QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE Songs For The Deaf - Warner Bros.
After a ground breaking second album- Rated R, that made the critics and more importantly the record buying public take extra notice of a band that would take the emphasis off the nu-metal crap and onto honest rock (by honest I don't mean Creed or Nickleback). Queens of the Stone Age have supposably brought back the Stoner Rock genre that was originally started by their pioneering former band, Kyuss. This endeavour strays away from the 80's stoner rock and delves into straight out rock with a twist of everything from glam to Zeppelin-ish half serious acoustics epics. With the notable inclusion of guests and semi-permanent members including Foo Fighter and off course former Nirvana member, Dave Grohl and former Screaming Trees front man Mark Lanegan. Grohl's inclusion will buff up the sales of record for sure. Songs for the deaf doesn't try to take itself awfully serious as you can hear with the FM radio station theme between some songs. From saying that the album produces the bands best work to date and I dare say the best rock release for a while. The nasally Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan wind their way through 15 rocking songs superbly arranged and produced to perfection by Eric Valentine with some assistance from Adam Kasper (Foo Fighters, Soundgarden). Other guests on the album include Dean Ween; Chris Goss from Masters of Reality and Eleven's Natasha Schneider. The guests and new band members on this album are not only going to improve record sales but are going to give QOTSA even more credibility than they already have. '.Millionaire' is not a good opener, I would describe the song as a mess of horrible noise and it shouldn't have been including on this recording. In saying the Queens... are at their peak on single 'No one knows' when mixing Homme's interesting whiny baritone, Grohl's hammering drums and weird spaced out guitar solo's- sure to be a favourite on alternative radio. This album features some of the best drumming and most fascinating since, well In Utero with obvious reasoning behind it. Behind the drum kit is where Grohl belongs and this piece proves he's is one of the best. 'First it giveth' and 'Song for the dead' is very reminiscent of earlier work with classic bass lines from Oliveri and some psychedelic mid-song breakdowns. 'Song for the dead' finishes with a climax of double bass kicks from none other than Grohl and a mass of guitar and bass chaos. 'The sky is fallen' does what other contempories can only dream of. A blend of sweet distorted guitar with Homme's voice at it's most flexible even with melodious crooning at the initial part. Very similar to yes, the Foo 's 'My Hero'. The noisy rave-up 'Six Shooter' goes for a short time and after a minute of punk glory leaves you begging for more. What the song lacks in duration it more than admirable makes up for in aggression and effort. 'Go with the flow' and 'gonna leave you ' are pure high-powered power-pop with a touch of the QOTSA. 'God is in the radio' follows the radio theme that is prevalent throughout the record. A catchy repetitive chorus and Grohl's marching band style drumming all adds up to become the finest track on Songs of the Deaf. 'Another love song' is in the same vein as 'God is on the Radio' and is a radio friendly as it gets, with dreamy likable vocals and a rhythm section to die for. The so-called 'hidden tracks' are gems of their own. 'Mosquito song' is a semi-serious acoustic ballad that is normally saved for a b-side but adds that bit more to this great disc. 'Everybody's gonna be happy' is another high-powered piece of rock ready to blast out of your speakers. Songs for the Deaf is by no means a classic but comes very close to the mark. No standout tracks but just a great record to play loud and enjoy yourself with. Queens of the Stone Age are the answer to your rock and roll blues of the new millennium. --Andrew Watttop

\ r top

KRIS RACER - "...Has A Banner Year" - Two Thumbs Down Records [May 07]
Kris Racer plays a tasteful singer-songwriter stew of modern life filtered through the rubbish of office work and discontent. On this sleight album of six songs, we find a protagonist who is numbed and calloused from the unfulfilled romances and the soul-sucking drudgery of his job. These lyrics are sung in an unadorned straightforward manner, giving the words themselves more authenticity than if the singer's voice had been prettied up and triple-tracked and made to seem like a stadium filling crooner. Racer is more confessional and intimate than that. On one song, Racer lays out his albatross: "...I will sing about burdens: a twenty-something who has made not one difference cause he is biased and presuming," (Lesser Ways Of An Office). Because Racer uses basic instrumentation to augment his songs, they come through as Americana, almost folk rock. There is what sounds like a female duettist on many tracks but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that it is actually Racer singing in a higher register, but either way, these harmonized vocals sound like the Knitters or some other alt-country act. Kris Racer's voice reminds me of Prefab Sprout and Let's Active because of his unpretentious coffeehouse style. Essentially this is Racer singing and playing acoustic guitar with a drummer, not quite a solo act, and not quite a band. On "Balance," Racer approaches a sound that is closest to what a full band could deliver, an upbeat, bright, pop sound. Because that song works the best for me, I'd suggest Racer head in that direction and away from the loner with an acoustic approach. Overall, Kris Racer shows a rich uniqueness with lyrical content and an interesting take on the modern singer-songwriter genre. --- 6/11 Leeds top

RADIOHEAD- "In Rainbows" - self released [Oct 2007]
This might be the album that saves the world, destroys the RIAA and revolutionizes artists' relationships with their labels. As everyone knows, "In Rainbows" was offered to fans at any price they deemed reasonable, including free. Hopefully people will walk the walk and actually send some money Radiohead's way. Even if each person only paid $3 for the new album that would be nearly twice what the band would get on a traditional deal. Onwards: the music itself finds Radiohead in their best form, melodic, experimental, sonically challenging, cryptic and lyrical. It picks up where "Hail..." left off and broadens the sound, with more moods, and several songs dramatically more forceful. The album kicks to life with some glitchy percussion and Yorke singing a falsetto gospel melody before the band takes hold and turns this computer rock into a lush fabric with those muted guitar tones familiar to "Subterranean Homesick Alien." "Bodysnatchers" is a straight ahead rocking number with all the great Radiohead soundscape actions flowing, multiple harmonies, fuzzy distortion, and a hot riff at the tail. There are moments of soft acoustic intimacy (Faust Arp) and tortured melancholy (Weird Fishes). It's hard to deny the emotional bond everyone has with "OK Computer," but this collection is a better batch of songs. 9/11 Leeds top

RADIOHEAD Hail To The Thief
I don't think it's a coincidence that I've managed to get Radiohead's last three albums on CD-R well in advance of their release dates. The band is pretty vocal about their stance against capitalism and globalization, and while they haven't made any overt statements on music sharing, I can't imagine them in league with Lars Ulrich. I also don't think an album title like "Hail To The Thief" dispels this notion. The scuttlebutt on the disc I have is that it's unmastered and far from the finished product, but if they put this on the shelves right now, no one would be the wiser. Even if it were drenched in sloppy analog fuzz or too trebly or bassy (which it isn't), it'd be hard to dub this as anything other than a masterpiece. People say that about all their albums, though, despite throwaway tracks like Kid A's "Treefingers" and Amnesiac's "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors (which sounds like a drunken orangutan set loose in a mess hall). It was with some trepidation that I sat listening to the first track, "2+2=5", which starts out with the quiet electronic ticks and soft ambient melodies we've come to expect. Just as visions of a return to "Bends"-era hard rock begin to evaporate, the song explodes out of its cave with the guitar-driven fury of a band that's finally letting itself rock again. Rather than reinvent themselves yet again, Radiohead have finally decided that they've mastered enough genres to begin bringing them together into a unified style. When Thom Yorke howls "Don't question my authority or put me in a box," he might well be talking about his band, but of course he's got a loftier message. Where "OK Computer" was seasick with paranoia and "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" were written on a sinking ship, "Thief" is post-apocalyptic, bleaker and angrier than its predecessors, but no less fragile. "We're rotten fruit, we're damaged goods/What the hell, we've got nothing more to lose," Yorke sings on the beautiful "Backdrifting," this record's more melodic answer to the drum machine-driven "Idioteque." There is no low point on this album. Even the songs that begin as soft organ ballads morph into erupting rock noise, continually overturning expectations that they've gone soft, or retreated further into their programming rigs. As far as whatever "mastering" needs to be done, I have a theory that Yorke et al. are holed up in a spaceship somewhere working on a way to release an infinite number of differently-mastered albums tailor-made to each listener's psychological profile . It'll be interesting to see this band age - will they lose their fury and become a Rolling Stones/Aerosmith novelty act? Can they possibly keep up this pattern of releasing consistently amazing, socio-culturally incendiary electro-rock that has set the standard for pretty much every thinking man's band coming out of the UK? Or will they release the 21st Century "Metal Machine Music" just to mess with us? With this album under their belt, they should earn the right to do just about anything, except roll over and do what anyone else says. ---Roger That 9/11 top

RADIO MOSCOW - s/t - Alive Records [Oct 07]
Wah wah pedal Hendrix guitars greet you upon the needle drop. Radio Moscow is a throwback of retro garage blues fury. You gotta love wailing guitar solos too, or forget it. Most of RM's music is 60s freakout jams. Whether it's more on the noodlier Cream side of things or the caveman stomp of The Sonics, Radio Moscow plays a blistering update on classic acid 60s guitar rock. "Timebomb" has all the above, and slows things down to a blues guitar half-time that Robbie Krieger would dig. And when Parker Griggs (who plays all instruments but bass) starts cranking it out, he's a guitar wizard. It's a very authentic sound, nothing gives it away that Radio Moscow are from 2007 not 1967. --- Leeds 8/11 top

RADIO ONE Disaster Records
Going firmly for the early-Clash jugular, Radio One are for fans of early singalong punk rock. They also, obviously, share a lot of similarities with their modern day brethren Rancid, and on the first few songs do a credible impersonation. Trouble is, I'm already full-up on Rancid albums, so what else do Radio One offer? Radio One best their heroes when they purposefully scale back the overheated amps and rhetoric, and deliver painfully sweet anthems that would have Mick Jones himself crying in his beer. On some songs, like "Suburban Slaves" you are hearing the ghost of Mick Jones in the guitar licks and warmly buzzing chords, like a retelling of The Clash's first album. At these times, the Les Pauls are exchanged for warmer tones, and the truer punk messages come out. Radio One keep one foot in the warm nostalgia and the other in the windspittin' punk tradition familiar to hundreds as proffered by Swingin' Utters, Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, and so on. Singer Ruben Rivera has a good command on the growling and shouting choruses, reminding me of not only Lars but also DOA and their label mates The Briggs. Radio One bury their best nuggets in the middle of the album. Start out by skipping directly to "The Outlaw," a song that succeeds brilliantly in combining the new school anger and the old school harmonies and guitar leads. The backing vocals on this song lift this song up and over the barbed wire, helping it escape from the punk ghetto. The very next song, "Headlines," has the stop/start chord choppiness that so obsessed Mick Jones (who used to try to invent new ways to play "Can't Explain"). Radio One even show their world consciousness, "...one million starved in Africa, London town has found a, brand new beat sixteen slain, in a terrorist bombing at a, restaurant in Tel Aviv..." That's my favorite song. It's catchy as hell and free of any pretense to tough guy punk posturing. Maybe it's the chasm between their two styles, the Rancid-like violence and The Clash-like optimism, that will prove to be their salvation. Radio One are not afraid to add handclaps and distortion-free guitar solos to their songs and that's what makes them better than most of their peers. It brings soul back into punk. We have enough punk gangs out looking for fights, it's time a band like Radio One arrived to reclaim the high ground. Radio One features former members of Pushers and The Bleeders, so fans of those acts are welcomed back. I also like the cut and paste artwork, (done by hand), which adds a good depth to their image. They aren't dressing up in Mohawks and spiky leather jackets and looking for a fight: that shit is for kids, stupid kids. Radio One didn't go for the obvious and that's made all the difference. --- 7/11 Paul Leedstop

THE RADIO REELERS 'Shakin' at the Party' - Deadbeat Records
This record kicks some pretty good ass. It's solid rock n' roll and the R word is mentioned frequently in the lyrics. Lots of guitar crunch over crashing drums, and nearly every song comes right out of the gate full-speed with nostrils flaring and hooves stomping. Good fun material that cruises at a breakneck pace while still maintaining its rock roots. At different points I detected influences from guitar oriented punk bands like Black Flag, The Dead Boys, The Lazy Cowgirls, and the Supersuckers. Most of the material is played good and fast but not overwhelmingly so. There's a couple slightly slower ones, but they don't appeal as much and tend to sound long after a couple listens. The singing, while still ably done and certainly as good as it needs to be, is probably the weakest of the elements involved. This doesn't matter for shit during the more adrenal songs (think of Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers), but becomes more exposed in the slower numbers. Still, overall the majority of the record is populated by solid high-energy tunes and it's a fun listen. Many of the songs are practically designed to holler along with, and there are plenty of catchy rockers that grow on you instantly. A good record to play loud when you need a rock fix. --- The Swede 8/11 top

KRISTOFFER RAGNSTAM - "Sweet Bills" - Bluhammock Music [May 07]
I missed Ragnstam's other album, but if you read Nate's review of it, below, nearly everything he wrote is still applicable to this new album. Ragnstam is a pop machine, his songs are loose-limbed and grandiose; they echo different eras and different genres, but all share a love of the big pop song, and all the better if that pop song has a beat you can dance to. To my ears, this music sounds a lot like what Robbie Williams does, with a bit more rock and a bit less blue-eyed soul. Both are large personalities and both fill up their songs with careful orchestrations that are as precise and mathematical as if Jeff Lynne or Phil Spector recorded them. This Swedish crooner delivers an accomplished and ultra-pro sounding collection, like Ragnstam is already a huge star: there are no growing pains here. This is what you expect someone's 12th album to be. I personally don't hear much Beck or Spoon in here, in fact none at all, so maybe that's the progression from last album to this one. This is not all that different from what Jesse Malin and Paolo Nutini are doing, a growing trend of singers using all the tricks of the studio arsenal to make pop music that drifts along with the prevailing trade winds. It's solidly performed pop music with a radio friendly sheen and a dancefloor gloss. --- 6/11 Leeds top

KRISTOFFER RAGNSTAM - "Do You Want A Piece Of Me" - Bluhammock Music [Dec 06]
Ready for some eighties glam-pop? Do you miss the Fine Young Cannibals, and the feeling of donning a fine suit before you strut out under Manhattan's city lights for some solid pop fun? Enter Swede Kristoffer Ragnstam, whose sound is as varied as his influences. From '60s Motown to late '70s Stones to Beck, Ragnstam is all over the map. With staccato drums and popping guitars, the opener on this EP, "Fashion," is a dead ringer for the Buzzcocks "Everybody's Happy Nowadays," and "Breakfast by the Mattress," dials in enough sexy falsettos and smooth guitars that it could qualify as the lost track from Beck's "Midnite Vultures." Ragnstam's piano is lifted right out of Spoon's last record. His influences are all admirable and make for some compelling pop, but there is such a thing as being a little too eclectic. I hope this Swede keeps kneading the dough until something coherent emerges - perhaps a sound that is wholly his own voice. ---Nate Fitz 7/11 top

RAMALLAH s/t - Thorp [Oct 2005]
Ramallah tell us on their self-titled debut that the world is vain and superficial and that the Hollywood ideal should be destroyed. Sort of like Jello Biafra fantasizing about mowing down the golfers with chemical warfare back in 1980, Ramallah get to the point a little faster on "Kill A Celebrity" by describing car bombs at MTV and sarin gas in the air conditioners, and acid in their beautiful faces. Somehow the Dead Kennedys' approach was comic, whereas Ramallah's is scary. It's been a hard 25 years. Musically, Ramallah are binary: either the songs are industrial guitar robotics, with grr-grr-grr-grr repetition and a singsongy punk rap over the top, or else a goth electric piano descends on the angst. It's a balancing act, to be sure. Too much electric piano and you might as well have an eleven inch Stonehenge on stage with you. "Days Of Revenge" is perilously close. This album of buzzing electro-core approaches "Psalm 69" era Ministry but firing on only 3 cylinders. "Oscar Cotton" is the only song that does not sound like all of the other songs. It's "whoa-oh-OH-oh" reminds me of Naked Raygun a little bit, but it's "I wanna die in a heroin sunrise" dream is strictly the province of darkmetal. Ramallah features 2 guys from Blood For Blood, so this could be viewed as a foray into slightly more gothic waters for them. ---Leeds 4/11top

RANCID Indestructible - Hellcat Records
The swashbuckling tattooed millionaires * are back in their sixth LP full of tales of being down and out tattooed swashbucklers. My friend commented that the new single, "Fall Back Down," sounds like Mighty Mighty Bosstones...and he wasn't trying to insult them. So I'll just leave that one alone. Unlike their last record, the lads dip into the ska playbook. In fact, "Indestructible" pretty much picks up right where "Life Won't Wait" left off. Where is Rancid's head, in 2003? I used to absolutely love Rancid. I don't really relate to what they're doing these days. For awhile there, they were on a serious mission to become an American Clash. Tim/Lint's songwriting was getting to be personal and powerful. Then came the self-titled Rancid record, and now "Indestructible." They kill live. One of the best live acts I've ever seen. But in 2003, it doesn't really speak to me anymore. It was rad for a time having Rancid living the mohawk punk dream for me, but the days of "Whirlwind"seem like 100 years ago. The old stuff still rules, this just didn't move me. "Start Now" is vintage Tim. It echoes the lilting yet squallid city story of "Ruby Soho" with a gentler chorus. This song makes you believe in Lint; maybe he will rise above the costumes and nail polish. "Arrested In Shanghai" is the gem of the album. Joe Strummer and The Pogues both would have loved it. This song has soul and an interesting perspective, (even if it's the slowest on the record), with steel drums, organs, and gospel backups. Rancid for a couple albums started flirting with writing a record that could be the American "Sandinista!" but then retreated back to the street punk cave. This song proves we got gypped. Really interesting music is dying to get out of these guys. "Tropical London," a new-ska song, is dance friendly , reminiscent of The Specials. Another great tune. Nice one! This is what Rancid needs to keep doing. They've made some amazing music over their career and it's not good enough to turn in a collection of half-felt songs. Lint got dealt a shitty hand this year with his woman splitting and I don't want to slag anyone off, but I feel real bad for Lint. It seems like he helped out a nothing from nowhere, she got famous, and left. Rancid's next record, where Lint gets her out of his system in song, will be devastating. Until then, out of the six Rancid albums, this one lands fifth place. * term coined by Erik Bluhm. ---Paul Leeds 6/11 top

RANDY Welfare Problems - Burning Heart/Epitaph
This Swedish answer to Supergrass has evolved from a political hardcore band into an amalgam of mod-punk and socialist policy. Remember the blast and hooks from Supergrass' first record, those hooks that went MIA and are presumed dead? Maybe Randy stole them. Or liberated them, I should say, because Randy have a political axe to grind while you clap your hands to the Kinks-on-coke songs. For the record, these Swedes sound nothing like the other Swedish darlings of the day, The Hives, Division Of Laura Lee, Flaming Sideburns, or The Hellacopters. The songs are fast and delivered with full-arm guitar chords. The topics of the songs are a little arch, because after all, complaining about the cops in a country like Sweden is fairly ridiculous. Sweden might be the most law-abiding country on the planet. Maybe Randy watched some Los Angeles TV news or maybe they decided to revive the old punk stereotype of hating cops just for the fuck of it. Their prerogative. Hate the cops all you want, just make sure you rock when you do it. Randy know this easy rule and turn in 12 crushing tunes that threaten global security with their energy. Boring 70s retro bands just can't survive under this kind of heat, so look out, jackasses, Randy has just arrived at the party and they brought their own keg. The album kicks off with "Dirty Tricks." It's anarchy set to a Johnny Thunders-style kicker with handclaps on the chorus. "Burning tires, building bombs, throwing bricks, so it goes when the kids are sick of your dirty tricks." I presume they're railing against free medical care or maybe free University educations, but either way, these Swedes switch chords like their fingers are on fire, no matter what's going on in their heads. ---Paul Leeds 8/11 top

RAPIDER THAN HORSEPOWER/THE MAE SHI plit release - S.A.F. Records [June 2006]
Rapider Than Horsepower are a band from the Midwest that delivers throaty breathy blasts atop weirdly teetering rhythms and like the Mae Shi draw unusual sounds out of the ether while employing traditional rock instruments and highly unorthodox multiple voice arrangements. Unlike the Mae Shi they don't employ electronic or synth effects to their bizarre mish mash sound which they actually should consider as it might lighten up some of the chaos which I found a little overpowering at points. They're definitely good though, and are also guilty of that most terrible musical crime: Being Original! I'd love to see how they pull this stuff off live and would definitely check them out if they played locally because this recording piques the interest. 7 on a scale of 1-11. Every so often a band comes along that challenges past definitions of music while still having fun and the Mae Shi is one of those rare breeds. I've had the extreme pleasure of seeing The Mae Shi play numerous times in their home turf of Los Angeles and they always deliver a high energy performance that assaults the senses while confounding the ears. They're bizarre approach to songwriting never ceases to amaze and bewilder while maintaining a firm grip on your attention. Strange electronic gurglings, farts, and beeps abound amidst bleating polyphonic choruses or screamed chants, and then just as likely dive bomb into rocking guitar driven spurts that have you banging your head until they pull the carpet out from beneath your feet the very next instant. These boys are cutting a new rug out of their own home made cloth and are definitely worth checking out despite the obvious risk that you might not "get it". Their magic is you can enjoy them without understanding them. 9 on a scale of 1-11. ---The Swede. top

THE RAPTURE Out Of The Races And Onto The Track - Sub Pop
Again, another short record-only 6 songs. It seems like a sampler of what they can do, as each song bears small resemblance to the next. The Rapture has a kind of naked guitar sound, like all the effects are from the amp only. On the title track they throw down a disco slide with the drums and bass, but the guitar and vocals are playing a punk version of Modest Mouse. Then they find a downstroke guitar and ropey bass sound like Gang of Four meets Jesus Lizard, maybe a little ATDI thrown in too. The singer sings way up there and has no need for things like "key" which either works for you or doesn't. "The Pop Song" on here is a battle of wills between the singer and you, only one will survive. When they get down to business, it rocks. When they try to be Pere Ubu, all the dogs in the neighborhood start barking in pain. -Will top

THE RAVEONETTES "Pretty In Black" - Columbia Records [May 2005]
The Danish trashcan fuzz rockers are still in love with The Jesus & Mary Chain. Like the 'Chain before them, The Raveonettes have abandoned distortion on their 2nd album, which to many will be an idea as solid as having Led Zeppelin make an album without guitars at all. Still, curiosity drove me on. While the glorious distortion may be gone, the guitars are still dripping with reverb and chorus. It's not exactly a "clean" sound but it does allow the bones of the songs to shine like diamonds in the sun. This is easily their best collection of songs, with a few songs begging to be crowned "best of," like "Somewhere In Texas," "Here Comes Mary," and "Sleepwalking." A regrettable cover of "My Boyfriend's Back" pollutes an otherwise strong album. It's like they decided to deflate their own image by choosing a cheesy song to reinvent that bears some resemblance to the juvenile-delinquent tales of teenage lust and violence that have become their trademark. But the emphasis is cheese, like if Oasis covered Scorpions. What makes this album enjoyable like a cold vodka is when Sune and Sharin pull a note in both directions at once, one pushing it high and the other low, while singing a melody as precise as a music box. Personally I miss the distortion and hope they come back to it. --- Leeds 8/11top

THE RAVEONETTES Chain Gang Of Love - Columbia Records
What, another two-member garage rock band? I know, you've heard this one before. But Denmark's The Raveonettes are rooted in another oldies section at the record store. Unlike the White Stripes, The Raveonettes don't mess about with blues at all. They stick to the 60s inspired garage rock of The Standells and The Shadows Of Knight, while running their whole sound through some really trashed amplifiers. Maybe they borrowed those amps from The Jesus & Mary Chain because their walls of white noise sound just like what the 'Chain was doing on their Psycho Candy debut. The Raveonettes are ostensibly a duo, at least in print and press photos, but on Chain Gang Of Love they are aided and abetted by another guitarist and a drummer. The main two, Sune Rose Wagner (as the guy) and Sharin Foo (as the girl) are the "real" band. Appearing on the cover astride 60s motorbikes and the lettering like a 60s teen rebellion movie, you get the general idea of their sound: bubblegum melodies that couples should be sock-hopping to, tambourines on every beat, stripped down drum kit that's mostly snare and tom, male and female vocals harmonizing, reverb bouncing off the walls, and lastly, white hot guitar fuzz mowing it all down. "Little Animal" is a great way to describe a girlfriend, and a great song sure to get you on their side. If not, try the title track or "Noisy Summer." It's a lot of fun, doing for the garage 60s exactly what the White Stripes did for blues guitar - they kick it into the modern world, crying for its mama. Their US debut full length is more produced than their earlier songs, but chill out, this record still puts the delinquent into juvenile delinquent. --- Paul Leeds 8/11 top

RAZOR CRUSADE "Infinite Water" - Deathwish ( March 2005)
Razor Crusade is a loud, hard band that calls Quicksand, Helmet and Refused as direct influences. I can't say they are half bad on their new release Infinite Water, but I'm not sure how many of us can handle this stale ass genre in 2004. This particular hardcore band from The Netherlands does mix it up with the radio ready single I Wish You Were Here and the title track which advances more of an audio-droned groove. When the band slows down the pace a bit the vocals come off much better than the screams and scrawls that dominate Infinite Water. ---Craig Goossen 3/11top

RAZORLIGHT - s/t - Universal Motown [Sept 06]
You know a band is shitty when you see that inserting the CD into your computer will lead you to "exclusive" downloads - and all you can do is laugh. I don't know how else to greet this band but with the twin prongs of laughter and ridicule. Razorlight is the phoniest band to emerge from the UK since The Darkness. They try to style their songs after whichever band is currently hot (turning in watery-thin knockoffs of The Strokes and Libertines last time), and more egregious, snaggle-toothed wanker Johnny Borrell continually tries to sell himself a some sort of rock rebel/sex god. "Last night was really fun - now the sheets are dirty..." he sings on the opening track. What happened, Borrell, did you shit the bed again? Something about this band really gets my goat. It's the combo of Borrell being an average-to-poor singer, with the ersatz quality of the gun-for-hire Swedes in the band, with his ham-handed ripoffs of classic rock from Bowie to Lennon to Libertines. Never mind the 2 pandering ballads dedicated to this side of the pond, as if you could buy our devotion so cheaply. If he could sing, maybe some of these sins would be forgiven, but throughout this sophomore album, all I'm reminded of is what a tosser this character is. My second thought is that it's too bad Borrell is in this band because the Swedish guys aren't half bad. Despite the occasional decent musical flourish or guitar part, Razorlight is a shitty band without any legitimacy, and if you buy this record you are showing that you really have a weak record collection. --- Leeds 3/11 top

RAZORLIGHT "Up All Night" - Vertigo Records
This debut hit the British charts at #1 and the attendant wave of press hysteria wants you to believe Razorlight is the next big thing. If you looked back over the last year of popular UK and US indie music, Razorlight is familiar. Take the recent minimalism of The Strokes, the big rock flashes of The Darkness, and the retro consciousness of The Music, and you're near the mark. Frontboy Johnny Borrell made a name for himself by drugs 'n' liquor antics and then proclaimed he's better than Bob Dylan. A young smartass, to be sure. If "L-o-v-e-r, I'll see you later," rivals Dylan, then pick up Razorlight. Which is not to say Razorlight suck, because they don't. From "Rock n Roll Lies" to "Stumble And Fall," Borrell is trapped in trying to live a Johnny Thunders lifestyle while having difficulty deciding if he wants to sound like The Strokes or the Libertines. Think of the aloof croon of Julian Casablancas in "Soma," and you can tell who Borrell wanted to sound like. The difference being, the Strokes achieved by accident or design, a lo-fi, rudimentary sound. Razorlight play like studio aces and Borrell's voice is mixed way on top, taking away the rock 'n' roll vibe and adding a Big Name and the Backups type sound. A meandering way of saying Razorlight feels inauthentic. This might be further enhanced by having three Swedes backing the Englishman up. There are good pop songs. The love letter to fucked up junkie Pete Doherty of The Libertines, "Dalston," is a good slower song, but it's a bit rich for partyboy Borrell to try and talk Doherty in from the ledge. If anything it seems like a callow attempt to hitch Razorlight's wagon to The Libertines' star. Because of the hype NME gave them, I wondered if the entire band was an experiment to see if a fanbase could be created from thin air for a band without even a record out. NME is wrong: this is not the next Stone Roses, nor the next Oasis or even The Libertines lite. Razorlight is the English version of Jet, a band for people who don't listen to a lot of music and need only a few new records per year. As opposed to working class heroes Ordinary Boys, Razorlight is less about "love this music" than it is "love Johnny Borrell, rockstar." His voice is not as nuanced and versatile as he believes, with his frequent moments of get up close, Jarvis Cocker introspections, and the wild yelpings of "yeah." Razorlight is not half bad, though. Of the 13 cuts, half of them are decent enough. I wasn't rocked by any of them and there's not a lot of originality. It's an okay record. The title track is a subdued a warm ballad about dreaming of fame, as Borrell has done so handsomely. "Which Way Is Out," has a chugging new wave guitar, like The Cars in their heyday, but filtered through the NY indie machine, although the hook of the song owes more than a little to Ryan Adams' "This Is It." Beg, borrow, and steal, Johnny. "Golden Touch," shows a bit more confidence in the song itself, and the ability of Borrell to sell the melody. In this age of sausage-factory bands you can't fault them for not spending years in the gutters gigging to six drunken Scots. Go for the gold on the first shot, why not. They already have fame and notoriety, maybe they'll get some songs to go with it. --- Leeds 6/11 top

RE: "Alms" - Constellation Records
The second album ("Realms") to come from Constellation Record's electric-powered duo, Re: is an exercise in patience. Alms is in no way slw or repetitive but it takes just a little bit more time than Re:'s debut album, Mnant, to get juicy. Their previous record seemed to jump to the chase quicker, leaving you unfulfilled and sometimes rushed. But enough about the old stuff, this is the new shit!! Alms mixes electronic samples and field recordings to create a 1/2 dreamland, 1/2 screeching gearland. Each song melts/crashes into the other with such a natural feel to it, you'd think it was one song. That's where the patience comes in, see? Re: seems to have matured its sound. Its not all about the crunches and beats this time. "Lasers, Tasers, Radar Drones" is a light and pulsating mix of bells and high frequency sounds; in sharp contrast to the glitchy, uncomfortably pleasing "Radio Free Ramadi." And "Pawk" introduces one the first 'grandpa' instruments used. A sad piano accompanies alien jungle noises and is a nice breath before the chaotic, ugly, and aptly named, "Home Security." Just look at the notes inside the, as always, beautiful case. There should be no question where their political views lay. Re: has put together a real, coherent (as much as your ever gonna get) album here that should not be put under the umbrella of experimental electronic. Its not just for long car rides, its for enjoying and understanding. Listen, rinse, repeat. ---Evan Rude 8/11 top

REAL LIVE TIGERS "Sadness Is A Gentlemen" - Black Cloud Music [August 2005]
If the disaffected and aloof Steve Malkmus recorded an album with an "artists-only" collective like Joan Of Arc, it might sound quite a lot like Real Live Tigers. RLT are the pillars holding up the edifice of Tony Presley, a German singer-songwriter currently holed up in Austin, Texas. With a deadpan croon and assisted by cellos and plucked stringed instruments, RLT are like a stroll through some vintage shops with some sardonic hipsters. Presley shares the tragic everyman croon of Malkmus, but where the former Pavement frontman can sometimes make you feel he's taking the piss, Presley's songs are full of genuine feeling. 8 tracks comprise this EP, ranging from stop/start solo guitar songs like "Riverbeds" to the romantic and introspective "Winter." These songs are recorded without much studio effects, revealing a trembling sincerity in Presley's voice, and a coffeehouse intimate legitimacy to the band. This is independent rock with its heart on its vintage military jacket sleeve. Collector nuts take note: each copy features handwritten notes and unique artwork culled from vintage magazines. ---Leeds 7/11top

THE REAL MCKENZIES Loch'd & Loaded - Honest Don's
The Pogues and Flogging Molly make punk rock music for drunken Irish poets, and it's about time Scotland got its due! Bagpipes and punk rock were made for each other. This record is about a year old but we make our own rules here at the CB. Real McKenzies are a Canadian band of Scottish descent and sing about the Great Country of Scotland, on songs like "Nessie," "Lassie," "Donald Where's Yer Troosers?" and "Bonnie Mary." It's a little tongue in cheek but the music is still rockin' and loching. In their best moments they recall the glee and thrash of a Friday night piss-up, evoking images of pubs full of dancing punk lunatics in kilts. This record is the Scottish version of "Rum, Sodomy & The Lash" and a great weekend party album. -Scott top

THE REASON "Ravenna" - Small Man Records (Feb 2005)
2005 is going to be the year that we figure out just what is heavy metal and what is indie rock once again. The Reason don't know which is which. On "Reclaiming The Throne" one singer apparently digs the new school punk sound while the other is a Cookie Monster screamer, the guitarists prefer to mute chords and throw in verse change riffs that sound like Judas Priest. I think this whole trend is like the redheaded stepchild of what Refused did so many years ago: they mixes the sweet with the sour, the samples with the screams. However, that formula is not easy to repeat and should not be attempted at home, because thousands have tried and all of them have failed. Things get better on the 2nd track, "The Joke & The Gentleman," where the Cookie Monster's absence makes for much better listening. Maybe a few too many ideas bouncing around in this song, from the breakdown in the middle and the busy production. Here they are more like Hoobastank. On track 3, The Reason are back to the uptempo rock song with 2nd vocalist chiming in roughly on the choruses, the spiralling metal guitars. If one were being generous they could say that the chugging guitars resemble Swiz and the singing resembles Refused. Maybe 10 years ago this would have been an interesting combo. To my ears they want it both ways: choruses that are either too pretty like Simple Plan's boy-band harmonizing, and tough guy metal guitars. Sometimes they get away with it, like "Paper Cuts & Exit Wounds" which is a pretty decent song. These guys can play and the singer has a decent voice when he's not forcing himself to sound like everyone else. Over all there are just too many bands doing this and I don't find it very interesting. --- Leeds 4/11top

RED ANIMAL WAR Black Phantom Crusades - Deep Elm Records
Coming out of the emo-core scene is Grand Prairie, Texas' own Red Animal War. Since "emo" means as little as "punk" does these days, think of Sunny Day Real Estate getting into a collision with Jawbox. RAW uses horns and strings on occasion, but this ain't no weepy emo band. It's clear they tried and made it out of the emo genre ghetto; where they are now is more unclear. Find the song "Making Zealots," it is the best demonstration of their overamped bass punches and thick as molasses drumming, and intense singing. "When I get the feelin' back in my hands, I promise I'll build some bridges across this land?" are the lyrics to the amazing "When I Get The Feelin'." This album moves around between sounding emo, or emo-core, or punk, or what have you. No matter what style, these songs are great. For a band with only a bunch of singles and splits and comp appearances to their credit, "Black Phantom Crusades" is a mature and confident album. You have to listen to the track "Mouse," with a bass and drum groove and an almost surf guitar layer, it defies an easy description (sorry) but the song is brilliant. RAW are a band that has started out with a great record, and hopefully they will pick up fans on the strength of their live shows. There are no "singles" on this record, just one great track after another. -- Paul Leeds top

RED ANIMAL WAR / SLOWRIDE split - Deep Elm Records
Texas: home of steers, Branch Davidians, JFK killers, and some jackass in the White House. The cd art has shots from Dealey Plaza and a view out the window of the Book Repository, just to remind you how insane this state is. Take a deep breath and remember there are cool things in that cultural wasteland as well. Maybe it's the heat or the rednecks that inspires Texas to come up with some redeeming music. This cd is a 3 and 3 split. Red Animal War kicks things off with a dose of guitar rock like Squirrel Bait and Seaweed getting it on. Then Slowride gets a shot, and their more user-friendly singalong anthem "Jesus Candle" has you thinking it's an unreleased Weakerthans track. RAW wins the first round. Slowride's "Freeway," with it's Stone Temple guitars that morphs into a crawly crooner, then easily sticks and pins for the Round Two win. The tiebreaker round has a slower, space guitar and tumbling drum track from RAW that is the best song on the record. Slowdive's last song is good, but no match for the stronger RAW tune. Winner by decision: RAW. Check out both bands. --Torch top

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS By The Way - Capitol
This is their 9th studio effort produced by long time friend and producer Rick Rubin, By the way delivers what the bands 1999 album Californication only hinted at. This is as melodic as the chili peppers get from the radio friendly ballad 'Dosed' to the future single 'Midnight', which sounds a lot like their early 90's hit 'Under the bridge'. The album shies away from the funk-rock that the band is famous for. There is no 'Give it away' or 'Get on top' but there are a few tracks that hint at their past glories, the title track, which mixes ripping bass lines with vocals to die for and a really catchy chorus that is guaranteed to stick in your head, 'Can't stop' and the very funky 'Throw away your television'. 'Universally speaking' starts off with the simplicity and tightness of a Strokes tune but quickly delves into a melody rich Brian Wilson track or a Beatles song off revolver, this is the strongest track from By the way. Anthony Kiedis's vocals and lyrics are astonishing all the way through this masterpiece, that's what holds it together, the driving force if you like. By the way is easily the RHCP most experimental and beautiful album yet as heard on the Spanish influenced 'Cabron'. 'On mercury' and 'Minor thing' combine catchy lyrics that make for some of the albums finest moments. 'Warm tape' begins with an eerie sound of longing and lost fortunes but like most tracks on BTW rips into a melody heavy chorus that rolls along like a runaway freight train and is very reminiscent of 'Easily' from Californication. The reflective and poignant "Venice Queen" is a love song written to a lady by the name of Gloria who has left and is not coming back anytime soon ("we all want to tell her, tell her that we love her") and sounds very personal. Two words sum up this recording, mellow and effortless. The band plays as if they have the world at their feet, Kiedis at his best and the rhythm section of Chad Smith and the enigmatic bassist Flea in fine form. Basically BTW follows on from where the ballad heavy Californication left off. By the way leaves a lasting impression of a band that has evolved for the better since their first mainstream album Blood Sex Sugar Magick and is easily their finest recording to date. The Chili Peppers are sure to wow audiences with their new material from By the way on their upcoming Aussie tour. -- Andrew Watt top

RED LIGHTNING "L.A. Crash Landing" - It's Alive Media [Jan 2006]
Get outta me fookin' spotlight, Mozzer! Those words have been on Alain Whyte's mind for some 15 years now as the guitarist and co-writer of the wild and woolly Morrissey mope explosion. Now, Whyte has grabbed the rhythm section of Down By Law and created Red Lightning. On this album the influences loom large and you will hear many moments that sound like...you just can't quite name it, but it feels like you've heard it before. Is that an Alarm b-side? A fan club only Suede song? Whyte is also very comfortable as a singer and commands a range that gets up there in the Bono nosebleed range with ease. Each song sounds like it was birthed in a different litter from the others, like they have been incubating for awhile. "Sign Up" is a hybrid Wire Train - U2 guitars in the snow anthem, "I Miss You" starts eerily like "Everyday Is Like Sunday" and then slows down into a ballad, and "Black Dog Day" sounds so much like Suede that you want to scream for them to put down the cocaine and make up - but it's the wrong band. This album has 2 acoustic songs as sort of a bonus, but, and you read it here first, acoustic songs are never a "bonus." The final one sounds like it could be pretty compelling if he plugged in and rocked it out. The other 6 songs are all tight, well thought out, well played songs. Not sure if this is an actual album ore demos or what, but I could not help thinking that if Red Lightning tours these songs and develops a linkage through them so that they all have the RL stamp on them, they will be a band to watch. ---Leeds 7/11top

REDNECK MANIFESTO "I Am Brazil" - Australian Cattle God [Jan 2006]
Finalist in the "misleading and shitty band name" contest. Imagine my near-total surprise when I popped this in and instead of some beatdown hardcore jive I was treated, treated, to a cornucopea of melodic intricacies. The plucked chords and interwoven melodies is a welcome relief to my tired ears after countless stacks of bands that really should be called "redneck manifesto." The blissful title track reminded me of some of the better earlier work of Ben Watt, but RM is too progressive for such a simplistic comparison. They also have an excellent drummer who keeps great time while adding jazzy flashes all over the music that only enhance the experience and never get in the way - no mean feat for a drummer. RM seems to be a super tight, well oiled machine that can play with breathtaking inventiveness without stepping on the other person's moments. There is a sort of studied intensity to the music, and though there are no photos provided, I picture this band looking a lot like Fugazi and I'll bet they are huge fans of that band and also of some of the less cacophonous sketches by Mogwai. Unlike some of the new instrumentalists, RM have songs that actually sound different from each other, sometimes going for a post hardcore, forward thinking, jazz sound (Break Your Fingers Laughing) and sometimes showing some very dexterous and nimble fingerwork on the frets (Good With Tempos). Very enjoyable, exciting and promising band. --- Leeds 8/11 top

THE RED TYGER CHURCH Free Energy - Alive Records
Our state's capital is threatened by a dangerous m?nage of garage rock cult and space-hippy commune, The Red Tyger Church. Where The Polyphonic Spree seem like clean scrubbed and wholesome cult members, RTC are much more like the Spahn Ranch days of the Manson Family: sure, it's about rock 'n' roll and love and good times now, but pretty soon the bloodletting will begin! This record has a live feel to it, like it was recorded during a freakout at their Sacramento compound/commune, with guys 'n' gals dancing in lysergic ecstasies, tambourines smashing the golden sunlight. It's like the groovy garage sound of The Avant Garde with the harmonies of The Stained Glass, laced with the slightly drug-fueled creepiness of The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. What? You don't know those bands? Okay, it's Primal Scream's "Screamadelica" eyeing up a stoned and immaculate Polyphonic Spree choir member, wanting to know what exactly is under that robe... The sound is made more "2004" by running it all through Lou Reed's hypodermic amplifier. Featuring alumni from Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Warlocks, you can simply catch the drift from their resumes. RTC is more of a rock band than the Spree and uses less theater. They storm the psychedelic barn on "Dawn Of The Phoenix," a droning rock number that anchors the some of the flower-child moments to earth. "Cherry Cola" also broadcasts the sweet 'n' sour duality of RTC. Mike Diaz assumes the position of cult leader on this song and is joined by Mel(anie?) on a shouted rock chorus. Those are my two favorites. Add "Wolves Of Sunshine" to make it three. It fuses the head-tripping sounds of sitar to fuzzed guitars and rolls on for 9 minutes. Some of the songs, for me personally, work a lot better than others. My preference is the sound that eschews the flower child in favor of the hypodermic-child. --- Paul Leeds 7/11 top

REEL BIG FISH - "Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album" - Rock Ridge Music [Aug 06]
Say these six words aloud: "Reel Big Fish, double live album." You're in or you're out. Live albums are for dedicated fans only, unless magic happens and you're given a "Live At Budokan" or a "Frampton Comes Alive" or even a self-titled "Jane's Addiction." Time was when a ska band could play live and it was like a joyous party, very little aggo, no macho dudes in the pit, plenty of girls shakin' their thangs, and beer flowing like wine. Someone killed the scene. Someone stole the fun. It all has to end, whether it's punk rock, pop punk, psychedelia, mod, swing, ska, rockabilly - whatever. Any genre that is insular and identified by mode of dress is under constant threat of immediate extinction the moment a KROQ assclown gets a whiff of the scent or Rolling Stone features the "scene," or Pitchfork gives the most recognizable band in the genre one of their ridiculous dewey decimal ratings. So anyway, if you were in, here's a double live album. I didn't open this one. ---Leeds NR/11 top

REEL BIG FISH "We're Not Happy 'Til You're Happy" - Mojo/Jive Records [May 2005]
Can it really be 14 years already? RBF were one of the outfits that popularized the new ska revival, building a fan base through relentless touring and a good times party vibe. Their shows are frenzied affairs with lots of clean looking sorority girls singing along to every word, so that can't be too bad, I guess. RBF have evolved over the years into something more than a ska party band, but what exactly they are is hard to nail down. On the new effort, they cover Morrissey, Social Distortion, and Tracey Chapman. This belies their true sound which is a sort of eternal riding of the waves of popular radio. They look a little ragtag now, a bit rough on the edges, no cohesion in onstage dress or vibe, which is the sure sign a band has been around a long time. This album's emotional center comes from a few songs that bemoan the shitty music biz as well as the seeming futility of being in a band at all. Their choice of covers also tells the tale that although they love their loyal fans they probably wish they were free to escape the ska revival genre. And escape they mostly do, which is a good and a bad thing. Ska is dead these days, and if RBF had really committed themselves to making a definitive album of revivalism, it could have triggered another mini revolution. These songs are fun, these shows are a good time, and everyone dances and gets along. RBF could do more, but they prefer to keep it barely above the frat-party beer bong level. This record is not filled with exuberance but rather with tiredness. Every job gets boring I guess. --- Leeds 5/11 top

FIONN REGAN" - "The End of History" - Lost Highway [Aug 07] Mr Regan is part of the rising (and risible) wave of singer-songwriters who harken back to the unadorned sincere balladry of Nick Drake. Problem is, no one can seem to recapture Drake's honesty and lyricism, and those who try come off sounding saccharine and fake. This collection is spidery acoustic guitar and vocals, occasional basic percussion, sounding like it could have been recorded live to tape, in a coffeshop, near a mall. This music is baffling to me: heart on sleeve acoustic songs in 2007 is anachronistic. To make it worse, Regan's sounds like he's trying to make a song in the style of someone else. "Hunter's Map" has the extra percussion and is Regan's best vocal, but when he bends his notes up you can't help compare it to Ryan Adams. The very next song, "Hey Rabbit," is little more than an open-mic night song, with a nifty hummed section 2/3 the way through, but Regan pitches his voice raw and rough and it begins to sound self-indulgent like a bad Bright Eyes tune (and that's saying something). I admit that I really disliked this record on the first listen but now that I am relistening to it for the review, it sounds a lot better. I divide this album into equal halves: one is the prettier, more melodic songs that approach Iron & Wine, and the other is the irritating faux-folky coffeehouse tunes. The acoustic guitar and raw voice along songs just don't work for me because Regan's voice is not colorful enough to make you feel like you're listening to something contemporary and it strikes this reviewer as calculated and inauthentic. I would understand this album more if I learned that Regan was the sideman in somebody else's band and this was his first batch of solo material. It's hard to reconcile how he can sing in Chris Martin imitation on "Noah" and then sound like he's never had a singing lesson on "Put A Penny In The Slot." So which is it? Is this guy a modern troubadour, a wandering balladeer, or does he want to be mistaken for some indie darling whose music is too precious to pollute with an actual band? If I liked this style of music perhaps it wouldn't grate so much or if I felt like he wasn't a total poseur. --- Prof. Lionel P. Mutton 5/11 top

RELEASE THE BATS - "The Birthday Party As Heard Through The Meat Grinder of 3-1-G" - 31G Records [June 2006]
For those of you raised in an isolation chamber without access to music, The Birthday Party was the seminal Australian band featuring a very young Nick Cave on vocals. They completely shook up the music scene of the time with their crazed discordant sound, wildly dark vocals, and primitive beats. No one' s ever come close to duplicating their sound since then...except for maybe now? This 18 track compilation of Birthday Party classics comes to you from the sweetly deranged minds at Three One G Records, who also recently put out a Queen tribute comp featuring a diverse array of artists including The Locust, GoGo Airheart, and the Blood Brothers. T.B.P.'s sound was so unusual, raw, and groundbreaking, that it lends itself pretty well as an inspirational source for the wide array of bands featured here, including Cattle Decapitation, Year Future, Ex Models, Melt Banana, Chinese Stars, and others, some of whom probably wouldn't even exist today if it weren't for Mr. Cave and Company's innovation of sound. While nobody but Nick Cave sounds like Nick Cave, many of the interpretations are pretty faithful recreations of at least the spirit of the original songs, as is the case with The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower" version of "Pleasure Heads Must Burn". Cattle Decapitation kicks it up a notch with "Sonny's Burning". SSION's version of Nick The Stripper was pretty unusual, with its electronic gobbledygook and disco basslines. Of course the bands probably all fought over who got to cover The Birthday Party's best known song "Release The Bats", but the honor went to Some Girls, who gave a pretty decent though overly blown out rendition of the time honored classic. The variety and diversity of the covers are too much to detail further here, but if you're old enough to have appreciated the Birthday Party when they first broke out in the early80's, or were musically open minded enough to appreciate them the first time you heard them, then this compilation's definitely worth checking out. Comps are always hard to rate, but I'll give this a 7 on a scale of 1-11. ---The Swede. top

RESCUE Volume Plus Volume - Dead Droid Records
What the world needs now is another punk pop band to Rescue it from the bubble gum punk explosion of the Mickey Mouse Club all over MTV and the radio airwaves. Everything on the website is old, and the label, cleverly named Dead Droid Records, hasn't got anything but a merchandise page up. So I couldn't find much about Rescue or what appears to be their second effort, Volume Plus Volume, for our loyal CB readers, I apologise. But I can tell you this: the lyrics are pretty damn good. There's less whining about ex-girlfriends and more introspection than I expected from a sophomore record. I found myself listening to what the songs had to say instead of merely listening for something that caught my ear. There's a piano in there somewhere that needs to make many more appearances in the next album. It lends a quality of seriousness to the music that helps enormously. These guys are treading water in the clash between punk and emo and doing an okay job at it. I look forward to their next few albums, they'll grow into the ideas on their album quite well as long as Michael Eisner doesn't get them first. -- Angel Dylan top

THE RETAIL SECTORS s/t - Far Eastern Antinomy [April 2005]
The Retail Sectors are a Japanese giant monster of instrumental headspace music. Think Explosions In The Sky with a lighter punch. Some songs, like Track 3 (no song titles appear), have a glitch-pop assemblage, something that usually happens in laptop rock. I'd venture to guess that TRS are computer-savvy musicians who build albums on their Macs, like The Album Leaf or Broken Spindles. And like those bands, TRS deliver a minimalist electronic chill with frequent diversions into more pop sounds. Track 4 starts with digital drums and builds into a crescendo of distortion, Mogwai would be proud. Their longish songs (all are over 5 minutes and 5 are over 7 minutes) work as mini epics all by themselves, each song building and cresting, then crashing down like a tsunami. Some songs skid into a less measured sound, ending up rushed and fragmentary, almost juvenile (song 6 and 10). Most of the time, TRS use their spidery guitars to create ethereal works of delicate beauty. --- 7/11 Leedstop

THE RETURNABLES - s/t - Dirtnap Records [May 2006]
This Returnables CD is a shame to listen to. I say it's a shame since it's the last one you'll ever hear and it's damn good listening. The death of singer Bobby James Lee Ray AKA John Glick has put an untimely end to an band that was likely to produce some more great pop punk stylings. The influence of legendary bands like the Undertones, Buzzcocks, and early Replacements are evident here and the material's good, solid, and likable. The songs are pretty straightforward rockers with an inherent catchiness and simplicity that's hard to argue with. The studio stuff's tightly done and will win new fans from first time listeners like myself. The last three live tracks give you an idea of the sort of fun live performances you won't be able to see no more, despite being definitely a bit rough in quality and definitely more for previous fans. Damn shame I never knew about them sooner, but still better late than never. 7 on a scale of 1-11. The Swedetop

REVENGE & DJ SHITBIRD (split) 'Welcome To The Party' - Narnack Records
How do those noise experimentalists at Narnack throw a party? With lots of amphetamine-fueled beats and a suitcase full of lo-fi instruments played with as little attention to musicality as possible. Revenge are an ensemble from the artsy-fartsy districts of San Francisco, where all night loft parties and theme bands with antique instruments prevail. The theme of Revenge is white noise. These minute-plus songs don't ask you to shake your booty. They invite you to oblivion through whatever means are handy: keg of beer, line of drugs, frayed electrical wires. It recalls early Pussy Galore, when none of the band members cared much about sound quality or even practicing. Revenge sound like they don't regularly play together, or at least the improvisational noise vibe lends itself to a loose feel. And the fact that this sounds live to two-track bolsters that image. Of the 11 Revenge songs, they don't get interesting until track 8, "The Gist." "Fresh Tenant" has an aggro art school beeping organ and chugging bass lines that suggest a coiled serpent ready to strike somewhere in Revenge's belly. Sadly, they waited too long to let it out. Somewhere in all this are members of Numbers and Coach Whips, but I don't hear their influence in the music, it's just something to be noted. DJ Shitbird picks up the remainder of this disc, contributing 5 tracks. She/they are part of a musical underground that runs more towards experimentation than songwriting, so know this is their angle before dipping your toe in. Deeply into the no-wave self consciously basic style, DJ Shitbird play like a live band at a hipster party, where less is more. It's in the realm of "eye of the beholder" because objectively it ain't much to listen to. The first song, "Pockets Full Of Party," makes it difficult to take them seriously. Is she singing through a pair of headphones? That's part of the aesthetic, extremely shitty sound. And the "music" is what you get with 10 minutes at an old Casio keyboard. The fact that DJ Shitbird can't even maintain her own joke doesn't help: she laughs at the end of a repetitive chorus when she's trying to evoke a hiphop hipster vibe. It's all a party favor, or a party joke. I'll bet it was a lot of fun having a musical happening like this where unexpected people played "music" seemingly spontaneously, but the recorded results just don't equal a good time. It's spectacle over tuneful music. This is the audio equivalent of having Polaroids of a drunken night out with friends. Both Revenge and DJ Shitbird seem like one-off in-jokes. But I just don't get it. --- Paul Leeds 3/11top

THE REVISIONS - "Revised Observations" - Dirtnap Records [Oct 07]
Having a hard time placing this puppy in a good home. "Revised Observations" is a nice breed, hardworking, sincere, but sometimes I think it's going to turn into a real rocker - and it doesn't, and other times I think it's going to bring a 60s garage sound to the front - and it doesn't. The songs are fairly brisk, the guitar strumming comes through really loud since it's on acoustic, and the drums are thin, so the sound cone is pretty tight and lo-fi. The singer reminds me of the 60s neo-psych band The Misunderstood. "Walk Alone" is the best track, with a nifty piano counter melody. I don't know if using acoustic guitar in a fast rock way was the best idea; why not just plug in sometime? Overall, a bit rough, kind of sounds like demos, can't quite find the vibe they're going for, but it's pleasant enough. --- Leeds 6/11 top

REX AQUARIUM "Privacy" - Sea Level Records
Two brothers, Charlie and Chris Wadhams, make up the core of Los Angeles' Rex Aquarium. They interned in bands The Break, Kennedy, The Unknowns, none of which I know, but I don't get out much. Now the brothers Wadham are taking the reigns. "Privacy" is pop music with an ear for Nick Lowe hooks and Tom Petty stories about the mystery of girls. Clean guitars and workmanlike musicianship are the stage for Charlie Wadham's girlie obsessions. Musically laidback and cousin to an earlier time of songwriting, Rex Aquarium churn out singer-songwriter tunes with momentary greatness, like on "Other Side Of the Street," and "Dance." Charlie unchains his voice and sounds eerily like Joe Jackson and the band keeps up. Often the band kinda fades into the background and there's not enough going on in the forefront to push the songs. The band ably accompanies his manias with Attractions-like playing. For a new band they sound like they should have a circa 1983 stamp on them. Decent songs, not much that really leaps out at you. It's good playing but maybe not very inspired. Very organic feel to the songs like they were done mainly live and not studio processed. The press sheet drops Pixies, Sonic Youth, Talking Heads, INXS and more, but I hear none of that. I would phrase it as pop craftmanship that reflects a worn collection of Joe Jackson and Nick Lowe albums. --- Leeds 6/11 top

GARY REYNOLDS & THE BRIDES OF OBSCURITY "Instant Happiness" - Electrokitty Records [Jan 2006]
Gary Reynolds and his band make melodic rock songs that fearlessly try to capture some of the magic and grandeur of The Beatles and even ELO. On the title track Reynolds layers in a string section that would not be out of place on "Let It Be." But Reynolds' true ambition is to synthesize the big radio oriented rock that dominated in the 70s before style totally trumped substance, before punk and new wave shredded the idea of "proper" music and the notion that someone could use backup singers and orchestras and still have something to say. On the negative side, Reynolds' music does follow the dangerous path of the aforesaid music, and excess sometimes leads to bloated songs and bar band results. The sense I get of this artist is that he's completely soaked his brain in all of McCartney's solo works and is motivated to try whatever comes to mind, much like Macca himself, and likely with as mixed results. "The Food Song" is one such interior song with pulsing cellos and an end of the decade feel, and an indulgence that indicates a lot of studio time. This is for an older crowd, like the over 40 set, the music hearkens to an era that is simply before most young hipsters' day. --- Leeds 5/11 top

RHINO BUCKET - "And Then It Got Ugly" - Acetate Records [Feb 07]
Rhino Bucket plays guitar driven rock numbers that sound EXACTLY like Bon Scott era AC-DC, partly because of the whiny sneering vocals and definitely because of the crunchy power chords and Angus leads. "And Then It Got Ugly" sounds like a rediscovered master tape of unreleased tracks from "High Voltage" or "Powerage". Personally those are among my favorite records of all time and I'm a huge fan of classic DC, so I don't know what to say about this other than to continue drawing comparisons to those legendary rockers. It's a little mystifying why Rhino Bucket never even strays slightly from their sound however. These guys are awesome musicians and obviously devoted fellow fans, but their songs are all so locked onto one sound that they might as well have a cover band name like "The Bon Scotts" or "The Young Brothers" and just be up front about it, because at the end of the day this project amounts to an especially good tribute band. If AC-DC had never existed, this record would be a 10, but since it's been done, they get a 7, which is the highest score I could ever give to a tribute band. The Swede top

THE RIFLES - 3 song demo - courtesy of InkTank PR [Nov 2005]
This London band might be the next big thing - at least on that side of the Atlantic. The Rifles boast a catchy, uptempo Mod take on the classic British rock sound. Think of The Jam's "Saturday's Kids" and The Ordinary Boys' "Week In Week Out" and you've got the gist of it. They could become heroes in their hometown but sometimes it's a tough sell for American radio, these bands that sound "too English," just like The Jam and Billy Bragg before them. These first three singles, "Peace & Quiet", "When I'm Alone," and "Local Boy" all show a blazing talent for piercing guitars and hooky choruses. This is in the great tradition of three minute, shouting chorus hook laden rock. Look for this band in 2006. ---Leeds 8/11 top

RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS "To The Confusion Of Our Enemies" - Volcom [June 2006]
Just like the real riverboat gamblers in our nation's chequered past, these Texas punks are gutsy, confident, and lay it all on the table. What is an album besides a big gamble that a collection of songs will break the house, and RG have chips stacked on all the right squares. This is the best kind of punk rock around these days. The guitars never slow down and the choruses pack a wallop. The DNA of this band probably touches all the mosh-pit favorites but avoids trying to bite someone else's scene in some sub-category (like Irish/Boston punk, gutter punk, street/Rancid punk, nu-skool punk ad nauseum). Despite the Texas drivers licenses there is nothing that would ID them as sharing the air of rodeos and dually trucks. This sound is fast and thick and bridges the wastelands between cities. This is no dusty cowpoke punk. Now's where I throw out a comparison that will upset everyone, but imagine Throw Rag forging an alliance with Dillinger Four. On this, their 4th album, they sound at their best, totally in control of an uncontrollable sound, too good for the Warped Tour and too punk for the radio. --- Leeds 8/11 top

RIVER CITY HIGH - "Not Enough Saturday Nights" - Takeover Records [Dec 06]
Not Enough Saturday Nights opens with a live crowd roaring its approval when singer James Menefee cries out "Are you ready?" At first glance, Virginia's River City High seems like no more than a poppy Lynyrd Skynyrd retread, but it's actually worse, they are a cover band that thinks they can write original music. "Amy," which is supposedly one of the better songs, sports lyrics like "Amy, I need you around/ 'Cause I can't keep from falling down." Deeper into the album, the sound of these southern rockers reveals they have more in common with Jimmy Eat World and Yellowcard than Skynyrd. In his best moments, Menefee's sound echoes Social D's Mike Ness. I can't fault these guys - they belt it out with passion, and I'm sure they're ready to fight you in the parking lot after the show to prove it. "Pass that Riff," a tune about jamming with the band, is a throw away four tracks in, but it's actually pretty catchy and with it's "hey man!" chorus, is ready-made for a Bud commercial. Maybe that's the essence of RCH, if you're not looking for anything deeper than frat rock, RCH is the bar band to take you to new heights of smoking and drinking; ready to rock you through your young manhood on a beefy wave of testosterone. And they have cowbell to spare. ---Nate Fitz 6/11 top

ROBBERS ON HIGH STREET - "Grand Animals" - Scratchie Records [Sept 07]
How is this band not English? ROHS have that elegantly wasted swing to their music, that British equipoise you've grown fond of from people like Jarvis Cocker and Ian McCulloch. Yet they're a band from New York. New album finds ROHS paring back their sound to all traditional rock sounds, with production being spread out and inviting. The singer has an even stronger command of his lazy sleaze delivery, being sumptious and soulful and decadent. "Kick 'Em In The Shins" combines a very modern minimalist approach with a 70s soul rock / Stones melody. Recommended. ---Leeds 8/11 top

ROBBERS ON HIGHSTREET - "The Fatalist and Friends EP" - Scratchie Records [Dec 06]
I thought ROH was going to get popular real fast last time, based on their "Fine Lines" EP, and it doesn't look like that happened. This new EP has them sounding even more like a snappier version of Spoon and even throws in a Paul McCartney cover ("Monkberry Moon Delight.") On early Spoon records, it seemed like they never stopped being rhythmic long enough to just rock all the way through a song, which ROH manages to do. They really have pretty much everything a band needs these days: great voice on the singer, great blend of sounding cool without sounding genre (i.e., they aren't flavor of the month by doing some trendy sound or look), and the band itself is top notch. I don't know what's planned for an LP, but bring it on already. --- Leeds 8/11. top

SAM ROBERTS "Chemical City" - Universal Music [June 2006]
Sam Roberts is some tripped out space brother sent forward in time to bring sumptuous psychedelic pop music to this desolate era. Going just by the Myst on LSD artwork, you can expect some headphone-friendly stereo tunes, and "Chemical City" lives up to the billing. It's hard to get a bead on where this music lies on the spectrum from oblique indie rock to full blown major label orchestral music. Roberts and his band are as tight and fanciful as ELO, but despite the gorgeous backing vocals and expert playing, they haven't given up their souls. That there is a retro glimmer in Roberts' eyes is a given. Whether this is part of the new 70s infatuation as sported by Wolfmother and others, remains to be seen, or if its simply where their feet touch the ground. For me, it's hard to listen to bands (sometimes) that parrot some long-gone style because most of them end up sounding as ridiculously inauthentic and overblown as Lenny Kravitz. There are some bands that seem to really get what was great about past genres and at least let that guide them, and so far I believe Roberts had got this going for him. There is an anti-Vietnam song that does make it feel a little out of time, but at least that particular draft-dodging song has big bones like a Tom Petty anthem on Americana. And when Roberts harmonizes, you hear echoes of the Kinks. So there it is: a lush, refulgent, 60s -leaning album ankle-deep in Tom Petty and The Kinks influences. The better songs ("Mind Flood") eschew the major label rock progressions and delve into more interesting space, but they are, in fact, on a major label, so this sound has probably been cleaned up and expanded a little more than was necessary. Still, an interesting album. --- Leeds 7/11 top

ROCK AGAINST BUSH VOL II - Fat Wreck Chords
It is getting close to the election and the world is scared shitless. Debates are on next week and everyone is waiting with baited breath wondering if that fucking jackass is going to get re-elected. Well, Fat Mike and the partisans at Fat Wreck Chords have assembled an army of musicians to help fight this evil menace. RAB2 includes videos by NOFX, Flogging Molly, Alkaline Trio, political short films (6), and comedy from Will Ferrell and others. The mighty lineup features Sugarcult, The Lawrence Arms, Green Day, Bad Religion, Operation Ivy, Foo Fighters (covering Angry Samoans), Hot Water Music, oldies from Jawbreaker, Rancid, and No Use For A Name, as well as 18 others. Because they are all lined up here to fight Bush's re-election, I think all these bands are genius and you should buy their entire catalogue. Nothing is more important right now than dumping Bush. Thank God these bands are trying to interest you lazy fucking apathetic 18 year olds out there in voting. Vote, it might help. This comp is a noble cause, it's almost heroic. It's priced below a bag of peanuts, so go out and get it, watch the political pieces, then get your friends registered to vote...then vote AGAINST BUSH. --- (if Bush wins = 6/11, if Bush loses=11/11) Leeds [PS: Bush lost, so this comp sucks.] top

ROCK AGAINST BUSH VOL. 1 - Fat Wreck Chords
26 tracks by some bands who are finally trying to put some punk back into punk rock. Where has the punk fury gone, you might ask? It's gone into marketing stupid clothing lines (Atticus, Level 26, Famous, you name it) and getting your ugly mug on MTV. Well, Fat Mike has had just about enough of that shit and he's really had enough of el Presidente, so he's issued a call to arms: use punk rock for political change. Now it's not just Propaghandi and Anti-Flag out there in the wilderness. On this double disc set you get one disc of rock and one DVD with music videos, excerpts from documentaries, trailers and more. The rock side includes great unreleased tracks from Alkaline Trio, None More Black, Anti-Flag, Against Me!, Descendents, Ministry and more. One really bizarre collaboration between Less Than Jake and English folk-punk Billy Bragg closes the disc. Other bands donated previously issued tracks, including Social Distortion, Denali, Jello Biafra with DOA, and Pennywise. The money raised from this is going straight to action groups dedicated to regime change here at home. Even if you're like me and a fan of only 6 of the 26 bands, for $5 you're still getting your money's worth. Remember, democracy isn't in voting, it's in counting the votes. Think of this as a fundraiser. --- Paul Leeds 7/11 top

THE ROCKET SUMMER - "The Early Years EP" - The Militia Group [Dec 06]
.The name alone suggests fun, evoking youthful memories of wandering adventures that trailed on endlessly until Mom finally called you home. And while Rocket Summer isn't great, Bryce Avary's infectious pop has already gained legions of fans in Japan. Maybe that's because they can't understand predictable lyrics like, "When I feel your gentle smile I see you with another g