|
  
• Got
A Stuff You Want Us To Review? Click Me Baby!
•
(Click
Here For Old Reviews)
|
|
Recent
Releases:
|
|
The 440's
"Hot To Go"
Steel Cage Records
Grade: B+
|
Lets hear it for tattooed girls that can out sing
and our play most guys that front a rock band! That's what you get when
you obtain a copy of The 440's "Hot to Go". Sparkle Plenty
fronts this Rock N Roll / Punk band. Full of hateful and true to life
lyrics and stomp'n guitar rips, Sparkle the lace that holds this bands
groove together. And with the help of characters like Hollywood Jay,
Superstar Steve Wolff, and Downtown Dave, the groove is tight! Some of my
favorite songs on this disc are "Ill be Happy (when you fuck
off!)" and "Stiletto Stomp" because they both depict true
life stories of relationships and the need to tell someone you hate
exactly how you feel! So if you in to bands like Taxes Terri or the
Lunachicks then it is highly recommended you check out The 440's!
• The
440's Official Site
• Review
of a 440's show by DeadOnTheWeb
- Scott Harding
|
|
The Forty
Fives
"Get It Together"
NG Records
Grade: B
|
The Forty-Fives are the answer to any fun
loving rock fan's prayers. 'Get It Together' is rock 'n roll stripped down
to the bare essentials, played straight from the heart. With sounds that
remind me of early Violent Femms meets The Hives, The Forty Fives keep the
beats pounding! Think pulsating drums, reverberating guitars, swirling
hammond B3 organ and memorable vocal stylings mixed with a dash of the
MC-5 and a generous helping of Chuck Berry and you have an idea of what
The Forty-Fives are all about!
• The
Forty Fives Official Site
- Frank
Rizzo
|
|
Bad Astronaut
"Acrophobe"
Honest Don's
Records
Grade: A
|
What do you get when you take very
talented musicians (2 that are or have been at one time a member of
Lagwagon), hard melodies, catchy lyrics and a piano? You get Bad
Astronaut! Fronted by Lagwagon's very own front man, Joey Cape, Bad
Astronaut creates tunes that are similar but very different than Lagwagon.
So what's different? The flow and the style of the way the songs are written. Bad Astronaut takes a different outlook on the structure of their
songs. Combining force with melody, they incorporate soothing melodic
notes with strong guitar and rapid beats. And then they take a break and
jam on the piano and an acoustic guitar for a few riffs. I have to say I
really like this disc and I hope that it isn't the last form Bad
Astronaut! And those out there that think its just another Lagwagon CD,
well you are very wrong! But at the same time I pray to the punk god above
that Joey never leaves Lagwagon behind!
• Bad
Astronaut's Official Site
• Honest
Don's Bad Astronaut page were you can sample a song
- Scott Harding
|
|
BS2000
"Simply Mortified"
Grand Royal Records
Grade: A
|
All right now, I have been waiting for what
seems like ages for this CD. For those of you that don't know, BS2000 is
Adrock of the Beastie Boys, and Amery "AWOL" Smith. This CD has
been a long time in the making. An earlier album called Nobody Beats
BS2000 came out in 97 as a limited edition on vinyl only, and sold out
quite quickly. This new 20 song CD has some amazing keyboards on it looped
with some old-school beats. It isn't very refined, but it's fun and in a
way makes you feel like a little kid again. I can't stop listening to it, I'm
totally in love!
• Check
out more on BS 2000
-
Aimee Schwartz
|
|
The
Living End
"Roll On"
Reprise Records
Grade: B
|
Not many Aussie bands make it big in the US,
but The Living End have made a mark with their previous album and are
ready to take everyone else by storm with their new release "Roll
On." The trio went with an AC/DC sound for this album with their 50's
and 60's rock/rockabilly roots tied in. The band consists of a guitar,
upright bass, and drums, which gives them their very unique sound. The
songs are very mature and stray away from mainstream rock. Highlights on
the album include "Pictures In The Mirror," "Staring At The
Light," and the alcoholic anthem "Carry Me Home." The CD's
intro of a chant of Roll On with catch you in immediately to the outro of
a song called "Uncle Harry." The songs are about freedom and
fighting back to gain rights of humans in general. The lyrics are very
relate-able and interesting to listen to. The highlight of the whole album
is toward the end put into a song called "Astoria Paranoia"
about losing your mind. This CD is a must for anyone who's into
Punk/Rockabilly or just good 'ol rock 'n roll! Pick it up at a local store
March 27.
• The
Living End's Site
• Sample
a song off this album
- Issac
|
|
Creepy
Nice Guy
"Demo"
Grade: B
|
Creepy Nice Guy is a tight four piece band
that grips the true roots of rock. With an arsenal of songs about
relationships gone astray, Creepy Nice Guy puts out poppy rock for the
people! Catchy choruses and addictive rhythms is what they are all about.
Slaphappy drums tie in the rough roar of the guitar and the flowing bass
runs. Add strong vocals and you have the complete sounds of Creepy Nice
Guy. If your looking for a new band to get into, take a look at Creepy
Nice Guy's site at Loudenergy.com
and sample a few grooves!
• Sample
some songs
• Creepy Nice
Guy's Official Site
- Jimmy Smitts
|
|
Dodge
Dart
"So
American"
???
Grade: B
|
So you take The Ramones, and grab Weezer. Take
the two bands, mix in harmony, fun, and talent, then cram them up the ass
of Donna A. Shake her around for about an hour till she had to drop a
bomb and there you have Dodge Dart! High energy punk are what these guys
are all about. And "So American" is filled with anthems that
keep you hummin away for hours. The title track of this album is a great
song about the social trends of America today, chicks, cars, drugs and
bars. So drink to the USA and check out these punks for your country!
• Dodge
Dart's Official Site
• Dodge
Dart Mp3s
- Jay Franko
|
|
Day Kill
"Demo"
Grade: D-
|
Well, I can't really say much about this CD
because I am really not into this type of music. So what type of music is
it? Iced-T with a mediocre guitar player. I don't know, if ya like that
shit check them out. If not, don't waste your time. On the plus side, this
demo only has 4 songs.
- Frank Rizzo
|
|
The
Gasface
"Six
Song Demonstration"
Grade: A+
|
Pump rock at it's finest! Thats right kids,
Pump Rock, not to be confused with punk rock, is what The Gasface
describes their musical genre. I mean how else are you gonna classify a
band that mixes in influences of Black Sabbath, Barry
White, Public Enemy, Helmet, Marvin Gaye?!?! All I have to say is
that after I heard this CD I couldn't help but shak'n my shit and gett'n my
groove on and smashing my head against the wall, yes, it's that good. They
have flavor, they have energy, they have beat and they have style. All
this and they are only a 3 piece! I interviewed these guys a while back
and the are pretty fucking funny too. So if you like a band that you can't
really described or if your getting tired of the same music everyone is
trying to sound like, well my friend, The Gasface is just the band you
have been look'n for. Check out the cd and definitely check them out live!
• Mp3s
of this whole cd and info on the band
• Our audio interview
with The Gasface
• A
show review of The Gasface by DeadOnTheWeb
- Scott Harding
|
|
Mother
Russia
"Hello America Demo"
Grade: B
|
Awww.....Mother Russia. This is a 4 song
demo cd that was sent to us by the band a while back and we finally got
our lazy asses to review it. Sorry guys. Mother Russia is good old raw
punk. The kind that pits are made of! The kind you beat your brother up
to. The kind that you throw rocks at cars to. Ya know, the kind that gets
you in trouble....gotta love it! Raw and tight, that's how the band jams,
and the singer? Well he kinda reminds me of they singer of rudimentary
peni. This is a band for all you people that like the real punk. No, not
that shit they play on the radio and call it punk, and no not punk you
might find on some lager punk lables. Mother Russia is in the genre of
punk like The Germs, The Exploited, Dayglo Abortions, and Life Sentence.
So if these bands strike a chord with you, take a visit to Mother Russia's
site and check them out!
• Mother
Russia's Site
- Scott Harding
|
|
Phyllis
"Smoovy"
Grade: B
|
I got this cd from the guys in Phyllis when I
checked them out a while back. I have never heard them before this. The Cd
is very well mastered and tight. Phillys brings to the table a
funk/metal/rap sound that is similar to bands like limp bizkit but with
out the stupid "im so cool" fred durst attitude. And I think the
singer sings much better. These guys play their music very well! They
incorporate bass, guitar, drums, turn table, special effects, vocals
and a drunk guy together to create a full thick metal sound that you can
feel throughout your body. Yes, I did say a drunk guy. You see there is a
band member that goes by the name HBD aka Has Been Drinking. When I asked
him what instrument he plays he replied "I'm the designated
drinker". Check out Phyllis!
• Official
Phyllis Site
• A
show review of Phyllis by DeadOnTheWeb
- Frank Rizzo
|
|
The Line
"The Line"
Volcom Entertainment
Grade: A
|
“...The
Line can mean anything a person wants it to be. But to us, it’s
our direction in life, the best line we can take to achieve our goals....”
The LINE’s self titled CD, is the first of 3 CD’s I will be reviewing.
Originating as Stone Entertainment, The LINE is the first band singed
by Volcom, rising from this partnership, Volcom Entertainment!
In the
past few years Volcom has exploded taking bands like the LINE as far
as they want to go. This CD just starts up wide open....hitting you with
“Iridescent”, it just
makes me want to start fucking shit up.
Nice language I have huh?
This CD is raw, a blend of old school punk with new ideas and the
freedom of expression. So many
great songs, it ‘s hard to single any
one out. I really like
Epidemic, I just love changes in a song.
Speed it
up, slow it down, yell it out, take it way down and then change it up
again. Add some great lyrics,
and another killer song by the LINE. I
had been getting a little bit burnt out on the puck scene, so may bands
void of originality or depth, the LINE has got me listening to punk
again. You just never know in what direction their songs are going to go,
one that starts off raging, may turn into something all together
different and vise versa. The
last song “Modem” is a trip, you just have
to check it out. This is a great CD, you get lots of songs, which is
always good, email them and pick one up. They are very cool, they will
most definitely get back to you.
• The
Line Official Site
-
Jeana with a “J”
|
|
The Line
"Disimilar"
Volcom Entertainment
Grade: A+
|
The
latest and greatest by the LINE, I think is my favorite.
They take
punk to the edge and keep on going. Don
Horne, (Vocals/guitar) and
Ryan Immegart (Vocals/guitar), are fucking raging.
The tempo changes
and the amazing metal style, guitar riffs, I can’t even find words to
describe how good the guitar playing is.
Together as a whole, Ryan,
Don, Rich Kaiser (Bass/vocals) and the CD says Jason, but I know their
new drummer is Mike, they just
work together so well, to create this
incredible sound. I find it
difficult to compare them to anything.
“Ignore”, “City Slicker” and “Something Review Culture Crash”
and
“Happy Hangover” are just a few of the songs off the CD that are
uniquely different. This latest
CD Disimilar, exudes confidence and
power. Vocals are stronger, intelligent and more intense and the music
seems a little heavier, faster and in your face.
As they evolve from their first CD some 5 or 6 years ago, their music
changes with life. Their lyrics
becoming more insightful, and wise as
they go through new experiences. Thanks for sharing them with us. I
look forward to watching them go where ever it is they want to go...
•
The Line Official Site
-
Jeana with “J”
|
|
The Line
"Auricle"
Volcom Entertainment
Grade: A-
|
Auricle
, another great CD, it’s just
classic punk rock. I just love
great changes, to go from a fast, hard, punishing guitar riff, right into
a smooth, soothing bass line and a kick ass harmonic chorus.
Something
original and unpredictable, that makes a great song.
Bless them. They
did an amazing job putting this CD together.
They blended just enough
melodic, smooth puck rock songs
with a balance of fast, hard hitting,
get out of my fucking face songs. I
just love “Destructive
Preservation”, the first words out of his mouth, “Everything was fine,
until your cerebrum blew up..”, classic.
This isn’t the only song that has
lyrics you want to read over and over, very intelligent.
Don’t get me
wrong I love loud, hard rocking music, but the difference between a
great song and a good song, are the lyrics.
The LINE is hard and fast,
but still audibly, I can decipher his words, his thoughts and feelings.
Can’t say enough good things about this CD and the LINE.
This is a
mandatory addition to your collection.
• The
Line Official Site
-
Jeana with “J”
|
|
Relish
"Relish"
Volcom Entertainment
Grade: B-
|
Relish is a another great band, to emerge from
the volcom label, with a twist, they’re composed of 3 girls. I guess
there not girls, but anything else sounds stupid. They’ve got a unique
sound all their own. I caught Relish last week when they opened for CKY at
Tony Hawk’s party (ouch, my foot hurts from dropping names) and they are
fucking great live. I think they come across more lively on stage and they
have a very powerful presence. The CD is pretty mellow, but very
entrancing. They blend very soothing harmonic vocals, with some pretty
sick guitar riffs. I really liked "Bled", "Born Again"
and "Little Girl", some pretty good stuff. Check them out at...
• Relish
Official Site
• Relish
Mp3 Site
- Jeana with "J"
|
|
Consumers
"Copyrite"
Volcom Entertainment
Grade: B+
|
This CD is jammed packed with 20 heavy, sk8 punk rock
songs. All of them are great. I really liked "Ollie High",
"Click & Drag" and "Rambis". But I have to say, my
personal favorite has to be "P.T.F.G.". Why?, you ask, for what it
stands for, "Pack the Fucking Green". Need I say more. They’ve
got a raw, heavy sound. Metal style guitar riffs blended with some great
screaming vocals. I had a friend over recently and we P.T.F.G, played
Consumers Copyright and watched some sick sk8 videos. The only thing that
this cd is missing that would make it perfect, is if it came with a forty
and a pizza.
• Consumers
Mp3s Site
- Jeana with a "J"
|
|
Bueno
"Nothing New For Trash Like You"
Volcom Entertainment
Grade: A-
|
I
must have been stuck in a closet somewhere to have not heard of this band
till recently. This is Bueno's
second release on Volcom Entertainment, and
it's a 4 song EP that you can pop in your computer for that enhanced shit
that we're all into, like movie clips, song info., and bonus tracks.
On this
release they had the producing help of Pennywise frontman, Jim Lindberg. His
talent along with the band's resulted in a clean, tight, and dynamic CD.
They also happened to play Warped Tour this past summer on the North
American
part of the tour. This is a
great band, that has awesome potential, every
song on this CD rocks. I look
forward to their third release.
•
Bueno Official Site
• Bueno
Mp3 Site
-
Aimee Schwartz
|
|
Bueno
"Finding Humor In The Tragedy"
Volcom Entertainment
Grade: B
|
Here
is Bueno's first release off of the Volcom Entertainment label.
Put out
in 1999, this 13 song CD compiles 7 songs that were their most recent, and
the latter 6 off of a minimally released EP that not too many people have,
so here's your chance to get it! Finally
some music that isn't all about girls
and bodily functions. There is
some depth and thought to Bueno's lyrics,
along with being talented musicians. This
band is just damn good at what
they do. Either one of Bueno's
CD's would make a great addition to any CD
collection.
•
Bueno Official Site
• Bueno
Mp3 Site
-
Aimee Schwartz
|
|
CYK
"Camp Kill Yourself"
Volcom Entertainment
Grade A+
|
Where
to start....CKY, has taken the number “2" spot on my list of all
time favorites. This CD is
fucking amazing. Every song, is
a winner.
For the first time in my life, I don’t think I can come up with any way
to describe their sound. If
you’ve ever watched “JackAss” on MTV, or
any sk8 videos’, you’ve heard CKY in the background.
The songs are so
familiar to me, yet, uniquely different.
They have this undescribable
sound, everything just sounds so perfect,
I wondered to myself what
they’d sound like live. Fucking
amazing, that’s how. I
saw them last
weekend at a private party, I couldn’t believe my ears....I have to say, I
was moved.
Band members Deron Miller (Guitars/Vocals), Jess Margera (Drums and
brother of Bam Margera) and Chad Ginsburg (Guitars/Bass), together,
have something so good, there’s just no comparing them to anything.
They categorize themselves as “dark industrial pop rock. The music is
heavy, but I don’t think it’s dark or depressing.
It’s far from melodic,
but definitely hypnotic. I get
lost in the music and I find myself in
anticipation, for the most amazing guitar riffs, I think I’ve ever
experienced. It’s just so original.
All the songs are my favorites, but If I can only pick 4 out of 10, I’d
say “96 quite bitter beings”, “disengage the simulator”, “knee
deep” and
“sara’s mask”. This CD
has a great song, not my favorite, but funny like
haha...”my promiscuous daughter”, a catchy chorus...”I caught my
daughter giving head to my brother.....”.
I have a daughter ok, she’s
only 4, but gross. But hey,
it’s a good song, like all the rest.
Trust me on this one, I’ve been honest to you all from day one, so, I’m
not shitting you, pick this one up. Everyone
I have played this for has
asked for a burn...I say fuck off, I can’t be without it for whatever the
turn around time would be, for all of my irie friends.
Pick up all the
Volcom CD’s, you’ll be stoked...I guarantee it.
•
CKY Site
• Another CKY Site
-
Jeana with a "J"
|
|
Santa's
Stuck In The Chimney
"Comp"
Volcom Entertainment
Grade: B+
|
This
Volcom Entertainment compilation features the likes of The Line, CKY,
Bueno, Pepper, and Relish. All
different bands, with distinctly diverse
sounds, but all compliment each other in quite a unique way.
Volcom has some
really talented bands under it's belt, and they are all featured here doing
some fun, experimental stuff. The
only bad news about this CD is that if you
want it, good luck, it's sold out on the Volcom website so check out some
used CD stores. Happy
hunting!!!
•
www.volcom.com
-
Aimee Schwartz
|
|
Secret
Hate
"Pop Cult Vomit"
Skunk Records
Grade: B+
|
Secret Hate and been around for quite sometime and
have changed their sound abit from the time they started. I have to
say...change is good! "Pop Cult Vomit" is a strong, hard and
ripp'n cd. What is so unique about this band is that their sound is
different than most bands. It's hard, then its slow. There are melodies,
then there is screaming. One thing it always does though is kick my ass!
This cd hits it's listeners like a ton of bricks. Mike, singer, has a
perfect voice! Sounding anywhere from Tool to DRI, his voice carries through
the tight harsh sounds of the guitar and drums. So if you haven't done so
already, check them out!
• Secret
Hate's Official Site
- Frank Rizzo
|
|
Ridel
High
"Emotional Rollercoaster"
Grade: F+
|
Popy, radio friendly music. But does it rock?
No....not really. Im not into bands that sing just about relationships and
love. I mean come on, a few songs on one cd about love fine... but all of
them?!?!?! Makes me want to kill someone! Come on guys! Get some originality! But hey, thats just me. I don't like this type of
music. I mean their music is ok, and they are pretty good musicians but
the lyrical content (the most important element of a song) lacks bigtime.
Unless you live your life around falling in love I don't recommend this cd
to you, or anyone for that matter.
- Frank Rizzo
|
|
Staring
Back
"The Mean Streets of Goleta"
Lobster Records
Grade: B
|
Staring Back is a good example of Melodic
Punk. You know, the kind like No Use For a Name or something like that.
Fast happy beats that keep the blood flow'n is what these guys are all
about. My favorite song on this cd has to be the one called
"Mom" It's about a kid who has a mom that grew up in the real
77' and 84' punk era. He even makes reference to his mom being so hardcore
she once played bass for Agnostic Front. I like their lyrics in general.
They are witty and humorous at times.
• Staring
Back's Official Site
• Staring
Back's Mp3 site
- Frank Rizzo
|
|
The
Strap-Ons
"Geeking Dream"
Epitaph Records
Grade: B
|
This band is great! The Strap-Ons keep
the essence of bands like Iggy and the Stooges, New York Dolls, and The
Dead Boys alive today. '77rock is what they are all about. The singer
reminds me a lot of Duane from The US Bombs and the Hunns with a twist of
Iggy. Very cool! No cheeky Blink 182 stuff here, folks, just some catchy 3
chord ditties chock full of stereotypes, generalizations and derogatory,
defamatory commentaries! Ah, the way punk was made to be!
• The
Strap-Ons Official Site
• The
Strap-Ons Mp3 Site
- Jay Franko
|
|
The
Street Walkin Cheetahs
"Live On KXLU"
Tripple X Records
Grade: A+
|
I was a bit hesitant about this CD because its
a live recording and it's rare when I find a live CD that sounds good. But
this is much different! Not only does the recordings sound crystal clear
but they give you a bonus CD! 2 fuck'n cd for the price of one, how cool
is that?! Anyway The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs have been around for some time
and they lay out the Detroit style punk rock Stooge mayhem full force.
This four-piece plays a searing combination of slash and burn punk/guitar
rock, mixed with a hard-edged power pop. The Cheetahs hurl a sonic
cocktail of Deadboys/The Dictators-style proto-punk, mixed with the raw
power of the Stooges. Notorious for their blood and guts live shows that
peel the paint off the walls of any venue they play, and this cd set is the
closest you can get to them without actually being there. They also kick
out great renditions of "Looking At You" from MC5 and The
Stooges "Funhouse". I highly recommend this cd!
• The
Street WalkinCheetah's Official Site
- Frank Rizzo
|
|
The Turbo
A.C.'s
"Fuel For Life"
Nitro Recirds
Grade: A-
|
Produced by Roger Miret of Agnostic Front,
"Fuel For Life" is a refreshing dose of straight-up, dirty
greaser punk straight from the heart of NYC! But just because they are
from NYC and the godfather of NY Hardcore produced this CD don't confuse
The Turbo AC's as NY Hardcore because that's not what they are. The like to
think of themselves as an "International rock and roll
machine", and that's just what they are on the latest release! Nitro
Records did a good thing by signing these guys and helping spread the word
about this trio! Chalk full of shread'n guitars and crank'n bass and
drums, "Fuel For Life" whips it out with force and destruction!
And hell, I even love the cd art work! Nice job guys!
• Turbo
A.C.'s Site
- Frank Rizzo
|
|
Whippersnapper
"America's Favorite Pastime"
Lobster Records
Grade: B+
|
Lobster Records dose it again with this
Whippersnapper CD. Although it is not their latest release it's one of my
favorites by them. Whippersnapper is from a suburb of Atlanta which
doesn’t give the band the same world view as punk bands coming out of
Southern California. While they consider themselves punk, most of the
lyrics have a more upbeat tone. New School punk at it's finest! For those of you that
haven't had the pleasure of checking out these guys let me put
it like this, any fan of Strung Out, NOFX and Lagwagon will enjoy this CD.
Infact on the cover of the CD was a huge green sticker that said
"Brought to you buy some one who knows a guy that has seen NOFX
live" or something like that. And this drummer smokes! It's got a
little bit of everything - good, clean instruments, cool vocals, catchy
tunes, a lot of energy. Don't believe me? Check out a few mp3s from he
links below.
• Whippersnapper's
Official Site
• Whippersnapper's
Mp3Site
- Jay Franko
|
|
Zeke
"Dirty Sanchez"
Epitaph Records
Grade: A
|
It's Zeke! Man that's al I really have to say
about this CD and any try punk will know this cd fucking rocks! But before
I go into the music, lets talk about the title of this cd "Dirty
Sanchez" If you people don't know what a "Dirty Sanchez" is
then I suggest you cruise the internet and find out what it is, trust me,
you'll gain a new respect for the name. Anyway, so “Let’s Get
Drugs” kicks off the record. Put the Dwarves and the Circle Jerks, lock
them in a van and drive it off a cliff. The ensuing explosion would
probably sound like this song— short, fast, loud, and nasty. Makes
me wanna stage dive off the Huntington Beach Pier! Any band who take
something Stevie Nicks wrote and turn it into a good song is truly
amazing, of course I'm referring to "Rhiannon", you have to hear
it, you'll be bludgeoned with tireless energy. So kids there you have it!
Zeke's 2nd release on Epitaph and it rocked my shit, check it out and make
it rock yours!
• Zeke's
Official Site
• Zeke's video for "Lets Get Drugs"
- Frank Rizzo
|
