SHORT REVIEWS
FOR APRIL 2007
RAIN- DREAM- SELF-RELEASED- Introspective stuff from this former Portland guy John McConnell. Some nice melodies and good guitar playing but occasionally his voice is flat. ( www.myspace.com/nycrain )
RETCONNED- UNHAPPENINGS- STICKFIGURE/ARMY OF BAD LUCK- Retconned= Jonathen Lukens…give the guy a synthesizer and some bad luck and he will work wonders on your ass. Plus he used to live in Atlanta….that will do anyone in. ( www.retconned.com )
GARY RITCHIES- POP ! RADIO- REWIND- I’m guessing in 1964 when the Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan show (the year I was born) Gary’s folk plopped him in front of the tv and the rest, as they say, is history. Fine Beatles-esque pop . ( www.jamrecordings.com )
SEBASTIEN SCHULLER- HAPPINESS- MINTY FRESH- This guy is like the happy, depressed version of Retconned (see above). If Bobby Wratten (Trembling Blue Stars) put down his guitar in favor of a synth he might turn out songs like Mr. Schuller. Yeah, that’s right…I said MISTER Schuller. ( www.mintyfresh.com )
SHITAKE MONKEY- STREET BEEF- OUTLOOK- Everyone involved in this project (including the person who named the band…make that ESPECIALLY the person who named the band ) should be taken out back and be beaten with a rubber hose. ( www.outlookmusic.com )
SMALL LEAKS SINK SHIPS- UNTIL THE WORLD IS HAPPY….- NO SLEEP- Arizona bunch who mine the dreaded “prop indie rock” genre and tho’ I don’t like much of it, they do it well. I DID like “Dear Dictator.” ( www.nosleeprecs.com )
THE SPY IN THE MES- …AND THAT’S WHY I BREATHRE THROUGH THE ILLUSION OF WANTING TO BE USED TO WANTING TO DO- POLYNATION- The title is a mouthful and I couldn’t even hate this like I wanted to cos’ it was pretty good. This bunch are all over the map but I hear some Bowie n’ Bolan and maybe even some Frogs too. (www.thespyinthemes.com )
STANDISH ARMS- THE REASONG ENGINE- OTP- A couch surfer from Long Island named Brad Caliman felt so guilty for all floors he has crashed on that he decided to write a buncha songs to honor those friends. THE REASONING ENGINE is full of some nice homegrown pop that any thinking man should like. ( www.thestandisharms.com )
SWIFT SHIPS- REBEL RENAISSANCE- NEW BOY- Ok, we have a problem here, the 3rd song, (“Flat Land”) Which they consider “the best single-song representation of our aesthetic” is the worst song on the record. Bad boogie-funk rock. Goodnight. ( www.myspace.com/swiftships )
TERRA DIABLO- S/T- NOCTURNAL- This band is a disgrace to the great city of Glasgow.
FRANK TRIBES- GALLERY- S.E.N.- Was expecting some bad 70”s rock judging by the photo of Frank on the back cover (yup, I still judge a book by the cover) but this is some decent to really good pop rock with strong melodies. Frank has a solid voice and is a talented guitar player. ( www.franktribes.com )
THE TUNES N’ TONES- THE ROLLING STONE EFFECT- Pretty average rock influenced by…..ummm (reading from the list on their press release ) Creedence, Pearl Jam, The Doors, The Allman Bros, Cream, etc. etc. Yeah , you’re just dying to hear this. ( www.thetunesandtones.com )
DORI TURNER- SONGS FOR DARK DAYS- MR KNEES- Tender coffee-house folk from the very talented San Franciscan Dori Turner. She has an absolute lovely voice and her 6-string pickings bring to mind Joni Mitchell (but with a voice more like Sandy Denny). ( www.mrknees.com )
TWO COW GARAGE- THREE- SHELTERHOUSE- Whiskey-soaked tunes from a Columbus, Ohio band that is equal parts Uncle Tupelo, I Can Lick Any S.I.B. in the House and Slobberbone (whose Brent Best guests on here). Big hooks too. (www.twocowgarage.com)
TWO GIRLS- DOGS WILL BARK- LISA FALZONE RECORDS- Just plain bad funky, trash rock that is likened to Queens of the Stone Age. I haven’t heard anything this lousy in quite some time. ( lisafalzone@hotmail.com )
WORLD MASS HOMCIDE- PRESENTS SING A LONGS- ROADHOUSE TUNES- The one other record I heard on this label, the Sex Robots , was awesome but this , umm…..not so much. ( 9102 Edwards Dr, St Louis, MO 63132)
THE MENTORS- EL DUCE VITA DVD (MVD)- I never liked The Mentors and this dvd will not change my mind. Even when I was young and dumb I never liked this band. The Mentors were3 guys who played bad punk/heavy metal with no shirts on and black hoods over their faces. This includes 7 , low-budget videos with song titles like “Sex Slave”, “On the Rag”, “Donkey Dick”, “Golden Showers”, etc. They include lots of nude women and shock tactics. Bonus features includes some live stuff from Mpls and Austin, TX. ( www.mvdvisual.com )
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