CD QuickTakes Archive

CD QuickTakes Archive

Music Home / Entertainment Channel / Bullz-Eye Home

10 Years: The Autumn Effect
Label: Universal

For their major label debut, Knoxville band 10 Years enlisted producer Josh Abraham (Staind, Velvet Revolver) and the result is a crisp and clean approach that lets the songs shine through. 10 Years relies lyrically on human emotion, and musically on the guitar assault and dark melodies that defines the active rock format. That may not be a glowing statement in a flooded market of cookie cutter bands, but the songs on The Autumn Effect are a “cut” above, and that’s what will give 10 Years a little more staying power. Pay special attention to the first single, “Wasteland,” as well as the powerful “Prey” and the creepy title track. ~Mike Farley (07/14/05)

+44: When Your Heart Stops Beating
Label: Interscope 2006

You can’t keep musicians from making music for very long. While punk band Blink 182 is on a widely publicized hiatus, singer Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker decided to form a side project, curiously with numbers in the band name again: +44. The debut from +44, When Your Heart Stops Beating, shows the ability of Hoppus and Barker to stay just far enough ahead of the “cool” curve to not be lumped in with their annoying punk pop brethren, and that’s because these guys simply go out and make good rock music without trying to follow any trends. But +44 still can’t help but come off like a more grown-up Blink 182. The band uses slick guitar work, layers of sweet harmonies and of course Barker’s monstrous yet tasteful drumming to create something more akin to Foo Fighters than Fall Out Boy. “Lycanthrope” and the title track are balls-out rockers but this band is at its best when it effectively uses dynamics, like on “Little Death” and “No It Isn’t.”
~Mike Farley (12/14/06)

45 Grave: Only the Good Die Young
Label: Restless / Rykodisc

To a certain degree, Los Angeles’s 45 Grave were as influential as the Misfits when it came to kick-starting the Goth-punk movement of the early ‘80s; they were not, however, anywhere near as good, which is probably why their profile has never been terribly substantial outside of Southern California. Only the Good Die Young is a live album that was actually recorded three years after the band broke up, capturing the group performing at one of their occasional reunion gigs. The group – which included members Dinah Cancer (ho, ho) and Paul B. Cutler, who went on to serve as part of the Dream Syndicate – certainly sounds to be having a good time here, and God (or his counterpart) knows they’re energetic, particularly on songs like “Fucked Up by the Devil,” “My Type,” and “Sheila.” First, however, listeners have to get past “Take Five,” which is eight minutes that may or may not be inspired by the Dave Brubeck song of the same name...but, if it is, surely he can sue them for what they’ve done to it. Also feel free to skip over closer “Akira Raideen,” which is another eight-minute track that feels much longer. These guys – and, lest we forget, gal – are historically important, but that doesn’t mean they always make for good listening. ~Will Harris (12/29/05)

46bliss: 46bliss
Label: Pistachio

The link to 46bliss’s website states that the band “combines elements of 80s music with modern trance/electronica,” but a simpler summary of many of their tunes can be performed with but one word: trip-hop. You remember the genre, surely: Portishead, the Sneaker Pimps, Massive Attack, that sort of thing. It certainly doesn’t cover every track, but the group clearly draws some inspiration from those folks (and freely admits it on their MySpace page. For an indie band, 46bliss have managed to get their songs placed pretty high up in the entertainment food chain; “The Way You Are,” a highlight of this album, managed to get played on the season premiere of “CSI: New York” and, perhaps more crucially, is on the soundtrack to “Veronica Mars.” Much of the disc tends toward the mellower end of dance music, but with songs like “Love in Vision” and “Inner Sensation” (well, part of it, anyway) scattered about, there’s enough variety that listeners won’t get bored. ~Will Harris (01/26/06)

54 Seconds: 54 Seconds
Label: Rock Ridge 2007

The music is interesting, the melodies are pleasant and the musicians seem to have formed a connection, a groove… then you hear the vocalist and he sounds like a depressed warbling goat. That might be an overstatement, but Spencer Gibb has limited range, sounds way too depressed and when he stretches his vocal range, it hurts to listen. That is really sad because the subtleties of the musicians behind him – including the horns, mandolins and some very good harmony vocals that try to save him – are intriguing. In the end, his lack of range overshadows everything else. This is kind of like Switchfoot or Incubus without the punch. There is a laid-back California vibe to the album, which is pleasant, but the vocals are too distracting. I bet in person, Gibb is an impassioned vocalist, giving it everything he has on every note. That doesn’t mean I want to hear him sing. Maybe they should let the bassist, Rachel Loy, have a crack at the lead – her harmonies almost save Gibb from himself. ~R. David Smola (09/14/07)

707: Greatest Hits Live
Label: GB Music 2005

Completely non-descript cult arena rockers recorded in concert back in the ‘80s. The band’s only real claim to fame was that member Tod Howarth went on to play with Ace Frehley. The songs are barely second-level rippers that didn’t carry nearly enough appeal to carry over to the mainstream. The band seemed to have the chops, though, as evidenced on the various extended song breaks. The production is a bit thin, too, which in the end does nothing to make you want to listen to these songs more than once. ~Kurt Torster (08/03/07)

Karling Abbeygate: Karling Abbeygate
Label: Dionysus 2006

If James Hunter’s 2006 album, People Gonna Talk, was like discovering a long-lost blue-eyed soul album from the early ‘60s, then Karling Abbeygate’s self-titled debut is the country equivalent. Surprisingly, the two have something else in common as well: they’re both from the UK. Abbeygate, however, has a Kansas-born father…and therein lies the most plausible explanation as to how she can sound so damned authentic when singing country music. It also seems too easy to suggest that she’s channeling the spirit of Patsy Cline, but no critic alive will be able to avoid the temptation to do so; the songs as well as the production are clearly designed to emphasize the resemblance. There’s also a considerable degree of similarity to Dolly Parton’s earlier work, courtesy of Abbeygate’s little-girl-sounding voice. The majority of the tracks are covers, like Hank Snow’s “Who Left the Door to Heaven Open,” but Abbeygate’s originals – the best of which are “Tonight Is Gonna Last” and “Someone Else’s Man” – are so solidly rooted in the grand old country tradition that it’s clear this won’t be a one-off album. Whatever you do, though, don’t let Abbeygate within a hundred miles of Nashville; her sound is nothing like the country music of today, and it’ll be nothing short of a sin if it gets tainted. ~Will Harris (01/04/07)

Paula Abdul: Greatest Hits: Straight Up!
Label: EMI/Virgin 2007

You want straight up? Here you go: this new Paula Abdul greatest-hits collection is just a mostly-unnecessary re-visitation of the one that came out back in 2000, with just a slight tweak to the track listing and no newly recorded material. There, how’s that for straight up? Gone from the previous version are the then-new track, “Crazy Love,” and the so-called “Megamix Medley.” Now in the house: “Will You Marry Me?” from 1991’s Spellbound (a notable omission from the original disc, given that it was a Top 20 hit), two additional tracks from 1995’s Head Over Heels, and, for no discernable reason, “One or the Other,” the closing track from her debut album, 1988’s Forever Your Girl. Few would claim that Paula Abdul made a truly lasting impression on pop music with her three studio albums, but that first record was about as good as mainstream dance-pop got during the late ‘80s, and the singles from the other two albums were all pretty enjoyable as well. Paula hasn’t been bothered to return to the studio since that “American Idol” gig took off for her, so, in short, this is probably the only Paula Abdul album you’ll ever need to own...but if you don’t care anything about the aforementioned additions, don’t waste your money. ~Will Harris (05/04/07)

Absentstar: Absentstar
Label: Canvasback/Columbia 2007

With influences that range from Radiohead and Coldplay to Snow Patrol and Muse, there is a lot to like about Chicago-based five-piece band Absentstar. And the best part is that they really don’t sound derivative on their self-titled EP (a full length will be released in the spring of 2008), but rather, this is a band that simply fits right into the upper crust of the pack. Their songs are bright, catchy and smartly arranged. That, and they score points for their good musicianship. Produced by songwriter/studio rat Dan Wilson (Semisonic), the best tracks are the up-tempo, driving “For God’s Sakes,” and the balls-out rocker “If You Like It.” Keep your eye on these guys—with songs like this they’re sure to make a bit of industry noise. ~Mike Farley (11/16/07)

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Follow the Lights
Label: Lost Highway 2007

Author Stephen King gushed of Ryan Adams recently, “I won’t say Adams is the best North American singer-songwriter since Neil Young, but I won’t say he isn’t, either.” Of course, it’s been nearly four months since the fab Easy Tiger dropped, so we’re due for something new, right? I mean, this is the guy who dumped four new albums (if you count Cold Roses as two) of original material in the marketplace during one calendar year in 2005. Even as Follow the Lights is but a seven-song EP, it delivers as much earthy, twangy, good-for-your-soul faux country bliss as most any current artist could hope for in a full album. Six Adams’ originals here (though a couple that have seen different versions on past works) plus a gritty, no-frills take on Alice In Chains’ “Down in a Hole,” a clever choice for a cover that falls well within his range. A new Cardinals version of “This is It” (from Rock N’ Roll), as well as the shimmering acoustic piano title track, makes Follow the Lights a must-have for freaks and casual Adams fans alike. Lord knows, you don’t want to turn your back on a legend in his prime. Not even for a few months. ~Red Rocker (11/02/07)

Aerosmith: Chronicles: Permanent Vacation / Pump / Get A Grip
Label: Geffen

Record companies are evil, and if you don’t think packaging five different greatest hit packages by an artist is proof, Geffen has re-released the three albums that re-vitalized Aerosmith’s career (Permanent Vacation from 1987, Pump from 1989 and Get a Grip from 1993) with no new material included and the exact same liner notes from the original releases. If you have these albums, and based on the numbers they sold you probably do, there is no need to go and grab them again. Permanent Vacation, Pump and Get a Grip, are four and five star records but with no demos, no outtakes and no narrative going into the making of these records, this is an unnecessary purchase.

The material, production, arrangements and execution is stellar on each of these albums. The “package” is full of hits including “Rag Doll”, “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)”, “Angel”, “Love in an Elevator”, “Janie’s Got a Gun”, and “Crazy”. The other songs are not throwaways. These are excellent, complete records. If you don’t have them, here they are, in one convenient place, but if you do, there is no reason to pick this up. The rating was compiled with the following computation: Five stars for the material plus a negative three for the unimaginative presentation of this so-called “box”. ~R. David Smola (08/11/05)

The Afters: I Wish We All Could Win
Label: Ino/Epic

These Christian power poppers have a sound like Phantom Planet’s debut album, albeit with a bit of a Jesus Jones thrown into the mix. Your mileage on the disc, however, depends on whether you can appreciate an incredibly catchy CD that espouses religious beliefs which may not match your own. The first three tracks are as good as power pop gets, with any lyrical references to the band’s faith remaining general, but heathen should beware the fifth song, where the Afters harmonize, “Jesus, I’ll love you with all of my mind / Jesus, I’ll love you with all of my soul / Jesus, I’ll love you with all that I am.” The problem with the song, however, isn’t its lyrics – though, if played at the office, co-workers may raise their eyebrows – but, rather, that it’s a sweeping, string-laden ballad which is utterly unlike anything preceding it. (It is, unfortunately, similar to the ninth song, “Wait.”) For the most part, however, this stands as the best album from the Christian power pop scene since the Elms’ debut in 2002. ~Will Harris (08/25/05)

Jason Aldean: Relentless
Label: Broken Bow Records 2007

Like Keith Urban and Dierks Bentley, Macon, Georgia native Jason Aldean is on the fast track and quickly becoming Nashville’s one of newest hitmakers. One year after earning an ACM award for Top New Male Vocalist, Aldean follows up his certified gold debut album with Relentless, a straight-up contemporary country offering which owes equal debts to his home state-based Southern rock and traditional honky tonk. Touring non-stop since 2005’s debut, currently with industry goliaths Rascal Flatts, he doubles his arsenal with slow burner “Back in This Cigarette,” high school yearbook ode “Laughed Until We Cried,” and the most overplayed video single of the summer, “Johnny Cash.” Somehow the lil’ feller can’t bark “quit my job, flipped off the boss, took my name off the payroll” with near the conviction of Kristofferson or Haggard, yet his stock continues to rise on expected future earnings. The album highlight is an all-skate ballad with fellow up-and-comer Miranda Lambert called “Grown Woman,” which boasts, “I ain’t no old lipstick you use up and throw away, when you’re ready for another shade.” You go, girl! ~Red Rocker (08/10/07)

America: Struttin’ Our Stuff
Label: Inakustik 2006

It’s a testament to America’s lack of concern about looking, acting, or seemingly even remotely cool that they should use such a woefully un-hip phrase as the title of their live album. Fortunately, the songs contained on Struttin’ Our Stuff handily demonstrate why, despite that lack of concern, the public has embraced them – both on record and in concert – since their self-titled debut in 1972. Given that longtime America fans Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) and James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) are producing the band’s next studio album – due October 17th and featuring guest appearances from Ryan Adams, Ben Kweller, Stephen Bishop, and members of Nada Surf and My Morning Jacket – this acoustic performance is a perfect way to get a glimpse of what the band is all about. In addition to all seven of the band’s top 10 hits, singers Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell explore a few lesser singles, like “Daisy Jane” and the band’s theme song for the 1982 animated film, “The Last Unicorn.” It won’t replace either the band’s box set or even their single-disc anthology (both released by Rhino) as a definitive America collection, but it certainly makes for a nice, intimate introduction to the group. ~Will Harris (08/24/07)

American Hi-Fi: Hearts on Parade
Label: Maverick

After three albums, it is painfully clear that American Hi-Fi frontman and primary songwriter Stacy Jones likes a lot of different bands. After a sophomore release (2003’s The Art of Losing) that found the band paying tribute to their punk rock and new wave roots (the title track was the best thing Adam and the Ants never did), the band’s new album, Hearts on Parade, finds them writing Cheap Trick tributes, with a not-so-subtle nod to Blur in the mix as well. The problem, of course, is that there is a major difference between imitating your idols and transcending them. Sure, the power poppy “Hell Yeah!” is cute and fun, and “Separation Anxiety” has that Police vibe going for it. But the overall effort feels unfocused and unconfident, as if the style parodies alone were supposed to be enough to make a good song (hint: They’re not). In the end, American Hi-Fi seem so eager to impress their idols that they have forgotten the age-old rule that the song comes first. ~David Medsker (04/22/05)

American Minor: American Minor
Label: Jive/Red Ink

American Minor is a throwback to ‘70s arena rock. Or for those of you that weren’t born yet, this West Virginia based rock band can be classified in the riff-driven, throaty vocal vein of Lenny Kravitz or the Black Crowes. But while there are plenty of bands out there that have tried to emulate the aforementioned, American Minor rises above the pack because they write good songs and have the chops and the balls to deliver them. Tracks like “Walk On” and “Buffalo Creek” can stand the test of time if this band gets a fair shot, and “One Last Supper” is a powerful, haunting song about an inmate awaiting death row. ~Mike Farley (12/15/05)

American Princes: Little Spaces
Label: Yep Roc

Crash. Boom. Bam. The latest and arguably loudest indie rock band of the year is getting another chance to make their first impression. Yep Roc has picked up and dusted off American Princes, four pissed-off teens from Little Rock by way of Brooklyn, who are currently calling Chapel Hill and Richmond home while finishing their next album. Confused yet? Take one cup Pixies, one cup Strokes, a teaspoon of Bowie, and a dash of Dave Pirner vocals, blend for two minutes on high, and you begin to taste the recipe that is the American Princes. Full-throttle romps “Rock n’ Roll Singer” and the title track share space with punk ballads like “Providence, RI”, all exposing adolescent lyrics (“I’ll grab a bottle with my feelings inside it”) and incongruent themes of the pursuit of fame, fortune and eternal bliss...eternal being at least until next week. ~Red Rocker (07/21/05)

American Speedway: Ship of Fools
Label: Prophase Music 2008

It’s about time someone got the old formula of fast, loud metal right. Sure, bands like Mastadon and the Sword are great, but all that stuff about whales and mythical beasts can get old after a while. Sometimes you just want to listen to songs about screwing, fighting, and drinking – and that’s when you should listen to American Speedway. Offering nonstop, balls-out thrash with some punk thrown in for good measure, this Philly band delivers the goods on their debut album, Ship of Fools. This is music to listen to while you downing a bottle of whiskey and punching a hippie in the face. Song about sex? Check. Songs about fast cars? Check. Songs about illicit drugs and alcohol? Double check, via the one-two punch of “Drinkin’ and Drivin’” and “Cocaine.” This is not a record you let your kids listen to if you’re trying to instill in them a sense of responsible drinking and a “Just Say No” drug policy. However, if you’re a drunken mess who sees hardcore drugs as a perfect cure to a hangover, then congratulations – you just found the soundtrack to your life. Ten songs, 30 minutes, no bullshit. Someone call Lemmy, we just found the opening act for Motorhead’s next tour. ~James Eldred (04/04/08)

Jose Gonzalez: In Our Nature
Label: Mute 2007

Swedish folk singer/songwriter Jose Gonzalez may be considered a new age type of artist, because calling his latest album folk music is probably a stretch. Since Gonzalez might be best known for being the voice behind electro-pop outfit Zero 7, he automatically earns cool points with the hipsters. But really, Gonzalez can let his velvet voice speak for itself, and he does that with a simplistic beauty on this album, which is mainly acoustic guitar and vocals with a few harmonies, percussion hits and synth parts thrown in for embellishment. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more compelling guy-with-guitar release, but that’s also the one little drawback to In Our Nature – it kind of all sounds the same after a while. Still, while listening to the best tracks here (“Killing for Love” and “Cycling Trivialities”), you’ll find yourself marveling at the power of songs in their most basic form. ~Mike Farley (10/19/07)

Angel/Devil: 7
Label: S3 2007

The debut album from rock trio Angel/Devil (called 7 because there are, cleverly, seven songs) is a throwback to ‘70s guitar rock, with elements of prog, fusion and arena rock. You’ll find a tight band playing testosterone-laden songs that are driven by guitar wizard and lead vocalist Gooding, and at times resemble acts like Rush, Power Station and even Cream. You might even draw the conclusion that the members of Angel/Devil were born a generation or two late, but if you’re a fan of this kind of music and long for the days when album rock ruled the airwaves, Angel/Devil should and will be your new flavor of the month. The angry “Damn You’re Mean” and the Zeppelin-esque “Weed My Garden” are standouts among a pretty solid first set. ~Mike Farley (11/02/07)

Nathan Angelo: Through Playing Me
Label: NA Music 2006

Rhetorical question of the day: why isn’t Nathan Angelo huge? I’ve listened to this album several times, and although the cynic in me originally wanted to write him off as Teddy Geiger without the major-label backing, I’m first and foremost a sucker for a nicely-produced pop hook…as a result, the charms of Through Playing Me won me over within a few songs. Producer Stephen Gause has re-teamed with mix-master Jimmy Jernigan – the two have worked together on projects by Micah Dalton (who’s co-written several songs on this album), Derek Webb, and Kathy Mattea, among others – to produce a slick, shiny wall of sound that’s appropriate to match Angelo’s soaring choruses. And Nathan’s not just a pretty boy with a nice set of lungs, either; his piano playing is outstanding, driving every song and sounding variously reminiscent of everyone from Ben Folds to Marc Cohn, Bruce Hornsby to Elton John. It’s inexplicable that Through Playing Me is flying so far under the radar. From propulsive pop like “Love Sucks” to high-flying ballads like “Leigh,” this is the sort of album that mainstream audiences would absolutely devour, if they were only given the opportunity. ~Will Harris (01/25/07)

Annie: Anniemal
Label: Big Beat/Atlantic

Norwegian blonde bombshell Annie’s debut album Anniemal gets three and a half stars alone for the irresistible “Chewing Gum,” a “Genius of Love”-riffing jeep beat jam that ranks as one of the best pop singles of the decade. The fact that the album also includes a killer St. Etienne impression (“Heartbeat,” which was produced by her neighbors Royksopp), and samples both Shakatak and Madonna, is gravy. It may be airy, lightweight electro pop, but it’s insanely catchy airy, lightweight electro pop. We surrender. ~David Medsker (06/24/05)

The Animators: How We Fight
Label: Angelhouse 0000

This is only the second studio album for the Animators, but the core duo of the band – Devon Copely and Alex Wong – have both been around the block a few times; Copely used to be in the Pasties, and Wong was a member of the Din Pedals, who put out a pretty decent album on Epic in the late ‘90s. If Wong learned anything about what kind of commercial sound the major labels are looking for, he seems to be ignoring it in his work with the Animators... and God bless him for that. How We Fight is a great piece of harmony-laden pop, with Wong and Copely harmonizing as sweetly as Simon and Garfunkel (it’s surely no coincidence the way they sing the name Cecilia on the appropriately-titled opener, “Good to Be Here”) on every track. The piano and oompah-pah of “The Senator Goes to Hell” is a particular musical highlight, and the pair’s harmonies on the title track are amongst the best on the album... and, trust me, that’s a tight race if there ever was one. The Animators bounce from peppy (“I Won’t Tell”) to gloomy (“Ordinary Moment”) from song to song, variously resembling everyone from the Old ‘97s to Postal Service to Evan and Jaron; there’s even some definite Beach Boys channeling at the beginning of “Die in L.A.” If you prefer some musical variety in your catchy pop goodness, How We Fight is just what you’ve been waiting for. ~Will Harris (04/27/06)

Annie Minogue Band: Tripping the Velvet
Label: Liberty

Before most of you start envisioning pop queen Kylie Minogue, there is no relation between the Aussie cheesecake and rocker Annie Minogue. The Annie Minogue Band has released a few albums on its own, but with their latest, Tripping the Velvet, there is sure to be mounting industry attention. Minogue and her band deliver chick rock grown-up style, along the lines of Melissa Etheridge and the Wilson sisters. A keen sense of melody and guitar-driven production rival most anything a female-fronted band has ever released, especially on edgy tracks like “Black and Blue” and “Love Goes Down.” Then there is the powerful “Down,” a song with crossover potential that should help Minogue continue the success she has enjoyed with film and TV placements. ~Mike Farley (02/16/06)

Marc Antoine: Hi-Lo Split
Label: Peak/Concord 2007

With his eighth album and first on the Peak/Concord label, jazz guitarist Marc Antoine doesn’t really have anything to prove -- everyone who has heard him play knows the guy has mad skills. So the latest effort from the Frenchman, Hi-Lo Split, is just a continuation in a fine if under-the-radar career. What does distinguish Antoine from his peers is the fact that he mostly plays a nylon string acoustic guitar, giving a Latin flair to standard smooth jazz fare. He also writes most of his own material, and it’s as hooky as anything else that’s tailor made for “Wave” radio. But the one curveball on this album is a cover of the Classics IV’s sixties smash, “Spooky.” You may think you’ve heard this track covered a million times, and you probably have, but Antoine still makes it sound fresh. Hi-Lo Split should be the next CD you add to your Sunday morning collection. ~Mike Farley (08/10/07)

Apollo Up: Light the End and Burn It Through
Label: Theory 8

There is a lot of good that can come from a pull distribution system in the record business. Via the internet, bands can easily market and distribute their music, while it’s easier for fans to find music that matches their taste. This is great for bands that are ready – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah comes to mind – but on Light the End and Burn It Through, Apollo Up (out of Nashville) sounds like a band that should have spent more time crafting their sound. On their MySpace page they describe their music as “the New Wave of British Angry Young Men,” and on the one song that works – “Ticonderoga” – that description rings true, but the rest of the disc varies from mediocre (“Jagged Eisenhower”) to maddening (“Like That!”). The songcraft is pretty tight, and while the drumming and guitars keep up with the album’s frenetic pace, the vocals aren’t impressive, which may be why they are so far back in the mix. Let’s hope the band takes a step forward on their next album, Chariots of Fire, which drops in June. ~John Paulsen (04/20/06)

The April Skies: Flood
Label: WIAB

The April Skies hail from Hershey, PA, home of the Ocean Blue (fondly remembered by those who worshipped at the altar of Sire Records during the early ‘90s), but their hometown isn’t the only thing they have in common with those guys; for one, they’ve been around almost as long, having been founded in 1988, but they also love their British artists and aren’t afraid to borrow from them, often liberally. Where the Blue favored the melancholy pop of the Smiths and the glistening production of the Bunnymen, however, the Skies sound at times like Elvis Costello circa the mid-‘80s. There’s something about the piano on “Still” that makes it sound a little too much like Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train,” but with Jake Crawford’s vocals on songs like “Long Way Down,” “Something To Shine About,” and “A Game,” there are ample reasons to recommend this to those who want to check out something besides the latest “new” synth-pop band. ~Will Harris (09/08/05)

Aqualung: Strange and Beautiful
Label: Red Ink/Columbia

The next in a seemingly endless line of sensitive English minstrels, Matthew Hale, who for all intents and purposes is Aqualung, assembles an album of dreamy pop that is mostly pleasant and occasionally stunning. The influences are clear: Radiohead here (“Extra Ordinary Thing”), Travis there (“Easier to Lie,” “Left Behind”), Coldplay and Keane everywhere else, with a dash of Grandaddy for good measure. The best moments are when Hale ventures into virgin territory and leaves his influences behind, like the magnificent “Brighter Than Sunshine,” and the gorgeous closer “Another Little Hole,” which recalls Fumbling Towards Ecstasy-era Sarah McLachlan. The most impressive part of Strange and Beautiful may be the fact that these songs were culled from two UK releases, yet there’s a cohesiveness here that belies the time between the recordings. It will be curious to see where he goes from here. A different direction than Coldplay, hopefully. ~David Medsker (04/22/05)

Army of Me: Citizen
Label: Doghouse 2007

When Army of Me teased the world at large with the release of their Rise EP at the tail end of 2006, it was just enough to keep people’s ears open for the inevitable full-length to follow; it’s nice, therefore, that Citizen – the full-length in question – successfully lives up to the promise of its predecessor. The band’s frontman, Vince Scheuerman, and bassist John Hutchins spent their childhoods as members of a religious cult (they’ve referred to their respective upbringings as “repressive and damaging”), but that seems to have in no way affected Army of Me’s ability to whip up a soaring chorus at a moment’s notice. If it wasn’t for the lack of a British accent, you’d think the band was from the UK, so much does their music feel inspired by artists like Richard Ashcroft, Oasis, and any number of melodically rockin’ Britpoppers from the past several years. Opener “Perfect” and “Saved Your Life” are particularly memorable, as is the piano-led “Walking On,” but it’s “How Long” that grabs you and won’t let go. The only song that doesn’t particularly work is the too-grungy “Meet You at the Mouth,” but it’s an exception. Army of Me might not have a truly unique sound, but they still manage to stand out from the pack with their profoundly catchy material. ~Will Harris (05/25/07)

Army of Me: Rise EP
Label: Doghouse 2006

This is a very nice EP that Army of Me has released, and I don’t mean that in an Eddie Haskell kind of way. Dennis Manuel’s drums lead off “Going Through Changes” with the kind of bombast usually reserved for a Bob Clearmountain production (or, failing that, the beginning of Frida’s “I Know There’s Something Going On”), and they’re immediately followed by some scorching guitar work by Brad Tursi and a harmony-laden chorus, making for a hell of an opening salvo. “Rise,” which follows, is a nice ballad, but it’s so much more mellow than its predecessor that it should’ve switched places with the power-poppy third track, “Come Out.” The two demos used to fill out the EP, “Saved Your Life” and “Watch for Snakes,” are okay (the former’s melody makes it the better of the pair), but it’s those first three songs that make the band’s forthcoming full-length debut – scheduled for release in April 2007 – something to keep an ear out for. ~Will Harris (01/25/07)

ASG: Feeling Good is Good Enough
Label: Volcom

Don’t be scared by the fact that these guys from Wrightsville Beach, NC, share a label with the funny-but-not-ha-ha-funny Valient Thorr; ASG take their musical cues not from Spinal Tap but, rather, from Metallica and Black Sabbath, with occasional vocal similarities to newer kids on the block (comparatively speaking) like Foo Fighters and the Offspring. Call it an amalgam of rock, metal, and punk, but the overall emphasis still tends to be on the metal; in particular, you can hear the James Hetfield vocal resemblance shine through on “Dusty Roads” and “Horse Whipper.” The title track and “Killers for Hire” are particularly solid, but “Thirsting for More” and “Cracks in the Sky,” the pair of songs which close the album, might be the best tracks on the disc, mixing the heaviness of ASG’s head-banging heritage with melodies that linger after the album is over. ASG may not be the next Queens of the Stone Age quite yet, but they’re certainly well on their way. ~Will Harris (01/19/06)

Asia: Gold
Label: Geffen

A two-disc set consisting of their three Geffen albums, plus a couple choice B-sides and four tracks composed for 1990’s Then and Now collection, Gold rather effectively displays the creative descent that Asia suffered after their million-selling debut. Disc one is easily the better of the two since it contains Asia and the majority of 1983’s Alpha, with songs like “Sole Survivor” and “Without You” aging surprisingly well. Disc two starts out strong, with b-sides “Daylight” and “Lyin’ to Yourself” holding their own against the band’s best stuff. But by the time they get to the material from 1985’s Astra, Asia sounds more like Animotion, all synth rock with none of the progressive playfulness that made their debut such a hit. The Then and Now material fares even worse, sounding like late ‘80s Toto. Interesting side note: someone at THX must have been an Asia fan, because they lifted the intro to “Countdown to Zero” for their spots. ~David Medsker (07/21/05)

John Ashfield: Distance to Empty
Label: Poppop

When not releasing solo albums, John Ashfield serves as a member of power poppers the Bobbleheads... and, when he’s not doing that, he’s a teacher who, if his bio can be believed, spends his time teaching his students to play Blondie’s “Atomic” and "Light and Day,” by the Polyphonic Spree. (The latter is definitely more evident in his material than the former.) It’s a pleasant surprise, given the hand-drawn, almost childish art that graces the cover (no offense, John, if you drew it!) to find that this material isn’t paint-by-numbers power pop. More often than not, it’s slightly melancholy singer/songwriter fare. If the proceedings begin with the light-hearted bounce of “The Watermelon Song” and the light crunch of “Come Along,” by the time things are winding up, piano-led songs like “OK” and “(You Are) Everything to Me” find Ashfield’s voice sounding unexpectedly reminiscent of Martin Rossiter of Gene. Kudos, John, for taking a risk and painting outside the lines. ~Will Harris (09/08/05)

The Ataris: Welcome the Night
Label: Sanctuary Records 2007

Barely a shell of the former Ataris remains from 2003’s So Long, Astoria record, and even less of that band’s sound, as singer Kris Roe and guitarist John Collura march on. Clearly it’s taken all four years away to re-establish themselves as a band and decide which sound to continue creating. Gone is the ear candy power-pop bliss of “Takeoffs and Landings” or “In This Diary,” replaced instead with dreary, almost gothic themes of isolation and regret. The new sound retreats to late-'80s Depeche Mode and the Cure, though it isn’t nearly as good. The industrial opener, “Not Capable of Love,” swipes from Sisters of Mercy, “Cardiff-by-the-Sea” is as close as they get to revisiting Astoria, and “A Soundtrack for This Rainy Morning” would’ve worked on Dark Side of the Moon. The deeper you get into Welcome the Night, the more obvious it is how hard these remaining members are searching for an identity. Long, awkward song titles, dramatic over-production, and a completely random musical template all add up to what Simon Cowell would deem “rubbish.” Want one redeeming song? Go download “The Cheyenne Line” and be done with it. ~Red Rocker (03/22/07)

Avenged Sevenfold: City Of Evil
Label: Warner Brothers

“One of the year’s most anticipated releases!” screams the sticker on the front of Avenged Sevenfold’s (that’s A7X to you kiddies) new big label disc. Well, I don’t know who was anticipating it, because it sounds like the same old power-chord-with-double-bass-drums-shred-fest wank I’ve heard by a million other bands. Supposedly vocalist M. Shadows doesn’t scream anymore, thanks to some throat surgery. Is it too evil of me to wish he couldn’t make any sound at all? Oh, well. Andy Wallace turns in the usual pop perfection production he’s renowned for, and the band alternates between shred theatrics and cheeseball Top 40 pomp. Queen used to do a similar thing with hard rock, with the exception being that they were good at it. The 1 ½ star rating is for the hilariously awesome CD booklet artwork, which features a nude woman with horns lying placidly under a big red demon, a big ass pile of skulls in some kind of gothic room, and of course the classic flying skull with wings. The song “Bat Country” has to be the worst tribute to the late great Hunter S. Thompson ever written. These guys are all Fisher-Price; neutered, with plastic stone replacements. ~Jason Thompson (07/28/05)

Back Door Slam: Roll Away
Label: Blix Street Records 2007

The U.K. is not historically a breeding ground for the blues, unless 20-year-old Robert Cray wannabe Davy Knowles and his band Back Door Slam are at the beginning of a new movement. Swiping their name from a Cray classic and pirating his style, then rubbing it down with equal parts ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and even some Allman Brothers Band, Back Door Slam staked their claim to U.S. listeners with a fiery performance at Austin’s South by Southwest last spring. Influences abound on Roll Away, from the Hendrix-fused “Heavy on My Mind” to the somber acoustics of “Stay,” which recall a younger, not-so-silvery Bob Seger. It’s impossible to categorize a band whose every song employs a different element – “Too Good for Me,” for instance, is a mandolin-soaked lost-love song that sounds like David Coverdale doing country. It’s this randomness of sound and style that keeps the album fresh -- though it also holds these guys hostage, in a way, never really establishing them consistently. ~Red Rocker (09/07/07)

Ian Ball: Who Goes There
Label: Dispensary 2007

When you take someone out of a great band, there are times when you realize that said person IS the band. In the case of Ian Ball, one of the principal songwriters and frontmen of critically acclaimed British rock band Gomez, that’s not quite the case. But while Ball’s first solo effort, Who Goes There, does not measure up to his band’s best material, it’s still adequate and has some really great moments. Ball, who moved to Los Angeles a few years back, began making friends with the likes of LA scenesters Will Golden (Gary Jules) and Phil Krohnengold (Duncan Sheik, Ween), and with the help of alcohol, the trio collaborated to make some music. While touring with Gomez, Ball found the time to piece some recordings together, and Who Goes There is the result. A few of the tracks kind of drone on, but the ones that stand out really stand out, in particular the stunning lead track, “Sweet Sweet Sleep,” the pulsing romp “Failure,” and the acoustic ballad “Enzymes.” Who Goes There is not going to break any records or shoot up any charts, but it will make some Gomez fans happy, and it’s obviously a fun diversion for a quality songwriter. ~Mike Farley (11/16/07)

Band of Horses: Everything All the Time
Label: Sub Pop

Not to be confused with Horse the Band, these guys keep it on the mellow side but not in the way that makes you stare holes through your shoes. With definite leanings towards My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses supplies the kind of accessible fare for an evening of drinking wine in the country next to a fire or a lake or some other peaceful setting. One can only hope that Band of Horses and label mates Rouge Wave tour together soon. If you're in an unstable relationship, buy this record for your significant other, and it will at least afford you an extra week or two. ~Josh Preston (04/06/06)

Barcelona: Absolutes
Label: NBD 2007

This review’s RIYL might be baffling for fans of Washington DC’s Barcelona, the pop band known for recording geek-wave songs such as “The Downside of Computer Camp” and “I Have the Password to Your Shell Account”; rest assured, this is not that Barcelona, but a new pop combo with the same name and an altogether less interesting sound. This album, like its cover, is all soft focuses and wintry landscapes – each song comes equipped with all the reverb-laden vocals and sadly majestic piano you can shake a fist at, or fall asleep to, whichever happens first. It’s hard to begrudge songwriter Brian Fennell his constant heart-clutching – who among us didn’t think in snicker-inducing lines like “she makes my heart scream color” when we were in our early 20s – but when he sings “this thing between my lungs is making me so tired,” it’s hard not to agree with him. Based on your tolerance for weepy melodrama, your mileage will vary. ~Jeff Giles (10/05/07)

Barfly: MySpace Sessions
Label: self-released

If Talk Talk’s Mark Hollis fronted the Delays, they’d sound an awful lot like this Manchester quartet. (In fact, singer Greg Matthews even looks like Hollis.) The songs are dreamier than dreamy, with bubbly synthesizers doing a playful give and take with the jangly guitar bits. Its biggest flaw, besides being too short (only five proper songs are available) is that the recordings were clearly a low budget affair, and sparkling pop like this should have the shimmery production goodness that it deserves. But that will be taken care of when these boys land a record deal, which is only a matter of time after making an EP of this caliber. Now here’s the best part: THE EP IS FREE, kids. Go to www.myspace.com/barfly and follow the instructions. You don’t have to register, give any personal information, none of that. Just click download, and enjoy. They even give you links to .jpg files for a front and back cover. Sweeeeet. ~David Medsker (11/03/05)

Bargain Music: American Born
Label: Cornerstone RAS 2006

It’s easy to sit here and knock anyone with an acoustic guitar that decides to release an album. But what not all of you realize is the pain that is sometimes inflicted on our ears when we have to endure crap like Bargain Music’s American Born. Bargain Music is basically singer/songwriter Josh Fischel, and this is an acoustic collection of stuff he’s been writing over the course of the last nine years that the band has existed. Somehow, miraculously, Cornerstone Records heard this music and decided it was worth releasing. Fischel doesn’t have a bad voice; it’s just that it grates on you after about 30 seconds. The songs have the kind of melodies that you’d expect from a 16-year-old who just learned to play guitar. In summary, this is music that might be good if you’re really high, if you smell, or both. And even then, it’s questionable. ~Mike Farley (08/24/07)

Dave Barnes: Chasing Mississippi
Label: Ripley

Dave Barnes is a throwback to a carefree era in music, with a soulful voice and songs akin to pop icons Hall & Oates or Michael McDonald, or even relative newcomer Josh Rouse. Barnes’ latest, Chasing Mississippi, is sure to put him on the map as an artist and as a songwriter – even though he hails from the songwriter-rich city of Nashville – because the tracks on here are not just really good, but the kind that you never tire of. From the groove of “Everybody but You” to the bluesy and ultra-addictive “All That Noise” to the tender “I Have and I Always Will,” Chasing Mississippi is a roller coaster ride you won’t want to get off of. But the best track on here is “Someday, Sarah,” with a timeless charm and just enough swirling guitars and retro keys to make anyone feel good. ~Mike Farley (03/09/06)

Barzin: Just More Drugs
Label: Monotreme Records 2007

The first thing you will probably think when you hear Barzin’s song “Just More Drugs” is “Gee, these guys sound an awful lot like Galaxie 500 without Dean Wareham’s nasally vocals.” Indeed, this trio trips out on a bit of basement shoegaze without all the My Bloody Valentine blur. That title track is also the best thing here. The rest of this EP shows Barzin in a moodier, folkier light that doesn’t really find its footing. “Let’s Go Driving” and “Mistakes” both sound stoned and melancholy, and the non-album tune “Queen Jane” falls in line in a similar fashion. It’s hard to imagine this group being a very lively bunch, with the live take of “Mistakes” as featured on CFRU FM proving the point entirely. The EP closes with the “Glass Shrimp Session on Resonance FM” version of “Just More Drugs” which isn’t as spacey as the studio take. It is sleepier, however. Luckily this EP is only five tracks long; you might fall asleep if it went on any longer. ~Jason Thompson (10/26/07)

The Basement: Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs
Label: Velour Recordings 2007

Bands in the UK get so much hype from the British music weeklies, it’s usually turned into verbal wallpaper by the time said band reaches these shores. Rarely do the hapless musicians live up to the propaganda. Hey, it’s tough to fill the pages of a magazine or newspaper; can you imagine if Rolling Stone or Spin published every week? Egads…we’d be reading about Meg White’s bra size and what Jeff Tweedy had for dinner last Tuesday inside of a month (thankfully we have blogs for that). The originally-from-Ireland-now-from-Liverpool bar-rock troubadours the Basement have been compared to everyone from Van Morrison to Dylan to the Flying Burrito Brothers. What? Okay, the name’s a nod to Dylan (copped from the lyric ”Johnny’s in the basement,” referring to both lead singer John Mullin's former dwelling and the band's former rehearsal space). But the other comparisons? Not on your life. On such gritty fare as “Medicine Day” and the lilting “It Won’t Be Long,” these purveyors of an interesting British take on Americana aren’t country enough to be pure alt-country, but the overall feel is the same. With plenty of finger-picking evident in the not-overly romantic arrangements, it’s modern-day folk-rock, plain and simple. And it’s still refreshing to hear a current band whose musical inspiration pre-dates Blur (or some such), and who sidesteps the tired quiet-loud-quiet dynamic to focus on melody, harmony and rhythm in an unsentimental way. ~Una Persson (07/06/07)

The Bastard Fairies: Memento Mori
Label: Bastard Fairy Records 2007

Note to the Bastard Fairies: the part of “Ween” has already been successfully created and filled. Seems like no one relayed this info to Robin Davey and Yellow Thunder Woman, the duo responsible for these 17 tracks that come off as lopsided psychedelicraptastic faux-surreal ripoffs of the boys from New Hope. They’re not half as entertaining as Ween, either. So yeah, songs with titles like “Ode to the Prostitute,” “Habitual Inmate,” and “Exoskeleton” sound exactly what you’d expect from a project such as this where Yellow Thunder Woman’s boobs are shoved into your face before one note is even digested. Suffice it to say they neither are impressive enough to warrant anyone’s attention beyond a “What’s the crap you’re playing?” inquiry. Don’t even bother buying it; the original damn thing’s available on the band’s site for nada. Of course, five more tracks and a useless DVD have been added to the retail package if you want to actually give money to these people. Chances are you really don’t.~Jason Thompson (04/26/07)

Bedsit Poets: The Summer That Changed
Label: Bongo Beat

The Bedsit Poets are a NYC-based duo comprised of Edward Rogers and Amanda Thorpe; Rogers, former member of the Green Rooftops, released a solo album (Sunday Fables) on Not Lame a year or two ago, and Thorpe, co-founder of the Wirebirds, put out a solo disc herself back in 2001 (Mass). Together, however, they’ve produced a low-key, melancholy collection of harmony-laden pop songs: 10 originals and one cover (“Don’t Ask Me To Be Friends,” a Gerry Goffin / Jack Keller composition best known for having been recorded by the Everly Brothers). Maybe it’s the weather talking, but this is the perfect soundtrack for a rainy day...and not just because the album closes with a song called “Let It Rain.” No, it’s because the majority of the tracks are rather languid; if you’re sitting around and not of a mind to do much of anything, let these songs wash over you. If that description concerns you, fret not; the chorus of “Far From You” – “You drive me crazy, all the things that you do / And it drives me insane when I’m far from you” – is a head-bobber, and the Rickenbacker-powered jangle of “Reach For The Sky” is a particularly upbeat highlight. ~Will Harris (12/01/05)

Andy Bell: Electric Blue
Label: Sanctuary

It seems odd that Andy Bell, frontman for Erasure, would choose to venture into the treacherous waters of a solo career in the same year that his band (okay, so they’re less a band than a duo) released a new album, Nightbird, that’s the best they’ve put out in the better part of a decade, but there are several great dancefloor fillers here, including first single “Crazy,” “Shaking My Soul,” and the title track. The song that will have the gay community – well, at least, the portion of it that has rhythm, anyway – really shaking their collective asses, however, is “I Thought It Was You,” a duet with Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears. The biggest difference between Electric Blue and Nightbird is that Bell’s album sounds more...sterile. Vince Clarke, Bell’s partner in Erasure, has honed his ability to compose keyboard-based songs that have considerable texture, whereas Bell’s solo endeavor is less complex and sounds as though it was designed for the discothèque rather than for casual listening. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. ~Will Harris (11/03/05)

Beneath the Sky: What Demons Do to Saints
Label: Victory Records 2007

“Goodfellas,” the first song off of Cincinnati-based Beneath the Sky’s debut album, What Demons Do to Saints, begins with the line “Every day is a nightmare” – and if I was stuck in a band as aggressively untalented as this one, I’d feel the same way. Yet another horrible mediocre metalcore band to come out of the sinking ship that is Victory Records, Beneath the Sky symbolizes everything that is wrong with the genre today; each song is filled with repetitive and instantly forgettable music that accompanies some of the worst “singing” attempted by a metalcore band. Lead singer Joey Nelson can’t even crib the basic Cookie Monster vocal style that most singers of the genre seem to be attempting, his jarring raspy scream instead sounds more like Elmo…while he’s being anally violated by Snuffleupagus’ trunk. Painful mental picture? Not as painful as having to listen to this worthless piece of trash. This is the worst thing to come out of Cincinnati since that ‘90s revival of “WKRP.” ~James B Eldred (02/22/07)

Paris Bennett: Princess P
Label: 306 Music/TVT 2007

When Paris Bennett was a contestant on “American Idol” last year, she was easily one of the most likeable and talented singers. She had an old-school charm that made her a throwback to the days of Gladys Knight and Patti Labelle. So why she went and made a contemporary R&B/pop album raises a great question, especially when Bennett’s debut isn’t the least bit catchy. The songs on Princess P are formulaic and border on annoying — scratch that, they ARE annoying. In fact, this is even below the crap bar set by fellow Idol contestant Katharine McPhee. “Dreamin’” is about the only decent track, but the rest of the album is so grating you may just want to go and punch someone. We’ll give Princess half a star though just for including lispy Idol contestant Kevin Covais in a rap duet, “Let Me Rap,” but the song is more comic relief than good. Bennett adds a frenetic cover of “My Boyfriend’s Back,” and it does nothing but offer mild props to a classic. Here’s hoping Princess P goes back and records something less contemporary next time, because this thing is bound to flop. ~Mike Farley (06/29/07)

Brendan Benson: The Alternative to Love
Label: V2

His bio claims that this is not a singer/songwriter, but that Brendan Benson is really a band. And that’s definitely the case, as this is fleshed out pop/rock that has melodic sparks and enough energy to power an airplane. There are flavors of artists like the Beatles and the Finn Brothers. The follow-up to 2002’s critically acclaimed Lapalco, Alternative to Love has more ultra-cool songs on it, especially “Cold Hands Warm Heart,” the synthesizer-infused “I Feel Like Myself Again,” and the dark yet poppy “Between Us.” ~Mike Farley (04/22/05)

George Benson & Al Jarreau: Givin’ It Up
Label: Concord 2006

What do you get when you pair one of the greatest jazz guitar players ever with one of the greatest jazz vocalists ever? Throw in guest appearances by the likes of Paul McCartney, Patti Austin and Jill Scott, and you get something that is can’t-miss. And that’s basically what living legends and label mates George Benson and Al Jarreau are offering up with Givin’ It Up. Yes, it isn’t anything you wouldn’t expect, but this album is still nothing short of stunning. There is play off of each others’ music, such as Jarreau adding vocals to Benson’s “Breezin’” and Benson playing the vocal line to Jarreau’s smash hit, “Mornin’.” But there’s so much more. Smooth jazz programmers are going to salivate over the cover of Seals & Croft’s “Summer Breeze” as well as a Jarreau/Patti Austin duet on “Let It Rain.” The funky “Don’t Start No Schtuff” and gospel-infused McCartney guesting on “Bring It on Home to Me” are just icing on a very tasty cake. ~Mike Farley (11/02/06)

Sarah Bettens: Scream
Label: Hybrid

Former K’s Choice singer Sarah Bettens steps out on her own and delivers an impressive set of pop rock that seems tailor made for mass consumption. Leadoff rocker, and title track, is actually the verse and chorus of two different songs expertly mashed together, while “Not Insane” has “TV soundtrack” written all over it. Unfortunately, that’s part of the problem with Scream. As good as these songs are, and as lovely as her voice is (think Sarah McLachlan crossed with Amy Ray), there’s a whiff of corporate synergizing behind it all, as if she wrote these songs not for the music world but rather for TV producers and the people who pick songs for movie trailers. It’s catchy, and pretty, but a little contrived as well. Don’t be surprised if you hear these songs every time you change the channel, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself singing along. That may seem like an okay fate for an artist, but Toni Childs will likely tell you otherwise. ~David Medsker (09/01/05)

Big 10-4: Testing the Atmosphere
Label: Republic 2006

Well, hey, good buddy, that’s not the greatest name in the world, but at least your music’s pretty good. Hailing from Orlando, Florida, Big 10-4 have one foot in the present and the other squarely in world of late-‘90s rock radio regulars like Third Eye Blind and Vertical Horizon. It might not be the hippest place to stake your claim nowadays, but the combination of ear-catching material and the studio gloss of producer Matt Wallace (Train, Maroon 5, Sugarcult) makes Testing the Atmosphere work pretty well. Like so many bands with this sound, suggesting that the entire album is phenomenal would be stretching the truth a bit, but taken song by song, almost any track could pick up airplay. “Walking Disaster,” the opening track, has a pounding verse than leads into a soaring chorus with almost as much punch to it, while “Irony Is Thick” begins with the light tinkle of a piano before heading into a powerhouse of a pop/rock song. “Deadman” might be the best song on the album with its melodic guitar line, but for every compliment, there should be a criticism…and, guys, it has to be said that “Undertow” is absolutely a Third Eye Blind song…like, to the point where radio listeners would, in fact, call in requesting that the DJ “play that new Third Eye Blind song” again. Stick with developing that Big 10-4 sonic identity rather than cloning that of others. And in closing, to keep with the CB theme, may I just say, keep the whites on your nose and the reds on your tail. And we gone…. ~Will Harris (08/24/07)

Big Blue Hearts: Here Come Those Dreams Again
Label: Eagle Eye

This is the sort of album that starts musical debates where, after a few beers, things can easily descend into the hurling not only of obscenities but, indeed, large objects. Rock fans will swear that if you take Chris Isaak, make his voice a little higher, and add a bit more twang, you’ll have the Big Blue Hearts; your friendly neighborhood cowpokes may or may not know who Chris Isaak is, but they’ll gladly assure that what you hear on Here Come Those Dreams Again ain’t nothin’ but a li’l bit of country music, plain and simple. Somewhere in-between falls the alt-country fan, who will try to solve the argument by declaring that this is clearly Americana. (For the record, it’s this last musical subset to which the band is pitching the first single, “Lovin’ You.”) If students of any of these three genres have an open mind, they’ll throw their arguments aside and just admit that this is a catchy, fun album of pop songs, with or without the twang. Fans of Foster & Lloyd, the Jayhawks, and, yes, Chris Isaak will be easily captivated. ~Will Harris (07/21/05)

Big Dume: Inside My Head
Label: Chartless

This Malibu, California-based band is going to get most of its recognition from the fact that its members include singer/songwriter Brandon Jenner (son of Olympic athlete Bruce) and keyboardist/vocalist Leah Felder (daughter of Eagles guitarist Don), and because Jenner co-wrote the TV pilot “Princes of Malibu.” But Big Dume’s debut album, Inside My Head, boasts solid musicianship and some really good songs. There are different styles at work here in Jenner’s writing, from the anthemic title track, to the blues-infused “Mexico,” to the angry “Perfect World.” Felder shines on “Vanity,” which sounds like a cross between Jewel and Fiona Apple. ~Mike Farley (07/14/05)

Ryan Bingham: Mescalito
Label: Lost Highway 2007

Fans of John Prine and Billy Joe Shaver will want to make sure they get their ears around Mescalito, the major-label debut from this onetime itinerant rodeo worker. Bingham’s only 25, but he sounds at least twice that on these 14 tracks – and occasionally, he even sounds like something special. Ex-Black Crowe guitarist Marc Ford produced, and he brings an appropriate level of grit to the proceedings; when a kid who’s barely old enough to buy a beer from a 7-11 can sing “with my pillow lies my gun” and not make you bust out laughing, it’s safe to assume that everyone involved knew what they were doing. There really aren’t any bad songs here, but most of the record’s 65 minutes are taken up with mid-tempo sawdust ballads, and it all starts to drag after awhile – especially when compared to the set’s more rocking moments, like the rollicking, Sonny Landreth-esque “Bread and Water.” With a more balanced album, Bingham could find himself the toast of the AAA set. ~Jeff Giles (11/09/07)

The Birthday Massacre:: Walking with Strangers
Label: Metropolis 2007

Toronto sextet the Birthday Massacre are a band out of time, still waving the Goth flag a good five years past the sell-by date – one guy is even unlucky enough to bear a striking resemblance to Marilyn Manson – yet the band’s new album, Walking with Strangers, sounds remarkably refreshing. Singer Chibi wisely stays away from the kind of vocalizing that would draw a comparison to Amy Lee, and while the band does bring out some Evanescence-like power chords, they’re much more interested in the kind of syncopated melodies that the Pet Shop Boys must hear in their darkest dreams. Where the band’s ‘80s-cribbing contemporaries are doing superficial imitations of synth pop, the Birthday Massacre gets to the essence of what made those early Goth records so great. About damn time. ~David Medsker (09/07/07)

Gus Black: Autumn Days
Label: Cheap Lullaby

The artist formerly known as Gus – it was he who forced a certain Boston trio to change its name to Guster – circles the wagons after a brief stint in the majors to make Autumn Days, a lo-fi sister of sorts to 1999’s impeccably produced Word of Mouth Parade. Black’s just doing what he always does, churning out dark acoustic ditties that are like Grant Lee Buffalo without the history lessons, with one song (“Trillion Things”) getting a little friendly with “Maggie May.” And while you’re sure to get a song or two stuck in your craw (“Long Beach (It’s a Miracle),” for example), even the most high energy stuff here has a cloud of foreboding hanging over it. Black’s songs have always been like this, of course, but this time out, things seem a little gloomier than usual. If any of his albums could use a song like “Laugh I Could Learn to Love,” it’s this one. Lighten up, Gus: remember, laugh and the world laughs with you. ~Mike Farley (03/16/06)

Black Label Society: Mafia
Label: Artemis

Zakk Wylde’s latest Black Label Society release, Mafia, is a good metal record, period. It contains the required distinctive axe work from one of the best in the business, apocalyptic and dark lyrical content, a couple of fairly elegant and sad ballads, and plenty of memorable, ass-kicking riffs. From the opening talk box on “Fire It Up” to the fading guitar of “I Never Dreamed” which concludes the record, Mafia is a 54-minute, 15-track joy ride of hard rock as it is intended to be. ~R. David Smola (07/21/05)

Blackmore’s Night: Winter Carols
Label: Locomotive Record 2006

Christmas records are not necessarily my bag. I like them to be a bit different so I can break them out anytime of the year. The Reverend Horton Heat blasted out We Three Kins last year, and that is good for at least one listen before St. Nick visits. The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s Boogie Woogie Christmas features that virtuoso having a blast, so that is good for even a non-Christmas spin. And although this disc does contain some very cool guitar work by the legendary Richie Blackmore, Winter Carols is a Christmas-only record. And as far as Christmas-only records go, this is a very pleasant one. Candice Night’s voice sounds perfect for this collection of mostly traditional carols and the Renaissance-influenced arrangements and instrumentations are quirky but fun in this context. The album opener “Hark the Herald Angels Sing/Come All Ye Faithful” features some fabulous and restrained acoustic guitar by Blackmore and the instrumental “Winter (Basse Dance)” is quite pretty. This collection would provide an excellent soundtrack to the kids opening their presents on Ye Ole Christmas Morn. ~R. David Smola (12/20/06)

Black Tie Dynasty: Black Tie Dynasty
Label: Idol 2006

Turn back the clock, folks. For the past couple of years, bands like Black Tie Dynasty have tapped into the aging market that grew up in the ‘80s, trying to emulate great acts like Depeche Mode, the Cure and Joy Division. While all of those bands mentioned continue to make music 20 years later (well, except for the Joy Division, who were sidetracked by that whole suicide thing), fans of that style have the option to turn away from their heroes of yesteryear and focus on fresh acts that look younger and don’t have to work out every day to stay in shape. That said, the latest effort from Black Tie Dynasty, Movements, sounds harshly derivative. I mean, they hail from Dallas, of all places. But even if you stripped everything down to what’s important, the songs, Black Tie Dynasty delivers an average batch of them that wouldn’t measure up to those powerhouse Brit pop bands back in the day. The best tracks are the speedy “Bells” and hooky “Tender,” but other than that, this album will induce more than a few yawns. So when you want to drum up visions of Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy, do yourself a favor and listen to the pioneers, instead of their kids. ~Mike Farley (01/11/07)

The Blakes: The Blakes
Label: Light in the Attic 2007

Seattle rock trio the Blakes already have one thing going for them – they look like rock stars. On the cover of their debut full-length, self-titled LP for Light in the Attic Records, these guys look like they are gonna rock your socks off. Then they do. Keep this band’s name in your back pocket, because you’re likely to hear a lot about them in the coming little while. Comparisons in their bio are made to the Kinks, the Stooges, and the Strokes. Maybe it’s the whole “the” thing, but here is a more accurate comparison: the Plimsouls. If you remember and love the Plimsouls’ Everywhere at Once album, you are going to love the Blakes, guaranteed. It leaves you wondering why more bands haven’t tried this no-frills but balls-to-the-wall approach, but the Blakes sure do have it down. This is unpretentious, melodic rock at its best, but it takes a strong vocalist to make it work – and guitarist/singer Garnet Keim does, with a growl and swagger that tie everything together nicely. Standout tracks are the raw and crunchy “Two Times” and “Lie Next to Me,” and the ‘80s-influenced tracks “Don’t Bother Me” and “Run.” ~Mike Farley (10/19/07)

Blankety Blank: Is This Your Pill?
Label: Self-released

While Atlanta-based Blankety Blank starts out their album with a witty pop/punk track, “5 Minutes Ago,” they soon show that they’re not one-dimensional. These guys are influenced by melodic pop/rock genius Butch Walker (and even recorded at Walker’s studio) and the ballad “Flow” as well as the dark “You Come Through” are the kind of tracks Butch would be proud of. It’s not like these guys are lacking an identity; they’re just well rounded and write good songs. ~Mike Farley (05/20/05)

Scott Blasey: Travelin’ On
Label: King Mouse Music 2007

Scott Blasey has been a travelin’ fool over the past few years, and now has an entire album to document it. The Clarks’ lead singer and primary songwriter for an under-appreciated 20 years, Blasey turns in his third solo record, Travelin’ On, and first in almost eight years. In between constant touring with the Clarks, uprooting his life and family and moving from Pittsburgh to Dallas, and becoming a father, the oh-so-soulful crooner with Tom Cruise good looks has just kept writing and writing. “Time to Go,” a woozy slide guitar number, gets things started with Blasey journaling “I’m leaving town, I’m southern bound, where the skies are always blue” like he’s jotting notes in a diary. But from the farewell lament of “See You Around” to a forgettable clap-happy “Be Your Man,” this chapter of the diary, unfortunately, wouldn’t make much of a movie. Even a quick run through Sam Cooke’s “Bring It on Home to Me” doesn’t work when Blasey opts for creative layering of multiple vocal tracks instead of just singing the damned song. As a longtime fan of the Clarks, I was disappointed to see such talent go to waste this time around. ~Red Rocker (04/13/07)

Porter Block: Suburban Sprawl
Label: Engine Room 2007

Beware the press release that’s dripping with hyperbole: Take the sheet that came with Suburban Sprawl, the debut from New York quartet Porter Block. XTC and Bread are dropped in the first paragraph, with Fountains of Wayne, Crowded House, Badfinger and the Beatles appearing later. Those are lofty, oxygen-deficient heights, to be sure, and it should surprise no one that Porter Block does not reach them. However, that is less an indictment of their songwriting ability – though it is indeed that – than it is the fact that the frequent use of mandolin and slide guitar means that they sound absolutely nothing like the bands to which they have allegedly drawn comparison. Then there is the matter of the band’s vocals: David Gates, Neil Finn and Adam Schlesinger have pretty voices to go with their pretty songs. Peter Block, on the other hand, does not. His voice is a notch prettier than, say, Dave Lowery’s, and Lord knows there’s nothing pretty about Dave Lowery. If Porter Block truly wants to be mentioned in the same breath as the Beatles and Crowded House, they should ask themselves: Would Neil Finn write a song like “Blackberry Girl”? If not, then throw it out and start over. ~David Medsker (02/22/07)

Blue James Band: That’s That
Label: Self-released

This band is fronted by Cliff Williams, and not a guy named James. But that’s not really an issue here, because this is some pretty cool stuff. Floating back and forth between jam bandy reggae/pop and bluesy rock, Blue James features the catchy songs and smooth rock voice of Williams, all the while accompanied by some really great musicianship. The best comparison I can offer is a cross between Paul Simon and Sting, and the best tracks are “Remember Me” and “Going Home.” ~Mike Farley (05/06/05)

Blue Merle: Burning in the Sun
Label: Island

Listening to Blue Merle’s debut album will make one wonder if lead singer Luke Reynolds and Chris Martin have ever been spotted together, since one could argue that Reynolds and the Coldplay singer are one and the same. The comparisons don’t end there, either: “If I Could” oozes heartache the same way Coldplay’s “Warning Sign” does, though Beau Stapleton’s mandolin gives Blue Merle a distinctly Americana flavor. The album is ultimately undone by the sameness of the songs; it’s okay to write a good mid-tempo song here or there, but an entire album of them gets old in a hurry. Still, there is tremendous potential here. If they ever get around to shaking things up a little, we could be in for something special. ~David Medsker (05/13/05)

Blue October: Foiled