Various Artists - Because We Care

There aren't a lot of bands from Orange County of which I'm a fan. However, when a bunch of them get together to raise money for the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), it seems like a good idea to me. I only have one question though: If you want to raise money, why put a bunch of second-rate songs on the benefit CD? I'm not going to lie to you, I'm not a big fan of punk music or any of its hybrids. Nevertheless, you must believe that I've tried to find good things about this compilation. I don't know if these bands weren't allowed to put good songs on this CD, but something got messed up somewhere. The majority of the tracks resemble other tracks on the disc - which is the nature of this type of music - but also, they just give the impression that these bands didn't put their best foot forward. The only redeeming quality of the collection is "Los Angeles" by Ozma; it seems to be the only mature track of the bunch. Furthermore, because of nostalgia alone, the Suburban Legends cover of the Gummie Bears theme song is quite entertaining. However, I'm sure that any other song by this hyperactive ska band would want to make me pull my hair out. One final attempt was made to try to like the songs contributed by Campground Effect, Thrice and Reel Big Fish, but they just let me down in the end. Turns out I'm still not a big fan of this type of music. If you'd like to support the CHOC, please visit their website and donate through it. I'd suggest just examining the CD track list and downloading your favorite tracks - the idea of spending money on this compilation seems like a big waste. [www.gluefactory.com]