ALL GIRL SUMMER FUN BAND: Self-titled: CD
This band is so cute. If you think by the sound of their name that they would be fun to play at a barbecue on the beach in July, you are right! Along the same vein as the Microphones and Tiger Trap (among many other girl bands with simple, catchy guitar songs that make you wanna jump up and get a lime flavored Popsicle from the freezer). I have a few favorite tracks from this CD. Track 2: "Canadian Boyfriend" (enough said), track 3: "Car Trouble," "He broke my heart and my car won't start", and track 4: "Later Operator," where every girl sings a verse about one of their boyfriends oddities (one is shy, one never bathes) but they love them anyways because they are "Damn good ..." - you fill in the blank! They even have their own theme song which could be the title track for the soundtrack to the B-movie beach movie which takes place in the sixties appropriately titled All Girl Summer Fun Band. Hmmm... if only... -Harmonee (K)

AMERICAN HEARTBREAK / LIBERTINE: Split: CD
I don't know why I grabbed this to review. I'm not into the rock'n'roll stuff too much. This reinforced my belief that I should have put this back. My interest dropped so fast that I couldn't tell the difference between the two bands. I learned my lesson. -Donofthedead (Coldfront)

AMPS FOR CHRIST: The Oak in the Ashes: CD
A mix of mellow college rock, bop, poetry and maybe a dash of country. There's some amazing guitar work in the form of two traditional Scottish songs and I really like the eclecticism in that it's very obvious they're trying to do something different. I can really get behind that. My only gripe is that I wish there was just a little more bite to their sound or that they'd lower the sonic BOOM now and then, 'cause that woulda really woke me up after one of the more mellow tracks. Either way, this was pretty good for what it is and if you'd like something a little off the beaten path, you could do far worse than this. -Jimmy Alvarado (Shrimper)

AQUA VELVETS: Radio Waves: 2XCD
Two "live" recordings from two different radio programs featuring this surf instrumental group. The sound quality performances are great, although it's very hard to acclimate to how slow their versions of "Walk Don't Run," "Pipeline," and "Baja" are after nearly twenty years of hearing strictly the JFA versions, and the cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was more than a little cheesy. Still, not a bad listen for fans of surf. -Jimmy Alvarado (BMG, which means it's available at the record store in the mall, next door to Hot Topic)

BISCAYNE: You'd Build a Robot: CD
If All covered NOFX covering some lame emo band's songs, they'd sound just like this. -Jimmy Alvarado (Quincy Shanks)

BITCH BOYS: More Hits Than You've Expected: CD
Pretty good, anthemic bald boy punk here from this German band. I would suggest steering clear of the lyric sheet, though. -Jimmy Alvarado (Combat Rock)

BLASTMAT: Theme for a Dying World: CD
Blastmat attempts an early '80s hardcore sound. Think: The Adolescents and Minor Threat. Not bad, and pretty catchy at times. But I was disappointed because when I glanced at the song titles, I saw "Taliban Fight Song," which had incredible potential. Sadly, the song was not the hilarious joke I expected it to be, but was just a funny title. Oh well. There's a mediocre AC/DC cover ("Dog Eat Dog") on this as well. If this were a cereal, it'd be a slightly stale box of Kix. Kix = early '80s hardcore, stale because Blastmat's nowhere near as good as, say, the Dils or the Germs. But then again, what is? -Maddy (Blastmat)

BLEED: Million Miles Away: CD
It's a well-known fact, folks: I utterly fuckin'-A cannot stand the vast majority of metal-tinged musical mediocrity with all of its vile guitar-wank wizardry out there in limp-rockin' HeadBangers Hell; and I especially loathe the sweaty nutsack grindmetal bullshit and watered-down meat-head rapmetal moronity that vomituously saturates the airwaves, video screens, and smoke-enshrouded nightclub stages all across this complacently incognizant land of ours. As for my particular metal tastes, I have no use whatsoever for bland corporate cocksuckers like Limp Dick Biscuit, Linkin TurdLog Park, Rage Against The Masses, PantyTerror, Shitknot, KornHole, Godcrack, Mama Roach, and other such knuckle-headed aural uselessness. Yep, if it's not Black Sabbath, Motorhead, AC/DC, or Venom, I ain't interested, and that's all there is to it! With the obvious so belligerently stated, I must now confess that this disc is a bit of a sonic surprise to my jaded old punkrock ears. Even though Bleed nostalgically crank-out a mullet-curlin' array of '80s-inspired glamour-puss hairspray-metal, it's strangely appealing nonetheless. There's a slight Southern-rock edge slithering throughout the songs and grungey distortion-heavy overtones that ornately embellish the true underlying textures within. Yeh, it's ultimately MTV-friendly metal posturing ala somethin' perfectly replicated from the colorful leather-clad backpages of the poofy-hair era (I'm hearin' over-amped traces of Dokken, Tesla, The Scorpions, Guns'n'Roses, Motley Crue, and even a slight smidgen of Alice In Chains); but, damn, it takes me back in time to the pubescent stoned-immaculate days of my youth in high school right before I discovered the outrageous wonders of punk. A fuzzy-eyed period of time when I had shaggy, shoulder-length hair that vaguely concealed my long, dangly cross-shaped earrings; when I proudly wore Van Halen, Judas Priest, and Ozzy Osborne concert tees; when I feverishly smoked huge overflowing Tupperware bowls full of dark, sweet, Mexican-grown weed that'd do Jeff Spicolli of Fast Times At Ridgemont High proud. Wooooo-weee, dude, Bleed's got me rockin' like a hurricane with both hands vigorously thrustin' the "devil sign" high in the air. Paaaaarrrtttyyy! -Roger Moser, Jr. (no contact address)

BLOOD FOR BLOOD: Outlaw Anthems: CD
I'd heard some good things about these guys, so I figured "what the fuck," and picked it up, thinking that maybe Victory had finally released something worth a piss. Nope. What you get is more of the same: bad metal with a singer who sounds like an impotent pro wrestler wannabe, all dolled up nice and purty as "hardcore" so you can bang your bald little heads and think you're really rebellious, man. It's a damn good thing I'm not emperor of the universe, 'cause I would've found the world's largest piece of toilet paper and wiped Victory Records and every weak, fake-assed bullshit band they've ever come in contact with off the face of the earth. -Jimmy Alvarado (Victory)

BLUETIP: Post Mortem Anthem: CD
Try as I may, I can't seem to get my mind around these guys. Their music, kinda angular collegy punk, isn't bad, per say, and I have no really problem listening to them for prolonged periods of time, unlike, say, your average emo group. They just seem to fail to register as anything past background music. I want to like them, 'cause there's little doubt that they are good at what they do, but it's been two albums that I've heard now, and neither one of them impressed much. Hopefully next time this'll change. -Jimmy Alvarado (Dischord)

BRAINDANCE: Last Will: CD
This is their goodbye to the scene in which they say that they are tired of fighting to get gigs in the UK and letting others make money off of them. Our loss since they were one of the better street punk bands that were around. Ten years is pretty good for most bands. By looking at their discography, they put out many a release. I only have one other record by them and it was a keeper. Too bad. -Donofthedead (Combat Rock)

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE, THE: Braveryrepetitionandnoise: CD
I popped this into the player to give it another listen directly following listening to two discs worth of Syd Barrett bootlegs; ten minutes later I'd completely forgotten changing the disc and had to remind myself I was, in fact, now listening to the Brian Jonestown Massacre and not some long-lost early Pink Floyd rarities - that should give you some idea of the territory BJM traverses. A bit of the Cure creeps in, most prominently on "Open Heart Surgery," but overall BJM seems to be getting slightly less derivative of their psychedelic forefathers and developing a bit more of an identifiable BJM sound that's more than just "What if Brian Jones was in early Pink Floyd?" It's still hard to resist characterizing them as the American version of Spiritualized, though: both "groups" (which are really collectives surrounding one person) pillage their sixties vinyl collections with mad abandon, crossbreeding different strains of the rock music of thirty years ago as if the intervening years had never happened, barring only the occasional jarring nod to some seventies or eighties band (or, in the case of this BJM CD, the sampled sound of a modem connecting). Usually when I'm in the mood for this kind of thing I tend to go back to my own old discs rather than their modern derivatives, but then music made by BJM shows there's some life left in the genre. And hey, how many times can you listen to The Piper at the Gates of Dawn or The Madcap Laughs anyway? (Answer: it depends on how much acid you took and whether or not you left the CD player on "repeat play" beforehand.) -Aaron J. Poehler (Bomp)

CANCER CONSPIRACY, THE: The Audio Medium: CD
Instrumentals, some as long as twelve minutes and some as short as two minutes. I don't get it or care to. -Donofthedead (Big Wheel Recreation)

CAVITY: On the Lam: CD
More sludgy, strangled vocal Sabbath worship from Florida. Eyehategod fans rejoice. -Jimmy Alvarado (Hydrahead)

CHARGERS STREET GANG, THE: Holy the Bop Apocalypse: CD
Snotty, trashy, little Stooges here, a little Dead Boys there, sloppy punk rock. Good, but nothing here really sets them apart from the pack. -Jimmy Alvarado (Get Hip)

CONCRETE BLONDE: Group Therapy: CD
Here is something that I had great anticipation for and at the same time great apprehension for. They were favorites of my wife and I for a long time. Many times we went to go see them because they were an incredible band. They did their last hurrah with Mexican Moon that came out, I think, around 1993 and shortly thereafter broke up. My opinion was that the timing was right since that album was uneven and unfocused. It took me awhile to actually listen to this because I was ready to be disappointed. I had heard others tell me that this was not good. I waited 'till now, as I write, to listen and hear for myself what this reunion would sound like. I'm glad I waited a while before listening because it took the biased opinion out of me. I disagree with the others on this release. I find this more of a mature recording; brooding and edgy as once before. It reminds me of the darker moments of 1990's Bloodletting. Johnette Napolitano's vocals are as strong as ever and still put chills down my spine at moments. James Mankey's guitar playing has continued to improve while still painting a emotive aura around the music. If Harry Rushakoff was not included as the drummer, it would have made the whole reunion pointless. The magic the three have created here is a good sign that the infighting and turmoil no longer exists. The songs are focused and made me, as a fan of theirs, regain faith in them again. -Donofthedead (Manifesto)

CUT: Will You Die 4 Me?: CD
An Italian band, playing rock'n'roll, both male and female vocals singing in not-too-accented English - they've got the spirit, derived from such touchstones as the MC5 and X (the obvious comparison). This is the kind of album that makes you say, "Damn, I bet they'd put on a great show" on the first listen, and hey, let's face it, I know plenty of guys who'd pay the admission fee to see the band just to get an up-close-and-personal view of singer Elena Skoko, a photo of whose (clothed) crotch is prominently featured on the cover of Will You Die 4 Me. "Sugar Babe," which was probably my favorite cut from the album is available as a free mp3 download at . If you're into it, you should definitely consider the great foldout CD insert as incentive to pick up the whole CD. And, uh, the other tunes too. -Aaron J. Poehler (Gamma Pop)

DEAD EMPTY: Blame Luck, Blame Fate: 10" picture disc EP
This limited-edition (mine's #342 of 1000) 10-inch skull-rattler sonically screamed outta my stereo speakers like a hot-wired fully-revved car-crushin' monster truck tearing through tons of tangled metal heaps of scrap-iron auto remains in an overly cluttered junkyard in Detroit. Whooo-doggy yeh, Dead Empty boisterously blaze along like a full-force musical hurricane unleashing a thundering torrent of all-out snarlin' punk'n'roll ferocity. It's a snotty, rampaging, flesh-scorchin' cacophony somewhat comparable to the Nobodys brawling with Motorhead in a stench-filled, trash-strewn back-alley of Hell. Absolutely one of the most intense auditory experiences to ever violate my ears! -Roger Moser, Jr. (Cyclone and Reality Clash)

DEADBOLT: One Day I Will Kill You b/w Rockabilly Funeral: 7"
Released on Denmark's Ewing Records, this record includes "One Day I Will Kill You" (from the new Hobo Babylon CD) and a dark humor tale titled "Rockabilly Funeral." On first listen, "Rockabilly Funeral" seems to be about an undertaker who consistently escorts a despondent Betty to her customized car on mornings he finds her crying at a grave, presumably that of her lover who probably died playing chicken. Yes, I imagined the chicken bit, but poking fun keeps me entertained. -Jessica (Ewing)

DED BUGS: Planet of Blood: CD
Ramonesy punk rock'n'roll that's more like early Sloppy Seconds than the Queers. Their songs are catchy and fun to listen to, which is a definite plus and, at twenty-two minutes, the experience is relatively brief if it ain't your bag. -Jimmy Alvarado (Ded Bugs)

DEEP REDUCTION: 2: CD
Two former members of Radio Birdman deliver some solid punk rock, blues, and little psychedelia. The results are strong for the most part and the listener can definitely hear the Birdman's glory shining through. Recommended. -Jimmy Alvarado (Get Hip)

DESAPARECIDOS: Read Music Speak Spanish: CD
Started off as emo-tinged college pop and got progressively more emo-tinged and progressively worse. You'd also figure that with a title like that, they'd at least do so, but no. -Jimmy Alvarado (Saddle Creek)

DIESELBOY/DIVIT: Double Letter Score: split CD
Good Christ! A cover of "Livin'La Vida Loca?" Is the apocalypse near? Should I even listen to this? What were they thinking? After I took a couple deep breaths and a few beers, I popped this in (being the dedicated and objective reviewer I am [aka: drunken fool]). Typical pop rock here. Nothing too interesting. The music just kinda maintains the same rhythm and never tries to change it up. This makes for a boring listen. The lyrics are fairly dull too. Diesel Boy was okay when they first started out. They had a little wit to them and had some catchy songs, but now they sound like they are just going through the motions. Not to mention starving for material. Ricky Martin?! Divit sounds pretty much like Diesel Boy. Pop this in and you won't notice the band change. I haven't heard Divit before this but if you like your punk very poppy, check out Diesel Boy's Cock Rock CD. It's a bit more palatable. -Toby Tober (Coldfront)

DISASTER STRIKES: Self-titled: CD
Cross MDC with bands like Aus Rotten, React, and The Pist. Disaster Strikes crank out politically minded hardcore that draws from a variety of styles of the genre, from dual vocal delivery, Dead Kennedys-esque instrumentation on some songs, to Rollins style spoken/ vocal delivery. "Enter the Human Race" is my favorite song here with its wound-up, nervous pacing. -M.Avrg (Rodent Popsicle)

DISHES, THE: 1-2: CD
I can't wait to see where these chicks end up. Four girls. Two guitars, bass and drums. Nothing too incredibly special, but the key word is yet. The music is happy and keeps up a good, steady rhythm. The melodies are sweet and the vocals are raw but not coarse. I could see them easily playing a show with the Pinkz and the Eyeliners. This is a good record to check out. You can hear their potential in every riff. Not to say that this is bad by any means. The energy and emotion is there. I look forward to picking up maybe two albums from this one. I'll still dance around and clean my apartment to 1-2. -Harmonee (No. 89)

DOWNWAY: Defeat Songs: CD
Envision what you would picture as the Fat or Epitaph sound. The overly generic sound that most people characterize with those labels. Picture in your head? Do you hear it? This is what you would picture hearing in the background of a snowboard, skate, wakeboarding or surfing video. Russ from Good Riddance produced this and, for me, it didn't help. I skipped ahead to the Cheap Trick cover of "Surrender" and was saved for a moment. Still doesn't top Big Drill Car's cover of the same song but still is quite good for a cover. Average melodicore. -Donofthedead (Sessions)

DREXEL: Whatever Whenever: CD
More lame, poseur emo/pop/hardcore. Epitaph is gonna cream their jeans when they hear this. -Jimmy Alvarado (Drexel)

DYNAMO SKA: The Street Belongs to Us: CDEP
I'm glad that the last wave of ska has passed us now. It weeded out those who were only in it to make it. It got to the point that I couldn't even listen to the genre. Now being away from it, I can listen to it again. I'm guessing that this band hails from Germany. The title track is their rant against stupid nazi skins and racism in general. A ska cover of "If the Kids are United" and another original. Pretty damn enjoyable in my book. -Donofthedead (Black Butcher)

ELECTRELANE: Rock It to the Moon: CD
This is not techno. Nor could it technically be categorized as electronica. This is what I think might be playing if ever there was to ever be any sort of riot grrrl rave. It's not always fast. Sometimes it sounds sort of French-electri-loungey, like Air. But more like a soundtrack to a foreign film. Sometimes reminiscent of Slant 6, but sometimes like ghastly surf rock electronica. Does that make sense? Well, as confusing as that may sound, it's really good. A little mellow throughout, but it jumps around a little here and there. I would like to officially dub this music "Digi-girl"! -Harmonee (Mr. Lady)

EXPLOITED: Punk's Not Dead: CD
A repress of this infamous band's debut album, with a bunch of bonus tracks from assorted singles. 90
of their classic material can be found here, including the title track, "Blown to Bits," "Sex & Violence," "Cop Cars," "Mucky Pup," "Fuck the Mods," and "Dead Cities," to name a few. The fact that it's been fourteen years since I last saw this band and nearly nineteen since I first heard this release are two very bitter pills for me to swallow, though their music still makes me feel like kicking someone's teeth in. God, I feel fucking old and I haven't even reached "middle age" yet. -Jimmy Alvarado (Captain Oi!)

EXPLOITED: Troops of Tomorrow: CD
The group's second album, considered by many to be their greatest, although I've always been more partial to their first, Punk's Not Dead. Included with this pressing are tracks culled from various singles and a full color "poster" of the album's artwork. Thankfully, Captain Oi! had the suss not to include lyric sheets with any of the three re-releases they've just put out. The Exploited were always one of those bands that were better musically rather than lyrically. -Jimmy Alvarado (Captain Oi!)

FANTASY FOUR, THE/JULIA SETS: The Bert Dax Cavalcade of Stars Travelling Road Show: Split CDEP
Each band gets three tracks to show their stuff: Maplewood, Missouri's Fantasy Four is a dual-female vocal tuneful indie-pop guitar band whose "Hometown Rockstar" is the clear standout of their three raw tracks. Not too far off from a nascent Chubbies, or maybe Scrawl twenty years ago. A good start. St. Louis band Julia Sets' cuts are more polished, smoother and prettier despite having male vocals - a bit more "mature," I suppose, but less attractive in their drama and measured choices than Fantasy Four, who sound freer and definitely less pretentious. Kind of along the lines of Pinetop Seven, and I definitely get the feeling someone in this band has math-rock discs in their collection. I think Julia Sets kind of misses the spirit of the split release by having one of their three tracks last for over nine minutes - nearly as long as the other five songs put together! Between the two bands, I have to say I'd much rather see Fantasy Four, but neither band has anything to be ashamed of here. -Aaron J. Poehler (The Bert Dax Cavalcade of Stars)

GOOD RIDDANCE/KILL YOUR IDOLS: Split CD EP
Good Riddance: A band I normally loathe clocks in with some surprisingly good tunes. They've apparently toned down the "pop" quotient of their music and kicked up the "core" a notch, giving what usually sounded like watered down radio-friendly crap a good kick in the ass. Nice work. Kill Your Idols: Three pretty good tracks from a hardcore band I'd only heard of before. All tracks by both bands are exclusive to this release, so if you're a fan, you might wanna pick this up. -Jimmy Alvarado (Jade Tree)

GRRRLSCOUTS, THE: Tonight!: CD EP
Is this Screeching Weasel? All-boy band named the Grrrlscouts. You be the judge. -Sarah Stierch (Mutant Pop)

ICEPICK REVIVAL: Distress Signal: CD
Three songs of noise/metal, maxing out at twenty minutes. Few bands are capable of pulling something like this off. This ain't one of 'em. -Jimmy Alvarado (At A Loss)

JACKNIFE POWERBOMBS: Demo: CD
Well, um , it sounds like a demo of a punk band playing rudimentary rock'n'roll. Not particularly interesting on the whole. Sorry. -Jimmy Alvarado (jackknife_powerbombs@hotmail.com)

JERSEY: Definition: CD
This band has members of Grade. This band toured with Less Than Jake and NOFX. I think that explains it all. -Sarah Stierch (Fueled By Ramen)

JULIA SETS: Domino b/w Have You Ever Seen the Rain?: 7"
Long, long time since I had anything like this on the record player: the sort of Dinosaurish noisy but sweet pop that was the rage in certain circles once upon a time. A-side, anyway. The B is kind of toothless, though these guys are so far from CCR, I'll have to give them some credit for tackling it. -Cuss Baxter (The Bert Dax Cavalcade of Stars)

KEVIN K: 13th Street: CD
This is down'n'dirty Bowery-style rock'n'roll crunch with a colorfully descriptive lyrical content about drugs, heartbreak, boredom, decadence, and barely surviving the sleazy seduction of the dog-eat-dog mean streets of NYC. Kevin K and his deviant duo of musical sidekicks sound as if they just crawled out of a garbage dumpster in a rat-infested back-alley on the Lower East Side after a long night of substance abuse, drunken debauchery, and high-voltage sonic sinfulness at Max's Kansas City. Damn shootin', it's the swaggerin' gritty sound of hookers, heroin addiction, cheap tattoos, and booze-fuelled inner-city vagrancy (snotty nasal-whine vocals, ball-bustin' Johnny Thunders-style guitar riffage, and a clattering out-of-control subway train rhythm section). Man, this psychotically wild butt-blisterin' disc makes me wanna relocate to the vile seedy underbelly of New York City and plunge a needle deep into my arm. -Roger Moser, Jr. (Vicious Kitten and 13th Street Entertainment)

LAWRENCE ARMS, THE: Apathy and Exhaustion: CD
Here is a band that is well suited for the label they are on. They fit the Fat identity perfect. I place this band between Strung Out and No Use for a Name. The production is clean and perfect as always. That is what is expected from this label. Having two different singers helped mixed things up. But this did not put me in a head spin. -Donofthedead (Fat)

LUCY LOVES SCHROEDER: Lucy Is a Band: CD
Put the Muffs and the best parts of Tilt into a blender and mix well. This was good. Can't wait to hear what they sound like after their influences wear off. -Jimmy Alvarado (Beatville)

M-16: Canciones Escritas en el Exilio: CD
Imagine Puya with half the talent and none of the salsa influence. -Jimmy Alvarado (Mother West)

MAGGOTS, THE: This Condition Is Incurable: CD
First-class trash punk from this lot, falling somewhere between DMZ and Thee Mighty Caesars. The singer's voice was annoying in all the right ways. -Jimmy Alvarado (Bad Afro)

MEKONS: Fear and Whisky: CD
Originally released in 1985, and it hasn't aged too well since. Gone are the days of abrasive guitar punk funk akin to Gang of Four, replaced with a countrified light rock sound. There are a few interesting moments, such as "Flitcraft," and "Hard to be Human Again," but other than that... -M.Avrg (Quarterstick)

MERCURY FOUR, THE: Endless Beach: CD
Woweee cha-cha-cha, The Mercury Four perfectly replicate the classic surf sounds of the early '60s. And they do it so meticulously well, I had the sudden urge to fill my bathtub full of lukewarm water; added a couple of cups of sodium chloride for that salty oceanic effect; cranked the central heat up to a balmy eighty-five degrees while placing a box-fan nearby and setting it on full-speed to create a nicely blended tropical breeze; quickly squirmed outta my battery-heated long-johns and slipped into a pair of brightly colored floral-splattered knee-length shorts; climbed into the tub and stood there with both legs braced and bent at the knees in the classic cowabunga stance while wildly flailing my arms in a hilarious attempt to balance myself on an invisible surfboard beneath my water-shriveled feet. I'm suddenly crestin' on an imaginary twelve-foot wave that arose outta nowhere and overwhelmed me with such raging full-strength fury, I was forced to bail headfirst into the cold, uninviting tile of the bathroom floor. Yep, so much for pretend-surfin' in a cramped frigid lavatory in the dead of winter! But the delightfully fun and sunny sounds of The Mercury Four will inspire a person to take such drastic measures for a bit of make-believe sandy-footed frolicking no matter what time of year it is! The hot-doggin' killer-thriller keyboards, Herman Munster booty-twistin' guitar fieriness, and roarin' tidal wave's crash of bass and drum interaction just can't be beat. It's all-at-once jubilant, youthful, and wild, wild, wild! Even the lil' hula-girl statues on my stereo speakers were furiously shakin' their backsides silly to this upbeat bundle of tropical thunder! Indeed, it's a pleasurable spirit-rousing dose of tempestuous sonic paradise. -Roger Moser, Jr. (Mercury Four)

MINOR THREAT / YOUTH BRIGADE: Demos: LP
Not really a review because I shouldn't have to describe this to anybody who has any history in punk rock. I do have a few comments that you probably don't care about. Tough. This is the Washington DC Youth Brigade and not the current Youth Brigade that resides in California. Minor Threat has become one of the most legendary bands that existed in only a short time period. They also created a two-headed monster when they created the straight edge scene. Enough about my quick comments. Limited to 1,000 copies and well worth the purchase. Have to decide between a twelve pack of beer or a record? Buy this! Oh, I forgot you might be straight edge. Dumb question. -Donofthedead (Recollect X)

MISTREATERS, THE: Grab Them Cakes: CD
Being a Wisconsin punk, I've seen the Mistreaters several times. Garage punk with screamy, rock'n'roll vocals, and occasional harmonica use. Lotsa "hey baby" and "hey girl, why ya done me wrong?"! My fav garage punk is a little crazier and sloppier (i.e. the Brentwoods, Sonics, etc.) but this does rock. They're the sort of band I can only imagine playing in a bar. And the sort of band that, therefore, always sounds better when drunk. As the back of the CD says, "Critics agree… this record has 12 songs on it!" If this were a cereal, it'd be Corn Pops with beer instead of milk. -Maddy (Big Neck)

MUNITION: The Black Wave: CD
Started off promising, although a little poppy and just went downhill from there, ultimately ending up wallowing in that wretched netherworld where bad hardcore and bad emo meet, mate and go to die. What a waste. -Jimmy Alvarado (Failed Experiment)

MUSHROOMHEAD: XX: CD
Okay, I figured, hey, a band named Mushroomhead, maybe they got it from the Can song, right? Guess not. This band looks exactly like Slipknot, masks and all, only they have eight guys instead of nine. Apparently there's some dispute which band of the two was the first with the image, but I can't say I give a shit - either way it's pretty corny. Basically if you're at all into Slipknot maybe it'd be worthwhile you check this out. I personally have a low tolerance for the kind of thing where guys in the band give themselves dumbass names like "Gravy" and "Shmotz" and "Stitch," but hey, maybe if you're a thirteen-year-old goth guy this seems like the coolest shit in the world, I don't know. It just seems stupid to me. Note: cover of "Empty Spaces" by Pink Floyd scores new high on pointlessness meter. -Aaron J. Poehler (Universal)

NEKROMANTIX: Return of the Loving Dead: CD
Psychobilly. I was hoping for more of a Tiger Army thing here. Music that fits into some late '60s /early '70s car culture movies with Elvis thrown in. -Donofthedead (Hellcat)

OCELOT: The Quiet Storm: CD
Some killer indie/noise rock here, but man, you guys need a singer. Desperately. I'd be glad to stand in until you find a permanent replacement. Give me a call. -Jimmy Alvarado (Moodswing)

POWERBALL: Opposing Furies: CD
Hardcore punk with occasional rock flourishes. Not good, not bad, not particularly memorable. -Jimmy Alvarado (Rat Town)

PRE-TEENS, THE: Mess: 7"
When I saw that Cheetah's Records put this out, I was hoping for something as good as the American Steel stuff they've put out. Sadly, not the case. The Pre-teens are pretty boring pop punk, with girl vocals. (Isn't it annoying how I havta mention this, since there are so few girls in punk bands, and therefore "male vocals" is assumed unless I say otherwise? But I digress with my riot grrrl sentiments!) Not horrible by any means, but lacking something to distinguish it from every other pop punk record out there. If this were a cereal, it'd be regular Corn Flakes. -Maddy (Cheetah's)

RAZZELS, THE: ...Throttle: CD
Yay! Another poppy punk CD to light my fireplace with. Thanks! -Jimmy Alvarado (Get Hip)

REVEREND GLASSEYE AND HIS WOODEN LEGS: Black River Falls: CD
This is what John Boy and the rest of the hillbilly Walton clan would've sounded like if they'd subsisted on a steady diet of the Baldwin sisters' firewater remedy while belligerently bangin' their heads on keg barrels, furiously breathin' life into an odd array of old-time brass instruments, and heartily pluckin' and strummin' a banjo, bass fiddle, washboard, and clothesline-stringed guitar. It's moonshine-drenched mountain music magnificently mixed with jugband blues, riverboat cabaret, gypsy-swirlin' vaudeville, theatrical oompah madness, and a foot-stompin' knee-slappin' hootenanny of robust rural rowdiness. Hell yeh, a whiskey-swiggin', tobacco-chawin' aural shit-stirrer! It's as if a demonically possessed Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, an inbred bluegrass Bauhaus, a snaggle-toothed, Deliverance-style Tom Waits, and a more criminally insane, Southern-fried Split Lip Rayfield all met at the devil's crossroads in Depression-era Mississippi while conjuring beastly hellhound spirits in the pale glow of a full moon exactly one minute past midnight. The resulting cacophonous clash awakens the dead for an entire eternity and then some! Man, this is hypnotic, magical, rustic, and full-blooded American; a sonically spectacular freakshow carnival that endlessly titillates and delights the ears! -Roger Moser, Jr. (Monotone Management)

RINGWORM: Birth Is Pain: CD
I thought I heard of these guys before and I found them on the comp You Deserve Even Worse from that horrible label Lost & Found from Germany that I bought in the early '90s. To give you an idea of what they sound like, they were on the comp with 108, Ryker's, Judge, Battery, Sick Of It All and others. This is their first record in eight years. More of an early Metallica sound going on since the metal is very prevalent. Hardcore meets metal. -Donofthedead (Victory)

RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS: Self-titled: CD
'70s style old-school punk garage rock: NY Dolls, Damned, Dead Boys, you get the idea. Kinda like a decent opening band for the Gaza Strippers (i.e. in the same vein, but not as good). They include a version of the Ramones' "Slug" in memory of Joey but it doesn't do the original justice at all, unfortunately - they just succeed in making me wish I was listening to the original instead of this poor copy. Tempos don't stay as relentless as I prefer, sometimes getting a bit squishy as they go into the chorus, and none of the tunes stuck in my head at all. Sounds like I'd have a good time hanging out and getting drunk if the Riverboat Gamblers were playing in a club around me, but lord knows there are ten million records of this kind of music and this one doesn't leap out as one of the very best, which it'd pretty much have to do to stand out from the crowd. Probably worth checking out if they're playing around you for under five bucks, though. -Aaron J. Poehler (Beatville)

ROCKET 350: American Grease: CD
Another foray into territory previously navigated to better effect by the Reverend Horton Heat. -Jimmy Alvarado (Beatville)

SARAH SHANNON: Self-titled: CD
Hey, isn't this the singer from Velocity Girl? I'm not really sure how this CD made it's little way into the Razorcake review pile. This is a little different from what I'm used to seeing, which I guess is why Todd and Sean gave it to me. It's a little jazzy, but not in a Miles Davis sort of way. More so in that late seventies, early eighties Wurlitzer-and-Hammond-organ type of way. She also uses a tambourine on a few songs which adds a little pizzazz here and there. Some of the faster songs even remind me of the Strokes a little bit. It has a little bit of a retro feel to it, but without trying to sound retro. Sarah has a great voice which makes this CD so easy to listen to. I'd like to hear her put out a CD of all faster songs. Some of the slower stuff is a little too Coldplay for me. I could see her maybe opening up for Papas Fritas at Spaceland, or something close to that. I'm a sucker for a Wurlitzer. I can't help it. I'm a dork that way. -Harmonee (Casa Recordings Co.)

SCISSORFIGHT: Mantrapping for Sport and Profit: CD
I guess this could be correctly categorized as scum-metal madness and mayhem, but to be perfectly honest, I hear waaaaay too much of this shit around town to even consider giving it a second listen. No offense meant to Scissorfight, though, 'cause they proficiently and energetically tear it up somethin' fierce on this here devil-dog of a disc, but it just ain't my bottle of brew, so therefore I can't fuckin' be bothered with it. If ya dig a maniacal bit of Ministry crossed with Soundgarden's grungey roar, Black Sabbath's dark'n'decadent instrumental delivery, and the robust fiery expulsions of Satan's flatulence, then Scissorfight is certainly the band for you. But not me, bub, so I will now loudly crank the Link Wray compilation that Santa brought to me this past Christmas (HoHoHumbug and up yers!). -Roger Moser, Jr. (Tortuga)

SHIVER: Never Too Late: CD
For this review, just read any Pennywise review and apply it to this band. That is exactly what they sound like. Like Pennywise, it has that real clean sound. I don't know how else to describe it. I guess it is over-produced. It has a kinda polished sound, both the voice and the music. This isn't the sound I look for in my punk. I want something a little rougher around the edges. I can do without the "whooooooah-o-ooohs" also. If you are a Pennywise fan, check this out. You should like it. Me. Not so much. -Toby Tober (Bratville)

SLOJACK: Get There from Here: CD
Unimpressive rock with a dash of punk. I guess the music scene in Silverlake ain't any better than when it was the "next big thing." -Jimmy Alvarado (Silverlake)

SPARTA: Austere: CDEP
With the official breakup of At the Drive-In, two bands have formed from the division. This one is Jim, Tony, and Pall, formerly the rhythm section and one of the guitars. What's kinda throwing me for a loop is that I heard some other early songs Sparta were working on and they were full-on rock cataclysmic - weighty, overpowering, driving numbers that reminded me of the heavy-duty crash that full-speed ATDI was capable of. Omar and Cedric (who went on to form Defacto and The Mars Volta), I thought, were the more ethereal, dubby yin to these guys straight-forward, swing-filled yang. Not quite so, if this EP is any indication. It's effect-heavy and to the untrained ear, it almost sounds like more lilting and mellow, unreleased ATDI. The vocals are even in the same range, which is pretty strange, due to the fact that Jim wasn't ATDI's main vocalist. Although this is very good; I'm always amazed at how much these guys - all of them - constantly challenge themselves musically. But, and this is a big but, where's the full-on release? Where's the unadulterated charge? Where's the full-on bombast? Studio pieces are nice, artifice is nice, but I miss the unadulterated fire I know these guys are capable of. Perhaps it's being saved for the full length. Fingers crossed. -Todd (Dreamworks)

STAGE BOTTLES: 1993 - 2001: CD
This is abrasively strong anti-fascist skinhead oi and gruff'n'surly European streetpunk insurrection at its fiercest, liveliest, and most musically cohesive. The sound is full and furious, relentlessly possessing all of the necessary riot-inciting auditory ingredients needed to make this CD a constant companion for the ears of any self-respecting Doc Marten-attired non-racist skinhead out there. It's a rotund and rousing barrel full of manly lager-scoured vocals (frequently complemented by spirited Cockney female rants), frenetic high-powered guitar strafings, rip-roarin' ground-shakin' bass thumpings, a constant unwavering bombardment of shrapnel-tossing drumbeats, and sporadic X-Ray Spex-style saxophone sputterings. Hell yes, a grandly spectacular display of unabashedly upbeat insurgent sounds. This is undeniably the ultimate in foot-stompin' good fun! -Roger Moser, Jr. (Mad Butcher and Insurgence and KOB)

STANDSTILL: Demo 01: CDEP demo
Guitar and bass parts: Good Riddance, circa Ballads of the Revolution. Drumming: NOFX, circa White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean, the easier parts. Breakdowns: Hot Water Music, circa Fuel for the Hate Game. Vocals: hey at least he's not crying into his socks. Proficient, but woefully predictable and done immensely better by hundreds of bands (starting with the three just mentioned). Melodicore's been effectively strip mined. You gotta dig way deeper to find some audio gold (or even something that doesn't sound like a bunch of already desiccated musical notes). -Todd ()

STINGRAYS, THE: Don't Fear the Reverb: CD
This three-piece instrumental group of sun-lacquered youngsters aurally ride high and impressively swoop through a wave-crashing array of boss surf sounds that tickled my toes and made my stomach all fuzzy and warm inside just like a coconut-flavored Caribbean cocktail. The reverb-drenched ditties contained herein wail, shred, and border on the absolutely phenomenal. Indeed, this is the closest 21st Century semblance to The Ventures and The Chantays that has yet sonically roared outta the salty tempestuous waters of the magnificently grand Pacific. The guitars are frenetic, jittery, spastic, and twangy (soundin' uncannily like a rabidly crazed orchestra full of tightly wound electric rubberbands bein' furiously snapped, plucked, and strummed); the bass thunderously rumbles along like a full-force tropical hurricane hellbent on an unrelenting path of catastrophic destruction; the drums crash, bang, and boom with explosive percussive fury like a hailstorm of molten volcanic rocks raining down on the cast-iron deck of a gigantic old weather-beaten oil-tanker. Hot-dog hell yeh, The Stingrays sure know how to musically strut their stuff, and they do it with the utmost of style, energy, and finesse! I'm ecstatic and stoked to the max over this ear-pummeling puppy, and you can damn well bet your newly polished board on it! -Roger Moser, Jr. (Slimstyle)

STRIFE: Angermeans: CD
I thought these guys broke up? I definitely was wrong. These tough-as-nails straight edgers produce another metal massacre that should have the pit swarming with adrenaline-induced moshers swinging fists and kicking feet. The guitars are loud and can be mistaken easily for Slayer. The vocals are in the screamed variety that comes off thick and with pure venom. The drummer pounds away like beating down a door with an axe trying to escape a fire. The bassist ties it all in by bringing in a tonal low that adds to the menacing anxiety. Who would have thought a great metal record would be in the punk bin? -Donofthedead (Victory)

STROBE TALBOT: 20 Pop Songs: CD
Jad Fair and a couple of his buddies offer up twenty songs that don't sound all that different from his work as Half Japanese. If quirky, punky pop is you're bag, you could do much worse. -Jimmy Alvarado (Alternative Tentacles)

STUDENT RICK: Soundtrack for a Generation: CD
If I was still in high school, I would really dig this. The problem is that was seventeen years ago. -Donofthedead (Victory)

SUPERCHUNK: Here's to Shutting Up: CD
Remember when college rock was all the rage? Here you have it. -Donofthedead (Merge)

SUPERTONES, THE: The Big Wet Twang: CD, Surf Fever 2000: CD
The Supertones skillfully unleash a riproarin' note-perfect tidal wave of cascading surf sounds that immaculately conjures the glorious golden era of rockin' beach bum music when it was dare-devilishly hangin' ten at its sun-splashed crest in the early 1960s. This is exactly the kind of youthfully exuberant rock'n'roll giddiness that inspired an entire generation of fuzzy-haired adolescents to grab their well-scrubbed boards and bronze-tanned babes, excitedly pile into their souped-up multi-colored dune-buggies, and recklessly race to the beach for a full day of intercourse, intoxication, and juvenilistic coastal relaxation. Cowabunga into the wild blue yonder, indeed! The Big Wet Twang is a newly released 10-song collection of Supertones recordings from 1991. It's a laid-back, well-structured assortment of instrumental tropical divinity that'd perfectly complement a casual blissful stroll, hand-in-hand with a voluptuously buxom bikini-clad cutie, along a glistening sand-strewn shoreline during a slow, magical, effervescent sunset. Surf Fever 2000 is a recently recorded auditory delight that's jaunty, upbeat, and full of euphoric frolicsome good fun. It's just the sort of sonic sassiness that could ardently re-ignite the starry-eyed beach-blanketed lust between Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello and, in no time at all, have 'em feverishly pawin' each other's private parts like a couple of rabid sex-crazed 'coon-dogs in heat. Yeh buddy, these two discs aurally epitomize the climactic anticipatory excitement of sweaty teen-aged summertime splendor! My ears are jubilantly ridin' high on the spectacular wave-crashing sounds of all this twang-tinged surf madness. For sure, for sure, daddy-o! So if you'll please excuse me now, I'm gonna bask, bathe, and immerse myself in another billowy surge of The Supertones. -Roger Moser, Jr. (Golly Gee)

TEENAGE FANCLUB AND JAD FAIR: Words of Wisdom and Hope: CD
It seems Mr. Fair has been a busy bee lately, as this is the third or fourth release that I've heard from him in the last year. I was kinda excited that Teenage Fanclub were involved as well, 'cause I figured they'd give the music some extra added "oomph." Unfortunately, they don't. Twelve tracks of mellow rock. Kinda bummed, kinda bored, -Jimmy Alvarado (Alternative Tentacles)

TRACY + THE PLASTICS: Muscular's Guide to Videonics: CD
Am I stupid for missing all three Tracy + the Plastics shows here in LA when this album first came out? Yes. Why would I do something as dumb as that? I dunno, temporary lapse of sanity I assume. This CD has helped to re-build my hope and satisfaction with the Indie Revolution, girl style. I am so happy to hear things like this come around. Tracy + the Plastics sound like an Atari video game. A drum machine, some digital '80s effects and a keyboard make me wanna put on my purple unicorn roller-skates on (ahh, memories...). There's something magical about a microphone and a 4-track. Everyone should make a song with both at some point in their lives, just for fun. A cassette player - it's sad to think that something I used on an hourly basis while I was younger, might now be considered something "retro." The lower inside sleeve of Tracy's CD insert are the buttons on a tape player (arrows for rewind <<, play >, fast forward >>, the stop square and pause ll). Buy this CD and become inspired. -Harmonee (Chainsaw)

UNIFORM, THE: Black and Vain: CD
I definitely get the impression these guys think they're a lot more original and different than they really are. I mean, sure Gang of Four was new and different in 1980, but echoing them twenty years on and tossing in some lame pre-Geffen Sonic Youth moves isn't exactly what I'd call breaking new ground. They also have the balls to put in the lyrics of the title cut: "the sonics/ they're all gone.../ but we stick it out/ what do ya think of that..../ stamp them out now" Whatever. If these guys had half the tunes of the Sonics that's be one thing, but hey... The Sonics have been gone for thirty years and their records still get listened to. Even the members of The Uniform aren't going to be listening to Black And Vain thirty years from now. Tiresome. -Aaron J. Poehler (Morphius)

V FOR VENDETTA: Beneath This Mask Another Mask: CD
Cara and Michelle are visionaries. If The Need were emo, they would be V for Vendetta. A long time ago, people went to see orchestras perform much like we would go to a show to see our favorite band today. One of the differences, however, between going to a classical concert and a modern day show would be that people back then did not have the movies, so if you wanted to see a story, you could either obtain this through the characters in a theater play or opera, or through a classical masterpiece where every instrument (maybe even fifty pieces, or more) plays its own part. These girls manage to portray that with only two pieces. Both drums and guitar (or bass) have conversations with each other. The lyrics are there to decorate. This CD plays good in the background, but it's best to listen up close. With song titles like, "But It Needs a Spoon Full of Sugar to Go Down," and "The Jester in the Court of the King of the Goons," you can't help but want to figure this stuff out. The cover also looks like a kitty (V's for the eyes, nose and mouth on a black background). Meow! -Harmonee (Mr. Lady)

VARIOUS ARTISTS: 3 Chord Rocket Science: CD
This comp reminds me a lot of the old Lookout comps from about ten years ago. It even has old pop-punk-compilation staples like the Beatnik Termites and J Church, plus the Screeching Weasel knockoff band that sounds more like Screeching Weasel than any other SW knockoff band - The Hextalls - and the Green Day knockoff band that sounds more like Green Day than any other GD knockoff band - Dynamite Boy. There are a lot of previously-released songs by cool bands like the Eyeliners, Groovie Ghoulies, and The Fairlanes. A healthy number of bands I've never heard of are included here. No real big surprises or discoveries. Nothing groundbreaking or too original, but, if you're a fan of pop punk, you have to respect this comp's purity. And there's a cool, previously-unreleased Dirt Bike Annie song at the end of this. -Sean (Suckerpunch)

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Boss Samplerage:! 2X CD
People and labels to avoid: anyone who adds the suffix -age to their nouns thinking it is in some way remotely cool or funny. Bands to avoid: Woolworthy, Annalise, High Lo Fi, The Unknown, Chino, Manifesto Jukebox, The Tank, Hate Fuck Trio, Kid With Man Head, Kick Joneses, The Jones, Scarper, Ragitty Anne, Wordbug, Blocko, Serpico, Rise, Perfect Daze, The Nils, Rope, Five Foot Nothing, Vehicular Derek, The Milwaukees, Pocket Genuis, Asexuals, Lunasuit, Eesch, La Matta, The Pavers. All pretty bland pop/emo punk here. Nothing stood out at all. Hey, they're lucky I even bothered to listen to it with that -age crap! -Toby Tober (Boss Tuneage)

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Captain Oi! Records 5-Track Sampler: CDEP
This is a short and turbulently sweet lil' collection of newly recorded material by five larger-than-life bands who've managed to crawl outta the smoldering rubble of past punkrock glories and are still ruthlessly unleashing a mayhemic maelstrom of savage sonic chaos. Slaughter & The Dogs: high-voltage pub-rock riffage with big ballsy blasts of swagger, attitude, and intensity. Resistance 77: a primitive blind-rage blitzkrieg of Ramones-influenced instrumentation, snotty snarling vocals with lively terrace-chant backing choruses, and an insurgent tonnage of aggressively loud streetpunk furor (imagine Wire's "Mr. Suit" crossed with the fastest, meanest tracks off the Ramones' self-titled debut. Shit, man, it's no small wonder that this is my very favorite cut on this here mind-warping mini-comp!). Menace: thickly accented Cockney-scruff vocals bolstered by chanting soccer mob hooliganism and loads of musical boot-stompin' barbarism. Splodgenessabounds: a killer wall-crumblin' roar of pure punkrock mayhem at its brattiest and most insolent (I absolutely adore the bitterly bickering vocal trade-off between the male and female leads!). The Gonads: as belligerent, uncontrolled, and unruly as ever (thuggish, brutal, and utterly extraordinary!). Damn, this chaos-charged comp is at least twenty songs too short, but it's insanely impressive nonetheless. And I'll be robustly blastin' it 'til the cows come home! -Roger Moser, Jr. (Captain Oi!)

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Honest Don's Dirty Dishes: CD
Are you scared that you are going to lose punk points if you are caught listening to any music from Fat/Honest Don's. Well, you just might, but look at all the bands you can sample on this comp. Dogpiss (which is a side project of the mighty Snuff), Fabulous Disaster (who still remain in my CD changer after a year and probably can kick both of our asses), Citizen Fish (I know you have a fucking Subhumans patch on your jacket), Real McKenizies (Scottish bagpipe punk rock mayhem), Dance Hall Crashers (always a good listen) and Teen Idols (who I absolutely love!). More is to be had here. Are you an individual or are you just part of the pack? You decide. -Donofthedead (Honest Don's)

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Hopeless Records' 50th Release: 2 X CD
This is an extravagantly outstanding sonic display of snotty pop punk splendor at its most upbeat, jubilant, and energetically frenzied! It's a joyously addictive compilation raucously containing a multi-talented rip-roarin' cream of the crop from the first forty-nine Hopeless Records releases, includin' pleasurably bouncy eardrum-punchers by the loud'n'lively likes of Guttermouth, White Kaps, Funeral Oration, 88 Fingers Louie, Nobodys (undeniably still my all-time favorite Hopeless band!), Falling Sickness, Digger, Mustard Plug, Heckle, Weston, Against All Authority, The Queers, Dillinger Four, Selby Tigers, The Story So Far, and Samiam. My one and only exasperating bone of contention to be picked is the mindlessly moronic "Gee Officer Krupke" by Schlong (it's the most idiotic, annoying, and inanely stupid song to ever irritate my ears to the point of vomit-inducing insanity. Sickening, absurd, and utterly despicable, it has no place whatsoever on this or any other colorfully creative musical package. Give it up, fellas, and please return as quickly as possible to the malodorous fly-infested pile of dung from which you come. Yes, you do indeed suck big throbbing donkey schlong!). Anyway, with that spirited well-deserved tirade outta the way, I must confess: even the few ska-tinged tracks on here are topnotch and stellar (and I fuckin'-A forever hate ska with a passion, boy howdy whooo!). So I rowdily, robustly, and feverishly recommend this habit-forming auditory treasure over and over and over again. Buy it, steal it, kill for it! If it's Hopeless, it's got to be good. -Roger Moser, Jr. (Hopeless)

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Liquid Hamburger Training Pants: CD
Most of the stuff on this comp is lame indie rock/emo crap, but there are a few really good tracks to be found here. The full-on thrash of Sought After and the geekcore of Que Se Dice are definite highlights, but the real gems come courtesy of the genius that is Worm Quartet. Quirky, funny-as-hell songs and the track "Monotony" has got to be the most succinct point ever made about techno. Coming in a close second is Go Sushi, who's the only acoustic group I've been able to stomach for decades. Maybe 'cause they remind me a little of the Urinals. Those last two bands make this more than worthwhile. -Jimmy Alvarado (Koala)

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Lookout Freakout, Episode 2: CD
I really did not get into this Lookout/ Panic Button Records budget sampler. Maybe you might like this. Bands on the comp are: The Donnas, Ann Bereta, Ted Leo, The Pattern, Black Cat Music, The Mr. T Experience, American Steel, The Eyeliners, The Wanna-Be's, Gaza Strippers, Bratmobile, Yesterday's Kids, Alkaline Trio, Common Rider, Enemies, Lillingtons, bis, Pitch Black, The Go-Nuts, and Squirtgun. You buy it since it is going to be cheap and decide for yourself. -Donofthedead (Lookout)

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Pop-Punk Fever: CD
Comps don't do it for me anymore. It just seems like most bands submit filler to just get their name out there. Either that I don't like pop punk or melodicore as much as I used to. Well, bands that you might recognize here are The Juliana Theory, No Motiv, Showoff, Dynamite Boy, Big in Japan and Death on Wednesday to name a few. It's getting repetitive but I am going to say it again. You decide. -Donofthedead (Nice Guy)

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Superunderground Audio Newsletter Volume III: CD
A sampler of some of the most abhorrent metal/ambient/experimental crap I've heard in a while, courtesy of bands hailing from Mexico, Germany, and elsewhere. Comes with a Xeroxed mag with track by track reviews in Spanish that makes me wonder if the guy really likes the stuff on the CD as much as his reviews make out. -Jimmy Alvarado (superunderground@hotmail.com)

VERY METAL: Hit and Run: CD
Adequate, mid-tempo hardcore. I liked the sound of it, but I find it damn hard to take seriously a band that doesn't even bother to proofread their lyric sheet. -Jimmy Alvarado (Beer City)

WASHBURN, JOHN: Stumbling Still Warm: CD
Sub-Tom Petty singer-songwriter stuff. Nothing too special - for this kind of music you've got to have a real knack for words and I just don't hear that here. Poor choices and cliches abound, such as the endlessly repeated chorus of "Fool for You": "She's a Fool for You/ And you don't love her like I do." Hear that sung ten times or so and you're done with it forever. (Also, why capitalize the song titles where they appear in the lyrics?) Far too ephemeral, no real substance audible on this album, only the semblance of thought and lots of following in the footsteps of others who have done this exact same thing many, many times and far, far better. -Aaron J. Poehler (Wayward)

WILLARD GRANT CONSPIRACY/TELEFUNK: In the Fistank: CD
Leonard Cohen bringin' da funk. -Jimmy Alvarado (Konkurrent)

WINEPRESS: Complete Recordings: CD
What's up with all these discographies lately? Here is a band that is putting out theirs. This includes two 7"s, tracks off a split 7" and a comp track. This band existed from 1992-1994. They were a Chicago-area based band and looking at the picture they were really young when they were around. The insert states that the guitarist was thirteen when the band first formed. I wasn't listening to that much pop punk during that period so I never have heard of them. At least someone believed in the band enough to release this. -Donofthedead (Harmless)

YOBS, THE: Worst of the Yobs: CD
Some of you more astute readers might have guessed that the Yobs are, in fact, the Boys. The Boys temporarily called themselves the Yobs and released not one, but two Christmas albums and several Christmas 45s. Why they bothered to do this, I do not know. I am a huge fan of the Boys, especially the first two albums (both re-released by Captain Oi - check 'em out!) and they are a punk, power pop, Buzzcocks-y, rock'n'roll explosion! This CD is a re-recording of some of their old Christmas songs plus one new song, "Who Had All the Christmas Cake." The songs are definitely Boys-esque and somewhat rockin' but nowhere near as great as regular Boys material. If the Boys/Yobs are still able to rock, why don't they record some non-holiday-themed rock and roll? If this were a cereal, it'd be Holiday Cheerios. -Maddy (Captain Oi)