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Found torn out of CosmicBen's Monthly Review Magazine, special Indie Bands Issue (August 2002). Read at your own risk.
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figure out why they included a Leonard Nimoy cover ("Do The Vulcan!") but it just wasn't a good idea. Steve also needs to brush up on his kazoo before he can play with the big boys. Saved by a few credible attempts at gangsta rap, II 1/2 isn't a total disaster, but I can only hope that the next album is better.
* * * 1/2 Steve Knowlton & The Knowl-tones: III (2001)--Music critic extraordinaire and all-around nice guy Steve Knowlton also fronts a rock band and has a cool goatee -- is there anything the man can't do? He's always rubbing it in my face, too, the bastard. Anyway, the cleverly-named Knowl-tones dish out fun, feel-good rock and roll with lyrics that make you ponder, like "Billions Of Bacteria", an anthem for everyone with shiny-clean red knuckles. The tunes are short and quirky, with a rock-solid rhythm section featuring virtuoso bassist Joe Toro and some crunchy but soothing guitars. My only complaint is that aside from the gorgeous "Oar To Oar", there's no real affecting music on III. The talent is certainly there, and I hope that the next time Steve makes music, he'll pump up the guitars, shout a few vocals, and fearlessly offend a few people with his already-catchy tunes. As it is, everything's fun but the group's unwillingness to take chances keeps most of the songs from resonating. There are calm pleasures, however, all over the place: the aforementioned "Oar To Oar", the peppy "Rock And Roll Machine", the lovely hidden trumpet workout, and all of the funky, bass-heavy interlude tracks. With precision, intelligence, and lyrical soloing, the Knowl-tones are the band I've always wished would show up at a club and blow all those godawful punk bands off the stage. I urge you to e-mail Steve at steveandabe@angelfire.com and order this fine hunk of a CD.
* 1/2 Steve Knowlton & The Knowl-tones: Everybody Polka With The Knowl-tones! (2002)--If the goal of rock musicians has been to take 44 minutes of blank tape and make it sound as good as it can possibly can, then Steve Knowlton needs to pay better attention to his goals. Obviously the result of drugs,
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