UNRELEASED 2 - Deep Elm Records 10 songs from 10 bands you never heard of. (That's the point of compilations.) This boasts standout cuts from Walt Mink, David Singer, Race Car Riot, and The Appleseed Cast among others. Although known for emo, this Deep Elm comp neatly eschews the traditional emo sound. Walt Mink sounds more like he's into Pleasure Club than Promise Ring, and Chicago tunesmith David Singer's "A Mercenary Love Song" is nearly worth the price alone. Singer is a return to the indie music that existed before indie meant having to blast everything through an amp speaker that had been carved up with a fork. Singer's music has a world-weary quality to it, like he's traveled around the world and come back to put his meditations down to hook laden melodies, not to beat you over the head with his emotions. Race Car Riot are in the Hot Water Music school of hardcore and this track, "Discontinued" is snarled out with white knuckle intensity. Even the Benton Falls song, "Occupied For Now," is one of their better tunes. The singer's voice reminds me of the nearly unique singing style of Roland Orzabal. Yeah, that Roland Orzabal. But in the context of punk rock it becomes a welcome contrast to the many other varieties of singer out there. Benton Falls sound here not unlike Toad The Wet Sprocket in their guitar plucking arpeggios and shuffling beats. It's good to hear a band really change styles when they make a song not in their typical fashion. The Appleseed Cast song is another brilliant storm cloud of sound. You already know how much I dig Appleseed Cast, so suffice it to say that this song, "The Spider Wall," is a keeper. I don't know why they aren't huge right now. Also on here are Slowride from Texas, The White Octave, Cross My Heart, Drive Til Morning, and Camber. It's a solid collection and you know that if you buy this, at least one of these songs will make you pickup the band's LP itself. --- Paul Leeds 8/11top

URINAL PUCK MINISTRIES "Twisted Tales From The Fallopian Tube"
To call these 14 tracks idiotic is an understatement. With tunes titled Bow To The Ministry, Slave To The Puck, Personal Meat, Dismembered Member, Clambake Spitshine and the absurd Poop I'm certainly not out of line with that assesment. Their website bio compares their sound to The Mentors, S.O.D and Green Jelly, although UPM are nowhere near as good or as funny as those bands the comparisons are fair one's.The insipid selections contained within are offensive and ridiculous which the band would probably have no problem agreeing with since they seem to play hard, have fun and don't take themselves too seriously which makes their music somewhat tolerable, however a whole CD of their dirty cranked out assault is far too much to handle. If they released a vinyl 45 featuring the tracks Mary Boy, Dismembered Member and the obligatory addition of the novelty selection Poop they might be able to crack into something good. Urinal Puck Industries are not without some major positives...Their website features a FANS PICS page that is loaded with photos of young, hot, nude chicks flashing tities and beav shots. There's nearly 100's of pics featuring the future of Amatuer Hour Porn's finest candidates. But BEWARE! As you salaciously scan the wall of flesh you'll go limp-dick in a hurry with the addition of a horrific pic of a 400 pound nude guy nestled in the middle of all the action. --- Craig Goossen 2/11top

U.S. BOMBS - "We Are The Problem" - Sailor's Grave Records [May 2006]
Duane Peters and his crew are back again and are doing their old school punk rock as well as ever on this 15 track release. Peters' vocals are as gritty as ever and the overall sound of this as good if not better than any previous releases. Most of the reliable elements are there of course, from the sing song old school chants to the crunching guitars, single note leads, insistently throbbing basslines, and pounding drums, but this offering shows some inspired diversity of sound that's for the most part welcome. I've been perhaps unreasonably tough on past stuff but found myself warming up to this one pretty well for some reason. Whether you love or hate Duane Peters vocal style, the man commands healthy respect and is the real deal, and any true fan of old school punk is sure to dig this. There's a couple oddities here, including "Heartbreak Motel" that's a 50's style romp that recalls the same tongue in cheek fun evident on the Johnny Thunders classic "Great Big Kiss". "Kool Like You" is a more 80's flavored tune with another one of the band members taking over lead vocals. "Guns of the West" convincingly duplicates early Clash arrangements and lights a candle of respect to the ghost of Joe Strummer. A track called "Tonight" is a surprisingly soft sounding experiment with banjolin and clean guitars but not as successful as their other walks off the beaten path. The last track "Cheers" is just good clean fun and probably a great set ender live. The Bombs seem to get better the longer they plug away and this release shows a little more variety of sound and sophistication than what's gone before. 7 on a scale of 1-11. The Swede top

U.S. BOMBS Put Strength In The Final Blow - Disaster Records
If you're a fan of old school punk rock then you'll probably enjoy this record. There certainly won't be anything that offends or deviates from the time-honored formulas. It's good overall but I couldn't get too into it for some reason, possibly because I felt like I'd heard all the songs before and wasn't struck by any original ideas. The tracks are all pretty good specimens of traditional punk, not insanely fast and more melodic than a lot of the other roots based stuff, but as far as the sound I could have done with more guitars and less singing. Duane Peters' "mouth full of rocks" style can rub you either way, and in this case I think I got eardrum rashes. It's definitely loose, full of fuck off attitude, and does convey the feeling that the guy's been through the wringer a few times. This lends it punk rock credibility but is hard to get past if it bugs you, especially since it stays pretty prominent throughout this release (the tracks on this were all remixed from previous versions). D.I.Y. is a credo of punk rock mentality, but sometimes it pays to bring in outside help with technical stuff like engineering and mixing. On first listen I kept thinking that the songs could have been aided by a better tweaking of levels, many times certain layers sounded too thin or too low, separated from the rest. That's not to say that the execution of parts is really lacking. The instrumental intro track is solid and recalls similar moves of some of the classic English punk, like the Adicts, 999, or Buzzcocks. Also included is a cover of the Saints version of "Demolition Girl" which is a nice nod but works better as homage than an improvement or new spin on an old classic. Almost all of the songs have hollering background chants and smoking old school guitar leads. The U.S. Bombs make no apologies for sticking to the classic punk rock sound and are waving their flag enthusiastically but for some reason the need for it is puzzling when you could just go out and buy the records of the bands whose memory they honor. Still, it's easy to see how kids in that weren't around for the first wave of punk might get excited over this sample of bona fide American punk rock. They are definitely the real deal and don't give a shit about pleasing the masses or breaking any new ground. --- The Swede. 6/11top

USED ALIEN MIND "Positive Mental Theme" - Zonked Records
Imagine having some really crazy hallucinogenic weekend with a space entity. You'd need some quality music, wouldn't you, and Used Alien Mind's "Positive Mental Theme" is the prescription. Throughout the 15 songs, UAM's Mike Leporte takes the listener into dark corners, sunlit playrooms, and interstellar journeys. Blanketing the songs in a 60s fuzz guitar and laying in programmed drums that emulate the droning momentum of Spiritualized, UAM aim for the third eye. This is music for headtripping. "Postcards From Outerspace" describes perfectly what you're hearing: look out your starboard window, that's the rings of Orion! The songs range from head-throbbing white noise washed in LSD to pale-skinned rock with acoustic guitars. UAM are fellow travellers with Brian Jonestown Massacre, Spiritualized, a little Julian Cope and some of Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd. I'd bet that Leporte is also a fan of some of the more out there krautrock, and like them, UAM are pushing into the consciousness projected into space. Like BJM, Used Alien Mind cloister the vocals so that Leporte is able to become a hushed, whispered performer sitting back from the musical din. Some tracks never shake the dope out, such as "Blue Shades To Midnight" which plays like a drug feedback loop leaving one wondering when they will ever come down. There is a great deal of variation within this particular space rock theme, each time creating a different kind of mental puzzle for the listener. Sometimes you are drawn in and must pay close attention to the layers, "Pay Attention," and other times you can withdraw and be rocked, "The Dirtbombs." Special props to UAM for being written, played, and produced all by one guy. To complete his vision, he probably needs a full band behind him. Impressive nonetheless. --- Leeds 8/11top

USELESS I.D. "Redemption" - Kung Fu Records [June 2005]
"Dude, let me borrow your fake I.D." "No man, it's useless." Is that the genesis of the name? Sounds like: bubblegum punk. Sometimes rises above genre and that's prolly because Descendent Bill Stevenson produced the record and the boys were eager to pay respek to the band that virtually created the sound. What sets them apart: they're from Israel. No, really. Which means they're fucked because you can't get buried in a Jewish cemetary with tattoos and these guys have spent years of their allowance on ink. High tide: "Kiss Me: Kill Me." The laid back "woah-oh" that backs up the chorus was surely a suggestion of Stevenson's but it makes this bouncy little piece of bubblegum punk shine. The also get marks for shouting out for animal rights. Low Tide: "Suffer For The Fame." Didn't this type of Fat Mike imitation singing die out like ten years ago? Adding shouted backing vox just makes things WORSE. Who is this singing, the goddamn roadie? Or the song "Drinkage" which imitates the "fish 'n' chips guvna" Oi of Living End and has a drum solo. Result: U-ID don't reinvent the wheel, they mostly just play bubblegum singalong pop. Result: it might light up those summer nights before you have to head back to high school. --- Vermin 6/11top

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THE VACATION "The Vacation" - American Recordings [April 2006]
This band has raw energy to burn and they would like to share a little bit with you as the relentless pounding of drums, wailing of guitars and insistence of Ben Tegel's vocals demand that you get off your ass and come to a show. This is where the real Vacation experience lies, as I am told Tegel's cartwheeling, gesticulating, bouncing off the walls performance is not to be believed. Songs on this disc combine the fashionably forward rock sensibilities of Jet with the glam rock sensibilities of T. Rex or David Bowie (circa Ziggy Stardust). My favorite song is "Destitute Prostitutes," with its imaginative look at these underappreciated members of our society. "We walk the streets and boulevards / We're the track marks on cities' arms." Classic. Another good one is the opening song, "White Noise," with its contagious syncopation and words that call out the technological evils of television for being so damn distracting. Although, this seems to be kind of a "takes one to know one" situation, since the distraction level will most certainly be through the roof the moment this foursome's hyper-magnetic rock and roll hits your eardrums. ---8/11 Melissa Treolo top

THE VACATION "The Band From World War Zero" [Oct 2005]
Based in Hollywood and vets of more than a few of the city's reputable live music haunts. The Vacation have garnered attention with frequent gigging, some THUMB'S UP from celeb peers (Australian rock band, Jet are fans) and a dirty rock sound that's always welcome in any musical landscape. Nothing fancy from these guys, just a tight sound, loud guitars and smart, snotty singin'. The perfect recipe for a band buzzin' hard in the UK and primed for a smooth hangover here in the US of A. Don't be alarmed if you hear them on the radio as you're working on your own buzz/hangover...It's not a bad companion piece to such a venture. ---Craig Goossen 8/11top

THE VACATION "They Were The Sons" EP - Fierce Panda Records
Jet's singer tapped Hollywood's own The Vacation as his "favourite new band." The UK music press tired itself out giving Jet such a furious tongue bath, so this is indeed major props. However, Jet themselves don't do anything amazing and are kind of a bunch of derivative tossers. Don't mention their ballads. I'll say this, right away, The Vacation are better than Jet. The Vacation are clearly positioning themselves to be the American Jet. I peg their sound as a hybrid of catchy garage pop (The Kinks), dirty-sweet guitar chops (James Honeyman-Scott -era Pretenders), and irreverent indie rock (Supergrass). Do these 4 songs merit your attention, and your 6 bucks? The first and best song, "White Noise" peels out of the garage in a 70s muscle car - without opening the door. They know crowds are going to jump up to scream "white noise!" along with them on the chorus. It's a song designed by scientists, there's no denying its formula. It is built to rock, and you will be rocked. This EP stakes out a lot of terrain. Their sound is on the knife's edge, 70s cliche rock on one side, exciting indie/garage on the other. If they play it right, they could become an American powerhouse. "Liquid Lunch" has great moving guitars throughout the song but also features the singer doing some cheesy "yeahs" just like Jet. Ambivalence. I end up liking it and feeling suspicious at the same time. It sounds a little calculated. I'm not familiar with their former band, The Sons, but if you are then you can tell if this is honest or a money shot for the big record deal. As long as they keep it close to the ground I see big things in their future. Their music is energetic and designed to get the people in the back row off their asses and jumping. It's exciting and catchy. I hope they stick to this mode, build their base from the grassroots, instead of instant fame and flameout. I know Swede and Bucket would hate this because it's too clean and not legitimate garage rock, but I like it. RIYL: The Von Bondies, White Light Motorcade, Jet. See them at Spaceland in February. --- Paul Leeds 7/11top

ELIZABETH ANKA VAJAGIC Nostalgia/Pain EP - Constellation Records [July 2005]
Nostalgia and pain are the anode and cathode between which the power of EA Vajagic's blood-red smoky voice flows. As an after-dinner mint, the slight song Beneath Quiet Mornings is tacked on, but at 3 and a half minutes it is nothing to the epic lengths of the others. In the dark forest of the 17 minute dirge Nostalgia, Vajagic fluctuates between throaty howled vowels and whispered flutey nothings. Despite the highs and lows this is not an operatic four octave voice, but rather, a sinister and dramatic chiaroscura of extremes. Vajagic howls about (I presume) an ex lover, "... I don't hate you anymore" she sings in an unconvincing, rabbit-boiling rage. She sounds like she's already carved up the lucky ex-lover and is trying to find enough garbage bags to dispose of the remains. Her dramatic voice could be akin to the self-conscious register of Nina Hagen or the more theatrical Diamanda Galas. The last 4 minutes of Nostalgia appear accidental, the vocals have stopped and the thin skittering timpani clinks and doinks sound like the tape was left running unattended. On to the Pain song, and if Vajagic's sense of nostalgia has you hoping they've got her in a straitjacket, then Pain will only cause more nervousness. Delivered in the same funerary style with minimal accompaniment, Pain features tea kettle notes and lover nibbling on your earlobe notes of intimacy. The band kicks in to some Re / Silver Mt. Zion guitar flexing and tribal drumming. Vajagic howls like she is ripping someone's heart out, or, alternately, that it is her heart being literally jerked from her ribcage. This EP is more agonized than cathartic. The act of catharsis signals release or venting, not wallowing belly-first in torment. There is no doubt a compelling story to go with these songs but the music is too overbearing for repeated listens, and although contextually it might prove interesting in the same way a suicide note might be interesting, it is too taxing and too demanding sonically for repeated listens. ---Leeds 5/11top

STUART VALENTINE "Melody's True" - Valentine Music L.L.C. [Jan 2006]
This dreamy collection of wistful songs is a nice easy listen. At times sentimental and melancholy but never really to the point of embarrassment, there's a lazy but accommodating feel that runs through it as if it was something you'd hear at a coffee shop, in a friend's living room, or around a campfire. This here Swede usually prefers much harder edged music but this album has a surprising likeability that's difficult to define. It's sneaks past most musical prejudices and machismo deftly like some of the more mellow Elliot Smith material, although frankly the fragile sweetness of several songs has a more universally feminine appeal, and those that are turned off by audio "prettiness" should steer clear. The songs are firmly based in an organic acoustic sound, usually carried along on a light handed shuffling beat and occasionally layered with ambient organs or light background percussion. Nothing too fancy or overproduced, which can definitely be a relief of sorts these days and also probably means the songs translate seamlessly when/if performed live. Produced by Brian Coates of Dandy Warhols fame, the majority of tracks were all recorded by Mr. Valentine and the musicianship is able and appealing with a comforting consistency throughout. The overall softness of the material might be a turn off to some listeners but there's a time and a place for everything, and this is decidedly decent music to relax or unwind to. I probably wouldn't openly admit my admiration around most of my friends, but at the end of the day I'd secretly confess that this is a good solid album with an easygoing appeal. 7 out of 11. -- The Swede top

VALIENT THORR "Total Universal Man" - Volcom [Oct 2005]
I love it when a record catches your ear in the first five seconds. Total Universal Man begins with a "Prologue" that sounds like a pre-war proclamation to rile the troops before a 14th century battle between good and evil. Completely ridiculous, yet I was listening, and interested to the raspy voice screaming about the future of the universe. The prologue leads into a mix of metal and hardcore with very straight-forward lyrics and the occassional vocal flare that is so prominent in the first track. The vocals are immediately the most interesting part of Valient Thorr. The band is solid and the guitarist(s) pull off some pretty ridiculous guitar solos, but the vocals are where the most style is. They sound like a mix of Danzig, Minor Threat, and The Darkness. The Danzig reference being a real throaty sort of growling shout (no singing, this guy doesn't sing so well), and the Minor Threat reference being a sort of goofiness with good melodies and mediocre singing. The Darkness reference is mostly just a tendency to shriek and overemphasize and all those good things people love about 80s metal. I do, however give the band quite a bit of credit for stepping in and out of various boundaries of genre with ease. One moment the band sounds like 80s metal, the next minute they sound like Minor Threat. Despite these jumps between genres, Valient Thorr always sounds sort of 80s to me. Is that good or bad? I dont know. ---Brad Amorosino 6/11 top

THE VALLEY ARENA "Take Comfort In Strangers" - Astro Magnetics [May 2005]
Guitars warring with each other across the speakers, raining dissonant blows down on your mind like a fight between Futureheads and Unwound, is the rhythmically tight, spastically angular band The Valley Arena. Notes are stretched across the tracks with the two players creating chords between them. Warren Woodward sings in a style familiar to and loved by fans of seriously bruised and battered music. Attaching "post-hardcore" to it will turn off those who aren't fans of hardcore, and likening their daring sound to Trail Of Dead or Jawbox might attract fans but takes away from their originality. They are all these things and more. "What We Can Steal" has a soft female chorus that undercuts the Gang Of Four guitars, a d?tente in the war of male and female. "Piano Wire" launches with a burst of staccato guitar noise sounding Jawbox flotsam, but then the band turn the burst into a chugging riff that reaches almost funky status - Andy Gill would be proud. TVA strike me as a band that have studiously devoted time to learning tricks from the masters while avoiding contact with the current music fads. "The Metal Of Your Teeth" is another slice of post-apocalypse perfection. If you like a little noise and angst with your chaotic indie rock, TVA are for you. --- Leeds 8/11top

THE VANDALS 'Hollywood Potato Chip' - Kung Fu Records
This is the best Vandals record in years. What really stands out is how many of the new songs are catchy and hooky, and the comedy is hidden beneath some great playing. The "familiar" Vandals sound is no longer familiar. On a couple tracks, the Vandals eschew their party-slacker persona in favor of offering some blistering music. "I Am Crushed" and "Don't Make Me Get My Fat, Lazy Ass Off This Couch" are two glimpses of what these vets can do when they aren't busy at the keg. Also surprising is "Don't Stop Me Now" which turns out to be a Queen cover. The Vandals supercharge this soaring hit from the 70s. Download the original to compare. Whoever sings this version ably knocks off the mustachioed master of gay arena rock. (Queen, not The Darkness). Further listening suggests that on this album, the V's decided to satire all of the popular "punk" genres. They start with an emo-core windup and traipse through Pennywise-esque macho surf punk, shout-along, blitzkrieg, and pop. The "Manimal" on here, however, is not a cover of the famous Germs song. Since their inception Vandals have always been pop stylists mocking punk as insiders. Their punk seems like a private club and members included Youth Brigade, Circle Jerks, Bad Religion and other stalwart giants of the infancy of So Cal punk. These days it still exists as outsider music, still mocks the thugs in the pit and the erstwhile gang members who use punk as a crutch for acting out violent fantasies. It's this twin identity as successful survivors of the music wars and bred-in-the-bone pranksters that makes their music accessible and aloof simultaneously. To me it's like looking through someone's yearbook. Who knows what punk is now, but punk back then as purveyed by Vandals, seems like a golden age. --- Vermin 8/11top

THE VANDALS Live At The House Of Blues - Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records has gotten clever and started releasing their live concert DVD series with a bonus audio CD. The visuals are important with The Vandals because there is always some sort of horsing around mayhem on stage and the audio portion would not tell the whole story. One thing these Huntington Beach punks have learned in their 20 year history is how to work a crowd. On this 22 song rocket through their modern catalog, The Vandals start with a pit-moving bang and rarely let up. They have become experts at putting hilarity and power chords together, you're laughing as you're elbowing the dude next to you in the face. The House Of Blues, Anaheim (sounds better than Disneyland) is a perfect venue for this sold out show for their OC fans. Disneyland and HOB both are simulacra of reality, carefully constructed but inherently skewed from reality, just like The Vandals. It's undeniable that these guys are smart (Joe is a lawyer and a black belt) and their music has always toyed with the genre formulae and attitudes, usually producing their funniest results. "Soccer Mom," "Pizza Tran," and "Appreciate My Honesty" are all good examples of The Vandals delivering the OC punk but singing about things that playfully mock the seriousness of "angry" punk. "I never cheat on her, I just want to pee on her... I'm always flattered, when my hotdog's getting battered..." (Caf? 405) are some typical weighty issues gleefully rocked by The Vandals. They write the best sexual innuendo and silly couplets in the business. The video portion of this set features a Josh Freeze-cam just so you can dig how great he is. The DVD is tight and done professionally and it gives you a good taste of the energy and fun of a live Vandals set with all of the sweat, broken toes, and furtive groping in the pit. --- Fang 8/11top

VCR demos unsigned
VCR is another promising bright bulb in the city of electric lights, Los Angeles. This co-ed emo band (4 men, 2 women - wait, 2 super cute women) has a knack for melodies and a love of harmony. It's the viola, keyboards and female singers that really add something extra to the already steady songs. You can compare them to Iron & Wine and Communique, or Ozma and That Dog, but whatever you mix 'n' match, you'll come up short. They're trying for their own sound and comparisons are meant only to whet your appetite. They're young, good-looking, and write catchy songs, what more can you ask? Their singer Darren sounds not entirely unlike Rivers, and their other singer Alisa soars over, under and around the melody with her clear embroidery. They're a new band still wobbling around on their foal's legs, but these first steps are looking good. See them January 31st at the Troubadour with AM Radio and get yourself one of these samplers, free. --- Paul Leeds 7/11top

VEDA "The Weight Of An Empty Room" - Second Nature [August 2005]
Kristen May is the engine behind Veda, a band that offers contemplative pop songs in the tradition of Natlies Imbruglia and Merchant. These gentle pop songs cover troubled emotional territory in sort of a code, describing feelings and impressions in a shifting, formless world that is an internal reflection approaching on solipsism. The lyrics to "Desire On Repeat" run: "I don't want to deny my heart its chance to feel, I don't want to deny my soul something real..." In summary, while these words drip with sentiment they convey little to the bystander. Is she talking about buying a cat? The musicians of Veda are a capable backing band with moments of pretty simplicity. Young music hopefully by very young people (read: high school) for other young people. May's voice is high and urgent, filled with adolescent naivete and purity. Veda is the soundtrack for young women writing in their diaries. ---Leeds 4/11top

VELVET ACID CHRIST "Between The Eyes Vol 4" - Metropolis Records (March 2005)
Why do I feel like it's 1986 and I'm standing in a dingy, dank, gothic Hollywood anti-club? These tunes would sound great on the imaginary clubs PA, sandwiched between Skinny Puppy and Sisters Of Mercy on the DJ's set. Obviously not for everyone, but it's tracks compiled and recorded between '94 - '95 are right up the goth, industrial, spooky rhythmic dance alley of the previously mentioned Skinny Puppy with maybe a dash of The Cure and a pinch of the ambient/dance mode of Orbital. These songs are serious and dark, but if your mind ain't open and this isn't your chosen genre you won't get past tunes titled Vaginismus (crotch kick mix), She Bleeds Red, Itussiseception (bowel move mix) and Suicide Picnic. That being said VAC are cool if it's your bag...If not....NEXT! --- Craig Goossen 5/11top

VELVET ACID CHRIST ' Between The Eyes Vol 2' - Metropolis Records
The new Cure album came early, if only you knew where to look. VAC is a true find for fans of the dense atmospherics of "Pornography" era Cure. While the artwork and associated realm of VAC suggests devil worshipping Trenchcoat Mafia music, it plays a lot easier on the ears. This collection goes back to some VAC early demos and also lifts from their "Church Of Acid" record. The circling, crying synths and Bryan Erickson's doom laden wail create an hypnotic web of sound. "Pain" and "Rain For 27 Days" are eerie nightmares of souls-in-the-abyss despair, yet somehow beautifully detached madness of the best gloomy Goth. Comparing this side by side the new Cure album, VAC wins hands down. --- Fang 7/11top

VENUS HUM- "The Colours In The Wheel" - Nettwerk [July 2006]
Venus Hum bolted from their corporate overlords MCA and landed (on their feet) at Nettwerk, where hopefully a smarter grade of music exec handles their account. Those who remember any of their techno/electroclash tunes will know vocalist Annette Strean is a stunning singer, but did not always choose wisely when deciding what to sing over. VH were out to have to much dancefloor fun and when the danceparty stopped, VH was left kinda holding the bag. What does it profit a band if they have a singer who can go mano a mano (larynx a larynx?) with Bjork and Kate Bush but they spend all their time making light and throwaway songs? Their most enjoyable song prior to their lush new album was a remix of "Soul Crushing," the album version of which is inert by comparison. And that seems to be their problem in a nutshell: not knowing how to deliver the goods when they are clearly so capable. Venus Hum is actually a band, though, and the two other conspirators are competent beatsmen who deserve some blame for the electroclash and some credit for the new sound. Strean herself has difficulty figuring out her persona, morphing from 50s kitsch with librarian glasses to high-energy club queen, like June Cleaver fused with Lady Kier of Deee-Lite. Despite or aided by this, Strean can really sing, with plenty of range and amazing control, as if she's been a classic conservatory and sneaking out of the dorms on the weekend to go clubbing. The music has shifted from techno to trip-hop beats with electronic textures. Gone too are the nerd glasses and pixie haircut. Strean looks naked without these props, but also downright sexy. There is a fresh and honest appeal to Venus Hum that is due to both Strean's obvious sense of fun and the band not conforming to really anything. Strean can sing circles around the Britneys, Gwens and Xtinas, yet she made her point by smiling a big beautiful smile and not groveling across the floor like a filthy streetwalker. She's smarter and she's got class. Some songs she floats her voice up several octaves and won't come down. Other songs she runs up and down her register like Kate Bush, and other times still she breathes in close and emotionally intense like a non-drugged up Bjork. "Birds And Fishes" is one such vocal workout where she seems to say to Kate, "I've got your 'Wuthering Heights' right here, sweetie." On the album closer, "Go To Sleep," Venus Hum is a real band with an interesting background and some dreamy, beautiful vocals. All of these things add up to me not knowing what to do with this record: outstanding vocals, trippy dance beats, and a lot of question marks dangling in the air. VH is close to being an indie hipster band now, albeit with techno flashes, but I can't help feeling that this is still not the right format for Strean's talents. Saying, "I don't like this kind of music - except for Venus Hum" kind of sums it up. ---Leeds 7/11top

VERSUS THE WORLD s/t - Kung Fu Records [Oct 2005]
If you're a fan of the brooding three chord powerpop of Alkaline Trio but have all their material, you're in luck: Versus The World sound more like Alkaline Trio than AT did on their latest record. This band comes from the beautiful sunset town of Santa Barbara, so you can imagine their take on the world is not sick and bleeding. VTW are very melodic and professional sounding, with clean choruses and sonic touches like strumming the last chord of a verse with an acoustic guitar while everyone else stops playing. They've been around. They've played in other bands, most famously one VTW played bass in the Ataris. This might surprise fans of that long-surviving band, but this record makes a pretty solid case in favor of said bass player leaving Ataris for good. Beauty is in the air up in Santa Barbara, much like smog particles down here in LA. A town that spawned such melodious outfits as Toad the Wet Sprocket and Dishwalla reverberates that songcraft, so VTW occasionally lapse into moments that are a bit precious and maybe a bit too pretty for this genre."Love Every Scar" is an acoustic ballad...say no more. When VTW play hard, they're eminently listenable, the slower moments, eh, not so much. ---Leeds 6/11 top

VERY APE Kosher Boogie - Alive Records
Very Ape is Very Shit, and I hate them Very Much. The musicianship on this record is handled ably enough but the singer wrecks the whole reason to like them. Even worse, it sounds like the singer believes in the lyrics he no doubt prefers to think of as "poems." The whole thing stinks of over-polished shit from the beginning, as in they "really want to make it big" or something. It's creepy like Creed is in a false sincerity sort of way. At its best it sound like the Hellacopters doing MC5 riffs and then the ridiculous posturing vocals drip over the whole polished mess like motor oil. At its worst it sounds like David Coverdale or some old metal singer trying to stage a comeback with a bunch of decent session musicians. Singer: glory rock or bad late 70's/Early 80's glam metal. The band sounds like it's trying to rock and then the singer makes it sound like shit by his pretentious Hollywood sounding lead singer shtick. To be honest, some of the guitar parts and drum parts are really good, and then as I said...Mr. Singer Guy makes it sound like a bar band trying to play some really animated Skynyrd covers. A few of the songs are pretty long, around 5 minutes too long. There's a really good guest slide guitarist on one of the songs but the overall ratio of good to too familiar bad is pretty high. The package photography is so serious too. No less than three stark looking "group portraits" were on and in the thing I got. Not a smile cracked, this is a serious rock n' roll band after all, and I'm certainly not laughing. I can't see shelling out hard earned bucks on this dog. It may sound bad but I think I just threw away my first free "reviewer" disk, mainly because don't think I could even sell it second hand to the local record store. ---The Swede. 1/11top

THE VIBRATORS Pure Mania - CBS Records
Another Class of '77 sonic wonder that belongs in every self-respecting punk rock lover's collection. The Vibrators are a London band that trod the line between punk rock and the new wave, much like their compatriots The Damned, Buzzcocks, and The Stranglers. The Vibrators have a fuller guitar sound than Buzzcocks and go in for sick humor more than The Stranglers. Pure Mania sounds like it could've been recorded by The Damned between "Machine Gun Etiquette" and "the Black Album." Sometimes you have to be wary of the 100 Club punk bands because so many of them were fly-by-night outfits that didn't know which end of the guitar to tune. The Vibrators are a cut above that lot. The amazing thing is that The Vibrators are still an active band, with the myriad of personnel changes and shifting hairstyles you'd expect. By their reckoning, they've released 15 albums, and we can't say at what point you should end your Vibrators collection, however, you definitely need "Pure Mania" and "V2." Check out the tracks "Yeah Yeah Yeah" and "Baby Baby." This music is razorblades wrapped in caramel apples. It's sweet until it rips your face to shreds. --Anton.top

VICE DOLLS Die Trying - Crosscheck Records
Hooray for hot punker chicks! Carrie Nance fronts Vice Dolls, a new school hardcore band with a female's perspective. She's got ink up and down her arms, as do most of her bandmates, and the message of VD is all about taking charge of your life and positive change. The music is true to the hardcore ethos: fast, energetic, driven, breathless. The songs are punched up with pick slides and bass riffs, the occasionally metal breakdown, and lots of drum fills, but make no mistake, this is hardcore. If I had a say in the matter, bands like Vice Dolls would appeal to the kids currently listening to navel lint like Story Of The Year. You know what I mean, pop acts with the odd hardcore chorus: flavor of the month. So here's my plea: if you think you like hardcore, check out VD. The press bio mentions that Ray from Youth Of Today is a fan of the band, and I can see why. VD is almost homage to YOT, although I don't know if VD is straight edge, but I hope not. The two-Kyle (Kyle White, Kyle Scott) guitar buzz makes sure there are no soft moments in this music, just a blizzard of growling guitars. It's gutsy for a woman to front a tough band like this especially in a genre renowned for relentless machismo. Maybe this will get some more women into hardcore and will inject sensibility into that tired old horse. Have to give props to Carrie & Co for "Self-made Hell," and its blitzkrieg vocals. "American Dream" plays the best, so demo that track to see if you pass the hardcore test. I don't pass the test. VD is a fast, tight, power combo, and you hear no dull moments. For this reviewer, I don't listen to new hardcore, ever. So, I don't like it, but you might. It's like asking a vegetarian to rate a hotdog. Recommended for fans of Shelter, H20, Headfirst, and other monotone hardcore. --- Fang 4/11top

THE VILLAGE GREEN - EP [Jan 2006]
As their bio aptly states, it's a risky venture naming your band after a Kinks masterpiece! But The Village Green has a charm that pulls it off on a few of the 6 tracks included on the Portland bands first release. The bio also references the band Supergrass a few times throughout , so I gather they're an influence on their sound and it can be detected somewhat throughout the EP. The snotty vocals and perky tunes are a fun listen and probably sound pretty juicy live. We may need to wait for a fatter release to really dig in, but this EP is a nice sampler to whet the palette. The standout jams, Let It Go, The Way I Want To Be and Plastic Women are well worth exposing to your earholes. ---Craig Goossen 6/11 top

VINCENT BLACK SHADOW s/t - Heart Break Beat Records [Feb 2006]
Have to admit I was not eager to listen to an artist whose label is named after a colossally shitty Psych Furs song. Pop this in and get ready for some 70s style acid rock, Sabbath meets White Zombie. Full on flanged guitars and blood-boiling bass and drums. The singer comes across more like a Spencer Moody shaman than an old timey singer, so there's a wildness to these recordings that bring the stoner rock firmly into the modern age. VBS is grittier and harder than the superslick Queens Of The Stone Age, although they could likely share a fanbase. On "Blow It Up In The Sunshine," VBS tears into a crazed, lunatic acid stomp with the singer snapping his vocal chords in a Stooges tribute. This Baltimore band's debut is on limited edition vinyl only, which should say something about the purity of their vision: if you don't have an old record collection on vinyl, you're probably too candy-ass for this rock and roll. Overall this music is raw and intense. VBS avoid all the modern cliches and deliver an uncompromising blast of timeless mindwarping rock and roll. --- 8/11 Leeds top

THE VINES Get Free - Capitol Records
The Vines are an Australian rock outfit that formed in high school to play Nirvana covers at parties. The three songs on this ep bracket the Vines' sound from a gritty, Bleach-era Nirvana to a Beatles-esque ballad. "Get Free" is the reason for the fucking season, brother, a tune so smoking hot that you'd be forgiven for thinking rock and roll might finally be ready to leave the ER and get back on the street. "Get Free" has the distorted beauty of all the best Nirvana b-sides that the record company was too freaked out over to release on an LP, like "Oh The Guilt" and "I Hate Myself And Want To Die." The Vines capture that guitar anarchy that Cobain brought to the masses: one foot in punk rock, one in 70s heavy rock. "Get Free" is the kind of song Rivers has been trying to write for years with his songs "Dope Nose" and "Hash Pipe." It heralds the dawn of a new band that might just pick up the torch from where Nirvana dropped it. The pressure of being "the next Nirvana" is a weighty burden for any band. The Vines have managed to do their homework and create a sound that pays homage to those dragonslayers while maintaining a focus on the future. The Vines have arrived. --Torchtop

THE VINES "Winning Days" - Capitol Records
The critics got their knives out, sharpened and ready for the second collection from Australia's The Vines. Music press are notoriously fickle, unwilling to stay with a band and only interested in being the first to spot the next big thing. Are the criticisms of "Winning Days" justified? Mostly they are not. The first Vines album was a great slice of guitar rock and psychedelic balladry. "Winning Days" is more of the same, the old Catch-22: if they changed their sound, they were damned; if they delivered the same sound, they were damned. The good news is that there are at least as many good songs on the new record. Best of the bunch are "TV Pro" and "Animal Machine," the two best examples of the Vines' ability to crunch out the hooks. If you liked their first record, you won't be disappointed. --- Leeds 8/11top

THE VINES Highly Evolved - Capitol Records
The Vines are an Aussie trio and the new darlings of the fickle British press. They have been dubbed the 'saviours of rock' in the same bracket as contempories the Hives, the Strokes, the White Stripes and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Rolling Stone described their sound as " Beatles meet Nirvana"; a big call seeing this is only their first album. 'Highly Evolved' songs range from Nirvana like rave-ups to slower more melodic and reflective tracks. Produced by Rob Schnapf, who has worked with high profile acts such as the Foo Fighters and Beck, he does a creditable job but gives the band space to move and consequently losses their garage rock appeal. Another heavyweight that contributed was stalwart Andy Wallace. Lead singer, Craig Nicholls belts out most songs with a dedication and in some cases angst heard very rarely in today's music scene and probably not heard since the early 90's grunge era. The ferocious 90-second opener 'Highly evolved' hits you with a lasting effect but is way too short. 'Autumn shade' a lovely soft, catchy yet short tune with a rolling guitar interlude that swirls and gives the listener the first taste of Nicholls' melodic & tuneful baritone at it's most superb. Another rave-up 'outtathaway ' starts off like Pearl Jam's 'Last exit' with the pounding drums intertwined with distorted guitar and like the frantic current single 'Get free' has Nicholls giving his larynx a fearful beating. 'Get free' is the most refreshing piece of in your face rock music you're going to hear this year, with a crunchy loud guitar, pounding drums and ripping vocals. 'Sunshinin' and 'Mary Jane' come off as a mid 90's Brit Pop song and are the weakest on the album by far. Close your eyes on 'Homesick' and it could be anything written by John Lennon in his career. Nicholls repeats "Nothin's gonna save you, nothin's gonna save you out there" maybe written about past experiences about homelessness. From the 'Imagine' like piano to the dreamy vocals and the OK Computer style tempo changes all lead to a classic track that you will play over and over. This album is far from a classic because of its conservative production qualities and lyrics that just don't add up but then again no one knew what the hell Radiohead's Thom Yorke was singing about on 'Amnesiac'. What I'm saying is Craig Nicholls is no Bob Dylan or John Lennon (hey, but who is these days). What he lacks in the lyrical department he more than admirably makes up for in the range of vocals and musicianship. This album confirms my suspicions that The Vines are the pick of the crop from the above-mentioned 'new millennium' bands. 'Highly Evolved' comes off as debut effort from a young band who have found their feet in the music caper and will evolve in the long run to be one of Australia's premier bands. We are yet to see whether the US press will take this Aussie band under their wing as the Brits did. -- Andrew Watttop

VIRTUAL JUNGLE s/t Make Sense! Records [April 05]
Firstly I don't think Culture Bunker is the right vetting source for this talented musician from Brazil. Ostensibly it's a pop/rock album but that's only going to be accurate if your definition involves jazz fusion and prodigious music college vocals. Lucio Rebello is the man behind this outfit, a precocious graduate of the Berklee College of Music with an interest in film scoring. I don't know who this is for, I can't picture anyone under 50 digging this because it is so glossy and sounds like something they would play on an easy listening station you could tune in at work and not upset anyone. Secondly, yes, this is an indie release, but it bears no kinship to what is normally considered indie music. These songs are exceedingly well played, but very soft and mellow and relaxing. It's not quite American Idol, but if you consider those talented singers have multi-octave voices but all the soul and originality of cardboard. If you admire pure musicianship, this might be for you, but I can't appreciate this. To sum up: Rebello is a talent but you won't care. ---Leeds 3/11top

THE VISITORS - s/t - Eschatone Records [Feb 07]
The Visitors crank out garage stompin' tunes with traditional inspiration drawn from classic 50's/60's rock n' roll with a slightly rougher edge. The New York based trio has a slightly stripped down guitar based sound that works well and the singer's raspy vocal style works more often than not, although a few warts and bald spots poke out now and again in that department. They stray into other territories too, dipping into punk rock ballads and more melodic 80's guitar pop punk that almost sounds like early Replacements or The Dils. It's unapologetic ass shakin' guitar rock, which is something I kind of like. The Visitors are playing music similar to that of their heroes, and they have pretty damn good taste in heroes. 8 on a scale of 1-11. The Swede top

VNV NATION "Matter + Form" - Metropolis Records [July 2005]
Somewhere there is a land of perpetual night where everyone is tall and thin and has long black hair, bloodless skin, and shiny black boots. In this mythical utopia, VNV Nation are the house band. These guys have been around since 1990, formed in London, and are hitmakers in Germany, but that tells you nothing. VNV Nation are a dancefloor techno outfit with synthesizers and more or less organic sounding processed beats, not the drum machine gone wild barrage that is rampant in this genre. "Arena" is one of the better songs they've done, it's melody is simply and hummable, the music is buoyant and nearly anthemic, with almost an OMD amiability. Their approach on an album is scattershot: each song bears no familial resemblance to its predecessor. The excellent Arena leads into the comatose Colours Of Rain, into the weak scary beat Strata, to the even lamer Interceptor, etc. They try their hand at sounding like everyone from Oakenfold to Depeche Mode, which means their own style is shape-shifting. If they could put together an album full of Arena songs, they'd find a whole new, and larger, fan base. ---Sid Arthur 4/11top

VNV NATION "Past Perfect" DVD - Metropolis Records
This is a 2 DVD set that comes with a poster, sticker, DVD-ROM of videos and photos, a full concert, and an interview with the band. They sent us only Disc 1, however, which is just the live show. The concert is from their "Futureperfect" tour of 2001, and shows the two-man outfit playing to a highly enthusiastic packed crowd of technophiles. Essentially VNV Nation ("Victory Not Vengeance") is a series of pre-recorded samples with some additional live drumming and live vocals. Not unlike a rap gig of yore, except replacing the turntables is a laptop computer, and center stage is Mark Jackson standing over a kit which he hits about once in every ten drumbeats you hear. I was surprised at how much of their show was via computer and thought that a live show would have been a great occasion to have additional musicians play the synth parts. It's a little strange to see Ronan Harris trotting around the stage giving it to the fans while the music pulses all around him, yet no one's there. VNV Nation offer some superb graphic elements to their show including a great light display and screens of futuristic, Metropolis-like buildings and designs. The concert footage is from various venues but they're all packed and the crowds are really into it, which helps give some energy to a concert you're watching at home. Ronan isn't exactly what I'd call "match fit" although he's game enough, and the one gig where he wears black shorts and black socks ended up being rather comical, not futuristic, with the added rain visual effect (or was it real rain with a bright light on it?) VNV Nation has a Wagnerian/Germanic taste to them with their emphasis on grey and black imagery and Albert Speer architecture (and generally Fascist sounding song titles), but funny enough they're English and claim no philosophy. Although Jackson programmed the drums and plays like a marching band bass drummer live, VNV Nation really seems like a one-man band. They've released 7 or 8 records in their 14 year history, and this live DVD hits some of the highlights including "Dark Angel" and "Fearless." The concert is edited in a fairly lively and intelligent manner, waiting for the right moment to switch angles instead of willy-nilly random editing (which is en vogue). The complete package is probably pretty impressive, but we got only 1 of 3 discs and no artwork. ---Leeds 6/11top

THE VOIDS "Kill a Generation" - Dr. Strange Records 2004
This effort by the Voids is not bad at all, but neither is it great. It's bona fide Orange County punk circa 1984 by way of 2004. There are definitely no surprises here and while it appears sincere, it's so derivative of other classic punk styles it's easy to ignore. Any uniqueness to the project comes from the snarling attitude of the female singer "Adri", who clearly locked herself in a room with a bunch of old Avengers records and emerged months later as a stylistically tougher version of Penelope Huston with more "Fuck You's" in her pockets. It's a sadly easy comparison due to the ongoing lack of good female punk singers, but the shoe certainly fits. She's got all the energy and delivery required for the job but could probably shine a little more brightly if given a chance to catch her breath once in while, and there's the intrinsic problem. The music comes off as rushed, not intuitively fast and the drumming is a little lackluster. It's much more fast than good, and sometimes that's not enough for my taste. Maybe I'm getting old. As far as no brainer comparisons go, you'll hear Channel Three, D.I., D.O.A. and scads of other old-timer punk bands tossed in the mix. The constant screaming and yelling eventually sounds like a bunch of kids fighting in the back of a station wagon while their older brother's cranking his favorite hardcore tapes in Mom's car stereo. It's a little hard to be this harsh to them in the review because I loved all the shit they're mimicking but it's just been done so many times at this point it's hard to find the rationale for doing it over again. It could just be some kids sowing their punk rock oats, which is of course better than playing generic alterna-shit, voting Republican, or smoking crack, but not THAT much better. They could fit easily on the bill with any other hardcore punk bands and hold their own because that's exactly what (and unfortunately all) they are. I wasn't surprised to find that they've apparently played alongside original innovators like The Subhumans, but I had trouble finding anything even remotely original about them outside of their female singer. It's a Goddamn shame and I apologize to them from afar because they've clearly latched onto the spirit of Punk Past and are making an effort but why pay for a copy if you can get your hands on an original? 5 out of 11. The Swede.top

Volcom Comp - THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE - Volcom Entertainment
This Volcom 2-disc package is really like a day at the infamous celebration of clone core, the Warped Tour. 46 tracks by a rogue's gallery of bands with wildly different sounds, sure to please and offend everyone's musical tastes. Jocks Pennywise alongside Island stylie brah vibes of Pepper, new hardcore A Faith Called Chaos, emo-tastic metallers Brazil, Cookie Monster-core of Scatter The Ashes, etc. I dug a few songs, namely the Single Frame, Maxeen, Turbonegro and Beehive & The Barracudas tunes. That's just under 10% for me. 36 of these songs are "rare" (as in out of print) or unreleased. Volcom makes some rad clothes. I wish they'd send me some. As a record label, it's time to do some quality control. I don't keep up on the OC scene, but the last band outta there I really dug was Death On Wednesday. This comp sorta proves my point that OC is pretty played out these days. The accompanying press flyer about Volcom's ethos being "youth against authority," makes me ask, which authority? Teachers? Cops? UNSCOM? Pennywise's live song exhorts, "You guys are the fucking future, take control." Maybe it's Pennywise's authority? Fully 80% of these songs are modern day heavy metal and pop. You can hear it in the dopey ass guitars: riff like Maiden then finish with a power chord. Punk isn't a fucking t-shirt design. This music makes me think of dudes with Hurley shorts and backwards baseball hats and Black Flys and chinbeards thinkin' they're hard. When you hear or see a real hard band from that area, like TSOL, this other shit just makes me fucking laugh. Kind of off on a tangent, but even listening to this package once all the way through without skipping was a real chore. If they put me on Fear Factor, it would be this OC bro-core music that would be my undoing. So anyway, 2 discs of new school Warpy tunes. --- Fang 2/11top

THE VON BONDIES 'Pawn Shoppe Heart' - Sire
The first three songs explode with such great guitar swagger and attitude that your $12 is immediately justified. The Von Bondies, in case you just got released from prison, are the band weaned by Jack White in the Detroit club scene, and recently frontman Jason Stollsteimer is the guy Jack White beat to a pulp. While this makes Jack look tough, I have to say beating up Jason doesn't look any tougher than beating up Avril Lavigne. Boxing skills aside, this record doesn't give a fuck. "Broken Man" is a white hot lament with the blues chased by smash-the-windows punk rock. The Von Bondies have two luscious ladies in their lineup, Carrie Smith and Marcie Bolen, who lend backing vocals when they're not shredding guitar strings. It's about time we lads had some eyecandy to lust after. The world is big enough for rock fans to enjoy The White Stripes and The Von Bondies: no need for sectarian rivalry. One thing these guys have over the 'Stripes is that they have a full sound because they're a real band. Jack is a guitar god, no question, but occasionally the sound was like 2 people being clever. This album is thicker and gutsier than their debut LP. The only song that didn't immediately light up the switchboard is the one sung by Carrie. She's foxy but the song lacks the crazy showmanship of Jason's delivery. The tempos shift from measured swagger (Been Swank), honeydripping tortured recollections (Mairead), and a footstomping crowd shaker, (The Fever). Guitars and Detroit attitude taking no prisoners. --- Leeds 8/11top

THE VON ZIPPERS The Crime is Now - Estrus Records
This is a really good record. I mean it. The songs are great and strong with a lot of energy in the guitars and it was downright infectious. I was even singing along after a few listens, and it's one of those records that grabs you more the more you hear it. Thanks again Estrus Records. It's good fast punk with growling lyrics that are actually about shit. Nothing's taken too seriously but singer's obviously been paying attention to the bizarre state of the nation and society at large. An especially good standout on the album is "SGWTF", a great punk anthem about G.M.O.'s (Genetically Modified Organisms, you know. Triple breasted beakless and clawless chicken creatures and the like). "Put on the Brakes" is another especially catchy number about out of control "progress" with honky-tonk harmonica bits running through the middle. "Blue Suit Bullies" is another ass kicker as well. Hell, they're all good, not really a dud in the whole lot, and some are just punk rock party songs with no social agenda lest I give the wrong impression. Definitely one of the better records I've heard in a while and the cuts are memorable and worthwhile. Highly recommended listening. --- The Swede 9/11top

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WAITING FOR AUTUMN Now I Know Forever - American Jealousy
Fans of Finch and Lagwagon, listen up! Your ship has come in and it's name is Waiting For Autumn. My first impression was that this was Joey Cape (singer of Lagwagon / Bad Astronaut) doing fill in work for nu-metal-emo wunderkinder, Finch. WFA know how to wind down the proceedings and deliver a nice tearjerker Jimmy Eat World type of song too. The third song, "The Wait," is one that Jim Adkins is pissed he didn't write. Of course, these guitarists have also been studying the Jimmy Eat World melodic noodling text book, so you get a pretty decent imitation of those guys to fill out the soup. If JEW are the current gold standard of this style of music, then WFA might be copper. The production is pretty solid, good tones, drums a little lightweight, but overall they did a good job. Sad for these guys, but their guitarist has just bailed on them, so they are now adrift without the guy who was providing the shape of the songs. I hope WFA are fresh out of (or still in) high school, that would make me feel better about this record. If you haven't heard a lot of this kind of music you'd probably find this approach fresh. They smoke bands like Promise Ring, so if you are Emo Guy/Gal, pick this up. One thing to note, though (write this down!) when you have a backing vocal that is nothing but the chorus screamed like a death rattle in counterpoint to the sweet chorus, you are fucking blowing it. Don't do it anymore. This goes for Finch and 100 other bands. It's going to be the 2000's version of the 1/32 note guitar solo: you are going to be unbelievably embarrassed you did it. It sucks. Fortunately for everyone involved, WFA abandon that tactic after the first song, but if you're previewing a record, the first song is going to make you think the rest of the disc is similar and you'll never get to track 2. Sequencing is not something to leave up to a coin toss, fellas, you need to plan this shit. Also, I'm not feeling it with these photos in the artwork, although the calligraphy is nice. There's a crowd shot here that shows everyone standing there looking bored. No one is moving, jumping, singing along. Maybe it wasn't even their crowd? Either way, do yourselves a favor and use a photo where the fans are into it. Hold the phone: that annoying screamy rasp backing vocals garbage is back in Track 5, "Leaving Me Tonight." It kills a decent tune. Mind you, this is not my cup of tea by any stretch, but I am trying to steer the young rock fans who're just entering into a love affair with emo and with sensitive boys who don't want to get into their panties, that just want to hold hands. This is a real thing for many people. WFA belong to that more innocent stripe of music. Hipsters automatically write off bands who ID themselves as Christian, which is a fairly bigoted approach. These same foolios don't knock Beck for rocking for Scientology, Beastie Boys for rocking Buddha, Shelter for rockin' Krishna, or U2 for rocking for JC. Yes, this is Christian emo. Christians at least haven't hijacked any airplanes lately, cut them some slack! Nothing wrong with that per se, if the band still delivers. Melodic, talented, non-threatening, girlfriend rock: the anti-Stooges. -- Paul Leeds top

TOM WAITS ALICE and BLOOD MONEY - on Anti
There was no supporting documentation with these two discs. So we will wing it. The reason this was released as two separate items and not a more conveniently priced double-disc, is that the albums are on different vibes. Alice is a more musical, cabaret concept album, something like Frank's Wild Years. Blood Money is Tom doing his trademarked mad escapades through love and death and weirdness, the Interzone of the soul. Unless there were some grievous typos, Alice was written in 1992 and Blood Money in 2000. Why this music has been delayed so long, who knows. Basically you just have to bite the bullet and plonk down your 30 dollars and buy both records. There is no such animal as a bad Tom Waits record: I've got 19 Tom Waits albums on my shelf, including the soundtrack to "One From The Heart." The stranger and creepier Tom gets, the more rewarding his music becomes. Alice features some Tom-as-carnival-barker, Tom as lovelorn suitor, Tom as denizen of the German nightclub scene, and Tom as New Orleans underworld freak. "Flower's Grave" (off Alice) is a mournful ballad like the ones he wrote on 1977's "Foreign Affairs." Yes, 25 years ago. Born in 1950, Tom just got his act together early and released his first album, "Closing Time" at the tender age of 23. "No One Knows I'm Gone" is a barroom dirge that recalls "On The Nickel" from "Heartattack And Vine." The song titles by themselves usually let you know that Waits is a master songwriter of a higher order. On Blood Money, you get "Misery Is The River Of The World" and "Everything Goes To Hell." I had heard that one of these records had something to do with a stage play, but maybe that was just someone's wish. It's easy to imagine the films that would be made around songs like these: they would be full of Thomas Pynchon characters fleeing broken hearts and Weimar Republic decadence. Waits has long concealed the power of his voice with his signature growl. He lets this "mask" drop many times on "Alice" and the singer emerges. He could bring tears to your eyes if he wanted but usually he'd rather taunt you. Like in an erstwhile crooner, "Poor Edward" he sings: "But I knew her too well, I say she drove him to suicide, and took Poor Edward to hell." Tom says, don't get too cozy with me, I'm way out there past where the buses don't run. The collection of songs on these two discs are snapshots of his whole career. You get the Weimar madness of "Rain Dogs", the narrative tropes of "Frank's Wild Years", the wrist-slashing romances of "Blue Valentine." Tom continues to get better with age, not like a wine, but like a magician. He's learnt the tricks and has mastered the art. He will never sell out. Tom is an American institution, an artist, one of our best and both of these records need to be in your collection. When Tom played the Wiltern a few years ago it was a lesson in hipster cool. Everyone in the audience got schooled by the master. No one is as cool as Tom and his world is a strange and bizarre place. --Paul top

PETER WALKER "Young Gravity" - Dangerbird Records [May 2006]
It's a truth universally acknowledged by music reviewers, or at least those few that I know in my small part of the world, that the best records are the hardest ones to review. If it's a damn good album, it's pretty much a given that it will be damn hard to come up with anything to say about it beyond "I love this record" or "this music rocks" or some such drivel. Peter Walker has put out such an album and, if I didn't like his music so much, I would be slightly irritated with him right about now for making this review a very difficult one to write. Suffice it to say, however, that Peter Walker writes music that stays in your head for days - and it's a very welcome intrusion. His voice is quiet, but he seems to communicate with a whisper what others can only do by screaming. "39 Stars" is sort of a throwback to old ballads in the vein of "Last Kiss," though the song still maintains a very acceptable, and modern, rock sensibility that will leave those with no time for the Cavaliers feeling very satisfied. The album's namesake, "Young Gravity," brings to the table a sense of intimacy with the listener. Walker's voice is even softer on this track and, despite a few moments of not-very-loud drumming during the "it might be easier for me" chorus, the song is mostly made up of soft rhythm guitar and spacey keyboards. It's hard not to be taken in by the idea that the voice on the record is just for you. The song-writing trend of late seems to be about well-known places in the world that have experienced devastation in some shape or form. Unlike La Rocca's "Cambodia" and The Editors' "Munich," however, Peter Walker takes things closer to home. "New Orleans" is folk rock that would make Neil Young proud, perfect for a dark and secluded watering hole but also fitting for a Support New Orleans rally on the subject of denial. As Walker sings "so you say that you wanna see, but you turn when it comes on the screen," one can imagine bodies swaying to the beat and hands forking over dollars into upturned hats. Or maybe you should just go with the watering hole idea, since I haven't heard of any imminent Peter Walker engagements that involve candlelight vigils and togetherness among strangers. In any event, "Young Gravity" certainly belongs in the annals of great and endearing albums of 2006. Though, as it has now taken me over four hours to write this damn thing, I have to request of the musician in question that he try not to put out an album of this caliber in the future. Throw a reviewer a bone for Christ's sake. ---9/11 Melissa Treolo top

THE WALKMEN "A Hundred Miles Off" - Record Collection [May 2006]
On their sophomore outing, The Walkmen have an admittedly tough task living up to their debut which won them acclaim for their quirky style on songs like "The Rat." Musically they've always had something interesting burbling beneath the nasally high flying singing style. On this release, Leithauser's vocals remind me more of an unholy hybrid of Perry Farrell and Geddy Lee. On some songs, like "Danny's At The Wedding," Mr Leithauser appears to be missing some notes he's trying for, so in this age of ProTools and AutoTune, I can only imagine this is part of his new style, kind of sliding around the notes like Shane MacGowan and Nick Cave occasionally get away with. Overall this album has textures that sound more folky and less rock and roll than their previous album, with the exception of the odd garage rocking tune "This Job Is Killing Me," which just doesn't fit their style at all. They shift with nearly every song into a new sound. I'm starting to think of bands like The Waterboys when I listen to "All Hands And The Cook." There's even some rhumba on "Brandy Alexander." Honestly, if this record turns out to be not a new album but instead a collection of rarities, outtakes and demos from over their career, it would explain the uneven and haphazard sound. --- Leeds 6/11top

THE WALKMEN Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone - Startime International
Despite the rather self loathing title, The Walkmen are not a down and out band. They emerged from the wreckage of Jonathan Fire Eater, formerly out of Washington, D.C., lately of New York City. The new addition is singer/guitarist Hamilton Leithauser. Some of the same strange drum patterns and farfisa accents from JFE are here but Leithauser's vocals are in a completely different world. Leithauser trots out a fairground melody and sings with a skill that nearly sounds too good for an indie product. He's not afraid to sing melodies that wouldn't sound out of place on a U2 or a Virgin Prunes record. This coupling of bold vocals with that black and white sound of 60s garage music makes The Walkmen's album exist somewhere outside of time. I imagine these guys are fucking amazing live. The vaguely sinister sound of the rhythm section and the chopping guitars are played with distaff coolness. This is a cool band, in that you know they aren't going to do anything tacky because they understand the big picture. No throwaway fills or worn riffs. I played this for Tim last week and immediately his face lit up, and he said, "this is different, but it's really good." He's right. --Paultop

WARFRAT TALES - "Tracks From The Murky Bowels of LA" - Averbury Records [Nov 2005]
Set the WayBack Punk Machine for the year 1981, when Los Angeles was wide open with music that knew no boundaries and young upstarts had no fear of anything but inaction. Cut to a two-car garage in Mar Vista, soundproofed for recording, and you've got the scene of the birth of WarfRat, a label that did it DIY out of enthusiasm. This practice space/studio became the focal point of a scene building around The Last and included many fantastic pioneers of a new punk sound. This acts included Earwigs, Gun Club, Hector & The Clockwatchers, The Leaving Trains, Urinals (later to become 100 Flowers), The Point, The Question?, The Rain Parade, To Damascus, The Up & Out, and Wednesday Week. This compilation is from those original tapes recorded back then, but in an expanded format where the Urinals also got to add their new songs as 100 Flowers. So you get history plus. This comp features bands that were at the nascent front of a new wave in southland music, when the Paisley Underground scene was just beginning, when a voodoo south band like Gun Club was considered as daring and punk as any idiot who smashed a bottle across his chest to bleed on stage, and all systems were set to GO FOR IT. These are essential tracks for fans of that early era. ---Leeds 9/11 top

TOM WATSON Country And Watson - LWR Aoehlen
Tom is one of the School of 81punks from the South Bay. He is friends with Sonic Youth and Minutemen. His first band, Slovenly, recorded 5 albums for SST that were way ahead of their time. Like a cross between Television and Minutemen. Then Tom went on to Overpass, another brilliant but forgotten band. Lately Tom has been the guitar wizard behind Mike Watt's touring band, and a full time member of the long-lived art band Red Krayola, while recording with his own band, The Best Of All. Tom is still a guitarist's guitarist. He wrings intricacies from his guitar fly right past most people's heads. This album, recorded with help from Bob Mothersbaugh and Mayo Thompson, is genius. Pop tunes, art rock, strange combinations, country, it all hangs together with Tom's sure touch. Fans of Minutemen and Television will feel immediately comfortable with Tom's sound.. If there were any justice in the world Tom would be an international celebrity.--Paul top

WE ACEDIASTS "Mesh" - Key Records [Feb 2006]
The story of this band is actually more remarkable than their record. James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem impresario, outspoken half of DFA, and foremost proponent of the cowbell and the handclap in 21st century rock, tours Japan as a roadie sometime in 2000. This is well before the wobbly DFA lightning bolt came to define postpunk irreverence. Someone passes Murphy a tape of rough, angry Nipponese noise, he likes it, invites the fellows to come play at his new studio in Brooklyn. The Japanese kids do their best, lay down two tracks, and head into the New York night to make a mark. Here's how the story SHOULD go: after Murphy & Co. break out as the Phil Spectors of Williamsburg dance-punk, after Murphy forms LCD Soundsystem, he invites the Japanese kids on tour, rereleases the stuff they recorded, the kids go wild (Krautrock from Japan! Insert your best Axis of Evil joke here!), the Tokyo dancepunk scene burgeons, and the world gets a little closer to global enlightement, as we realize Japan is capable of releasing music that can be appreciated in circles outside of the Cartoon Network or APC. But, alas, that's not how it happened for We Acediasts. They broke up sometime soon after their Brooklyn sessions and some shows that the band itself describe as "disasters." No one knew what to do with their records, so they sat around until now, when I picked one up in the Other Music "OUT" section. It's an odd collection - the first half, two DFA-produced songs totalling 13 minutes, is decent dance-punk, an honorable if unremarkable display of Murphy and Goldsworthy's talents applied to a band not quite sure what their own sound is. The second track, ???, is the most accessible on the disc by far, and sounds not unlike The Rapture featuring an alien on vocals. The remaining 6 songs, each considerably shorter, show the band confidently exploring a Krauty mix of drum machines, feedback and hollered Japanese lyrics, some of it downright unsettling. In a parallel universe, the germs of these kids' talents and this record's foreignness live on as a Metal Machine Music for dadaist hipsters. Then again, maybe the words actually mean something in Japanese and maybe the songwriting sucks. Still, I think it's slightly better my way. ---6/11 Roger That top

FRED WEAVER - "Five Digit Land" - Apocalypse the Apocalypse [Oct 07]
Sounding like a survivor from the Midwest alt-rock guitar wars, Fred Weaver plays a dense and cathartic on this debut. Picture the guitar fury and rock 'n' roll angst of Dinosaur and the more progressive playing of The Jesus Lizard, and temper it all with some Paul Westerberg/Replacements perspectives on life, and you get Fred Weaver. Weaver has a strong vocal style full of grumbling, scratchy richness and bends in and out of songs like a pissed off Bob Mould. This too short album does slow it down at times but generally delivers a consistently catchy sound with some angry guitars and heartfelt playing. --- Leeds 8/11 top

WE ARE THE FURY "Infinite Jest" - Unborn Media Records [Feb 2006]
We Are The Fury could be called We Are A More Spastic Version Of Ima Robot. There's a little sticker on the outside with a rave from some cunt in The Used - what, were Benjy and Joel unavailable for comment? There is absolutely no reason this sound would appeal to fans of The Used, so I take the sticker as famous friend bro-job. I don't want to judge WATF by the friends the keep, so on to their music: WATF have a trembly, high voiced singer who sighs in and out of each verse, occasionally twisting the final syllable into a pretzel like a Johnny Rotten acolyte. At other times Jeremy Lublin's singing style leads the band into a carnival like theatricality, like Queen bumping and grinding with the Tiger Lillies. This music strikes me as inauthentic and overproduced, trying to take a new wave sound and throwing some growling a la mode over the top of it to try and snag the aforementioned Used fans. This is part of a downward trend in music exacerbated and masturbated by My Chemical Romance and The Used and all the usual suspects. ---Smudge 4/11 top

THE WEDNESDAYS You Will Gasp And They Will Breathe - Reservation
The Wednesdays are a lo-fi power trio of basement studio grinding guitars and cement floor thrash. Fast, live and sloppy, their sound seizes the energy and recklessness of a live show going off. The frenzy was poured onto wax without much tinkering or overdubbing, and what you get is a fairly raw, prickly distortion party. "No Complaints" is the sound of New Bomb Turks and The Grifters throwing beer cans at each other's heads. "Sixteen Eighteen" shakes some action with a gearhead percussion and howled vocals in the background. The Wednesdays are a garage band with a Hemi Cuda roaring into the space and crashing into the toolbox. "Rebellion Is The Circle Of A Lover's Hands" blasts out some staccato guitar punches and each verse is adorned with a "hey hey" like the glory days of The Misfits. "Liberty" attempts to crawl under your skin by disguising itself as a slower song in the beginning, but it sprints across the finish line. The Wednesdays bring some good ol' grease and muscle to the rock garage. Beneath the fuzz and distortion is the chassy of a real mean machine, a machine that only needs the paint and bodywork a bigger label can provide, and then watch out for these bruisers on a Saturday night. "It Thundered And Rained All Night Long" is a raucous crowd pleaser with a call and response lyric that will be sure to have the kids jumping. Right now this recording is so lo-fi at times it sounds like you're listening to a record on someone else's stereo down the street. Consider these lugnuts demos: with a little bit of paint and primer these guys would burn the house down. Some label that needs a great new band, throw these guys some fucking money so they can record a proper album. --- Paul Leeds 8/11top

WEERD SCIENCE "Friends and Nervous Breakdowns" - Super Rap/Equal Vision [April 2005]
I do not listen to hip-hop, so I will not pretend to have a seasoned ear for fresh beats or rhyming patterns. Still, I think I can critique this record with the same criteria I would critique a rock record: Is it well crafted? Yes. It is expressive? Yes. Does it have something to say? At times. Does it have a unique flavor? Ehhh. It's difficult for me to say if the Weerd Science flavor is original, but I can say that right off the bat when I hear gunshots and police sirens, I am disinterested. Of course, the song in question is about conspiracy theories involving the government and police, but I can't think of anything more ridiculous and played out than gunshots and sirens on a hip hop record. The lyrical flow is certainly tight, but a lot of the words are simply lounging in the safety set of shock value, a tactic that is boring, uncreative, but probably helpful with publicity. The kind of kids that get a tingle of excitement from that black and white explicit content badge will probably eat this album up. The quirky vocal delivery and the perfunctory swearing is enough to make that assumption. Plus, the press sheet indicates that Weerd Science is basically a response to being picked on for too long as a dork growing up. It is "an example of what happens when you push the geeks too far." If that doesn't scream out to high school losers everywhere, I don't know what does. Luckily, I am over my childhood discontent, but if you feel like blowing off your homework while playing with your star wars action figures, Weerd Science is the perfect soundtrack. --- Brad Amorosino 6/11top

WEEZER "Make Believe" - Geffen [July 2005]
There's no need for a Weezer tribute band, because Weezer have become the ultimate tribute band to themselves. This new disc has the sound of Weezer: the impressive guitar solos that sound like vintage Boston, Rivers' voice which is both naive and booming, and the tales of angst and yearning. But what it lacks is conviction. It lacks authenticity. This album zips past without an anchor, there's no Dope Nose or Hash Pipe, much less a Getchoo or Say It Ain't So. And if the reports are true, Rivers has hundreds of songs in cryogenic storage, so why does this collection just not gel into an album proper, but instead feels like a collect