SHORT SCALE: CD reviews in 200 words or less

By Rachel Heisler

CD review: Dollar Store, Money Music (Bloodshot Records)

Rating: 3 out of 5 geetars

Money Music, labeled “extra-greasy roots rock,” was recorded in two short days and is devoid of unnecessary layers of unnecessary instrumentation. Instead of slickin’ the recording up with production tricks, they’ve gone the old skool route and left it bare and unfussy, and you can hear every lovingly played note.

When Dollar Store shows off its silly side there’s a Southern Culture On The Skids flavor that comes to the lips, but DS has a slow and serious side, too. “Scrap Truck” finds a way to relate relationships with scrap metal, and songs like “Work = Reward” suggest a Waco Brothers influence (more than a subtle influence – Waco Brothers’ Alan Doughty plays bass). “Company Town” roughs things up by adding a shot of punk to the twang, and for those who need a dose of hard-up bluesy country rock, “In The Gravel Yard” is what the doctor ordered: “In the gravel yeard, with a number for my name / Making little rocks out of big rocks all day / Oh the work is mighty hard in the gravel yard / I’ll never be a free man so they say.” Dollar Store makes hard work sound easy.

CD review: The Casual Lean, Swears (Orange Peel Records)

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 geetars

The Casual Lean formed in 2003 and by 2005 were voted Unsigned Band of the Month by Alternative Press. Soon after they began negotiations with a record label, and even though a contract was never signed, the band continued to press ahead. In 2006, AP gave another shout out to the group as one of its Bands You Need to Know About in 2006, and it was in 2007 that TCL finally found a label to work with, and recently Orange Peel Records released the band’s debut CD, Swears.

There’s some odd stuff on this here disk of punked out emo rock. The lyrics and phrasing of “Third Degree Burns” is off the wall and stands out as strangely unique and makes the brain work a little in order to follow it to its conclusion. Bursts of energy and inspiration wind up creating moments satiated with hard-edged emotion and sharp-tongued remarks. If you can get past the songs that sound like repeats of each other and find your way to the truly interesting songs you’ll see that The Casual Lean does indeed have merit and does deserve credit in the straight world.

CD review: Foreign Born, On The Wing Now (Dim Mak Records)

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 geetars

Foreign Born has a tendency to sound like U2, be it intentional or not. Singer Matt W. Popieluch’s voice is a weird cross between Bono and Perry Farrell, and Foreign Born’s production quality leans toward that of the Dublin legends’ (which of course isn’t a bad thing) and the poppy rock melodies are all but interchangeable, listen to “Into Your Dream” or “It Wasn’t Said To Ask” and see for yourself.

It’s pinches of originality that draw people to music, and there are a few on On The Wing Now worth pointing out. There’s a fun harpsichord dealy on “Union Hall” and “Trial Wall” has a strength and fullness to it that kinda sucks you in – even if you don’t want to be sucked.

This is a pleasant CD, but it’s nothing to shake a big musical stick at. A little musical stick? Ok, sure, it can have that. But it’d be really great to see these boys let their freak flags fly and experiment with more sounds and instruments. Right now they’re living in a plain cardboard box and they should break out if it and move into a place more bright and colorful.

Photo by Jennifer Maler

SHORT SCALE: CD reviews in 200 words or less

By Rachel Heisler

CD review: These New Puritans, Navigate, Navigate 2-Song EP (Domino)

Rating: 2 out of 5 geetars

Somewhat sparse ’80s new wave feel that leaves a lot of room for warmth. Taking a half page from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs book of songwriting, These New Puritans’ minimalist style, with whiny guitars and simple drum work, has some growing to do in terms of relevancy, but since its a band of four 19-year-olds from the UK, there’s still time to find out what will and won’t work on future recordings.

But to be fair, Navigate, Navigate isn’t necessarily the best way to hear the group for the first time, as the song of the same name was created as the soundtrack for Hedi Slimane’s Autumn ‘07 collection’s (for Dior Homme) introduction on the catwalk. The original 15-minute track was remixed by Tim Goldsworthy, and these two songs are all that are offered on this EP.

Check out These New Puritans’ debut full-length disk, Beat Pyramid, for a much broader look at this fresh-faced band that will hopefully find its place in contemporary pop music in the coming years.

CD review: Crisis In Hollywood, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Financial Records)

Rating: .5 out of 5 geetars

Oh please, make it stop. I can’t be the only person out there who literally begs for this indie emo music trend to die out, can I? Band after band of young guys who refuse to write anything with even a hint of originality, personality or spontaneity keep coming, clogging airwaves like maxi pads in a toilet. Crisis In Hollywood is nothing if not a follower of the awful trend.

Seriously, I couldn’t even listen to the whole CD. Every friggin’ song sounds the same and I’d rather pull my pubic hairs out one at a time than to sit through this disk again. Sorry guys, I hope the rest of the world appreciates you more than I.

CD review: Peter Bloom Band, Random Thoughts (from a paralyzed mind) (Self-released)

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 geetars

Life isn’t always filled with sunshine and singing bluebirds. We’ve all suffered, but for the most part it’s how you handle life’s pitfalls that matters. Peter Bloom has had his share of crappy days, but instead of letting them get him down, he’s taken the negative energy and turned it into music.

Bloom suffered from a chronic voice disorder, Muscle Tension Dysphonia, which kept him from singing for substantial lengths of time, and as the condition worsened, so did his outlook on life. If that wasn’t bad enough, he was also diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis, which eventually caused him to lose his hair.

And through it all he continued to work on Random Thoughts, an album that blends optimistic lyrics with touching, powerful music that reaches out a hand to those who know what it is to be in pain. His voice has a tender Freddie Mercury sound and if Queen isn’t one of Bloom’s biggest influences it would be shocking. Random Thoughts is a perfect go-to CD for the days you need a friend, a voice to help carry you through the storm and a cocoon in which to wrap up in until the sun comes out again.

SHORT SCALE: CD reviews in 200 words or less

By Rachel Heisler

CD review: Junkie XL, Booming Back At You (Artwerk)

Rating: 5 out of 5 geetars

This disc has been in constant rotation in my life since the first day I popped it on my old, stupid roommate’s CD player one night when he was out of the house trying to pick up chicks at the airport. Uh, don’t ask. Anyway, Junkie XL’s Booming Back At You is one of the best dance albums to be released in a long time, and the variety encompassed is enough to keep clubbers up and shakin’ for hours, if not days.

The title track is winding, with severe loops and killer beats that pounce back and forth, creating a high-intensity, high-density mix that works hard and plays even harder. “More” features the singing talents of Lauren Rocket (who also performs on the energetic “Cities of Dust”) and is a flirty number full of sex appeal and ’80s-style pop.

Every song on Booming shines a dazzling spotlight on Junkie XL’s spot-on skills as a deejay. The only thing sucks is that this wasn’t a three-disk set.

CD review: Peck The Town Crier, Groundhog’s Day (Self-released)

Rating: 4 out of 5 geetars

To 19-year-olds submerged in the indie rock world, Boogie Woogie isn’t a popular sound, but Chris Peck, AKA Peck The Town Crier, is bringing it, jazz and funk back to life in a hip way on Groundhog’s Day.

A few years back, while studying Jazz and Composition at NYU, Peck was diagnosed with tendonitis and forced to leave the guitar playing behind. But that allowed him to focus more on his spoken word/rap abilities. “I don’t have tendonitis of the tongue,” Peck said. “So it made me into an old-fashioned huckster.”

Sometime he rhymes slow, sometimes he rhymes quick, either way, Peck’s rap is staccato and precise. On the same tip, he’s just as good when firing out songs concerning social issues (“Shout!”) as he is when singing about bitches’ booty (“Underwear”). It’s an appreciated juxtaposition that makes Peck come across as a well-rounded individual who takes in all types of stimuli to make his music as interesting and tantalizing as possible. And, as mentioned, the insertion of Boogie Woogie (“The Widow & The Wasp”) adds an element of maturity and a knowledge of music that is light years beyond Top 40 B.S.

CD review: Waco Brothers, Waco Express (Bloodshot Records)

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 geetars

After a long week of working for The Man, that stupid, annoying Man, there’s nothing more welcomed than some grimy, gritty, belligerent honky tonk. Waco Brothers gives a burning back hand and a flip of the bird to the mundane crap that makes up everyday life, and it is a backlash that the sick and tired of us can take to heart.

It’s all about soul for Waco Brothers. It’s absolutely impossible to listen to the spat-out words and the driving country beats and not want to kick off the high heels or fling your tie across the room and pound a shot, grab a cowboy hat or wiggle into a pair of Daisy Dukes and head out onto the dance floor. If you’re not hot and sweaty after a meeting of the minds with Waco Brothers, somethin’ just ain’t right.

Waco Brothers is a big band with a big sound that makes a big to-do about getting out of that worried little head of yours before it explodes. Don’t wait ’til it’s too late … get a dose of reality that will leave you refreshed and ready to handle whatever’s thrown at you come Monday morning.