Mekons / Journey to the End of the Night / Quarterstick Journey to the End of the Night lives in the shallow half-light between night and morning. It's familiar territory for the Mekons, who plumb its depths for eloquent tales of desperation, survival, loneliness and vain hope. Each song takes you inside the apartments, diners and conversations you've seen before, embroiling you in a series of missed connections painted in shades of grey...more» FEATURED ON THE BOOMBOX!
		Shutdown / Something to Prove / Victory Fans of the heyday of hardcore, specifically the NYHC scene, can wipe their brows in relief, as an answer to everyone's prayers has quite possibly been found: a crack squad of aficionados who aren't afraid to show their affection for their city's roots. Shutdown has snatched up the torch and methodically restored faith and integrity to NYC's crumbling scene...more» FEATURED ON THE BOOMBOX!
		Alessandra Belloni / Tarantata: The Dance of the Ancient Spider / Sounds True Alessandra Belloni is a singer, percussionist, dancer and actress who has made a career out of keeping alive the musical and dance traditions of her southern Italy. Tarantata: Dance of the Ancient Spider is a sixty-plus minute testament to her mastery of musical styles and influences drawn from Italy to North Africa and Latin America...more»
		Brando / The Adder / SmokeyLung The Adder covers Brando's work from 1994-1997; it's a lo-fi experience that sounds rather like a party at which the likes of Lou Reed, the Cowboy Junkies, the Beach Boys and the Cure all inhale fragrant marijuana smoke and munch on magic mushroom hors d'oeuvres...more»
		Gry / Touch of E! / Our Choice Every once in a while an album comes along that redefines your idea of music. Touch of E! is one of them. Gry first surfaced on Invisible Records' Lowest of the Low tour, but since the album is only available on import, it took me forever to find it. Like all hard to find treasures, the hunt makes it all the more satisfying...more»
		M.I.J. / The Radio Goodnight / Caulfield The Radio Goodnight showcases M.I.J.'s dynamic songwriting chops, as well as introducing the world to Jeff Hanson’s voice. The strum-to-scream opener "Say it in Words" lulls you with a gentle riff, then deals you a vicious backhand once its wall of fuzzed-out guitars and sidewinder-like bass figures kick in...more»
		Samarkand/Cloud / Pitch Wheel/Wanker / Semper LoFi Samarkand and Cloud are two separate and distinct artists. Their respective albums, Pitch Wheel and Wanker, have been released together, on CD-R, in a unique sort of Siamese-twin dual digipak thing that's been hand-decorated by MJB, Cloud frontman and head honcho of the Semper Lofi label...more»
		Sarge / Distant / Mud The final Sarge release, Distant, has wisely been divided into four sections. The three last studio demos that feature the full band lineup could all fit nicely amongst other classic Sarge songs. Each of them, but especially "Detroit Star-Lite" and "Clearer", carries the same swift rush of emotion as is found on "Beguiling" from their classic Glass Intact album...more»
		Vidi Vitties / Self-Titled / Mother West For me, the humorous songs are most wonderful, especially "Hello Mosquito" ("Another mosquito's life is gone/Such is the scale of things/No one went to jail for it"). While some bands settle for raising just a smile, Vidi Vitties take this and most of the songs through Grateful Dead territory...more»
		The Wee Turtles / This Land is Your Land / Pitch-A-Tent The Wee Turtles embrace the same basic Beach Boys-derived pop spirit as Beulah, but it's rendered in a far more relaxed, less exacting style. Where Beulah are crisp, the Wee Turtles are muffled, playful and slovenly...but the hooks remain intact. Anyone seeking yummy pop songs laced with ba-ba choruses and a mild dose of sarcasm will be pleased...more»