What makes sense when a band makes it "big" and sells a lot of records? You try and ride the wave by releasing something else quickly for the kids to eat up. Usually this follow-up release contains old demos (eg Nirvana's Incesticide), and this new release by Division of Laura Lee (DOLL) is no exception. It just feels, at first glance, that its a money-making, cash-cow scheme by a record label to make some a quick buck off a growing name. Personally, I think that sucks, especially if the band's older stuff kinda... you know... sucks. Armed with this opinion, I tried out 97-99, DOLL's collection of older recordings. What even made me not like it even more than before was that it was by Lovitt Records, not the Black Heart label that released DOLL's Black City. The first listen through further cemented my thoughts on DOLL; they're more like Fugazi, The Make Up, or Jawbox then they are like their Swedish counterparts The Hives or The (International) Noise Conspiracy. All the garage-rock references that tie them to The Hives are undeserved. This album has that really gritty, lo-fi sound to it. Where the record falls flat is within the actual songs. "Stop! Go!", "Stereotype", and "44" are good tracks that display the band's tight organization. However, the rest of the songs are swimming in mediocrity. The lead singer's plaintive wails get repetitive. The almost uniform sound throughout the record makes it just a decent album. In other words, this sounds like the band was only warming up for a better release, which came with Black City; at least with that release they had some definite stand-out tracks -- because on 97-99 there aren't any. The strange thing I noticed about this album was that the first track is from 1999 and each successive track turns the calendar back, until the final track from 1997 hits. This record operates in the exact way you should approach this release. If you like DOLL and you want to peek into their career and early recordings, go for it. If you're looking to get introduced to the band, skip this one for now and see if Black City does the trick for you first. Then, work backwards to 97-99. [www.divisionoflauralee.com]

Every time I think of the Eels, I think of E, the band behind the backbone of the band, as a talking carrot. You know, from the video for "Last Stop: This Town". And I have seen E open for Fiona Apple, and I immensely enjoyed the show. Oh, and I enjoyed the big Eels "hit", "Novocaine For The Soul." I liked the black humor in the lyrics, the earnestness of the voice, and the child-like innocence of the music behind the Eels. Well, those are the same things that I really like about Shootenanny. Simple yet elegant, sincere yet enigmatic. Clever. Dry. It's like wine-tasting, listening to this album - You kinda swish the sounds around in your head and try to make out exactly what they mean to you. From the smart breakage in "Love of the Loveless" to the resignated eyeball roll of "Lone Wolf", the album kept suprising me by not suprising me: I never had a moment where I didn't like the album, never had a time where I didn't feel affectionate towards the bard. "Wrong About Bobby" is a great song for those of us who revel in our passive-agressiveness, as is, loosely-translated, "Rock Hard Times." Music that is this fun to listen to is so because it isn't trying to be anything but itself. There's no preachiness, there's no need for "what can I prove/tell/sell/push" onto my listener. Audiences of the Eels have something to be proud of - They are getting genuine fine-crafted product. [www.eelsband.com]

There's no reason for me to have a problem with Godsmack. They may have taken their name from the title of one of Alice In Chains' songs, and hey, so what if their logo is similar to AIC's sun logo. And so what if Alice in Chains is one of my favorite bands and they are gone and their imitators, Godsmack, live on. No reason at all for me to be bitter. Because I really don't have legs to stand on anymore (They had me at "Voodoo"), because Godsmack is a pretty decent band that just put out a pretty decent album. For the teenager in us, we get some fairly vague yet nail-on-the-head moments with lyrics like "Decisions made from desperation/ Internal instincts craving isolation/ For me to grow... Fell into a river of illusion/ Drowning in a self-induced confusion" ("Re-Align"), which I really appreciate. For, after all, I like vagaries when coupled next to some definitely SLAMMING "rawk" sounds, and that's what Godsmack gives me. It's angry, it's loud, it's Ozzfestive and it's primitive hard metal that's been hammered out into something malleable enough for those of us who don't really dig Pantera anymore, et al. If you need some decent crunch, here's your album. But there are skippable tracks, no doubt. "I Fucking Hate You" is so 9th grade poetry in alternating capital letters and lower-case letters. While it does the trick in securing Godsmack in the pantheon of teen angst, the band is capable of better and I think that they are aware of it. Faceless reeks of over-exposure to angst that makes the band (who are really good) teeter just on the edge of staying true to a formula that the kids at Hot Topic won't reject. With tracks like "Dead and Broken" and "Straight Out of Line" we see that Godsmack are a hard rock band, but the ethnic-sounding, drum-skittered-driven track "Serenity" prove that Godsmack are more than just a spot at Ozzfest, a poster on a teenager's wall, but just that they haven't gotten up to their potential yet. And if you're the cousins of Alice In Chains, you've got big shoes, at least in my book, to fill. [www.voodootribe.com]

Minor Threat and Black Flag. Could there be set of more predictable influences for disciples of punk and hardcore? Either Kids Near Water don’t know or don’t care, but their first proper full-length, Hey Zeus!, is creatively bankrupt and finds commonality in all the predictable places. Kids Near Water, a four-piece outfit imported from the UK, walk the well trodden ground of D.C. hardcore while ineffectively tossing melodies and dynamics from the likes of the Get Up Kids into the impotent mix. Still, however, Hey Zeus! is an album that is musically taut and this quartet is technically talented, it’s just that it falls into a genre where so many other predictable albums fall: melodic-punk scrubbed to a radio-ready sheen. When the Kids unleash their brash and jagged musical side – such on the McLusky-like “And We Two Were Lost” – they sound like a band with a heart. Conversely, the rest of Hey Zeus! sounds like it runs on a pacemaker. [www.candlelightrecords.co.uk]

Since the mid-‘90s, hardcore has been overhauled. From Antioch Arrow and the Swing Kids to Botch and Converge, the genre’s now a battleground where brutality and bar raising have become expected. Since By Man is a quality – if still musically immature – acquisition to hardcore’s genre-bending nature as each of the four aforementioned bands weigh in heavily in their musical bibliography. Since By Man showcase their ability to warp hardcore dynamics with sassy melodic punches and groove-driven breakdowns, but this young outfit simply hasn’t harnessed the means to reach their desired end quite yet. We Sing the Body Electric is an ambitious debut with its vision set on the stars, but they barely make it to the other side of the street. Still, the results of brilliance punch through at certain moments on their debut disc. The intense and appropriately named “Push the Panic” instigate both raised fists and raised blood pressure with steamrolling rhythms, manic scream/sing vocals and guitars that slice your speakers with a sole exposure. Also, the almost funky “What’s Your Damage” is the best incarnation of sass and power, singing and musical muscle. Amidst the dizzying hardcore numbers and bruising hate-rock anthems, “Death of Decadence” and particularly “In Threes” offer angular tranquility and a sensitive side to the jagged edge and sharp stabs of buzzing guitar chords, sassy screams and chest-thumping drum stomps. Since By Man have the heart and the inspiration – now all they need is the time and experience to appropriately reveal themselves with their true talent. But, still, they’re the best band from my home state of Wisconsin – much better than Shirley Manson from Garbage and, well, my state’s other musical garbage. [www.sincebyman.com]

Oh, good Lord, it's another singer-songwriter! Quick, shut the door. Maybe he'll think we're not at home. Honestly, the last thing the world needs is another singer-songwriter with a tear in his imported beer, whining about lost love and how the world isn't fair. These sentiments have been mass produced, copyrighted and crammed down our throats. Frankly, it's just hard to sell emotional attachment on a corporate level these days. But, dammit, Damien Rice is trying. Well, maybe he just wants us to feel his pain. His US debut, O, is packed full of all the same stuff you've come to expect from a young, scruffy acoustic guitar jockey. Yet, the album is bit more sincere than the norm; think a more believable David Gray or an unpolished, less quirky Dave Matthews. Oh, and he's Irish too. Rice' voice has a way of creating an instant intimacy. Not that he's singing to you persay, but the room you're in will feel a bit more cozy the first time through the opener, "Delicate". It almost feels as if you're sitting in the same room as Rice, which is partly due to the fact that the album was recorded in Rice' home on an 8-track. The only setback for the album is it's inability to pick up any pace whatsoever. The one track that makes it out of a slow jog is the ending of "I Remember". The next closest is "Volcano," which is by no surprise the single and features some lovely vocals from Lisa Hannigan. Every other track slowly crawls or swims around within itself, eventually blooming into an orchestral finale or simply just puttering out after a few sporadic bursts. Then, the final track, "Eskimo", in which Rice repeatedly voices, "I look to my Eskimo friend," comes off like the "everything is great in the world" scene at the end of a Disney movie - and all that is before the opera singer starts singing backup. Comparatively, the track comes off a bit too humorous to end off what the album has established throughout the first nine songs. On the surface, Damien Rice might seem like he's goining to lend a few tracks to the Gap for their Fall line, or maybe he'll get his own special on VH1. But, there's a quality to the music Damien Rice creates that can never be consumed by pop culture. And maybe that small bit of unrefined soul will save him from becoming a cliché. [www.damienrice.com]

Matt Sharp has been many things throughout his nearly 10 year recording career. On Weezer’s first two records, Sharp put forth some notable bass work and was responcible for their distinctive falsetto vocals. On Return of the Rentals, the debut from Sharp’s own band, he was a Gary Numan-devotee and engulfed his songs in Moog synthesizers, female harmonies and occasionally violin. On 7 More Minutes, the Rentals’ second album, Sharp’s songwriting was very hit or miss (hit – “Overlee,” “She Says It’s Alright,” miss – “Big Daddy C,” “The Man with Two Brains”) and the production so overblown that perfectly good songs got lost in the sonic muck. And now, Sharp has changed yet again, into an acoustic guitar toting folkie. Well, not quite, but on Puckett’s Versus the Country Boy, his first solo outing, Sharp replaces the layers of synthesizers, vocals and percussion with layers of…well, acoustic guitars. Originally conceived as a stripped down work, the record is still quite dense, with overdubbed acoustic guitars, piano, and some atmospheric sounds all weaving in and out of the mix. Despite its density, it manages to maintain warmth generally associated with more sparse works. Joing Sharp on acoustic guitar and vocals are former Cake guitarist Greg Brown, who lends some very nice, understated lead (acoustic) guitar and piano work and Josh Hager, who adds some lap steel guitar and “ambient sounds.” The music these three make is, for the most part, slow, tranquil and generally enjoyable. Sharp’s lyrics have gone from the space tales of Return to the European night life narratives of 7MM to Puckett’s direct melancholy that was hinted at in some of his Rentals material, but never fully realized. The 4-track EP begins with “Goodbye West Coast,” a matter-of-fact tale of going back to his hometown after a friend’s death. “Visions of Anna” is, sonically, the darkest and moodiest of the EP – Brown’s piano and Hager’s E-Bow truly shine on this track, as does Hager’s lap steel on “Some Come Running Through,” the record’s stand out track. The biggest flaw with the record is probably its meter. This is a slow record, folks. Seriously. This makes the first Ryan Adams record sound like Reign in Blood. Sharp himself, in a recent interview, admitted that the record can be difficult to listen to if not in the proper mindset. That’s not to say that it is a bad record – it is simply not a record for all occasions, nor for many occasions. 7MM, for all its flaws, was a party record – this is certainly not. However, that does not take away from the work that Sharp and co. put into the record. Sharp may not have made the spare, simple record he set out to make, but at least there is no “Big Daddy C.” [www.mattsharp.net]

Hot Damn! is right. I don’t think any other title would be more appropriate. Buffalo, New York’s Every Time I Die has once again put out one hell of an album. Following 2001’s masterpiece Last Night In Town would be nerve-racking for any band, yet they managed to pull it off. Even though I still can’t decide if Hot Damn! surpasses the debut, it certainly takes its place beside it. To pigeonhole Every Time I Die as hardcore would be absurd. To call them “technical noisecore”, which is how their press sheet describes them, wouldn’t mean a thing to me. If someone asked me what Every Time I Die sound like, I would respond that the band is mix of Norma Jean's consistent breakdowns and Dillinger Escape Plan's precise guitar work, with just a smidgen of Glassjaw-influenced vocals. I still don't feel that does the band's sound any justice. Breakdowns lurk around every corner on Hot Damn! and the music grooves enough to make your wheelchair-bound grandmother dance. The lyrics found on the album are in a class all their own. For instance, who else would say: “Thank you Lord, for the loaded gun, for the bad aim, for I’m lonesome. God is smiling down on us, he shines his grace on everyone.” Even the booklet is noteworthy, with the inclusion of some nice girl-on-girl action. Now since this is an album review, I suppose I should say something about the songs that made this wonderful album. Every Time I Die has a certain finesse to their chaos, and singer Keith Buckley has one of the more intelligible screaming voices among his contemporaries. Pinpointing a defining song here would be impossible, for each track is wonderful, and obviously that makes for an incredible album. However, not going into any depth would be somewhat lackadaisical of me. Kicking off with "Romeo A Go-Go" shows Hot Damn! can start many a bedroom listening frenzy. It also gives us the first of many memorable quotes: "Here's to cheap sex and codeine, in a hospital bed." "I Been Gone a Long Time" hints at a mild southern-rock influence, while "Ebolorama" shows off the aforementioned Palumbo-esk vocals. Brutal and fun, fury and beauty; that's Every Time I Die. Having already toured with Poison the Well, Converge, Thursday, and Dillinger Escape Plan after only one album hints at what kind of impact Every Time I Die has had on the ever-changing, ever-growing scene we call hardcore. I think I’ve pretty much said all I feel I needed to say about the album, so get off your computer and go buy it. [www.everytimeidie.com]

Silverstein are a screamo band from Southern Ontario, Canada that formed in early 2000. With two EPs under their belt, they signed to Victory Records and have since released a full-length record via the label. What's with the biography? Well, I don't expect you've heard of them, as they have yet to break the US. But, I'll admit that I drove four hours to catch them live, which was a move solely based on the hype around the band and my impressions after hearing only one song. Without a doubt, they blew the other acts away. Skeptical that they were simply to good to be true, I grabbed a copy of their new album, expecting to hear a watered-down version I what I witnessed. Thankfully, I was still surprised. Silverstein have managed to convey the same emotion and power they put into their live show on their extraordinary debut, When Broken Is Easily Fixed. Furthermore, while many bands find their niche and stick with it, Silverstein manage to gracefully change between many genres without breaking a sweat. Vocally, they combine beautiful harmonies with gut wrenching screams, while, musically, they're all over the map. "Smashed Into Pieces" and "The Weak and the Wounded" pit hardcore styled breaks against a rising, melodic choruses. "Giving Up" bounces from pop-punk with metal guitar backups to their screamo foundation. After repeated listens, the band's myriad influences are showcased within their sound, but I'd pinpoint it somewhere between the melodic side of Finch and the darker side of Thursday. Though, the interpretation can be solely up to you. Just pick two bands from any of the genres and you'll probably hear their influence in this band. The hardcore and emo scenes are full of followers, so it's good to see that Silverstein are trying to carve out their own space. According to the band, their purpose is to "tear down the boundaries between hardcore, emo, and punk," and I'd say they're headed down that road. [www.silversteinmusic.com]

The first time I heard The Appleseed Cast was when I was asked to review Lost Songs for this site. I thought the album was decent, made a mental note to check out more of their stuff, and then just forgot about them for a couple months. My co-worker at the next desk over downloads and plays music all day long, and just last week I heard one song that had a great hook. He replayed it several times, and each time I kept getting drawn into it until I could no longer resist asking, "who is that?" The answer: The Appleseed Cast. Duh... thank you, Jon, for reminding me that I really needed to listen to more of this band. Their new album, Two Conversations, is a more "return to rock" for the Appleseed gang. If the two-disc Low Level Owl showed their experimental nature, this set will ground them back into the emo-indie rock category; in this instance it's not a bad thing whatsoever. Two Conversations begins with a minute and a half worth of ambient sounds before launching into their trademark emo-rock sound on "Hello Dearest Love". This is followed by "Hanging Marionette" -- the song that was played over and over for me at work and drew me into their sound. The title of the record, Two Conversations, comes from the concept behind the music, where anger and bitterness are followed by forgiveness and regret... I'm presuming it's about a relationship. "Losing Touching Searching" sounds like a heartfelt plea while the next track, "Fight Song", addresses the problem of cheating in a relationship. A couple songs later, "Innocent Vigilant Ordinary" has a more reflective, forgiving feel, which is especially evident in the lyric "I want you to know I will always love you, always be your friend." It seems to almost apologize for whatever happened in "Fight Song". It's a interesting concept carried throughout, in that it feels like a rollercoaster ride. It makes the album that more enjoyable. Yes, I love this album. In my opinion, it's very well-written, well-produced, a sounds great. I would probably take the risk (once again) of saying this could be in my "Top 10" for 2003. Though, I could see some of the Low Level Owl fans that enjoyed the experimental Appleseed thinking this album is step backwards. Then again, as a fan, I feel it's a refreshing change. [www.theappleseedcast.com]

I honestly don't know how Feeder released this album. It kind of boggles the mind. It's been fairly publicized that their drummer, Jon Lee, committed suicide in 2002. When a three-member band loses one of its founding members to suicide, it seems like it would be a rough climb back. Thats why it's very encouraging to see the band perservering on with its new release, Comfort In Sound. The only thing one can wonder is if the sympathy you feel regarding the suicide death of a member is enough to excuse a mediocre album? Wow, that last sentence seemed really insensitive, so let me explain myself. I like Feeder; they're a pretty decent post-grunge band. But, like quite a few modern rock bands, they don't seem to expand but instead use the same song writing formula and just keep releasing albums. I probably would've scored this one a few points lower, except this is now, essentially, a two member band bouncing back and releasing an album as a tribute to their friend and former band mate. There's some type of magic in that, like this belongs on VH1's Behind The Music. There is a bittersweet feeling that gives the album that type of magic; the song "Forget About Tomorrow" is a perfect example. Like a typical Feeder album there are those typical rock songs, like the awful, misplaced "Godzilla" and equally awful "Helium". The rest of the album is poignant and beautiful, and although sometimes repetitive and treading close to boring, it's not a bad effort. The especially beautiful closer, "Moonshine", ends the album on a good and final note. Yes, this new album is mediocre. It's entertaining and decent, but it's not something I would run out to buy. Add in the fact that it's meant as a beautiful tribute to a fallen band mate, it makes the disc worth at least one listen. [www.feederweb.com]

Coming at you with more hooks than a pirate ship, it's Orlando, Flordia's own Anberlin! The quintet ranges from ages 16-26 and while their youthful exuberance shines through on their debut, Blueprints for the Black Market, there is also a sense of maturity that is uncommon in such young bands these days. I’ve been searching for a good description of this band and I have to say I’m failing. The vocals are strongly influenced by Robert Smith (The Cure), which is pretty blatant, and the music is upbeat rock (complete with guitar solos!) that's not too heavy and not too soft. Their biography gives comparisons to Superdrag, The Juliana Theory, and the Foo Fighters. But, I stand on the claim that Anberlin has a sound all their own. Blueprints for the Black Market kicks off with “Readyfuels” (yes, one word), which is one of the album’s heavier songs. “Foreign Language” follows and is probably the catchiest song overall on the album. Watch out; “Boys speak in rhythm, and girls in code” can be nearly impossible to get out of your head. “Change the World” is a decent song, which drags slightly -- strong, but not outstanding. I won’t go into detail on each song, because frankly, I think that would be a bit boring for you readers, but I wanted to give you a small taste of what to expect here. Other than the first two songs, the next highlight would be “Autobahn”, which got me with its new wave-ish keyboard intro. Since I previously referred to Robert Smith, I feel obligated to mention Anberlin’s included their own rendition of The Cure’s classic, “Love Song”. My prediction that every one of these songs would have a chorus that is, well, I’ll say “lovely”, for lack of better words, was fulfilled. If catchy rock is your thing, give this a listen. If not, give it a listen anyway and if you don’t like it, you should be beaten with a stick (just kidding). As cheesy as it sounds, I think Blueprints For Success would have been a more appropriate album title. [www.toothandnail.com]

To start this review off, I want to make it very clear that Failure's Fantastic Planet is one of my top ten most favorite albums ever. Because of this fact, I need to look at this album in two ways to give it a fair review. First, there is the diehard Failure fan in me that thinks Ken Andrews was only a great songwriting mind when teamed with former bandmate Greg Edwards. The other half of me thinks of Ken Andrews as a production god and that anything he touches turns to gold. For that reason, this review of Year Of The Rabbit's first full-length will fall right in the middle. Sadly, I don't think Andrews' great production hand can salvage the musical content of this, his new band's self-titled debut. Year Of The Rabbit is a super-group, in case you haven't heard, with Tim Dow, Sol Snyder, and Jeff Garber backing Andrews. The result is a pretty rocking group; to the band's credit, they've got some great sounds going for them. It's the songs where the band falls flat. Long gone are the twisted lead guitar parts, atmospheric sounds, and strange lyrics from when Andrews worked with Edwards in Failure. Instead, we still get the great production Andrews is known for, great drumming, great bass playing and a full loud guitar sound, but it's not enough to meet my expectations. "Rabbit Hole" and "Hunted", which were featured on the band's self-released EP, are the same versions and both still blow me away. "Absent Stars" is another decent track. And while the rest of the songs are pretty good by normal standards, to the Failure fan in me they sound like cheap knockoffs that make me wish Andrews was still working with Edwards. To be fair, this is still a really decent CD. It's got the sing-a-long choruses, a loud sound, and is worlds better than a lot of the stuff being crammed down kids' throats. "Last Defense" sounds like it should be a radio hit across the country. Year Of The Rabbit could be onto something, they're just not onto it yet. I'm curious to see what else they can do as a band, as they do have a lot of promise. I'm also curious to see how Edwards will fair when his new band, Autolux, releases their debut. If you are a Failure fan, give this one a chance with an open mind or you may start wondering what happened to the Ken Andrews you know and love. If you aren't familiar with Failure and want a top-notch, post-grunge rock album, give this one a try. [www.yearoftherabbit.net]

Blah! ...with all the words in the English dictionary that is about all I can come up with. Even months before a record was in the works, people were anticipating this album. “The next super group”, people would say. With Billy Corgan directing the ship, Zwan has instant interest and an instant fan base of old Pumpkins fans, but does the ship sink or sail? A little of both, actually. It is not that this album is bad, because it isn’t. It is actually decent if you are looking for alternative-pop-hard-melancholy-happy-rock (I think I just created a genre), but decent doesn’t really cut it. First off, anyone who tells you Zwan doesn’t sound like the Smashing Pumpkins is smoking some bad, bad stuff. By virtue of Billy alone, they sound a lot like the Pumpkins. Same voice, same songwriting, just more upbeat. Of course that doesn’t give due credit to the new members in the Corgan clan, who do more than an ample job of completing the band. A lot of the songs show more depth than the Pumpkins, in terms of acoustic backing, guitar fills and the like. Stylistically, yes, Zwan is not the Pumpkins, but I bet if I put a Smashing Pumpkins label on this CD and gave it to a hundred people, not even a handful would question it was a new Pumpkins album. Radio friendly tunes like “Honestly”, “Lyric” and “Ride a Black Swan” fill up the bulk of the album, with slower and more epic songs taking a back seat to fun for the first time in Corgan history. The production is stellar. The song writing is good enough. The musicianship is there. So, what is missing? Who can say? If you have extra cash and just want a good listen, then go for it. The album as a whole is good, but there is better music out there to buy first. You may very well listen to this record with a bobbing head and a smile, but I just can’t honestly picture this album ever being on the top of your mind. Months down the line, when you are sitting in front of your album collection thinking, “What should I listen to?” I just can’t imagine the enthusiastic answer being “Zwan!” [www.zwan.com]

The Toadies are a textbook example of the record industry gone wrong. Their major label debut, Rubberneck, made them a semi-household name. So, with a platinum album under their arm, they were positioned to be the next big thing, right? Wrong! Interscope restructured, rejected the bands first attempt at a sophomore release, and then sat on their hands until finally releasing the bands second album, Hell Below/Stars Above, in May 2001. Mere months later, after touring relentlessly, the band broke up, due in no small part to the lack of support from the label. But alas, the phoenix rises from the ashes for one last flight! Live From Paradise was recorded one random night in Boston on the bands national tour and through a connection at independent label Aezra Records, the album now sees the light of day. The beauty of the album is in its similarity to the band. Recorded in only one night with no extra mixing, overdbubbing, or rerecording of any kind, the album is as raw and naked as they come. The album kicks off like a shot to the chest with “Plane Crash” and doesn’t skip a beat before a chorus-screaming crowd version of “I Come From The Water” spills onto the shore. With 18 tracks, nearly all of their two major releases are represented. “Paper Dress”, off the “Escape From L.A.” soundtrack provides a nice moment, as well as the two “new” tracks, “ATF”, and a cover of the Pixies “Where Is My Mind?” No doubt, the album packs a punch from beginning to end. The back-to-back-to-back combo of “Possum Kingdom”, “Dollskin” and “Tyler, may well go down as one of the best live album triple threats in recent memory. Interestingly, the album’s unique production may also be its downfall to attracting any major attention. As with any night’s performance, there are moments of missed notes, wrong tempos, and strained voices. With most live albums, this might all be fixed or redone in the studio or on the next night’s performance, but here they stand out “warts and all.” The Toadies were a full throttle band live, and this record captures that, errors here and there, but heart throughout. If you aren’t a fan, this album won’t change you around. But if you are, then a better live album you won’t soon find. [www.toadiesmusic.com]

Aaah, the novelty dance hit. From "Macarena" to "Whoot! There It Is!" to "Mambo Number 5," these inescapable little ditties burrow into our collective unconsciousness one summer at a time, burning up the flame with a white-hot incandescence that is as short-lived as it is powerful, never to be heard from again until a "Where Are They Now?" special, or the wedding reception of some random uncle. For the most part, however, such ignominous fates are well deserved; despite any personal affinity for Lou Bega (of which there is much), I'm forced to admit that his brief fling at the top of the pop charts was all due to a terrible, terrible song. One can only hope that Fannypack proves an exeption to this career trajectory. Their unspeakably bad "Cameltoe" single is currently rotating on a Top-40 station near you, and will continue to do so - over and over and OVER again - until the warm months come to a close. Yet if the remaining tracks on So Stylistic are any indication, these three barely post-pubescent Brooklyn girls (and their pair of Lower East Side hipster svengalis) have a lot more to offer the world than an annoying one hit wonder. By taking cues from the Miami booty bass of 2 Live Crew (now dubbed "ghetto tech" in many pseudo-intellectual electronic music circles) and the chilly electro of Kraftwerk, mixing it with melodic (and fashion) sensibilities from early 80s pop and new-wave groups, and adding a dollop of hip hop girl-power sass (Salt-N-Peppa, what!), Fannypack have crafted an irresistable debut record. Made solely for vibrating automobile subwoofers and putting a smile on your face, "Hey Mami," "Sugar Daddy," and "Smack It Up" have an old-school charm that is absolutely infectious. Adding to the feel-good vibe are the snippets of conversation interspersed between tracks; from arguments and flubbed vocal takes, to phonecalls from the members' mothers, these few seconds offer glimpses into a group of real kids, a refreshing change from other manufactured pop groups made up of too-professional-for-their-own-good American Idol wannabees. Fannypack keep it light, keep it real, and keep cranking out fun little songs; it will be a true shame if their carreer remains overshadowed by their one lame hit single. So Stylistic isn't for everybody, but if you relent and let their sunshine funk into your summer, your ass will certainly thank you. [www.fannypack.net]

"Way back when shoelaces were fat and Michael Jackson was black." Yep, Ugly Duckling have a jones for the old-school. 1988 in the hizzouse! When rap meant something! When groups like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest put out enjoyably lighthearted concept albums! When it was okay for an MC to have a silly voice! Throughout Taste The Secret, they do just that; a 16-song cycle centered around a fictional fast-food joint called Meat Shake^TM (it's a metaphor for the music industry or something). The trio spit amiably, in a very mid-period Beastie Boys kinda way, about fictional idealized women like "Abigail Silk" who pass them by; the perils of being an "Opening Act;" and having to "Dumb It Down" when people don't really get their steez. Which would be cool... if we were LIVING back in the day, instead of just talking about it. The comedy is pretty good, as are the lyrics and flow (some of the rhymes are even wonderfully complex at times). The beats and sampling work should earn member Young Einstein some well-deserved props. No one could deny that, all in all, Ugly Duckling are some clever dudes. It's just that this type of thing has been done before, and better. Not just by the aforementioned artists, but by similar-minded new school cats; Little Brother is a perfect example, and they maintained a sense of humor without keeping tongue firmly in cheek. Nostalgia trips are fine, but the UD crew might want to think about some fresher material; as solid and enjoyable as it may be, Taste The Secret is a little past it's sell-by date. [www.uglyduckling.us]

There are many times when "bad" fails to suitably describe a piece of work. Sometimes "mediocre" applies, seing how the phrase is less a measure of quality as it is disappointment, a disequilibrium between expectations and results. At other points, "so bad it's good" will apply, suggesting that something is so terrible that it merits ironic appreciation. I have yet to encounter any word or combination of words that can express just how bad Northern State really is. I considered "unspeakably horrible," but that was a tad underwhelming. "Wrechedly awful" also pulls it's punches a little bit. I'm sure that one day, someone will come to a etymological realization that aptly summarizes Dying In Stereo's gaping black-hole of substandard beats, fingernails-scraping-down-a-chalkboard vocal delivery, and baselessly self-righteous liberal guilt-trips that masquarade as lyrical content. Unfortunately, that will also mean one more person in the world will have been subjected to these 8 tracks of audio terrorism being marketed as "hip-hop music." For the sake of humanity, I think the thesaurus can do without one more entry. [www.northernstate.net]

Coup D'Etat has whipped up a surprisingly good compilation CD showcasing the underground hip-hop artists on their roster. Typically, "indie rap" is a mirthless affair, filled with outdated breakbeats, charisma-challenged rappers, and dudes trying to hard to make a sociopolitical point. But don't worry, rap nerds, A Blow To The State has got that too! Fortunately for the rest of us, the label has also filled this disc with talented voices and headnodding jams whose impact will last more than one listen. J-Live and Rasco are immediate stand-outs, with two tracks a piece. "One For The Griot" is filled with Notorious BIG-esque storytelling, where J-Lives unorthodox wordplay, narrative skill, and true in-the-pocket delivery combine for a memorable joint. Rasco's efforts are just as powerful, particularly the scathing "Snakes In The Grass," where former business partners are called out by name (!!!) and revealed as the shady characters they are, with couplet after blazing couplet. Soul Purpose and MC Paul Barman come through on a more comical tip, with the masturbation ode "Dry Spells" and the Mensa-level lyrical workout "Bleeding Brain Grow," respectively. Barman's song was by far the best cut on his recent Paullelujah! album, and its inclusion only serves to point out all his strengths and weaknesses in a single track; the multi-level pallindromes and obscure references (rhyming abortion activist Margaret Sanger with "bloody coat hanger") are striking, sure, but hiphop doesn't really work as a purely intellectual excercise. The Barman quandary sums up the rest of the disc. When it flows, it FLOWS (I'm still blown away by the skills of J-Live and Rasco), but when it tries too hard (Akrobatik's preachy "Balance"), A Blow To The State falls right back in the traps of mediocre, by-the-books indie rap. However, the stand out cuts are definitely worth your time; SOME good hip-hop is better than NO good hip-hop any day of the week. [www.coupdetat.tv]

I’d love to see Marilyn Manson try what Trent Reznor did for the album Still, (part of the deluxe NIN live CD package) which was to strip down all the industrial layering and digital distortion and write a simple album with good songs and no production gimmicks. I say this because Manson’s new album has some interesting ideas and some good songs, but ultra-loud, over-produced industrial guitar/vocals and clichéd samples cover up anything that is potentially well written. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of all his previous work, but Golden Age of the Grotesque comes off as a bit underdeveloped and over-layered. Incidentally, the album is self-produced with the production help and drum programming of Tim Skold (KMFDM, MDFMK). The title track is probably my favorite off of the album because it sticks out as the only track that doesn’t try to be the "most rockingest rock song" ever. The concept of the album revolves around a mix of Da-Da and Impressionism, the German art scene right before World War II. Manson sings about doppelgangers, bulletproof bizzop, doll-dagga buzz-buzz ziggity-zag, and the dirty word "Reich." When the album sticks to this kind of goofy vernacular it is extremely successful; musicians who try to be serious all the time (errr… Metallica) tend to fall apart. The album feels as though Manson was trying to mature into something fresh, but second-guessed himself and stuck with the outdated shock rock facade. At least he’s trying out new styles of writing and looking for new areas of inspiration. In addition to the more interesting lyrics, Manson also sings about “memorizing the words to the porno movies” and why “the women of the world list their reasons for fucking me,” which unfortunately ruins the album. When Golden Age of the Grotesque sticks to being silly (the central concept of Da-Da-ism) it’s good, but when its bad it’s really, really bad. Also, the additional DVD film by Marilyn Manson is one of the dullest, most mind-numbing things I have ever seen. If you’re interested in this album, buy it without the bonus DVD, because it really is THAT BAD. Regardless of whether you love or hate him, Manson gets bonus points for reverence towards a very interesting art scene. He also gets bonus points for taking a stab at Disney. “I’m the leader of the club, and I’ve shrugged off my mouse ears, we fly No-Class Dumbo jets, and drive hardcore-vettes, we wear lawsuits when we get high, high, high.” [www.marilyn-manson.net]