Track Listing 1. Tad - Jinx 2. Six Finger Satellite - Weapon 3. Rein Sanction - Creel 4. Beat Happening - Revolution Come and Gone 5. Thw Walkabouts - Maggie's Farm 6. Truly - Heart and Lungs 7. Mudhoney - The Money Will Roll Right In 8. Supersuckers - Caliente 9. Reverend Horton Heat - Marijuana 10. The Dwarves - Fuck Em All 11. Bullet Lavolta - Rails 12. Green Magnet School - Throb 13. Hole - Dicknail 14. Steven Jesse Bernstein - No No Man Pt. 2 15. Seaweed - Baggage 16. The Monkeywrench - Call My Body Home 17. Afghan Whigs - Miles Iz Ded 18. Love Battery - Foot 19. Codeine - Cracked in Two 20. Mark Lanegan - Woe 21. Earth - A Bureaucratic Desire for Revenge, Pt. 1
Buffalo Tom proved that their palate was a lot broader and their reach a lot farther than anyone might have expected on Let Me Come Over, and while the following year's Big Red Letter Day didn't show the same sort of growth, it also proved the band hadn't forgotten any of their tricks along the way. Big Red Letter Day sounds a bit poppier than it's immediate predecessor, though that seems largely a function of the production by the Robb Brothers, which features a bit more body and a significant amount more gloss than the leaner, cleaner tone of Let Me Come Over, and to these ears the strong, infectious melodies of the songs (and the tight ensemble playing by the group) hold up well to such treatment. And while the palpable angst of Let Me Come Over was obviously sincere but a wee bit samey by the end of that album, Big Red Letter Day cuts back on the rueful self-examination just a bit, and the hopefulness of "Dry Land" and "Anything That Way" was a welcome touch from a band that often had a hard time embracing their happiness. Unlike their last two albums, Big Red Letter Day didn't display much in the way of unexpected new sides to Buffalo Tom -- it just found them doing what they do very well indeed, and anyone who loves the band will enjoy this record. Souce: [AMG]
Buffalo Tom - I'm Allowed
Track Listing 1. Soda Jerk 2. I'm Allowed 3. Tree House 4. Would Not Be Denied 5. Latest Monkey 6. My Responsibility 7. Dry Land 8. Torch Singer 9. Late at Night 10. Suppose 11. Anything That Way
J Mascis fired longtime drummer Murph before the recording of Without a Sound, which came as a surprise to Murph. Naturally, the change in personnel hasn't changed Dinosaur Jr.'s sound much; the only difference between Without a Sound and Where You Been is a more pronounced country leaning (particularly on the album's high point, the rollicking "I Don't Think So") and shorter, more concise performances. What hasn't changed are the overpowering fuzz tones of Mascis' guitar, which tend to hide his more expressive vocals; it also makes digging out the gems on this album a little more difficult than necessary. Source: [AMG]
Dinosaur Jr. - Feel The Pain
Track Listing 1. Feel the Pain 2. I Don't Think So 3. Yeah Right 4. Outta Hand 5. Grab It 6. Even You 7. Mind Glow 8. Get Out of This 9. On the Brink 10. Seemed Like the Thing to Do 11. Over Your Shoulder
Sugar's Beaster is actually outtakes from their previous dynamite album, Copper Blue. It comes off as some kind of deranged, ugly sister of that sparking album, a yin to Copper's yang, a violent, angry, and seething wall of aggression with (this time) little concession to Bob Mould's pop prowess. Perhaps the most densely recorded, heavy trip the man has produced since Hüsker Dü's Metal Circus in 1983, Beaster is what you might get if Mould had been in the mood to construct a full album of songs like "Slick"'s insanity instead of "Helpless" and "Changes"'s monster hooks. Not that it doesn't still make for great listening once one gets used to the change in focus. "Feeling Better" could have made Copper, with its hooky base (more so than the others here), and the best song, "Titled," is ferocious, fast, furious, and a total knockout, the most aurally exciting post-Hüsker Dü track yet. Again, David Barbe and Malcolm Travis are such a superior rhythm section to Grant Hart and Greg Norton, Sugar is a better update rather than nostalgic reinvention, and bits of Zen Arcade and Black Sheets of Rain aside, Mould has never come off so twisted and out of his gourd. "Come Around"'s "vocals" are all but demonic, and "Judas Cradle" matches metal pounding with MBV/Sonic Youth brutal tones slashing out of the guitars, which gives way to "JC Auto"'s meld of "The Act We Act"-style pounding into a thundering, insane, heavy chorus. When Bob starts seething "I'm your Jesus Christ, I know, I know, I know," you wonder what exactly inspired these straitjacket fits! Man, that's something. Now, there is one major flaw: all the songs need an editor, as with excessive length they approach overkill from too much repetition. Never mind. This is a pretty killer experience more than a record. Whereas Copper Blue made you want to sing along, Beaster makes you hide under the bed. Can't say they didn't warn you; Beaster is well-titled. Source: [AMG]
Sugar - Tilted
Track Listing 1. Come Around 2. Tilted 3. Judas Cradle 4. JC Auto 5. Feeling Better 6. Walking Away
Part of the reason the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion is so distasteful to the legions of blues purists is that Spencer cherishes not the mythology of the blues or the songcraft, but the groove, the actual sound of classic blues records. He could care less about songwriting or technique; what's important is the feel and the grit of the performance, whether it's on-stage or on record. Often, that means that the Blues Explosion's records are better when they're playing than they are in memory, but there's no question that ever since Extra Width, the New York trio was exceptionally shrewd in crafting albums that pack real sonic force. They also were sharp enough to subtly explore new territory with each album, gradually moving from the Stonesy blooze of Extra Width through the funky Orange and gutbucket Now I Got Worry to Acme, where pure sound matters more than ever. Like the Stones, the Blues Explosion never abandon their signature sound, even when they're branching into new territory. No matter how many electronic bleeps, hip-hop loops, or cut-and-paste arrangements rear their heads on Acme, or how many producers or remixers are employed (including Calvin Johnson, Steve Albini, Suzanne Dyer, Alec Empire, Jim Dickinson, and the Automator), the primal, two-guitar racket remains at the center of the Blues Explosion's sound. But the electronica and hip-hop flourishes aren't folly, either -- they confirm Spencer's ultimate goal of sound over structure, force over sense. And while there are only a handful of songs to latch onto -- the slow, sexy "Magical Colors," the gonzoid rant "Talk About the Blues," the Jill Cunniff duet "Blue Green Olga" -- the dynamic explosions of sounds guarantee that Acme is a captivating listen, at least the first time through. While frequently exciting, the sonic experimentations sound cerebral instead of primal. Source: [AMG]
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - High Gear/Talk About The Blues
Track Listing 1. Calvin 2. Magical Colors (31 Flavors) 3. Do You Wanna Get Heavy? 4. High Gear 5. Talk About the Blues 6. I Wanna Make It All Right 7. Lovin' Machine 8. Bernie 9. Blue Green Olga 10. Give Me a Chance 11. Desperate 12. Torture 13. Attack
In the midst of the grunge revolution, The Supersuckers released this largely unnoticed album, The Smoke of Hell, which begins with a song that can not only be praised for its muscle but also for its psychic prediction -- "Coattail Rider." The band perked things up a bit since their dreary early singles. Songs like "Luck," "Caliente," and "Hot Rod Rally" rapidly surge with electric power chord fury, while the band brings it down some for the blues ramble of "Hell City, Hell." Source: [AMG]
Supersuckers - Coattail Rider
Track Listing 1. Coattail Rider 2. Luck 3. I Say Fuck 4. Alone and Stinking 5. Caliente 6. Tasty Greens 7. Hell City, Hell 8. Hot Rod Rally 9. Drink and Complain 10. Mighty Joe Young 11. Ron's Got the Cocaine 12. Sweet 'N' Sour Jesus 13. Retarded Bill 14. Thinkin' 'Bout Revenge
Two-thirds of Ash were born in 1977, which means that their latter-day punk-pop isn't very Catholic. Instead of sticking to the rigid rules of American punk-pop -- which means you can't stretch the song past three minutes -- Ash take a cinematic approach to their songs, throwing in elements of power pop, glam, post-Nirvana grunge, and post-Oasis rock. It's a melting pot of pop styles, basically because the members of the band are so young, they haven't conformed to the standards of the indie and punk subcultures. Sure, Ash still use loud guitars -- they're all over 1977 -- but they create a distinctive, melodic, and energetic sound that's equal parts heavy grunge and light pop. And while they may indulge in jamming a bit too much, they remain a pop band at heart, capable of turning out epic guitar pop like "Goldfinger," punk-pop like "Kung Fu," and the lovely but loud "Girl from Mars" with equal flair. Source: [AMG]
Ash - Girl From Mars
Track Listing 1. Lose Control 2. Goldfinger 3. Girl from Mars 4. I'd Give You Anything 5. Gone the Dream 6. Kung Fu 7. Oh Yeah 8. Let It Flow 9. Innocent Smile 10. Angel Interceptor 11. Lost in You 12. Darkside Lightside / Sick Part
With their cult following growing, Morphine expanded their audience even further with their exceptional 1994 sophomore effort, Cure for Pain. Whereas their debut, Good, was intriguing yet not entirely consistent, Cure for Pain more than delivered. The songwriting was stronger and more succinct this time around, while new drummer Billy Conway made his recording debut with the trio (replacing Jerome Deupree). Like the debut, most of the material shifts between depressed and upbeat, with a few cacophonic rockers thrown in between. Such selections as "Buena," "I'm Free Now," "All Wrong," "Candy," "Thursday," "In Spite of Me" (one of the few tracks to contain six-string guitar), "Let's Take a Trip Together," "Sheila," and the title track are all certifiable Morphine classics. And again, Mark Sandman's two-string slide bass and Dana Colley's sax work help create impressive atmospherics throughout the album. Cure for Pain was unquestionably one of the best and most cutting-edge rock releases of the '90s. Source: [AMG]
Morphine - Cure For Pain
Track Listing 1. Dawna 2. Buena 3. I'm Free Now 4. All Wrong 5. Candy 6. A Head With Wings 7. In Spite of Me 8. Thursday 9. Cure for Pain 10. Mary Won't You Call My Name? 11. Let's Take a Trip Together 12. Sheila 13. Miles Davis' Funeral
California-based Bracket -- comprised of vocalist/guitarist Marty Gregori, bassist Zack Charlos, guitarist Larry Tinney, and drummer Ray Castro -- got together in the early '90s and first showcased their power pop and punk sensibilities on the self-released 7" Giant Midge EP. Playing all around the San Francisco area, they signed to Caroline Records and released 924 Forestville St. and 4-Wheel Vibe to a growing fan base. Bracket somehow manage to combine catchy choruses, fantastic melodies, and a quirky sense of humour effortly into 4-Wheel Vibe. From the very first to the very last song on the album, Bracket seem able to write songs that still feel punk, but have an inescapable "sing-a-long" charm to them. Source: [AMG-Amazon]
Bracket - Circus Act
Track Listing 1. Circus Act 2. Cool Aide 3. Happy to Be Sad 4. John Wilke's Isolation Booth 5. Tractor 6. Green Apples 7. Closed Captioned 8. Trailer Park 9. Fresh Air 10. P.C. 11. G-Vibe 12. Warren's Song, Pt. 4 13. 2 Hot Dogs for 99¢ 14. Metal 15. Pessimist 16. Lazy
Equal parts Ramones, Rivieras and Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Swingin' Neckbreakers deliver straight-up rock & roll on this spirited outing. Fueled by the genre-faithful songwriting from bassist/singer Tom Jorgenson and a keep-it-simple rhythm section of drummer/brother John Jorgenson and guitarist Don "Shaggy" Snook, the Neckbreakers play a straightforward brand of rock'n'raunch that critics hate but nonetheless resonates perfectly with the average Joe who just wants to shake it down. Split evenly between strong Jorgenson originals "Action Kid," "The Answer Is No," "Wait," and "Help Wanted," and obscure punk and garage classics like Glen Barber's "Ice Water," Bobby Fuller's "Shakedown," and the Underdogs' "Get Down On Your Knees," this thing doesn't let up for a second. Fans of the Ramones will find much to love here. Source: [AMG]
The Swingin' Neckbreakers - Wait
Track Listing 1. Wait 2. Mighty Mack 3. Ice Water 4. That's the Way My Love Is 5. Help Wanted 6. Shakedown 7. The Answer Is No 8. I Wanna Be Your Driver 9. Action Kid 10. I'm in Love With Me 11. You're Gonna Make Me 12. A Thousand Times a Day 13. Get Down on Your Knees 14. The Girl Can't Help It 15. Brown Eyed Girl
