CD REVIEWS

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In the beginning was the Pixies. Lo, the Pixies begat Nirvana, who begat Bush as well as Silverchair, who, in turn, begat The Vines. Generations away, we have the freshman release from Have Fun Dying In Tulsa.

On The Lips! is the sound of Zach Mobley taking a number and having a seat in the waiting room filled with Cobain impostors.

The disc is fraught with the stalwart "soft verse/loud chorus" formula. On The Lips! milks this over the fourteen tracks presented; it's almost too much for one sitting without wanting to send Charles Thompson a royalty check.

What HFDIT's songs miss are anything beyond the veneer. The Pixies rocked, but they also embraced an undeniable weirdness that endeared them to their fans. Nirvana made MTV safe for shredded vocal chords while also infusing their music with a vulnerability that their followers haven't been able to match. What made this band's closest comparison, The Vines, interesting- aside from Craig Nicholls's Asperger's Syndrome- was the band's penchant for dropping in oddball moments that reminded the listener that they worshipped Pavement, too. While Have Fun Dying felt the need to namecheck bands other than Nirvana in their band member biographies, their album is essentially a Bleach clone throughout, minus "About a Girl." Other than the song titles, which are admittedly clever at times, the listener basically absorbs all they can from this disc upon first (or, in some rare instances, second) listen.

As far as a first album goes, the band is competent and the production is decent, especially for a DIY recording (which one assumes this is.) However, it is, at the most, a document of a young band that really loves Nevermind. The question is, when do they make their mark when so much energy is being used trying to copy someone else's?

You can listen to Have Fun Dying In Tulsa's On The Lips! at purevolume.com/havefundying.

- Michael Ross, 03/29/05

The machos of SFA, Chris Wiser and Rob "Dr. Rock" Martin, have crafted an album that nicks liberally from the classic rock playbook-arrangements frequently (and favorably) call to mind the kind of jazz-rock Donald Fagen and Walter Becker produced with Steely Dan's Two Against Nature, while "Cover Band Boyfriend" has a melody that is dangerously close to Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac."

There are plenty of modern touchstones, too: "The Way That It Goes" transmogrifies David Bowie's paranoid, menacing synth bass of "I'm Afraid of Americans" into something similar to Cake; "The Way That I Felt Today" sounds like a long-lost Jon Spencer cut (thankfully, Wiser refrains from shouting "Sugar Free is number one!")

Familiarity, however, can (and usually does) hamstring lesser acts than SFA. To their credit, Wiser and Martin ably avoid cliche, instead producing something that does a fine job of sounding familiar without seeming stale.

The songs themselves paint a portrait of post-collegiate life in Norman. When Wiser triumphs, as in the moody break-up lament "My Key" or the excellent, wiggly clavi-funk of "Ain't No Crime," the songs embrace the elements of Dude Life in a joyous, keys-and-drums bear hug. The only missteps come when the songs' populace seems one-dimensional, as in "Buddhist in a Beemer," or during "Cornbread"; Wiser's talking-blues tribute to baked goods feels like filler between two much stronger tracks.

The real leap forward in this album is its production: the sound of ¡Dos Machos! is warm and thick.  The low end is commanding without being muddy- SFA's sound is built on a foundation of rumbling organs and thunder-crack snares. The occasional appearance of violin, horns, wah-guitar, and Moog are neither buried under the other layers of sound, nor do they sound tacked-on; rather, the blend of sounds comes across as deliberate and welcome. This is one of the best-sounding albums I've heard in a while.

Wiser and Martin have delivered an exceptionally listener-friendly disc that would make an excellent soundtrack for back-porch barbecues, summertime beer runs, and late-night bull sessions.

You can purchase Sugar Free Allstars' ¡Dos Machos! at Guestroom Records, Size Records, Rainbow Records or online at sugarfreeallstars.com.

- Michael Ross, 03/27/05

You have to sympathize with David Terry's circumstances.  When Terry was living in Tulsa, it was easy to compare Aqueduct's music to The Flaming Lips because of the spacey-pop feel and Oklahoma connection.  Now that he lives in Seattle, he's not only still likened to the Lips, but to The Postal Service (synths, harmonies, Washington).  I'm sure Terry is more than familiar with the comparisons.  Not that they aren't warranted, but I digress.

Just three short months after releasing the five-song EP Pistols at Dawn, Terry hits us again with the full length, I Sold Gold on Barsuk Records.  Combining insightful and ingenious lyricism with great electric piano bases and overlain blips and bops, Aqueduct is a pleasure to listen to.

Terry reminisces on youthful experiences on "Growing Up With GNR" ("I was only 12 / Damn it all to hell / I was feeling fine / Hearing Axl Rose on the radio / singing Sweet Child of Mine"), speaks of true love on "Heart Design" ("I wish I could be better to you / I don't want you to think that my heart is untrue") and sings of being caught in a bad relationship on "Frantic (Roman Polanski Version)" ("I don't wanna be a human trampoline any more / I'm not going to let you jump all over me").

Anyone can take a keyboard and computer and make some form of electro-pop in their bedroom.  But few can duplicate Aqueduct's fetching melodies and keenly genuine lyrics. Walking a fine line between zaniness and frankness, the realness in Terry's lyrics is what makes I Sold Gold so charming.

You can purchase Aqueduct's I Sold Gold online at barsuk.com.

- Jeff Harris, 01/25/05

What a depressing album.

Not that it's bad by any means.  A lot of great songs, albums, bands have emerged because depression and misery.  And with song titles like "Without You", "Misery", "Nothing Left", "Drowning" and "Lost", things are bound to get depressing.  Out of Place is just a depressed, heart-broken, cry-in-your-beer, countrified-Chris Carrabba kind of album.

Half the album has the southern-rock sound of a 3 Doors Down or a Hootie & the Blowfish, half the album has the red-dirt sound of a Cross Canadian Ragweed or a Pat Green.  Sure, the two sounds have some similarities, but somehow they don't really mesh great when put together on one album.  Are they a rock band or a country band?  Can they be both?  Obviously, Rodney Pyeatt (Mike McClure Band) producing the album helps lend some of the country sound to the album.

Recorded at Awesome Works Recording Studio in Holland, Texas, the album is very technically clean.  Jared Sutton's voice is placed just right in the mix, and I can't stress enough how important that is.  Many albums make the grave mistake of shuffling the singer's voice and over-powering the guitars.

"Without You", "#6" and "Drowning" all have a driving rock crunch to them and it works well.  The band gets a little off-course from the rock vibe on the ballads "Slo Jam" and "The Traveler".  The use of the steel guitar on "Slo Jam" really marks the weird mesh of sound that exists on this album.  What direction are they trying to take? Or are they trying to go in a direction?

Despite the odd mix of sounds, Out of Place is a well-produced album.  A better direction and a more sound ebb and flow would make it much better.

You can purchase Bishops Alley's Out of Place online at bishopsalley.com.

- Jeff Harris, 12/18/04

A Last Ditch Effort's (aka Derek Manalo) self-titled, two-song offering follows the emo-pop guide to music.

The acoustic track "My Last Chance" defines emo.  It has the "feel sorry for me vibe".  It has the harmonious church-like vocals.  It has the heartbroken, "I'm about to cry, come back to me or I'll die" lyrics.  A big faux pas of rock recordings is the use of clips from movies.  Intermittent clips from A Breakfast Club are just incredibly annoying and distracting.  Not that I blame Manalo for using them.  I blame awful bands like A New Found Glory for promoting the use of them to compensate for horrible music and bad voices.

"Goodbye to Romance" has more of a straight-forward sound.  It's mainstream pop-rock with emotive vocals (aka everything currently on the airwaves).  The difference is the hardcore screamo-ish, er, screaming at the three-minute mark.  The guitar work on this song, with big rock riffs and a good overall feel, is pretty superb.

In the end, Manalo has put together two decently-produced songs.  This last ditch effort is a good one, but could use some polishing.

You can contact A Last Ditch Effort (Derek Manalo) via e-mail.

- Ryan La Croix, 12/13/04

Aqueduct’s Barsuk debut finds main-man David Terry in top form.  The broken drum machines, laundry list of gizmos, and thrift shop keyboards have finally aligned in his bedroom symphonies. The pious status of Brian Wilson is confirmed by tracks such as “As Close as Your Girlfriend is Far Away” which sounds like a distant cousin to “Heroes & Villians”.  But this staunch vessel does not sail solely on a foundation of overlapping melodies and intense instrumentation.  Terry’s quirky sense of humor prevails throughout the recording with classics lines such as “pricks like me come and go everyday/ they wreck your fuckin’ life and fuck your wife and run away/ till the day I die I’ll always stay that way”. (Not to mention the various references to the ‘heat’ he is packing in “Hardcore Days and Softcore Nights”.)

Although Terry’s sense of humor is intricately linked to his pop sensibilities, sometimes they get the best of him.  For example in “Dinner Mints”, the instrumental breakdown is accompanied by a distorted vocal saying “you are so mean/ and you smoke crack” before giving way to a bombastic butt-rock harmony guitar line.  The final track “Who Wanna Rock?” discards Terry’s layered lo-fi pop for a cheeky electro-beat, as he declares “the ladies line up for the aqueduct/ you want but you just can’t stopwiduct/ who wanna rock with aqueduct?”  A little jaunting at first listen.

As much as Terry tries to hide behinds his own hi-jinx, and laugh at his own jokes, there are incredible moments of sincerity and vulnerability in Pistols At Dawn.  This is probably its most attractive feature.  It is one thing to make an audience laugh and sing-along, but it is entirely another thing to be subtly feeding them cynicism and heartbreak the entire time.  Terry does all of the above admirably.

You can purchase Aqueduct's Pistols At Dawn online at barsuk.com.

- Chris Rodriguez, 12/08/04

The Hallelujah Crowd's self-titled release is a simple subtle blend of college rock and pop.  Armed with singable melodies and smart drumming, the Ada quartet wastes little time grabbing the listener's attention with this three-song EP.  The main songwriter, Brian Warren is well versed in the constructs of pop music and the arrangements are obvious, well thought out, and appropriate.

Warren's vocal strength on the recording, however, is slightly lacking, but that doesn't prevent his lyric melodies from getting stuck in your head. Reverb-drenched vocals and delicate keys courtesy of Tulsa's infamous Tony Romanello thicken up the sound of "(A)maze(D)".  The creative peak of the recording is the final track "How to Choke", with clever overlapping melodic guitar lines and a lo-fi outro. The three songs are a nice handshake and introduction to the band but its usefulness stops there.  The EP is essentially a plateau or flatliner; it make a bit of an impression and then levels out.  The band opens the door to your permanent record collection but they do not have the moxie to step through the door yet.

You can purchase The Hallelujah Crowd's self-titled EP online at yawnrecords.com.

- Chris Rodriguez, 11/17/04

And now a collective of Oklahoma musicians have teamed up to produce Radio Deception's A Nation Deceived, A Nation Divided.  The six song album runs over 75 minutes long.  Interwoven with the somber musical soundtrack are sound clips driving home the issue of the dire situation in the Middle East.

The homemade packaging to this disc is excellent.  Every piece of paper marked "Confidential" on the outside gives the packaging that rebellious/underground feeling.

If you like Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky or Godspeed You! Black Emperor, go pick up A Nation Deceived, A Nation Divided.  The CD is available at Size Records in Oklahoma City & Guestroom Records in Norman.

You can listen to some songs from A Nation Deceived, A Nation Divided on myspace.

- Ryan La Croix, 11/01/04

The songs range from soft and heartfelt songs ("Taken" & "Go Away") to full frontal aggressiveness ("It's A Good Thing" & "Train of Thought").  Among the two polar ends of the spectrum is a good, consistent middle ground.  Progessive rock, mixed with some hard rock, make appearances ("I Never" & "Misdirection").  Mid 90's influences can also be heard on a couple tracks ("Gotta Live" & "For You").  "Gotta Live" borrows the underwatery-vocal effect Soundgarden was known to use.

The double-bass and screaming on "Misdirection" are absolutely excellent.  The rage is comparable to something System of a Down would put out.  While the music on "Jabroni Lady" breaks some good ground for the band, the lyrics are horrendous.  As is everything about "Gonorrhea".  This album would be much better if those two songs would have been kept locked in the musical basement.

I'd like to see this band get out of the rut of playing the same few places and branch out to other venues.  Their sound would be well-received by audiences other than their usual crowd.

You can listen to some songs from Dopamine on Push Madelyn's website here.

Push Madelyn will play a Velvet Revolver pre-party this Tuesday at Teddy's.  On Wednesday, they will open up for Velvet Revolver at the Zoo Amphitheatre. Staind, Shinedown, Burden Brothers & Spooky Fruit will also play.

- Jeff Harris, 10/18/04

The songs range from the awkwardness of becoming an adult ("Life" & "Endless Adolescence") to being on the road, forgetting those adult responsibilities and just having fun ("Last Summer" & "Greetings From Nowhere").  And what pop-punk album would be complete without some sort of love songs ("First Kiss" and "Try")?  And two of the better songs on the album, I might add.

The lyrics, while cheesy at times (like most, if not all pop-punk), are generally more mature than the band's previous efforts.  Coupling with the lyrics are good power chords, a bouncy bass and steady drum beats.

"Last Summer" takes a page out of The Ataris' guide to song-storytelling. I know this moment won't last long / this feeling it makes me smile / so why not put it in a song / remember it for a while.  "Take It" contains a surprisingly defiant and grown-up hook. With you by my side / I can only be better / but without you here / I'll be just fine.

In their first few years of existence (and even today), Same Day Service was labeled a gimmick band for not only having twins in the band, but all girls.  While, admittedly it is a little gimmicky, it still works.  And that gimmick shouldn't take away from the serious music, good energy and refreshing optimism this band brings to the table.

You can purchase Waiting For Tomorrow online at terribleone.com, interpunk.com, and cdfuse.com.

Same Day Service will play this Friday at The Green Door in Oklahoma City. The New Cliche will also play.

- Ryan La Croix, 10/08/04

The guitar work on Germany is loud and aggressive, not to mention downright excellent.  The nine-song, 25-minute album barely has enough room for all the controlled madness. The tracks are consistently good -- no low points or filler here.

"Red Bull" starts off with mono microphone sound and non-amplified guitar licks.  When the drums and full vocals kick in, things pick up and get the toes tappin'.  The maniacal lyrics combined with the upbeat tempo lend to a party-type atmosphere.  The surf/rockabilly opening to "Turn It Around" evokes a feeling that Reverend Horton Heat is turning in a cameo.  While you can rarely pick out a word on the distorted verses, the stuttering chorus is clear: Ta-ta-ta-turn it around / Ta-ta-ta-turn it around.

The Delta-blues "Black Mama" is classic El Paso Hot Button.  The track keeps moving with the same couple chords and good hooks until a perfectly spaced solo interrupts and impresses, only to swing back to the original recipe by track's end.  The laid-back tempo on the Strokes-y "Venus Smile" reveals a softer depth to EPHB's music in comparison to the dirty, distorted vocals and crunchy power chords. Not surprisingly, the title-track "Germany" best showcases the "German concept". The furious Rammstein-style track features German language clips and completely unintelligible lyrics.

How one person can emit as much sound as Reece does with El Paso Hot Button is mind boggling.  Those who have seen his stage show can testify that the music sounds as good live as it does on record.  However, on the album you miss the pleasure of Reece messing with a theremin.

You can purchase Germany online at So And So Records.

El Paso Hot Button will play this Friday at The Green Door in Oklahoma City. Student Film & Star Death and White Dwarfs will also play.

- Ryan La Croix, 09/30/04

Traindodge dabbles in acoustics, synth, strings and sound bytes in this double album -- something previous albums and EPs may have not allowed for.  Sure, there's still the usual layering of guitars, power riffs, big bass, hard hitting drums and shouted lyrics.  The album is still very Discordian at its base.  It's just more evolved than previous Traindodge releases.

The album starts softly with "Abandon City!", almost like a ploy to catch the unsuspecting casual listener by surprise.  Halfway through the track, it explodes and it's easy to see what we're in store for.  "Bent and Broken Down" brings out the hard-hitting guitars and perfectly-timed aggression.  The breathy, soft and soothing "Dealing With A Liar" falls somewhere in between Modest Mouse and Pinback musically.  It feels so out-of-place on the album, and yet fits perfectly.  Almost in recognizing the listener may be checking to see if he has Blue Screen Life in his CD player, "Streets" hits next.  "Streets" is one of the stronger tracks on disc one, complete with a choir of voices singing: laughing all the way / and you won't slow down until you hear your name / laughing all the way / just to feel the same.  The synth-pop track "Cameras Instead of Eyes" keeps the head moving and the body bopping.  The ten-minute long "Failure Is An Orphan" takes the listener on a journey of repetitive riffs and sounds, as well as too-many-to-count-breaks, only to wake things up violently the last minute or so.

Disc two is decidedly heavier than disc one.  "Love and Venom" gets your adrenaline pumping and leaves you exhausted by the end of the five-minute song.  "The Taste of Broken Glass" brings us the poppiest-hook of the two-disc set: that's the way that we fall / that's the way that we fall down.  "Bushido" hits like a punk's machine gun, as the chorus lyrics rifle through you: Ebb! Flow! Ebb! Flow! Ebb! Flow! We know!  Disc two closes out with two instrumental tunes -- "Caldera" and "Reclaimed City" which wrap up the twin-set fittingly, almost as if it's putting a child to bed at the end of a long, hard day.

The Truth was mixed incredibly well. Traindodge has such complex and intricate arrangements in their music (especially this album), one would think some elements would fall through the cracks.  Carl Amburn at The Mousetrap in Norman knows his stuff and he shows it on this album. From the background vocals to the string arrangements, the acoustic guitar to the rushing cymbals, it's all captured in two little CDs you can carry around with you.

On this site, we'll probably never give a five star rating, for the sheer fact that nothing is perfect. If anything could be considered close to perfect on this site, it might just be The Truth.

You can purchase The Truth at Ascetic Records.

Traindodge will play this Friday at The Conservatory in Oklahoma City.  Self-Evident, Roma 79 & Skies Fallen will also play.

- Ryan La Croix, 09/28/04

The disc features two ends of the spectrum with dirty-gritty Delta Blues tunes ("Southern Gothic Imagery Blues", "Well You Know") as well as little love ditties ("Raspberries and Cole Porter", "Gesturing").  "Fetch Me a Robin" is a slow song  -- starting and stopping in beat at the first, coupled with background "ohhhhs" and Brian Whitten's scratchy yet strong vocals.  The song picks up steam by the end and explodes, giving a good lesson in song progression. The fast-moving "The New C.C. Rider Blues" is one of the best songs on the album, delivering lyrics of confusion with an upbeat soundtrack.  Local guitar master Mike Hosty contributes slide-guitar work to the down-trodden "Them Jackson Blues".

Whitten's strong voice moves through this record, at times bringing force and passion, other times bringing concise and fitting vocals.  Ryan Taylor's twinge of blues, red dirt and americana guitar riffs mold the direction of each song.  Dave Spindle's bass lines jump around, while giving a strong backing to the music. Stu Williamson's stripped down drumming recalls that of many contemporaries in the red dirt music world. The four members are all in their early to mid 20s, a far cry from the elderly connotation of "blues".

You can purchase Now-A-Day Songs at Southern Records or CD Baby.  The album is also available for streaming at the-rounders.com.

Go see The Rounders live this Saturday night at the CD release show for Now-A-Day Songs at Galileo's in Oklahoma City. Don't be let the term "blues" keep you away.

- Ryan La Croix, 09/23/04

Starting off the CD is the rocker "Stargaze", which is quickly followed by "Rhythm For You," which contains DC Talk Supernatural-style harmonies.  On "New Beginnings," singer Rick DuVall belts out an inspiring "It's my favorite day!  It's my favorite day!"  The big hit of this album, "I Should Have Known," includes the heart-tugging lyrics that everyone can relate to: "You let me down/You let me down".

One shocking revelation is that such a quality-sounding CD was mostly self-recorded and mixed in DuVall's house.  This just goes to show that you can produce your own CD...and make it sound good too.

The harmonizing on this album is fantastic.  Ballista knows exactly when and where to throw in background vocals and harmonies.  If there's one thing I dislike about this album, its the occasional rock-rapping by DuVall. Not just the fact that he's rock-rapping, but it's obvious that he's capable of so much more with his voice.

New Beginnings is a fairly short CD, clocking in just over 28 minutes, but is well worth the buy and listen.

- Jeff Harris, 09/22/04

Of course this tactic works much less than the rule of thumb. As soon as you settle into the bands pitching stance, they serve a swing-covered curve ball in "Bottle of Fiz" or the melodic mellow rock of "Two Clouds". The EP is refreshing for two reasons. Primarily the band has yet to set parameters or tried to confine their sound to a tight and defining box. Secondly, they don’t take themselves too seriously. The resulting joyous aural experimentations tend to be contagious.

- Chris Rodriguez, 09/14/04

Mourning September's debut album, A Man Can Change His Stars, is a good blend of heartfelt lyrics and quality rock sounds.  Forming around September 2001, the band named themselves in homage of the events of September 11 and all the emotions that came with it

After signing to Floodgate Records last year, the band toured with some name-drop-worthy bands and has been hard at work recording their first full length. The ten-song A Man Can Change His Stars was produced by James Paul Wisner, who has also worked with Dashboard Confessional, Further Seems Forever, Glasseater and New Found Glory.  Further Seems Forever's Jon Bunch lends backing vocals to "April Dreams" and "Lights and Jewels".

The emotion conveyed through singer Tony Chavez's voice feels real and it's easy to see why fans immediately connect with him. The drums sound great, which are extremely important to get right in the mix.  The guitar work is driving and tight

The disc goes through a variety of song-styles.  There's the slower songs, there's the poppy songs and there's the rockers.  Kinda like a Jimmy Eat World without the constant manufactured pop feel.  "Glorietta" is a catchy song of praise and waking up to a new day,  "Lights and Jewels" is an emotional song about coping with the death of a close friend, "The Damage" is a simple rocker about heartbreak.  "The Damage" moves like a story, first dealing with the pessimistic attitude caused by heartbreak: "Cause I can't do it on my own..cause I can't fight these battles alone" and ending with willful resolve, switching out the "can't"s with "can"s.  The only criticism I had on this album was the new version of "Running".  Their previously-released, indie-version of this song had more of a real feel to me.

I enjoyed this album lyrically and musically and look forward to hearing what Mourning September does in the future.

Mourning September will hold it's CD Release this Thursday in their hometown of Tulsa at Ikon, 216 N Elgin. Upside, Philmore, Yellow Second & Tokyo Smash will also play.  The show starts at 7:30pm and admission is $10.  Included in the price of admission is a copy of the band's new CD.

- Ryan La Croix, 08/11/04

As I listened to Dustin Sanchez 3.0, I wondered why he didn't take a stage name.  Not only because Dirty Sanchez would fit his lyrical style perfectly, but because it would partially hide his real identity.  I suspect there are many people that are ready to find him and do with him as they please.

Sanchez summons the insanity of the late Wesley Willis, the "what-the-hell" of Har Mar Superstar and the incoherent verbiage of Insane Clown Posse and puts in all on a disc of, for lack of a better word, crap.  In just over thirty minutes of lyrical and musical nonsense, Sanchez proceeds to insult anyone and everyone with ears.  Maybe some without ears too, I wasn't really paying attention.

If you ignore (or can get over) the lyrics, the music isn't half bad party pop.  One track ("Anymore") sticks out like a sore thumb, not only for it's depressing dance-party vibe, but it contains no noticeable destructive lyrics.  If anything else, at least Sanchez breaks out of the doldrums of every song sounding the same.  On one track ("I've Got A Crush On You"), he sounds like an impaired and drunk Robert Smith.  On another (***** Love), he sounds like Lil Jon.  Another ("Anyone Can Die") sounds like a D-side on Deftones' White Pony.

Arguably the best song on the album is the aptly-titled "Doo Doo".  And that, folks, pretty much describes the whole album.

- Ryan La Croix, 08/04/04

When Bryan Mangieri made his recording debut with last year's Seahorse Blues, it was a proclamation of sorts. Messy, uneven, but ultimately winning, Mangieri's record showcased a songwriter with great potential to either re-introduce the idea of hooky songwriting ("For The Kids," "Paper Crown") or to become the local equivalent of Alexander "Skip" Spence ("Sparrow's Voice and White Noise").

The choice was Mangieri's to make, and conversations with him during the interim would indicate his decision to go with the former. Mangieri would speak often of his love for Weezer's debut and for Nirvana's breakthrough, Nevermind (often derided as the band's most "pop" effort). He talked of seeking out fellow travelers on his road to oddball pop paradise, and even began playing shows with a drummer.

However, the way that appears to have been selected is a third one, one of Mangieri's own making. The My Clark Kent Birthday Party way.

As the record unfolds, there is a much stronger sense of continuity than on Seahorse Blues, as well as a more focused sensibility. The double-tracked vocals are used more sparingly, the playing is much more in tune, the meter is tighter (save for the ramshackle "Falling Off My Shelf"), and the melodies are much more accessible. There is a sense of healing in the storytelling this time around, even if the lyrics retain a certain cryptic quality. Mangieri's vocals are still of the nasal variety, but there is a more assured quality to them, especially in the Stipe-like cadences of the title track.

This music is still an acquired taste. It is doubtful that My Clark Kent Birthday Party will replace your D'Angelo album on the stereo during a romantic evening, nor will it oust your Van Halen when washing the car. However, for those times when you feel like something a little bit different, it may find its way into a mix with Pavement and Cody ChesnuTT. This EP is a distinct step forward for Mangieri- the question is where it is leading next.

- Michael Ross, 08/02/04

Drawing on the dark underbelly of the Appalachians and other sources of folk dementia, Gavagai take you through the pillaged palaces of yore, and past dying trees stripped of bark.  The instrumental disc serves as a quiet funeral song for our society of highways and hyper-communication as we quickly evolve and invent towards our own destruction.

Weighing in at 72 minutes, the album is a large pill to swallow.  A majority of Guardian of the Cattle's nine tracks are between six and twelve minutes.  Tracks such as "Nefesh Twakan" are simply exercises in the bizarre with no discernable melody, or theme; simply noise.  The duo does best when they stick to acoustic guitar-oriented material because of the instrument's rhythmic and melodic tendencies.

Overall Guardian of the Cattle has the slow and methodical slither of a snake.  The songs carefully creep along as repetition draws you in like the flicker of flame. This is definitely not a disc for fun summer driving, but there are times in everyone's life when a trance-like state can be a blessing.

- Chris Rodriguez, 07/24/04

Twenty Minutes to Vegas lays it all out on their aptly titled Hit It!  Recorded at Bell Labs in just two days, the record sounds just like it was recorded: quick and loud, with no fucking around. No long intros, no unnecessary solos...just thirty minutes of straight ahead rock n' roll.

The rowdy "The Last Thing I Need" kicks off the disc with a fury of loud drums, loud guitars and Damon Boelte's loud and strained vocals. See the trend here? If the second track on the disc, "Gotta Gotta", doesn't get your head bobbing, you have no music soul. The band truly wrote a rock anthem with this one. "Been a Long Time" brings back some sixties-influenced rock sound. Damon Boelte's word droppings of "baby" and "child", while seemingly insignificant, combined with the perfectly timed stutters set a lyrical mood to the track.

Hit It! is brilliant in its simplicity. You can tell there wasn't a lot of studio-tweaking done with this record. And that's more than refreshing to the ears.

- Ryan La Croix, 07/11/04

Student Film returns with their first proper full-length record The Great Escape, both a bold and advancing revelation, and a tactful retracing of steps.  The band makes good on the promises of potential from their prior release, so much so that they in fact re-recorded three tracks from the previous EP to be included here.  But don't let the songbook regurgitation stop you; the tracks ("Crows in Action" "Indigo" & "The Color Orange") are cleaned up and in full form.

The eleven song-length of the record provides the playing field Student Film so desperately need to explore tone, texture and taste.  Dreamy scientific synths, clash and collaborate with humdrum drums, panicky tambourines and dwindling melodic guitars.  A majority of the albums finds the band gleefully twisting conventional pop structures, and shoving them into a microwave to watch them melt and deform.

Song arrangement and keyboards finally land closer to center stage against a backdrop of strummed acoustics and muted percussion.  The album contains the secret weapon "Oxycontinental Breakfast", a possible indie-pop hit of the summer if only it could sneak on to The Spy's playlist.  The delicate remake of the previously released "The Color Orange" does the song much more justice, replacing the relentless pounding and dark cynicism with a droning organ, hushed symbol swells and a desperate intimacy.

The Great Escape takes a peculiar nosedive during the last four songs of the record, not in style or substance but in length.  After peppering your ears for several three to four minute tracks, the final four songs last between thirty seconds and a minute and a half.  This has a peculiar affect on the listening experience; as soon as the album comes into fruition, "poof" it's over.  The finishing tracks require additional attention from the listener, because frankly the moment you turn your ears off the record is complete.  The Great Escape is again proof that Student Film is on to something special and might just be the next big band coming out of the Oklahoma.

- Chris Rodriguez, 06/07/04

Twelve Pearls’ Listen is a painful regurgitation of our radio alterna-pop past (circa 1996). At times it sounds like the band gleefully analyzed every mediocre radio hit of the post-alternative era and painstakingly reconstructed them to preserve the dead-end subculture. The introduction to "Little Girl" is a second cousin to Green Day’s "Longview" before the chorus erupts into a weird bastardization of Neil Young’s "Rockin’ in the Free World". Perhaps we have a textbook demonstration of frat-rock on our hands, I’m not able to confirm.

The lyrics are peculiar and trite, for example an excerpt from the aforementioned "Little Girl"; "I walked up on you and I didn’t have the words to say/ the look upon your face was like you found out your boyfriend was gay/ you say/ no way"… Wow…That’s not to say this five song EP is unlistenable, the musicianship is admirable. Matt Crabtree handles the drums well (if not a bit over the top) and Brandon Jackson’s guitar playing is mostly melodic and conventional. The songs are well recorded and a great deal of attention was paid to production, but the songs just aren’t there.

The closing track "Always" is their laughable attempt at a power ballad. Basically it has the emotional depth of a kiddie pool. If you like your beer lo-carb, and like watching bands at sports bars, this may be the EP for you.

- Chris Rodriguez, 04/22/04

When listening to [adjust your light and go], it becomes apparent that Anchors for Arsenal has extensive roots in the pop punk of yesterday, but the band has done an excellent job of moving past it and growing up. The songs are well constructed, the production is appropriate and the performances are evocative. In terms of a good rock record, [adjust your light and go] has it all frankly. I’m not sure what the new rock buzz-word is, but I would characterize the record somewhere between a heart-on-your-sleeve ‘emo’ (whatever that is) visceral edge, pop punk energy and pop sensibility.

The opening track "Days and Weeks" quickly sets the tone for the album. Tattooed guitars and clobbering drums pillage through the three and a half minute track as Jonathan Knight shouts "But you still don’t understand/ we either go, or make things right/ and change our ways as days and weeks go by". After slamming the listener’s head into the wall for eight tracks, the record suddenly changes tempo with "Pass it on", an acoustic confessional with tasteful keyboards by producer Carl Amburn. This track does wonders for filling out the record and showing another side of the band. Of course they do not dwell on this exposed sincerity for long, returning the record to a breakneck speed with the mediocre closing track "Blackwoods".

- Chris Rodriguez, 04/05/04

El Paso Hot Button is an exercise in simplicity.  One-man band Mickey Reece is armed with nothing more than the contortion of fingers and a twitch of the ankle to get his songs across.  Rockabilly and blues guitar licks and a constant thrust of bass drum are the extent of his musical arsenal, but Reece works well in such a confined area.  El Paso Hot Button, like the Strokes, and the White Stripes before him, is continuing the trend of making old music new.  But he isn’t mining the garage rock of the late 70's, denim jackets and afros; he knows the troubadours of blues is where it’s at.

The theme of pillaging blues artists and emphasizing simplicity may sound strikingly similar to the White Stripes (the vocals of “Hard One” reek of Jack White, and a guitar figure in Buffalo Business is right out of the Stripes catalogue).  Reece after all is working with the same three chords and kindergarten drumming concept, but he takes it one further step back to the source.  Being a solo performer makes him that much more akin to the lone wolf, guitar playing, tale-spinners that kicked over whiskey glasses and stole women in seedy establishments throughout the south and Midwest in the 10s and 20s.

Do not make the mistake of condemning El Paso Hot Button as an imitation of the Stripes, Reece takes many forms of audio experimentation that Jack White wouldn’t dare touch.  The aural pallet of Buffalo Business is expanded with random synth effects, found sound, and pitch-shift vocals.  This experimentation yields a much more adventurous and surprising musical outing than the White Stripes are capable of.  However, Buffalo Business is most successful when Reece stays close to the fuzzy, hip-shaking boogie of “Footstomp” or the overdriven roadhouse brawl of “Rubberduck Blues”.  The next time an open highway calls for the tapping of a steering-wheel and shots of tequila, give El Paso Hot Button a spin.

- Chris Rodriguez, 03/23/04

Luke Dick’s words, like his guitar chords, ring true throughout this debut album from The Redbud Revival. Like a twisted tree with roots that plunge depths into the Midwest, and youthful branches reaching new heights, both the album and Dick’s country warble pay homage to the past while forging a futuristic flatland.

Covering all bases from roots-rockin’ Tom Petty to Bob Dylan fingerpickin’ folk, Sweet Cavendish plays like a love letter to the state and workingman. Dick raises the simple people that populate these red dirt hills above his head and shoulders into saintly images. This is evident in tracks like "Last in Line" where he tells the tale of a waitress, Sheila, working the graveyard shift, "and her kids slept in strange beds/ It nearly broke her heart".

With a sound at times like a twangy powerhouse juiced on whiskey or a gentle family quilt from generations past, The Redbud Revival’s refreshing song structures and arrangements bring a new plate to the table. "Buffalo River" is a gentle rush that carries off the listener like any good body of water would. The swaying march of a distant bass drum and tambourine are drowned out by Chris Tyson’s drums as Dick sings "I think it’s time we pack it up and go visit the river, babe/ Get out of town." "A Sure Shot" features a harrowing lap steel guitar that suggests deserted highways paved under backup vocals that erupt from the heavens. The soft folk stomp of "To Try," as led by a delicately fingered guitar, swirls around the weight on Dick’s shoulders.

Sweet Cavendish’s smart, well-performed and well-recorded collection of songs are the first humble steps in the struggle of a great band --- an intoxicating debut from a deserving batch of musicians. The Redbud Revival proves that southern boys aren’t unsophisticated, they just sire a simple breed of sophistication.

- Chris Rodriguez, 03/16/04

This record is the soundtrack to an 80’s movie about your life that John Hughes never got around to writing; encompassing all the electro thump and campy disco your little boom boxes can handle. Of course such revivalism always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Much like John Hughes later writing credits, which include the infamous canine "Beethoven" films and "Home Alone 2", it seems that this art form had its time and place in history. Any attempts at resuscitation just seem to spit in the face of what once was, by trying to capture a brief pause in history again. But if you want to dance like it’s 1986 or jump on the trendy electro-dance train, (because the eighties are cool again!) this may in fact be the disc for you.

The programming on the EP is catchy and will get your acid wash jeans jiggling in no time. The songs are ridiculous and fun (as they should be) in particular the introductory track, "We Are Stevedore," in which they proclaim, strangely enough, "We are Stevedore!" The orchestral themed "Medicated to Excellence" kindly plucks through the musings of Depeche Mode before erupting into a thumping falsetto chorus as the singer contemplates "I won’t be back, I won’t make sense/ I’m medicated to Excellence".

Although the lyrics are perfectly slighted and melodious on the album, it is apparent that the vocalist is slightly lacking in technique. The group does an admirable job trying to cover this up through studio trickery and effects, but any discerning ear will know better. But with such a consistent and wholesome EP under their belts, Stevedore just might be your next nostalgic tongue-in-cheek party band.

- Chris Rodriguez, 03/09/04

The seven-song CBGB set starts off with an energizing "Better Off" and sails into "When He Says He Loves Me," a heartbreak song with a great little hook written by Tyson Meade. "Drag" highlights the disc, where Raechel Duncan shows what her continually maturing voice is evolving into as she belts out the lyrics.  "Ex-Bestfriend" delivers a tart jab "maybe you should take your medication, crazy pills don't work unless you take them."  Ouch.  The closing song, "I Am Wrong," is delivered hard and fast as the CBGB show goes out with a bang.

The Green Door live show is much louder and a lower quality of recording than the CBGB part of the disc. At least the audience is audibly into it, as this was the last show at The Green Door's location on Western.  Two new songs, "Billy" and "The Bulletproof Album", start off the disc. By the time "When He Says He Loves Me" comes along, Meade is asked to come lend his voice as backup.  His voice simply overpowers Duncan's and makes the song hard to listen to.  Such is the life of a live recording.  Following a cover medley of The Cars' "Just What I Needed" and Trio's "Da Da Da", Meade performs two solo songs, "Postcard From Heaven" and "Another Kitchen."  These songs showed his voice for how I remembered it.  These two treats will make any Chainsaw Kittens fan giddy for his upcoming solo album.  "Better Off" with guest vocals of Alex Gruber, "Ex-Bestfriend," "Loving and Losing," and "I Am Wrong" close out the disc.

Unfortunately, The Stellas have recently decided to break up.  Your last chance to catch them live will be the Saturday at The Green Door in Oklahoma City, opening for Mr. T Experience.

The Stellas - Live From CBGB & The Green Door can be ordered online here.

- Ryan La Croix, 03/02/04

Writer’s Block is the sound of haphazardly crafted fuzzy-dream pop songs hailing from the bedroom.  Youngblood’s hushed vocal delivery presents the image of him quietly cooing in his closet for failed romances.  The record is dynamic and intense as well as whispery and mellow; much like the affections of Mr. Youngblood.  Far from a one trick pony, he selectively employs keyboards and trumpets to alter texture and tone.  The album also contains carefully constructed moods and dynamics that carry the listener along like a lazy river.

The Writer’s Block begins with the blast of “Song for a girl part 1” and exits with the shrugged shoulders of the instrumental “Tropic of Cancer”.  It seems through the course of the EP, our protagonist has lost his direction or ambition.  The guitars of “I wish I lived in California” gently wash over the listener like the foam-covered coast as Youngblood sings “I wanna take you for a ride in my convertible, we’ll turn up the car radio and sing along, pretend we’re rockstars” - romantic escapism at its best.

And the best part?  It’s available for free download here.

- Chris Rodriguez, 02/15/04

The opening track "Taken Under" is a tale of heartbreak and worthlessness with a good hook. The disc also includes an acoustic version of the same song, which is about a minute longer than it should be. I wish other local bands would take a cue from this and add an acoustic track to some of their releases. "She" is a Misfits cover and is pulled off pretty well.  Nothing too over the top and stays pretty much to form of the original. "I...Vampire" is the fastest moving original track of the bunch. Christophe's vocals sound like something out a B-movie horror flick. "Wolfshead" could be pulled off better with a higher quality recording. The backup "woah-oh-ohs" are ill-timed and just don't fit. However, the guitar work on this track is commendable.

From what I can gather, Mockingbird Lane has gone through numerous changes and is probably still trying to evolve as a band. If they stick to their d-rock, horror-punk style, this quality of recording will do just fine. Minimalism has always been a streamline for this style.

- Ryan La Croix, 02/09/04

At times it seems obvious that Mangieri had a life altering spat with grunge and random parts of the record could possibly pass as an outtake to Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York.  The better moments on the record are when he sugarcoats his insanity with a spoonful pop to help its way down the aural canal (“For the Kids”).  At first listen the lo-fi dissonance of the record is remarkably disconcerting, but the more you listen to the record the more Mangieri’s story becomes clear.  “We’re all crazy but in different ways” he mumbles in “In my Sleep”.  As we begin to identify with our protagonist, the album borderlines on, dare I say it, compelling.  The trouble is I cannot figure out if its intrigue lies in pity or curiosity.

You can purchase Bryan Mangieri's Seahorse Blues by dropping him an e-mail.

- Chris Rodriguez, 02/04/04

It’s funky, it’s sparsely electronic, it’s spacey; surely it’s Dreamt Of By Armadillos.  In the tradition that Maritime Fist Glee Club can’t release anything in a simple predictable straight-ahead format comes the first official release by Dreamt of by Armadillos.  What peculiarities does this disc contain you may be asking?  Well aside from the fact that they credit someone performing with a phone as if it were a commonplace instrument, a quick scan of the credits reveal that the album was recorded ‘live in Neilson Hall room a102’.  But don’t be tricked into thinking this is a glorified bootleg, the record is well engineered and the band’s improvisations seem, for the most part, focused and consistent.

A well-greased rhythm section lays the funky backdrop as trippy guitars go head to head with samples and keyboards.  At times the music may seem directionless but I assure you that it is just the band messing with you.  The second they care to click, the music suddenly comes together and makes perfect sense.  Of course with a recording like this you are going to have less successful tracks than others (“srand” is an example of this).  But the band always makes sure that you have something you can listen to and focus on (in the case of “srand” it’s Joel Young’s funky drumming which carry the track nicely).  The album seems to be a metronome clicking back and forth between a funkier sound and flat out spacey-ness.  Sometimes it tilts too far to one side, but sometimes it’s just right.

- Chris Rodriguez, 01/29/04