Bay Area loyal following with their ability to render hip-hop without subscribing to any contemporary agenda, Blazing Arrow is an historic album for Sacramento artists Xcel and Gift of Gab. The pair drops vibrantly original beats with foundations in hip-hop history. Xcel expertly handles time travel into the great black music scene of the late 1960s and '70s with the help of loaded lyricist Gift of Gab. Blackalicious' message deliberately avoids macho verses à la Jay-Z and Ja Rule, finding its own strength and power in authentic, uplifting raps.

From straight-up hip-hop on tracks like "4000 miles" and "Paragraph President," to soulful-futuristic-punk on "Brainwashers" and "Green Light: Now Begin," to the cautionary, morality-driven raps of "Sky is Falling" and Brainwashers," the album overflows with eye- and ear-opening tracks.

On "Chemical Calisthenics," Gift of Gab tosses periodic table terms with scientifically methodic flows, escalating to an explosion of basic earth elements and rolling drum beats. On "Nowhere Fast," Blackalicious looks to the present to find hope for the future: "Don't become a mental prisoner/just listen to the now and keep your mind from drifting off/I am the mission, the position/… new opportunity to get the love you're wishing for/ to kick the door in, to live for your ambitions, what/ you can move on to elevate your existence."A

Contributing guests include Zach De La Rocha (ex-Rage Against The Machine), Ben Harper, ?uestlove (The Roots), Chali 2Na and Cut Chemist (Jurassic 5) Rakaa-Iriscience (Dilated Peoples), Saul Williams, jazz legend Gil Scott-Heron, Tracey Moore (Jazzyfatnasteez), Jonell, and Miho Hatori (Cibbo Matto). Overflowing with talent and positive energy, Blazing Arrow sends shockwaves that dispel preconceived notions of normal, and ignites fires in the souls of those restless for something new.

Grade: A ——Sarah Grausz

David Bowie
Heathen

A pop culture visionary for four decades, he has personified Fame and Fashion, and yet David Bowie is still making ch-ch-changes to his persona and musical style. This icon, who has been known as Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dog, Ziggy Stardust and Major Tom in past eras——and more recently, Hubby and Daddy, will forthwith be referred to as Heathen of the new Millennium.

Though Mr. Bowie does not clone the character of a Heathen, a man absent of light, he has always levitated in a shadowy world all his own——a theatrical place and state of mind——never rivaled or duplicated. His new album reflects a deep introspection into the dark passages of life and love only Bowie could understand or locate. He once said it’s a shame to sleep because so much time is wasted there. In his new album, he awakened the ghosts within him. And yet now he feels more at peace than ever in his creative output.

Though Bowie wrote the majority of ethereal songs for this debut on Columbia in a cooperative with his own ISO label, he had help from somewhat grounded cohorts. Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters lent his guitar prowess to the progressive rockin’ "I’ve Been Waiting For You," a ditty originally penned by the never-rusty Neil Young. Legendary axeman Pete Townsend, once the property of the Who, bought new strings for his contribution to Bowie’s hauntingly original "Slow Burn." Also on the album is a simplistic rendition of the Pixies’ melancholy "Cactus," written by the venerable Frank Black.

Musically, the album is textured with a bevy of instruments, including a string and horn section. Bowie himself contributes guitars, keys, sax, stylophone and drums. His vocal delivery is stronger than ever with the usual stratospheric ranges, studio overlays and back up singer support. Grade: A

——Daryl Searle

After being signed to a big name record label, what would prompt a musician to jump ship and join another band? That’s exactly what guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark James Klepaski (formerly of the Universal act Lifer) did after learning that their friends Ben Burnley and Jeremy Hummel, singer/guitarist and drummer, respectively, of Breaking Benjamin, needed to round out the group. When listening to their debut album Saturate, the reasons become clear. Breaking Benjamin has put out a promising debut album, full of hard-hitting alternative-metal sounds that blend melodic rock choruses with electrifying guitar riffs.

Their lead track, "Wish I May," may remind you of one of their influences, Korn, with its pounding bass lines and the raw, raspy vocals of Ben Burnley. Their first single is "Polyamorous," a hard-hitting song filled with deep screams and thrashing energy that keeps the angst level high. The musical range of the band is evident with songs like "No Games" which highlights acoustic guitar and violins to give a moody, more melancholy flavor, and the ballad "Next To Nothing". "Sugarcoat" also mixes metal screams with a seductive sound, and is the album’s best example of vocal and atmospheric diversity. Closer "Forever" sounds fresh-picked from the flower-child era of the 60’s, but the break from their core sound is refreshing and flowing.

Production by Ulrich Wild (Deftones, Powerman 5000, Static X) means that you can count on an album that’s going to hit the core of alternative-metal fans that want to rock hard and fast. Saturate is an impressive debut by a band with musical synergy, and is worth giving a solid listen to. Grade: A-

——Mari Fong

Djinji Brown

As a former underground hip-hop producer who has worked with respectable players like A Tribe Called Quest, Rahzel of the Roots, and the Jungle Brothers among others, Djinji Brown’s debut sufficiently meets the game’s demand of virtuosity. The profundity of the album derives from its ethnic complexity of world beats, experimental drum n’ bass, aromatic dub and mid-‘70s old-school hip-hop rousings. Sirround Sound is like a travelogue of Brown’s observations through his culture-embracing eyes. You’ll hear Afro-tribal chants over cushiony beats in "Mojuba," and the next minute, you’ll find yourself in the kitchen with La Bruja as she reminisces her youth before "Abuelita’s Dance" makes another ethnic musing with Caribbean horns, junglized empty-bucket beats and oscilliating samples. Brown journeys into his native Bronx with the heavy hip-hop intrusion "Life Saver," featuring Fila Brazilla, who boasts positivity over naked Latin-tinged rhythms, lyrically redeeming hip-hop with anti-misogyny and pro-activism statements. They’re conscious and justifiably defensive against artistic corruption, especially in in the scratch-laden, hip-hop outro "Enter The Sound," with fellow labelmates Asheru and Blue Black hollerin’ poetic challenges. Brown’s collection of experiences are personal yet worldly, ethnocentric yet expansive and almost too symbolic to dance to. Grade: B

——Minnie Chi

Bullets of Orange
Bullets of Orange
(self-released)

The self-titled album from Bullets of Orange is a throwback to the glory days of ‘90s dirty rock. Their songs have wave-like quality, where sounds of discord are tossed together to make lush, dark music. "This is Love" sounds much like the now-disbanded Verve, with guitar influences from The Cure and production influences that echo Marilyn Manson and early Nine Inch Nails.

Singer Quinlan’s vocals range from a Thom Yorke-esque quality on "Let Me Love You" to Billy Corgan on "Not Enough." Their clever use of the keyboards enhances the dept of their music, rather than dating it. Unlike other current bands that incorporate keys, Bullets of Orange does not feature nor ignore the instrument. Keyboardist Byron Hagan subtly melds them into the distorted guitars and heavy percussion to produce a deeper level of new glam/grunge, more so than the Strokes or the Vines.

Although Bullets of Orange may be considered "indie," they lack the simple instrumentation of those Palmdale garage bands. Instead, they reintroduce the listener to the days when rock was stylized but grungy, when distorted vocals blended with simple harmonies showed natural depth. Their songs rock just as hard as My Bloody Valentine, but are more accessible. In the age of consumer driven pop-punk, Bullets of Orange provides the mainstream audience with a mature alternative to the nonsensical drivel of MTV.

The band is currently embarking on a year-long U.S. tour. More information can be found on their website: www.bulletsoforange.com. Grade: A

——Christina Han

Campfire Girls

When I first heard the Campfire Girls’ Delongpre, I found myself remarking, "This sounds as if it came straight out of 1995." I didn’t realize how right I was until much later, as I learned that the album is a previously shelved recording from that very year. It had to wait for the band to wade through the almost hopeless labyrinth of drugs, drink, and in-fighting. Not until the band’s reformation in December of 2000 were they able to start afresh, but not before releasing this forgotten could’ve-been classic.

Delongpre (named after the Hollywood street on which the band lived for many years) sounds much like many post-Nirvana bands of that period. The difference is that this disc is more along the lines of where Radiohead was when Thom Yorke still felt he needed to maintain a tribute to Kurt Cobain. But Delongpre is far more successful than the sketchy material that made up Pablo Honey. Although it doesn’t manage a "Blow Out," songs like the opening number, "I.Y.D.H.T.," grab the listener from the first note, and its intensity and passion refuse to loosen their grip as the guitars’ ever-escalating crescendo rides on the song’s earnest melody. Meanwhile, Christian Stone’s fine voice, emotive yet detached, glides smoothly along the track, heightening its addictive charm. The rest of the album is similarly appealing, from the laid-back melancholy of "Buttercup," to the garage-punk mockery of "Dang, That Smarts!" Grade: A

——Megan Gaynes

Neko Case

Every time Neko Case hits this one note in the song "Look For Me (I’ll Be Around)" on her third full-length record Blacklisted, I get a chill. The kind of chill that makes me melt into some sort of soothing bath water that engulfs my sonic senses and never grows lukewarm.

Damn, this girl can sing. Recorded in Tucson, Arizona with many collaborators, some old, some new, Case delivers a perfect rainy night record from the bottom of a wounded heart, a stainless soul and a goddess-like voice that is tattooed with a touch of lingering optimism. Throughout the thirteen songs, she mesmerizes, has a little fun and haunts as she proves that she is here to take the crown as the new reigning queen of country music. "Lady Pilot" is a great little tune about a character Case encountered on a plane ride that she thought might have disastrous consequences. "I Wish I was the Moon" is just so delightful——her voice sounds as if the moon had vocal chords. "Tightly" grabs you with open-mouthed adulation, leaving you glistening and radiant.

Case’s voice slays. It demolishes her past country and western efforts with a spitfire aplomb that reminds a listener of a polished Patsy Cline or Loretta Lynn (with more original songs). And damn, Neko seems cool. Any woman who emblazones her CD with the word "beaver" gets my name on her web site contact page any day.

This is one of those records that makes you understand why CD players actually have that "Repeat All" function. You never want it to end. Luckily, Case has proven that she will be here for a long time. Grade: A

——Zach Selwyn

Cornelius
Point
Matador

Cornelius' new album should be a staple on "year¹s best" lists if it¹s reissued sometime circa 2024, when the world finally catches up to it. By that time, the man himself will be filling stadiums over here the way he already does in his native Japan, and Point will be on every radio station, if they still have radio stations then, blasting out of the windows of cars levitating past. Its mellower tracks ("Brazil," "Drop") will play in the departure lounges of moon-bound shuttle lines, and its bouncier numbers ("Fly," "Smoke") will provide perfect soundtracks to campaign commercials promoting Britney Spears¹ second (or third?) presidential run. Our kids will get all misty-eyed at proms when songs like "Nowhere" are spun, and those same eyes will roll with skepticism every time we insist we used to be cool because we were onto the album back when it first came out in ¹02. This second Cornelius record features the same whiz-bang music-making as his first, 1998¹s Fantasma, but the mood is different. If the last record was a tour through a wild night of karaoke and soap bars in Tokyo¹s rowdy Shinjuku district, this one is the next slightly-hungover morning a few train stops down in peaceful Harajuku, meandering through the gardens and gawking at the hipsters strolling past. The cut-and-paste sound collages are still here, coming at you sometimes like unexpected fond memories from last night¹s party, but they¹re suffused in a brightness and warmth absent from many DJ-centered records. Plus it¹s sequenced so nicely you¹ll want to set your CD player on repeat and spend the whole day listening to it over and over. A very fine piece of work, and, heck, you¹re gonna have to get it sometime in the next twenty-two years. Might as well make it now.
Grade: A ‹ Steven Hanna

Jason Clayton-Felt
Spirit Touches Ground
DreamWorks Records

So melancholy is the task of reviewing the audio finale of a talented man who is not present to enjoy the success of his earthly art form. Josh Clayton-Felt died of testicular cancer on January 19, 2000. Finally, his last works have been released two years after his untimely death at 32.

His success began in the mid-1990s as co-founder of the alt pop band School of Fish with Michael Ward, now of the Wallflowers. They released their debut album on Capitol Records, armed with the tranquil single, "Three Strange Days." A second group CD was released before Josh signed with A&M Records for his solo recordings.

The label deemed the album incomplete until he presented 22 songs with session players, and then he was asked to pick a "hit" from the collection. He belabored the process, not knowing his efforts would be overshadowed by the infamous Universal-Polygram mega-merger of 1998, which would put the project on hold. Josh lost his rights to re-record his original music for five years while it was held in corporate limbo.

He regressed to his home studio, where, with his faithful dog Kaya by his side, he reworked the album to personal satisfaction one week before his diagnosis and lapsing into a coma from which he never recovered. He had re-recorded the "hit" he at last chose, "Building Atlantis," a lively song about spirit and survival, about bringing people together to build a dream. And the rights to his music were returned to his family.

It’s easy to hear why it’s so difficult to pick a single from an album of consistent quality. It’s like spinning a Jeff Buckley, Michael Penn or Live record and trying to decide between your favorites. Josh’s music could be considered alt pop, modern folk, Americana — how does one even label such a masterpiece of artistry, let alone decipher between best tracks?

One track that would surely bring shivers up anyone’s spine is "Love Sweet Love." The bittersweet lyrics sing: "To be myself I need love sweet love/Won’t you take me to my destination?" He reached the pinnacle of his destiny with music that will live on in his kind and gentle spirit, his love of people, and in music devoid of "hit" distinction. Grade: A+ – Daryl Searle

Elvis Costello
This Year’ Model
Blood & Chocolate
Brutal Youth
Rhino

Elvis Costello has been a hard artist to pin down. The British songwriting institution has spent much of the past ten years bouncing between disparate projects and genres, from collaborations with Burt Bacharach and the Brodsky String Quartet to producing classical singer Anne Sofie von Mutter. It’s enough to almost make one forget about the killer rock records he’s made. Well, not a moment to soon, Rhino offers a refresher course with its reissue series of classic Costello albums. Just when you though CD reissues couldn’t get any more deluxe, this comprehensive revamp of the Costello back catalog pairs each of original masterwork with a full bonus disc of extra material.

The three most recent reissues, This Year’s Model, Blood & Chocolate and Brutal Youth, feature Costello and his storied band the Attractions in some of their hardest rocking moments. In recruiting the Attractions, Costello solved the problem of being a less than confident guitarist by surrounding himself with a rhythm section talented enough to handle lead instrument duties. Despite being a perfect fit musically, Elvis and the Attractions have had an on-again off-again relationship, at times fraught with tension. But whenever Costello has decided to return to rock, he never fails to call on the Attractions, who take his sharp, spiteful tunes to a new level of intensity.

The three Attractions make their presence known from the start of This Year’s Model, Costello’s sophomore effort and first with the band. Bruce Thomas lays down incredibly solid, yet flexible bass lines, while classically-schooled Steve Nieve adds ingenious keyboard flourishes and Pete Thomas unleashes some tenacious drumming, most especially on the ferocious "Lipstick Vogue." This monster of a record still boasts some Costello’s most addictive numbers, like "This Year’s Girl" and "Pump It Up."

Jump eight years and eight albums later to 1986’s violent, stripped-down Blood & Chocolate. Highlights include the lurching opener "Uncomplicated" and the chilling, naked obsession of "I Want You." Another eight years would elapse before the arrival of Brutal Youth, a relatively straight-forward set that came in response to the grandiose scope of its predecessors, Spike and Mighty Like A Rose. While certainly a more mature effort, the album and the accompanying tour proved that Costello and the band still had plenty of fire left.

Next month, Costello will release a new album, When I Was Cruel, which features some members of the Attractions. If it’s the return to rock basics Costello promises it to be, these reissues should serve as the perfect primer. Grade: This Year’s Model: A+; Blood & Chocolate: A-; Brutal Youth: B+ —Michael Jolly

Carl Cox
Global
London FFRR

Carl Cox is a huge DJ both in stature and career accomplishment. Anyone who has ever seen a DJ or gone clubbin' knows the broad smiling face and bald head of Carl Cox. The guy has wowed so many crowds for so long and changed styles so often it's
hard to believe the guy still has the ability to stay current and still rock a crowd. With a brand new breakout single, a full-length mix disc, a 24-date American tour, a spot on Moby's upcoming "Area Two" tour, as well as an upcoming artist album, the good times may have just begun for Cox. Global is the first new disk to hit American shores from Cox since the disappointing Mixed Live on Moonshine. This time Carl finds major label distribution and major tour support and some major tunes. Once again, the DJ brings the right mix of funky house, tribally progressive workouts, and hard bangin' techno. Very much on the same tip as American counterpart DJ Dan, Cox loves the music he plays and is never afraid to mix up the familiar to something brand new. His latest cut with frequent collaborator Christian Smith, "Dirty Bass," is a monster that tore sound systems up all over Europe and America. While Lovesky's "Drums 4 Better Days" is an old San Francisco house classic given a proper update for today's crowds. Cox's enthusiasm is nearly unhinged and his finger is, as always, on the pulse beat of the latest and greatest new music around. Grade: A ­

— Sean-Michael Yoder

John Creamer & Stephane K
Bedrock 'Compiled and Mixed'
Bedrock/Pioneer

No act better typifies what's hot on the dance floors in 2002 than John Creamer and Stephane K. Compared to the duo's minimalist tech-house DJ and remix style, everyone else out there sounds boring in comparison. The duo inhabit an ethereal no-man’s-land that lies somewhere between gritty indie rock, emotionally charged house music and the dark nether regions reserved for Burroughs and Ginsberg. Once you've heard these two, you'll want to throw away your trance records in disgust, embarrassed that you ever thought they were cool.

This fourth mix in the wildly popular Bedrock series once again proves the label is interested in quality music that has a longer shelf life than the proverbial fifteeen minutes of dancefloor exposure. Disc one on Bedrock 'Compiled and Mixed' showcases the duo's dark side, with tons of spoken word snippets on angst-laden cuts like those by Peace Division. Steffano Greppi's infectious hit "Freedom Is" makes yet another appearance and is warmly received, while John Creamer and Prince Quick's supposedly controversial hit "Fuck Sonnet" is embarrassing and will hopefully die a quick death. Disc two showcases Creamer and K's roots in NYC-flavored house music, with soulful cuts by G. Pal, Kim English, Danny Tenaglia, and NYC's hottest new production duo, a group of taxi drivers with the moniker Against The Grain. But it’s the track "Seven" which really delivers the heavy emotional charge that has always made house music so attractive. It’s easily the best track of the two-disc set.

It seems that in the last few years house music has scene really drifted from its tried-and-true formulas and become boring and stagnant in the process. Bedrock once again brings the stragglers back to the flock with John Creamer and Stephane K, who have the magic formula to unleash the dancefloor demons in all of us. Grade: A

——Sean-Michael Yoder

Craig David
Slicker Than Your Average

The spotlight is also a lot brighter and less forgiving when an artist releases their second album. However, fans of British singer/songwriter Craig David shouldn’t fear that he’s fallen victim to the dreaded sophomore slump. Slicker Than Your Average proves that David is back in the game, sounding better than before and definitely turning up the heat.

The disc also shows a new director for David’s sound. Think less Usher and more like Blackstreet. The two-step sound on which he built his reputation has been relegated to a single track, the appropriately titled "2 Steps Back." The rest of the album is pure R&B with a few bright spots of pop. The first single, "What's Your Flava?" (on which David compares his dates to ice cream flavors) is a fast-paced cut that’s strictly for the party people, with an ‘80s synthesized flair courtesy album producers/co-writers Marshall and Trell. The album slows down a few tracks later with the bedroom jam "Personal" and a pitfalls-of-celebrity tale, "Rise and Fall," which features a stunning duet with Sting. David’s voice gets its finest showcase on the ballad "You Don't Miss the Water ('Til the Well Runs Dry)." On this melodic trip, David proves he is more than just a smooth operator and definitely slicker than your average artist. Grade: A-

——Nicole Ivey

Death Cab For Cutie
You Can Play These Songs With Chords
Barsuk

After three albums of striking and melodic indie rock, Seattle's Death Cab For Cutie take stock with You Can Play These Songs With Chords, a release that pairs their first formative recordings with various out-of-print and unreleased items. The title refers to a pre-Death Cab cassette-only release–appearing here in its entirety–which proves to be classic Death Cab in all but name. Their band name, for all you trivia buffs, comes from a Bonzo Dog Band song featured in the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour film.

For an odds 'n' sods type collection, You Can Play hangs together pretty nicely. Except for the presence of a couple experimental-sounding cuts and a spirited run through of The Smiths' "This Charming Man," the album mainly focuses on Death Cab's unhurried and melancholy-streaked songs. According to the liner notes, the band consider a tune like "State Street Residential" to be slow and plodding, but it's to their credit that this track and others are more like controlled, cathartic releases of energy.

Death Cab For Cutie continue to raise their profile with each successive album release and tour, including their jaunt with D.C. emo pals Dismemberment Plan earlier this year–the cheerfully titled "Death And Dismemberment Tour." And while they prepare for a new studio release next year, their growing fan base will be happy to have this album in their collections. Grade: A-

——Michael Jolly

The Dillinger Escape Plan
with Mike Patton
Irony is a Dead Scene
Epitaph

Every once in a while the stars really do align. On Irony is a Dead Scene, Mike Patton, his highness, god among men, to be worshipped by all under the sun, joins thrash scientists The Dillinger Escape Plan for twenty chaotic minutes of hardcore satori. The four-song EP takes the listener through the deadliest of the Patton arsenal: screeches that sound like a cat being smashed against a blackboard, deep, throaty rasps to give your girl the chills, tremolo falsettos trailing off into the blackest nothings and otherworldly beatboxing that would make Rahzel’s knees knock.

This is all what we’ve come to expect from Patton. But what makes Irony stand out is the ease at which the Escape Plan match his whim at every turn. Rather than bend, they shove back with force. He screams, they roar; he accelerates, they dash forward. "I’m the best you’ll ever have!" Patton rails and the Band retorts with a cacophonous assault. Moments later he’s shut down as the guitars are cut but as the ethereal organ takes over Patton slips into a slow ghostly swell. The race ends with a cover of Aphex Twin’s "Come To Daddy," but as for the victor… we’ll just have to wait for a rematch. Grade: A+

——Jack McGrue

Dirty Vegas
Dirty Vegas
Capitol

Last year it was Daft Punk's "One More Time" and the Wiseguys' "Stop the Commotion." Now Mitsubishi showcases another fine electronica single, "Days Go By," in their latest commercial with an equally fine brunette poppin' to it in——was it an Eclipse? Whatever the case——the song markets itself and has everyone asking, "who are they?"

They are an upcoming UK club/dance acid house trio who pride themselves as a band. "Days Go By," with its buoyant lite-house beats and super chill bassline, is an impressive introduction, but certainly not their summation. Dirty Vegas are purveyors of the nightlife, illuminating everything between stepping out of your apartment to stepping into a club, and convincing you that ultra-urban is ultra-cool.

Dirty Vegas shifts from too-cool-to-dance acid house to rock-the-body club house, but as the album progresses, the "band" becomes more alternative. Synthetics-wise, their atmospherics stem from their acidifying technique of using effects as beats and decors as themes, which is prominently featured on "I Should Know," "Ghosts" and "Lost and Found." The segues are brilliantly smooth and the respites calming. The music simply absorbs percussionist Steve Smith's sheer vocals as he ruminates quixotic phrases like "Give me a chance to catch my breath/ so I could lay my ghost to rest." "Throwing Shapes," a funky play on dynamics is followed by "Candles," a blues-tinged downtempo track, and after a few more acidic beats, Steve Smith becomes a real singer and the acoustic guitar comes into focus on "Simple Things." The night is already over by the time the album closes with an acoustic version of "Days Go By," a tune that'll make you yawn, rub your eyes and say to yourself "it's 4 a.m. already?" Grade: B+

——Minnie Chi

Drums & Tuba

There’s more to this band than its name implies. The trio known as Drums and Tuba also have a guitarist (how pissed is he that he gets the shaft in the band’s rather gimmicky name?).

Even when the treble-driven guitarist occasionally drops out of the mix, the Tuba’s tone is so warped in electronic fidgetry that it’s not exactly obvious the band used organic instruments to record Mostly Ape.

Traversing the same realm of organic electronic breached by such acts as Lemon Jelly and the Blue Man Group, Drums and Tuba is that group that everyone will accept but no one is really going to embrace. They’re excellent raucous background music that sounds mildly pleasant with conversation and other random noise above it. Damn, but they’re easy to tune out and forget about.

A nice try from the trio, but much like its predecessor, this album never goes anywhere. The songs meander in excessive noodling. And though the group’s effort to stick to more melodic songs is apparent, the polyrhythmic nature of the group gets a tad annoying by the time the album comes to an end.

Mostly Ape: a good effort from a group that’s still evolving. Grade: B

——Antero Garcia

Baxter is the son of the late, diminutive punk star, Ian Dury. Ian, along with his band the Blockheads, rode the New Wave to America on the strength of joyous hits like "Hit Me (With Your Rhythm Stick)" and "Wake Up And Make Love." While no doubt deeply influenced by his dad and his pals, Baxter has a sound all his own. "Beneath The Underdog" opens with a slow guitar reverb before Baxter sings in a near falsetto. Dury has assembled a cast of players from known bands, including Richard Hawley from Pulp on guitar, bassist Norman Watt-Roy from the Blockheads and Portishead drummer Geoff Barrow. Baxter plays a little guitar, but mostly piano and Rhodes, which he is fond of making howl shrilly like the cold English wind. Johanna Hussey sings on almost every cut, adding an upbeat counterpoint to Dury’s understated point of view. Baxter is content to play second vocalist to Johanna on "Lucifer’s Grain" resulting in the poppiest track on Len Parrott’s Memorial Lift. Dury left the London scene behind for two months to write this record in Austin, which may account for the "be yourself" chant in "Gingham Smalls 2," where he drops the vocal effects and lets his Cockney accent provide the charm.

Grade: B+

——Kevin Wierzbicki

Darren Emerson
& Tim Deluxe

The label responsible for the Superstar DJ series Global Underground brings us the latest pairing from former Underworld member Darren Emerson and Kylie Minogue's friend Tim Deluxe.

Emerson and Deluxe are big names in UK house music, but in America they seem lost in a sea of local competition. The tide has shifted in house music: American kids want to see American house DJs and have elevated DJs like Onionz, Miguel Migs and Deep Dish to near-mythic status the way they did with Sasha and Oakenfold a few years ago. Many Stateside kids today don't have the access to the sounds of UK DJs, as more and more they are crowded out by cheaper, high-quality domestic offerings in local record stores. Cutting edge Eurolabels like Ministry Of Sound and Hooj, once renowned for their trance and progressive house sound, are putting out cuts by well-established American house DJs. The funky soul is back, and Emerson and Deluxe explore SF house and West Coast tech house with some of the most amazing brand new cuts available. Disc one of this two-disc set explores the driving, vocal-friendly house music favored in Ibiza, while disc two is more au currant with dark basslines and a minimalist tech house drive.

The Global Underground series and the UK superclub DJs used to move the sounds and change the trends. Nowadays many of their contemporaries are struggling to stay ahead of their American competitors who were once light years behind. Episode 1 is a great mix, but these days there are many good ones to choose from. Grade: B-

——Sean-Michael Yoder

Empress
Stateside Sessions: Drum and Bass, Vol. 2
Topaz

Empress is a Stateside nu-skool junglist bent on shaking things up in the jungle scene. Following in the footsteps of U.S. jungle pioneer Dieselboy, Empress tours non-stop while making a name for herself among the UK elite and churning out jungle classics in her downtime. Her latest collaboration "Hydroxy," with SF junglists Sage and UFO! of the Phunkateck crew under the moniker Triadd is well on its way to becoming a jungle classic. Along with her female contemporaries Sage and Reid Speed, Empress is reinventing jungle after it was written off as too dark and elitist. Empress adds some feminine charm as she breathes some much needed texture into the typical banging jungle rollers like 2 Cities’ "Tech Is Taking Over". On cuts like Orion's "Slanked" or "Issues" by Ecco & Sabotage, the skittery breakbeats-on-steroids sound of jungle are fused with the deep churning sounds of progressive house . After years of trying to distance itself from house music and club culture in general, DJs like Empress and Reid Speed bring drum and bass back to its roots by playing records that are loaded with sounds associated with deep house. Empress’ foresight is helping to rescue the scene from a fiery death.

The final result is a clean and enjoyable mix that never gets too mellow or sleepy-eyed, but won't have you wanting to start a mosh pit in your living room either. A perfect balance is achieved on Stateside Sessions: Vol. 2. Grade: B+

——Sean-Michael Yoder

Faultline is UK electronica-popster David Kosten, and his sophomore release is fast becoming one of the most talked-about chill-out albums of the year. Your Love Means Everything is not only perfectly crafted 21^st century electronic pop, but also reads like a who’s who of indie rock celebrity. Kosten evidently just sent out letters asking for contributions but obviously everybody responded to his hypnotizing technocractic ambience.

The disc is evenly split between unearthly post-club experimental instrumentals (evoking everyone from a softer DJ Shadow to a beat-heavy Eno) with tender vocal synth-ballads. These are the pieces that stand out.

Coldplay’s Chris Martin’s cuts mark a career best. He’s got a menacing sigh on the disquieting "Where Is My Boy?" Later, he’s sublimely polished on the neurotic title track lullaby. Flaming Lips’ frontman Wayne Coyne movingly frets about losing love (and sunlight) on "The Colossal Gray Sunshine." But the most famous voice is REM’s Michael Stipe, who huskily laments through the electronica dirge "Greenfields," originally a pre-Dylan folk-pop hit for The Brothers Four (if you care).

Kosten isn’t an A-list producer yet. But based on this top-notch, dark-toned effort (and to paraphrase Yoda), he will be, he will be. Grade: A-

——Doug Simpson

The cover art of Boomerang depicts the face of Fermin IV sculpted out of a large tree. Metaphorically, the image works; it’s easy to hear the organic elements of the album at work in the background, culminating and forming the complete Fermin IV. Unfortunately, these elements remain too submerged in the mix and posh studio wizardry covers up the elements that help make Fermin IV stand out from his Latin hip-hop contemporaries.

With groups such Syndicato Argentio del Hip-Hop and Orishas vying for the American dollar in the Latin hip-hop market (not to mention such domestic groups like Ozomatli), it’s hard to hear how Fermin IV is any different——let alone better——than what these other artists are putting out right now.

But then on second listen… it’s there——Fermin IV’s cry for uniqueness. In all of the songs, there’s the subtle sounds that root him in that picture on the cover of his album——organics. Hints of real instruments and his musical muscle peep from under the thunderstorm of 2/4 kick drums and 8^th note snare taps——the same old in pastiche hip-hop.

Is it worth the effort to find these redeeming elements in each of Fermin IVs songs? Not really, but if these elements are given the chance to sprout, Fermin IV could be the dominating force that Latin hop has been so severely lacking. Grade: C+

——Antero Garcia

Flogging Molly

Much has been written recently about the similarities between Flogging Molly and its Irish punk peer The Dropkick Murphys. Many critics have attacked the youthful Molly as nothing more than a watered-down version of the more veteran–and for some, more credible–Dropkick Murphys. This criticism seems unfair in that Flogging Molly, while certainly having a similar sound, also has its own unmistakable flavor and style.

With its second effort, Drunken Lullabies, Molly remains true to its melodic Irish folk punk background. But where much of the Dropkick Murphys’ music centers on adrenaline and aggressiveness, Flogging Molly continues to take a more subtle approach and walk down its own unique path. Meaningful tracks dominate this album, with songs such as "Rebels of the Sacred Heart" often surprising the listener with its heartfelt themes. Make no mistake, the music here is still very much punk by definition, with its traditional short choruses and rapid-fire lyrics. But, the tone of many of the songs (most notably "What’s Left of the Flag" and "Bag of Bricks") offer remarkable emotional depth.

Another knock on Flogging Molly is the one-dimensional writing that was so prevalent on its debut album. Lullabies provides a capable answer for this criticism as well. This particularly true with "Cruel Mistress," a song that seems light years removed from the far more myopic earlier material.

There are those who feel strongly that punk music is intended to be defiant, meaningful and edgy without any of pop’s sappier emotions. Lullabies disputes that stereotype loudly and proudly. Flogging Molly skillfully walks the tightrope of being introspective and refined while maintaining its relevance and street credibility. That’s not an easy feat when one considers that many punk fans, particularly those of the hardcore persuasion, tend to quickly label a band "soft" the moment it shows any feelings in its music. Hopefully, that won’t be the case here, as Flogging Molly is thoughtful and even sentimental without ever becoming overwrought. And in the crazy, manic world of punk music, that’s quite an achievement indeed. Grade: B

– Greg Leos

Foo Fighters

When the Foo Fighters released their self-titled debut in 1995, rock fans soon discovered that Dave Grohl could have a career after Nirvana. But after two more successful albums, fans wondered: will this winning streak last? With the Foo's latest album, One By One, the rock world can breathe a sigh of relief. The Foo Fighters have done it again, with an album full of memorable rock songs that make you want to scream and dance For those who haven't heard the first single, "One By One," expect a catchy tune that bursts into Grohl singing a fierce, hard-driving chorus. The album is filled with unique sounds that range from the haunting guitar riffs of "Low" to the flowing melody of "Have It All." "Times Like These" (one of Grohl's favorites) is a good example of the Foo's mellow rock style, while "Lonely As You" incorporates unexpected melodies that add to the album's myriad of flavors. Not a surprise for a band that continues to step out of the ordinary

There are a few songs that didn't jumped out at me, such as "Tired Of You," with its monotonous beats, but overall, it's hard to argue the talents behind the Foo Fighters. My advice? Go buy it now. Grade: A

——Mari Fong

The Gourds

"My name is Jorge and I twist and I juke/I roll into town with my wagon of fruit." Now, Jorge is one happy campesino. But he’s got more on his mind than peddling papaya. Every juicy treat he dispenses comes with a free political comment, maybe about JFK, maybe about Henry Ford. Most importantly, he is the lucky inhabitant of the coolest song on earth, the Gourds’ "My Name Is Jorge." Bass player Jimmy Smith takes a vocal turn on the bouncy dance track while the band mixes mandolin and accordion with guitar just like it was plum nectar mixing with vodka. Smooth but with a kick best describes this homespun Austin fivesome. Smith alternates lead vocals with Kev Russell and both have just enough hayseed inflection to authenticate the Gourds’ hillbilly blues. Kev’s reading of "Ham Fisted Box of Gloves" approximates Levon Helm on any number of Band classics. All of the other Gourds guest here and there on Kev’s Buttermilk & Rifles, where the rhythms get a little funkier. But most of the earthiness comes from Russell’s throat, as on the haunting slide guitar blues of "Way Fallen Stranger." There is some straightahead bluegrass here, some cryin’ country and a little tuba. The smoky hoodoo of "Blackfoot" tucks the juke joint in for the night. By then, of course, Jorge has had it too. "I’m punch drunk and my wagon’s ka-poot/Said my name is Jorge…" Grade: A (both)

——Kevin Wierzbicki

Guided by Voices
Universal Truths and Cycles
Matador

It's a fact of life – you have to overcome emotional barriers before you can move on. On Guided by Voices' last album, Isolation Drills, bandleader/indie rock poet laureate Bob Pollard, fresh from a failed marriage, relayed his inner turmoil with some of his most revealing and tender songs to date. Now that he's got that off his beer-soaked chest, it's time for this Dayton, Ohio-hailing troupe to return to what they do best: be America's top purveyors of immediate, completely alive rock 'n' roll.

Enter Universal Truths and Cycles, which handily reconciles GBV's lo-fi garage roots with the high-gloss approach they've adopted in recent years. There's the swaggering, noisy "Skin Parade," brief acoustic fugues ("Zap," "The Weeping Bogeyman"), and urgently melodic gems spiked with Pollard's famously obtuse wordplay ("Christian Animation Torch Carriers"). It's hard to pick out a clunker anywhere on this disc; "Cheyenne" annoys at first with Pollard's maudlin falsetto, but then it somehow grows on you.

Similarly, given the consistent quality of these 19 tracks, it's tough to single out highlights, but I submit the anthemic, staccato-riffing "Back to the Lake," the cascading "Storm Vibrations," the scrappy "Everywhere With Helicopter" and "Eureka Signs," a revved-up chunk of resplendence and grit.

For all their singularity, GBV isn't immune to betraying their influences. The folky "Factory of Raw Essentials" sounds like Pollard channeling Gordon Lightfoot, and "Wings of Thorn," with its percussive guitar strumming, could be sandwiched into every future pressing of the Who's Tommy and no one would notice. Nevertheless, as Cycles thrashes and jangles to a close, all that is great about this thing called rock seems gloriously distilled. Grade: A

– Eric Layton

Gus Gus

Gus Gus has downsized from their nine-man troupe, but that hasn’t made their sound any less confident or complex. The Icelandic collective, still featuring original members Biggi Veira, Herb Lego (a.k.a. Buckmaster) and Stephan Stephensen, has retained the Gus Gus trademark aural philosophy to authenticate unquestionable dance music in their long-awaited third release. Freshly recruited vocalist Urdur Hakonardottir (a.k.a. Earth) brings a non-ostentatious diva-esque delivery, which suits the tech-generated album just fine, because it seems that the group is not only demanding attention but movement.

Attention is undoubtedly more keen to the tech-pop vision rather than the sub-zero trip-pop and assorted idiosyncratic alt-dance crafted in their debut Polydistortion and its follow-up, This Is Normal. Aside from the clarion production, the tracks are only subtly futuristic. The irony is that their digitalia constructions, both otherworldly and primo-urban, aim to be thematically primitive, as displayed on tracks like the ethereal lite-house deference to human instincts, "Call of the Wild" and "Desire," with the incandescent presence of former member and vocalist Daniel Agust insinuating "Are you neglecting your primal desires?" atop liberatory techno. The most shining dance anthem is "Dance You Down." It’s an example of what inane poly-rhythmic high-tech retro can actually sound like when in the hands of a few artful bastards. "Unnecessary" is a classy synth-composition that rides through interfacial layering and fuzzy guitar distortions. "David" fringes on a more of a club aura, and the title track "Attention" is a busy cyborg fest with French-accentuated vocal loops that are manipulated with precision.

Attention shows the electronica auteurs at a different speed with less diversity in the writing and participation of their former ensemble, but this is barely reflected in the minimized group. Gus Gus is all about craft, mandating composition over generic formulations and motifs and gradations over style and fragmentation. It’s just pure aesthetically controlled progressive dance music for the fastidious artsy elite. Grade: A-

——Minnie Chi

Juliana Hatfield
Gold Stars: 1992-2002
Zoe

A sugary voiced goddess of indie rock (or think Heather Nova with grit), Juliana Hatfield was far ahead of her time when she emerged solo in the early nineties following the break-up of Boston’s Blake Babies. With that said, Juliana has never had the fame that she deserves. The album’s twenty tracks (four of which are unreleased) pay respect to each of her albums, as well as the unreleased God’s Foot. Juliana has provided her more observant fans with short autobiographical descriptions for each song, which address the mood she was in when the song was written, and often the fact that the song is not autobiographical at all.

Songs like "My Sister," "Spin the Bottle" and "Universal Heartbeat" are Juliana’s radio-friendly provisions, and they are poignant with attitude, but definitely not the best she has to offer. "Fade Away" has an almost feminized Tool-esque feeling throughout, where Juliana takes on two personalities; the devilish poet and the sweet songbird. With "Sellout," Juliana pays needed homage to the overly used term as she sings "I lost my attitude, got a tattoo." "Cry in the Dark" illustrates a rare moment of vulnerability and serves as the perfect make-out song for hopeless romantics. Heavier on the guitar and sarcasm, "Houseboy" is the perfect anti-submissive girl power anthem, as Juliana turns the tables and harshly diminishes the importance of having a boyfriend. She explains in the liner notes that this song addresses her fantasy of having a "decadent bohemian lifestyle." Juliana’s unreleased cover of Neil Young’s "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" is the perfect last dance ditty for that distorted Midwestern high school prom that we all reminisce about.

In short, Juliana has covered a lot of ground in the last decade, and Gold Stars captures the unique flavor of each album. Although a few tracks serve only as fillers, this collection is a must have for every rocker chick fan! Grade: A

——Eszter Takacs

Hobex

Remember that Hootie and the Blowfish lyric "put on a little Dillon, sitting on a fence?" The name check was referring to the North Carolina-based pop band Dillon Fence, who, despite a small following, never quite broke through on a major level. Its lead singer, Greg Humphreys, formed Hobex in 1996, and his multi-genred outfit works elements of funk, soul, jazz and blues into their energetic nationally-released new record, U Ready Man?

The driving ska-funk rhythm of songs like "Playin’ Games" suggest this band is probably one of the most ferocious live acts in any genre. The problem with many great live bands is that they don’t always impressively transfer over to studio recordings. However, U Ready Man? brings forth fifteen songs that only flag sporadically.

There is definitely a party going on here, and Humphreys is a respectable soul singer. The band could have trimmed down a few of the jam songs but overall they harken back to the early ‘70s funk-soul that helped to bring a nation to its feet. In particular, songs like "You Had to Tell" evoke a Sly Stone groove, which is complimented by scorching guitar work.

Hobex may have a live following, but getting new fans by word of mouth and CD may prove to be as hard as sneaking a flask into Lollapalooza. But given the performances here, there is definitely a chance that Greg Humphreys and Hobex may gain a national recognition beyond any Hootie lyrics. Grade: B +

——Zach Selwyn

Lorna Hunt
Sentimental Bedlam
Hunk

Sentimental Bedlam is Lorna Hunt's impressive follow-up to her award-winning 1998 debut, All In One Day. A hybrid of progressive rock and traditional folk, Hunt's musical efforts are decidedly experimental but never distracting or problematic, since her voice is so conventionally beautiful. Rhythmic and melodic in an offbeat way, each song is like a little knock on the doors of the soul. Her stories are personal, her messages universal. She plays with words and constructs images with the skill of a poet: "Some walk along in their life machines/ They keep them oiled they keep them clean/ You are one walking dream" (from "Life Machine"). Pain and whimsy meld together seamlessly and because the band exhibits such range, no two songs sound the same. At times, Hunt sounds vaguely like Jewel, sometimes Alanis Morrissette, and occasionally Janis Joplin, but the reminiscences are fleeting; she has her own unique style. Each track is a refreshing surprise, a reminder that there are artists who dare to make each song a risk, instead of producing an album according to one tried-and-true musical formula. Grade: A

——Kim Hooper

Imperial Teen

I’ve always had issues with the concept of a live album. To me, the benefit of paying $14.50 for a CD is to hear the ultimate vision of the musicians in studio quality sound. And the reason to pay $14.50 for a concert ticket is to get to see the expression on the face of the drummer as he feels the rhythm of the song course from his fingers, up his arm, through his neck, and contort the muscles around his mouth to form a passionate grimace. I like to see who's looking at whom when key moments happen. I like to be witness to improvisation as it occurs. I like knowing that what I am hearing is what is actually being created at that exact moment before my eyes. And I don't get that from a live album

Now that you understand my bias, you can also understand my less-than-enthusiastic impression of Imperial Teen’s new live release, Live at Maxwell’s. As a band, Imperial Teen is '80s pop meets 2001’s impression of late '60s edgy-yet-accessible material, and the end result is fun, a bit cheesy, and even sophisticated at time. The album features hits from their previous records, including seven songs from their most recent release, On. Its strengths reside in the overall quality of the songwriting, but you don't get as clear a sense of that here as you do on the studio records, where the vocals and production are more distinct. Live at Maxwell's succeeds as a live reproduction of the studio songs and a showcase for the band's abilities, but achieves little else. There’s a lack of entertaining between-song banter, but the songs speak for themselves and the audible reaction from the audience serves as proof that they are being well entertained. So what’s my point? If you love Imperial Teen and want to be sure you own every release by this exceptional band, this is for you. If you appreciate live albums more than I do, great. But if you are looking for an introduction to Imperial Teen, this is not necessarily where to get it. Grade: B-

——Lesley Bargar

Irving

All five members of the L.A.-based indie-pop group Irving write and sing. Most times, that kind of situation would be a recipe for disaster. But in this and other ways, Irving is not typical. Like the Beatles, the Clash or Guns N’ Roses, the sum of the parts add up to a greater whole.

Appropriately, Irving has something in common with all three bands listed above. Bassist Alex Church, guitarists Steven Scott and Brian Canning, keyboardist Shana Levy and drummer Brent Turner mix and mesh different traits into a coherent melodic accomplishment but aren’t afraid of a little experimentalism.

Irving effortlessly shifts from tender folk (the Leonard Cohen-like "Crumbling Mountain Tops" and the airy "Holiday") to lo-fi new wave acoustics (the chugging "Eyes Adjust to Light," which humorously mentions Willie Nelson) to spirited garage rockers (the mid-‘60s romp "L-O-V-E" and the raucous "A Very Frivolous Distribution of Sundries"). Throughout the eleven cuts, the quintet balances diverse influences such as Kris Kristofferson, David Bowie and Otis Redding, managing to evoke Irving’s favorite artists while retaining a unique distinction.

Irving has a growing regional following due to residencies at clubs like Spaceland and the Silver Lake Lounge, where music is more important than trends or hype. Now here’s your chance to discover Irving in the comfort of your living room, bedroom or in your car. Pick up Good Morning Beautiful at your local independent music shop or surf to eeniemeenie.com. Grade: B+

——Doug Simpson

Kidneythieves
Zerospace
Extasy

Zerospace is the second release from the duo of Free Dominguez (vocals) and Bruce Somers (producer/musician). Taking obvious cues from the Eurythmics and musically influenced by Nine Inch Nails, the duo makes souped-up, late-80s¹ industrial music
enhanced with modern electronics. Free's vocals run the gamut from ethereal and angelic to the raging sounds of a woman scorned. Her best moments come on the duo's twisted take on Patsy Cline's "Crazy" and the haunting drum and bass-influenced "Serene Dream." The rest of the 13 tracks on Zerospace have great moments unfortunately buried in the duo's incessant need for cock rock guitars. The overall product sounds dated and swollen, with too many influences and too much drama. Note to Kidneythieves: this is the 21st Century and industrial is out. These days it's all about minimalism. Grade: C ­ Sean-Michael Yoder

Ladytron
Light & Magic
Emperor Norton

Get out your jelly bracelets and wraparound sunglasses——the ‘80s are back! At least it is according to popular media, and thanks to its big mouth, the revisionist trend is making a so-called comeback with a slew of neo-electro acts overhyped as the "new thing." This Liverpool-based, unisexed mod squad proves that they are as "nu" as nu-New Wave can get. They’re the upgraded, black-clad terrorist version of Human League, fronted by two stoic femme nikitas who voraciously freeze high-tech vocoders with subversive lyrics that make an annoyance of pop culture.

Light & Magic eludes crafty retro-electro and is groove-friendly at precious moments, expounding with bass-synth-bass metronomes, organic high claps and in-vitro analog and keyboard gyrations coiled with aloof automaton fem vox. The disinfected "seventeen" is the most propulsive mechanical killjoy, extending from their previous album’s "playgirl," and the club chic of "flicking your switch" technologizes disco-tech fever with tact and not tackiness (they’re not that ‘80’s). In melody-sensitive "Evil" and "Blue Jeans," Ladytron becomes the robo-girl next door like a super-sterilized Bananarama, but you still can’t trust them ‘cause they don’t even blink. This electro-pop quartet are ready to reprogram the ‘80s from a futuristic motherboard. So forget the time capsule——it’s time to let this retro career explode! Grade: B +

——Minnie Chi

Living Sacrifice

They look like a killer metal band, they sound like a killer metal band, they worship and preach about Jesus and God like a killer metal band…huh? Popping the CD in could result in serious headbanging popularity until one takes a peek at the lyrical content. The songs on Conceived in Fire discuss peace and love and alliances with Jesus. The irony is that the music is heavy…VERY heavy, brutal and actually very good. One could even imagine an out-of-control mosh pit erupting as Living Sacrifice plays before an arena of Slayer fans. But isn’t moshing violent?

Songs like "Symbiotic," "Ignite," "Distrust" and "The Poisoning" steal some serious attention. The five-piece band consists of the hardcore thrash vocals stylings of Bruce Fitzhugh (also on guitar), the pounding rhythm section of Arthur Green on bass and Lance Garvin on drums, the very kewl percussion "extras" of Matthew Putman (also on vocals) and last but not least, the furious annihilating guitar shreds of Rock Gray.

However, lyrics to songs like "Subtle Alliance" are anything but subtle: they consist of preachy lines like "Along the way, I missed it, avoiding all repentance/ Along the way, I missed it, becoming selfish/There is only one way out of here, in your presence, Jesus." And at the end of the liner notes, the dudes credit "Jesus" and the "Lord" for their inspiration. Why not give credit where credit’s due, guys? In yourselves!

The musicianship on Conceived in Fire is awesome. The message, though, is disappointing and misleading to metal fans everywhere. But at least the band will earn its rank right alongside STRYPER in heaven. Grade: B

——Kerr Lordygan

Los Lobos

Twenty-five years of experience in rock tends to produce some damn fine bands, and Los Lobos is no exception. With eleven studio albums under their belt, their latest release has maturity, creativity, and that special "something" that good musicians do to their music that makes you shake your ass uncontrollably while driving down the highway.

This album has about four bass-driven, hard-rocking blues and soul shuffles, three overtly Latin-influenced tracks, a couple jazzy/spacey songs, and a few others that blend all their styles together. None of their songs escape the oft-imitated yet distinct and beautiful groove that their music constantly emanates.

The honest, heartfelt lyrics on "Tony y Maria" display their craft better than most musicians could ever hope to; "One hundred and fifty miles from Mexico to L.A./doesn’t seem that far but still a world away…Tony washes dishes/Maria she sweeps floors/the dreams they once had/well they don’t have them anymore" nearly had this cat in tears. Other songs, such as "The Big Ranch" and the title track really grasp harsh emotions felt by real people and put a melody to it.

Aside from some great lyrics and tight production, this album has a vibrant energy behind each note. You can feel two torn hearts beating throughout "Tony y Maria"… the horns of "Luz de Mi Vida" follow two lovers’ dance steps across a floor…the urgency of the guitars on "Get to This" sucks you in immediately. This is one hell of a band. And Good Morning Aztlán is one hell of an album.

We just missed Los Lobos at the House of Blues in early June, and some of us are rather bitter about it. Don’t worry, though; they’re likely to play through here again in August. Get your soul rocked at www.loslobos.org. Grade: A

——Patrick Reetz

Luna

Hot on the heels of last spring’s superb Romantica, Luna presents this 29-minute, seven song mini-album of almost all new music, chock full of more melodic pop than found in most record bins.

The CD opens with the pulsing "Astronaut," a track which will hopefully fill the airwaves (it deserves to be a radio hit). The other new cut is the atmospheric "Teenage Lightning," which sneaks in some tender steel guitar. There are a few leftovers from the Romantica sessions, including the slightly loopy instrumental "Drunken Whistler" and glazed slow-rocker "The Alibi." "New Haven Comet" (which started life as a demo) rounds out the original material, in which singer/guitarist Dean Wareham reveals his sympathetic ear for romance.

Luna also offers two unexpected cover tunes. The most effective is an easy-going version of the Rolling Stones’ ballad "Waiting on a Friend." Last but not least is "Neon Lights" (a Kraftwerk number produced four years ago but re-done for this disc), which Luna de-constructs as a relaxing distortion-pop ode to urbanization that works best played really loud.

As a bonus. there are videos for "Lovedust" and "1995," playable on computers, both more interesting than what’s usually seen on TV. Grade: A+

——Doug Simpson

Magna-Fi

Burn Out The Stars, the debut album from Magna-Fi, is refreshingly honest rock ‘n’ roll, different from the pseudo-rock being churned out by bands with covert intentions of becoming pop sensations. Magna-Fi won’t be on TRL, but their CD is definitely listener-worthy. A common thread of Gen-X disillusionment runs throughout the songs, which creates a unified, cohesive flow. As evidenced by songs titles like "Down In It," "This Life," and "Where Did We Go Wrong," Magna-Fi have mastered the jaded confusion that plagues modern youth. The lyrics capture the ambiguity of self-discovery: of loving and hating your school, your job, yourself, your lover. Tracks like "Ex-OK" and "Drown" are deeply emotional, while "When I Leave You" and "Beautiful" capture innocence lost. As Mike Szuter sings in "This Life": "I’ve grown to hate this life, everything that I can’t make right...all the dreams I can’t let go/ every time that I should have known...don’t want to hate this life..." The stars of the songs are the anti-heroes of society. Magna-Fi makes the anti-hero sympathetic, accompanying their intense lyrics with powerful drum and guitar beats that are melodic while still being hard. Produced by Paul Lani (Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, David Bowie), Magna-Fi may well be on its way to garnering respect in today’s rock ‘n’ roll music scene. Grade: A

——Kim Hooper

Masonic
Never Stood a Chance
Tight Spot

There’s a definite fraternal spirit about musicians who work together in a band. There’s got to be trust and close-knit camaraderie if people are willing to practice in cramped quarters hour after hour. Or drive in a small van for half a day to play in some dive for next to nothing. And of course do without money, job security and free time in the pursuit of creativity.

Austin indie pop quintet Masonic, however, carries the notion a step further. The five piece consists of brothers Kevin (keyboards), John (lead guitar), and Brian Mason (drums) alongside romantically linked couple Jason Westbrook (bass) and sweet-voiced singer Jennifer Christen.

Masonic is part of a strong Austin underground pop environment that includes Spoon, Silver Scooter and David Garza, and a local scene that heavily supports the annual South by Southwest music conference. And Masonic is quickly becoming prominent due to its intelligent songcraft and unabashedly accessible hooks.

The 30-minute disc confidently opens with the exuberant "Say Goodbye," a buoyant, ultra-catchy tidbit that serves as an infectious introduction. It’s followed by other mouth-watering morsels like the stomping "Brand New Day" or the smoother "Satellite Tonight." Take a taste test yourself – download the three free MP3 files at www.masonictheband.com.

The album has an endearing lo-fi buzz (it was recorded for less than a month’s typical apartment rent) that recalls Sebadoh or some of the Athens, GA Elephant 6 collective (it’s surprising Masonic wasn’t picked up by Kindercore Records). Jennifer Christen’s deceptively cool vocals commingle gracefully Austin with fuzzy guitars (influenced as much by garage-rockers The Sonics as by Sonic Youth), and swirling Moog and Vox organ (think the Rentals as well as the Beach Boys). Masonic also has the kind of rock-bottom rhythm section that seems redundantly simple but in fact leaves more room for the insanely sharp melodies.

Never Stood a Chance is rough in all the right ways, although some listeners might prefer more polish. Recommended if you’re into Wolfie, The Apples in Stereo or the Vaselines. Grade: B+ –

Doug Simpson

Rhett Miller

When cult alt-country band the Old ‘97s announced last year that they’d be going on hiatus——and that singer/guitarist Rhett Miller would be releasing a solo album during the break——you could hear the band’s fans say a collective, "huh?" After all, Miller wrote almost all of the ‘97s songs anyway; except for the occasional burst of country-punk from bassist Murray Hammond, the ‘97s always were Miller’s band.

But this album (really Miller’s second solo release, though the first has been out of print for years) isn’t just an Old ‘97s collection under a different name. For better or worse, Miller has made a legitimate solo record, with a completely reworked sound. Noticeably absent are trademark ‘97s sad-sack acoustic laments and (with the exception of "The El," a barreling ode to Chicago’s subway) speedy, energetic X-ish rockers. There’s a decidedly more pop-like bent to The Instigator, more than even last year’s very radio friendly (but inexplicably hitless) ‘97s release, Satellite Rides, thanks in no small part to resident Largo genius Jon Brion’s shapely production.

Unfortunately, also in scarce supply is Miller’s mournful angst, long a hallmark of the best Old ‘97s songs. Miller got married last year, and it’s apparent from the opening song "Our Love" (with its enthusiastic chorus of "our love/goes on and on") that his requited love songs aren’t nearly as interesting as his pining, angry blasts-from-the-past. The few sad songs on the album are, unsurprisingly, the standouts; it’s a lot more moving when Miller claims "I’m gonna be lonely for the rest of my life" (in "Come Around") than "I’m in love with a four eyed girl" (in "Four Eyed Girl"). There’s nothing wrong with being a little rock, a little country, and a little pop, but Miller’s songs are a lot better when he’s also a little unhappy. Grade: B

——Jeff Miller

The Movielife
... has a gambling problem
Drive-Thru

The Movielife had already built a name for themselves in the indie pop-punk scene before signing to Drive-Thru Records in 2001. Although ... has a gambling problem isn¹t a full-length, it gives fans a good taste of what the Movielife has to offer. Musically, the production of the six tracks on this disc is very crisp, which is what is to be expected from a Drive-Thru release. The sound of the band is a perfect balance between emo and power pop punk styles. This is good because the vocals never get too whiny, which makes them easier to stomach and get something out of them, and the songs are also rather catchy and easy to sing along too. At times, the lead singer even sounds like a younger version of Toby Morse from H2O. My only gripe with this disc is the length. Six songs are just not enough. The Movielife is a very good band and this disc just makes you want more, which is a good marketing move for Drive-Thru, but sucks for the fans. With the popularity of the whole pop-punk, emo scene lately, the Movielife has a very good chance of making a decent living because they have the talent, charisma, and meaning behind their lyrics to propel them to the next level. Grade: A ­ Dane Jackson

Ozma

Ozma reveals its Russian fetish on this latest effort, The Doubble Donkey Disc. The first new album produced for Kung Fu after the recent Rock And Roll Part 3, Ozma brings back its emo/power pop signature sound with a Russian folk twist.

The album is actually two EPs on the same CD. The first five tracks comprise The Russian Coldfusion EP, while the second half of the album is The Bootytraps EP. Overall, Doubble Donkey features a more subdued brand of rock than Ozma’s previous release. The intensity and energy of Part 3 only carries over to a few of Donkey’s tracks, such as "No One Needs to Know" and "The Business of Getting Down." The vocal performances don’t come close to the passion or soulfulness of "Natalie Portman" or "Battlescars."

The Russian folk influences do ultimately make Donkey shine. The simple marching time signatures make for fun, foot-stomping tunes. "Korobeiniki," the gem of the album, will be familiar to many Russian citizens as a traditional folk song. Americans, on the other hand, will recognize the theme song to the traditional American video game Tetris. The band’s fully distorted, electrified rendition will have listeners thinking of the limitless potential for an Ozma video game covers CD. Maybe we’ll get a tribute to Super Mario Bros. on the next album. Grade: B+

——Leo Caseria

Parker and Lily

Winter is a time of dormancy, when people shutter behind closed doors and hide underneath the covers. A period of gray days and grayer nights, dust settling in the corners and friends and lovers seeing too much of themselves as they seek asylum from the cold.

That’s the sort of melancholia which suffuses Parker Noon and Lily Wolfe’s sophomore effort. This is somnambulistic stuff, guaranteed to either soften your senses or put you into deep slumber. Parker whispers tense narratives about relationship recriminations and romantic distrust ("Bridge and Tunnel"), broods on jealousy ("Hello Halo") or grudgingly admits sincere heartfelt adoration ("You Are My Matinee"), all in a grave tone evocative of the Tindersticks or Julee Cruise.

Somber, simple arrangements support Parker’s gloomy baritone. Vintage Farfisa and Hammond organs, solemn steel guitars, noirish rhythms and minimal electronics create a shadowy landscape that is glacial and disturbing.

What saves Parker and Lily from immediate inclusion in the cut-out bins is Parker’s connected lyrical stories that provide a tableau pertaining to subtle forms of disappointment and broken faith and the duo’s underlying but effective melodies.

This is music as slow as its possible to get, the aural equivalent of watching ice melt. Recommended only if you’re into Low, Idaho or if you’ve ever experienced the seasonal shift to total darkness that occurs near the Arctic Circle. Grade:

—Doug Simpson

Peter Case

You probably don’t know who Peter Case is——and that’s to be expected. After all, Case is one of those guys that critics love and the public ignores. It’s not that he hasn’t done anything notable, though——he’s been in bands like the Plimsouls that have opened for the Ramones and REM. His songs have been covered by the Goo Goo Dolls and Blondie. Rolling Stone called his 1986 solo debut album "a masterpiece;" its flagship song, "Old Blue Car," was nominated for a Grammy. And still, you probably don’t know who he is.

That’s okay, because, when I got Beeline in the mail, I didn’t know who he was either. So I had no idea what to expect when I put it on, but I was impressed——with Case’s world-weary, Paul-Westerberg-ish voice, with his percussive, fingerpicked guitar playing and, most importantly, with his folky, atmospheric songwriting. His acoustic strumming might carry songs like "Evening Raga," but they’re especially notable for what’s going on around the strums——airy, processed steel, bluesy roots harmonica, and conga percussion that hints equally of India and New Orleans. He sings with a seen-it-all sneer that compliments the material; when he mumbles "feel like I’m falling/and I’m wondering why," (in "Lost In the Sky") he sounds like a less-produced Tom Petty.

So even if you haven’t heard of Peter Case, you might like this album. It’s not quite a masterpiece——but it’ll do. Grade: B+

——Jeff Miller

Pork Tornado

Two years and a barrage of releases after Phish’s hiatus comes the final side-project before the seminal jam-band gets back together this New Year’s (and if you have a problem with Phish being called "seminal," a. you haven’t really listened to Phish; and b. you’re living in denial, bub.) It’s a record from drummer Jon Fishman’s band, Pork Tornado, and though it maintains both Phish’s sense of humor and their ability to genre-hop on cue, it’s probably the weakest of this year’s Phish-related releases.

Fishman’s never been very charismatic behind the skins; his most important attribute is his ability to play everything from wanky jams to short-but-sweet country-rock. Here, his band branches into old-school soul (the opener and album highlight, "Move With You,") and silly torch songs ("Trousers," which ends with crunchy singer Dan Archer appropriating the line, "those are trousers around my head/that’s what my neighbor said/but I don’t mind.") Of course, both soul and silliness have been part of Phish’s appeal for decades, but the foursome has always been able to inject personality into the proceedings, and have balanced their ridiculousness with sublime musicianship and superb songwriting. The stuff on Pork Tornado could very well be a blast live, but Fishman and his pals have made a record that’s guilty of something that Phish have been wrongfully accused of for decades: an unforgivable amount of we-can-do-anything self indulgence. Grade: C

——Jeff Miller

Reid Speed
Resonance
Breakbeat Science

Resonance marks a phoenix-like rebirth of the jungle scene that so many have pronounced dead. DJ Reid Speed avoids the dark rollers and their aggressive machismo in favor of a darker, more layered sound. Her mixes are dense but riddled with seemingly random moments of unsettling quiet. She steps up the pace with cuts from nu skoolers like DJ Damage and Facs, but never loses the momentum by inserting cheap thrills. This girl's gotta a story to tell and Resonance is compelling. She does back off on the throttle near the end with the ultra chilled out "Feel Good" by Agent BLK, and she returns you home safely.

Reid Speed adds another chapter to the unfolding history of drum & bass. This one sounds great on your car stereo or coming from the sound system. Grade: A-

——Sean-Michael Yoder

Reigning Sound

Garage rock has certainly become a hot property. Fortunately, there are blokes such as Memphis’ Reigning Sound that were around long before the hype and prove there is more to the genre than slavish purism. This quartet is clearly not puritanical and willing to bend music to its own wily aim, tossing in bits of blues, country, gospel or soul.

Lead singer/songwriter Greg Cartwright has a gift for fashioning tunes that evoke rock and roll classics without referencing any direct source and, at least on this disc, also sharply observes young love’s hope, romance and angry betrayal.

About half the fifteen cuts (most approximately two minutes in length) are as timeless as anything from the mid-‘60s, à la Nuggets. Well, truthfully four of these beefy slabs of yore are actually from that un-selfconscious era between Elvis and when rock became arty. Reigning Sound do justice to circa-1965 Memphis adolescents The Guilloteens’ "I Don’t Believe," bring it back home down and dirty on the Gentrys’ obscure "Brown Paper Bag" and defiantly take command of the little-known Rolling Stones’ number "I’d Much Rather Be With The Boys." Throughout, former Big Ass Truck organist/guitarist Alex Greene adds spirited phrases while drummer Greg Roberson and bassist Jeremy Scott lay down a firm groove.

These gems sparkle alongside originals like the Hoodoo Gurus-ish "Reptile Style" (about being stuck in the same room with your ex), the Replacements-like put-down "She’s Bored With You" (a wicked follow-up to Presley’s "Little Sister") and the Merseybeat-oriented ballad "I Don’t Know How To Tell You."

Unfortunately the album opens with a distorted, uninspired cover of the blues/jazz standard "Stormy Monday," and several mid-tempo arrangements reduce the overall energy level, although Time Bomb High School does end impressively with the rambunctious "You’re So Strange," which eerily invokes the Standells. Grade: B+

——Doug Simpson

Sentenced
The Cold White Light
Century Media

Finland’s Sentenced releases a new journey into morbid depression and pessimism with a dark excitement called The Cold White Light. The album is an amazing expression of driven guitars and melodic vocals that explores timeless, universal emotions. Produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa (Moonspell), the music is similar to Dream Theater mixed with Queensryche (especially Vesa Ranta’s drums). The end result is a beautiful combination of heavy metal and emotional despair.

The fact that winters in Finland are freezing and often without daylight clearly contributes to the darkness of songs like "Cross my Heart and Hope to Die," "Excuse Me While I Kill Myself," "Brief is the Light," "Guilt and Regret" and "The Luxury of a Grave." Ville Laihiala’s intense vocal stylings match the funereal mood; his melodic, emotional croon echoes Blaze Bailey (Wolfsbane/Iron Maiden), mixed with James Hetfield and even Ozzy.

Highlights are difficult to come by, as each title is strong in its own right. "Aika Multaa Muistot" remains in the brain, as do "Blood and Tears" and "Guilt and Regret," a tune that screams of Queensryche-ian detail and energy. With its melancholy melody and strong, lovely build-up, "No One There" could easily be a power ballad classic a la Helloween. "The Luxury of a Grave" even begins in a pop-tune vein, and remains catchy even through the heavier guitars that overwhelm the piece. "Brief is the Light" and "Excuse Myself While I Kill Myself" both touch the hairs on the back of the neck and stay heavy on the mind.

Anyone who has even experienced the misery of depression can and will find solace in this offering by this amazing unit of musical magicians. This album is brilliant. This band should have a glowing future. And any chance of a tour with the likes of Queensryche, Dream Theatre, Deep Purple, Dio or Ozzy would be a fantastic combo. Grade: A

——Kerr Lordygan

Almost everyone who bought into the hype was misled into thinking Sigur Ros write songs. What this Icelandic quartet really does is compose classically arranged art-rock pieces that have no element of pop structure whatsoever. Even the lyrics, which are not actually sung, are in an otherworldly language called "Hopelandic," a made-up, half-Icelandic idiom. After tasting a bit of success with their dreamy international debut, Agætis Byrjun, Sigur Ros surrenders completely to the art of true shoegaze ambience with their first domestic release, which is utterly devoid of titles and words altogether. The album is symbolized by what looks like a pair of parentheses and a booklet of stark images of nature or perhaps absolutely nothing. You be the judge, because that is exactly what this elegiac album is about. The bleak atmospherics and airy psychedelia leads you to where you want to go, and the lyrics are abstract enough for you to interpret what they are (you can post your interpretation at sigur-ros.com——everyone is right!). And amidst the empathetic piano themes, alien cries, despondent fuzziness and the blisscent chimes of Jon Thor Birgisson’s bowed guitar, you may find God or reach the existential transcendence of Thom Yorke and fall deeper in love with Radiohead. Grade: B +

 ——Minnie Chi

Skating Club
Skating Club
Wishing Tree

Aubrey Anderson's Skating Club is a delicate creature that puts deep thought and consideration into every step it takes. The Bostonian's words hang as barely a hush above guitar, bass and percussion sounds, all vying to be the most quiet. The result is a mid-level, slow-moving drama ‹ and like a film of that ilk, it can be either tear-jerkingly sincere or mind-numbingly monotonous. Skating Club carves meticulous circles in the ice, and while they glimmer at times, by and large they¹re the same etchings we¹ve discovered before, thanks to groups like the Red House Painters and Acetone. (A less obvious point of comparison can actually be made with the Foo Fighters' softer material: "February Stars," "Walking After You," the B-side "How I Miss You," etc.) What¹s missing from the picture is something distinct, a birthmark of sorts ‹ like Nick Drake's heart-melting coo, Elliott Smith¹s pinched rasp, Tom Waits' clogged larynx. Sparseness is never a detriment ‹ heck, even the short-titled songs ("Denver," "Foolish," "Albatross") keep the album successfully succinct. But while Skating Club may satisfy for a listen or two, we will wait for Anderson to deliver more lush surprises the next time around. Grade: B- -Kurt Orzeck

Slum Village

Slum Village is confused. The Detroit-based hip-hop trio’s sophomore release, Trinity, screams for direction——any direction. While the album features some witty one-liners and head-nodding beats, the overall sound is inconsistent.

The lack of direction can be blamed on the departure of group member/producer Jay Dee (who has worked with A Tribe Called Quest, Common and D’Angelo, among others). Parts of the album sound like outtakes from their stellar debut, Fantastic Vol. II. Without Jay Dee (who does produce some tracks), lyricists T3, Baatin and new member Elzhi rhyme over monotonous hard snares and basslines.

"What Is This" sums up the album. This "Breathe and Stop"-type composition literally stops and starts with its block-blasting drumbeat and banging bassline. But the lyrics are merely average. And when the music isn’t there, Slum Village (with their hot and cold lyrical content) has problems.

Trinity turns its flows off and on like that light switch the Notorious B.I.G. used to rhyme about. The group switches up their deliveries and/or topics within the same track with no apparent logic, and sounds like the shitty freestyler down the block who struggles to rhyme any word together to keep his flow going.

"Disco" is, well, about a disco, and that’s great. I’m sure the group likes to chill at more than a few discos. But Slum Village needs to make a Slum Village record about a disco. Not a Fabolous or Big Tymers record about a disco, which is how the effort comes across. Ditto for "Hoes" (!) and its lazy lyrics: "Don’t think it’s right if I don’t tell you how I feel/you’re so damn real."

Trinity does have its bright spots. "Tainted" is a head-nodding song about a man not doing his love right. "Intro" has the right combination of crashing drums, a punishing bassline and devastating lyrics. And "LaLa" and "Marvelous" are decent with banging beats.

So if you’re a fan of Slum Village, it’s all you. If not, don’t bother. Grade: C

——Wes Woods II

Smashing Pumpkins

Don’t hate this disc because it’s choppy and rough on the ears and far from giving any kind of earphoria in the literal sense. It’s for the same reason that you can’t say that The Blair Witch Project was a horrible film because you got nauseous while watching it. These live recordings were never intended for release or even discovering. What counts here are the content and the context——the tracks included here are great alternative anthems from the friggin’ post-Gish and Siamese Dream heyday of the OG Smashing Pumpkins. This is an audio-only version of 1994’s Viewphoria, which was the band’s first collection of live performance footage from all across the globe (it’s been recently reissued as a DVD, of course). Most of the live tracks are from the critically acclaimed Siamese Dream, so the track list is close to excellent and includes a few rarities that serve as interludes, as well as a lengthy jam session as the closing track. I never thought an acoustic version of "Cherub Rock" could sound so fun, "Disarm" so restrained and filthy, "Mayonnaise" so light-hearted that it even makes Billy Corgan burst into gleeful laughter, and "Today" (from a Chicago show) is, well, as good as it gets. The live interpretations of some of these songs are quite unique and characteristic of a young and ambitious band on the rise. The abrupt fades and occasional awkward cuts might put you off guard, but remember that these were once available only on crappy videotapes. Now they’ve been preserved on disc just for you, brat.

——Minnie Chi

Grade: B

DJ Spooky

You know how you can tell that this is a good CD? Because of its booklet. Most CD booklets are okay, with the usual lyrics or weird pictures. Maybe glossy paper, maybe not. The hip DIY bands don’t bother and just have the cover picture nestled in that little jewel case slot. There’s those ones that fold out into posters——those are fun. So when you get the latest DJ Spooky the Subliminal Kid album and all you get is an essay printed inside the booklet, you’re maybe a little confused.

But oh what an essay it is. More so than printed lyrics, it’s a prefect encapsulation of what the disc sounds like. Perhaps the telos of science and poetry converging, the essay like the music poses the question, where do the two genres seamlessly meld?

Likewise, the music is a melding of organic jazz and warm electronics. The album opens with seemingly random drumming and overall dissonance. However, after the noise becomes almost unbearable, suddenly it all seems to click, and the noise stew has become a syncopated jazz riff, and Spooky is no longer scratching vinyl and is instead thumping an upright bass. And that’s how this whole album functions. With guest spots from the likes of William Parker, Billy Martin, and Anti-Pop Consortium, Optometry runs the gamut of jazz sub genres.

Optometry teeters between electronica and contemporary jazz (but not in the annoying Kenny G or Pat Metheny sense), outdoing the notions of both genres. It allows listeners a unique look at where jazz is headed in a currently electronically dominated music scene. Grade: A

——Antero Garcia

Dean Strickland

Talk about a change of heart. When Dean Strickland croons "I Love You," he is full of hope and promises.Fourteen songs later, he’s spitting expletives through the grunge of "I Hate You." Some girl to blame? Actually, "Hate" is dedicated to some poor chump named Ernie. Strickland affords himself plenty of time for different moods on the epic Some Girls To Blame. Most of the disc is rock done in various styles, including the blues number, "Rachel, I’m Very Sorry." The song sounds like it fell off an early Foghat record. "I’ve Learned" is fluffy jingle jangle a la Gin Blossoms; "If You Want This To End" is country pickin’ and grinnin’.

Dean decides to name names on the sad acoustic title track. Strickland is notparticularly creative with his guitar; he also doesn’t have a wide vocal range. Surprising then, that his music is somehow endearing anyway. A perfect example is "Bassist And Drummer Wanted." The tune probably should have been left at "open mic night," but it wasn’t, and the simple song gets stuck in your head. Dean Strickland is the guy to blame for that. Grade: B

——Kevin Wierzbicki

SushiRobo

Despite the headphones on the CD artwork, Seattle’s SushiRobo isn’t some run-of-the-mill electronic or DJ outfit. And yet the art-punk/leftfield pop quartet has created a sophomore effort that takes listeners on an aural head-spin.

Singer/guitarist Rick Roberts (former bassist for power-popsters the Posies), drummer Barry Shaw, guitarist Dave Einmo and bass player Clay Martini have adroitly meshed the standard pop/rock verse-chorus-verse format with robotic, effects-driven space-pop. The result is electronically twisted, quirky-jerky material that is also as catchy as anything Roberts’ previous band produced.

The disc is filled with otherworldly tones and synth-tinged sounds. But it’s done with human hands, not DATs and chips. The inside cover states "no synthesizers." But you wouldn’t know it from hearing cuts like opener "Garbage Structure," which starts out like a Dr. Who soundtrack bite before kicking into light automaton-funk that sets the party not for 1999 but for 2099.

The past, though, is as important as the future to SushiRobo. Politically sarcastic "The Candidate" recalls Wire with its coldly digital arrangement. Meanwhile, the dryly surreal "Rat or Mole?" brings to mind King Missile‘s musical prose pieces. Twitchy "Fruit Flies" and suicide story "Two Girls" evoke, well, the Posies due to addictive melodies that will live in your head for days. SushiRobo unites the future and past flawlessly during the chilly re-deconstruction of obsession narrative "I’m In Love with a German Film Star," originally a minor hit for obscure UK post-punks the Passions.

At first, Drawings and Garbage Structures may seem more machine than man, but the album stands up to repeated spins because it never appears sterile and SushiRobo rarely strays far from the melody or a hook-enhanced chorus.

Recommended for those who understood Gary Numan or anyone who wanted the see the Pixies get their groove on. Grade: B+

——Doug Simpson

Various Artists
Rock Music: A Tribute to Weezer
Dead Droid

Usually tribute CDs are saved for bands that no longer exist, so when I heard about this Weezer tribute, I was a bit confused, but mostly intrigued. Weezer has been one of my favorite bands until they released their recent green album, but that¹s a different story. After listening to the artists who collaborate on this disc, I began to realize how important and influential Weezer has been in the independent music scene and I¹m very happy that this CD exists. It¹s a CD for any Weezer purist because the bands on the disc truly highlight the best Weezer has to offer, all the while trying to avoid their more commercial hits like "Buddy Holly" and "The Sweater Song." The songs that are on this compilation are done by a list of who¹s who in the punk, hardcore, emo, and indie scenes. Some artists include the Ataris, Glasseater, Grade, Midtown, and Dashboard Confessional. Especially notable here are the emo/hardcore renditions of "My Name is Jonas" and "Holiday." Other songs that appear include Grade¹s version of "Surf Wax America" and Midtown¹s rendition of "Susanne." If you love indie music, then it would almost be a sin if you didn¹t have this CD. This compilation highlights everything that is good about Weezer on their first two albums and is well worth the money. Grade: A ­ Dane Jackson

The Vines

If you’re like most cynical music addicts these days, you’re nursing a beady-eyed paranoia of band names that start with a "the" and end with a catchy plural. They are everywhere from Manhattan to Sweden and next to "emo-core" and piano girls, they're the music industry’s newest blue-eyed darlings. By all means be wary, but don’t turn your back quite yet…not until you’ve heard Highly Evolved, the thunderous debut from Aussie rock scholars the Vines.

Ever wonder what would’ve happened if John and Paul had gotten down with Kurt Cobain? Well, knock the genius quotient down a couple of pegs (naturally), and it might have sounded a helluva lot like Highly Evolved. The album is a non-stop rock ‘n’ roll tour de force with all the right influences ——the Beatles, Nirvana, the Beach Boys, the Dandy Warhols——just audible enough to give a sly wink before kicking you square in the ass.

The record opens with a 90-second whirlwind of slacker punk that tells the listener the score immediately; no rambling intro or bullhorn propaganda speak, just rock. Yeah! "Outtathaway!" blends clean guitar, scorching feedback, Lou Reed drawl and just enough voice-cracking shriek to handedly whip the Hives on their own turf. And on "Factory," the Vines’ upbeat (almost bouncy!?!) verses and lip-ripping grungified choruses sound like a seismic reading of Brian Wilson and Dave Grohl duking it out for songwriting privileges.

The Vines could get by on their energy alone, but they don’t; the key to Highly Evolved’s effectiveness is good songwriting. Tracks like "Homesick," a floaty Lennon shoutout complete with "yeah, yeahs" and reversed tape loops, and the sleepy crooner "Country Yard" hold their own sandwiched between the piercing gutturals and driving guitar. Highly Evolved proves it: the Vines are true masters of their domain. Grade: A-

——Chris Martins

Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Rhino

Let me guess: you’re one of those jaded students who——if it were ten years ago——would have holes in your jeans, a faded Soundgarden T-shirt, and skid marks in your boxers. Since it’s 2002, you update the ‘college uniform’ with a pair of flip-flops and a poster of Dave Matthews on your wall (extra points if Dave’s standing in front of a tie-dye background). Sure, you’re decked out to be the oh-so hip one, but deep down inside there’s something lacking.

No one understands you.

No one, that is, but the Violent Femmes. Since the release of their self-titled album nearly 20 years ago, the Violent Femmes have been there for us world-weary folk who have nothing better to do but mope about Organic Chemistry midterms and sit on beanbags while sipping on Smirnoff and watching Saved by the Bell reruns.

Song like "Blister In the Sun," "Kiss Off" and "Add It Up" seem too recent to have been made back before most you young’uns were even crawling. Violent Femmes has transcended being categorized by decade. It will forever be lauded as a timeless collection of anthems for those crazy, black sheep, 18-24, afraid to conform but getting a degree in Communications.

Though reissued by Rhino with a disc and a half of demos and live material, Violent Femmes should be purchased solely for the original 10-track album. As enjoyable as it is to listen to band interviews and demo songs, Rhino’s release is a reminder that if you never owned this album, dammit, go buy it.

The second disc is entirely live material culled from shows in the early parts of the Femmes’ career. The raucous, joyous cacophony is pleasant, but simply doesn’t to justice to an actual live Violent Femmes show.

Violent Femmes: every song a familiar "shouting at the top of your lungs ‘cause it feels good" classic, every note played as unfocused but heartfelt as possible——43 minutes of pure angst driven emphatic bliss.

Go ahead. You are now officially encouraged to deviate from the mainstream crowd and get yourself a copy of the platinum status album, Violent Femmes. Grade: A

——Antero Garcia

Den

While fans of Elliott Smith have waited for a new release for so long that it’s beginning to rival My Bloody Valentine's release schedule, this sophomore album from Denison Witmer is a welcome substitute. Witmer is a slightly more optimistic artist than Smith is, although there are elements that add a distinctly melancholic flavor to his material. But while several of Witmer’s songs ride on an abundance of minor chords, this soothing dose of medicinal music also has an irresistible charm. It isn’t so relaxing as to dull the senses, but instead offers a solid aid for more reflective moments.

Though the album’s quality increases as it goes along, it unfortunately kicks off with an all-too-disappointing start; its first three songs sound as if they came straight from the average contemporary rock station. But in "Leaving Philadelphia (Arriving in Seattle)," we find the first sign of Witmer’s talent and appeal. Yeah, it’s still got that marketable sound, but good luck manufacturing its winsome chorus, which is devoted to the interpretation of the possible thoughts of a lonesome plane in flight. "Remember The Things You Have Seen" suggests Smith at his best, and "Saint Cecilia (Ode to Music)," a song recorded on the grand piano in a Ritz Carlton Hotel’s ballroom, sounds like one of Badly Drawn Boy’s better sad songs of sadness. Whether its melody is rising to heaven, or hailing from, one feels as if they’re accompanying it on its divine

journey. Grade: B

——Megan Gaynes

Wondermints
Mind If We Make Love to You
Smile Records

The Wondermints have an ongoing gig as the core of Brian Wilson’s backing band, and as such, they share in the glory of Wilson’s outstanding Pet Sounds Live disc, released a few months ago. In a sense, that makes Mind If We Make Love to You the second Wondermints release this year, and also the second-best, though a place next to Wilson’s record is an honor in itself. But given the history, what’s astonishing is not so much how Wilsonesque this new CD of originals is, but rather how much the Wondermints seem to be drawing on Wilsons other than just Brian for inspiration. One of the disc’s highlights, for instance, the stunning "Ride," borrows its tone from Brian’s brother Dennis’s great "Steamboat," and features a vocal line you’d swear was sung by Carl Wilson himself. Perhaps three years of playing Brian’s songs has allowed the band to channel any of the Wilsons at will.

But, though they do court the comparison, it’s possible I do the Wondermints a disservice by talking so much about the Beach Boys. Heck, the Beach Boys aren’t even that hip nowadays, and maybe I’m just turning you off by jibber-jabbering on about them. And this is too good a record for you to miss. So I should describe Mind If We Make Love to You in more general terms, as late-’60s/early-’70s-style pop music, with traces of the Turtles in a song such as "So Nice" and more than a little Band On The Run-era McCartney in tunes like "Listen." Occasionally the songs are such slight confections that they outwear their welcomes despite being under four minutes long, but on the whole the record is one stunning pop song after another, and, well, maybe it’s not Pet Sounds, but it’s still very good indeed. Grade: A-

——Steven Hanna

Your Enemies Friends
The Wiretap EP
Buddyhead Records

It’s often hard to distinguish bands that originate in Los Angeles from one another, seeing that the city is also a mecca for up-and-comers hoping to "make it" in the music industry. But once and awhile, a band pops up with a sound that, while not entirely original, is rowdy and dynamic——everything that good rock is supposed to be. The L.A.-based quintet Your Enemies Friends is exactly that kind of band. With riotous guitars and freewheeling vocals, The Wiretap EP serves up a potent concoction of rock and punk, stealthily structured around chaotic pop hooks that draw in even the skeptics.

This 6-track EP is short and to the point, though that’s not to say that it leaves the listener hanging. The songs transition smoothly into one another, alternating between male and female vocals, grinding riffs and melodic harmony. Hell, there’s even some violin thrown in the mix. Standout songs include disc opener "A Life Without a Heart," "Repose" and the groove-heavy "Your Enemies are Your Enemies." The only real set back on an otherwise solid disc is "This is Disconnect." The song comes off sounding more like garage band material than that of a band ready to confront the future of rock. Your Enemies Friends are not yet in their prime, but seeing as this EP is the band’s debut, they still have plenty of room to grow. The Wiretap EP is a solid first effort from a relatively young band, and if the group continues on this same path, then listeners can only expect better to come. Grade: B+

——Erin Broadley