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Record Reviews1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 | 0-9| A| B| C| D| E| F| G| H| I| J| K| L| M | | N| O| P| Q| R| S| T| U| V| W| X| Y| Z| Below are some recently posted reviews.  RSS Feed
SUNSET RIDERS:
Self-titled: 7"
There are essentially two
different types of straight edge songs. The first type is all about how
positive and how important the good ol’ X has been to the songwriter. The
second type is the rant about how someone else sucks because they either aren’t
straight edge or they have turned their back on their edge beliefs. I’m all
about the first type, but the second type can get a little tedious. Sunset
Riders play some nice moshable hardcore, but throw in one of those type two
edge songs. Even worse, it’s not about an old edger getting drunk or crunk or
skunk, it’s about a straight edge friend neglecting the third X. What’s the
third X? Well, let’s count ‘em down, Minor Threat style: “Don’t smoke/Don’t
drink/Don’t fuck/At least I can fuckin’ think!” So the third X must be fucking.
Sure enough, the lyrics go on to detail how someone found a new girl and the
edge went out of sight, thus all the words they lived by turned out to be a
fucking lie… Well, either that or the dude was horny. Cut him some slack, bro.
–MP Johnson (Suburban Waste)
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STOCKYARD STOICS / THE FILAMENTS:
The Special Relationship E.P.: Split 7”
The press release for this
claims it’s all “no bullshit DIY punk rock.” No argument there. This is good,
good stuff. The Stockyard Stoics are certainly more street punk oriented, but
it’s not the hyper-aggressive, meathead type stuff; their offerings are earnest
yet thoughtful and, musically, the band is muscular and powerful but still
catchy. The Filaments have more of a classic hardcore sound to them, but there
are moments at which the ska monster tastefully rears its fun-loving head. They
remind me a lot of Snuff. The songs are fast, tight, and anthemic. All in all,
this is a great little package: six tunes that got me reinvigorated and sent me
bouncing down the street. It comes with a sticker and a mini-zine, too.
Recommended.
–The Lord Kveldulfr (Fistolo)
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STEVIE TOMBSTONE:
Devil’s Game: CD
A man sings melancholy
country rock songs, accompanied by his guitar. Not a bad thing… if you’re Steve
Earle.
–Jessica Thiringer (Saustex)
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STEINWAYS, THE:
Unoriginal Recipe: EP
This ‘lil EP is leaps and
bounds ahead of the band’s debut CD. The songs are more complex and layered and,
quite frankly, catchier. Wow…what a punch. I’m real bummed though. Why, you
ask? This EP came to me as CD-only. The 7” and all of its re-presses sold out
the day they arrived from the plant. Nothing but evidence. This band will be
huge in zee pop punk world.
–Mr. Z (It’s Alive)
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STRAIT A’S, THE:
Detention Span: 7"
I’m pretty glad that I
listened to this, considering the fact that I really didn’t want to because of
the one sheet. It made mention of the current drummer (the band’s ninth) also
playing with a pretty big indie hip-hop group. The thought alone of combining
rap and punk makes me cringe. Punk and hip-hop are not like sodium and
chloride. They aren’t poisonous on their own, and they don’t make a season
enjoyed by almost everyone when merged together. That is, never write anything
on a one sheet that may be taken as an insinuation that they are mixed unless
it’s true, in which case it would be shameful to withhold such information.
(However, it is okay to mention that one of the old drummers plays in Sass
Dragons and that the female vocalist is in the God Damn Doo Wop Band.) Anyway,
the Strait A’s don’t make punk rap; they make pop punk. Damn fine pop punk, in
fact. It really reminds me of the Teen Idols, but with a bit of the sloppiness
and attitude prevalent in early ‘90s Queers’ albums (one track reminds me of “Ursula”
musically). There are both male and female vocals, but the female vox only take
the lead on one track. Overall, the band’s moniker is pretty damn right on.
–Vincent Battilana (Johann’s Face)
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STRANGER KIDS:
3 Song Demo: CD-R
Number one: If you’re gonna co-opt a grade school pic of Darby Crash,
you better have some worthwhile tunes to back it up. Number two: You need to
include them on the CD upon which you put the picture.
–Jimmy Alvarado (www.myspace.com/strangerbsg)
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STATUES:
Same Bodies, Same Faces: 7”
This band’s last record,
2006’s New People Make Us Nervous, left me completely speechless. I hadn’t heard a knack for combining
near-perfect pop songs and goose bump-inducing lyrics since hearing “The
Science of Myth” for the first time. It was upsettingly good. The Same
Bodies, Same Faces 7” continues in the same
vein, just oozing catchiness and sincerity. Folks are quick to make Buzzcocks
comparisons or plaster on the power pop label whenever a pop punk band doesn’t
reek of Ramones influence, but I really think that Statues rises above the
completely obvious. With a once-over, one can find elements of all of the above
stuff in Statues’ sound, but there’s just something indescribable going on
here; something that gives me the shivers. I’m hard-pressed to think of a
current band that I like more. Incredible. –Dave Williams
–Guest Contributor (Deranged)
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STATUES:
Same Bodies, Same Faces: 7”EP
I’m sure these guys are
sick of the Tranzmitors comparison because they’re Canadian, pour their hearts
out into power pop, have releases on the same label, and, basically, kick a ton
of ass, but we go with what we’ve got. Lyrically, this comes across like the
movie Brazil and the black sheep bolting
in the opposite direction of the flock on the cover of Minor Threat’s Out of
Step. Work suuuuucks people
into fluorescent-tinged, lock-step, grey-raced bean pushers. Music’s a
beautiful fuckin’ rainbow in the darkness. And if a band holds up Elvis
Costello in a chalice to make your butt shake, more the better. They make the
GG Allin cover sound like it was originally released by The Jam. I’m a goddamn
sucker for this stuff.
–Todd Taylor (Deranged)
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STARK RAVING MAD:
Amerika: CD
Long has it been since I
heard these guys—so long, in fact, that I’d completely forgotten what they
sound like. You get two albums’ worth of stuff here for your buck, their
self-titled debut and the Amerika LP, both of which feature fine thrashy hardcore and vocals that fall
somewhere between Jello Biafra and Rodney Anonymous from the Dead Milkmen.
Songs are nice ‘n’ short and have the requisite spazz quality, and the only
major complaint is that the spaces between the tunes—we’re talking some ten to
twelve seconds here—are way too goddamn long. Outside of that, it was good
hearing these kids again.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Just For Fun)
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SPEAR OF DESTINY:
Grapes of Wrath / One Eyed Jacks / World Service: CD / CD / CD
Sometimes listening to a
band’s recorded output in one sitting is like reading a Dickens novel, in that
you hear their earliest—and usually happiest—period, followed by their brush
with fame and its corrupting influence, which of course leads to their
inevitable downfall. SOD’s first here, Grapes of Wrath, is easily the most interesting of the three: less
aggressive and angry than previous bands some members had staffed, specifically
The Pack (whose “St. Teresa” remains a great song, but I digress) and the
always swell Theatre of Hate, yet still retaining the post-punk fascination with
tribal rhythms and adding an almost disembodied saxophone, a singer with a
strong, rich voice, and even some gospel tinges around the edges. By the middle
of the tale, however, more obvious pop overtures had begun to creep in, which
led them to a bonafide hit song and, no doubt, all that it brings. One Eyed
Jacks is not a bad album, and it
even is singled as the band’s best by their fans. As history has shown
repeatedly, any intentional pandering to the mainstream carries a heavy price,
and by their final album, World Service, they were in a full-blown ‘80s British pop morass, sucking six ways
from Sunday. By the end of the last note on the last album, you’re looking
around, wondering where that crazy old lady in the flambé-style wedding dress
popped off to and why she didn’t take the band with her.
–Jimmy Alvarado (Cherry Red)
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STAKES, THE:
Real Tigers: CD
Sporty straight-edgey stuff
with two vocalists yelling in sort-of harmony. My wife hates this shit. Some
days I do, too, but, for the most part, I’m okay with this record since I haven’t
been drinking much of late and I can finally understand the need for all the
yelling in straight edge music: yelling till yer face turns purple takes away
the desire for a drink. Still, the Stakes’ focus seems to be kind of like a
former smoker policing his friends’ smoking. And I’m pretty much done with
titles like “Benchwarmers” and “Victory” and lyrics such as “wake up/stand
hard.” Pfft. In the end, this is a lot more like drinking a creatine milkshake
of music than rocking out in any significant way; but there are times when such
puffery and power are welcome.
–The Lord Kveldulfr (High Fidelity)
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SOULSHAKE EXPRESS, THE:
Self-titled: CD
Fuck! “Can you feel it?! CAN YOU FEEL
IT?!....” “NO!” This shit is as whack as Wolfmother. Motherfuckers just ripping
the shit out of Hendrix and the MC5… wearing their hair long… playing Rickenbackers
and hollow body guitars. Man, it’s like all these fools I know who think that
drinking alone will get you writing like Raymond Chandler or Hunter S.
Thompson…. These guys have
the imaginations of a rock.
–Ryan Leach (Beatville, www.beatville.com)
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SONIC CHICKEN 4:
Self-titled: LP
Already one for the top ten
of the year! Solid rock from France’s Nasty Product trash scene, and all the
best facets possible. Swings from great echoes of the past like The Monks,
Jonathan Richman, and girl groups, feels fond of later greats The Fells and The
Gories, while not sounding like a ‘60s karaoke rip off. No, you will pop up and
down to this pureness and cry because it seems so simple to be so good the way
seeing a band in someone’s house is a thousand times stronger than going to a
thousand-person club with stage lighting. Leave it to In The Red to unleash
another new band on the U.S. that gives you faith in rock. LP doesn’t have liner
notes, but does have a CD inside.
–Speedway Randy (In The Red)
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SNAKES / 1-800-BAND:
Split: 7"
Snakes: Imagine the Strokes
on heroin. 1-800-BAND:
Mellow-groovy-remembrance-of-things-past-sipping-beer-on-a-Saturday-afternoon
rock. The record is all right at any point, but borders on good when I’m in
kind of an introspective and, dare I say it, peaceful mood. Nothing
earth-shattering here, but nothing worth pitching in the trash, either.
–The Lord Kveldulfr (Slow Gold Zebra)
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SOULSHAKE EXPRESS, THE:
Heavy Music: CD
See above review.
Formulaic, late-’60s garage shit from some dudes who refuse to give it up.
Donate your instruments to charity.
–Ryan Leach (Beatville, www.beatville.com)
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SMOKE OR FIRE:
This Sinking Ship: CD
Second full-length from
this four-piece. Does it beat the stellar Above the City? It comes pretty fucking close, my friends. Songs
about loss, family, pain, and just getting through the day. Solid arrangements
backed my actual melodies? This is getting to be a real rarity in punk rock.
Play this one over and over again—I doubt you will ever get tired of it.
Seriously.
–Sean Koepenick (Fat)
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SLOW POISONER:
Roadside Altar: CD
Gee, I like the first album
so much that it’s only natural I would be afforded the pleasure of reviewing
the next gem. This time—it’s a singular, not plural—Poisoner making all this
Edward Gorey-like, Edwardian, La Belle Epoche aurally illustrated noise. A
one-man band of hexes, roosters, eye hands, and roadside altars. Still campy,
theatrical, and melodramatic—although this album is more structured, but with
the same early 1900s aesthetic. Words escape me, but visualization doesn’t. And
“Faded Love” is a flat-out good song.
–Jessica Thiringer (Zodiac Killer)
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SKINNY JIM & THE NUMBER 9 BLACKTOPS:
Horsepower! Horsepower!: CD
Eager Illinois three-piece
knocks out a dozen floor-stomping, elbow-greasing roadhouse rock tracks.
Exemplary technical skill produces a full, big sound will make you toss a
couple beers down your gullet and hit the dance floor. Reminds me of Hi-Fi
& The Roadburners. Produced by Rick Miller of SCOTS and would be right at
home on Yep Roc.
–Jessica Thiringer (Self-released, www.skinnyjimrocks.com)
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SIL VETH:
The Elemental: CD
Top three things that the
members of hard-charging and tuneful, but way-too-tinnily recorded death metal
act Sil Veth can change their matching band logo tattoos into when their band
dissolves in acrimony after years of not realizing their dream of playing
Ozzfest and “European Festivals” (thanks, lengthy band bio): 1) Sil Vethter,
with a picture of the popular cartoon cat; 2) BaSil HaVeth, with actor Basil T.
Rathbone holding a cornucopia, 3) Tupac’s ghost peeing on Dale Earnhardt’s grave (Why not, right?).
–CT Terry
–Guest Contributor (8th Sphere, www.8th-sphere.com)
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SIDEWALK CRACKS:
Pitfalls EP: CD-R
This band from Elgin,
Illinois, a shitty town on the outskirts of Chicago, has really gotten to me
more and more with each listen. They call themselves punk rock, which is fair,
but to give you a little more, it has those kind of longer breakdowns, comparable
to that Gainesville sound. However, me saying that would probably piss them
off. Their lyrics are quality and of a socio/personal-political nature. The
music gives off a sort of frustrated, yearning feel that fills the listener
with a sense of longing for something that this society can’t offer. Good
stuff. I haven’t been writing music reviews for very long, but for as long as I
have, those stupid promo one-sheeter things with all the name dropping and bad
band description have been mandatory. So, I thought it was cool as hell that
Sidewalk Cracks’ version of one was just handwritten on notebook paper and
photocopied. Now that’s just cute.
–Craven (Self-released, no address)
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SIDEKICKS, THE:
So Long, Soggy Dog: CDEP
It seems like the hype is
slowly building up around these guys, which I can understand, since this plays
like a cross between Reinventing Axl Rose-era Against Me! And Latterman’s more pop punk moments. This looks to be
a self-released copy, but it’s already been reissued by Red Scare on CD, and
soon on LP by Team Science, so you can tell there’s a bit of truth behind the
talk.
–Joe Evans III (Self-released)
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SHECKIES, THE:
Go On a Diet: CDEP
I’m usually a bit concerned
any time I get something that looks like it’s going to be by-the-1-2-3-4
Ramonescore pop punk, but this was okay. Think Ramonescore that lays on the
Weasel vocals pretty heavy. A bit geeky at points, but I was impressed by the
Ultraman shirt (not the band, the series), so who am I to judge?
–Joe Evans III (Cabana One)
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SHANKS, THE:
Big Feelin: 7"
Blown-out garage punk from
this Nebraska band. Seems like the type of thing that any fan of In the Red
Records or the review page at Terminal Boredom would love. If you have got a
lotta P.Trash or Solid Sexie Lovie Doll singles in your collection, you will
wanna be all over this. As good as most of those bands and from the Midwest, to
boot.
–Mike Frame (Boom Chick)
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SHANG-A-LANG:
Summertime: 7”EP
I’ve said this before with
Tulsa. A bit of me is worried that I’m just way too predisposed to liking what
they’re dishing out. It’s like I’ve stopped thinking and worrying and
classifying; like band members could come poop on my porch and I’d slap ‘em on
the back and say, “Thanks for ‘Caught In Between.’ Great song.” Shang-A-Lang
makes music I like instantly. All four songs on Summertime are “perfectly” executed. It’s DIY punk with charm
bounding to self-doubt, musical chops that never stray from melody, yet retain
a comforting sloppiness, and it’s all taped together in a rough yet clear
recording. Much to like.
–Todd Taylor (Dirt Cult / Let’s Pretend)
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SHANG-A-LANG / SEX ADVICE:
Split: 7”EP
Shang-a-Lang: Dudes are
bummed, but somehow turn songs of bummerdom and “I’m-about-to-crack” into these
finger-snapping, duct tape anthems of basement salvation. Don’t know if I want
them to get happier since their pain is my gain. Any sort of life-issue
resolution may make their songs suck… Anyhow, I may be committing some sort of
sin here, but I think if they took a sock or two off the microphones and took
the sleeping bag out of the bass drum when they recorded, it’d punch up the
recording a bit. The songs shine through, though. Sex Advice: Don’t want to
force them in a place they’d find uncomfortable, but I think they’re the
missing link between high-quality Queers (Love Songs for the Retarded) and Black Flag (all the way up to the B-side of Damaged). Bubble gum with jagged edges that wants to kill
you. Nice split.
–Todd Taylor (Repulsion)
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