Sparklers - Fall Apart Heart

Name: Sparklers
Album: Fall Apart Heart
Year: 2001
Style: Pub Rock, Americana Rock, 
Similar Bands: Replacements, Superchunk, GBV, Gin Blossoms, Cracker, Soul Asylum
"One-Word" Review: Smoky Dive Bar Rock
Based Out Of: Philadelphia, PA
Label: Radioball Records

Cover - sealed

Back - sealed

Fall Apart Heart (2001)

1. Forever and a Day 2:11
2. Midnight All the Time 2:45
3. Goodmorning, Etc. 4:02
4. Heart in Advance 2:51
5. Highball 2:37
6. Home Away from Away 3:13

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Brian McCracken - Vox, Guitar (454)
• Joel Breen - Bass (Labia)
• Frank - Drums
• Chris DiPinto - Mandolin, Violin (Creem Circus, O Mighty Isis, Jim & Jennie & the Pine Barons, The Three 4 Tens)
• Andy Shahan - Backing Vox (Hogan's Goat)
• Paul Smith - Recording, Production, Engineer
• John Douglas Smith - Cover Design, Layout

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, outside of somehow, at sometime, getting this CD, BUT, never listening to it. I'm just guessing it's going to be some good old early aughts garage/indie rock, maybe leaning away from gritty to the lighter power pop side, just based on the artwork. The band name adds energy, while the album, or EP title adds a depth of darkness, sadness and emo.

Album Review: Raspy vocals and driving, blue collar pub rock categorize this album as Punk Americana. Power pop leanings and jangley guitar support driving tempos. But there are a couple softer, calculate mellow tracks showing their full array,

Proudly based out of South Philly, the trio has evolved as a band, with McCracken at the helm the whole time, away from their blue collar rock, adding more elements of Alt-Country and twang into their later albums (3 total). Their band website is still active (2021) so i assume they are still together putting material together, still out of South Philly.

Stand Out Track: Forever and a Day

Links:

Spotify

Website
Bandcamp

Discogs

Reverb Nation
Facebook
Adobe & Teardrops review
Nine Bullets

Volumen - ~Cries From Space *Erika EP

Name: Volumen
Album: ~Cries From Space
* Erkia EP
Year: ~2002, *2001
Style: Electronic Pop Punk
Similar Bands: Robbers on High Street, Dismemberment Plan, Captain Beefheart, Pixies, Tub Ring, Walkmen, Jonathan Fire Eater
"One-Word" Review: Synthy Space Pop Rock
Based Out Of: Missoula, MT
Label: Wantage

 Cover, Record, EP

Back, Record, EP

~Cries From Space (2002)

1. Daddy's Other Finger 6:31
2. Sexy Astronaut 3:49
3. Type O Girl 4:38 /
4. Long Haul 3:50
5. Metallia 2:16
6. Nymph...Blood...Wine 2:36
7. Snakes 3:23

*Erika EP (2001)

1. Erika 2:10
2. Face 2:20
3. Something for the Monkey 3:04
4. Foreskins Over Fargo 1:37

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Volumen 1 Shane Hickey - Vox, Guitar, Megaphone (Professor 3d6)
• Volumen 2 Doug Smith - Vox, Guitar (Two Year Touge)
• Volumen Beta Bob Marshall - Drums, Cowbell (Bacon & Egg, Spanker, Prosciutto, Saved for this Dark Dawm, Bobokraft 2000)
• Volumen Bkawck! Chris Bacon - Synth, Vibes, Tambourine, Wurlitzer, Piano, Vox (Bacon & Egg)
• Volumen Squared Bryan Hickey- Bass (Bacon & Egg)
• Tim Green - Recording
• Greg Twigg - Cover Layout
• Josh Vanak - Themes & Designs
• Colin Hickey - Photos
• Daniel Webb - Flash & Enhanced CD work
• John Golden - Mastering

Unknown-ness: Never heard of Volumen. But based on their cover artwork and packaging, it looks like they are something like Man or Astroman meets the Faint...that is to say, Emo Math Rock

Album Review: Volumen are made of a complex concoction of musical sources...sometimes it is piano based pop, or loungy melodic music, or space prog, to Prince-like Devo, to power pop metal. Throw in the oddness of Captain Beefheart at times, and you are still nowhere closer to deciphering what they sound like. The EP that was tucked into the full album is much more straight forward synthy, dancy power pop-punk.

Stand Out Track: Long Haul

Links:
Discogs
Missoulian
Rate Your Music
Wantage
website
Facebook
Myspace

Vert - Nine Types of Ambiguity

Name: Vert

Album:  Nine Types of Ambiguity

Year 2001

Style: Experimental, Ambient

Similar Bands: Aphex Twin, Mouse on Mars, Tricky

One Word Review: Fuzzy, Muffled bip bop soundscapes

Based Out Of: Berlin, Germany

Label: Sonig

 Nine Types of Ambiguity - Cover & Record

Nine Types of Ambiguity - Back & Record

Nine Types of Ambiguity (2001)

1. Blindsight 4:51
2. This Precious Meanwhile 4:30
3. Codfish Dada 6:07
4. The Tide Comes In & Then the Tide Goes Out 4:57
5. Somewhere Between Here & Last Week 3:20
6. To Be Is To Doo 2:21
7. Drawers of Water 5:04
8. Last Night From a Bus I Saw 7:45
9. Scope/Lifetime 10:11

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:
Adam Butler - Sounds, Music (Mouse on Mars, Emmanuelle Somer, Carlito Verde, Wechsel Garland, Epiphany Project)
Christian Zimmerli - Mastering
Frieda Luczak - Artwork Engaving
Andi Toma - Producer
McFarland/ Broxton/ Odijk/ Dommert/ McGrane/ Butler - Beermat Artwork

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band. The artwork makes me think it will be minimal or maybe some Saddle Creek worthy folksy indie rock.

Album Review: Most of Vert’s music has been published on Mouse on Mars’ label, and he even opened for them on a 2001 tour. His music is more melodic and straightforward than others in his genre of abstract intelligent dance music (IDM).

“Blindsight” starts with echoing hypnotic chords, with light percussive clicks and taps that would feel right at home in Twin Peaks. A staticy electric drum beat gives tempo and drive to the continuing floating chords. Singular elements bleed in and out, adding to the sound scape, and creating a repetitive pattern. The chords leave, for a sort of background noise and skipping solo. The sounds increase and grow, with the electric sound from Orphan Black added in, until the chords come back, with a brighter and optimistic feel. The song has seemed to find its stable place, and it rides out the hook until the end.

“This Precious Meanwhile” has a muffled street performer percussive tempo, with some juggling wood block effects buried just below. A general hum and other organic jar tinking and tocking effects are added, along with a flute that seems to note when the repetitive loop starts over. Sampled vocals are used as another instrument, sounding a little like Tricky. The effects are stripped back one at a time, and the song blinks out.

“Codfish Dada” begins with a looped scratch. A watery & blurry synth xylophone is added with a simple repetitive beat. The song scurries along, fuzzy effect are added and taken away, some are deep, some squeaky. The song returns to the start with the scratches from the beginning. The song rebuilds, as if it is in the forest, with electronic birds tweeting, and other effects that offer a feeling of running through a forest or field. The song ends with the sound of violins and other string instruments in a frozen state of warming up, and the continued bird tweets.

“The Tide Comes In & Then the Tide Goes Out” starts out with some static ocean water lapping on the beach sounds, mixed with muffled wind chimes, and a bubbling, skittering effects. Other watery, fuzzed out effects that could range from underwater sounds to bullfrog murmurs are added. The whole soundscape changes, like scenery slowly morphing as one would walk along the beach. Near the end, most of the effects are stripped away, leaving the shuffling, bubbling wood block sounds.

“Somewhere Between Here & Last Week” is 3 plus minutes of a sort of two tiered medieval flute melody. Melody-less drips or clicks are added, sounding random in the background.

“To Be is To Doo” comes next, but on most listing, “To Doo is To Be,” a 7:47 min song is supposed to be next. This track reminds me of the melodies from Aeon Flux’s early vocal-less short days. An accordion, violin and a sporadic metal tuning effect are added to the song, which has a sort of eastern European sound overall. It is by far the shortest song on the album, but is also the most concise and straightforward theme.

“Drawers of Water” begins with a skipping in reverse audio track, and echoing, vibrating Aphex Twin like crystal sounds blink out two tones on pulse, answering each other. In the background, a digital clock tone ticks on by, married to vibrating synth notes which parallel the two tone sounds as they change in pitch. Then around the 3:15 mark, a disco melody violin is added, looped in the same time constraint as the tone and synth changes.

“Last Night From a Bus I Saw” spins like a scratchy record (or it may just be my record). Spoken words samples with an emotionless tone begin the song, followed by a sad, minimal piano hook. In the background echoes a wind, like putting your ear to a conch shell. Other groaning and slow moving effects create a scene of waking up depressed and in pain. Electronic tones, like something from a horror movie (at first) take over the scene, and grow like they are punishing the ear drums…changing in tone, but never offering leniency. They suddenly stop, and we are taken so a sort of thoughtless, naive and charming melody played on a squeezebox, accompanied with enlightened, optimistic effects that seem to assist the childlike melody along, like a guardian angel.

“Scope/Lifetime” is a ten plus minute song, that begins slowly with singular notes that seem unsure how to proceed…they almost seem accidental, or like they are discovering their surroundings for the first time. Or they might be secondary noises from a bunch of instruments that are being set up to perform. It is quiet and singular, accompanied with a consistent record skipping sound that sets the tempo with its broom sweep sounds. The piano notes begin to get more organized, but they are like a newborn still discovering their range of motion. Vibrating tonal effects, chimes and swirling electronic crystal sounds play together, invited in by the piano. The song gets a lot more crowded, once the skittering bongos and wah-wah electronic notes take over, along with a jazzy cymbal/percussion performance that morphs into electronic techo onslaught (that is not overbearing, however). The song continues to grow and it loses all natural instrumentation for a symphony of buzzing, vibrating, and oscillating digital effects that cruise together like a variety of winged bugs in a vacant lot. 

Stand Out Track: To Be Is To Doo

Links:
Vert Website
Wiki
Sonig
Discogs
Allmusic
Full Album Bandcamp

(the) Rosenbergs - Mission: You

Name: (the) Rosenbergs

Album: Mission: You

Year: 2001

Style: Indie Power Pop

Similar Bands: Fountains of Wayne, Semisonic, Ben Folds Five, Posies, Rentals

One Word Review: generic pseudo rock

Based Out Of: Long Island, NY

Label: Discipline Global Mobile

Mission: You - Cover, Inner Notes, CD

Mission: You (2001)

1. Sucking on a Plum 3:14
2. Paper and Plastic 2:19
3. Little Lie 3:01
4. In Pursuit 3:58
5. Secret 4:19
6. Houseboat 4:28
7. Drug of Choice 3:26
8. Fast Asleep 3:27
9. After All 3:48
10. Soaked in Polyester 4:57
11. Overboard 7:06

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:
David Fagin - Vox, Guitars

Evan Silverman Bass, Vox

Joe Mahoney - Guitar, Vox, Engineering

Joe Darone - Drums, Percussion, Vox (Fiendz, Family Jewels, Suit of Lights)

Dino Covelli - Keys

David Weintraub - Guitar

Pete Lally  Guitar

Thomas C. Aldi Jr - String Conducting

Tina Weymouth - Backing Vox (Tom Tom Club, Talking Heads)

Natascia Diaz - Backing Vox

Stephanie Fagin - Backing Vox

Dan Iannuzzelli - Producer, Mixing, Recording

Ted Jensen - Mastering
Zeckle Graphics - Art & Layout

Unknownness: I had never heard of this band, but i bought it from a cheap used bin because it shares a last name with a friend, who was just trying to start a career in music. It also carries with it a very dated message, (but a current, popular theme) referring to Napster, and the sharing of music and supporting the band by seeing them live. This CD was part of a novel approach to getting their name heard, where when someone bought their album, they received 2 CD copies to share one with a friend: analogue file sharing to coincide with Napster's digital file sharing. As far as what is included, I imagine some smooth production indie pop. But perhaps they are a little deeper than a casual, throw-a-way act of the early 2000's, since they were able to have Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club's Tina Weymouth guest vocal for them.

Album Review: The band’s risk of saddling up with Napster and landing a deal with Robert Fripp’s (King Crimson) music label did wonders for the 15 minutes of fame that The Rosenbergs gained in 2001, including a spot in the last episode of the cartoon Undergrads. One quote notes them as the first band to go “viral.” Their first stint in gaining respect from fans and critics came when they turned down an option to appear on Farmland.com because it tied them down to one record label, Universal, a clause buried in the contract. They had a follow-up record, Department Store girl, (which even had songs featured on the Playboy Video game “The Mansion”) but they quickly faded after their anti-music industry stance grew stale, and interest did not continue to grow.

“Sucking on a Plum” starts off the album with a child singing one line from “Ring Around the Rosie.” Power pop guitars follow up to lay down the basic melody. The vocals are clean and non-threatening, and once the chorus hits with a hushed, smooth, polished harmony and na-na-na’s, you’ve heard the entire song. The lyrics are quite embarrassing and stupid: “If You & Me had sex … I hear your dog’s named Rex.” But the guitar hook that started and ends the song faintly reminds me of a Wasp Star XTC song.
“Paper and Plastic’s” guitars try to make it a more rocking song than it is. But the natural songwriting cannot break of a top 40 power pop song. Squeaky synths and a mocking melody make the song sound like it could have been written by the Fountains of Wayne song. But I have a feeling this is the track that will stick in my head after I’m done.
“Little Lie” begins with a soaring power pop guitar section, and a simple Mike Viola-ish melody over a shuffling drum beat. The chorus revisits the hushed-harmony gimmick with loud guitars that just don’t have teeth. The two part melodies loop nicely, but the whole song, as complex as they make it, feels pretty simple when you take a step back.
“In Pursuit” starts with controlled fuzz, and general power pop chord strumming. The chorus features echo chamber distorted vocals, and is a generally forgettable melody. Might be better as an acoustic-solo set break song, which we get a taste of for the instrumental breakdown, before it launches back into the crooning & fuzzy chorus.
“Secret” begins with single chords strummed somewhere off in the distance single. The music kicks in and the strummed chords become a stomp. The song lightens up, and it feels like a breezy, atmospheric roller rink skating song that Ben Folds Five would have written, especially with the call out and harmonic response in the chorus. This is actually a pretty interesting song in general, just not one I’d come back to.

“Houseboat” tries to bridge the grunge and clean pop gap by bringing sludgeless power guitars, and teaming them up with more squeaky keyboards. Once the chorus comes along, it feels like a simplified, Fountains of Wayne reduction sauce. The song kinda feels medicated in an emotionless monotone daze. Even the mocking melody at the end of the song feels thoughtless and force-fed.
“Drug of Choice” is a toe tapping pop song, including what sounds like a melodica. The melody rollicks along, over a very general chord progression.
“Fast Asleep” starts off with more energy, and pauses briefly to let the vocals take shape. When they reconnect, the result is a polite, driving song, with chugging guitars restrained, ready to take off in the chorus. This kinda reminds me of the Posies or Dillon Fence (who are two bands I remember MTV videos of, and associate with generic alt-pop).
“After All” has a video, which makes me assume it was a single. The vocals are a little whinier, and the basic pop melody is a little more cleaned up and radio friendly. The instrumental break is headlined by the video game-tuned keyboard, reminding me a little of the Rentals. They really come into their own in a flurry as the song winds down.
“Soaked in Polyester” basically explains how they wanted to portray themselves in this song: flashy, but heavy. The guitars come in heavy, but give way to a sludgy, struggling tempo. The chorus has a nice looping hook that does not wear itself out on repetition. The chugging guitars underlay a watery, echoing guitar creating a depth, complimenting the vocals that sound as if they are treading water.
“Overboard” begins as the acoustic, album afterthought, winding down the album in a swaying, sleepy, and thoughtful manner. Many bands of their style and caliber have that one song to show their softer, slow jam side. I’m thinking of the jangley aspects of the Goo Goo Dolls or Connells for this song. It is also a rather lengthy song, just over the 7 minute mark, so it does tend to grasp onto a specific slow motion vibe and drags it out.

Stand Out Track:  Paper or Plastic

Links:
allmusic
website
Fagin Article
MTV
Fagin Huffpo
Full Album Youtube playlist

Moods for Moderns - Loud & Clear

Band: Moods for Moderns

Album: Loud & Clear

Year: 2001

Style: Power Pop, Indie, Garage

Similar Bands: New Pornographers, Chisel, Posies, Big Star, Weezer

One Word Review: 1-D 70's Power Nuggets

Based Out Of: Detroit, MI

Label: Doghouse Records

 Loud & Clear - Cover & Track List

 Loud & Clear - Liner Photo & Back

 Loud & Clear - CD, Inner Fold Out

Loud & Clear - Liner Notes & Lyrics

Loud & Clear (2001)

1. Lust for Luster 5:02
2. Whatever She's Doin' 4:38
3. Popstar 2:41
4. Slacker Ways 4:23
5. Two Tracks Left 2:42
6. Only on a Saturday Night 3:28
7. Runaround 2:57
8. Candy Apples 2:46
9. So Long Canada 3:41
10. Long Distance Dedication 3:49

Album Ratings (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:
Nate Beale - Vox, Guitar, Percussion, Hammond, Wurlitzer (Dirty Sweet, Blondfire)
Ben Force - Bass, Vox, Percussion (King for a Day, Koufax, Bulldog)
Dave Shettler - Drums, Hammond, Vox, Percussion, Moog, Farfisa (Koufax, Sights, Saturday Looks Good to Me, Nathaniel Mayer, Andre Williams, Scott Morgan, Paul Collins, Brian Olive)
Jim Diamond - Vox, Percussion, Organ, Producer
Dirk Hemsath - Percussion (Transcend, Majority of One, Upwelling)
Emily Lazar - Mastering
Bryan Sheffield - Photography

Unknown-Ness: So I bought this for a buck just because the name is taken from Elvis Costello. That's really it. I imagine the band to have that sort of sound, with a Who influence (thanks to the cover art). But I imagine this band will really sound like the early 00's young indie garage bands like Redwalls or Rooney.  Unfortunately the liner notes and lyrics are not complete due to the water damage to the case. CD looks to be in fine shape, though.

Album Review: Not much out there about this short lived band. Many of the musicians went on to form other projects, but nothing was that notable. They excel at trying to capture that 70’s power pop ‘garage vibe that is just as fun to watch and listen to as it must be to play. It is a solid piece of nostalgia done well, but it is lacking one punchy, unidentifiable thing that would make it shine beyond the one dimension.

“Lust for Luster” begins the album with a fade up of a garage rock guitar hook and rollicking bass line. Once the song really kicks in, I can see the comparisons of power pop heros Big Star. Also a less shiny Jellyfish. Short harmonies punctuate each verse, and the chorus is a two note harmony as well. There are a bunch of sections to this song that flow into each other quite seamlessly. And the song could go on forever, but they cut it short with a fade out without any loss of intensity.

“Whatever She's Doin'” was one single from the album. And it continues the mid 7’s power pop spirit alive with chords and a Weezer like melody from verse into the chorus. It also reminds me of a favorite short lived band called the Realistics. After a couple run throughs of verse-chorus, they employ hand claps for percussion, and later a cowbell and whiny electric guitars for an instrumental whine down.

“Popstar” was the B-Side to “WSD.” Is a side to side bouncy pop/folk song. The vocals are slightly distorted with a minor megaphone/echo effect. The tempo slows down in the chorus with a harmonized section, and it picks back up. It has continual starting and stopping of the tempo.

“Slacker Ways” continues the happy, shiny power pop, with a pretty aggressive (yet fully harmonized) stomping chorus. There is also a small use of synth to bolster the melody. At about the 2 minute mark, they abandon music and just showcase the melody with an acapela  measure with handclaps in support. After the instrumental, they cut back the driving tempo for a sleepy time swaying melody…but not for long until they kick it back in. This song feels like a waking up from a coma of what the slacker alternative era was like. The guitars don’t have much distortion, the vocals are alive and harmonic and the chords are punchy and catchy.

“Two Tracks Left” was the first single they released that predates this album. After the power pop intro, the song takes more of a singer songwriter guitarist direction, where the vocals are left out there by themselves, with no competition from the instruments.  

“Only on a Saturday Night” finds an Elvis Costello style organ to play a fun power pop melody. The song does a nice job building anticipation, and has a nice wash that delivers the chorus quite enjoyably. I think the song has too much going on to figure out what to enjoy most and pay attention to…the organ, the pounding guitars, the harmonies or the main melody. It is a good song at its root, but it is just too busy.

“Runaround” begins with a country music angle with steel guitar featured overtop pub room power pop. It reminds me a little of the late 70’s early 80’s pub rock like the A’s. It is sung in a little snottier and nasally manner than the other songs. Still has come nice whoo-hoo-hoo harmonies and toward the end, it used the organ, but it feels like it is trying to change gears form the country pub song in the beginning to a new wave power pop song in the middle. It converts back to the countrified melody at the very end, however.

“Candy Apples” sounds like it is a 69’s bubblegum pop song coming in over a radio. It is recorded in with a muted, swampy, low fi sound. The effect of the production over top of the organ gives it a little bit of a psychedelic feel. It glides itself along on the one dimensional idea, and even with harmonized Ah-Ah-Ah’s, it doesn’t climb out of mediocrity.

“So Long Canada” starts with a slow melody, then transitions to a snotty stomping march. It has a side to side swagger, and could be produced to sound like a pop-punk song if they chose.

“Long Distance Dedication” is a slow-dance with a light garage rock edge. It again uses the technique of sounding like it was recorded with echoing vocals through a lo fi radio, giving a spacey large vacant room feeling. This sounds like the band’s sound check before the auditorium filled up with prom kids.  

Stand Out Track: Whatever She's Doin'

Links:
Allmusic
Popmatters
Discogs
Power Pop Overdose
Lockerdome

Math & Science - s/t

Name: Math & Science

Album: s/t

Year: 2001

Style: Smooth Pop

Similar Bands: Inflatable Men, The Eels, Apples In Stereo/Marbles, Bicycle, Lincoln, Fountains Of Wayne, Lightning Seeds, Marxy

"One Word" Review: Shiny Harmless Computer Pop

Based out of: Indianapolis, IN -> LA, CA

Label: Brick Red Records

  Math & Science: Cover (source: Amazon)

 Math & Science: CD & CD tray

Math & Science: Back

Math & Science (2001)

1. Disguise 3:50
2. Words 3:23
3. She Left Me 3:38
4. Soundbite 4:21
5. Eternity 4:00
6. Cool Me Down 3:48
7. Airstream On The Highway 3:18
8. Naked 4:31
9. In Your Movie 3:09
10. Forget About Here 4:03
11. Fifteen 3:42
12. Digitize 2:54

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands:

John Wolf - Instrumentation, Producer (PJ Olssen, Crumb)

Aram Arslanian - Organ (PJ Olssen, Champion)

Goldo [Paul Goldowitz] - Scratching (Ye Olde English)

Phil Blackman - Mixing

Marina Chavez - Photography

Kristin Hambsch - Creative Director

David Mitson - Mastering

Janet Wolsborn - Art Direction

Peggy Zier - Logo Design

Unknown-ness: I must have heard of these guys back in 2001, but never paid attention to them. I got their album as a coverless cut out in a discount bin, but I have no idea what it is like. I must have liked something about it to buy the album back then, so I’m going to assume it is some catchy pop. With a name like Math & Science, perhaps it is complex, calculated math rock, which would live up to the nerdy/geeky & old fashioned nature of the album art.

Album Review: The album is pretty catchy pop-rock, with a concentration of electronic flurries and smooth production. It is basically a one man show on this album, it seems he is still using the moniker M&S and has a new(ish) album on bandcamp.

“Disguise” has a fun Apples in Stereo (especially their 2010’s Travelers in Space & Time) fade up, and electronic futuristic approach. Smooth, meek, nearly computerized vocals, overlayered for the chorus. But the dancy tune is instantly catchy and completely approachable. The delivery in the chorus is fulfilling as it explodes.

“Words” has a Lincoln-esq wha-wha, jammy band bass line, and is more straightforward pop. Again, the vocals are light and fey, and they again explode in the chorus with energy and sound. The melody is fun to follow along with and the chorus is a nice building hook. After two segments, they have a reprise of the melody slightly rearrange, but identifiably similar. The repetition of the chorus at the end solidifies the hook in your head. It ends with a fade out of the chorus spoken through a computer vocoder minus the music accompaniment.

“She Left Me” is a slower lament, but still has shiny production. It feels like the sadness in the vocals are leading somewhere, but they don’t really ever get there. The chorus feels exactly like Fountains of Wayne. No other way to describe it.

“Soundbite” has a liquidy Apples in Stereo pop guitar hook. The vocals are whispering in your ear, but come off as clear as sunshine. This song sounds like Fountains of Wayne covering a Lightning Seeds song, particularly in the side to side grooving chorus. The bridge that leads up to the chorus builds the anticipation nicely, even chipping in a dramatic pause or a glittery keyboard flourish.

“Eternity” is a nerdy computer programmed love song. It has a great build, but at the same time, its non-threatening nature is unparalleled. It floats along on mechanical, wobbly cloudy bursts of glee. There is a certain programmed aspect of this song that dates it to a type of production that was popular in the indie-pop music of the early aughts.

“Cool Me Down” is exactly as it sounds. The vocals come down from the euphoric high of the previous song. There is a summertime in the suburbs feel to the song, perhaps a dance in a sprinkler or an open hydrant via the twinkling keyboard and soothing vocals. Then the song breaks tradition and becomes energetic with a higher octave reprise of the chorus that just shows the depth of which M&S is capable. It comes back at the end of the song for a great “remember this” visit and expansion.

“Airstream On The Highway” is a head nodding groove with slightly distorted vocals and a care free atmosphere. Again, this song paints a picture that parallels the topic of the song very well, even throwing in a harmonic for a middle America cross country trip feel. The song ends with more harmonica.

“Naked” is sung through a bucket, and keeps that harmonica going. This is a darker, simpler groove that is grittier than the rest of the album.

“In Your Movie” is a funky guitar distorted and scratched pop song. The vocals are waveringly polite, and the melody flows very organically. As was popular in the time, there are a bunch of unnecessary record scratching sounds. This song sounds just like anything on the s/t album by Bicycle, which probably no one else would remember. The chorus features a mash up of so many styles from pop to a little Hawaiian guitar to the aforementioned scratching, to funky wha-wha guitars, which end the song.

“Forget About Here” is a quiet, sullen track, with just acoustic guitar, and a twinkling of keyboards underneath. A drum machine is added with a echoing crash style. This song reminds me most of Lincoln, again, and features more organic melodies. At the end of the song they take opportunity of the organic nature by offering other variants of the basic hook.

“Fifteen” starts with some basic power pop chord changes, filtered through the production of the era. There is no echoing power, the sounds are clean and precise. The chorus is a siren of energy, at least the synth in the background sounds like a siren. It is bold and dense yet still remains catchy and Fountains of Wayne-y. The song is a thoughtful tribute to being 15, and how it was the singer’s ideal year. The end features the main thoughtful lyric wind down, like a computer crashing, and the rest of the song fades out.

“Digitize” is a wind down from the album, and begins with an electric, fuzzy guitar. After two sets of the verse, the vocals are double layered to form a bridge that leads back to the verse, with an extra wha-wha guitar in the background. The liquid guitar plays a “solo” melody vocal parallel, and the song winds down before it ever has a chance to get going. Which, unfortunately is a apt metaphor for this album. It was really good, but never took off, and therefore, it winded down before it got a chance to get going.

Stand Out Track: Disguise

Links:
amazon

Discogs

Ink19

bandcamp

facebook

Gwen Mars - Magnosheen~ Driving a Million*

Name: Gwen Mars
Album(s): Magnosheen~, Driving a Million*
Year(s): 1995~, 2001*
Style: Alternative, Grunge-Metal,~ Indie-Rock*
Similar Bands: Smashing Pumpkins~, Nirvana~, Poster Children~, Tripping Daisy~, Mudhoney~, Filter~*, Psychedelic Furs.,~* Oasis*
"One-Word" Review: Popless-metal-noise~ Pop-Alternative-Noise*
Based Out Of: LA, CA
Label: Hollywood Records~, See Thru Broadcasting*

Magnosheen - Official Cover

Magnosheen - My Cover & Tape

Driving A Million - Cover, Back, CD

Magnosheen (1995)

1. Control 1:47
2. Heal Me 3:33
3. Cosmic Dick 3:23
4. Fisherking 4:21
5. Hollow 2:48
6. Shrink 3:36
7. Magnosheen 2:47
8. Stick B 3:20
9. Ruined 3:03
10. Dragster 3:11
11. Stuck to the Sun 2:50
12. Play Dead 5:14
13. Rover 3:06
14. Next to Drown 2:57
15. Ticket to Mars 1:39

Driving A Million (2001)

1. Neon Tom 4:37
2. She Hung The Moon 4:35
3. Radio Gun 3:36
4. Venus 3:17
5. Come Here 3:48
6. Hurry Up 4:18
7. Train Song 2:39
8. Electro 4:06
9. Strawberry Ice 2:57
10. Lisa Candy 3:54
11. The Race 4:48

Album Rating (1-10): ~6.0

*7.0

Members, Other Bands:

Mike Thrasher - Guitar, Vox~*

John Boutin - Drums~*

Matt Westfield - Bass~*

Bill Cooper - Engineer, Mixing~*

Richard Podolor - Producer, Mixing~*

Daniel Boom - Assistant*

Bob Demaa - Assistant*

John Fryer - Producer, Engineer, Mixer*

Stephen Marcussen - Mastering*

Nancy Nowacek - Design*

Bennet Salvay - String Arrangement*

Marina Zurkow - Art Direction*

Unknown-ness: I’ve actually heard of them. Twice. But never really knew what they sounded like. Back in 1995, I picked up their first album as a demo/promo copy on tape, probably because I heard of them, or saw a review of the album in CMJ or something, and saw the tape for a buck or so. But I don’t remember listening to the album at all. Then in 2001, I was just getting into the Starlight Mints, and Gwen Mars’ “Driving A Million” is on the same See-Thru label, so I picked it up for a dollar, knowing the label. But again, I did not know who they were, even though at that point I had their first album on tape. I never saw the cover of the first album, but I liked the geometry and pastel color scheme of the super sonic train on their second album’s cover. It seemed quirky, and calculated; like what I was enjoying about the Starlight Mints. But now I know better; that they are alternative “grungers” as my mom might perhaps say.

Album Review: ~“Control” starts with a driving drum beat, fuzz guitars and a vocoder vocal performance that is one part Tripping Daisy and one part Smashing Pumpkins. The melody haphazardly glides along the coincidental background music. Lots of distortion and fuzz bridge the song gap, as “Heal Me” begins next. It is very much like S.P’s Cherub Rock (“Who wants that honey”) when it gets to the chorus. It also reminds me of Mudhoney’s song “Touch Me I’m Sick” for some indefinable reason; which is weird, because the next song sounds more like a Nirvana version of “Touch Me I’m Sick” with the song “Cosmic Dick.” It has calm singing and more emotional growl-scream singing for the chorus. This is that perfect combination of dark metal and catchy hooks that defines Alternative-grunge. The chorus is fast, like a speed-punk song. “Fisherking” comes next with a thick guitar and bass parallel, that sounds like it could break into “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at any time. Then the metallic lead guitars spin out of control and the vocals bring us down to a Smashing Pumpkins style. The singer likes to use short rhyming phrases to repeat over and over again (“It’s a bitch. Getting’ rich”). “Hollow” all of the songs have the same production, eerie guitars buzzing out of control, heavy bass lines, and vocals sung like they are through a metal trash can. There is a watery, vibrating vocal breakdown that is peaceful and ruptures open, back into the heavy music without much delay. There is a lot of anger it sounds like here at the song’s end. “Shrink” has a more post-post-punk, Smiths/Cure/Psych Furs gothic guitar introduction, which is carried through out the song. The chorus is almost very catchy, but it lacks the final note to make it so. The vocals often return to the non-singing grinding distorted screeching. “Magnosheen” starts with a very dark bass intro. It struggles to get going, dragging its musical feet as it lumbers along. The song lacks interesting musical characteristics, but it is just brooding and stammering to get somewhere, but it never gets going. The theme never changes. The chorus is a slight relief for headbanging and moshing (ahh, those were the days) but over all, it feels like a half completed song.

“Stick B” starts side B with some annoying ringing guitar effects, and a bouncy deep bass line and a Filter-like vocal performance. The vocals in the chorus are almost catchy, but they are too simple to be memorable. Even with the 4-note Bowie-ish chorus end, it still fades too fast to be great. More heavy bass introduces “Ruined” with soaring Tool like guitars. The vocals, also like Tool, come in quiet and ominous. There are a few different sections in the song; again, like a sampler platter of alternative styles, I can hear everything Seattle was putting out at the time. There’s the metal chord progression of Nirvana and the building musical atmosphere of Alice In Chains. Dark, evil music starts of “Dragster” with metal fuzzy chords progress under the half-hearted, sometimes screeching vocals. “Stuck to the Sun” follows in line of dischordant eerie melodies played under distortion. This one follows the pace of a fast heart beat. But it is quiet never using the grinding metal guitars. Dark bass and ringing, looping and echoing bell-like guitars give way to soft vocals lacking their characteristic distortion in “Play Dead.” It is sort of a ballad in its quiet atmospheric ambience, rather than the in your face anger from the rest of the album. I think you might be able to do a waltz to this song: an evil, ghostly waltz. The repetition of the title is issued under a couple of different vocal styles. “Rover” starts with a very catchy bass and guitar part, but it take a turn down and sounds dark with one musical decision. The music gives the song great potential to be a solid catchy song, but the vocals don’t follow the melody until the chorus. Then they carry the song in the direction it needs to go. The instrumental at the 2 minute mark is draining, but it comes out with the catchy, somewhat sing-song chorus: “she’s everyone’s rover.” And the buzzing last chord just fades out. The energy is not lost, because the next song “Next to Drown” carries over with fast moving bass, guitars and drums. The chorus here reminds me of Nirvana’s Drain You: “Chew your meat for you / Pass it back and forth / In a passionate kiss / From my mouth to yours / I like you.” But it lacks the seriously catchy building and delivery of musical hooks that Nirvana offers nearly every time. Drums and space-like vocal distortion bring in the last song “Ticket to Mars.” As it is not really a song proper, more just experimentation with environmental sounds, back-skipping effects, and vocal samples. It is vaguely carnival in its looping nature, but it is kind of a downer way to end a downer album.

*Insect buzzing noise starts “Neon Tom.” Then the vocals begin with far less distortion and a more produced sound. It is almost catchy, progressing chords, and not dark at all, similar to Weezer a bit. The voice is still a little grinding, similar to Richard Butler (Psych Furs). There are many catchy sections to the song, and the fuzzy guitars don’t enter until half way through. It sounds like they mashed up a bunch of interesting song ideas into one song. And it ends on quite the hopeful, positive note. “She Hung The Moon” is an acoustic guitar near-ballad. The vocals are not distorted as the last album, so much as whispered though a mega-phone. Violins are used, as the song is orchestrated with a much more complicated arrangement than was imaginable on the first album. The song ends with a backwards sounding flute or recorder played. “Radio Gun” sounds completely inspired by brit-pop. Fuzzed noise returns again, but this time it’s accompanied by intelligent decisions to add catchy backing vocals and happy power chord changes, rather than gloomy deep changes. Watch out SFA, here comes GM’s song “Venus.” What started out as a loud rock song is slowed down with the vocals building to the chorus, which rocks out with the same energy of Cosmic Dick. But it is a grungeless version. I don’t love the aggressive rumble of his sand paper like voice, but musically, this is a great, catchy driving song. It is a great bridge gapping song to represent both albums. “Come Here” is more of a jangelly middle level rock song. Not a ballad and not a fast paced driving song; it is radio friendly, head nodding fodder. But I can hear how this song could easily be converted to a grunge first album song. It is neat to see the difference and appeal of a song just because of the popular production of the time.

“Hurry Up” is a noisy progressing song that would have fit well on the last album until they go all Semisonic and change up the instrumentation to acoustic guitars with the vocals. Then they blend the styles nicely and it sounds like a bad radio song. The light breakdown with harmonizing vocals seems very out of character, and kinda ruins their image. Lo-fi and loud characterize the beginning of “Train Song.” The band really takes it upon themselves to let the vocals stand up on their own, quieting the music around them. But this song carries good momentum and has a catchy vocal melody. The chugging drums in the background simulate a speeding train. “Electro” is a fast dancy song with sedated vocal through out the verse. The Chorus picks up the vocal energy. And different instruments are added, pick up, and carry the song through with little changes and a steady energy. “Strawberry Ice” is a little dark in its bass, but nothing like the last album. The jerky guitar work reminds me of Green Day, as do the nasally, whiny vocals. But it is more calculated and precise than the fun punk that Green Day perfected. But I think he’s saying “You’re all very nice” rather than the title “Strawberry Ice.” “Lisa Candy” has a nice quiet and slightly dark intro, but the guitars pick up in little spurts and make the song just another loud rock song. The song had potential but it was lost in over production especially of the chorus. There are some neat electronic ideas, but they are buried far under the noisy production, which might be good, because defiantly fit into the noisy rock category, and electronics might not fit them too well. “The Race” feels like it is going to be a long song. It is slow trudging, even with the drumming. It feels like a British rock anthemic ballad. The way he sings is again, similar to Psych Furs. This is a nice song, where it is different than the rest of the album; it still fits into their guidelines, with repetition and his Firewater style vocals. And it gives a nice upbeat ending to the album.

Stand Out Track: ~Cosmic Dick

*Strawberry Ice

Links:
Allmusic
Last FM

In Music We Trust: Review

Rolling Stone page

Gig Poster

Yahoo Music Page

Rate Your Music

Convoy - Black Licorice

Band: Convoy
Album: Black Licorice
Year: 2001
Style: Southern Pop-Rock
Similar Bands: Big Star, Afghan Wigs, Teenage Fanclub
"One-Word" Review: poppy,updated-classic-rock.
Based Out Of: San Diego, Ca
Label: Hybrid, Atlantic

Black Licorice - Cover, Liner Notes, CD & Tray

Black Licorice - Liner Notes & Back

Black Licorice (2001)

1. Gone So Quick Tomorrow 4:12
2. Here's Lookin' At You 3:53
3. Caught Up In You 3:31
4. Anythime She Wants It 4:21
5. Is He In Your Heart Tonight 4:35
6. Weekends 2:56
7. Alice 3:40
8. Wet Cement 2:51
9. So Much you Can Do 3:23
10. Eleventeen 4:04
11. Loosen Up 4:19
12. Goodbye Everybody 3:14
13. California Girls 5:13

Album Rating (1-10): 4.0

Members & Other Bands:Jason Hill - Vox, Guitars, Piano, Orhan, Moog, Mellotron, Bass, Producer (Louis XIV)
Brian Karscig - Vox, Guitars, Piano (Louis XIV)
Robbie Dodds: Vox, Guitars, Lap Steel, Pianos, Mellotron, Harmonica
Jeff Winfrey - Bass
Mark Maigaard - Drums, Percussion (Louis XIV)
Doug Meyer - Pedal Steel
Kevin Savigar - Strings
Shaun Cornell - Bowed Upright, Asst Engineer
Blake Helander - Horns
Steve Vertigan - Horns
Jim Rogers - Horns
Joe Augustine - Manhattan Street Sound, A&R
David Bianco - Producer, Recorded, Mixed
Raphael Serrano - Asst Engineer
Vic Anesini - Mastering
Brad Bogart - Management

Unknown-ness: This was another part of the CD mail package. I've never heard of these guys. With the shiny metallic packaging, and interior headshots, the art work makes me think that they are trying to appear to be an intelligent indie-alternative band. The CD tray picture tried to prove that they have “cred” & roots in Burt Bacharach & The Beach Boys, by displaying those album covers amongst stacks of vinyl.

Album Review: The album begins with a fade in of vocal harmony, with a backwards, skipping effect in “Gone So Quick Tomorrow”. The song is full of more vocals harmonizing, and the song feels like a southern influenced pop track. It is not very heavy, and similar to, but not as catchy as Big Star. “Here’s Looking At You” starts as a slow country-folk ballad, with strings quietly playing in the background. The bouncy piano keeps it from a complete ballad, and I can hear a little Bob Dylan influence in how the vocals are sung. “Caught Up In You” starts with a drum beat and guitars answer sporadically over top. The song is trying to be heavier, but it really does not pull it off. The chorus is catchier, and there are some less usual instruments overlaid musically as well as extra vocals. “Anytime She Wants It” has more of the Big Star style song structure, and the first set of vocals attempt to mimic Alex Chilton. The guitar is filtered through a watery distortion effect. “Is He In Your Heart Tonight” begins with a fade-in of strings. And the song plays as an acoustic, alt-country regretful/jealous ballad. “Weekends” starts as a slow bluesy southern rock jam. But then it kicks in, complete with country slide guitar, but a good catchy melody. The energy drains out of the song quickly, and it becomes stale. “Alice” starts with a slow piano intro. Drums and guitars enter the mix, but don’t bring much energy. “Wet Cement” is a nasally alt-country pop-rock number. “So Much You Can Do” is a laid back Big Star pop song, but is strangely catchy. But it is too repetitive for its own good. Distorted watery vocals start off “Eleventeen.” After a minute, harmonizing vocals take over, and the song takes on a southern psychedelic feel. It reminds me of a slowed down version of “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” “Loosen It Up” is another minimal, Bob Dylan stylized song. Instruments are introduced along the way, and the energy picks up, but it is still a loosely structured jangley pop song. “Goodbye Everybody” starts with annoying vocals talking more than singing over top of a slow piano. This sleepy song tries to take off after about a minute. “California Girls” features an electronic drum beat and a lite daybreak guitar. It is has playground stylized sing-song melody, and gives a nod to the Beach Boys, talking about west coast and east coast girls. After a fake ending, there is a gospel & tambourine style chant about donut holes to end the record

I really did not like anything about this album. I cannot even pick out a stand out track, because to me, there are none. It is just too light, and too repetitive for my taste, as it crosses boundaries of genres I am not fond of. I like Big Star, so my relating these songs to them is just because it is the closest thing I am familiar with. It does not give them credit or a good critique.

Stand Out Track:

Links:Convoy - Wikipedia
Convoy - Myspace
Convoy - Allmusic
Convoy - Melodic.net