Phons Bakx / Music and the Dispel of Thoughts / Antropodium In recent years, due largely to television and film, the Jew's harp has come to be associated with the American South -- which is odd, as its roots can be traced to Asian reed instruments. Little or nothing on Music and the Dispel of Thoughts will remind you of the American South. Bakx's efforts address the role of the Jew's harp as the "dispeller of thoughts" -- ostensibly a literal translation of the instrument's Italian name. Does the Jew's harp find a secondary "resonance" within the mind of the listener...more» FEATURED ON THE BOOMBOX!
		In The Nursery / Groundloop / ITN Corporation Groundloop represents something of a return to form for the Humberstone brothers, being neither a concept album (a la last year's Lingua) nor part of their Optical Music series of classic silent film soundtracks. This is vintage ITN -- strong, emotionally charged orchestral themes driven by intense percussion. The mental images evoked by cuts like "Chronicle" and the "Groundloop" are so pervasive that you'll have a hard time believing there's no film to accompany them... more» FEATURED ON THE BOOMBOX!
		Anton Barbeau / A Splendid Tray / Frigidisk Barbeau seems to be willing to take more risks than your average rocky-singer-songwriter type, and those risks pay off in a CD full of interesting, zippy, stylized pop songs. He's definitely got the "sing like an Englishman" thing going on here and there (he's from Sacramento, CA), but it's not nearly as annoying as it could be. On a couple of tracks, like "Dazzle Girl" and "Once in Royal David City" he even cops the full on Bowie attitude schtick, and it pretty much works... more»
		The Deadly Snakes / Love Undone / Sympathy for the Record Industry There are already plenty of slithering, nombre de reptile bands to choose from at the rekkid store, including Cobra Verde, The Impotent Sea Snakes, the Detroit Cobras and Diamondback. Joining this scaly, coiled mass of rock 'n' roll are The Deadly Snakes. Balancing frenetic, hand clapping, foot-stomping madness with plenty of swampy harmonica notes, vintage sounding organ and a becoming drunken squalor, the Deadly Snakes give a warm welcome to rock and roll from the 60's as it slinks into the 90's...more»
		Emperor Penguin / Extreme Gaming / My Pal God If you're an Extreme Gamer, you've already figured out that Extreme Gaming is the soundtrack to your life. But the rest of you needn't worry; Extreme Gaming also adapts wonderfully to such equally Extreme activities as Extreme Walking, Extreme Reading, Extreme Leaf-Raking and Extreme Sitting Around Drinking Beer. If you're Extreme in any way, shape or form, this is your music -- assuming, of course, that Emperor Penguin's funk-infected electro-instrumental low-fi madness floats your weird little boat... more»
		Madder Rose / Hello, June Fool / Thirsty Ear Listening to Hello June Fool leaves me with this odd feeling that I've stumbled upon some sort of alternate-universe Letters to Cleo. In this other world, Mr. Spock is evil and music is filtered through a moody/sinister wash, so that even the most unobtrusive songs take on menacing qualities. Central to Madder Rose's approach to passive-aggressive pop are singer Mary Lorson's dream-like vocals... more»
		No Use For A Name / More Betterness / Fat Wreck It's been a wearily traveled road for San Jose, CA's No Use For a Name. The band has not only made quality pop-punk records since their beginning in 1987, but helped to define its own vibrant genre -- one emulated by countless bands on many a label. More Betterness continues in the band's patented vein of stereo-cranking, vocally charged songs that emphasize harmonies, driving guitar lines and the infamous speedy kick drum of Rory Koff... more»
		NOFX / The Decline / Fat Wreck Officially billed as an EP, this single-track 18-minute opus is bristling with ferocious power and energy. Yes, you heard right, the whole album is a single 18-minute track, but don't be fooled into thinking this is some prog-inspired jamfest. Housed within that one track are something like 10 separate blisteringly catchy and melodic songs, melded together with recurring riffs, two-note breaks and thematic intent...more»
		Various Artists / Ultra Swank: Cacophone Records Sound Action Sampler 1999 / Cacophone A big round of applause to Cacophone Records for reminding us that it was only forty-odd years ago that rock and roll was all about vitriolic provocation and saying "no" to authority. Just as the 1979 film Rock and Roll High School was an ode to this very theme, Cacophone Records' Ultra Swank is a pre-millennial romp through the film's corridors...more»
		Whippersnapper / The Long Walk / Lobster Straight from the most unlikely place of Peachtree, Georgia comes the quintet Whippersnapper. The accompanying press release says that they "don't 'sound like' anyone but themselves," but from the sound of it, these kids have been listening to a lot of Braid records -- which, in my book is not a bad thing at all...more»