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	Dirtbombs - Ultraglide in Black
	"Ultraglide in Black"	2009-08-21
The Dirt Bombs-Ultraglide in Black ** This is rock n' roll the way it should be played. Loud, raw, sleazy, and with no care for who cares. These Detroit garage rockers do it right, and Ultraglide in Black is their purest and best album. 'Chains Of Love' is one of the most honest songs ever recorded. And man does it groove. It's the perfect way to start off this killer album. 'Underdog' is just a what the f*? how is this so good!? While the cover of Stevie Wonders' 'Livin For The City' is soooo bad that you can't help but to groove along to it and then you realize he is vocalizing in Spanish. 'Kung Fu' shouldn't work but does. But the sleazed up cover of Marvin Gaye's 'Got To Give It Up' is just so perfect it makes you question the original. The Dirtbombs were the real deal, it's too bad their no longer together. Ultraglide in Black is THE album to check out.
	The Reigning Sound - Too Much Guitar
	"There is never Too Much Guitar"	2009-08-09
Yeah sure this has all been done before; but somehow Reigning Sound still sounds fresh and new. Too Much Guitar, is easily the groups greatest and strongest release to date. It's true blue guitar driven garage rock to the core, and some of the best the genre has ever released. I truly believe if the Nuggets compilation had been released today this would for sure be the bulk of the collection. Greg Cartwright leads the band with a great bluesy punk infused guitar swagger and a raugh set of pipes. Jeremy Scott and Greg Roberson lay down one tight rhythem after another. The killer opening cut 'We Repel Each Other' and 'Your Love Is A Fine Thing' open the album with a force so fierce you can't help but shake something. 'Let Yourself Go' and 'Medication' bring a feel too powerful to ignore. The patronizing 'If You Can't Give Me Everything' provides versitility and a slower groove to the alum. It's 'Ill Cry' however that is the focal point of the album. This lovers lament is easily the greatest rock n' roll song of the last twenty years. Too Much Guitar is without question the greatest, strongest, and all around most concistant rock n' roll album of the 2000's so far.
	Big Black - Songs About Fucking
	"Songs About F______"	2009-07-20
Big Black-Songs About F------ ** Big Black-Songs About...** To be quite frank, Big Blacks' Songs About F------ is one of the, if not the greatest industrial album of all time. From the sound of the grindning sheet metal sounding guitar to the ridiculous drum machine, Steve Albini knew what he was doing and he did it right. 'Precious Thing' 'Kitty Empire' and 'Fish Fry' are all standouts on an album of nothing but stand outs. Songs About F------ is completly and totally 100% offensive....as it should be....as it had to be. 'Tiny, King Of The Jews' is nothing more than two and a half minutes of pure pop bliss. 'L Dopa' is really just unexplainable, it really must be heard to appreciate. Perhaps best about SAF is that the album has aged very well, especially for an industrial album. It doesn't sound or feel dated in anyway. Besides the album cover is epic.... "The future belongs to the analog loyalist. F--- Digital!"
	Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - One Size Fits All
	"One Size Fits All"	2009-07-09
Well it's far from his best...but it's sure as hell his most coheisive release ever. One Size Fits All best sums up Frank Zappa's 1970's feel and sound with one solid swoop. Combining some of his greatest, most crative and eccentric arrangements with some of the greatest instrumentation he had ever played with, along side some of the most ridiculous lyrics he ever wrote. This works most of the time on tracks like the fabulous 'San Ber'dino' and not so well on others like the downright boring 'Florentine Pogen.' Something must be said for songs like the Xylophone infected 'Inca Roads' and the killer 'Po-Jama People' with it's over the top guitar solo that makes even the strongest of Zappas work blush. And with the German sang closer 'Sofa No. 2' it may not be Zappa and the Mothers of Inventions best work but it is easily one of the most entertaining and commercially exceptable.
	Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends [Bonus Tracks]
	"Bookends"	2009-05-02
Simon & Garfunkel- Bookends **** Bookends is the [...] love child of the folk-ish movement of the mid to late 1960's. It's to cool to belong to that genre and tag so people claim to hate it because of it's experimental departures while they actual admire the adversity which it presents. Which in essence is the point of all folk-ish music really. Bookends is the album many love to hate and many hate to love; I belong in the later, hell I could run the fan club. This semi conceptual album of growing up in America as you watch the elderly then ageing less than gracefully just as fast is with out question the crowning achievement from the duo of Simon & Garfunkel. The experimentation alone on tracks like 'Save The Life Of My Child' and 'Overs' alone makes the album head and shoulders above most the rest of the releases of the time and way above the groups 'classic' Bridge Over Troubled Water. But what is fantastic about the experimentation is what also faults the album; while it gives it a feel of nostalgia and clearly points to the late 1960's especially because of Simon's lyrical content and the production it also dates the album. Albeit the album has aged wonderfully for as old as it is though the fell is very dated. Tracks like the brilliantly poignant 'America' which was used in the great film Almost Famous to express why the daughter had to fun away to be a flight attendant because she couldn't talk about it she had to listen to rock music. The track is timeless and perfectly picturesque of the movement at the time of its release. 'Fakin It' was a hit single and for good reason, the lyrics and melody are super catchy, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel harmonize greatly and Simon's awesome acoustic riffery adds a nice feel. The rest of the album more or less follows suit. However, some of the album is lop sided. The somehow classic 'Mrs. Robinson' aside from the nice Americana lyric of Simon has little to offer to the over all album and feels seriously out of place and in general, weak. The experimentation of 'Voices of Old People' as a single track throws off the flow of the album and the pace. While I admire the risk it does weaken the whole. It would have been better suited as backing for say...'Old Friends.' Also 'Punkys Dilemma' is uselessly stupid. Simple as that. Bookends is a classic yet challenging listen which in retrospect is the sort of listen I must want to have the pleasure of having enter my ears. Simon & Garfunkel thrive here like they never did before or after; and their solo careers...please...give me Bookends any day of the week because this is everything that a good album should and really has to be.
	Leftover Crack - Fuck World Trade
	"F* World Trade"**	2009-03-11
Leftover Crack-Fk World Trade * Stiza is a genius, a straight up genius and the Darby Crash of his generation. Everything he has been associated with from Choking Victim, Cheap Sex, and especially Leftover Crack are great examples of what punk can be. Fk World Trade aside from having the most honestly punk album title of all time and one of the all time greatest covers ever is an album that really leaves me flat. 'Clear Channel (Fk Off!)' 'Gang Control' and 'One Dead Cop' alone are reason enough to give the album three stars. That is the problem however that not much on the album other than that is worth the price of admission even though if you were to buy this album it would be very cheap chances are. 'Ya Can't Go Home' is close to being classic as is the confusing 'Rock The 40oz.' But tracks like 'Burn Them Prisons' and 'Soon We'll Be Dead' all make for great ideas on paper but fail to deliver the goods ultimately. However the closing track 'Operation:M.O.V.E.' is the definition of brilliant. The problem with F**k World Trade is the genius inside of Stiza. The drugged out heroin addicted junkie that is Stiza takes his crackhead-Esq vocals to far sometimes in an attempt to be 'shocking' so that his voice can stay on par with the touchy subject matter. Art? Of course, but not all art is good. This is below average for Leftover Crack, and not worthy of an album featuring Stiza.
	The Flamin' Groovies - Teenage Head [Buddha]
	"Teenage Head"	2009-02-20
Flamin' Groovies-Teenage Head **** Think the Rolling Stones around 1970-1971. Think of their classic album Sticky Fingers, and while you do that listen to Teenage Head the masterpiece from the Flamin' Groovies released in 1971. If you were to compare the two albums they would stack up very similar as they sound like almost the same album. Same country infused Gram Parsons flavor but with the street smart sleazy rock n' raunchy sort of feel. But the thing is, Teenage Head might be a better album than Sticky Fingers. One thing is for sure, it is way more consistent. The rollicking power of 'High Flying Baby' which boasts one hell of a slide guitar riff, mixed with the balladry of 'City Lights' shows the depth and variety of the album. That's only the first two tracks. The albums title track is the equivalent of the Stones' 'Brown Sugar' or maybe even 'Bitch.' 'City Lights' could rival 'Wild Horses' and 'Yesterdays Numbers' minus the killer Mick Taylor solo would equal 'Sway.' Teenage Head is an album of groove, an album of straight up rock n' roll garage style, and one of the most overlooked and forgotten albums of all time by one of the saddest forgot bands ever. This was their best as soon they would reinvent as a power-pop band. Teenage Head is for all time.
	The Cure - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
	"Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me"	2009-02-10
The Cure-Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me ****1/2 Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is easily the Cures most ambitious and adventurous album to date. In fact it might be the Cures only ambitious and adventurous album to date. In Robert Smith's long and lets be honest sometimes dull career, Kiss Me (x3) was really the only time he ever tried to look on the bright side of things. Clearly he never stayed happy and used his amazing 'this mood will self-destruct in 10...9...8' ability to take what should have been the happiest album of the Cures career and turn it into possibly one of the three saddest albums ever recorded. Not that there is anything wrong with that because really would any of us buy into Smith making a totally happy album...no probably not. Ambitious, and adventurous, right...right...right. Horns! A horn section, and not just any run of the mill horn section, not a horn machine from the 1980's (no save that for the drum machine sounding drums) but a real life, good sounding horn section. During 'Torture' the horns are introduced to the audience subtly as to give the effect of was that for real and then you think they are gone. But they are reintroduced through the entire album like a bridge repeated through an entire Pete Townsend record. Dance music....hum? For the cure, or big mistake? well neither but somehow they work. 'Why Can't I Be You?' somehow by chance became one of the biggest dance floor anthems of the late 1980's. Can you believe that? But don't be fooled by the cheerful melodies, and the abrasive brass section. No, this is one of the darkest and ominous tracks on the album. Lyrically it is almost disturbing, but a brilliant move on Smiths part none the less. But what is best album Kiss Me is the wide range in which the album appeals to. The slow drown of the semi-title track which opens the album to the middle eastern sitar flavoured 'If Only Tonight We Could Sleep' or the mega-hit and all time greatest cure track 'Just Like Heaven.' Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me is a near perfect record and considering the year in which it was released that is quite the feet.
	Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
	"Iron Maiden"	2009-01-26
Iron Maiden **** I never really was much of a fan of the post Paul Di'Anno era Iron Maiden, mainly because as good as Bruce Dickinson's voice is (which it is admittedly good) it to me gets old very quick and ofter times adds a layer of cheese to a style of music where any amount of cheese kills it. Let me explain; metal is like three cheese lasagna, it already has a lot of cheese because it tries to be the toughest thing ever which doesn't always work, than you have the outfits, plus the subject matter of most of the music, than you have the meet which is the attitude. Well if you add another layer of cheese (i.e. power vocals) it ofter kills it for me as it does with every Maiden album after killers. I much prefer Di'Anno's rougher and tougher vocals because while still better than most peoples vocals it doesn't go without street cred. Also this era of Maiden sounds more punk than metal to me which is a desired sound in my camp. The first two Iron Maiden albums for me are golden, especially this, the bands self-titled debut album from 1980. Dave Murray still plays some of the greatest guitar playing of his life here. Though he only has Dennis Stratton at this stage it is more of a lead versus rhythm sound to the band giving the music a more organic feel which I think sounds ages better over their dueling lead work on the latter albums. That is great every once in a while but soon enough just feels like harmonic noodling. Dave Murray really shines here. And as a whole the band sounds tight as ever. Tracks like the classic opener 'Prowler' and 'Sanctuary' show you what we are in for with this punk band with metal tendencies. 'Remember Tomorrow' is truly what I think Richie Blackmoore was trying to accomplish with Deep Purples 'Chile In Time' of their Deep Purple In Rock album some ten years before this. It is the sort of neo-classic mini epic that Blackmoore would trade his fairy boots in for to be able to compose. 'Phantom' is obviously a self explained classic as is the title track and 'Charlotte The Harlot' which truly is the only song that even sounds or feels like anything the band would do after they gave Di'Anno the axe (big mistake in my opinion because while they gained in popularity they began to sound horrible after the lose of him). Iron Maiden is a hard rock and metal classic from one of the biggest names in the game, but just like Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac isn't your mother and fathers Fleetwood, its much better, this isn't your daddies Iron Maiden it's much much better.
	Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
	"Five Leaves Left"	2009-01-24
Nick Drake-Five Leaves Left **** Of all three of Nick Drake's albums only one of those ever struck me as fantastic, made me absolutely fall in love with it, and only one of those three ever felt like it truly lived up to the hype. That album is Pink Moon. That damn thing haunts me and I think about it at random times and feel an urge to listen to it immediately. A Love Supreme is the only other album that does that to me. Five Leaves Left however would come next. For me it doesn't live up to the hype and I don't particularly love it. There isn't a single bad or weak track here, they are all great in fact. Drakes lyrics are easily the most personal and best written here as against the other two albums. His guitar playing is a virtuosic as always, but something about this album just doesn't feel right. Maybe because Pink Moon was my introduction into Drake's music it will always be the standard for me to which I compare the rest of his work. It may sound quite jaded but it isn't anything I can help. Only three songs on Five Leaves Left really hit me as classics and as brilliant. 'River Man' being the first. The somber tone in Drakes voice accompanied by the slightly out of place string arrangement is the sort of thing John Lennon and Paul McCartney tried to do with 'A Day In The Life' but didn't quite pull of. The second being 'Three Hours.' This to me might be the greatest song Drake ever wrote next to 'Pink Moon.' In at a staggering six minutes in length, which is like the equivalent of 'Mountain Jam' for the Allman Bros. it is truly a mini-epic. Lyrically it is unparalleled by anything else. The mood is dark as usually but I can't help but feel hope in the songs melody. The chugging bass line accompanied by almost renaissance guitar give an uplifting feel. The song is pure genius. The third being the lyrical genius of 'Fruit Tree' in which on his debut album Drake confesses that he knows his music won't reach the acclaim and recognition it should until his life has ended. Poetic bliss. As for the rest of Five Leaves Left nothing stands out, nothing strikes me as blaam! Though nothing else is bad. It just simply plays, and plays well. For a debut album, Five Leaves Left is incredible, but it still showed that Drake had more ground left to cover.
	Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
	"Five Leaves Left"	2009-01-24
Nick Drake-Five Leaves Left **** Of all three of Nick Drake's albums only one of those ever struck me as fantastic, made me absolutely fall in love with it, and only one of those three ever felt like it truly lived up to the hype. That album is Pink Moon. That damn thing haunts me and I think about it at random times and feel an urge to listen to it immediately. A Love Supreme is the only other album that does that to me. Five Leaves Left however would come next. For me it doesn't live up to the hype and I don't particularly love it. There isn't a single bad or weak track here, they are all great in fact. Drakes lyrics are easily the most personal and best written here as against the other two albums. His guitar playing is a virtuosic as always, but something about this album just doesn't feel right. Maybe because Pink Moon was my introduction into Drake's music it will always be the standard for me to which I compare the rest of his work. It may sound quite jaded but it isn't anything I can help. Only three songs on Five Leaves Left really hit me as classics and as brilliant. 'River Man' being the first. The somber tone in Drakes voice accompanied by the slightly out of place string arrangement is the sort of thing John Lennon and Paul McCartney tried to do with 'A Day In The Life' but didn't quite pull of. The second being 'Three Hours.' This to me might be the greatest song Drake ever wrote next to 'Pink Moon.' In at a staggering six minutes in length, which is like the equivalent of 'Mountain Jam' for the Allman Bros. it is truly a mini-epic. Lyrically it is unparalleled by anything else. The mood is dark as usually but I can't help but feel hope in the songs melody. The chugging bass line accompanied by almost renaissance guitar give an uplifting feel. The song is pure genius. The third being the lyrical genius of 'Fruit Tree' in which on his debut album Drake confesses that he knows his music won't reach the acclaim and recognition it should until his life has ended. Poetic bliss. As for the rest of Five Leaves Left nothing stands out, nothing strikes me as blaam! Though nothing else is bad. It just simply plays, and plays well. For a debut album, Five Leaves Left is incredible, but it still showed that Drake had more ground left to cover.
	Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
	"Five Leaves Left"	2009-01-24
Nick Drake-Five Leaves Left **** Of all three of Nick Drake's albums only one of those ever struck me as fantastic, made me absolutely fall in love with it, and only one of those three ever felt like it truly lived up to the hype. That album is Pink Moon. That damn thing haunts me and I think about it at random times and feel an urge to listen to it immediately. A Love Supreme is the only other album that does that to me. Five Leaves Left however would come next. For me it doesn't live up to the hype and I don't particularly love it. There isn't a single bad or weak track here, they are all great in fact. Drakes lyrics are easily the most personal and best written here as against the other two albums. His guitar playing is a virtuosic as always, but something about this album just doesn't feel right. Maybe because Pink Moon was my introduction into Drake's music it will always be the standard for me to which I compare the rest of his work. It may sound quite jaded but it isn't anything I can help. Only three songs on Five Leaves Left really hit me as classics and as brilliant. 'River Man' being the first. The somber tone in Drakes voice accompanied by the slightly out of place string arrangement is the sort of thing John Lennon and Paul McCartney tried to do with 'A Day In The Life' but didn't quite pull of. The second being 'Three Hours.' This to me might be the greatest song Drake ever wrote next to 'Pink Moon.' In at a staggering six minutes in length, which is like the equivalent of 'Mountain Jam' for the Allman Bros. it is truly a mini-epic. Lyrically it is unparalleled by anything else. The mood is dark as usually but I can't help but feel hope in the songs melody. The chugging bass line accompanied by almost renaissance guitar give an uplifting feel. The song is pure genius. The third being the lyrical genius of 'Fruit Tree' in which on his debut album Drake confesses that he knows his music won't reach the acclaim and recognition it should until his life has ended. Poetic bliss. As for the rest of Five Leaves Left nothing stands out, nothing strikes me as blaam! Though nothing else is bad. It just simply plays, and plays well. For a debut album, Five Leaves Left is incredible, but it still showed that Drake had more ground left to cover.
	The Pixies - Come On Pilgrim
	"Come On Pilgrim"	2009-01-14
The Pixies-Come On Pilgrim ****1/2 Welcome to the world Pixies. They really were one of the few groups to save music in 1987 weren't they? Black Francis and companies introduction to the world was here on Come On Pilgrim, one of the single greatest Ep's in music history. Tracks like 'Caribou' show why Francis and Kim Deal were modern ages Marvin Gaye, and Tammy Terrell. While 'Vamos' and 'Isla De Encanta' showcase Joey Santiago's criminally underrated guitar work. Francis lyrics may have never been more potent than here touching on subjects like self abuse, politics, violent biblical telling and so many untouched subjects. He really is the Lou Reed Though they never really were appreciated in the mainstream, at least not here in the states, Come On Pilgrim remains a tried and true statement of the Godfathers (and mother) of the post punk era. And while they may have gone on to fantastic solo careers and to lead The Breeders, the Pixies have always been better than the sum of their parts, and this is a testament to just that.
	My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
	"Loveless"	2009-01-09
My Bloody Valentine-Loveless **** The thing about and album like Loveless is that I can't understand a single lyric on the album. But somehow I know exactly what Kevin Sheilds is saying, or trying to convey rather. The speaks more threw the noise of the instrumentation as apposed to some linear poetic reading, which in turn makes the album more poetic for being unintentionally abstract. The guitars on the record create a sort of collage Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead has been striving to reach for the last however many years. The sort of sound that can only be influenced by Lou Reed/Velvet Underground, early Sonic Youth, and just a dash of The Stooges' fantastic guitarist Ronnie Ashton (R.I.P.). The entire album plays so elegantly yet so violently and angry but with the sort of restraint that would make Robert Smith (The Cure) and Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) destroy all their stomp boxes in a fit of frenzy in an attempt to create so and more original sounds...huh, keep smashing boys. But the thing about an album like Loveless, or Lou Reeds classic, and criminally underrated/over looked METALMACHINEMUSIC is that it is what you hear when you don't want to hear anything else, or anyone else. Loveless is timeless and a testament to all things good in music.
	Birthday Party - Junkyard
	"Junk Yard"	2009-01-04
The Birthday Party-Junk Yard **** To be blunt, The Birthday Party really doesn't fit into any genre, you can't pigeon hole the guys. Born out of the post punk era, but also the new wave, and also the Gothic wow is me via the Cure and Bauhaus, with just a splash of hardcore before it was actually called that The Birthday Party was Lucifer's favorite rock n' roll boyfriend Nick Cave's introduction to the world. What a great one. To simply choose between the Birthday Party and The Bad Seeds would be impossible. This was the much younger, much more angry, far less poetic Nick Cave. Junk Yard is possibly the groups greatest achievement. Aside from their brilliant live albums this takes the cake. In a nut shell, if you were to place this in your record collection it would destroy just about every other album in the lot, an along side any other album from 1982, they all sound dull. Tracks like 'Dead Joe' 'Blast Off' and the closer 'Release The Bats' are both haunting and overpowering at the same time. Cave's growl mixed with the music of one of the greatest backing bands in history make for one of best albums of the 1980's and of all time. Eventually Birthday Party would break and Cave would move to Germany and form The Bad Seeds, but it is Junk Yard that still to this day remains Caves most honest and unmerciful work.
	Fugazi - The Argument
	"The Argument"	2009-01-03
Fugazi-The Argument ***** Fugazi are almost an entity in the music world rather than a mere band. They are among the elite, the few groups in the history of music who during the course of their career never really made a less than fantastic album: Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Velvet Underground, John Coltrane, and very few more. But what Is even more amazing about this is that all these artists, especially the ones listed experimented extensively, and brought something new and fresh with each release; Fugazi was no exception to this. By the time of The Argument the groups sound had matured beyond the level at which some bands who have been together for forty years never reach. Musically they were still reaching new ground with their signature fast, slow delivery. Ian's guitar playing specifically had reached new incredibly heights. Lyrically the band was never more poignant. Tracks like 'Nightshop' showed things in punk, alternative, or whatever style you want to call this that had never been reached. While 'Cashout' was classic Fugazi it was refreshing to hear a little glimpse of the past from a band that was ever changing and reaching for newer, fresher territory, a band that was never just "satisfied." 'Life And Limb' is in a nutshell...breathtaking. But it is at the culmination of the title, and closing track on the album that we realize just how brilliant Fugazi truly. Nothing the group had ever released before could ever hope to compare to this. This is possibly why the group decided to go on a extended hiatus after the release of this album. This will be a very difficult album to follow up, especially with the anticipation that has built after all these years. What ever the band releases there is a good chance it won't top this, if they ever decide to reform, but who cares it is the fact that they are still willing to make music THEY want that matters. It is that spirit that helps to make the music of Fugazi so damn powerful! The Argument is a powerful, ambient masterpiece of music in the same vein that Om was for John Coltrane, or that Bitches Brew was for Miles Davis, or even Low for David Bowie, its that epic.
	Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
	"Heartbreaker"	2008-12-27
Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams ***** Heartbreaker, Ryan Adams very first solo album a alternative country album, Adams' all time best work. Think Wilco by way of Black Flag. Oddly enough the comparison isn't too far off, as Adams' chosen genre is one that feels open enough to bridge the extremely hallow gap between that of country western music, and good ol' fashioned punk n' roll. Lyrically we get the since that Heartbreaker is an album of well...heartbreak (as many of Adams' albums would be during his career. Imagery of broken hearts, one night stands, and drug fueled affairs haunt this album like a bottle of Jack haunted Hank Williams Sr. Never again would Adam's lyrics feel so damn honest and pure. Never again would they feel so true and open, as if telling a story or better yet sitting as a voyeur watching the magic unfold right there before your very own eyes. Tracks like 'Amy' and 'My Winding Wheel' haunt and creep along like the memory of a past love, while ever contrasting those is 'Too Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High) and the powerhouse of slide guitar 'Shakedown On 9th Street.' Rivaling even his best work with the fabulous Whiskey Town, and ever his work with newer backing band the Cardinals. It remains to be seen if Adams will ever be able to surpass this monster of a record, even though a testament is more a likely and suiting word. Often does he come close, but no closer has he come than that of Easy Tiger which even after a listen to and a comparison to Heartbreaker falls flat.
	Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads
	"Murder Ballads"	2008-12-23
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds-Murder Ballads ****1/2 Though they have since topped it and may have released better albums before Murder Ballads, it still stands as one of the definitive releases from the group. Released in 1996 Murder Ballads was the collection of music that Nick Cave had been working toward lyrically for nearly his entire career. Always playing Lucifer's rock n' roll boyfriend he had reached his most evil and haunting here. With the help of The Bad Seeds, P.J. Harvey, Shawn McGowan, and Kylie Minogue Cave released the most consistent album of his career. Consisting of a few cover tunes set to Caves arrangements and a ton of originals Murder Ballads is more than an album it is a down right scary experience. While sometimes laughable and sometimes relatable the contrast never tarnishes the feel. From the homosexually offensive 'Stagger Lee' through the eerie 'Where The Wild Roses Grow' with Kylie Minogue to Broadway-ish 'Crow Jane' and the epic 'O'Malley's Bar' to the closing of the Bob Dylan cover 'Death Is Not The End' we feel that there is much more to this than an a Sweeney Todd album, Cave was welcoming God into his life with this album as he soon became a born again Christian after it's release. Murder Ballads is essential.
	Elton John - Honky Chateau
	"Honky Chataeu"	2008-12-11
Elton John-Honky Chateau **** By the release of Honky Chateau Elton John was still a young song bird just starving for stardom. He still meant the things he was singing about because he was actually feeling and going through them. His confused sexuality comes through in tracks like 'Amy' as does 'Honky Cat' a song about a soulful boy who in one way or another is fed up with being concidered a black poser. But the scary thing is tracks like the satire fueled 'I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself' while meant to be upbeat, funny, and trite was eerily biographical of Eltons own thoughts at the time. Then there is 'Mellow' which might just be the best none single on the album. But it is the poetic beauty of Taupin's lyrics on 'Mona Lisa's And Mad Hatters' mixed with Eltons georgious melody and all time best vocal that carry the album to classic status. While it might not be his best album ever, or ever his best from the time period, it might be his most personal even though he wrote none of the lyrics. Honky Chateau is a moment of beauty and despair for a true pop genius.
	Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music
	"Metal Machine Music"	2008-12-02
Lou Reed-Metal Machine Music ***** In short, Metal Machine Music is a sheer masterpiece. It says everything Lou Reed has ever needed to or ever wanted to say. It is power, it is fierce, it is Lou Reed. More Velvet Underground than any other solo album the man would ever release, and at the same time his most poetic. Even though the album was meant to be a big piss of to his record company RCA at the time Metal Machine Music is a classic, a true blue honest to day classic. Proceed with caution as everything you have ever heard about this album is true.
	Main Lines, Blood Feasts, and Bad Taste : A Lester Bangs Reader
	"Main Lines"	2008-12-02
Main Lines by Lester Bangs ***** Main Lines is the superior release from the now dead greatest rock n' roll critic to ever live Lester Bangs. Main Lines is a collection of writings and journal entries from the early 1970's and early 1980's. The first section of the book is made of of Lester album reviews of some of musics greatest albums of all time as well as some of it's worst. The second section is a series of articles about The Rolling Stones, and Lou Reed, and Miles Davis over a period of time and how his views on each artist has changed. The final section is a collection of writings from Lester's travels around the world and what he discovered along the way. Mains Lines is far better than that of Psychotic Reactions not only because the writing is superior but because the style of writing and subject matter is more varied. Lester's style of writing is very unique and his views are interesting to say the least, and as an aspiring critic this is and amazing addition to any readers collection.
	Main Lines, Blood Feasts, and Bad Taste : A Lester Bangs Reader
	"Main Lines"	2008-12-02
Main Lines by Lester Bangs ***** Main Lines is the superior release from the now dead greatest rock n' roll critic to ever live Lester Bangs. Main Lines is a collection of writings and journal entries from the early 1970's and early 1980's. The first section of the book is made of of Lester album reviews of some of musics greatest albums of all time as well as some of it's worst. The second section is a series of articles about The Rolling Stones, and Lou Reed, and Miles Davis over a period of time and how his views on each artist has changed. The final section is a collection of writings from Lester's travels around the world and what he discovered along the way. Mains Lines is far better than that of Psychotic Reactions not only because the writing is superior but because the style of writing and subject matter is more varied. Lester's style of writing is very unique and his views are interesting to say the least, and as an aspiring critic this is and amazing addition to any readers collection.
	Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis [Remaster]
	"Dusty In Memphis"	2008-11-30
Dusty Springfield-Dusty In Memphis **1/2 To be honest Dusty In Memphis is not the blue eyed soul masterpiece it is hyped up to be. Sure she was a land mark and original in her time, of course she was influential, and yes those pipes are among some of the best to ever be laid to tape but that does not justify the massive hyperbole that accompanies this album. 'Son Of A Preacher Man' is the obvious classic, both sultry and soulful, a song that many have tried but just as many have failed, all except for the phenomenal Dusty. 'I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore' is almost heartbreaking, and 'I Can't Make It Alone' is where it's at. The rest of the album falls flat, and does so with a dull thud rather than a crash. Dusty has made better.
	Sonic Youth - EVOL
	"EVOL"	2008-11-29
Sonic Youth-EVOL **** Is it any coincidence that the title of the record, EVOL is love spelled backwards, knowing Thurston Moore the answer chances are is a solid yes. On the bands third record EVOL they opted for a change and a great one at that. Ditching the assumed motto of "noise over quality" for "a little quality would be nice..." the band proved they were original and willing to risk and strike for new ground. While their early work was clearly inspired by the Velvet Underground they never lost that influence but augmented it rather. EVOL brings the poetic lyrics into a actual song structure (sort of) and discovers a new tool called melody, something that Lee Ronaldo would in time master. While the lyrics are at times trite ('Madonna, Sean and Me' though very entertaining) and at times bubblegum ('Bubblegum') they do bubblegum very well. Yes the pun was intended. But the thing about EVOL is you don't realize the progress until the very end of the album when you are aware that Lee Ronaldo, Kim Gordon, and Steve Shelley are in the band along with Thurston Moore as well, and when that realization is reached it is like a door has been opened and there is a whole world of possibilities through the exit.
	Fugazi - Repeater & 3 Songs
	"Repeater"	2008-11-29
Fugazi-Repeater ***** Repeater is easily the most important album of the 1990's. Forget Nevermind or anything else that comes to mind, Fugazi's repeater hands down takes the cake. While it was far from the commercial success of albums by Nirvana or Pearl Jam, or even that of Sonic Youth it had something all those albums didn't have. The talent is stronger in Fugazi for both musical ability and songwriting, but most importantly because the band had heart. Sonic Youth was at a time of despair in their career, Nirvana was great but Kurt said it himself he just does what he does and it means nothing, and Pearl Jam are to Fugazi what U2 were to The Clash....wannabes. 'Turnover' 'Merchandise' 'Sieve-Fisted Find' and 'Shut The Door' say more together than just about any other song from the generation. Ian's lyrics have always been something of a head turner but Repeater finds him more than any other album be it by Fugazi, Minor Threat, or his other project the Evens writing compelling and influential lyrics. Musicianship wise this is the guitar album of the 1990's. No debating it. Repeater is Fugazi's most straight forward album and probably their strongest effort over all. The inclusion of 3 Songs ep doesn't hurt either. But why is it the most important album of the 1990's? Because it says what every other whiny band of the era wanted to say but without whining and with a solution offered.
	Suicide - The Second Album
	"Suicide's prequel and sequel"	2008-11-29
Suicide-The Second Suicide Album 1/2 Points are being offered on sheer originality alone. This is a far cry from the superior debut album the band released, and in comparison this feels trite and frankly boring most of the album, especially the a side. 'Mr. Ray' 'Harlem' 'Touch Me' 'Shadazz' all are decent tracks and easily show the influence they held over many of their peers in the future. But that isn't enough to justify a good album. At the time Suicide had been making electronic punk music for over a decade, that is completely revolutionary and original so for that it deserves 2 1/2 stars. It also doesn't help that the synth riff to 'Radiation' is a complete rip of of the 'Money' riff from the 1950's. Suicide-The First Rehearsal Tapes ** Fantastic almost to the point of passing the debut album in quality. Close but no cigar. As far as more of a raw sound this has it and there for isn't over powered by the synth use. The lyrics are slightly stronger and far more interesting all around. The rehearsal tapes are of much higher quality.
	Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles
	"Empyrean Isles"	2008-11-22
Herbie Hancock-Empyrean Isles ***** By the time of this release Herbie Hancock had already been with the great Miles Davis for over a year, which is the equivalent of four years at Juilliard School of Music. On Empyrean Isles, one of Herbie's earliest solo recordings we find the pianist/composer in fine shape creating some of the best jazz ever laid to wax. What you hear on Empyrean Isles is the sound of the changing 1960's, this is the living embodiment of the movements. The stripped down and often laid back approach to this work can rival the best of the genre for that time period and the best of Hancock's work, because well this might just be his all time best work. Without the use of trumpet we hear Hancock bring in Freddie Hubbard on a cornet adding a extra texture to the album. This revolutionary work was concidered radical in the day but now just seems revolutionary. Most notably is Tony Williams on the drum kit, and unsung hero and one of the instruments all time best. But it is Hancock who steals the show. His compositions and mainly his work on the monster classic 'Cantaloupe Island' bring the house down. The extended workout on the quarter hour long 'The Egg' is over the top. 'Oliloqui Valley' and 'One Finger Snap' open the first side of the album and do so wonderfully but it is the latter side that kill. Empyrean Isles is a jazz album unto itself. A hall of famer.
	John Coltrane - Meditations
	"Meditations"	2008-11-21
John Coltrane-Meditations ***** Meditations is more than just an album of music, it's just over forty minutes of pure feeling, pure emotion, pure spiritual enlightenment. Meditations made free jazz more than just notes on a staff, it proved there was immense feeling and emotion involved in each note that was heard. With an all star lineup of Pharoah Sanders on tenor sax, the legendary McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones at the drum kit how can you lose. Tracks like the insanely moving 'The Father And The Son And The Holy Ghost' with not one but two drummers battling against the two sax players making it a war zone in your ear drum. 'Compassion' and 'Love' are both intense yet restrained enough to not miss a moment. 'Consequences' a piece which belongs in a league of it's very own just might steal the album. The closer 'Serenity' is the perfect choice to end with, powerful enough to end the album and strong enough to leave the listener wanting more. Meditations is often overlooked in John Coltrane's great canon of music, though not because it is of lesser quality than any thing else he released. Mainly because in a collection of work which includes Blue Train, A Love Supreme, My Favorite Things, and Kulu Se Mama among many others it is hard to stand out. Meditations is a solid work, and one of a genius' very best.
	Slash's Snakepit - It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
	"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"	2008-11-17
Slash's Snakepit-It's Five O'Clock Somewhere ***1/2 For what it is and the audience it was aimed after It's Five O'Clock Somewhere is a nice bluesy rock n' roll album. What started out as a Slash side project turned into his full time band as he left Guns N' Roses during the recording on the album. It is almost the exact same band as GNR characteristically though it sounds nothing alike, and that is a great thing. But the problem lies in that the attitude is there but the song is not. Almost every track on the album has what it takes but never fully delivers. The vocals become annoying at times and the lyrics are often a rock n' roll parody. If your a true blue rock n' roller you don't have to preach about it. At the end of the day Matt Sorum is not suited for this style of rock n' roll and sounds out of his element here. Perhaps that is why he wasn't on the next (superior) album, Ain't Life Grand. Slash himself just sounds like he is going through a guitar workout on the album. Many of the riffs are recycled and the solos seem unfinished and unfocused, this could be because the entire line-up was on smack the whole time. As a whole this is a less than stellar rock n' roll albums from one of the greatest guitar players ever. Slash's Snakepit would go on to make a much stronger second album, and Slash would go on to make better music as a whole. This is the low point of the artists career but worth checking out for diehards.
	Rudimentary Peni - The EPs of RP
	"The EP's of RP"	2008-11-07
Rudimentary Peni-The EP's Of RP ***** Rudimentary Peni's The EP's Of RP is one of the most astounding collection of Hardcore music ever. RP single handedly bridged the gap between classic original punk, hardcore punk, everyone of those genres off shoots, and The EP's is the best example of this. The combination of attitude, fast and sharp musicianship, with intelligent lyrics created one of the most important and outrageous movements in American history. RP are one of the forgotten heroes of the time who paved the way for so many more. This collection of hardcore is essential to all interested in the movement.