I. Am. Tired. Of. White. Boy. Angst. I am tired of white boy melody-guitar coupled with nasally, tear-stained lyrics. I am tired of the soft/loud jump that comes with anything semi-popular now. I am tired of cardigans and screams punctuating shimmery guitar. But I will tell you that "The Beautiful Mistake" are talented young men. They are "impassioned / misunderstood". They know how to craft pretty songs that have some real musicianship ("Stavesail" has the same opening riff of Incubus' "How Do You Do It" but hey, it changes later...), and they can make you feel starry-eyed and pitifully lost in a world of frustation ("Circular Parade"). "Anonymous vs. California", though, is the best song on the album... In terms of representing why this album gets such a poor rating from me. The lyrics are fortuitously good "Confusion plays a solemn tune/ The Poet steals a thought" but they're either sung with a hardly urgent voice or screamed horrifically off-key. I laughed. Maybe if you like to wallow in the past, you might like it- And it's totally cool if you do, that's why I listen to Nirvana. But see, Nirvana's got something these boys just don't, and it's jaded, thoughtfully-articulated-but-still-angry-pain, and The Beautiful Mistake's pain is too raw, too Tonic, too starry-eyed for my liking. One thing I will give them: Terrific album design. Best I've seen in awhile... But album design not a good album make. [www.themilitiagroup.com]

There's comfort food, and there's comfort music. The Allman Brothers Band is my version of comfort food, because it reminds me of outdoor cookouts (yeah, usually BBQ because, yes, I am NC born-and-raised) and people sipping Budweiser and my dad standing by a smoking grill. And you know, the rough and tumble tightness of anything Gov't Mule guitarist Warren Hayes does makes me happy too. So, just so that you know I'm not looking at this album unbiased, I can begin. Not much has changed. The guitar is mellow and bright and on that warm vibe that the Allman Brothers Band does so well. There's the requisite grit, the requisite gravelly "oh-yeah!" peppered in guitar solos, and it's reliable. It's easy, groovy Southern rock. Like all Allman Brothers albums, there's no track shorter than 5 minutes, and there's no track without a bit of a careless moral. There's a SCORCHING, down-and-dirty blues cover of the Rolling Stone's "Heart of Stone" that will bring down the house at any summer concert outdoor venue. Mick Jagger was never this damaged. "Maydell" teaches you how to play good fuzzed-out guitar with a bit of a scat beat backing the swizzle-sticked drums. Truly bluesy, truly good, but "Desdemona" is much, much smoky bar. "Old Friend" takes a nod from the porches of Macbee, SC and makes 'em matter. And, if you like the jam band, "Instrumental Illness" is a 12 minute and 3 second ode to the fact that guitar was meant to WAIL. Look, you can't go wrong with the band that implores you to eat a peach and played at the Fillmore. They're getting older, yeah, sure, but Bob Dylan just keeps getting better, and the Allman Brothers are too. [www.allmanbrothersband.com]

He created MTV’s Sifl and Olly, he directed videos for Tenacious D and the Foo Fighters, he is writing and directing the new Tenacious D full-length movie, and he was hand selected by Paul McCartney to study at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts…he is Liam Lynch. Liam Lynch’s mainstream debut to the music world came in the form of the track “The United States of Whatever”, which has unexpectedly turned into a huge radio hit and made the public eager for his debut album, Fake Songs. Now that we have it, we are introduced to 20 tracks about very important subjects like being wasted, the ugliness of the intestinal system, electricians, and lots more. What also makes this album so cool, beyond the humorous nature of it all, is that nearly every song is done in a different style, ranging from gospel to country to polka to metal to disco, and Liam pulls them all off. Throw on top of that the “Fake” songs like the “Fake Bjork Song” (which is amazingly on-point), “Fake David Bowie Song”, and “Fake Pixies Song” and you have an irresistible record. You even get a duet with Jack Black on “Rock and Roll Whore” and two songs featuring guest drums from Ringo Star. It just doesn’t stop. There is no question that Fake Songs is meant as a joke of sorts and should not be taken too seriously. The difference is, most of the songs are musically strong enough that (with the lyrical content put aside) if you slipped each of them onto a disc from each genre represented, you would probably be able to pass them off as songs from a reputable artist. Now, before you run go buy it, be warned; despite it’s greatness, I can’t see listening to this over and over. Basically, I think it's worth owning, but don’t expect to find a life-long friend. It did manage to impress me though, and I know I will be keeping a closer eye on Liam Lynch and whatever project he is working on. Not bad from a guy who plays with sock puppets. [www.111productions.com]

Switchfoot; a surfing term taken and used by a bunch of West Coast ocean boys that make music from the heart and never like to get too far from the beach. After listening to their latest album, The Beautiful Letdown, it seems pretty accurate too. From the day I first listened to Switchfoot, I felt I had heard all the songs before. I am still not quite able to place what it is, but there is something about their songs that seem eerily familiar. It could be that almost every track seems “radio ready” and reminds me of one band or another. Take the opening track, “Meant To Live”, which brings back memories of Hum, follow that with “This Is Your Life” which makes me think David Gray, and then “More Than Fine” which has another, different feel, that I can’t even place. That trend continues throughout the album with a little Goo Goo Dolls mixed in, and some more David Gray, with each song having a hint of something else in it. It may also be helpful to know that the band has been nominated for Grammies and singer Jon Foreman was given the Les Paul Award. Basically, they are good at what they do. Now despite what I have said about the band sounding like other bands, that’s not to say that they aren’t their own band. I mean even if it does sound like various other bands, what music doesn’t? The music is damn good and ranges from soft piano intros to heavy distorted guitars and everything in between. And although a bit poppy at times, they still manage to bring the rock. Should you buy it? I would try to find a nice indie store where you can hear it first, but if you are looking for a good radio-rock record (none of that nu-metal shit) then give Switchfoot a try. [www.switchfoot.com]

You may be wondering why we would bother reviewing an album a year after it has been released, and has already received praise in every magazine, e-zine, and music press outlet you can name. Well…that is exactly why, because it is so damn good (plus, this girl named Dani has promised us riches beyond belief if we review it). We dropped the ball when we got it last year and now we are trying to make up for it by making sure you check it out. Taking Back Sunday is most often described as “emo”, but what the hell does that mean these days anyway? Emotional rock? Well they definitely have that, and not in the ever so annoying whinny way, but in the screaming vocals and balls to the wall screams way. Point blank, they are what “emo” should be. If for some reason you haven’t heard the awesome “Cute Without the E”, and don’t know what the band sounds like, think Thursday or maybe old Juliana Theory. Perhaps a less-poppy Finch or a not as aggressive Thrice? All of the forementioned bands come to mind when listening to this disc. One thing that some critics have picked apart on this album is the vocals, saying that they are out of key too often, and singer Adam Lazzara doesn’t always hit the notes he is aiming for. I guess that is where my opinion differs. All too often bands fix vocal issues a little too much in the studio and you end up with an over-produced radio ready piece of crap. I say leave the vocals a little dirty, at least then we know it’s honest. Whether you like this type or music or not, you can't deny that it has been done well on Tell All Your Friends. I realize I haven’t gone into very much detail on this review, but I really feel like if you are going to like this kind of music, you have probably already heard about Taking Back Sunday. If not, pick it up for a really good example of what someone like Jimmy Eat World would sound like, if they didn’t suck. [www.takingbacksunday.com]

From hanging drywall to the music industry: The Kings of Leon have come to stake their claim for the South, and show the music industry you don’t have to come from up North to have a voice. It’s stripped-down rock ‘n roll for the working class, people. The Kings keep it all in the family, with three brothers and one first cousin, all with the surname Followill, filling out the band. While their self-professed label, “country-punk, garage, family band,” may be a tad tongue-in-cheek, it perhaps hits the nail on the head. You can hear influences ranging from their nomadic, Pentecostal upbringing in “Holy Roller Novocaine,” to Creedence Clearwater Revival in “Molly’s Chambers,” to early Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers in “Wasted Time.” The Followills are no stranger to melodies either, with the spacious choruses of “California Waiting” and the heartfelt refrains of “Wicker Chair” hanging around to haunt you. Judging from the five tracks on this EP, the Kings Of Leon are poised to thrust America into a “North vs. South” rock ‘n roll civil war. The sides are being drawn, but I got $20 on Kings of Leon [www.kingsofleon.com]

Just as The Strokes draw influence from the musical history of New York City, Vue are distinctive of the San Francisco sound - raunchier, grittier, more of a psychedelic sway than a drunken stupor. The five tracks on their Babies Are For Petting EP do nothing but maintain that notion. From the beginning chords of "Look Out For Traffic," it's easy to imagine barreling down a scenic California highway in a covertible, with the wind blowing through your hair; the music is, without a doubt, indicative of its origin. What's more, no matter if it's the loose, punk style of "Hey Hey Not In Here," the slow-build of "Find Your Home," or the bar brawl of "Babies Are For Petting," the music is always rooted in basic blues structures and chords. And with frontman Rex Shelverton cavorting his way through each track, aptly wailing away or caressing his words, it's clear Vue have it down to an art. It's no question they are a good band; with this being their fifth release, it's safe to assume they've found their sound. Let's just hope the major-label cronies don't affect them too much, and that they can keep our attention for the duration of a full-length. But, from the way it sounds, Vue could give a shit: "I know it won't last, but I don't care." [www.thevue.com]

The liner notes to the Dim Mak CD Sampler Smash Hits and Licks give a brief history of the label, a declaration of love and devotion to expression through music, and the continuing goal of celebrating influencial people of color. Several vinyl and CD releases through Dim Mak have included posters, or exclusive inserts, celebrating the likes of Huey P. Newtown, The Black Panther Party, Angela Davis, and many more. The mantra-like verbs are stated "Engage. Initiate. Agitate. Activate. Be Critical. Most importantly, Represent Yourself." Making such a concerted effort to support the leaders that you admire, and pleading with a future audience to take action in their lives shows that Dim Mak is in it for the long haul. This is a cause, not just a record label. Fortunately that mindset shines throughout the disc. These bands are not fluff. These bands aren't putting out quirky singles that stick out through a muddled mess of mediocrity. While there seems to be a range of artistic styles found here, almost all of them can be generalized into some sort of indie category. Pretty Girls Make Graves bring their harder rocking side mixed with melody ("Three Away"), Monochrome are more of an overall melodious sound mixing two voices; one male, one female, but they still don't lose their edge ("Angelfire"). Planes Mistaken For Stars go for the throat with their extremely short, but extremely tense sound ("Fucking Fight"). Nine Days Wonder combine emo (the good kind) and punk influences that with a huge rock sound ("The Next Realm"). Personally favorites, No Knife mix languid vocals, intricate guitar stylings with a dark tinge ("The Red Bedroom"). The list goes on and on (seriously; Jim Schwartz, Nine Days Wonder, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, The Fire Next Time, The Exploder, Bluebird, JR Ewing, From Monument To Masses, Kill Sadie, Onalaska, Radar, Envy, and Cross My Heart). Amazingly, almost every track on this disc has a memorable moment, if not completely enjoyable. With 20 tracks from very different artists that's saying alot. Oh, and don't let that "indie" genre tag scare you off, there's an excellent mixture of hardcore, emo (again, the good kind), some alt-country (Onalaska), a bit of funk influenced (Give Until Gone), and even some seemingly sparse instrumental work (Jim Schwartz). Dim Mak have a mission and with continued releases by a roster range as interesting and captivating as this, they have no choice but to succeed. [www.dimmak.com]

If you can imagine a band managing to blend a fucked up musical fusion of AC/DC and hardcore [I can’t], Harkonen is undeniably it. With Shake Harder Boy – undoubtedly a command to what they want their music to do to you – this no-frills, workingman hard rock trio carve another denser-than-concrete Hydrahead release. Although the famed Boston label has forged its way with flagship metal releases, Harkonen opts for the road less traveled with pure hard rock as its riffs sound like cinderblocks and vocals corrode more than rust. Although Harkonen hit their best mark with the linear hard rock ear lashings of “Caseydriver,” they also have the ability to sift artier leanings into their onslaught of outraged rock. The subtle art-rock backdrop to “Easy Prey” offers a deviation from the heavy-handed one dimension Harkonen explore with depth. Shake Harder Boy may be divinely unoriginal, but its blue collar hard rock does indeed shed blood and gnash its teeth against all pretense and elitism. And in an indie-rock world where pompousness is often louder than the music, Harkonen at least attempt to strip its pretentious stances back to prove rock can still be heavy and not heady. [www.hydrahead.com]

For quite a while, I've read nothing but good things about The Appleseed Cast. I've never caught onto them though; to be honest, I never even gave them a listen. The day I received their latest CD, Lost Songs, in the mail to review, I skipped over listening to it. As I drove to work the next day, I tried so hard to like the other albums I'd receieved, but they started to bore me. So, I caved and ended up popping in The Appleseed Cast in for the duration of the drive. I found it so effortless to enjoy this CD, I even stayed in my car a few extra minutes once I parked. I didn't even have to try, and that's what makes this or any other album good. It's hard to believe this CD almost never got released. According the liner notes, these nine songs were recorded during a tumultuous time for the band. They were in between drummers when they started work on these songs, and abandoned them in favor of new ones once they found drummer Josh Baruth. They felt like reminiscing, it seems, and went back and finished the overdubs for a formal release. Not to make unfair comparisons, but I think that if Sunny Day Real Estate had recorded Diary on a lot of experimental drugs, it would sound something like this. There are the standard emo-indie guitar parts present, but they're more clever than the norm. They have some wonderful piano parts on songs like "Take," some great sonic guitar work on "E To W," and wailing vocals over "Peril, Parts 1, 2, & 3." I'm not a big fan of the typical emo/indie wail, but Chris Crisci has a great voice for this stuff. This album sounds really experimental and uncomfortable, yet it's still really great. I'm sure fans of the band probably are happy this got released, even if the material doesn't match up to the caliber they'd normally produce. If some these tracks were scrapped in favor of other songs, I'd be sold and feel almost obligated to check out their other stuff. All in all, a pretty decent album. [www.theappleseedcast.com]

First impressions are a bitch. First of all, the band name The Adventures of Jet just struck me as.. sophomoric. Like it was the long forgotten title of some random junior high school kids prophetic hand-drawn underground comic book that never went anywhere beyond the three friends that he "distributed" it to. The new album Muscle starts off with a little skit with some guys talking and discussing some situation that immediately lost my attention. The packaging features alot of pictures of fast cars from some era when "muscle cars" (get it? muscle cars? the album is called Muscle...) were the hot trend. So, I'm going into this thinking I've got some super crap promo CD that I've got to find a way to at least find something possibly halfway decent about. Fortunately for me, first impressions are easily flaked away. Imagine if Weezer didn't start blowing their career and Matt Sharp had stayed in the band, bringing along his full-force of Rentals keyboards and pop sensibility. Sounds good doesn't it? I thought so too. Despite their mildly annoying name, the opening skit, and my personal hangups about "manly" cars, this is a great pop-rock album. The kind that puts a smile on your face when you know that little keyboard break is coming up, or when the guitars kick back in for one final harmonized chorus. Unfortunately, much like the two Rentals albums, it does begin to drag after awhile. The band has done a good job of keeping the listeners attention by following up a slower tune with a more rocking one (see the "Home, Where I Always Lose" / "Emily Mazurinsky" combo). The vocals have a Cars-esque nasal/stuffed up sinuses sound to them at times, but not so much that you'd be inclined to write the album off. And speaking of The Cars, "Flaming Ghost" is one of the more obviously influenced tracks from said band. "The Last Ride" wraps the album up with one final dose of rock pop, as if you needed a reminder what this band is all about. When it's all said and done, The Adventures of Jet's latest album Muscle came as a pleasant surprise. The band has a firm grip on pop-rock sensibilities, a keen affection for keyboards, a nice production sound, and an earmark in my book to keep an eye on for future releases. Unless one of them drops out of the band for awhile to attend Harvard, gets his leg length adjusted, and starts writing about how "cheese smells so good", they should have a promising career of writing fun pop-rock diddies. [www.adventuresofjet.com]

As MTV and radio hip-hop tracks become more and more like previews for Cribs episodes, the underground market becomes a haven for MCs who want to kick more than shopping lists set to a keyboard beat. Many acts that gained mainstream success and notoriety in the early 90s – but eschewed the escalating jiggy-ness of the scene afterwards – have found a home in the now-greener pastures of independent labels, where a smaller yet far more devoted fanbase eagerly awaits new material. As part of the Artifacts (whose Wrong Side Of The Tracks is still considered a seminal album), Tame-One personifies this “true hip-hopper” career trajectory. When Rappers Attack offers up more than it’s fair share of tried and true beats and microphone boasts. Tame comes through with memorable lines (“tighter than braids in the 8th grade on picture day”) and is satisfactorily nice on the lyrical side of things. A bevy of underground luminaries from RJD2 to Camu Tau have blessed the disc with solid, OG-sounding boom-bap, and Tame kicks his 94-era game soundly. However, merely being better-than-average for an indie release doesn’t bode well for future spins. You’d expect When Rappers Attack to flow with a hunger and fierceness befitting the title, but Tame doesn’t really seem to get into things until halfway through the album. The banging J-Zone produced “Heat” and the Training Day-sampling PCP ode “Leak Smoke” are memorable, but the rest of the disc too often ends up more satisfactory than stunning. This album will more than satisfy die hards, and cement Tame-One’s underground legend status – for better or worse, that’s where he looks to stay. [www.tame-one.com]

“We been paid our dues, matter of fact, we overpaid…” Despite their relative youth (all are in their early-to-mid 20s) Jersey’s own E-Town Concrete are veterans of the East Coast hardcore scene, grinding out the past 8 years by incessantly touring behind their hip-hop/metal blend, eventually building up a rabid grassroots fanbase that now allows them to pack clubs without any video play, mainstream rock radio spins, or critical acclaim… …until now. The Renaissance is E-Town’s first album with a significant label push behind it, and is poised to launch them into the mainstream consciousness. Yet the band’s catchiest and most polished disc to date is far from an unabashed bid for crossover success. Instead – much like Metallica’s Black Album – it is a portrait of a group so road-hardened and confident in playing together that the musical development sounds completely natural. E-Town has grown from its NYHC roots to tracks with genuine (sung, no less!) choruses and hooks. The acoustic "So Many Nights" sounds like Jay-Z fronting "November Rain"-era Guns-N-Roses, and seems destined for well-deserved radio hit status - remarkably, it is but one of many standout cuts. Lead single "Mandibles" switches up between propulsive aggression and smoothed-out microphone boasts; "Doormats" is another insanely catchy rap-rock track that features one of the tightest (yet subtle) instrumental breakdowns in recent memory; "More Than Incredible" gives lyrical nods to 80s rock radio (“I was born in the house of blues/propelled by the winds of change/entertained by the theatre of pain”) inbetween sick choruses; and the album closer "Heart Of The Wolves" showcases guitarist Dave “DeLux” Mondragon’s intricate-yet-heavy riffage on a haunting track. My only minor gripe with the disc is during the few moments where the music doesn’t fully live up to the potential promised elsewhere on the album; certain parts of "Metroid" and "Battle Lines" seem a little too hardcore-for-hardcore’s-sake, as if the band was purposely trying to satisfy diehard fans who might not accept their newer, different material as quickly. Yet E-Town's uniqueness is their biggest strength, and should be embraced even more. In spite of the name, the band goes far beyond mere pummeling (chalk it up to their forward-looking instrumentation, incorporating everything from flamenco to jazz fusion), and transcends typical metal limitations through songwriting chops, sophisticated musicianship, and - even more striking for the genre - an actual MC with skills. Mass appeal seems within their grasp, and as this solid, innovative disc proves, it’s been a long time coming. [www.etownconcrete.net]

There are three categories of music that seem to arise on a consistent basis. The first is innovative, ground-breaking, enthralling and typically quite rare. The second isn't exactly forging any new paths in the musical world, but it's enjoyable to listen to and while it doesn't neccasarily make you ravage the CD bins looking for anything and everything from the artist, it doesn't disappoint you to hear it either. The third category is the rest of the crap that's not only unlistenable, it's infuriating to hear and think that someone else may actually enjoy it. The Exies fall directly into category Number 2. However, being in category #2 doesn't mean that you're some mediocre artist that's writing the most run of the mill tunes that you can muster (though it can mean that), it just means that your songs aren't revolutionizing the music world just yet. The Exies Inertia is a big rock record. It's got the large guitar sound, the big drums, the driving bass, and the quintessential rock vocals - lush harmonies mixed with the occasional well placed scream-yell-sing. The first single from Inertia, "My Goddess", is a perfect example of this. The chorus is catchy, the riffs are big, and if you aren't giving at least the slightest head nod then you're just being stingy. Overall the album is pretty consistent with it's 3:00 - 3:30 format of verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, etc. "Lo-Fi" is an exception to this formula and while I commend the band for breaking out a bit, it doesn't really work. "Genius" and "Creeper Kamikaze" have some excellent accompanying strings, a clever rock trick that never fails. Fortunately, songs like "Without" show that the band may be willing to incorporate some more industrial rock style sounds into their music in the future. The Exies have made an enjoyable rock record, and if they push themselves for the follow-up they may just be able to break some new ground. [www.theexies.com]

Album packaging is an important additive to the overall package of any band. Typically good album art will let you know the basic direction and sound of a band. If it's got a bunch of tattooed guys looking morose and spitting at the camera, don't expect a lot of acoustic ballads. The Cassettes album artwork is a bunch of hand-drawn style cartoony characters with colors that capture the feel of summer, handwritten lyrics, and just alot of doodles. Using our previous hypothesis that the album artwork reveals the bands sound we can safely assume that this band is having some fun, not neccasarily going for a super slick packaging to be featured as billboard artwork that anyone can relate to, and kind of self-indulgent in the overall feel.. just doodling as they see fit. But none of those are bad things at all, they are a good representation of the band. This self-titled disc from The Cassettes is a eleven tracks of psychedelic, garage-rock, lo-fi doodling. The whole basis of the band emerged from the four-track recordings of frontman Shelby Cinca and didn't catapult themselves much farther beyond that in terms of full sound. This isn't lo-fi like you think The Strokes are lo-fi, this is really a bunch of guys recording themselves having a good time (i.e. the self-indulgent portion of the artwork description). Expect the standard bass, drums, lots of guitar (though not so over the top that you can't handle it), and some nice subtle keyboard and piano additions driving the song along. The Cassettes are the perfect band for those people that love that 60's and 70's era style of recordings but wish that the majority of today's "guitar rockers" wouldn't extend their solo's out ad infinitum. [www.thecassettesmusic.com]

The British Pop genre is really "hit-or-miss" in many ways; some bands manage to break the cookie cutter mold and hit it big (most notably Oasis, Coldplay... even Travis), while others suffer in mediocrity. Enter Budapest. On the surface, the album art is strong, but the song titles are a bit cliché (but you gotta love the British). The name almost threw me off as well, as I wouldn't think of a band with a name like "Budapest" to be part of the Brit-Pop wave. Even now, after hearing this CD, I'm still debating whether they "hit" or "missed." Lately I've found myself listening to more aggressive music, so it was nice to be pulled back into the familiar British sound. To summarize their style: Budapest is acoustic guitars, sweet melodies, grand sing-a-long choruses, and features great vocal talent. Furthermore, I'm a real stickler when it comes to the sound a band gets out of acoustic guitars on a record - sometimes it's amazing, sometimes it's horrible; Budapest got it perfect. Moving along, the opener "Is This The Best It Gets" is a really melancholy song with great hooks and great vocals: fine enough. The next song, "Look You In The Eye", is along the same lines, as the acoustic guitar starts it off, the band joins in, and has the same climatic choruses with that arena-rock-sing-a-long quality. Still good, but am I starting to detect a pattern? By the fifth song, they had lost my attention. It's not due to lack of talent or anything, but boredom brought on by the same formulaic song structure. "Further Away" almost sucked me back in, thanks in part to its grandness - close but no cigar. By the end of the album, I had come to the realization that the whole album showcased the same five-minute arrangements, utilizing the same tired progressions. Too Blind To Hear is a decent debut by a band that sounds like they could move onto something grander. But after the first two songs, my attention waivered and I can only assume they'll lose other listeners as well. Maybe for a sophomore album they'll be more inventive and craft songs with more tad more interest in the structure and variety departments. Until then, I'll just keep the first two tracks on repeat. [www.budapestuk.com]

It took forever for the stupid computer-lab computer to read Tiger Mountain's Analog Heads Gone French, mostly because the CD is enhanced with a video for their song "Song #3.", which I watched over and over again while waiting for this darn machine to figure out what an audio track was... And the video's pretty neat, I guess... Tiger Mountain remind me of a less spastic Mark Arm, fronting a less drugged-out Rolling Stones, with a less snooty Stroke playing one of the instruments. It's a hodge-podge of sound that comes out, eventually, to be the color orange. The video'd track is fun to listen to, with the half-spit, half-stiff lipped "Come out and read it and weep!" backed by dappling sunshine guitar. "Night Town" is a rock-ramble with some hopeful lyrics backed by bits of harmony, a bit of smooth guitar solor, and bits of toe-tapping beats... But they sound kinda bored half-way through the song... A good sum of parts, Tiger Mountain are cheery and easy to listen to, well schooled in alt.country-ish musicality, and pleasant sounding altogether... But y'know, I listened to this CD the entire time I scoured the internet, and I really had to concentrate on it except for the two songs I mentioned above. Your call. [www.tigermountain.tv]

Taking the name of their album from a line from one of my favorite poets, Ramallah proceed to thrash the living shiznit out of apocalyptic music. With machine-gun heavy drums and charging, buffalo-stampede shredding, Ramallah are able to create the frentic atmosphere that makes hardcore music so lovable and fun. Equipped with the requisite super-fuzz screams and the metallic-tinged chants by track one ("Ramallah"), the band then proceeds to host a shoot-out of caustic sheetmetal coupled with prophetic lyrics. One of the greatest things about hardcore music is the fact that it always sticks to a quality of urgency (like "to the sounds of the innocent/ suffering, suffering, silently/ WHY?") through the explosive howls of the bands instruments (and vocals are less mercenary than instrumental) are spawn of necessity. That is also, unfortunately, the drawback of hardcore- the alienated clashing and smashing gets a bit tired after a few listens. But these guys are really talented, they have a sense of a-political humor ("True Crime"), and they sound sincere. If you want REAL anti-war music, anti-capitalism music, here's your score. Otherwise, you can just listen to folk music, because both genre's oft-sincere yet oft-hackneyed messages wear on the listener the same way- I just happen to think this way (GRAGH!) is better. [www.whitetrashrob.com]

I have to admit that I decided to pick Sarah Fimm's A Perfect Dream to review first from my passel of new albums to review for this month (whew!) for the following reasons: (1) Press kit with dream-catcher- neat, (2) she thanks Tool, Jerry Cantrell, Carl Sagan, and Tenacious D in her liner notes, (3) her press says she sounds like Tori Amos. So, now that you know that my favoritism ability to be pleased is so simple, here's why YOU should give the album a listen. Sexy vocals, sensual production, smart lyrics, fearlessness. This is Sarah MacLaughlan on nails, Tori Amos before motherhood with less religious imagery. Sarah Fimm is an intelligent, thoughtful musician who has made an album equal to her appeal- She's simply great to listen to. She has a quick rag-time interlude ("Spit Trap Ghetto"), but other than that, she sticks to atmosphere and carnality and all sorts of things that I'm always glad to hear women say. Honest to a fault and not vulnerable to her own lyrical tales, this artist is able to create a wonderful psychic playground that simultaneously shows off her voice, her depth, and her musical ability. She's good she's good she's good- And I'm not that easy to impress. From the Lovage-esque "Lioness" to the haunting "Shadows and Dust", Fimm is her own person who is not prey to the anxiety of influence- Only drawback? The odd off-key moment in "Virus", where the crash is less so. But don't let an eighth of a second deter you- You owe it to yourself to take part in Sarah Fimm's dreamscape, as it's a beautiful place to be. [www.sarahfimm.com]

Existing in a quiet, soft realm in the world of rock, Ester Drang captures somber feeling and downcast tone rather than a guitar chord or a legible lyric. But when you exercise the terrain between the Flaming Lips and Mogwai, the essence of emotional feeling in vague sound is much more important than how you arrive at that feeling through specific instruments. Which is probably why on Infinite Keys, Ester Drang’s sophomore album and first disc for indie-rock purveyors Jade Tree Records, this Oklahoma four-piece design their space-rock universe with equal use of keyboards, guitars, synthesizers, drums, pianos, strings and vocals. But their sound is distinctly less epic and touching than their fellow Scotsman and lacking the psych-pop sensibilities that ascend Wayne Coyne and Co. to greatness. It’s also to their misfortune that they slide Infinite Keys’ best cut – “Temple Mount” – up as the opening tune. Leaving the listener on a gradual descending musical journey that looses interest and ultimately glides through ears just as gently and unnoticed as Ester Drang’s Oklahoman wind, Infinite Keys is a decent album of poppy post-rock, but not much more. This is a disc you could never hate – but then again, I would find it very hard to ever emphatically love. [www.esterdrang.com]