The Dogma release from Sweden's own Asterisk* (also known as A*) is a compilation of the band's vinyl releases all convienently packaged together into one 40 track disc. Yea, that's right, 40 tracks (and a bonus track - so make that 41). The longest song on the disc is 3:23 but you can expect the average length to be right under a minute. So before a proper description of the music even begins, you know what to expect. If you're going to put 41 tracks on a disc, those songs better be fast, intense, and completely devoid of any typical musical structure. The basic idea here is to get the drummer to play extremely fast, have the guitarist bust out some heavy chords and/or fast metal noodling, and have the frontman growl, scream, or scream some more. The best part of Dogma has to be amusing track titles ("French is French in Phonetics", "I (Poultry)", "Ogre Battle", "Hello Vargas", "The Word "Blood" Is Mentioned 109 Times In Macbeth") mostly because it shows that the band isn't trying to take itself too seriously. This is an album made for the people that like this sort of album, they aren't trying to reach out to a fresh new audience. This disc is not for everyone. If you listen to Fantomas and wish that they were alot more metal or grindcore, lacked the genius of Mike Patton, and pretty much used the same trick over and over for every song - this disc is perfect for you. [crash.to]

Picture yourself on a beach or by the pool, azure sky above (maybe moonlight in Ibiza?), obligatory cocktail in hand …aaah, now isn’t that nice? Every time I put Club Sodade: Cesaria Evora by … on, I feel like I’ve been taken to a place where the air is heavy and the hips are swaying. More than the usual trite dance beats stuck behind generic words, each song on this album is a beautifully blended mix of soul, rhythm and emotion to which you cannot resist moving. Initially, I thought Ms. Evora had to be Carribean from the overall sound, but a little digging revealed a different heritage. Cesaria Evora debuted in 1988, and the Cape Verde-born diva has become an international superstar singing soulful songs known as morna that reflect the North African island nation’s long and bitter history of slave trade and isolation. Quite ironically, dance mixes by the likes of Demitri From Paris, Pete Tong and Ben Watt have been popping up on compilations and in clubs for years, but this is the first official collection of her work to be infused with dance beats. I don’t think I’ve ever fallen so in love with a dance record, but this one has quickly become a permanent fixture in the changer, and I’ve recommended it to all of my friends. “Besame Mucho (Senor Coconut’s Chachacha Remix)” with its serious cha cha beat & the Carribean house sound of “Sodade (DJ Rork & Demon Richie mix)” are highlights. The only song that had to grow on me is “Angola (Get Down Dub by Pepe Bradock),” which is a bit monotonous at first with somber African beats. Bradock’s other version of “Angola (the Bateau Ivre rework),” sounds more island and was easier to get into right off. With spring and summer just around the corner, you may find yourself in the mood for days of languid indulgence and sultry nights at the club. When that urge strikes, I suggest you run, find this disc and slip into something more comfortable. [www.cesaria-evora.com]

Some Girls are the twisted, ADD-riddled brainchild of Give Up the Ghost's Wes Eisold, Over My Dead Body's Rob Moran, and the Locust's Justin Pearson. With a resume like that, you can't expect this record to not garner some well deserved attention. All My Friends are Going Death proudly displays the members' previous work but also shines with a new intensity. More leaning towards Pearson's history with the Locust/Swing Kids/Holy Molar than with Eisold's Boston hardcore roots, Some Girls plays a spastic, screamy brand of hardcore with humorous, sexual song titles (Sex & Glue, Some Girls Have all the Fuck), sub-60 second songs and a cover of the Stooges' "No Fun". Eisold's lyrics are still as top-notch as they ever were, and the double vocal attack brings to mind a rawer, less technical (and less sassy) Blood Brothers. Definitely a worthwhile album. Just ignore the 40+ tracks of silence you must endure to get to a Some Girls demo at song #69. [www.deathwishinc.com]

Usually I would assume a release like Year One is merely a cash-in for the label, but that's not the case this time. Legal matters have kept the majority of this material from still being available under the moniker "American Nightmare", so for all of you who never managed to get ahold of the earlier EPs, you're now in luck. Considered by many to be Give Up the Ghost's best work (and my personal favorite), Year One showcases the band's first 2 EPs, some covers (The Trouble, Cro-Mags, MC5), and a few live from the BBC tracks tacked on at the end. Before there was Give Up the Ghost, there was American Nightmare, a band who helped define the hardcore scene on the east coast more than most any band has in the last few years. This record covers the more raw and pure aspect of the group's career. Recommended listening: "Hearts", "The Day the Music Died", "Protest Song #00". Under either name, the band never did anything better than this. A must-have for any fan of the new stuff, as well as a good introduction to the current state of hardcore. [www.bridge9.com]

While living in Boston, one of my very good friends brought me over a stack of CDs that, I was told, I absolutely HAD to listen to. One of them was Garrison's excellent 2001 release Be A Criminal. On that CD, they had tapped the same producer responsible for the incredible and heavy sounds of Jawbox and Burning Airlines. Armed with this sound in the studio, they definitely put out a CD that gave them their niche, their own personal sound. And usually it's good to try and venture out of your sound, but I think Garrison, a more straight-ahead power-punk-pop rock band, should've left things alone. Instead, they got a little more chaotic and faster and crazier, but not in a great way. One thing I absolutely hate doing is reviewing EPs, and that's precisely I have to do for Garrison. I hate EPs because I'm always wishing they were longer, especially true in the cases where I've already heard the band and I like the band; it's just too much of a tease. I also don't like EPs because if just a couple of the few songs aren't worth listening to, the whole EP becomes kinda blah. This is what happens to Garrison. Their opener, "Come On Die Young", is pretty sweet. It's a lot more aggressive than their past efforts; again, I'll use the term 'chaotic'. And the closer of the album, aptly titled "The Closer", is a case where experimentation can go right for a band. On this track, you get some pretty good tight drum sounds, swirling guitar parts (instead of their normal power chord stuff), and some pretty sweet wails for the vocals. But the three songs inbetween, the only other songs on the CD, are just lacking. It's like they tried to take their previous work and make it slightly crazier and aggressive. They sound like your regular Garrison stuff, but don't have the grit and the sound that made Be A Criminal so damn good. Instead, I have two great songs marred by three un-stellar ones, making this one of those CDs that will get lost in my CD collection. And it may be one I'll rediscover in a year or so, listen to it once for those two tracks, and then forget about it all over again. [www.revelationrecords.com]

I have to admit I was one of the people that never listened to Death Cab For Cutie prior to The Postal Service. Yes, I am guilty and I lose all my indie credibility. Maybe it was the band's name that turned me off for so long, I have no clue. What I do know is that as soon as I heard Ben Gibbard's voice, I turned obsessive and sought out everything his talent garnered. Enter Death Cab For Cutie. I have to say that Mr. Gibbard and Co. had quite a daunting task putting out Transatlanticism while The Postal Service was still indie rock's reigning champion on the radio. DCFC could've come out with a record that could've been what you've heard all along and bored you. They could've compromised their sound and put out Death Cab Does The Postal Service (nice imagery, right?). Instead, I'm listening to one of the most mature, beautiful, true-to-the-band records that still feels like the sound is expanding, even if only slightly. "The New Year", the first track, turned me off immensely on first listen. It wasn't until I got to "Expo '86" that I really settled into this one. Then the infectious "The Sound Of Settling" hits me, and holy cow, did it hit me. It's the perfect slice of two minute pop rock pie. Then I get the title track to Transatlanticism, one of the longest, most desperate love songs (yes, I did say "love song"). It's an eight minute track, but it is so majestic and beautiful that I can never bear to skip it, waiting to sing "I need you so much closer" every time. And while "Lack Of Color" is a sweet acoustic closer, it's "We Looked Like Giants", a song about discovering the opposite sex in the high-school-make-out way, that really rounds out the CD. Ben Gibbard manages to keep Postal Service and Death Cab separate entities. And with his bandmates, they manage to release an album that could actually be the gem of their impressive catalog. I find it a shame I never gave this band more of a chance earlier, just for the fact that I could've grown listening to them as they matured with their sound. It's atleast comforting to know this is an absolutely excellent record that I'm glad I didn't miss. [www.barsuk.com]

Fenway Recordings, based in Boston, is putting out an astonishing amount of really great records. From garage rockers Read Yellow, to NYC darlings Longwave, and now a great second effort by Clint Conley's band Consonant. Love And Affliction leaves behind Conley's former band Mission Of Burma's more punk sound for something more post-punk (god, could that sound more vague?). Instead of straight ahead compositions Mission Of Burma used to churn out, you'll hear slightly more dreamier material here, thanks to ex-Come guitarist Chris Brokaw's excellent parts. Left behind are the themes of Mission Of Burma's punk youth, and instead an emphasis is placed on mid-life issues. Conley is now a father and has been almost 20 years removed from performing with a band, so the subject matter he writes about now makes Love And Affliction like a rebirth for Conley. You would never expected Conley to ever sing something like "I rush to beat the school bus / I can't stand another hour / Without their precious smiles" in any of his previous efforts. It makes the work on this one seem more believable, more personable, and more real. Mission Of Burma has since reformed and are preparing a new album and tour as I write this; I just hope Conley doesn't shelve the Consonant project totally, as this is a perfect compliment to the work he did with Burma. This CD is definitely worth a listen if you're a fan of the "post-punk" sound. This is one of the best, by one of the people essentially responsible for the genre's birth. [www.consonant.cc ]

Sunny Day Real Estate. There, we have that out of the way. Now we can get on with the review. The Fire Theft's self-titled debut is great. Nothing more, nothing less. It's a very strong, beautiful, GREAT album. With Dan out of the mix and Nate back in, Jeremy Enigk and William Goldsmith leave behind the name of their former pioneering emo band and try to do something few can do: escape the shadow of the original. They certainly come close to doing this, but it's as though there's still a hand grabbing them by the ankle. I have to admit that first listen through, I didn't get pulled in right away. In fact, when I heard the song "Chain", I almost felt like turning the CD player off. It wasn't until towards the end of the disc when I got to the track "It's Over" that I finally got hooked. It had the brief feeling of How It Feels To Be Something On material, but taken a bit further, making it far more majestic and possibly even better. That's how the whole record honestly feels: that mellowness from How It Feels..., but with the "emo" taken out and "The Beatles" injected in. From the choirs to the orchestras to the piano, it became quickly apparant that this was definitely NOT the same band I was expecting. The second time around I found myself in disbelief while "Summertime", "Heaven", and "Carry You" blew me away. The three members from SDRE definitely had something new and equally amazing as what they started with years ago. Suddenly, what I originally thought would be just a spin-off band has become an entity all it's own. I definitely enjoy Sunny Day Real Estate as well as The Fire Theft. The real success for The Fire Theft is that when I listen to their CD I'm not longing to turn it off in favor of old SDRE stuff. They're a strong band with a great CD; I can't wait to hear what they can do next. [www.thefiretheft.com]

I really didn't know much about Stereophonics when I saw them live in 2000, but I was pretty impressed with their show opening for the Charlatans. Unfortunately, I did not find much replay value in the album they were supporting at the time, Performance and Cocktails. So when confronted with the band's latest effort You Gotta Go There To Come Back, I wasn't really setting myself up for a particularly interesting experience. I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. Granted, it's not challenging music, but the sing-along factor is there. The trio from Wales has been described as "lo-fi melody makers," and I guess on their best tracks, that is a fairly apt description. Lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones has a voice that I think one either loves or hates. On most tracks, it's soulful and gritty in a way that really works with their tight, fluid style. On the odd track, I have a hard time not offering him a lozenge and some hot tea. Bassist Richard Jones and drummer Stuart Cable create a backdrop that effortlessly winds through straight-on rock'n'roll as well as soft ballads. The first track on the album, "Help Me (She's Out of Her Mind)" wins niftiest title, and I can say that because I'm a female...and I've been out of my mind on a number of occasions. Not only is it catchy as hell, but it is the first of at least two songs containing a line referring to being slapped across "ya white face." Not sure of the significance here, but ok... "Climbing the Wall" is another standout track with a nice rolling, groovy vibe to it, complete with subtle horns and of all things, chimes. Considering that most of the album is tops, it's hard to pick out tracks that didn't make the grade. There are a couple of songs that lend themselves more to the aforementioned "lozenge" category; "Rainbows and Pots of Gold" being the most grating. But the production is slick without killing the raw touches that are the band’s trademark. In addition to the original released in September, there is also a new UK re-release just out this February that adds the new single “Moviestar.” (No idea if it will make it to the States) Overall, I would have to say that this is probably the bands strongest album to date, and worth adding to the collection of anyone who was already a Stereophonics fan or just a fan of British rock. [www.stereophonics.com]

No matter how loud, fierce, or violent A Life Once Lost attempts to get on A Great Artist, their debut full-length for Deathwish Inc., it all seems to be the same boredom-inducing set of melodic death metal that the heavy music scene has been infested with for years. A Great Artist says nothing even remotely new musically, stylistically, lyrically, or otherwise and, instead, just descends into another cesspool of uncreative metal mediocrity. Sure, the angry men comprising A Life Once Lost may have talent musically, but when their vision is so musically myopic and boring, that doesn?t mean much. The songs making up A Great Artist are more of the predictable metal muck: dense songs, downtuned guitars, and growled vocals. So, if this is your thing you probably already have this album and, if not, you?re better off without it. [www.deathwishinc.com]

Don't let the associations to Conor Oberst and his time with agit-rock band Desaparecidos fool you: Denver Dalley mines a different muse altogether. While Dalley might handle the guitar duties in Oberst's rock-minded group, his solo ventures under the name Statistics amass layers of light feedback with pop hooks and sticky synths. Leave Your Name, his debut full-length, attempts to resurrect shoegaze's freeform atmospheres, hints of melancholy, and pop rock configurations, but simply doesn?t find enough room in these 11 songs to adequately portray his vision. There's something inherently different in the approach that makes Dalley not even remotely able to approximate My Bloody Valentine's beautiful rushes of noise or Slowdive's delicate dreampop soundscapes. With Statistics, he attempts to make shoegaze atmospherics conform to typical pop structures whereas the true greats of this genre skewed pop dynamics and made the traditional, structural archetypes fit into their gauzy layers of noise and feedback symphonies; not the other way around. However, Leave Your Name does exhibit potential, but that means nothing unless Dalley can fully realize it in the future. [www.jadetree.com]

I really really tried to like Venus Hum's MCA debut, Big Beautiful Sky, but it just wasn't happening. I'm not sure why either; all descriptions I had read about Venus Hum pinned them as a lush, dark, brooding trip-hop electronic band with soaring female vocals. I guess I was hoping for another Portishead or Bjork, or even Fiona Apple. Instead I felt like I had a Poe rip-off CD. OK, maybe that's harsh. And maybe I shouldn't make unfair comparisons. Big Beautiful Sky is a pretty decent CD and it definitely has a lot of good moments. But I can't help but feel I've already heard this before and that it's just getting rehashed for me. No doubt, all three musicians are talented; Annette's voice is beyond amazing. The musical accompanyment is definitely strong, displaying great songwriting for tight electronica songs like "Sonic Boom", Cocteau Twins-like dream pop with "The Bells', and for lush, brooding, ethereal "Hummingbirds". But, again, I feel like I've heard this before. And that it was better. Big Beautiful Sky is still a good album. Not terribly strong and not a stand out, but it's still enjoyable. Hopefully for a follow-up the band will really strike out on their own and get out of the shadows of their collective influences. There's a lot of potential there, but it hasn't been exercised yet, at least not on Big Beautiful Sky. [www.venushum.com]

Antioch Arrow dismantled, rearranged, and deconstructed everything in the West Coast punk/hardcore scene when they released their debut full-length, Gems of Masochism. This reissue by Three One G illustrates that this epiphany in sound was not only relevant in 1995 when it was first released, but also now in 2004. But what makes Gems of Masochism so revolutionary was that it at once defined and subverted the San Diego hardcore scene and Gravity Records’ output by existing as a recording vital to continuing hardcore’s legacy in the area while simultaneously evolving it to a point where it was barely even recognizable. Antioch Arrow splice the divergent influences of Joy Divison, Wire, the Cure, and Fugazi into their sound that revived a whole culture of hardcore punks searching for something different, something more. And in a time when “punk” has descended into a word splashed across shirts sold in malls and a commodity bought and sold by MTV day in and day out, there is no better time for Antioch Arrow to reintroduce themselves into punk’s sterile existence. [www.threeoneg.com]

I don't think I can or will ever be able to fully explain how much I love British Sea Power and how much I enjoy this album. There is nothing I enjoy more than finding out about a great British band that doesn't sound anything else like what's coming out of the UK (to name drop, Radiohead, The Delgados, Muse, Coldplay, The Killers, etc). While at first I found them a bit gimmicky, especially with their live show, this album blew me away and was definitely one of my favorites of 2003. It took two extra months for The Decline Of British Sea Power to reach the U.S., but thankfully it did. Why? Because, and I mean this, "Blackout" is quite possibly one of the greatest songs I've ever heard, and I'm fairly certain without a U.S. release I'd have missed out. This one perfect pop gem pulled me into an album that, on first listen, challenged me throughout the first eight songs. The singer, known as Yan, has a voice that you might not find beautiful, similar to the vocalist from The Walkmen. The first couple tracks on the album are pretty interesting, but it isn't until "Something Wicked" comes on until British Sea Power really put their strong foot forward. "Remember Me" is a great abrasive song; "Fear Of Drowning" reminds me of something Echo & The Bunnymen would do; "Carrion" comes closest to a garage band sound for BSP. There is also the 14-minute epic "Lately" to round out the CD. But it's "Blackout" that should really stun you and make you instantly love this band. I saw British Sea Power a while ago before I had heard the CD and loved the outfits and thought they were pretty decent. After the purchase of this disc, however, I'm dying to get to see one of their shows because, once past the whole gimmick they have (check the web site for further evidence), I realized the genius of this band. Hopefully you will be able to dot he same. [www.britishseapower.co.uk]

The Joggers should definitely be getting a lot more attention than they are. Maybe the lack of attention is because they are from Portland and not from New York City or other hot spot or maybe its because they're on a label I had previously never heard of. Solid Guild, their debut release on Startime International, even scored a high 8.0 with Pitchfork Media, yet bands like The French Kicks, The Walkmen, and Hot Hot Heat are still getting mega-attention while The Joggers do it just as good or, in some cases, even better. Solid Guild starts off with the atmospheric "Loosen Up", a beautiful opener with intertwined guitars and vocal harmonies. After that, the band gets to work on what it seems to do best: quirky, loose, complex, fun pop. "Back To The Future" even has a bridge with 4-part harmonies, something I haven't heard in a while. Their songs are the perfect length and they're very catchy and listenable, but the arrangements are a lot more complex with a closer listen. "Hot Autism" doesn't even hit the 3 minute mark but it's so complex with the arrangment that it feels a lot longer. "I'm Not Convinced" will have you swearing you're listening to The Walkmen, and that's a good thing. If you're sick of that damn "Bandages" song but you still want something that comes close to that really quirky crazy pop rock sound, definitely give this one a listen. Every song The Joggers have is pretty distinguishable from the others, which will give you a full disc thats enjoyable the whole way through. [www.thejoggers.com]

I was hoping someone else would take a stab at reviewing something that Aaron Perrino was involved with, as I've already done reviews for The Sheila Divine and the first Dear Leader EP. But some attention definitely needs to be brought to this album. Dear Leader is Aaron Perrino's solo side project now that The Sheila Divine has dissolved. Since the record's release he's added a full band behind him to play the songs live, but what you'll get on The Good Times Are Killing Me is a singer/songwriter's effort that, thankfully, doesn't sound so predictably singer/songwritery. First, you won't find live drums anywhere; instead they're replaced by loops and effects by John Dragonetti (from Jack Drag). The opener is "Our Motto", one of the more tasteful anti-war songs I've heard (remember the horrible Beastie Boys and Zack de la Roca songs?). It's an electronic composition with minimal accompanying guitar, ending with soaring double-tracked vocals. This is the theme for the whole album: mostly acoustic guitars with electronic beats behind it all. The second track, "Vigorous Cravings", is my favorite. Despite the strange title, "Cravings" is a beautiful, cute pop song with one of the catchiest choruses Perrino has written recently. It also features native Boston singer Blake Hazard with some great backing vocals. And the record continues strong the whole way through, from the country-ish "Culture Vultures", the operatic "Committing Fusion", the required 'rock' track "Ice Age", and the absolutely beautiful, apologetic "Standing In Your Way". With the full band, Aaron Perrino's new tracks are starting to be more "rock" orientated, for lack of a better term. The Good Times Are Killing Me will capture the time when he first struck out on his own, writing and recording on his own and doing some really beautiful work. I can only hope that Dear Leader continues in this manner: writing really great, catchy, enjoyable songs. [www.dear-leader.com]

I have to admit, coming into this review I was a little ignorant. Firstly, Nick Cave was a name I had heard and a person I knew of for years, but I was not educated on his band or his music. Secondly, I was ignorant on the subject of concert DVDs, even though the last year has seen them skyrocket in quantity and popularity. I had seen only a handful of concert DVDs in my day, so I was looking to be educated, and I must say “Well done Mr. Cave. Well done.” God Is In The House consists of a full length concert recorded at a gig in France, a 45 minute behind the scenes documentary of the recording of the latest album, and three promotional videos. It didn’t take more than three or four songs for me to have a smile on my face, because the concert is what a recorded show should be. Cave and the Seeds sound amazing and the atmosphere is so well done you can feel it fill up your lungs as you breathe it in. The set is a mix of the old and the new, but the flow is constant and the energy kept in stride. The key is that the concert footage focuses on the music and the musicians, and not a bunch of visual crap. A few simple camera angles, a minimum of extreme close-ups, and a lack of needless lighting effects makes the viewer focus on what is really important, the performance. If you have never seen Nick Cave live then this disc will have you checking his tour dates daily. The documentary portion of the disc is where it falls a little flat. There is no voice over, no narration, and no story. Make no mistake, this is a simple “fly on the wall” type video. Most of the time you don’t really know what is going on. You know they are recording a record, but the film offers no insight into the band or the creative process, nor does it really show much of anything of interest. Three videos close out the effort, and while they are interesting enough, they are not awe-inspiring works of avant garde music video making. All in all this is a worthy effort by the boys. The concert footage is top notch and worth the price of the disc, but just don’t expect too much from the rest of the additional features. Now I am an educated man, with a massive new respect for Nick Cave and his music, and a new interest in concert DVDs. I just hope my explorations don’t disappoint. [www.nick-cave.com]

Let’s not beat around the bush. This is a fantastic album! If Cody Chestnut and The Roots collaborated with Al Green to synthesize Beck’s Sea Change with Outkast’s ATLiens the result would be something like The Soul of John Black. If that description does not make you want to buy this album immediately, than nothing else I have to say will either. Thus concludes my review of The Soul of John Black. [www.thesoulofjohnblack.com]

Yeah, this EP came out quite a long time ago (nearly two whole years!), but PolePosition's XO is certainly deserving of some recognition from Silent Uproar. Usually I get one gem in a batch of CDs I'm sent to review and this happens to be just that. Based just outside of New York City, PolePosition are a two-man indie rock outfit that write music that sounds as if it were lifted from a movie soundtrack. This should make sense; the two gentlemen in Pole Position actually wrote film scores before striking out on their own in the late 1990's. In one word, this EP is "sexy". It's just so beautiful and enchanting, from the jazzy drum parts to the beautiful piano sounds to the vocals, which channel a sound just a few notches sexier and dreamier than Thom Yorke's. I apparantly only have a shortened version of the EP (5 songs long), which quite a few web sites I've been to boast a tracklisting of 8. Regardless, what's here is something that would be the soundtrack for when you're driving through Europe on the Audobon.....or something.
If you're in the mood for something that reminds you of Kid A, with a more latin dance feeling and even a bit more poppy, you might really dig this CD. Atleast try and find the opening track, "Boulevard", as it's easily one of the more beautiful songs I've come across lately. I just wish I had the extended EP version......and that even it was a bit longer. [www.polepositiononline.com]

Compilations are something I struggle with frequently. Being a music snob, I find that usually, comps exclude my favorite tracks; eschewed for minor hits and trendy remixes. However, the compilation is an easy and relatively inexpensive way for new listeners to educate themselves on a band they either missed the boat on during their career or simply weren’t alive to witness it. So, as someone who had never heard a note of Essential Logic’s music before receiving this compilation, this two-disc collection gave me an excellent overview of the work of this incredibly unique post-punk band. This set compiles tracks from every release Essential Logic ever put out, along with some solo Lora Logic and one Red Crayola track featuring Logic’s vocals. As the newcomer to the Essential Logic canon, I was quite pleased with the overview of material, especially Disc 1, which deals with the more celebrated period of E.L.’s existence. However, the audiophile in me couldn’t help think that Disc 2 must be pissing people off somewhere. Although it lures them in with demos and rarities, key album tracks, b-sides and EP cuts that are long since out of print were left out in favor of late 90s work that I presume no one is really too thrilled about. But enough about the semantics behind the packaging; the music speaks volumes. The soulful saxophone blends in nicely with the Graham Maby (Joe Jackson Band)-ish bass lines, the thin, trebly guitar sounds that defined early 80s post-punk, and Logic’s incredible vocals, that fall somewhere between Ari Up (the Slits) and an on-pitch Yoko Ono. Standout cuts include the acoustic and ethereal "Martian Man" and bass driven "Shabby Abbot." The band sounds incredibly tight most of the time but, like the best bands, can turn that off at the drop of a hat and let everything come sprawling out like a ball of yarn rolling across the floor. I was blown away by the sheer energy of the band, as well as the originality of the material. Even though I’m borderline comp-phobic, this is one that is well worth the gaps in coverage and slightly higher price tag. [www.killrockstars.com]