Frenzal Rhomb / Once a jolly swagman, always a jolly swagman /
Liberation
Records (CD)
Liberation Records presents a 25 track compilation from the first three
Frenzal Rhomb releases. Known throughout Australia for their ridiculous
antics on and off the stage, Frenzal also has perfected the smooth
delivery of pop-punk-metal tinged tunes. Imagine a slightly harder NOFX
(as exemplified on "Genius") or a wittier Hi-Standard. Actually,
they're quite funny too, (Take "Why Aren't You Dead? as a cue!) dousing
their fans with that unique brand of Aussie yuck-yucks. Punk fans
should check out this overseas equivalent to many on the Fat Wreck
roster. -- am
Hum / Downward is Heavenward / RCA (CD)
Hum remain the missing link between shoegazer pop and that Seattle stuff
-- introspective vocals backed not by fragile, squalling guitars, but by
a raging stormfront of bass-heavy sonic intensity. Seriously, if you
want to get almost anyone, music critic or not, to use the phrase "wall
of sound", sit 'em down in front of the speakers and play "Isle of the
Cheetah", "Afternoon With the Axolotls" or almost any other, and voila!
I'd love any band that'd come up with a title like "Afternoon With the
Axolotls", and since Hum hail from Champaign, IL, where I've whiled away
many a happy hour scouring the record shops, I'm honor-bound to endorse
this. -- gz
Ninos con bombas / De tiempo en el momento de la explosion / Grita! (CD)
When you think of Spanish language punk rock groups who do you think of?
I'll have to admit that until De tiempo en el memento de la
explosion came to my attention I would have drawn a blank when
confronted with such a question. Now I can knowingly shout out "Ninos con
bombas!" And it's not just punk rock either, it's punk rock-plus! Some
tunes on this disc are straight-ahead punk/hardcore but most contain Latin
references (flamenco, salsa) and ska references in a way that is
reminiscent of Sublime. Here's to music with guts that's thoughtful and
well-executed too. -- nw
Spacetime Continuum / Realtime EP / Astralwerks (CD)
This import EP gives us "Neoteric", tech whiz Jonah Sharp's first brush
with real vocals, courtesy of Japanese rapper MC Girau. It's a funky,
bouncy sort of track that's danceable without being overpowering. If
you want overpowering, check out the Strange Attractor Mix, driven by a
much more powerful beat and keyboard rhythm (There's nothing wrong with
it -- it's just "bigger" than the original). "Microjam" is smooth and
jazzy, while the live version of "Pressure" proves that Jonah can
deliver the goods outside the studio. "Freelon", the import-only track
that closes the disc, is a longer, mid-paced ambient-techno concoction
that delivers a blissful listening experience. I can't wait for the
album. -- gz
Slipstream / Be Groovy Or Leave / Primary Records (CD)
From folksy ballads like "Scars" to C&W-tinged rockers like "Dancing Mood"
to bubblegummy pop tunes like "You'll Never Catch Me Out Again", you'll
find an eclectic blend of indie rock on Be Groovy Or Leave. You'll
hear a little bit of the Lilys, you'll hear a little bit of Blind Melon,
you'll hear a little bit of Simon and Garfunkel. It's just that kind of
album! -- nw
Steven Dotlip / Steven Dotlip / IMMP (CASS)
Dotlip's got a way with found sounds and handmade instruments. With
tracks like "Mutation", "Intrilligator" and "Impugnent Square", he
creates an environment that's sometimes organic and melodic, and at
other times artificial and disquietingly disharmonious. It's intriguing
to try to figure out the pedigree of some of his sounds, and impressive
to hear him make them jump through sonic hoops. Occasionally Dotlip's
compositions are hindered by the limitations of the cassette medium, but
in general they reveal him to be a promising artist with a talent for
building a solid structure from disparate materials. -- gz
New Rob Robbies / ...Wilson's Revenge / Mind of a Child
(CD)
"...Wilson’s Revenge" blends a whimsical jangly guitar pop sound with a
slightly more hurried and combustible Slintesque sound. This CD takes a few
listens to thoroughly comprehend and digest, but it rewards with some great
tunes such as the angularly inflected "Captain" and lively "Tough Nuts",
which touches base on a sensitive "regional" issue. The nine songs are very
similar stylistically, but easily worthy of your fiendish CD
buying/accumulating habits. -- am
Finley Quaye / Maverick A Strike / 550 Music (CD)
How much you'll like Maverick a Strike depends upon what you expect
from it. If you're looking for a stripped-down, reverb-intensive work
of roots-inspired reggae with psychedelic rock underpinnings, you'll
probably be thoroughly pleased. But if you're high on the
Lenny-Kravitz-does-reggae sound that "Sunday Shining" is spreading
across the radio waves, you might be a bit disappointed -- there's
nothing else here that's quite on that level, though "Ride On and Turn the People
On" and the calypso-ish "Your Love Gets Sweeter" will keep you from
dozing off. "Supreme I Preme" shouldn't be missed, either. -- gz
|
