Beautiful Creatures--Beautiful Creatures.
4.33 out of 5.00
This is such a "guilty pleasure" album. I mean it flat out kicks ass...Top to bottom. It has a hard-driving animalistic force that is so pervasive that it's almost scary. There are huge elements of Appetite-era G-n-R, AC/DC, The Cult that have been blended to near perfection with modern production and instrumentation. The guitars leave you beaten, and yet thirsty for more. The drumming is so damned awesome and unencumbered, that at times I want to start playing again when I listen to this record.
There are 5 radio-friendly songs on this with "1 AM" falling into the category of a genuine hit.
They've got the look, the sounds and the swagger to be legitimate superstars, but let's hope they leave the smack addiction at home.
It is derivative, and as such have to keep the rating a little low for review, but fuck I absolutely love this album.
Go buy this unless you're afraid of being seen banging your head in public, or have a primordial fear of guitar rock.

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Audioboxer--Something Corporate.
3.55 out of 5.00
6 track EP that is not bad. You'll likely being hearing more from these guys as they are incredibly accessible, have no real genre, and seem to be genuinely driven to write solid pop songs.
The material suffers a little bit lyrically as vocalist Andrew McMahon is only 19 (and sounds it in places).
Musically it's not bad, doesn't offend me, and should get only better with time. It's nice to hear the piano back in rock.
Not a huge "buy" rating, but if you like poppy, hooky rock...then check it out.

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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club--Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
4.99 out of 5.00
I bought this at Tower on sale because the cover was in Black and White, the Title was cool, and all three members of the band were in leather jackets.
Amazing album.  Fabulous dynamic control, brilliant instrumentation, composition, thematic and lyrical content.
Slow and grindy throughout, dirty production in some places, hard and powerful overall but with a subtle poignance that seeps out in moments that you least expect.
This album is what both rock 'n roll and sex should be all about.
I am way too much of a fan boy to even get close to objectivity as they are influenced by the Jesus and Mary Chain, Love and Rockets, and oddly (but not really) the Beatles.
"Rifles", "As Sure As The Sun", "Red Eyes And Tears" are phenomenal, and "Awake", "Head Up High" are outstanding and "Salvation"; is simply breathtaking.
The only thing holding this masterwork back from a perfect rating is the obvious influences stated above.
Anyone older than 30 should get it just to remember what music is all about.
Anyone under 30 should get it just so you'll understand why everyone that you steal music from loves Lou Reed and secretly wants a Harley.

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Come With Us--The Chemical Brothers.
4.10 out of 5.00
If you like to dance, then the odds are strong you already own this album.
Just when I thought they were evolving into a "regular" band, Tom and Ed released this awesome effort.
The beats are obese, and the energy is amazing without feeling like you need to be on something to "get" it.
A little more house flavor on this than on previous efforts, but as that seems to be the direction of dance music, it is to be expected.
A very mature effort that while flat in some areas does not fail, though does not risk much either.
A solid choice, but not for everyone.

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Echobrain--Echobrain.
3.95 out of 5.00
What happens when a cliché wakes up and begins playing what's in his heart?
A side project that Metallica bassist Jason Newstead got going has yielded a rare and sweet fruit indeed, and "the Pompous One" finds the need to gobble on a small slice of humlity .
A tight, yet varied 10-track acoustic-heavy offering that grooves and soothes, and is so much more human than anything I would have thought possible from one of the masters of metal.
Mr. Newstead, I apologize for not giving you enough credit, and am thankful for Tower for putting this in a listening station, and for you giving it a "Nice Price".
I was mildly surprised by this, well more than mildly as most of you know that I abhor "T-Shirt metal".
A very warm and melodic album, with awesome vocals, and strong composition, and wholly unfettered production.
Vocalist Dylan Donkin has great range, and possesses the talent to be able to adapt his style to the mood of the music.
In places it frames very "roots" driven rock, but in others there is an a very invigorating experimental, jazzy flavor. It feels very comfortable on first listen, yet novel at the same time. It's very friendly, and incredibly accessible.
"Colder World" is a stand out amongst a list of truly solid entries, and "Crying Shame" is a sleeper hit (even at 6:30).
Is it cutting edge? No. Is it a strong, solid and relevant work that refreshes the rock-oriented palette in an era of kiddie punk, and slut-pop? Yes...very much so.
Pick it up.

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Performance And Cocktails--Stereophonics.
4.33 out of 5.00
Love This, Love This, Love This.
Such a fabulous record. I honestly can't get enough of it.
I picked this up after I got J.E.E.P. and was told that this was a better selection. Thanks Dusty and Fran, you were right.
If you like vocals with a little character, great guitar-driven rock that just plain shoots for the heart and soul, then you'll love this.
Honestly, I could go on for days about what a great record it is, but eh...this is a 30-second deal.
Brilliant writing, warm and powerful melodies, great drumming, and tight bass work all fuse with great stylistic variety to make this a true keeper.
It IS very Brit-Poppy (Kelly Jones sounds a little like Noel, and in places a LOT like Rod Stewart), but so with so much more vigor and TRUTH.
When I was growing up, bands recorded Albums that were brilliant from beginning to end, and left you feeling like you'd hung out with a friend, or FELT a story. This album recalls that sentiment quite well.
Great orchestration, and subtle instrumentation all brilliantly accent Jones' story telling ability.
These are the songs that I want to sing whenever I contemplate quitting and becoming a street musician.
If you've ever cried at a break up, or been the only one in a crowded room to laugh at a joke, then go buy this.
If not, go listen to Mudvayne, crack open a Coors and turn on WWF...bitch!

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Ozomatli--Ozomatli.
unreviewed as of yet 4.33 out of 5.00
A fun album fusing Latin rhythms and a DJ and Hip-Hop beats. A fresh and intoxicating offering that SHOULD be in your CD collection. Great harmonies and musical performance a street feel to it that is simply brilliant. An extrapolation of Los Lobos, Gipsy Kings that has volumes of flavor added with non-gangsta rap.

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you i lov///--sub.bionic.
unreviewed as of yet 4.67 out of 5.00
God...Why do you plague your flock with such drivel as can be found on commercial airwaves, and deny bands like this an opportunity to touch, and inspire them? Did Pharaoh really piss you off THAT much?
I actually just stopped writing this review to pick up my guitar and start playing when "Plum and The Outro" came on.
This and the Haven record are prolly the finds of the year...yeah no shit. This album is so rare, and fucking incredible; made even more so because it was a recorded by a two-person "project" out of fucking LOS ANGELES. Something beautifully complex, and yet universal came out of the cess-pool of modern culture? Perhaps God is giving me a different kind of sign altogether....then again, it could just be the risotto I had for dinner.
Guitar work (Acoustic and Electric) dripping so much emotion that you almost need a bib, and vocals that literally tear the life out of your heart. The production is simply beyond words, and I hope that you have the courage to get off your fucking ass and buy this sometime in the next week, because you're cheating every person that you have yet to meet by not having this record touch you before you encounter anyone else.
This is another "sunset and red wine" album that is enjoyed well alone, but holding hands with someone you love is a lifelong Kodak moment waiting to happen.

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Asleep In The Dark--Elbow.
4.45 out of 5.00
I can not get enough of this record. It didn't leave my CD player at home or work for almost 3 months.
Subtle, subdued, and awe-inspiring. Lush, I mean fucking thick vocal harmonies that pour over you, and cling to your heart and head.
Very uncomplicated, yet so emotionally powerful in it's softness and verité.
Heavy flavors of Radiohead, Coldplay, and Dave Matthews, yet totally unique, and so amazingly poignant.
Experimental in so many ways, and one of the products that I've heard a Hammond used to create an ethereal background vibe instead of adding depth.
If you are a fan of incredible vocals, great composition, and acoustic instrumentation, then buy this immediately.
The lot of you that know me as only the leather-clad hard-ass will hate this record, however the few that really know me will fall in love with this.

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The Fake Sound Of Progress--The Lost Prophets.
2.50 out of 5.00
Not an awful record. It just a uninspired mish mash of played out themes and contrived attitude.
Emo does 311.
Bubble gum hardcore, and a wannabe DJ.
Hey I AM a DJ but I would never record on an album just to hear myself scratch without adding anything compelling to the song.
Sappy sweet themes, with an occasional dog bark. Christ, in the boy band afterworld the 12 year old girls must be eating this shit up.
Of course when Spacehog opened for Everclear, there were 20-somethings there with their little piggy gear, so these choads prolly have vibrator friends in dorm rooms as well as in Home rooms.
They're pretty and have too much gear...plus their producer made them nutless.
Two decent tracks on this "Awkward" and "For Sure" keep this from getting the major hose, but other than them, nothing much other than "Not Horrible"
They're talented musicians, but are trying way too hard to be something (that they aren't...yet.

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Raising Hell--Run-D.M.C.
4.75 out of 5.00
R U Shitting me?
This got my happy ass into Rap as something other than a hobbyist, and every bling-slinging fool on MTV that I have seen since this has pissed me off because they lack the skills and heart to get close to this record.
The beats BUMP, the flows reflect natural talent instead of production or being Mush-mouth, and the edge throughout is hard as fuck.
It's still relevant now 16 years later, and it would be rough to find a better captures the flavor of the East Coast scene than this.  Hard beats, funny rhymes, and great variety.
Morons and folks wearing pointy hoods and sheets won't understand this.
If you have never bought a rap record...get this, Licensed To Ill, Fear of A Black Planet, All World, and Straight Outta Compton.

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Resident Evil (Soundtrack)--Various Artsits.
3.80 out of 5.00
A fairly solid compilation of takes and remixes from the film.
Slipknot, Manson, TCM, Rammstein and Coal Chamber are all featured on one of the strongest soundtrack's I've come across in awhile.  If you don't dig Industrial, NuMetal or Breakbeat then this will prolly be a waste of time, and you should go look at Toby Keith compilations.

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Thugs 'N Kisses--Various Artsits.
2.25 out of 5.00
Eh...It's labeled as a "'Synthcore' compilation".
Note To Self...Avoid Synthcore at all costs.
Bought this for "Bitch" by Hate Dept. as the original is now out of print thanx to a pissing fight between the band and their label.
If you wear fucked-up eyeliner (like spider webs on the side of your face) and shop at Hot Topic, then you probably have copy of this disc in some kind of shrine covered with Saran Wrap so that you don't shoot baby batter on it when you jerk off to it every night before you crawl into your Bela Lugosi jammies and go to bed praying this is the night that Lestat gives you the Dark Gift.
  Not that it's any good, but all of the bands that are "The Shit" in the Bat scene are on here. Odd that most of these bat bands sell more shirts than records isn't it? I mean there's a lot be said for marketing, but shit music is shit music...N'est-ce pas?
Most of the stuff on this could be awesome as most of it IS highly danceable, but has been so fucked up in production that it comes across as either impotent or contrived.
How many pasty guys with beer guts in vinyl pants trying to rap over "scary" synth fills are there in the scene anyway?
So much for artistic interpretation I guess.
Most of the stuff on this could be really good if they left the aforementioned "synths" out of the mix.
Aside from "Bitch", "Mouthful Of Dust" by Skrew is tolerable, the rest is straight Bat Guano.

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Start Static--Sugarcult.
4.05 out of 5.00
Well now.  There is something to be said for a bunch of folks that know how to get down to the business of writing tight, focused, power-driven songs.
Heavy bass lines, and crisp drumming frame the power chord guitar work and talented vocals of these four kids from Santa Barbara.
The vocals are a touch syrupy in places, but have more than enough heart (and honesty) to cover the saccharine. Matt Wallace did a great job with these kids as this is such a fun listen.
"Stuck In America", "How Does It Feel" and "Bouncing Off The Walls" have already gotten deserved airplay. "I Changed My Name" breaks from the power-punk vibe, and actually is a "real" song....(complete with a tremolo-laden Richenbacker), and the last track ("Untitled") is a fabulous mellow acoustic jazz ride (with a muted trumpet).
This is the kind of music that 18 year olds everywhere wanted to make in LA 20 years ago when punk finally broke big time in the US, and also shows a maturity that was incapable in that era. Vocal Harmonies, tight breaks, immense fucking energy and fab hooks make this a sleeper pick, and pretty much a no-brainer as a party disc, so pick it up.

30 Seconds To Mars--30 Seconds To Mars.
 3.05 out of 5.00
An interesting listen. Very hard-edged guitars, and a decent amount of creativity.
Vocal delivery is a little plain-Jane, and the production doesn't push much out of the traditional (read Nickleback). As much of the material swirls around these vocals, they kind of hold things back. Musically, the band is tight, and one can hear Tool as a major influence.
"Track Zero" is a stand out, but the rest of the material blends into a sameness that becomes droning after about the 5th song.
If they dropped the dinosaur that produced this (Bob Ezrin) and took a few risks, they have the potential to be very good.

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50 Reasons To Explode--Schatzi.
3.55 out of 5.00
High energy "new rock" that likely will get them on a "college movie" soundtrack.
Exceptionally accessible, with a little bit of an edge to it.
This is a very good Power-Pop, straight-forward, "get to the punch line" type of album.
As indie rock goes this is above average, with surprising compositional depth.
The drummer (Kyle Schneider) loves to beat the living shit out of his kit, which goes a long way with this critic.
In retrospect, I'm kind of shocked that these guys aren't on the radio.
Two thin-to-marginal songs at the beginning of the second half (and the de rigueur ballad) are the only shadows on this record, which starts and closes with a lightning bolt of post-teen energy shot straight through your ass.
If you can hang with indie-stuff and not barf, then you'll flip for this.
If on the other hand you have never actually SEEN a skateboard, check out the DVD for Titanic.

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Burn It Black--Injected.
2.95 out of 5.00
Post modern butt-rock.
Heavily influenced by southern rock, this "Nu Rock" four-piece has served up a very thick guitar-heavy sample of 12 tracks harkening back to mid 70's AOR.
It's far from awful, and the grooves are pretty tight, as is most of the musicianship.
I think that a lot of the negativity that I feel here toward this album as I'm listening to it again is the overall "plain-ness" of it. It tries to be a lot of things (New Rock, Southern Rock, Rap-Core) but consistently stops short before getting all the way there. Honestly it's not bad, just not great, and it sounds like when they were writing and recording it, this is what they wanted: A radio-friendly smattering of the Rock flavors of the moment.
Nothing will guarantee a poor rating from this reviewer more than trying to be average.
Musicians will love the fact that they actually wrote a song called "I-IV-V".
There are much worse records out this year, and if you like straight forward, plain-jane rock with a hint of Linkin' Park, then pick it up.

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Get Ready--New Order.
4.25 out of 5.00
As someone who A) Grew Up on Power, Corruption and Lies, and then JD; and B) Hates modern music, then you can only imagine my excitement at this release.
After so much marginal uninspired, poorly composed and executed music, "Get Ready" is the breath of air that will sustain my musical heart for some while.
By no means did they re-release Technique on this effort. The music is current, vibrant, and so honest.
The material is unencumbered with excess production.
These guys have always had for the most part a "less is more" mindset about music (there are brilliant exceptions to this) but with technique, they had gotten to a heavily layered and engineered sound that fit the zeitgeist of the the late 80's. This is very minimalist with the key elements often jumping out warmly in stark contrast to a very clean canvas. They rock, they groove, and they write some of the most amazing and compelling pop music that has ever been recorded.
If you're a baggy pants tweaker, you better get on your knees and suck these guys off, because you'd have no fucking identity without them--they made "Dance Music" commercially viable before you're parents had that "condom accident".
To every shitheel indie moron get your kneepads ready, because you're next.
The Bats, ah...my faves...your job is to clean out all four bungs from this band as they WERE your genre 26 years ago.
The only thing that has ever held these guys back is Bernard's voice, and in this case, this was a 5.00 waiting to happen, but he's still a monotone (though getting better), and some of the phrasing sounds forced in a couple of songs.

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Gift--Curve.
4.15 out of 5.00
Okay...first things first...
I want to fuck the living shit out of Toni Halliday.
Always have.
I hate Shirley Manson because that skank had the good grace to hook up with Butch Vig, and stole the thunder that these folks and Lush deserved when they forged this sound.
Needless to say if you like Garbage at all, you'll love these guys and this album in particular, and simultaneously see what a derivative piece of shit Garbage really is.
These guys were a sad victim of Vig's other success story from Seattle as that scene ameliorated the floor gazing scene completely out of music until Portishead came around.
Having got that out of the way, this is a really exceptional album filled with dreamy melodies, low driving guitars, thick grooves and tight drums and  programming.
"Want More, Need Less" and "Perish" are simply brilliant and the other 8 tracks on this are so awesome...almost Euro-breakbeat and Trip-Hop in places...as to warrant a buy rating on this.
If you have a pissing Calvin sticker, are a Raider fan, or own a pickup...avoid this.
Everyone else, pick it up, find someone you want to shag, get a bottle of wine, and get ready for some great sex.

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The World According To Gob--The World According To Gob.
3.50 out of 5.00
Not a bad track on this 14 track offering from a foursome from Vancouver, BC. Trending toward indie/punk, the material shows mature and solid songwriting maturity blended with great production.
As most of the material is so radio-friendly I'm shocked that these guys haven't slammed the airwaves. I really enjoy this album because of the mild dose of punk ethos which is pervasive throughout, yet is able to not get caught up in trying to "play down" to the genre.
Most "punks" will hate this because it's so tight. Most "punks" are morons though and spend more time worrying about which GBH shirt to wear instead of learning about music.
If you're looking to dive into indie or punk for the first time, this is a solid choice.
If you're a crafty vet, this will click right away for you, and I bet you'll have a tough time NOT pressing the replay button on your deck.

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Attak--KMFDM.
2.10 out of 5.00
Hang it up.
If this is the way to the future of aggro dance rock, then somebody shoot my fat ass now before I puke myself to death.
The rating is a courtesy to the band that gave us some of the heaviest dance music ever recorded, but this is pure horseshit.
The elements for greatness are there, but are so disjointed in places that on the whole the this work comes across as contrived compositional dissonance.  They seem to be trying to push the envelope of electro-clash or whatever bullshit genre label that house music for bats is currently trying to hide behind.
"Sturm and Drang" and "Skurk" get real close, but someone in the studio decided to add a few tracks of fluff that unfortunately detract miserably from the heart of these tunes, and thus push them to the floor instead of to greatness.

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Ritual de lo Habitual--Jane's Addiction.
4.80 out of 5.00
"Señoras and Señors..."
13 years after the fact all I can say is "Fuck".
I try and think who this album hasn't influenced and I get stumped.
The music and cultural change that his album spawned are both amazing, and no one has aptly thanked Perry et al enough.
A brilliant counterpoint to the Hair Metal bullshit in LA in the late 80's, Ritual is still bigger, "ballsier", darker and freakier than anything else from the era.
Along with Sonic Youth, Faith No More and the Chili's; Jane's set the mood for the grunge thing that broke a year later.
"Three Days" is simply awesome, as is the entire second half of this record.
If you're too young to remember these guys, pick it up...even used...it'll blow your mind.
It's not the nut-crunching that makes this, it's the mellow, soft, jazzy nuggets that make this one of the top ten of the 90's.

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White Blood Cells--The White Stripes.
4.10 out of 5.00
Indie rock...but not really. "Fell In Love With A Girl" got them in with the Strokes/Vines/Hives crowd, but the rest of this album has almost nothing to do with that song. I guess every generation needs their own Presidents of the Untied States Of America.
Very classic rock driven music from a bro/sis act.
The music isn't bad by a damn sight, and in very strong in many places, but the red and white thing will be the death of them though. While the quirki-ness of it may have helped draw attention to the band, it has the potential to "typecast" them musically, and also drive away people that might look down upon the gimmicky nature of their style.
So many tracks seem like crushed out Zep, or pretty little "Let It Be" out-takes, or even a little bit of crunchy Violent Femmes that it's tough to find fault with it. It is highly experimental so If a radical departure for you is supersizing your happy meal, then this may might not be the best bet for your entertainment dollar. The music itself is pretty interesting but as a bass lover, I find a little missing from these tracks that could take them over the top.
But as a critic, I have to respect the stones it takes to release a mainstream record without a bass even in the studio.

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Don't Worry, Be Happy--Freeheat.
3.55 out of 5.00
Fusion of folks from Gun Club and The Mary Chain.
After a drought from the latter, I was hungry for something like this.
A Four-track EP that shows some promise, and delivers plenty of grindy low-end fuzz, and a general "fuck off" attitude.
One very strong track "The Two of Us", and two solid ones make this a decent purchase if you're familiar with either of the above bands, however somewhat risky for the newbie.

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Forty Licks--The Rolling Stones.
4.97 out of 5.00
What can you say about one of the seminal influences of pop music. Every song on this double disc compilation is a certified hit that makes most of the current smegma on the radio seem emasculated and heartless.
They lose style points on their modern stuff, but the rest of it pure perfection.
If you don't "get" this album you're obviously an alien, or a pathetic piece of suburban shit that thinks "cutting edge" is missionary with the wife after 2 beers and a shot of "So Co" while the kids are at a sleep over at the neighbors.

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Sailing The Sea Of Cheese--Primus.
3.85 out of 5.00
Still my fav Primus album.
If you like slap-bass, and experimental jazz-driven and funky and manic punk rock, then pick this up.
Most can only handle him in small doses. Something about this though still makes me smile, and wanna rock.
You've no doubt heard "Tommy The Cat" and "Jerry Was A Race Car Driver" but the grind of "Fish On" the frenetic energy of "Is It Luck" and the big fat beat of "Sgt Baker" take this up a notch. You'll prolly hate the first dozen listens of this, but by lucky #13 you should be hearing what Les is saying.

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Community Service--The Crystal Method.
3.25 out of 5.00
TCM's first emix album is a fairly strong effort with some of their materials remixed by other crews, and vice versa.
Only for the true fan, and true "E" fan. Their are several highlights...their remix of "Boom" by POD is fat as fuck and Hybrid's "LA Blackout Remix" of "Name of the Game" is off the hizzie.
Great to chill too, and to dance too. There are some indulgencies, and some of it doesn't work that well, but compilations have always been about things that don't work well for the masses, and should be expected.
I like about 13 of the 16 tracks on this and even that whore Shirley Manson manages to sound compelling in their remix of "Paranoid".

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A Rush Of Blood To The Head--Coldplay.
4.05 out of 5.00
One of the most eagerly awaited follow up albums by this reviewer in some while, A Rush... was a bit of a let down, but still managed to soar mightily above the flock.
This is a beautifully warm album that begs for candles, and sunsets and long walks on the beach.
The melodies are fabulous, and the vocals are emotionally piercing.
The only downside is that the album is almost "too" perfect, and "too" beautiful, and in the pursuit of this sublime perfection some of the charm and edginess of the debut has been lost.
Most will find this to be an amazing record (which it is), but it is a lot more safe in some regards than Parachutes.
In no way do I mean to slag these guys, because they drove a return to a more pure of form of music that is unencumbered by image and hype and that is also focused more of the heart that drives fingers to strum and voices to soar and smiles to shine and tears to fall.

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Soul Of A New Machine--Fear Factory.
4.33 out of 5.00
Wow...
Finding a copy of this had been difficult to get before the band broke up, and since almost impossible.
It's really interesting to hear them on their debut which is more Cannibal Corpse than the band to which I was introduced on Remanufacture.
I mean this is HEAVY-FUCKING-METAL. All bullshit aside I love these guys, and listening to an album like this fuels my respect for the band as it shows where they started, and gives me a better idea about how they evolved. Quite a bit of Burton C. Bell's operatic vocal skills come across, but so much of it is the dog-barking, and on the whole the vocals are a little buried beneath the sac-crushing guitars, and ass-kicking rhythms. Even some of the synth elements that later drove these guys away from the herd and into "nu-industrial" manage to peek out. For as athletic as these guys are in signature changes and overall virtuosity, they are simply on another level of tightness.
Coming out in '92 this album must have fucked up some serious shit in the Metal World. I can recommend this only if you have a perpetual hard-on for "pissed off" guitar rock, but if you do, the my god, you will LOVE this.
Oh yeah...Dino Cazares IS God

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Between The Senses--Haven.
5.00 out of 5.00
Such an amazingly beautiful record.
This debut effort from a quartet hailing from Manchester, and produced by Johnny Marr has left me speechless on so many occasions in the 6 months that I've had it floating around me.
Soaring and intricate vocals and phenomenal music separate this work from so much drivel in the scene. When I was growing up, the bands we listened to tried to be great, and with this effort Haven have successfully breathed life into that tradition.
A very well engineered and produced record that gives both space and subtle depth to material that leaves the listener in a state of emotional numbness.
No bullshit, No image...Just a very rich, lustrous, acoustically driven 14-track portrait of the human condition.
Somewhere in the Coldplay/Travis/Elbow vibe but in my honest opinion, this hits the heart much more effectively than the former groups.
Kudos to the band and to Mr. Marr as this is a record I will proudly give my grandchildren.

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Barely Legal--The Hives.
4.00 out of 5.00
14 tracks that absolutely tear your nuts off.
Had heard "AKA I.D.I.O.T." on Launch about a year before they broke with "Hate To Say I Told you So", and loved them. In fact, based on the true punk ethos on display on that song, I thought they were from LA and was expecting a butt-load of torn 501's and DIY T-Shirts. A good friend of mine mentioned their name awhile back and I thought he was talking about this record, so I went and picked it up on a shopping spree in Atlanta.
Sweet Fucking Jesus.
This is not your baby-brother's Hot Topic punk rock.
When I think back to the late 70's and the first generation of American punk (specifically in LA)  this is what I hear. 
Loud, brash, clangy, sneeringly sarcastic, tight, fun, smart, honest, ferocious, and fucking incredible.
This isn't for everyone, because the majority of saps that were into Journey and Foreigner when punk broke have all had kids, and these spawn will no doubt be scared off by this as it is too real, and might offend someone at their local fucking juice bar or Starbucks.

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Veni Vidi Vicious--The Hives.
4.20 out of 5.00
Believe the hype.
This record fucking rips; go buy it and get off my nuts you fucking cowards.
A lot more mature, a lot more focused, and a little bit more accessible than the above. I don't know if it's the Rickenbacher's or what, but am I the only one that has noticed how frequently modern punk bands let their love for the Beatles come out?
By no means are they any less aggro. There's a stronger NY influence on this effort, and the radio tracks are actually the most mellow tracks on it. They spread their creative wings with production, and composition, and it works. A couple of the tracks are a little flat, but the the strong ones hit even harder. The production is a lot cleaner, and the punches come through a lot harder, with the the energy focused into more of a boxing match than the street fight that was on Barely Legal.
If you ride one of those funny little pieces of wood with the wheels on it, then you should already own this.
If you own an SUV or a minivan...well lick my balls, avoid this and go pick up Nelly, the latest Tupac re-issue, or Sum 41(or whatever other bullshit that Carson Daly is telling you to buy)...and this is very important...always remember to use a condom...I don't want your children grazing in my yard in 15 years.

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Highly Evolved--The Vines.
4.25 out of 5.00
How does one morph Sgt. Pepper's-era Beatles with post-punk? Apparently in the land down under they found a way.
This is a very interesting, exciting and great record. The dreaminess of the neo neo-psychedelic movement with a feral underpinning of 3-chord angst. If you haven't heard or seen this album, you're an idiot, or you work for an ISP. This is a straight-up rocking joyride that rips your lungs out, while simultaneously melting your heart. Two certified hits, and no unsavory tracks on the album. Those that abhor the Beatles, well they should be shot, but they might not "get" some of the material (thus why they should be shot).

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Is This It?--The Strokes.
unreviewed as of yet 4.10 out of 5.00
Blah Blah Blah

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Jump Leads--Fila Brazillia.
4.33 out of 5.00
I have given this record a very thorough going over, and have found it to be one of the most intriguing albums that I picked up this year. This 11 track offering is very Electronic in instrumentation but almost jazzy in composition,  and somewhere between Ambient and Trip Hop with a Bluesy, Groove-y vibe. There are some poignant organic elements most notable in the final track "The Green Green Grass Of Homegrown".
As their name states, they also bring a Latin dance vibe to much of the material as well. I found not one bad track on the disc, and think that it would appeal to most folks. I found it to be a very mature and sexy album that I highly recommend if you can handle a little dose of the "E" thing.

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18--Moby.
4.20 out of 5.00
He doesn't write bad music. I was a bigger fan of "Play" but this does have it's moments.
Poignant is the key word for this album. Every track seems to be focus around that as a key song-writing element.
This is a great Sunday morning album, and it should be picked up. It has a jazz-y, mellow yet powerfully sensual vibe lacing the tracks together, and if you truly appreciate subtlety in music and art, then you should allow yourself to give this a couple of listens.

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Music Kills Me--rinôçérôse.
3.85 out of 5.00
Blah Blah Blah

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Eudora--The Get Up Kids.
3.33 out of 5.00
Some Very interesting work here. I bought this first because it was on a listening station at Tower, and also because it had some cool covers of songs I really like. The vocal whininess listed in the review below really doesn't have a chance to bug too much on this because the phrasing in the songs doesn't permit it.
This is a compilation of covers and out-takes, and is not a bad selection if you're looking for a new sound. It definitely will give you a feel for what the band is all about (lean production, heavy rhythms with some fuzzy guitars) while at the same time serving up some interesting remakes.  Notable on the list are "Suffragette City" (by Dave), "Beer For Breakfast" (by the Replacements) and "Alec Eiffel" (by the Pixies).
It is clearly a "flavor of the month" but if you like music a lot (particulary the "indie"stuff), then you may want to give it a shot.

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Something To Write Home About--The Get Up Kids.
3.15 out of 5.00
This is a very solid record. Great energy, very good enthusiasm, and tight musicianship.
A couple of strong radio tracks, and good production.
The lack of variety from the vocalist caused this to kind of grate on me after awhile.
If you're big into indie rock, then go buy it.
If you like a fresh sound for punk you may want to check it out, but some of the delivery is a little "bubble-gum" for some purists

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Pork Soda--Primus.
3.25 out of 5.00
I personally love Les Claypool's sense of humor and athletic bass playing.
I understand that I am in the small minority here. Some of the material is very good, but most is REALLY self-Indulgent and you'd have to be an über-fan to really dig more than 5 of the 15 tracks on this.
Of the stuff that you haven't already heard your friends talk about ("My Name Is Mud" and "Mr. Krinkle"), "Hamburger Train" really impressed me.
Bass players that love Les, go ahead and punk me, but I have to rate these records as an overall, not just on How much of a "badass" he is...M'Kay?

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Steal This Album--System Of A Down.
3.90 out of 5.00
This is a very strong 16-track effort.
By no means is this an extension of Toxicity. It appears to be a regression their original hardcore roots, rather than an extrapolation towards greatness which is grounded in the former.
I really like it, and in so many ways is this cool in its own right, but some of it seems so choppy and undeveloped.
The music absolutely crushes, but some of the vocals come across like Rage in Evil Empire: "Hey look, we're being political now". The message is so straight forward, and there is a similar lack of subtlety in the musical composition that made Toxicity such an amazing record.
There are elements of greatness in this record, and I'm sure that the more I listen to it, the enamored I will become.
I'll be back after a few more listens.

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Superstarved--Gravity Kills.
unreviewed as of yet 3.67 out of 5.00
Blah Blah Blah

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Travelling Without Moving--Jamiroquai.
unreviewed as of yet 0.00 out of 5.00
Blah Blah Blah

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Turn On The Bright Lights--Interpol.
4.85 out of 5.00
Blah Blah Blah

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Untouchables--Korn.
4.00 out of 5.00
This is a much more bombastic record than the boys from Bakersfield have released to date.
Every song aggressively strives for a high level of greatness with every note.
Does it always work? No, but that's not a bad thing.
This is also the most accessible album that the band has released, and in places is almost unapologetically pop.
The dissonant, staccato, rumbling, crushing sound is still there, just cleaned up a little bit.
Having said all that...have they sold out and produced "Pop Korn"...not by a long shot.
They are still to their compositional roots, with vocalist Jonathan Davis' voice calling out alone above a field of surreal (and at times violent) rhythm-heavy tunes.
They have softened, or rather matured in the delivery of much of their angst, and while Jon's voice is still emotionally brittle, and the music is still edgy as fuck, this album spends less time trying to "radical" and much more on craft.  By that I mean that they're no longer breaking rhythm on every four measures, and are instead spreading the breaks more deliberately and artistically.
The net impact is perspective. In the past it felt like you were in a street fight with the band, and were so busy getting the crap knocked out of you by the band, and were thus unable to appreciate their overall prowess. Untouchables takes you out of the ring and sets you in the front row, and thus gives the listener the distance to appreciate overall ability, desire, and potential.
I like the album...but as a long-time fan was a little saddened to see them "grow up";.
If you're new to the band, this is an excellent primer.  If you're a fan, you prolly took down your posters after you ripped from Kazaa.

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Truthless Heroes--Project 86.
3.75 out of 5.00
This is a record filled with straight-up sac-splitting hardcore.
If you like hardcore, you prolly will dig the band and this record?
Great vocals (with some really impressive harmonies), God-honest "heavy as fuck" guitars, and a rhythm section to die for.
Yeah, I am a fan. I reviewed Drawing Black Lines in '00, and was in love with them then.
They have matured so very much in two years, its amazing. The improvement in production, writing, and performance is night and day.
They've added some depth-creating electronic elements which come across as part of a unified whole rather than their contemporaries which often sound like an afterthought.
This is labeled as a concept album. apparently that concept is "Back up unless you want to rock".
Most metal comes across as cliché-ridden faux punk or rehashed butt rock.
This stuff just comes across as urgent, frustrated, and at times very pissed off...but always with genuine passion.
It is a little flat in some spots (dragging a bit toward the end) and too heavy for most, but if you claim to "rock it", I'd highly urge you to check this out.
For the rest of you, go get some more fucking Wolfscheim or DM.

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Amalgamut-Filter.
unreviewed as of yet 4.33 out of 5.00
Blah Blah Blah

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Valium--Phallucy.
unreviewed as of yet 3.45 out of 5.00
Melodic, Grinding and Reflective.
Got this at the Beat (Where sadly they have no listening stations).
Surprisingly mature record for a Sac act. Heavily influenced by Jane's, and to a degree Soundgarden.
The 11-track offering was originally released in '94 and went nowhere thanks in part to a "nothing scene" in this shithole town.  The pace is a little slow, but the theme of the music kind of mandates it.
If you like old Sabbath or Jane's, or were into any of the grunge bands, pick it up.

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When I Was Cruel--Elvis Costello.
4.25 out of 5.00
You know, he really is a bad ass.
All I really needed to remind me of this was hearing "Tart".
I have really missed the "experimental" Elvis; the Jazzy Elvis, the visceral Elvis. Fuck I just miss the guy like I miss my brother (and for an only child, that is saying something).
I can go off for an hour about how great he and this album is, but I won't...yet.
Yeah, I'm a HUGE fucking fan boy, and have no idea of how to be objective when The King is concerned.
If you have a pulse and can look in the mirror and see a person underneath all of the materialistic bullshit clinging and hiding your heart, then you'll like this record.
If not, go back to the mall and buy whatever bullshit you see on MTV you heartless fuck and quit wasting my bandwidth.
It flat out rocks, is honest, and welcomes you in like a great friend on a cold and rainy night.

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3--Soulfly.
unreviewed as of yet 0.00 out of 5.00
Blah Blah Blah

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Global--Carl Cox.
3.67 out of 5.00
This re-mixed compilation is dedicated to the American club scene, and at places is simply awesome.
House and Techno with thick, almost tribal beats throughout help to make the eight tracks on this a definite must-buy for folks into the E-Scene.
If you're not in the club or "E" scene there is still a solid chance you might like this, and could well serve as a primer. It is much darker than your garden variety house, yet still has an incredibly compelling energy.
This is the kind of material if upon walking into an after-hours club at 2:00AM with fog and lasers raging and beats like these pumping that used to drive me nuts and keep me on the floor rocking my ass off in my own little world until the house lights came on at 4:00.
My obvious lack of knowledge of the "E" genres limits my ability to effectively categorize this, but suffice to say it's well worth a shot.

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Vertigo--Groove Armada.
3.99 out of 5.00
Every once in awhile you take a risk, and are rewarded for it.
This is such a bonus because it is absolutely awesome, but was only $10.99.  Have gotten into this album big time. Huge chunky grooves (thus the name-duh), organic instruments, and a huge variety of styles from dance pop to jazz to hip-hop to house-flavored dub.
Starting with the Psycho-Trance "Chicago" and ending with Fatboy Slims remix of "I See You Baby", this is a 13 track funfest of chilled-out dance music.
Tough to imagine who wouldn't "get" at least a couple of tracks on this as the composition is varied and not one track is forced or even marginal.
The rating reflects that not everyone is down with the "E" thing, but this is a truly great album.

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The Sinister Urge--Rob Zombie.
2.25 out of 5.00
Typical Zombie fodder: Sampling, driving guitars, heavy rhythms, and Thpooky lyrical content. He does try to broaden himself by adding tons of keyboards and even horns. These features seem forced, and more often than not detract from the overall, and in fact cheapen the music dramatically.
For the most part, the composition feels rushed in so many places. It's like Zombie is trying to out-Zombie himself. On previous offerings it felt fresh, however on this offering it comes across almost too "pop" and the breaks that used to build tension do nothing now except provide space for 60's era horror film samples.
I think that on a second and third listen to this, that the material itself isn't THAT bad, but the addition of synthesizers weaken the delivery tremendously. I also think it's time for Rob to drop the Saturday afternoon matinee identity and try being real. He'll get a shit load more credibility from the rock press, and it should liberate his creative process as he tries to write new material.
The material fairly is extremely accessible and no doubt this will play well in SUVs across America as moms everywhere drive their 14 year olds home from Wal-Mart.
I would expect that remixes from this should be pretty good, however maybe I expected a little too much from this, and it may have impacted my rating.

Development--Nonpoint.
unreviewed as of yet 3.00 out of 5.00
Blah Blah Blah

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The House That Hate Built--Hate Dept.
 2.75 out of 5.00
A double-disc compilation of remixes, live performances and demos that isn't bad.
This isn't for everyone, but for those that are REALLY into the band, you may want to check it out. The demo version of "Bitch" and the Uberzone remix of "New Power" are fairly cool, and an in-studio performance of "Release It" captures some of the energy of their live work.
For those unfamiliar with Hate Dept, they're pretty much vocalist composer Seibold. The music is up-tempo synthed out Industrial but with a fair amount of guitar crunch, and some pretty funky beats. The vocals tend to the whiny side of the spectrum, but the overall product CAN be very, very good at times.
Unfortunately, as this is pretty spotty on the whole, and pretty much for the fans, YMMV.