Lil Pocketknife - Pants Control

Name: Lil Pockeknife
Album: Pants Control
Year: 2004
Style: Pop, Hip Hop
Similar Bands: Cibo Matto, The Go! Team, Le Tigre, Gravy Train!!!!, bis
"One-Word" Review: lo-fi geek-hop
Based Out Of: San Francisco
Label: Narnack Records

Cover

Back, Case Back, CD

Pants Control (2004)

1. Disco Dancer 2:41
2. East Coast / West Coast 2:09
3. Red Hott 2:36
4. 5'2" - 2:24
5. A.D.D. 3:03

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Lil Pocket Knife (Kristy Geschwandtner) - Vox
• No Skills (Lynae Burns) - Drums
• George (Patterson) - Keytar (Knodel)
• Keren Richter - Artwork

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this artist/band. Just from the chosen artwork, who is given just about as much info as the band, i'd imagine the music will be whimsical, energetic pop, with a little darkness, thanks to the name. The artwork is a little reminiscent of  Of Montreal, and perhaps just because of the shared word knife in the name, i am also imaging a bit of a Shonen Knife sound.

Album Review: Lo-fi 8-bit keytar sounds and rhythms and a solid drum beat create a minimal, and sparse musical backing to Lil's rapping, sometimes harmonically layered. The themes on the record are mostly non-stereotypically hip-hop; rapping about disco, short but powerful height, A.D.D., Dungeons and Dragons, and astronomy. The one "rap-themed" song about East Coast / West Coast combines a polka accordion and weird synth blips all swirled together and even name drops the Atari. 5'2" steps up the 8-bit sounds with a synthesized vocal introduction to Lil Pocketknife. But the production feels empty, and the songs fall flat.

This San Fran band apparently offers a fun energetic live show, but that doesn't quite come across on the recording, which sounds more like a bedroom recorded project.  San Fran transplant from New Jersey, Lil Pocketknife was named so by bandmate No Skills, by saying "Kristy can cut like a knife, but not very deeply, and she is very practical like a toothpick and crafty like a pair of scissors." After playing the San Fran party venue circuit, they recorded this one and only album. Another one was planned for 2004 after this Ep was picked up by the label, but nothing materialized

Stand Out Track: East Coast / West Coast

Links:
Dragon Slayer Live performance Youtube
Discogs
Allmusic
Modern Fix Interview
Punk News.org
Rate Your Music
Pandora

Left Handed Boy - Curse of the Left Handed Boy

Name: Left Handed Boy
Album: Curse of the Left Handed Boy
Year: 2006
Style: Dark Rap/Hip Hop
Similar Bands: Judgement Night soundtrack, Gorillaz
"One-Word" Review: Audio Anti-Hero Hip Hop Graphic Novel
Based Out Of: Philadelphia, PA / Mount Holly NJ
Label: Akhenation Music, Cult Member Music

Cover, Comic pg 1,12

CD, Sticker, Flyer, Back, CD Back, Comic pg 2-3

Comic pg 4-5, Sticker

Comic pg 6-7

Comic pg 8-9

Comic pg 10-11

Curse of the Left Handed Boy (2006)

1. Intro 1:12
2. 10th & Arch 3:04
3. Chapter 2 1:14
4. Facefirst 2:55
5. Bio 3:58
6. Picture Perfect 1:28
7. Write to Left 2:39
8. That Arm 3:18
9. Bloody Attitude 4:06
10. Perfect Picture 1:17
11. Art 3:54
12. Kiss the Order 2:40
13. Flatlands 1:28
14. Latest Dish 4:09
15. Family Dinner 4:44

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Daniel Elish - Artwork, Pamphlet Words & Pictures
• Carl Kavorkian - Producer, Vox  (MF Doom)
• Colin "Coligreens" Ryan - Producer
• Jimmy Greek - Vox
• Rummage - Vox, Producer

Unknown-ness: Never heard of the band... The version i picked up in a dollar bin had some band stickers, a flyer for the band and an interesting comic book about a discarded boy growing up with a deformed, giant left hand. So, for the music, i'm guessing it is dark and emo...with all black and white artwork, i don't imagine it being upbeat emo...perhaps more sludgy and heavy. The album has long & short songs, so perhaps it is laid out like a graphic novel, with some tracks containing dialogue, telling a conceptual story, sort of like Life Of Agony's River Runs Red.

Album Review: There are different sources for the "band name." Searching by the album title, which i first thought was the name, Jam Faction came up as a possible name (spotify), but it is also listed as a copyright / imprint label. The album is on Jimmy Greek's bandcamp page under the band name Left Handed Boy, so that's a more accurate source. The record is mixed genre hip-hop. There are dark tendencies on the album filled with a complex, artistic anger. All along, the record threads the storyline of born different, being berated by father, and having to fight, through the anecdote of being left handed. However, nothing comes off as aggressive: it just flows, telling a story musically and lyrically in a head nodding, interesting fashion, mixing in dialogue/monologues over the music to embellish the graphic novel aspect of the record: like a comic book version of an audiobook.

The group Left Handed Boy / Jam Faction is a collective headed off by Jimmy Greek, and associates Rummage, Coligreens and Carl Kavorkian, who has also worked with MF Doom. The members are based in Philly (10th & Arch was the address of The Trocadero) and Mount Holly, as explained on the album. 

Stand Out Track: Kiss the Order

Links:

Discogs

Exclaim!
Soundcloud
Rate Your Music
Kavorkian bandcamp
Bringing Down the Band
Jimmy Greek & COTLHB Bandcamp 

Loudness - Thunder in the East

Name: Loudness
Album: Thunder in the East
Year: 1985
Style: Hair Metal
Similar Bands: Judas Priest, Dio, Iron Maiden, Motley Crue
"One-Word" Review: Hyper Hair Drive
Based Out Of: Japan
Label: ATCO, Atlantic, Warner

Cover, Lyrics, Record

Back, Sleeve, Record

Thunder in the East (1985)

1. Crazy Nights 4:04 (single)
2. Like Hell 3:44
3. Heavy Chains 4:18
4. Get Away 3:55
5. We Could Be Together 4:35 /
6. Run For Your Life 3:48
7. Clockwork Toy 3:55
8. No Way Out 4:01
9. The Lines Are Down 4:57
10. Never Change Your Mind 4:09

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Minoru Niihara - Vox, Lyrics (Earthshaker, Ded Chaplin, Sly, X.Y.Z.->A, Honjoh Misako, She-Ja, Powergod,Fumihiko Kitsutaka,)
• Akira Takasaki - Music, Guitar (Lazy, JI-ZO, Tuska20, Tusk of Jaguar, Honjoh Misako, Buddha Brand, Tomoko Aran, Mass Mental?, Mari Hamada, JAM Project, Hironbu Kageyama, Animetal The Second, Koshi Inaba, Amorphis, Ayasa )
• Masayoshi Yamashita - Bass (Blood Circus, M.T. Fuji, Akira Takasaki, Honjoh Misako, Paul Raymond Project, Higuchi Project Team, Animetal The Second)
• Munetaka Higuchi - Drums (Lazy, Sly, Blood Circus, Higuchi Project Team, Honjoh Misako, Hamada Mari, Rock'n Roll Standard Club Band, JAM Project, Rica Matsumoto)
• Max Norman - Producer
• Bill Freesh - Engineer
• Ray Leonard - Asst Engineer
• Tosi Nakashita - Mgmt
• Masumi Sasaki - Mgmt
• Danny O'Donovan - Co-Mgmt
• George Azuma - Supervisor
• Mikio Shimizu - Director
• Hiroyuki Munekiyo - Director
• Akira Ohmachi - Guitar Tech
• Masaharu Nakajima - Drum Tech
• Barry Levine - Photography
• Jeff Wilkinson - Art Director
• Paul Cooper - Exec Producer
• Bernie Grundman - Mastering

Unknown-ness: Never heard of Loudness, but it is quite obvious that this is japanese hair metal. No ifs, ands or butts.  The name Loudness is a little too on the nose, i'm not sure if its a parody of metal, if it's like a disclaimer for a culture where metal is not first nature, or it's their best guess at what an American metal band should be named & look like. In any case, they are all in on the look and hair.

Album Review: While the pictures and artwork flaunts their Japanese culture in the western hair metal culture, there is no hint of the band being from Japan when it comes to the music. It is chugging, raging, melodic scream-singing, with the typical power ballad moments added in, where the singer occasionally sounds like Steve Perry. Of course i'm very naive to what was going on in Japan's culture, as Japanese Metal was on the rise in 1981, when Loudness began. This is their fifth album overall, second in English (after re-recording album 4 in English) and reached #74 in US charts. It was the first Japanese heavy metal artist to be signed to an international record deal. But as popularity swayed their musical direction, their next album moved away from metal to a more commercial glam-metal sound, losing them some of their fanbase. Although denied visa/entry for a tour by the awful US president in 2017, they are slated to come back stateside in 2020.

Stand Out Track: Clockwork Toy

Links:

Wiki

Facebook

website

cancelled tour due to trump

spinditty

allmusic

metal archives

Niihara Interview 2018

discogs

antiwar songs

skullznbones

artists worldwide

Lets Grow - Jaibo split

Name: *Lets Grow / ~Jaibo! - split
Album: Lets Grow / Jaibo!
Year: 2010
Style: *Hard Core, Punk, ~Metal
Similar Bands: *Dead Cross , Ceremony, Bad Brains, Black Flag ~Jerry's Kids, Dillinger Escape Plan, Black Sabbath, King Diamond
"One-Word" Review: *Shouty Hardcore , ~Classic Metal Guitar Noodling
Based Out Of: *,~Belgrade Serbia 
Label: Thrashbastard, Escal-Vigor, Doomtown Rec., Insulin Addicted

Cover, Liner Notes, Record

Back, Liner Notes, Record

Lets Grow side (2010)

1. Tired 1:47
2. Huge and Silent 0:50
3. Gone 2:26
4. Left Alone 1:24
5. Cant 3:11
6. Cage 0:32
7. Judge and Jury 2:20
8. Darker Place 2:11

Jaibo! side (2010)

1. Numskull 1:52
2. Video Days 2:28 (instrumental)
3. Socialize 1:20
4. Mirracle 3:13
5. Aggah Tzar 2:41
6. Giura 2:39 (instrumental)
7. J! 2:11
8. Anna Y Latte 2:27

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Ray Ahn - Cover Art
• Milovan Milenkovic - Photo
• Dan Randall - Mastering

*Lets Grow

• Ljuba Slavkovic - Guitar (Chresus Jist, FxPxOx, Modern Delusion)
• Vladimir Bizic - Guitar (Tongue)
• Marko Ilic (Lilly Didol) - Bass, Album Engineer & Producer 
• Srdjan Kuzmanovic - Drums (36 Daggers, Hands in Ashes, Saht, Stand Point, XunisonX, Charlie Don't Surf, Waxt, Deboto)
• Dario Fleitz - Vox

~Jaibo!

• Bruno Bozic - Bass, Vox (36 Daggers, Halftones, Mob Law, Charlie Don't Surf, Boris Milic)
• Stevan Cirovic - Drums (Lets Grow, Plus Life, Roza, VVhile, Boris Milic)
• Bosko Mijuskovic - Guitar (Dol, Lollobrigida, Plus Life, Seine, Skrtice, Straight Mickey & the Boyz, Stray Dogg, Turisti, Tongue. Partibrejkers. Artan Lili, Seine)
• Marko Jelisavcic - Guitar 

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, or what it seems like, two bands splitting sides to this LP. The cover art is interesting with lines and shapes forming layers, and somewhat abstract events going on around a sloth. From this and the back cover (is this one band or two bands?) can only imagine its going to be something between alternative math rock and hard core metal. All the elements are there for any of those directions.

Album Review: So it is a split record for two Serbian bands: Lets Grow & Jaibo!, both on the same Doomtown records label based in Zagreb Croatia. Lets Grow have been around since 2001, and they play fast, hardcore shouty punk. And Jaibo! is a younger band playing more calculated metal and hardcore with a bit of a classic rock feel.

Stand Out Track: * Cant 
~ Socialize

Links:

bandcamp

discogs

Label facebook

label instagram

label website

Jaibo! FB

Lets grow FB

Lets Grow bandcamp

Lady Pank - Drop Everything

Name: Lady Pank
Album: Drop Everything
Year: 1983
Style: New Wave Ska Reggae 
Similar Bands: China Crisis, Police, Dire Straits, Duran Duran
"One-Word" Review: JangleEuroSka
Based Out Of: Poland
Label: MCA, 

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Drop Everything (1983)

1. Minus Zero 3:54
2. Hustler 3:56
3. Hero 4:10
4. The Zoo That Has No Keeper 3:40
5. Be Good 3:56 /
6. Do, Do 3:54
7. Someone's 'Round the Corner 3:58
8. Disturbance of the Order (Instrumental) 1:30
9. Stranger 5:34
10. My Kilimanjaro 3:44

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Dave Leaper - Producer
• Jan Borysewicz - Guitar, Vox, Writer (Nurt, Super Pakt, Katia & Roman, Apokalipsa, Breakout, Budka Suflera, Izabela Trojanowska, Jan Bo, Irek Dudek, Jacek Skubikowski, Obywatei GC, Majka Jezowska, Ryszard Skibinski, Fotoness, Top One, Mona Mur, Gosia, Chlopcy Z Placu Broni, Edyta Bartosiewicz, Cytadela, Subway, K. martin, Wojciech Pilichowski)
• Janusz Panasewicz - Vox (Zander, Krystyna Pronko, Qligowscy, Panasewicz, Wojek Mazolewski)
• Jaroslaw Szlagowski - Percussion, Drums (Blog 27, Maanam, Oddzial Zamkniety, Tadeusz Nalepa, Fotoness, Maciej Zembaty, Time Square)
• Pawel Mscislawski - Bass (Oddzial Zamkniety)
• Edmund Stasiak - Guitar (Emigranci, Hojda, Sputnik, Majka Jezowska) 
• Andrjez Mogielnicki - Music
• Greg Kuczynski - Production Consultant
• Stawomir Wesolowski - Engineer
• Mariusz Zabrodski - Asst. Engineer
• Greg Fulginti - Mastering
• Tom Wachtel - English Transalation
• Cream - Design, Art Direction
• Andrzej Tyszko - Photography
• Tom Carrabba - Personal Manager
• Tim Brack - Personal Manager

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but it looks like moody new wave. Quite a Eurotrashy look mixed with British punk/new wave.

Album Review: So this is a Polish band that does not speak much, if any English. At first, the lyrics were translated to English and learned to be sung phonetically. Musically, they are a lot like the police...finding that fine line between ska and reggae that is basically just another branch of the new wave tree. And apparently they are still together, performing across Europe later this year if everything opens back up (2020).

Stand Out Track: Minus Zero

Links:

wiki

website

bbc

harpa

facebook

wash post

insta

discogs

allmusic

Lifeboat - s/t

Name: Lifeboat
Album: s/t
Year: 1985
Style: Janglepop, college radio
Similar Bands: REM, Thomas Dolby, Talking Heads, Let's Active!, Pixies, Gang of Four, Jonathan Richman,
"One-Word" Review: Smart-poppy-jangly-post-punk
Based Out Of: Boston, MA
Label: Dolphin Records

 Cover & Record

Record & Back

Lifeboat (1985)

1. Bully Up 3:13
2. Family Town 3:17 /
3. Queen For A Day 4:04
4. Ruling Class Kids 2:31
5. Twelve Hour Drive 2:59
6. Let's Get Excited! 3:27

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Paul Gibson - Drums (Do It Now Foundation, Saracen)
• Bob Kendall - Bass, Vox (Tackle Box, Blood Oranges, Brothers Kendall, Tanya Donelly)
• Greg Kendall - Guitar, Keys, Vox (Tackle Box, Jonathan Richman, Mission of Burma, Human Sexual Response, Neighborhoods, Bob Lawton's Boots, Arms Akimbo, Tuffskins, Brothers Kendall)
• Gary Smith Guitar, Keys Vox, Cover  (Phoenix TV Trio, John Clay, Connells, Kenny Blue Ray, Throwing Muses, Walkabouts, Billy Bragg, Juliana Hatfield, Chris Harford, Ringo, Tackle Box, Natalie Merchant, Bulls Gap)
• Steve Gronback - Producer, Engineer
• Bob Pfeifer - Producer
• Jim Toth - Engineer
• Gordon Hookailo - Remixing
• Greg Calbi - Mastering
• Paul Robicheau - Back Photo
• Bob Lawton - Mgmt

Unknown-ness: Never heard of lifeboat, and there is not much to go on by the dark artwork with yellow lettering. The front is Noah's Ark (thus, lifeboat), and the back is a band photo, barely visable. The album reminds me a little of Die Kreuzen, and it's emptiness could mean that is is harder than most Jangle pop that was coming out of Boston (mgmt) or Chapel Hill (label). I'm still going to lean toward Jangle pop for my guess.

Album Review: There are hints of Talking Heads, Pixies, and REM on this mini-LP. It is college radio jangly, but it is clean in production, and doesn't rely on tedious repetitive hooks that define the bottom rungs of college radio popularity. Then there are definite British new wave characteristics, with snotty nasally vocals surrounded by synths, reminding me of Thomas Dolby or Flock of Seagulls (on "Ruling Class Kids"). "Twelve Hour Drive" features chants and angular music similar to Gang Of Four, until the Farfisa keys come in, making it a less abrasive track. Apparently brothers Bob & Greg have had success in scoring films as well. Gary Smith owns Fort Apache Studios.

Stand Out Track: Bully Up, Ruling Class Kids, Twelve Hour Drive

Links:
Willfully Obscure
Blurt Schoolkids Records Greg Kendall
Dagger Zine Greg Kendall (same interview as above)
Bobkendall.com
Discogs
Full Album Youtube

Look (the) - We're Gonna Rock

Name: The Look
Album: We're Gonna Rock
Year: 1981
Style: Power Pop, Pub Rock, Metal
Similar Bands: Def Leppard, Foreigner, Bad Company, Rod Stewart, Journey, Cheap Trick, Rockets
"One-Word" Review: Pretentious Radio Rockers
Based Out Of: Detroit
Label: Plastic Records

 Cover & Record

Record & Back

We're Gonna Rock (1981)

1. Nothin's Gonna Stop Us 3:12
2. We're Gonna Rock 3:07
3. Dreamin' 3:31
4. Be With me 3:59
5. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 4:50 (Animals cover) /
6. Been Used 3:55
7. Can't Think Right 4:11
8. Do You Want Me Too 3:24
9. Race Against Time 4:03
10. Last Night 3:45

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

• Members & Other Bands:
• Johnny Sandlin - Producer
• Mark Stebbeds - Producer
• Bruce Lorfel - Mgmt
• Rick Cochran - Bass
• Dave Edwards - Lead Vox (Tantrum, RH Factor, Belle Islanders)
• Randy Volin - Guitar, Vox (John Surge & the Haymakers, Songbox)
• John Sarkisian - Drums, Vox
• Sam Warren - Guitar, Vox
• Steve Tillisch - Engineer
• Ann Holloway - Engineer
• Glenn Meadows - mastering
• Joe Walk - Keys (Eddie Hinton, Scott Boyer, Microwave Dave & the Nukes)
• Dennis J Ritter - Art Direction
• Bob Alford - Photos
• Rockart - Album Design

Unknown-ness: Never heard of these guys, but since they ARE the Look, the album is called We're Gonna Rock, and the first track is Nothin's Gonna Stop Us, I'm led to believe that they are Rock...it's just a matter of how hard. The photo depicts a band coming out of 70's glam style, so i imagine it will be a more powerpop version of Rock.

Album Review: So they cover the Animal's Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, which is right up their bluesy, pub rock style of Rock. They fit into all the 70's radio prepped bands that were the counterbalance to New Wave that was also looking for audience pull. The music is not as obnoxious as their name, and song/album titles are. In fact, the title track is their "demo" of the song, as they explained: "a subsequent recording of the song did not match the feel of the original." In fact, they have the prestigue as the first Detroit band on MTV in Sept'81 with the title track. The vocals are somewhere close to Steve Perry, and Rod Stewart at times, and they have harmonies in support, but not as dynamic as Journey. Dave Edwards is apparently an important figure in the Detroit Rock history, and still plays to this day (2020).

Stand Out Track: Be With Me

Links:
Youtube full album
Discogs
Rate your Music
Reverb Nation
website
Allmusic

Lolita No. 18 - Sister Run Naked

Name: Lolita No. 18

Album: Sister Run Naked

Year: 1996

Style: Punk, Metal

Similar Bands: Die Kreuzen, Black Flag, Germs

"One Word" Review: Heavy Witch Punk

Based Out Of: Japan

Label: Benten 

 Sister Run Naked - Cover, Liner Art, CD Tray

Sister Run Naked - Back, CD, Liner Notes & Lyrics

Sister Run Naked (1996)

1. N.H.B.1:03
2. Saloone 2:57
3. Fortune Cards in Tibet 1:58
4. Fool's Children 2:01
5. I Am a King 2:16
6. Shakin' All Over 2:22
7. Chimney 2:40
8. Snoopy (Hang On Sloopy) 3:31
9. The First Gale in the Spring 2:25
10. A Song Of a Girl Can't Wait 4:06
11. Onodera-san 2:47
12. hidden track 1:52

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:
Masay Ishizanka - Vox

Ena Arai - Guitar, Illustration

Mina Kimura - Bass

Aya Togawa - Drums

Sheri Lane - Organ , Accordian (The Horsies)

Bryan - T-12 MC

Elly Vasquez - Opening MC

Mike Vasquez - Recording, Mixing

Paul Stautinger - Recording

Wataru Ishii - Mastering @ Onkio Haus

Martin Ogisawa - Design

Shisaka Kimura - Photo

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band. Looks like cutsey girl pop from Japan, seeing as the CD spine and lyrics are all written in Japanese, I imagine high energy music, with three chord changes and catchy Ramones-like song structure. The artwork is very busy, possibly seizure inducing, but it fits the image.

Album Review: So they are the self-proclaimed biggest Japanese all girl Punk band (second to Shonen Knife?). They released albums from 1995 through 2001, with a reboot of the band with new performers in 2002, and are still performing today (2015). Their 4^th album was produced by Joey Ramone, and was reportedly, the only Japanese band he produced. The cartoonishly high voices oscillate between annoying and percussive. I really wanted to like this more, but it definitely is more metal than punk.

“N.H.B.” starts with a child-like voice, and then pounding guitars are quickly introduced, breaking down briefly into a heavy dark metal head bang, and picking back up with a driving two-pitch wall of sound. And it ended with the childish Buh-Bye
“Saloone” is chanted by the cartoonish, raspy vocal in harmonized echo over and over until it hits the three chord power pop-punk hook. It’s basic, repetitive and drives home the melody. There was a brief breakdown before it returns to the initial chanting / harmonic chorus repetition. And they change it up slightly by singing the saloon chant in the round. The song slowly fades out, and leaves the singer alone, whose vocals flicker out. It’s a good song, but way way way too repetitive. This is the one track that should be a minute and a half long.
“Fortune Cards in Tibet” launches right into a very short speed punk song. It feels like the song is about to end, but it just switched gears, grinding in a heavy looping chord progression, and the vocals come in even faster than before. Another tempo change takes effect to slow the song down to a jog briefly, only to return to the speed section. This trading off back and forth, creates an interesting, ever changing experience.
“Fool's Children” begins as a heavy and slow, murky, oscillating stomp. Part dark metal as well, the guitars drone along in the sing-song, changing melody.
“I Am a King” is a good driving punk song that transitions between two notes, in a mocking na-na-na-na style. The chorus switches gears to something of a heavy guitar waltz. These two styles switch back and forth a couple of times, and a guitar drones on at the end quietly to close out the track.
“Shakin' All Over” starts with a psychedelic organ added to the heavy guitars, straying the furthest from punk into garage psych-rock for one song. The nasally harsh vocals are enhanced with a bit of a distorting echo, which adds further to the lo-fi garage sound.

“Chimney” has its melody introduced with the vocals only, and it is already a droning metal song. After 45 seconds or so, the heavy guitars add in the bass melody that you were expecting all along. The vocals grow more intense as the song progresses, and ends with the vocals taking back over the song.
“Snoopy (Hang On Sloopy)” starts with heavy guitar chords, playing out a sloppy version of the familiar melody. The whiny, raspy vocals add in their own lyrics to the popular tune, and the very stripped down version slumps along, with a harmonized Ah-Ah-Ahs in the chorus. I think the lyrics here include “I Want A Cookie.”
“The First Gale in the Spring” starts with a driving two chord backbone and once the vocals are added, the angular chords and slightly off notes make up the main melody of the song. A slow messy chaos of a breakdown, with feeding back guitars and crashing cymbals slows the song down. It then jumps right back into the off-kilter metal melody.
“A Song Of a Girl Can't Wait” features of a swaying drinking melody played by an accordion and oompa metal guitar. This is a very interesting choice of instrumentation, but it somehow makes sense in the grand scheme of the album. The main chorus is the sea-shanty melody singing La-La-LaLa’s. The quiet accordion finished out the track
“Onodera-san” sounds like a poor quality live recording at first, making use of noisy feedback and speed-punk tempo shouting. The song winds down quickly, and finds new life as a sludgy syrupy crawl, only to lead back to the burst of speed punk energy. This transition between energy and relaxing feet dragging is shrouded under what sounds like all the noises bouncing around the room, providing the lo-fi feedback, and live-sound appeal.
“hidden track” counts up to about 20 seconds before even starting with spoken dialogue. Then at 33, the guitar provides a nice stomping beat. Pauses in the music allow the vocals spoken quietly, and the guitars and heavy drumming pick back up. These two parts make up the whole song, which only lasts about a minute and 10 seconds. 

Stand Out Track: Fortune Cards In Tibet

Links:
Wiki

website

Sister Records (English)

Discogs

Sputnik Music

Reverb Nation

(the) Long Blondes - Giddy Stratospheres ep

Name: (the) Long Blondes

Album: Giddy Stratospheres ep

Year: 2005

Style: Indie Rock, Post-Punk, Updated Oldies

Similar Bands: Delta 5, Elastica, Franz Ferdinand, Pretenders, Pipettes

"One-Word" Review: Angular Cold Punk

Based Out Of: Sheffield, England

Label: What's Your Rupture?

 Giddy Stratospheres ep - Cover & Record

 Giddy Stratospheres ep - Back & Record

Giddy Stratospheres ep (2005)

1. Giddy Stratospheres 4:49
2. Polly 2:48 /
3. Autonomy Boy 3:31
4. Darts 1:27

Album Rating (1-10): 9.5

Members & Other Bands:
Kate Jackson - Vox (Madame Ray)
Dorian Cox - Guitar, Keys (Unmade Bed)
Reenie (Kathryn) Hollis - Bass, Vox (The Bon Bon Club, Nature Set)
Emma Chaplin - Guitar, Keys, Vox
Screech (Mark Turvey) Louder - Drums (The Bon Bon Club)

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band…at least I don’t think so…I can’t recall ever hearing them. But this EP looks very cool, and is basically an EP wrapped in a plastic bag. I like the silkscreened print on the bag, and the record itself looks very DIY with a stamp of the tracks and other info added in red, faded ink. As for the type of music, I’m imagining, from the artwork and name, garage psychedelic music. It looks like it is trying to capture an oldies aesthetic, while updating the look with a lot of angles and a basic color scheme.

Album Review: “Giddy Stratospheres” starts off with hand claps that designate a marching rhythm. The angular guitars come up sounding like something from Franz Ferdinand. The musical bridge kicks the FF style up a notch with smooth crooning deep female vocals. Overall, it sounds like a Delta 5 song post-punk: a female Gang Of Four. But the real hook of the song lies after two verse sections, the Pretenders-style, emotional repetition of the title in the true chorus. There are so many small sections of the song, it is barely recognized when they add an extra call-and response section with a background of females asking questions the lead answers after the chorus, and a harmonized ending breakdown that flows seamlessly into the chorus for an extra repeat. And it ends with the ringing guitar on an off-pitch note.

“Polly” sounds like an oldie pop song; a side-to side swaying country/doo-wop song, like the sort of genre that She & Him have since capitalized from. Think the Ronettes or a slower Pipettes

“Autonomy Boy” is another angular song, with call-and-response guitars, and a quiet hushed deep female vocals, similar to Elastica. But it is still most like the Delta 5. It flows with its own percussive tempo driving it along constantly. The vocals in the chorus are layered giving it a more powerful impact. There are sections in the instrumental with guitar fuzz and feedback, giving it a very DIY, post-punk feel, accompanying the somewhat monotone, deep vocals that follows an alarm like melody, which becomes obvious when the song comes to a ringing conclusion

“Darts” is another playful post punk guitar melody, reminding me of Mika Miko. It features more sing song vocal melodies, and is very angular guitars as the song builds toward the end of the song. Overall, a great bit of performance energy.

I can’t really pick out a stand out track, because these are all excellent songs, all of which capture a slightly different aspect of the band. Polly is probably the most distinctively different song on the EP, but I think I prefer Darts.

Stand-Out Track: Polly
Darts
Giddy Stratospheres

Links:
Album WIki
Band Wiki
A Charts
Drowned In Sound
The Guardian review
BBC
Pitchfork
Allmusic
Interpunk
raditaz

Christian Lunch - Unreliable Sources

Name: Christian Lunch
Album(s): Unreliable Sources
Years: 1990
Style: Industrial, Dark-wave, Political
Similar Bands: Devo, Borghesia
"One-Word" Review: Indust-Pop
Based Out Of: Oakland, CA
Label: Alternative Tentacles

 

Unreliable Sources - Cover, Insert, Lyric Sheet & Record

 Unreliable Sources - Back, Lyric Sheet, Record

Unreliable Sources (1990)

1. Lynch Me 4:16
2. The Big Wind 4:47
3. Neighbourhood Watch 3:53 /
4. Drug Squad (American Version) 7:41 

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Christian Gregory Ingle (The Witch Trials)
John Beeby - Feedback, Solos, Rhythm Guitar (Live Report, Strange Cargo)
Les Davison - Solos, Rhythm Guitar (positively)
Jonas Bruce - Synth, Bass (Jack Bruce)
Blast! - voices solos, rhythm guitar
J. Pearce Carlin - Floortrader & Cartoon Voices
Luxa/Pan - Remix (Ministry, Lead Into Gold)
Jello Biafra - Production coordination (Dead Kennedys, Witch Trials)
Stella - Editorial Assistance

Unknownness: I’ve never heard of this band. I was convinced this was an ironic name of a hardcore, punk band, especially with the cross in place of the “t.” I discovered after a bit of research that this is just a guy’s stage name. In either case, I’m interested to see what this sounds like, knowing the catalogue of artists on Alternative Tentacles; I’m assuming it is political and angry in nature, especially with 3 of the 4 song titles.

Album Review:
“Lynch Me” begins with a bouncy pop beat with a bit of a dark undertone. Then wailing guitars are overlayed. The vocals begin, and sound isolated, but new wave mechanical and bouncy, something like Devo. The whole sound feels like one big cold soviet machine working together, with the wailing electric guitar bringing chaos to the set. The chorus is repetitive, but catchy and driving.
 “The Big Wind” has big industrial drums underscoring electric guitar screeching and an auctioneer spewing numbers. That fades out, and a bouncy synth rhythm follows up with a monotone cold vocal. The music kicks in, and the song drives forward. The electronic guitar sticks out like a sore thumb, not melding to the industrial techno beat. The auctioneer comes back for the middle instrumental section. And it comes back at the end to finish off the side and give the chaotic and ridiculous view of materialism & the stock market. Sandwiched between is a fun driving section of chorus repetition.
“Neighbourhood Watch” is very quick to change. It starts with a drum beat, adds a stoned-like vocal saying “hey”, then skips transition right into an electric guitar wail. And an industrial drum beat and dark bass are added giving the cold feel again. The message is a political/satirical look at how a neighbor goes crazy with all the normals in his neighborhood, and retaliates with a machine gun. There are lots of voiceovers with some juvenilely violent themes.

“Drug Squad” has electronic industrial traits, like steady solo drum beats, backwards skipping, but with a bit of a vocal rap. The whole song is very stripped down, and sounds like a serious, dark wave version of the Dead Milkmen’s “You’ll Dance To Anything.” It feels very long, meandering and drawn out for no real benefit. It is the same under produced, hook-less raps joined together with yelling of the song title. There are some added synth keyboard sounds added toward the end, (that sound like Mos Eisley Star Wars aliens) but they do not help the already interest-lost song.

Stand Out Track: Lynch Me 

Links:
Allmusic
Rate Your Music
Mick Sinclair
Discogs
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Live Wire - Changes Made

Name: Live Wire

Album: Changes Made

Year: 1981

Style: Garage/Pub Rock
Similar Bands: Records, Dire Straits, Sniff n' the Tears, J Geils Band
"One-Word" Review: Rock Elements Template
Based Out Of: Netherlands
Label: A&M Records

Changes Made- Cover & Record

Changes Made - Back & Record

Changes Made(1981)

1. Child's Eye 4:16
2. Don't Look Now 3:04
3. Sleep 4:06
4. Changes Made 3:49
5. Soundtrack 3:37/
6. Anarchists in Love 3:24
7. Power 3:28
8. Running 4:05
9. Burn 4:57
10. Wait in the Shadows 3:58

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:
Michael Ross - Art Direction
Jeremy Meek - Bass, Synth, Vox
Blood Brothers - Wrapper Design
German Gonzales - Drums, Percussion
Mike Edwards - Guitar, Vox
Simaen Skolfield - Engineer
Simon Boswell - Guitar, Keys, Vox, Producer (Advertising)
Michael Owen - Photography
John Irish Earle - Sax
Frank DeLuna - Mastering
Michael Cole - Management

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. I like the gritty polarized photograph on the cover with high intensity color scheme, juxtaposed against a calm b/w scene on the back. But wait…a crooked lamp post…where is this going? I picked up the record in a pound bin in England, just eager to buy anything that was cheap, unknown, and looked interesting. Heck, I don’t even know if the band is British, since the addresses are split between Los Angeles and London. So via the name and the cover, I’m guessing they are going to be high intensity guitar rock.

Album Review: “Child's Eye” rushes to rock. And what comes out at first reminds me of a combination of Kiss Arena Rock and sitcom theme music. The progression slows down a little, but the song reveals a jittery, nasally voice singing a melody similar to Big Star. The chorus to the song is weaved into the verse, never really standing on its own, with a multiple voice harmony. The end faded out with guitars rocking on their own & the title/chorus repeating on occasion.
“Don't Look Now” begins with a near-ear piercingly high pitch guitar hook, which is revisited through out the song. The chorus is reached relatively quickly with a very sing-songy, sway melody. This is a middle-paced rock song with no exhaustive energy, but it is still fun.
“Sleep” begins quietly with psychedelic flutes. Then it changes gears with a chugging, driving guitar that promises a build to a rocking release. The release is catchy, but not as rewarding as it should be. The composition feels very simple with not many chord changes or diversion from its path since the song kicked in. There is a near-reggae breakdown a little over halfway through the song, which somehow finds its way back into the chorus, which plays out through the rest of the song to fade out.
“Changes Made” starts as a funky bass only groove. Then drums and guitars are added in, and the song stumbles along with lots of breaks. The bridge into the chorus reminds me of a later period XTC song I can’t pinpoint right now (maybe a Colin song?). The song never really shifts into gear, as it constantly feels like it is a work in progress.
“Soundtrack” is a honky-tonk pop song. When the chorus section comes on, it kicks in with a back beat drum hook that reminds me of Paper & Iron (also by XTC). The chorus is just a harmonic uttering of the title over and over, somewhat like an alarm going off, punctuating a verse of spoken word vocals.

“Anarchists in Love” is where my record must have begun skipping, because the beginning of the song skips right into the bridge into the chorus. It has a very swaggery nasally-ness that reminds me of the Rolling Stones. The chorus, which is just a down measure singing of the title, feels lazy, and passionless; much less than what the title would suggest. The song would be a fun sing-a-long at a live show, as the chorus/lyrics repeat over and over, and I could see the crowd chanting along to & back with to the band.
“Power” a simple off rhythm drum beat starts this pub rock song, featuring riffing electric guitar and drunken vocals. This could be a bluesy J Geils band song. Again, this song never really clicks into gear, it kinds sulks along haphazardly.
“Running” starts off with a steady ricking tempo, is followed up with a solid, Rolling Stones like verse, but is set back by the staggered, slowed down chorus, as if the song is going over speed bumps. It picks up whenever it is not in chorus mode, like the instrumental section is fun, but gets hindered by the chorus
“Burn” is a very groovy fun song. It starts off with a short musical section that leads right into the catchy (and perhaps a little childish sounding) chorus. I’d almost consider this a jam-band song, with the bouncy bass and repetitive hooks that could easily be played with improvised free flowing instrumentation at shows. But the bold, passionate verse that follows the chorus is solid, and is as favorable to look forward to as the chorus is, so over all, even with its near stand still breakdowns and jam-band qualities, is a fine song. There are enough differences and layers as the song nears its end to keep it interesting, all the while keeping the same hypnotizing hook and repetitive use of “burn.”
“Wait in the Shadows” begins with some nervous guitar playing, produced in a sly, dark alley way to a pub style, which is exactly what one would expect from the title. The bridge speeds things up and really brings the song together. The first go-round leaves you with a false chorus…where you think the song is going to flow into the chorus, but instead returns to the verse. But the second time, the bridge changes an octave, and staying relatively the same, becomes the chorus, slightly slowed down. There is nice use of a sax in the background that never takes over the song, but is present enough to add to the artistic mystery. The song/album ends with the listener expecting the song to kick back in for one more verse/chorus exchange. But they really took the ideology “leave them wanting more” to heart and stopped the song there.

Stand Out Track: Burn

Links:

Discogs
trouser press
avax download site

lastfm
allmusic

Wiki
digi vinyl

Lightning Lightning - s/t

Name: Lightning

Album: Lightning

Year: 1979

Style: Disco
Similar Bands: Musique, Bee Gees, Trammps, Chic, Rufus
"One Word" Review: Smooth Disco
Based Out Of: New York
Label: Casablanca Records & Filmworks

Lightning - Cover & Record

Lightning - Back & Record

Lightning (1979)

1. Disco Symphony 10:15
2. In & Out of Love 6:41 /
3. Baby Without Your Love 7:03
4. I Love the Way You Love Me 5:25
5. One Step At A Time 6:28

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:
Lewis Merenstein - Producer
Ralph Moss - Producer, Recording Engineer, Mixing, Master Engineering
Robin Martinez - Asst. Engineer
Judy Elliot - Asst. Engineer
Howard Merritt - Asst. Producer, Mixing
Mike Richardson - String & Horn Arrangement
John Henderson - Guitar, Vox
Tom Siano - Guitar, Vox
Eddie Dozier - Vox
Paul Caravello (Eric Carr) - Drums (KISS, Cellarmen, Crystal Collins, Bionic Boogie, Wendy O Williams)

David Collier - Bass, Vox

Jerry Platkin - Keys
Opie O'Brein - Keys (Nighthawks, Bon Jovi)
Dino Kovas - Keys (New Monkees)
Jeff Ross - Guitars (Asylum Street Spankers, Rank & File, Desert Rose Band, Candye Kane)
Bo Tomlyn - Synth (Chicago, Chick Corea, Julio Iglesias, Neil Diamond, Kenny Loggins)
Ricky Cardona - Percussion
Julie Burger - Vox (Klaus Nomi)
Holly Oas - Vox
Jose Rodriguez - Mastering
Murray Whitemore - Art Direction / Design
Michael Kevin Lee/Gribbitt - Art Direction / Design
Scott Hensel - Photography
Skate Escapes - Skates
Peter Alfond - Hair & Make-up

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. But the cover art is amazing and totally worth whatever is inside. It shows two chicks in neon spandex Blade Runner outfits, one holding guns, the other holding a neon lightning bolt while rolling on roller-skates. The colors jump out and the contract is fantastic, not to mention the font and sizing of the band name / album title. It is obviously going to be disco, but man, what presentation.

Album Review:

Apparently the drummer is Eric Carr of Kiss fame, and allmusic links the guitar/vocalist John Henderson to be a founder of Camera Obscura, but I rather belive this is just the dilemma of having the same common name.

“Disco Symphony” starts with a harp and a single kick drum beat. Swirling strings and brass fill in the background and then the song just lifts off once the bouncy disco beat kicks in. It is soulful, grand, and swooping. The song rests upon the single rhythm and tempo, only throwing in small pauses to highlight the accents and punctuate the stanzas. The chorus is catchy, but not very driving. Instead it relies on a steady energy that never really evolved, rather, it just loops around. Because of this, the song does not rely on any sort of pattern to the sections. They are all interchangeable, and equally catchy, so there is some rawness in the fact that you cannot rhythmically tell which section will come next, and the introduction of new variations of the sections is welcome and easily malleable into the song. The song does get a little too repetitive when it repeats the catch phrase over and over, each time backed by one less instrument, until the song stops altogether.
“In & Out of Love” picks up with high pitch harmonies and a off-rhythmic pulsing kick drum beat, which eventually levels out to a recognizable disco metronome tempo with bouncy bass accompanying. The song almost feels like an older male vocal group set to an “updated” disco production. It could have just as easily been recorded as a doo-wop single minus the horns and strings. There is a female chorus that sings the repetitive title catch phrase over and over in a quiet musical breakdown section (with the off-timed drum beat), that is in key, but basically monotone and devoid of any emotion. The song comes back for about a minute, revisiting the disco style with some free style lyric-less singing, and is quickly followed by a fade out.

“Baby Without Your Love” is a faster pace, relatively sizzling musical piece, with some fast and furious string playing, and feels downright agitated compared to the songs before it. But lyrically, it sounds exactly like the last song on the first side, pumped up with a bit more adrenaline…or coke. Male vocals take turns but end up overlapping each other in an ever flowing, harmonic singing pattern that perpetuates itself. The song launches into an instrumental section that sounds like the vocals were just forgotten to be mixed over. And just as it seems like it is going to kick in for another repeat section, a thunderous swoosh sweeps over the soundscape and the song ends.
“I Love the Way You Love Me” has a basic one-two drum beat, and is another smooth disco number with conga influence, where the dancing would consist of lots of hip swaying, fist clenched salt & peppering, and feet sliding around a lit from below dance floor. The two section to the song repeat twice, and the song finished with a fade out.
“One Step At A Time” is a slower number, with a slow-dance rhythm and elements of conga with tinny drum accents. But the bass line reminds me, once it kicks in, of Rufus’ “Tell Me Something Good” with island themed relaxed laziness. This song is not really disco, but it is a nice song to finish the album on and come down from the drugs.

Stand Out Track: Disco Symphony

Links:
discogs

KISSFAQ
Disco Magic
Disco Music
Peid Piper
Allmusic
Kiss Related Recordings

Low Pop Suicide - On The Cross of Commerce

Name: Low Pop Suicide
Album: On the Cross of Commerce
Year: 1993
Style: Alternative, Gothic New Wave,
Similar Bands: Nine Inch Nails, Gene Loves Jezebel, Lucy Show, Tool, Filter, Alice in Chains
"One-Word" Review: Droning Heavy Alternative
Based Out Of: Los Angeles
Label: World Domination, Capitol Records

On The Cross of Commerce - Cover, Album Art, CD Tray

On The Cross of Commerce - Liner Notes, CD, CD Back

On The Cross of Commerce (1993)

1. Here We Go 4:29
2. Kiss Your Lips 3:00
3. My Way 4:07
4. Disengaged 3:10
5. It's Easy 2:12
6. Your God Can't Feel My Pain 4:22
7. Crush 4:30
8. Ride 4:42
9. Gimme Gimme 4:01
10. Imagine My Love 4:24
11. All In Death Is Sweet 4:42

Album Rating (1-10): 4.0

Members & Other Bands:

Dave Allen - Producer, Bass, Art Direction (Gang Of Four, Shriekback, The Elastic Purejoy, King Swamp)

Rick Boston - Producer, Guitars, Vox, Art Direction (Rickie Lee Jones, The Januaries)
Dave Ogilvie - Reproducer, reconstructor

Ken Marshall- Engineering

Jeff Ward - Drums

Michael Vail Blum - Recoding & Mixing

Brian Gardner - Mastering, Vocals

Chrissie Scheft - Vox

Cynthia Coulter - Bass

Steven R Gilmore - Sleeve and Art Direction

Ron Stone - MGMT
Susie McKinley - MGMT

Allison Hamamura - Agent

Fred Ansis - Laywer

Melle Steagal - Drums

Unknown-ness: I kind of remember knowing these guys, but I cannot recall what this album is like. I got this in a bottom shelf dollar bin in a California record shop in 99, but I don’t remember why. From the gothic artwork, and religious / angry at religion wording, I imagine that this will sound like depressing goth rock or industrial, or some sort of blend spurred on from Nine Inch Nails fame. I imagine it might be like the band Stabbing Westward or, just from the name probably, Pop Will Eat Itself.

Album Review: “Here We Go” starts with a grinding metal guitar, but with an echo, it feels very dream pop distant. The vocals are smoothly gliding over the melody, almost like it is played backwards. It feels very much like 80’s gothic new wave, updated a bit for the 90’s with a deep alternative bass lines in the background. But the foreground displays the ringing guitars and it sounds very ethereal.
“Kiss Your Lips” rocks out much heavier and darker from the start. This sounds a little like Tool (music and vox) or mid-career Metallica (heavy guitar breakdown in chorus).
“My Way” is heavy again, but there is a melody underneath the heavy guitar that is much catchier, and a fun bouncy baseline. But the rest of the song is a little empty. It is very vocals centered, which are not that interesting or catchy. But they do sound like Filter or any heavy alternative band.
“Disengaged” has a muted jangly guitar in the outset, but then a heavier bass line comes in, and the rest of the song stomps to a darker beat. The nervous, fluttering vocals remind me of NIN in this song, but the music is not nearly as unique or groundbreaking. There is anger in the vocals during the chorus, but it feels like an act.
“It's Easy” fades into with a heavy, metal guitar playing a jangly hook. The vocals almost have a country feel to them, the way they sing over the loud, muddled guitar. No percussion or bass, just fuzzed metal guitar and a very sing-song melody.

“Your God Can't Feel My Pain” starts with a humming, Middle Eastern tinged intro, and then comes crashing in with a heavy guitar hook and Alice in Chains style vocals, but the hum remains, amplified if anything. The hum seems to grow, promising to overtake the entire song. The song itself is somewhat one dimensional, as it is just a growing buzz, not changing too much or offering much diversity in its 4+ minute length.
“Crush” takes us back into the gothic new wave & jangly, soaring, guitar pop. Full on instrumental for the first minute and a half, we are joined with deep vocals, chant-spoken over the music, like Fad Gadget or Bay of Pigs. But the majority of the song is just the ringing guitars and drone rock.
“Ride” continues the dark new wave, with a slight update of electronic alteration of the guitars to make them sound like they are skipping. The vocals are strained but emotional. It has a bit of a programmed, mechanical edge to it, with some of the percussion sounding a little industrial.
“Gimme Gimme” begins with a drum beat only. And then the bass is added. Next are shrill power drill guitars followed by a Duran Duran style rhythm guitar. He instruments are added one at a time like many Nitzer Ebb songs. The vocals are overly strained, and they sound like they are ready to explode like a bottle of shaken soda.
“Imagine My Love” starts right off with a Middle Eastern feel again. But it starts with an intensity and speed that remains constantly driving. The chorus repeats at random times it feels, but it is one of those annoyingly catchy hooks that resonates and burns itself into your memory. The song ends with the guitar hook from 2 Live Crew’s My Seven Bizzos, which was stolen from Jimi Hendix’s “Voodoo Child.”
“All In Death Is Sweet” has a slow gradual start with random guitar and drum fills. Then a liquidy guitar begins playing lovingly, reminding me of Ween jam songs. There is finally cohesion of the drums and guitar, but it is a slow, wispy ballad. As a complete instrumental, the song tries to capture a Jimi Hendrix Jam Band vibe, with the instruments slipping in and out of structure, and never really sticking together long enough to catch a beat.

Stand Out Track: Imagine My Love

Links:

Wiki
Fan page
Allmusic

Misfits Central
Trouser Press

(the) Lucy Show - ...undone

Name: The Lucy Show
Album: ...undone
Year: 1985
Style: Dark & Moody Alternative, Dream Pop, Shoegazing
Similar Bands: REM, Cure, Aztec Camera, 'Til Tuesday, Thomas Dolby
"One-Word" Review: Jangley Doom-and-Gloom
Based Out Of: London, England
Label: A&M Records,

...undone Cover & Record

...undone Back & Record

...undone(1985)

1. Ephemeral (This Is No Heaven)3:42
2. Resistance 3:59
3. Come back to the Living 3:38
4. White Space 4:16
5. Wipe Out 3:12
6. Twister 3:25/
7. Undone 4:03
8. Remain 3:48
9. Better on the Hard Side 5:21
10. Remembrances 3:46
11. Dream Days 4:58

Album Rating (1-10): 4.5

Members & Other Bands:
Mark Bandola - vocals, guitar, keyboards (Bandola, Ausgang, Typewriter)
Rob Vandeven - vocals, bass (Zero Zero)
Pete Barraclough - guitars, keyboards, vocals
Bryan Hudspeth - drums, vocals
Steve Lovell - Producer, Remixing
Steve Power - Producer, Remixing
Fiona Stephen - Violin

Steve Cookman - Assistant Engineer
Arnie Acosta - Remastering
Marc Hutchinson - Illustrations, Photography
Michael Ross - Art Direction
Jeremy Williams - Design

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. From the cover art it looks like a horrible record. The crayon-altered picture makes me think that the contents will be bland and directionless. The picture on the back also looks generic and dated, perhaps a watered down version of the Posies. I’m not sure why I got this record, it just looks like it will be tedious and droaning.

Album Review: I wrote the review, but it did not save for some reason. I did not like the record, so I don't have the energy to go back and review it song by song, but I'll re-write generally what I thought, as it is still kinda fresh. Maybe this will end up being better.

Overall, I felt the vocals were uninspired and wanted to be anywhere else than recording the album. Most of the songs were dark, with lots of reverb and echo that really drew the songs away to an unreachable point for the listener. Many of the songs were built on bridges, or pieces of songs that felt like they could build to something grand, but failed to deliver on an anticipated hook. They just travelled on and on, in a droning sense that I imagined looked visually like still life in a Victorian room, but filmed blurry and completely out of focus. A few of the songs had a driving pace, but the majority seemed visually like a drained homeless person traveling down the street dragging much more than they should carry.

The production was minimal at times, yet complex in the echoing effects. There were times where the songs were good, and should have been enjoyable, but I had to lay blame on the vocals as to the reason I could just not enjoy the song. The songs were dated with a lot of 80’s synth effects and sounds coming out of the keyboard. The dreampop / shoegazing songs fit more so in a doctors office, or at 2am at the end of a party where some sort of music had to be on that was barely interesting, hard to argue against, and very non-threatening in a bland way.

Stand Out Track: Twister

Links:Wiki

website
trouser press
words on music
last fm
best kept secrets

allmusic

Rate Your Music

Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul - Men Without Women

Name: Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul
Album: Men Without Women
Year: 1982
Style: Hard Rock, Jersey Shore Rock, Motown
Similar Bands: Southside Johnny & Asbury Jukes, Bruse Springsteen, J Geils Band, The A's, Soul Asylum
"One-Word" Review: Working Man's Soultown

Based Out Of: New Jersey
Label: EMI Records, Capitol Records

Men Without Women - Cover & Record Men Without Women - Back & Record

Men Without Women (1982)

1. Lyin' in a Bed of Fire 4:23
2. Until the Good is Gone 3:54
3. Men Without Women 2:43
4. Under the Gun 4:01 /
5. Save Me 4:50
6. Angel Eyes 4:31
7. Forever 4:00
8. I've Been Waiting 3:54

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:Steven Van Zandt - Vox, Guitars (Bruce Springsteen, Dovelles, Southside Johnny & Asbury Jukes)
Miami Steve - Producer (Bruce Springsteen, Dovelles, Southside Johnny & Asbury Jukes)
Jean Beauvoir - Bass, Vocals (Plasmatics)
Gary "U.S." Bonds - Vocals (The Turks)
J.T. Bowen - Vocals
Bill Burks - Art Direction
Felix Cavaliere - Organ, Piano (Rascals)
Bob Clearmountain - Engineer
Clarence Clemons - Vocals (Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne)
Rusty Cloud - Organ
Dino Danelli - Drums (Rascals, Fotomaker, Bulldog)
Monti Louis Ellison - Berimbau, Djembe, Percussion
Danny Federici - Accordion, Organ (Steel Mill)
Sammy Figueroa - Percussion (Fuse One)
Stan Harrison - Flute, SaxTenor
Kevin Kavanaugh - Piano
La Bamba - Trombone, Vocals
Edward Manion - SaxBaritone
Manolo - Percussion
Jim Marchese - Photography
Henry Marquez - Art Direction
Steve Morse - Composer
Benjamin Newberry - Chimes
Mark Pender - Trumpet
Richie Rosenberg - Trombone
Toby Scott - Engineer
Michael Spengler - Trumpet
Garry Tallent - Bass (Bruce Springsteen)
Steve Walsh - Composer
Max Weinberg - Drums (Bruce Springsteen)
Bob Werne - Tambourine

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. And from the looks of the cover and back photos, they are portraying a roughneck gang of thugs who roam the streets and look tough. Musical wise, I’m imagining a rockabilly punk style, similar to Social Distortion and X. Of course there could be deeper influence just because the name references soul. Whether that is soul music, some kind of human spirit/sole scare tactic, or some deeper religious stance, I shall see.

Album Review: “Lyin' in a Bed of Fire” starts with rocking guitars, upbeat brass and a nearly unintelligible, rolling vocal, like a bad Bob Dylan with more edge or a more aggressive Tom Petty. But the music is fun and raw, reminding me of Dexy’s Midnight Runners, at least at the start. The chorus is supposed by a backing choir of female vocals. The lead vocals do not really pay attention the whole time, as he speeds to finish his lines as the measures end. The song wraps up with the backing chorus repeating and guitar solos for show.
“Until the Good is Gone” begins quietly with guitar, and then the horns enter bringing a strong element of Motown. The vocals are stronger and clearer. The soothing groove drips with experience and style. This is a style that Philly bands like the A’s picked up in their careers. “Men Without Women” is like the first track, with hard-to understand vocals. It has the feeling of a middle-American ballad. There is a country sorrow mixed with understanding in the vocal delivery.
“Under the Gun” feels like a Springsteen song, with needless shouting nasally vocals. The song does not have a melody too much; it’s more based on rhythm and beat. By the time it reaches the chorus, the lead vocals sound cartoonishly unstable.

“Save Me” is closer to John Easdale (Dramarama) or Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum) in the vocal delivery here. The music is an odd blend of Pub Rock with a soulful Motown rhythm. The two genres are distinctly identifiable here, but together, they create a complex sound that was years before grunge/alternative. The last minute or so brings the song to a bold next level, where the vocals are crying out for saving, and the music builds and supports the vocals in a completely soulful way.
“Angel Eyes” starts out with a staggered guitar hook mixed with trumpet. The quivering raspy vocals again remind me of Soul Asylum. In a better vocalist’s hands, and perhaps a bit faster, this could be a great song. The verse and chorus are equally catchy and fit very well together. This is a tightly repetitive song that has the unique quality where it doesn’t get boring, even with overplay.
“Forever” begins like anything from Smokey Robinson’s catalogue. This song feels like it was completely taken from the great vocalist Motown groups, right down to the use of jangly guitar and catchy bass groove. It is instantly recognizable, and sounds like a grouping of fun, catchy elements.
“I've Been Waiting” starts with flute sounds and an organ. But the main element is the haggard, gruff vocals. The strain on the singer is exemplified by the lyrics of waiting for a long time. He sounds almost too tired to deal with his predicament anymore. The male backing chorus gives it an extra Motown feel. And the song, once it finds its groove, continues the repetitive chorus until it fades out at the end.

Stand Out Track: Forever

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