Year Long Disaster - Year Long Disaster

 

After reading this band's bio, you'd swear that them goddamn PR scoundrels made it all this up. Rock star excess (one earned through climbing the ranks, one inherited by birth) lead two men through the lifestyle's ups and downs, as everything from massive tours, mountainous drug addictions and rehab struggles to a chance meeting at a club with an ironic twist, and finally salvation through a bluesy hard rock swagger happens to them within a short period of time. Seems like a bad movie script, right? Alas, it is in fact the accurate story behind Year Long Disaster, a three-piece outfit whose special powers stem from the badass 70's hard rock rock histrionics displayed on their eponymous debut affair. Cranking out a barrage of soul shaking riffs, boogie rhythms, and stoner rock grooves, this band, featuring ex-Karma to Burn bassist Richard Mullins, Third Eye Blind drummer Brad Hargreaves, and Daniel Davies, son of The Kinks' Dave Davies, have laid down an explanation for their larger than life story via this mammoth disc. The beaming confidence shining through on "It Ain't Luck" and "Leda Automatica", the epic composition of "Swan on Black Lake", and the in your face galloping delivery of "Per Qualche Dollaro In Piu" all sum up a band who live up to their pedigree by leaps and bounds, as Year Long Disaster convincingly turn back the clock while presenting a solid slab of old fashioned yet hard nosed and hard living hard rock. (Volcom) - Mike SOS

The Architects - Vice

The third offering from Kansas City, MO quartet The Architects finds the band still hitting as hard as they did on Revenge (just check out the AC/DC stompfest of "New Boots and Truncheons" and "Pills" as proof) but this time around, the band has dug down into their collective musical influence to bring some interesting aspects to their approach. Displaying as much Bruce Springsteen as Hot Water Music, this band of brothers (and one lead guitarist) adds the storytelling vibe of a singer-songwriter to their overall presentation and the 12-track Vice is the end result. The band incorporates an authentic Americana feel down-home appeal to cuts like "Oklahoma" to give it an unmistakable '70s rock shake. Embossed with layers of cathartic hard rock, tracks like the righteous opening riff of "Cold Hard Facts", "Hard Times" and "Continental" reveal a good amount of time under the tutelage of bands like The Who and The Replacements, yet "Mrs. Doyle" and "Jersey Shore" are two blatant examples of how a hard rock song that tells a story should sound, embellished with massive vocal harmonies and exploding with heart-pounding rhythms. Clever and concise, The Architects play an honest amalgamation of punk and classic rock with smart and soulful vocals leading the way to make the songs on Vice rock 'n roll anthems for the Myspace generation. (Anodyne) - Mike SOS

 

Boxbomb - My Obsession

A band named Boxbomb should be a colossal metal troupe ready to lay waste to all in its path. Instead, this North Carolina quartet opts to go the alternative rock route with less than subtle hints of Filter and Coldplay strewn about, making rich textures via deep bass grooves and a good balance of electronic manipulations and solid rock guitar. Tapping into the aggression Cobain left behind on "Get What You Pay For" while singer-songwriter panache leads the charge on cuts like "Let Go", this disc is discernibly darker than what the big rock sound accompanied by piano usually sounds like, gracefully shifting moods from forlorn to tender to anguished on the pensive acoustic Neil Young-esque shuffle of "Wishful Thinking" and the ethereal  "Not the Same". Even though their name doesn't really click with their hybrid style, My Obsession elicits a mellow listening experience with nods to the early '90s rock radio giants like Our Lady Peace and Smashing Pumpkins. (Tragic Hero) - Mike SOS

The Dirty Royals - Obsessed America

 
Just as their label suggests, this quartet known as The Dirty Royals have arrived in La-la land via the U.K., fusing elements of both area's punk rock to its five-track endeavor. Glossed over with the radio-friendly West Coast pop-punk while keeping nuances of Jolly 'Ol England's bratty delivery intact, tracks like "Like A Sucker" and "CIA" have as much in common with garage rock as they do Brit-pop from the mod days, and make for the perfect middle of the road listen for mixed company and grown-ups that still like to crank out the guitar jams. (www.myspace.com/dirtyroyals) - Mike SOS

Helen Money - Helen Money

 

The one woman act Helen Money does not bear a shred of resemblance to rocker Eddie, as the solo project featuring ex-Verbow member Alison Chesley juxtaposes the edges of ambient rock and classical music into places reserved for acts like Apocalyptica, Explosions in the Sky, and Neurosis. Emblazoned with only a cello run through a 4X12 amplifier and some accompanying guitar, this 11-track affair reveals lush soundscapes and dreamy atmospheres such as the 8-plus minute "I'll See You in Hell" and the melancholic "Song for My Sister". Unquestionably falling into the experimental realm yet staying surprisingly melodic enough for the laymen listener to appreciate, the undisputed attitude that seeps through tracks like aptly titled tracks "Iggy" and "Hendrix" allowing Chesley's the discernible noise rock force to take heed over this disc. (helenmoney.com)- Mike SOS

 

Between The Buried And Me - Colors

 

North Carolina's dextrous metal act Between the Buried and Me return with another head-spinning array of songs with their latest presentation Colors. This eight-track offering is laden with the kind of prog rock enormity that fans of Dream Theater drool over, yet also matches up to the metalcore wallop from any band thrown on the second stage at Ozzfest (a space where BTBAM dominated when they appeared in 2006). Armed with a number of epic songs (three out of the eight here clock in over the 10-minute mark) whose rich textures and seamless dynamic shifts consistently and cohesively discover adventurous musical fronts, each boundless arrangement manages to dazzle with dizzying musicianship while keeping the listener fully engrossed. Add in a vocalist whose feral growl and smooth deliveries gracefully work with one another and a limitless supply of musical influence rising to the surface on cuts like the world beat-esque "Informal Gluttony", the majestic shape-shifting qualities of "Ants of the Sky" and the Dillinger Escape Plan freakout that starts off "Sun of Nothing", Colors not only showcases this band's commitment to carrying the prog rock flag, but actually demonstrates a band whose progression can be marked by leaps and bounds, making their new album a must-have for those who appreciate heavy music and have written off mainstream music as a vacuous wasteland. (Victory) - Mike SOS

 

Voodoo Glow Skulls - Southern California Street Music

 

Sixteen years and counting, the California sextet Voodoo Glow Skulls still sound as impassioned as they did from their start on Southern California Street Music. The latest 12-track jaunt by the brothers Casillas and company finds the band's blending of ska, Latin, punk, and metal to be as on point and fierce as ever, complete with political overtones on tracks like "When the World Stops Turning" and "Morning Air Raid Sirens". Armed with a plethora of weighty rhythms and adorned with the usual triple threat of horns that helped define the group's sound, tracks like "While My City Sleeps" and the rousing "Fire in the Dancehall" soundly debukes the myth that ska and heavy shouldn't mix. Whether you like to skank, dance, or mosh, this veteran troupe has you covered on their latest crossover affair. (Victory) - Mike SOS

 

Diablo Royale - Diablo Royale

 

Heavy metal soaked in whiskey suits the properly-monikered NYC quintet Diablo Royale best, as their eponymous 10-track introduction to the world provides the generation-spanning hard rock histrionics over rhythmic sludgery formula that cries for stereos to be cranked to the max for total rock immersion. Wah-wah guitars over catchy yet simple rhythms highlight much of the offering, as the style laid down by this act is reminiscent of bands like Alice in Chains, Down, Brand New Sin, and Godsmack on cuts like "King of Lies", the menacingly mid-paced "Crank It Up!" and the doomy groove that creeps from "Don't Mind Me". Concocting up a bastardized mix of arena rock, '80s metal, Southern rock, and grunge, Diablo Royale throw abandon to the wind and come out with all guns blazing on this disc sure to rule the roost at the biker bar down the block for a very long time. (diabloroyale.net) - Mike SOS
 

Fixer - Before The Sun

NYC quartet Fixer look and sound straight off the Sunset Strip, as this outfit's hook-laden hard rock 10-track smorgasbord Before The Sun denotes. Registering huge on the rock Richter scale in every way possible from thunderous drums and bass to heroic guitarwork to impassioned vocals, this unit's brand of hard rock spans across the decades for influences from everyone from Def Leppard, Guns 'n Roses and Bang Tango ("Tuxedo") to Papa Roach and Buckcherry ("Head in My Hands").  Even though the task of melding the methods of Taking Back Sunday and LA Guns may sound like an overzealous endeavor, these cats nail juxtaposing the unique dynamics and dramatics of each period on cuts like the haunting "Hillbilly Heroin", the hair metal meets modern rock twisted "Mixing With My Blood", and the Bic lighter Bon Jovi-esque ballad "Down Without It". Brimming over the top with the right mixture of solid chops and poppy melodics while projecting the rock 'n roll attitude left behind when CB's closed its doors, Fixer pulls off the retro style without coming off as forced or contrite. Evoking a radio friendly and arena worthy rock sound which exudes the unmistakable presence and leather-clad delivery of bands they make VH-1 Behind The Music documentaries about, Before The Sun declares Fixer's arrival to that mythical next level on the rock star ladder. (fixermusic.com)- Mike SOS

Boys Night Out - Boys Night Out

Canadian quintet Boys Night Out return with a slicker, more commercial friendly release on their 11-track eponymous offering. Yet somehow through the duration of this massive sounding disc, BNO stick barrages of brooding passages into the fray, giving songs like "It Won't Be Long" and "Fall for the Drinker" a murky underbelly that belies the harmonious gloss on the surface. Blending a catchy contagiousness with an unfounded sense of musical savvy, this band seems to have hit its stride, blurring the edges between punk, prog, rock, and pop with the sense of producing memorable vocal phrasings and arena-sized choruses that demand stadium-sized audiences firmly in check. (Ferret) - Mike SOS

 

SSS - SSS

Short Sharp Shock is what the acronym of SSS spells out, and a more fitting name couldn't be true for this British quartet, as they bludgeon your ears with a crucial slab of crossover metal. On the crew's 17-track blink and you'll miss it masterpiece, a flurry of guitars, drums, and hardcore howls duke it out in a bare knuckle brawl for it all on tracks such as the title cut, "The Beast", and "The Answer is Never". Relentless and bursting with an off the chart abrasiveness, if you're yearning for the days of throwback thrash when unadulterated aggression reigned supreme, this is a disc you must obtain. (Earache) - Mike SOS

Kickstart - Kickstart

Non-pretentious traditional three chord and the truth punk rock played to the hilt is what this NYC trio Kickstart amplify on their 11-track self-titled offering. Placing punk back in the gutter with full force is what this act accomplishes, with dashes of Joe Strummer, Mike Ness, and Johnny Thunders hovering around each sneering vocal and infectious hook located in "Harmonica" and "Nothing at All". Streetwise and raw, this one is for the most hardened of punk heathens yearning for more than a fancy haircut and preposterous posturing. (Serious Business) - Mike SOS

Roger Wallace - It's About Time

Roger Wallace’s latest album, It’s About Time could be described as a work full of soul and grit. It represents the “inner Roger” extremely well and it has a great, old-timey sound that I love. Doghouse bass, lap steel, fiddle and honky-tonk piano are the perfect choices for this CD. “It‘s About Time” is a great up-tempo, catchy tune that will have you hummin’ along in no time. “Give Me A Reason” is a pretty dark and threatening song about a man revealing to his mate that he not only knows she’s been cheating on him, but also who she’s been cheating with, and he’s considering murder to put a stop to the cheating. “If It Wasn‘t For Me” shows us Roger’s humorous, hillbilly side and seems to be a respectful nod to one of his all-time heroes, Roger Miller. “I Want That Water” features outstanding doghouse bass by Brad Fordham, wonderful background vocals by The Lowells, and other acoustic instrumentation for a down-home, hillbilly, gospel feel. Two years ago, when they banned smoking in Austin’s restaurants and bars, Roger (who was not alone) didn’t like the idea at all, so he wrote “Smoke ‘Em If You got ‘Em” to give Austin a piece of his mind. Roger shows us his romantic side with “Everloving Sunday”, a song I suspect he wrote with sweet Mrs. Wallace in mind; I got the same feeling about “Alone At Last”, which features some great honky-tonk piano. “Frantic“ is a song for fast dancers who love to show off on the dance floor, the kind I love to watch. Austin legend Erik Hokkanen’s fiddle work will make your jaw drop in awe. “All By My Lonesome” is the perfect country song. Roger’s voice is perfectly capable of making us feel the loneliness in his heart when he’s singing this song, and Jim Stringer adds a nice touch with the lap steel. One of my favorite singers in Austin, and a great person, Dallas Wayne co-wrote “Prodigal Daughter, Favorite Son” with Roger, and I hope they write more songs together. The song almost makes you feel like you’re watching a western movie. I can’t help but think Jimmie Rodgers would have recorded “My Way‘s The Highway” if he was still alive. It’s a you-done-me-wrong song that doesn’t need anything but Roger’s voice and his beat-up old Gibson acoustic guitar. “The Confession” is the only song on the album that Roger didn’t write. Jim Stringer wrote this really dark song of loss, suffering and resentment that somehow balances out the CD. Roger Wallace is, in my opinion, the best singer Austinites can enjoy nowadays. His powerful voice and intelligent lyrics make the perfect combination, and it’s always a treat when hubby and I can go to Ginny’s Little Longhorn or The Hole In The Wall to listen to him. If you haven’t seen him live yet, don’t miss the chance; but if you can’t catch his live show, buy a copy of It‘s About Time, and you won’t regret it. It’s no doubt one of the top five albums of 2007. Check out his schedule at myspace.com/rogerwallace.  (www.rogerwallace.com) - Rachel Roth "Rascalita" - Courtesy RAMagazine

A Perfect Murder - War Of Aggression

War Of Aggression by A Perfect Murder take the wares of Pantera and combines the razor-sharp riffs and rhythms with a dash of BLS-inspired heartwrenching balladry ("Fortunate Son") for a spin on this Canadian quartet's latest 10-track affair. If you don't mind the blatant Anselmo-like vocals and recycled thrash metal riffs adorning cuts like "Enemy of Mine" and "Label Me", then chances are this disc will be in heavy rotation in your player. Otherwise, due to the band's lack of originality, there's nothing too enthralling here that you haven't gotten a million times better before. (Victory) - Mike SOS

 

Verona Grove - The Story Thought Over

Making the haul from a small Midwestern town to the bright lights, big city vibe of Los Angeles usually only happens in the movies, but this is the real story of the trio Verona Grove and their latest disc The Story Thought Over. Syrupy sweet pop-rock ditties galore is what you'll find on this 11-track disc, complete with piano-laden songs about love gone awry, heartbreak, and all the other topics you'd find on a Simple Plan or Yellowcard disc. If you're above the age to be let into an R-rated movie alone, this CD is not for you, but if you're looking for something to help you get over the first day of high school jitters, Verona Grove's sticky melodies, innocuous hooks, and sappy lyrics are perfect to quell those fears. (veronagroveband.com) - Mike SOS

 

  Aleda - The Invention Of Time

Brooklyn, NY quartet Aleda's sinewy '90s alt-rock vibes dominate their eight-track excursion The Invention Of Time, as parts of Jesus Lizard, Hum, Beck, and Trust Company fade in and out of the immense swirls of atmospheric guitars while the rhythm section's enormous presence shapeshifts on the title cut and "The Both of Us". Channeling the dark-edged side of the spectrum, these cats make rainy day rock with Nirvana-esque subtleties that still sound pertinent in songs like "Chemical Drive", whereas songs like "Better to Burn" prefer to launch into space with Soundgarden-like heft. Dense and rich, Aleda succeeds in creating a massive wall of sound that engulfs the ears and takes you for a wild ride, revealing a shared tender fragility with the few heavy bands such as Jawbreaker, Quicksand, Far who similarly illuminated warts and scars with an unadulterated sense of grace. (Ghetto Crush) - Mike SOS

 

The Casual Lean - Swears

The Massachusetts quintet known as The Casual Lean juxtaposes TMZ.com pop-rock gloss over substantial smatterings of smart and unique indie rock on the stunning 10-track offering Swears. Jarringly well-placed vocal phrasings keep the flow on cuts like "Torch" and "Third Degree Burns" refreshingly unpredictable while the ferocious musical unit behind the in your face frontman known only as Justin skillfully drives the vehicle through all types of musical terrain from pop to funk to emo with grace on tracks like "Cut the Kite" and We Made A Killing". Chances are if you dig anything on the mainstream radar in rock today from Fall Out Boy to Incubus to RHCP, then you'll fall in love with The Casual Lean's stylistic predilection and unencumbered rock sensibilities on impact. (Orange Peal) - Mike SOS

Nora - Save Yourself

Nora's brand of intriguingly shape shifting and abrasive hardcore once again takes the reigns on this hardened New Jersey quintet's latest presentation Save Yourself. Led by Ferret honcho Carl Severson, whose screamy howl echoes hardcore supremacy, this 10-track destroyer annihilates all in its path with an abundance of unforeseen genre-defying time signature shifts on cuts like "Just Like Johnny" and "SCUM", furthering the metal and hardcore bond of blood for generations to come. And for all you hardline oldschoolers out there, there's just too damn many tastefully-influenced remnants of all the great underground bands of yore you loved passing through the seams of cuts like "Broken" and "Chances Aren't" to pass this disc up. Nora's hiatus, though an undoubtedly a long and grueling episode, has rendered a masterpiece which demonstrates the vitriol and virtue that comes when struggling towards redemption on Save Yourself. (Trustkill) - Mike SOS

 
Volatile Baby - Backboards

Volatile Baby is consists of Gina Stewart on guitar, banjo, autoharp, and vocals; Allison Modafferi on piano, accordion, guitar, and vocals; and Brenda Gambill on violin, percussion, harmonica, and vocals.  I first heard Volatile Baby on Ram Radio; the song was “50 Miles of Elbow Room.” I instantly heard a Carter Sisters sound of sisterly harmonies. In fact, the song was written by AP Carter. When I heard their next CD would be a collection of Carter Family songs, I waited with much anticipation for the CD. Volatile baby is a talented female trio from North Carolina. Between them they play nine different instruments, and play them well. They are heard throughout their latest release, which has them paying tribute to the Carter Family and other classic roots songs. The songs are lively and should have you tapping your toes and singing along. The sounds of the Carter Family influence reverberate throughout the 11 song collection, [but] they make each tune their own unique version. I’m sure Mother Maybelle, Sarah, and AP are smiling down on them. As is June Carter on their warm cover of her classic, “Ring Of Fire”  The vocals are strong and blend well. The harmonies are rich and full. You can hear an autoharp on their lively Carter Family staple, “Wildwood Flower.” What would a collection of Carter Family songs be without “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”? The gals deliver with their version.  They also pay tribute to Leadbelly on “Cotton Fields,” another toe-tapper that may even have you clapping your hands. The CD kicks off with “Gold Watch and Chain,” another Carter classic and ends with a near acoustic “Give Me the Flowers While I Live.” The gals aren’t only musicians – but Gina Stewart took a hand as the recording engineer and producer.  The back of the CD is quaint – it is a guest check from a fictional dinner called “Ethel’s Country Cookin’” with the tracks listed one by one. This a great listen and a must for any music fan. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. (volatilebaby.com)   - Nancy "ccf" - Courtesy RAMagazine

The Waterboys - Book Of Lightning
 
While not exactly the return to The Waterboys of old that it's been hyped as, Book Of Lightning is a very enjoyable new disc from Mike Scott and company that still shows the occasional glimmer of the old days (sometimes more than others), but also does a great job moving in a new direction.  This point is driven home as soon as the infectious opening cut "The Crash Of Angel Wings" hits your speakers with its Beatle-esque hooks and a slight hint of their classic sound courtesy the horns and again on "Love Will Shoot You Down" and it's upbeat rock edge.  As you make your way through the disc there are a few cuts that definitely would've been at home on one of their older discs including the beautiful "Strange Arrangement", "You In The Sky" and the hook-filled "Everybody Takes A Tumble".  Other highlights include the lush "Strange Arrangement" with it's classic Waterboys sounding strings, the country lilt of "She Tried To Hide Me" and the emotional "Sustain".  Book Of Lightning is an excellent new chapter in the story of The Waterboys. (Decca - mikescottwaterboys.com) - Geoff Melton

Kamelot - Ghost Opera

Darker than previous endeavors, the 11-track Ghost Opera finds the American power metal quintet Kamelot trudging through the bleaker side of the metallic genre a la Nevermore and Queensryche on cuts like "The Human Stain". Adding in some Eastern instrumentation to accentuate the collection's overall moodiness, this well-balanced mix demonstrates each player's strengths sans the genre's customary hot-dog solos or pompous flash on songs like "Up Through The Ashes" and "Rule The World". By keeping the vocals at a low register, the keyboards leading and symphonic, and the guitars tasteful yet effective, Kamelot provides an interesting interpretation of rousing yet decisively murkier progressive power metal that would fit alongside Katatonia as well as it would Iced Earth or Fates Warning.  (SPV USA) - Mike SOS

Laura Walker - The Piney Rose

I just want to preface this by warning everyone that I’m not great at writing album reviews. I don’t know much, technically, about music, sound, instruments, artists, etc. I know what I like and what sounds good to me; however I often have a hard time explaining why, so I usually just let someone else do the reviews. That said, this lady and her CD deserve the recognition, so I’m going to give this a try. Laura Walker is the bass fiddle player for The Dismembered Tennesseans, a group that played during the Legends Concert at this year’s ROMP. As soon as they came out on stage, I knew I liked her – a female playing the bass is just cool, in my opinion. But then she sang a solo, and she just blew us away. She had a great voice and she sang a hauntingly beautiful song called “Summer of My Dreams.” I knew at that moment I wanted this woman’s CD.  That said, I knew we still had the whole weekend left to “discover” artists, so I didn’t buy the album. Cindy did, though, and she was kind enough to let us listen to it that weekend. I loved what I heard so much that I bought the CD online first thing after I got home. It’s a great album. One of the things I love about bluegrass festivals is the way you can hear every instrument; they blend so well. This CD is like that. Ms. Walker lined up some fantastic musicians, and the album serves to spotlight them almost as much as it showcases her. In addition, it seems to me that Laura’s voice was made for bluegrass; she’s got a wonderful alto tone with just the right amount of roughness around the edge. And, although The Dismembered Tennesseans said bluegrass music was sung from the heart, through the nose, her voice is not too nasally. She can let loose on the upbeat numbers, and still be smooth and tender on the ballads, both of which are equally represented on the album. My two favorite songs are “Blue” and “Summer of My Dreams,” which sounds almost as beautiful now as it did on live on stage – I think being in Kentucky with friends made everything sound just a little bit better. Other than that, I don’t know have much to say. Basically, it just comes down to this: Laura Walker and her album, The Piney Rose, are very good, and I like them a lot. Give it a listen; you won’t regret it.  (laurabwalker.com) - Anne Sample "AnnieOakley - courtesy RAMagazine

The Riff Randells - Doublecross

Since their formation in 1999 Vancouver's The Riff Randells have released numerous singles and EP's and ran through their share of bassists (guitar/vocalist Kathy Camaro's fiance and Chixdiggit guitarist KJ Jansen handled bass-work on this disc and Bianca is now filling that slot) before finally gracing us with this full-length debut.  Doublecross is 11 short blasts of non-stop pop pnk with the definite emphasis on pop.  Every cut here explodes with cruncy guitars and sugary sweet hooks toppe with Kathy's solid vocals creating a sound that will have you bouncing around the room.  (Dirtnap) - Geoff Melton
 
40 Below Summer - Rain

Getting the reissue treatment is the 12-track album Rain by New Jersey cult faves 40 Below Summer. While this band is now working on a semi-regular basis in addition to some members playing in Black Market Hero, when this album first dropped in 2001, they caused quite a stir on the East Coast scene thanks to their nu-metal leanings, garnishing comparisons to Korn and Deftones. Boosted by a unique vocal style and crammed with a slew of memorable hooks like "Wither" and "Power Tool", if you'd like to take a trip through nu-metal's not too distant past, this disc is a good place to start. (Crash) - Mike SOS

Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying

The glory days of crossover metal have been lovingly revisited thanks to everyone's favorite beer-drinking hellraisers Municipal Waste and their latest offering The Art Of Partying. Remember bands like Scatterbrain, DRI, and SOD? Well don't fret if you were too young to catch the first wave of the hybrid because these cats bring it to you. This hard-partying Virginia-based quartet (bolstered by drummer extraordinaire Dave Wittie's massive percussive power) make no bones about their allegiance to illicit consumption of alcohol and drugs and thrashing the night away,as their lighthearted lyrical content yet iron fisted musical attack deliberately denotes. Leave all seriousness at the door and be prepared to bang your head to the might of tracks like "Sadistic Magician" and the ridiculously titled yet utterly crushing "Rigorous Vengeance". Who said metal can't be fun again? Just check the feelgood moshpit anthem "Born to Party" as proof that it doesn't always have to be about gloom and corpsepaint.  (Earache) - Mike SOS

Man In Gray - I Can't Sleep Unless I Hear You Breathing

Despite constantly getting lumped into the Brooklyn hipster pile (which is kind of a backwards complement to these folks in all seriousness), Man In Gray's razor sharp indie rock guitarwork and blissful noise rock detours set this resilient NYC outfit light years ahead of their peers while helping to excavate this quintet from the rest of the self-important pack's avalanche with the quickness. I Can't Sleep Unless I Hear You Breathing is this female-fronted unit's latest exercise in punk-spirited, multi-influenced rawk, a 11-track affair whose atmospheric post-punk and swirling melodic overtones would remind you of Sonic Youth going toe to toe with The Pretenders on cuts like the sinewy "Stranded", the diminishing "Commodity 2", or the stoned shoegazing vibe radiated from "Fault Lines". Fortified with their not-so-secret weapon vocalist Tina DaCosta, whose powerful presence and undeniable pipes assist the twin guitar freakouts on "Bad Mood" and stand on their own convincingly on "Sleeping", ICSUIHYB engages the listener with this group's dazzling array of danceable discord and well-textured dissonance. (Serious Business) - Mike SOS

Raul Malo - After Hours
 

With the release of After Hours, former Mavericks' frontman Raul Malo is back with his second disc of covers in two years.  This time around he has chosen ten tunes that are largely old school country classics, but instead of doing straight-up covers he has turned them into jazzy standards that not only allow him to showcase his stellar vocals, but also show just how good these songs really are.  While the whole disc makes for a very enjoyable listen the real highlights here are "For The Good Times", which has a slight Chris Isaak vibe to it, his swinging big band take on "Cold, Cold Heart", the beautiful, deeply emotional "Husbands and Wives" and the slow, very jazzy "Welcome To My World".  Although he's taken some slack for sticking to covers and not doing originals, I for one would love to hear him continue down this path. (New Door Records - raulmalo.com) - Geoff Melton

Ruby Bullet – Nothing Left To Bleed On

The NYC duo Ruby Bullet reveal their dark and edgy designwork on their seven-track offering Nothing Left To Bleed On. Equipped with a strong female vocal and barrage of dramatically-induced hard rock with tons of Goth charm and meaty hooks, cuts like "In My Silence" and "Thorn" conjure up a Evanescence meets Opeth vibe, while the discernibly noisy jazz feel of "What I Know" demonstrates just one of this unit's versatile approaches to their progressive pop concoction. Mixing complex musical nuances with everyday melodies, Ruby Bullet manages to get their musical rocks off at the same time as presenting the listener with solid slabs of well-crafted rock that provide a supple blueprint for every disenchanted female rock fan to follow. (rubybullet.com) - Mike SOS

Ka-Chi - Soul Liberty - demo sessions

With just a guitar and his rich, soulful vocals, the Baltimore based and Nigerian born Ka-Chi has released a very impressive debut consisting of 5 tunes that often walk the line with a sound reminiscent of the acoustic sides of Bob Marley and Ben Harper (the last cut on the disc is a great cover of Marley's "Redemption Song").  With a delivery that's very confident and laid-back, Soul Liberty - demo sessions shows that he is just as impressive lyrically as he is musically with lyrics dealing with subjects like life, relationships and taking control of your destiny.  With a demo this good I can't wait to hear what Ka-Chi has in store for us next. (www.kachilive.com) - Geoff Melton

Emmure – Goodbye To The Gallows
 
Emmure is a volatile East Coast metalcore quintet whose 10 track debut Goodbye To The Gallows dextrously meshes numerous strains of heavy together to make their distinctly savage wall of sound. You'll hear bits and pieces of Every Time I Die, Carcass, A Life Once Lost, Bury Your Dead, Meshuggah and Killswitch Engage unified with a tough guy hardcore coating and death metal bravado across this entire disc, tailor-made for the shirtless kids in the pit to collide into by. This 30-minute meal is being haughtily touted as "the heaviest disc of 2007", and while its massive heft does make a significant impact on your cranium, some of the innocuous and formulaic song structures and lyrical content deny them from that lofty title. Nonetheless, these boys crank, and have the guts to mix it up with a lot more demonic firepowert han your average metalcore clan, earning Goodbye To The Gallows some blackened brownie points. Horns up and guard on, Emmure's a band looking to brawl. (Victory) - Mike SOS

The Ghouls - Stand Alone

The Hidden Hand – The Resurrection Of Whiskey Foote

The Hidden Hand once again lay down southern fried concrete slabs of stoner rock fury on their third offering The Resurrection of Whiskey Foote. The 10-track affair finds Wino and company turning up and letting loose with a '70s rock shuffle and a bountiful barrage of bongloaded riffs on cuts such as "Majestic Presence" and "Lightning Hill". Capturing an aged feel without sounding dated, the bluesy swagger and hard rock durability found on "Purple Neon Dream" lasts the entire length of the album, truly giving the listener a pleasurable experience where doom metal's haunt and classic rock's timeless sensibilities collide. Comprising an album laden with a gargantuan sound and an unsurpassed heaviness that few bands can match, The Hidden Hand's latest further etches Wino's place amongst rock's elite while establishes the Maryland trio as a top tier act. (Southern Lord) - Mike SOS

Freya – Lift The Curse
 
Freya dropped the sing/scream device and let Karl Buechner go at it alone, resulting in the decisively metalcore approach taken on their long awaited second venture, Lift The Curse. And if you've ever envisioned what the merger of Hatebreed and Killswitch Engage would sound like, wonder no more what it sounds like, as songs like "Alleviate" and "Suffer Not One" have got you covered. Despite the atrocious for so many reasons "War Pigs" cover, this disc is an admirable offering from a band containing scene vets who have laid the foundation for some of today's hardest and heaviest. (Victory)
- Mike SOS
 
The Flat Mountain Girls - Idle Talk and Wicked Deeds

 
After a hiatus that lasted a couple of years Youngstown, Ohio's Tilt 360 has reunited and are now working on their second full-length CD.  While we wait on that disc to be finished they have released the four cut EP Point Blank which consists of 2 cuts from their first disc and a couple of newly recorded cuts.  Although there are only 4 tracks, they show a lot of diversity here.  Opening the disc is the title track, a down and dirty rocker with an extremely powerful bottom end that really gets things going. They slow things down a little with the second song "The Long Road", which has a nice guitar and piano intro leading into an emotional tune with strong melodies, but still not lacking in power.  "Remains With Grey" does a great job showcasing the band's dynamics shifting between the churning, guitar-driven choruses and a slower melodic side and they then bring things full circle with the closer "Blindspot", which is another solid hard rocking cut with a thumping bass-work that's in the same vein as the title track.  A really strong EP that will definitely have you looking forward to the upcoming full-lengther. (Love Muffin) - Geoff Melton

 

The Draft – In A Million Pieces
 
 Forming from the ashes of post-punk heroes Hot Water Music, there's something discernibly more listener friendly about The Draft. On this 12-track affair, a less abrasive, more experimental melodic side of the reinvigorated unit rears its head on cuts like "Let it Go" and "Alive or Dead". Sounding at times like The Police and Social Distortion intertwined with the notoriously unstoppable Gainesville punk rock sound they pioneered, The Draft continues Hot Water Music's legacy of uniqueness, only without the vitriolic vibe, which may turn off old time fans immediately. Yet even if "Wired" sounds lifted exactly from Queens of the Stone Age and the Dropkick Murphy throw your arm around your buddy feel of "All We Can Count On" doesn't grab you, The Draft feels just fine going on their instinct, pushing boundaries while keeping a fine musical relationship thriving. (Epitaph) - Mike SOS

Virginia Coalition, often referred to as simply VACO, are an up-and-coming band out of, you guessed it, Virginia!  Comprised of four members, this quartet was once made up of five members, but one member left to pursue other dreams.  This music is surely to put you in a charming, feel-good mood no matter how you’re feeling at that exact moment.  The music has a touch of funk, touch of rock, touch of jazz, alternative, and a blend of other influences- including some latin ("Gates of Wonder", "Hurricane Song").  Lead singer Andy Poliakoff’s lyrics and voice combine so beautifully to form a soft, but raspy sound that will soon be tingling your ear drums.  This CD incorporates a nice mix of rock, funky songs such as "Walk to Work", "Jerry Jermaine", and "Motown", to groovy songs such as "Lonely Cowboy", "Likeness", and "Green and Grey".  Of course, I can’t leave out the mellow track "Mason Dixon", which is sure to make you melt in your seat.  A definite must hear record.  And if you forgot to read the title, it’s live! P.S. An amazing cover of "Lean On Me". (Bluhammock) - Dan

 Slot – The Sweet Black Bear
 
Sadly, the latest release from Michigan eclectic '90s rockers Slot is the trio's final offering, as this 12-track disc is not only a compilation of the band's unreleased works, but also a tribute to Slot's guitarist Billy Rivkin, who lost his battle with cancer in 2004. Unearthed from 1995, the songs on The Sweet Black Bear display a top-notch strand of shoegazing indie rock with dashes of grunge rock bark, psychedelic rock starchasing, and desert rock heft intertwined, complete with dollops of atmospheric feedback and sustain, angelic female vocals, and guitars that meld harsh tones with lush waves of swirling distortion on cuts such as "Bat Nav". Projecting its underground dream rock vibes with a set of balls and a discernible bite, Slot's swan song yields fond memories and a plethora of excellent heartfelt rock with a timeless expiration date. (Small Stone) - Mike SOS

The Haunted – The Dead Eye

The Haunted's latest release is risky yet rewarding offering. While the quintet's latest manages to maintain the Swedish outfit's signature thrash sound to various levels with mixed results throughout the disc, there's a bevy of simpler, more compact, and daresay commercially-safe songs here that are excellent, but not at all evoking The Haunted of old. Many longtime followers have turned tail on the band who've seemingly pulled a Metallica, but The Dead Eye while slick, withdrawn and overly-theatrical, still has its merits. Peter Dolving's unique vocals, love them or not, provide a fittingly vivid narrative to the band's melodic metal meanderings and steer the ship with schizophrenic rampage, and while the band never thrusts into full gear here, there's enough spine-tingling twin guitar hard rock moments found on "The Failure" and "The Drowning" and the killer riff and rhythmic combo of "The Medication" to quell doubt that The Haunted ever lost anything at all. While this is a far cry from what you may know of The Haunted, their change of direction, infusing of different styles, and other experimentations with the genre found on The Dead Eye are intriguing enough for open minded fans and kids listening to Avenged Sevenfold alike to turn their heads and check out. (Century Media) - Mike SOS

 

Led by Bryan Simpson, whose songs have been recorded by the likes of George Strait, Martina McBride and Gretchen Wilson, on vocals and mandolin, Cadillac Sky has come up with a solid sounding disc that manages to respect traditional bluegrass while also injecting a fresh edge with tunes like "Homesick Angel" with it's Celtic flavor, the use of didgeridoo on the title track and the gospel tinged sounds of "Sinners Welcome".  With well-crafted lyrics that at times are serious and at others witty (check out "Can't Trust The Weatherman" and "Wish I Could Say I Was Drinking"), tight musicianship and strong harmonies make this a definite must have for Bluegrass and non-Bluegrass fans alike. (Skaggs Family) - Geoff Melton

Trap Them - Sleepwell Deconstructor

Grinding through 12-tracks of crusty death 'n roll, Trap Them's Sleepwell Deconstructor carries itself as the soundtrack of a decimating plague's arrival. Panic-stricken and chaotically crumbling structures down with its sheer gale force of grind and death metal decibels, tracks like "Swine into Silk" and "Destructioneer Extraordinaire" stack up its Entombed, Godflesh, Nasum, Emperor, and Napalm Death influences, building an impervious wall of extreme metal terror. While mugging as apocalyptic and charred in disdain, Trap Them also manages to get a potshot at themselves in with the weighty hardcore metal of "Digital Dogs with Analog Collars", showing that even the most maniacal of metal bands sometimes shares its sense of humor. (Sound and Culture) - Mike SOS

Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw - Influence

When Jack Blades released his debut solo disc several years ago one of the highlights for me was his cover of Spirit's "Nature's Way".  Needless to say, when I heard he was teaming up with Tommy Shaw for a whole disc of covers it definitely got my interest.  On the fittingly titled Influence they not only did a great job choosing tunes that were major influences to the two of them, but they also chose songs that showcase their excellent vocal harmonies.  Unlike so many covers CD's out there today they also chose not to completely reconstruct the songs, instead remaining largely faithful to the original while adding their own touch, and while you might expect them to move in a more Classic Rock direction like their takes on Yes' "Your Move" and ELP's "Lucky Man" most of the songs are in the pop and singer/songwriter vein with artists like Seals and Crofts, The Beach Boys, The Bealtes and Simon and Garfunkel.  In the evergrowing field of covers discs Influence is definitely one of the stronger ones.  - Geoff Melton

Candygram For Mongo – The Red Pill

Boisterous punk pop from La-la land, Candygram for Mongo plays the kind of infectious melodic rock with a smarmy swagger and a slightly sneering tone on The Red Pill. Hooks for days, sugary yet shouted choruses, and a versatile knowledge of the rock 'n roll playbook accentuate cuts like the sock-hop vibe of "Bleed for It", while "Almost Everything" wheels out the denim and leather for an unorthodox time machine trip laden with punky pretense. A lot of input goes into the making of these three-minute gems, a feat that sets Candygram for Mongo way ahead of the rest of the whiners, poseurs, and talentless but popular acts on the scene. (candygramformongo.com) - Mike SOS

Bishop – Steel Gods

Three brothers from Upstate NY comprise the power trio Bishop, whose latest 10-track affair spans arena rock sentimentality, metal guitar heroics, and cock rock acrobatics. Steel Gods is a bit of a misnomer, as this disc tends to fall more into the modern rock genre instead of the heavy metal classification, but you can find a slew of meaty riffs like "Jib" that wouldn't sound out of place on an Alice in Chains or Soundgarden disc. A solid effort that effortlessly blends bluesy traditional metal and radio friendly hard rock, Bishop delivers an effective shot of no frills rock 'n roll. (bishopmusic.com) - Mike SOS
 
Earth – Hibernaculum

 Godfathers of the drone metal movement, Seattle's Earth returns with Hibernaculum, a CD/DVD combo featuring a revisiting of three older tracks redone according to band leader Dylan Carlson's current musical mindframe along with a rare song found on a 12" single with pupils Sunn 0))) and a documentary-like video portion. Trading in the standard gloom and doom tone for a more ominous lost on the prairie vibe (thanks to a cosmic twang which emits a down home feel), this precursor to the project's forthcoming full length release contains enough snail-paced ambiance to hold the followers over until the next batch of sprawling Americana hits your speakers. (Southern Lord) - Mike SOS

Man On Earth - Something Better

NYC quartet Man on Earth's alternative approach to rock combines arena guitar rock with the more mellow sentiments of bands like Incubus and Coldplay, giving the six-track Something Better a quirky yet accessible vibe. With cascading choruses like the one found on "Here We Are" in full view, Foo Fighter-esque riffs rearing their head on top of bouncy rhythms on "Hold Your Breath and Brace for the Crash" and displaying the penchant to take it down a notch yet keep it intense on the acoustically-driven Kinks-esque "A Birthday Song", Man On Earth succeed in sounding modern yet reaching down deep to drum up a dash of familiar rock sensibilities to decorate their straightforward method to rocking out with panache. (manonearth.com) - Mike SOS
 
Severed Head Of State – Power Hazard

Crusty hardcore punk crew Severed Head of State growl their way through the latest bruising offering, the 14-track Power Hazard. Southern groove, punk rock chaos, hardcore heft, and a vulgar display of power help this disc sound like a cross between DRI, Entombed, Coliseum, and Kill Your Idols. Definitely for the disenchanted and misdirected, Power Hazard has all the tools necessary to drum up a riot at any given time, as this Austin, TX-Portland, OR unit diligently scrapes the underbelly of rock, excavating a true gem amongst the debris along the way. (Havoc) - Mike SOS
 
 Threshold – Dead Reckoning
 
Veteran progressive metal act Threshold return with the nine-track Dead Reckoning, the British quintet's latest keyboard-led melodic rock foray. While the band still has the propensity to rip it up instrumentally, unlike most progressive outfits, Threshold decides to let the song stand out on cuts like the Styx meets Kansas epic "Pilot in the Sky of Dreams" and the arena rock shaking "Safe to Fly", allowing their seamless songwriting to shine. While this band may register a bit too heavy on the dramatic tip for some, Dead Reckoning showcases a band at the top of their scene's game pumping out well-crafted forward thinking metal. (Nuclear Blast USA) - Mike SOS

Tawny Ellis - Shelter

With her sophomore release Shelter, Tawny Ellis has come up with an excellent disc that should definitely please fans of everyone from Michelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton to Blondie and The Pretenders.  Driven by her powerful vocals and strong songwriting Shelter doesn't have bad cut, but has several definite highlights including her cover of David Bowie's "Let Me Sleep Beside You", the emotional acoustic vibe of "They They Go", which is a bit like early Heart and "Hollywood Tragedy" with it's Blondie-ish new wave vibe.  Lots of diversity and the occasional hard rocking edge makes this a disc that really sets Ellis apart from the pack  (tawnyellis.com) - Geoff Melton

The Dear And Departed – Something Quite Peculiar
  
Coming from the uber-hip Orange County, CA area by way of Australia, the quintet known as The Dear and Departed boasts some friends in high places (co-producers Chris Vrenna from NIN and AFI's Jade Puget) and convincingly dons its dark rock influences prominently on their sleeves. If AFI and The Cure decided to collaborate and add a dash of '80s new wave strewn in for good measure, chance are those songs would have the big beat of "To Cut a Long Story Short" or the whimsical dance in front of the mirror punk vibe radiated from "Masquerade". While much of this 14-track disc is slightly on the Gothic rock subdued side, there's enough fist in the air rawk like "Fly Me Away" to permit those not wearing all black to join the procession. (Science) - Mike