The Causey Way / Causey vs. Everything / Alternative Tentacles Rather implausibly, The Causey Way manages to sound ultra-suave with a combination that includes buzzsaw guitars, new-wave keyboards and preachy vocal harmonies. They don't even break a sweat doing it. Lyrically, Causey vs. Everything continues down the same pseudo-divine path blazed by the band's previous releases, Testimony and With Loving and Open Arms, filled with plenty of stage-side conversions and ultimate salvation through the cleansing powers of rock n’ roll...more» FEATURED ON THE BOOMBOX!
		The Sacrifice Poles / Self-Titled / Robodog The Sacrifice Poles begin their self-titled CD with a convincing, orchestrated guitar execution, aptly titled "Guitarmeggedon." The sheer intensity of this number is almost overpowering; you'll wonder how the band will be able to keep up this pace for the remainder of the album. As the strange union of band and listener travels from track to track, an evolution of sorts occurs. The Poles infuse bits of blurry, spaced-out guitar rock into a mixture of crashing ride cymbals and heavily effected chords...more» FEATURED ON THE BOOMBOX!
		The Verna Cannon / Movie Star Faces / Cargo Valium-infused rock creeps forth from Movie Star Faces, but this is no shoe-gazing narcotic. These cuts entwine the listener with seductive violin lines and exquisite vocals that tug on the soul instead of smothering it like so many slowcore cousins. Reminiscent of the Velvet Underground, Cowboy Junkies and next-state-up neighbors June, this outfit has mastered the slow burn. Vocalist Molly Ledford is irresistible, her sultry style so vulnerable that it almost makes one blush...more» FEATURED ON THE BOOMBOX!
		The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets / Spaceship Zero / Divine Industries There's something very strange about this disc, and I think that it has to do with the fact that it's quite difficult to tell if this is an elaborately conceived and executed hoax (i.e. the soundtrack to a non-existent film), or if it's just a case of a very good match between a band and a movie. In the end it doesn't really matter, as most of the songs on this disc are strange and interesting regardless of whether they're really inspired by a film or not...more»
		Family Fodder / Water Shed / Dark Beloved Cloud As sometimes happens following the re-release of such cult-favorite material, the Savoir Faire compilation stirred up interest not just among Family Fodder's fans, but among the band members themselves. Discovering that their creative juices hadn't dried up during the group's seventeen-year lapse, Alig Fodder and Dominique Levillain proceeded to write and record a new batch of songs, which in due course became Water Shed...more»
		Ladytron / 604 / Emperor Norton Here's the good news: Ladytron will allow the safe, sensual satisfaction of your new wave cravings, while still allowing you to look all hip and cool and poised on the bleeding edge of musical trendiness. You can even tell your friends that 604 is the logical broadband extension of Kraftwerk's aesthetic; it's like telling people that you watch Star Trek because you're really into astrophysics, but hey, it's your delusion...more»
		Teriyakis / Pre-literate: Post-necessary / Terciopelo However, despite the trepidation that collections of four-track material usually evoke, this eighteen track collection is actually worth listening to. Instead of home recordings that should have been left at home, this disc contains jams and other gems that deserve to see the light of day. The opening "You Can Hear a Pin Drop" is a low riding number with a drawling, Lou Reed style vocal. However, this mellow introduction cannot hold a candle to "Boobalus Bobalus", which follows...more»
		Those Peabodys / Self-Titled / Post Parlo Even battling through ten songs in 28 minutes, Those Peabodys don’t merely craft song fragments. Each song flows into the next as if the album was a single long track, but it’s not repetitious -- there’s more than enough musical variety here to hold your attention. With only four hands available to play instruments, the music is opened up, leaving plenty of silent space in the midst of the power-duo jamming. Wilson and Hatley occasionally trade lead vocals, adding to the free-form tone of the album...more»
		Various Artists / Let's Go Outside / Outside Outside Records started up shortly after Bruce Hornsby hit it big and gave some "official" definition to the Southern Virginia sound. Naturally, the scene and sound is far more expansive than the terrain mined by Hornsby, but the selections here suggest certain affinities. The bands on Outside Records might tackle different genres -- pop, softcore punk, country, bluegrass, folk and some twisted blends of all the above -- but all of them, like Hornsby, are committed to damn fine playing...more»
		The X-Impossibles / White Knuckle Ride / Cargo White Knuckle Ride starts with the sound of hot rods speeding past. This in itself is a significant indicator of what's to come. The first track, "Fire", is a certified barn burner, its jackhammer pace matched by a ballsy guitar sound with plenty of fuzz and deep, bellowing vocals. Fiery guitar licks pervade the song, which is terse, clocking in at under three minutes. "Don't Tread On Me" is classic punk attitude with a souped-up sound, recalling the Ramones' "I Wanna Live" in tone and tenor...more»