The Hot Toddies – Smell the Mitten (c) 2007 Asian Man Records Welcome to the sultry and saccharin sweet sounds of The Hot Toddies. Like a gang of prom queens that sipped a little too much of the spiked punch, these gals rock with a quirky seduction and loads of mischievous naughtiness. The vocal harmonies are drop dead gorgeous (especially if you miss the vocal sound of the Dance Hall Crashers) and the music kinda of an alterna-fifties indie pop. Smell the Mitten is a great full length debut from this band of Bay area beauties. They've got the chops and the hooks and the satiric wit that has me waiting for more. –Jerry Actually
Author: teamupstarter
The New Rivals
The New Rivals – S/T (c) 2007 SoBe Entertainment Do I have an immediate suspicion of a "punk rock" band on a beverage based label that gives top billing to label mate Brook Hogan? You bet your ass I do. The New Rivals have all the trappings of a band either sourced or designed to fit a market formula. The songs are just edgy enough, but not offensive. The tracks are almost all within the radio friendly three minute zone. The music is performed ably enough, but it seems like all of this ground has been well paved in the past. That being said, if you were to score this CD with a SoBe cap or something, that would be better than some beverage cap prizes. Incidentally, SoBe Entertainment claims to be an Indy Label: "SoBe Entertainment is an independent record label based in Miami Beach, FL." – this is right off their web site. They aren't making any claims to a connection with SoBe the beverage, but I'll draw my own I think. On top of that, this disc came to me from Universal … not exactly independent.–Jerry Actually
Andrew Jackson Jihad – People Who Can Eat People …
Andrew Jackson Jihad – People Who Can Eat People Are The Luckiest People In The World (c) 2007 Asian Man Records
I don’t quite know how to spell out how I feel about Andrew Jackson Jihad. I like them in a weird sort of way. Kinda in the same way that everyone has a really bizarre friend (unless you are the bizarre friend) and you like the friend, but sometimes you just aren’t sure why.
AJJ is a bit of an amalgamated Dead Milkmen Wally Pleasant and Old 97’s. The songs are certainly very eclectic with off the beaten path lyrics and an overall Bluegrass quality. I am compelled to recommend them highly, but I’m just not quite sure why.
–Jerry Actually
Autonomadic [The Missionary]
Autonomadic – The Missionary (c) 2007 Bleeding Ear Music "The Missionary" is a dirty little EP from Seattle punk rock trio Autonomadic. Don't let the cover fool ya though. The disc isn't much at all about a rather phallic missile or the missionary position. The Missionary contains seven track of socially aware old school punk rock swager. They rage against complacency, corporations, institutions and assholes all to a four four beat. I was vaguely familiar with Autonomadic from the Punks and Pints comp. I'm glad to hear some additional material. Pretty decent stuff over all, but I would like to see it take it up a notch. The amount of outrage in the lyrics could be better paired with a bit more musical frenzy.–Jerry Actually
Buck-O-Nine – Sustain
(c) 2007 Asian Man Records
Rating: 
I got the increasingly rare opportunity to attend a Buck-O-Nine CD release show last Saturday at their, and my newly re-adopted, hometown stomping grounds. The show was at The Casbah, a downtown San Diego ska friendly staple. It is a great little venue, perfect for intimate shows with your favorite bands and the 24oz. cans of PBR aren’t stupid expensive. As a bonus for attending the show, every ticket holder received a copy of Sustain, their first new release in seven years. For fans of Buck-O-Nine, you wont be disappointed. As far as I’m concerned the disc is an instant ska classic. The songs are tight. The horns hit. They can hold muster to a couple adult beverages and remain dance-able. The shout along choruses are intact. If you are new to ska, (wow that cave must have been crazy dark and quiet all these years) dig into their back catalog. There is more good stuff to be had. What more can I say about the disc other than it is a great piece of work from one of my favorites and now on one of my favorite labels too. For those that didn’t get to attend the show. Buck-O-Nine was opened by another local ska act, The Lifters. They too put on a great show. Check ’em out if you have a chance.
–Jerry Actually
Drowning Pool [Full Circle]
Drowning Pool – Full Circle (c) 2007 Eleven Seven Music Drowning Pool’s new release Full Circle is an amazing celebratory release for the legions of rock festival attendees and mullet-sportin’ heshians around the globe. I have to imagine that an insane amount of meth deals have gone down while Drowning Pool served as a backdrop. Despite the pinnings of being a Hard Rock band from the American South nowadays, these boys have their hearts in the right place. After suffering the tragic loss of their lead singer, the band persevered. After parting ways with their next vocalist, again they kept it on track. Now with a new release and back on top of their game, they are lobbying congress for better treatment of injured US soldiers. I don’t care what your standpoint is on war, the people that have been wounded, both physically and mentally, ought to be given proper medical treatment. So hooray for Drowning Pool to have the wherewithal to stick up for people that legitimately need help. As for the CD, well it ain’t my cup o’ tea. I kinda grew out of my metal phase years ago. Let me put it this way, if you totally can’t wait to go to Ozzfest, then you should totally check out Full Circle by Drowning Pool–Jerry Actually
Beneath the Sky [What Demons do to Saints]
Beneath the Sky What Demons Do To Saints (c) 2007 Victory Records Holy freakin’ anger for anger’s sake. Spooky and demonic and you can totally tell these tough guys mean business just by looking at their scary mugs. They can play fast and bust into a pick scratch and then Azreal takes over and turns it into sucking shit. I guess if what they are trying to do is piss off the parents of angsty teens, well then sir, they have succeeded. What Demon’s Do To Saints … um, I guess they’re good at what they do. Serial killers are good at what they do too, but that doesn’t mean they ought to get praise. 666 demon thumbs down. This is freakin’ awful and pointless.–Team !upstarter
Mittens
Mittens – Fool's on a Holiday (c) 2006 Mittens = Americana. They are classic rock in the way that rock and roll itself is classic, not in the twisted and wrong ways of "classic rock". Their sound lends more to Elvis Costello or the Psychedelic Furs than say, Bob Fucking Segar. Fool's on a Holiday also has quite an Elliot Smith feel without all the trips to the hospital. The CD is cohesive, but at the same time each track has its own distinct feel. Its upbeat and melodic and overall pretty good. Breaking it down to the brass tacks, Mittens presents a softer more gentle side to rock. It is smile inducing and familiar like warm socks or hot soup. Get it. You'll like feeling better about yourself and the world around you. –Team !upstarter
So This Is Readin?
So This Is Readin? – Tripp Underwood Life on the road with The Unseen (c) 2006 So This Is Readin? the seminal release from Tripp Underwood, bass player for the Boston punk band The Unseen, is light hearted easy flowing read. I was surprised at first, but then I realized that Tripp has in fact been to college. That aside So This Is Readin? chronicles the molasses like rise to the middle of a young suburban punk band. All the trials tribulations and tragedies in tow. The story isn’t incredibly different from ones you’ll hear from any other young punks in a world touring band, with the exception that The Unseen seem to have near limitless motivation. I think this idea is paramount and takes the meaning of the book beyond the mere words in the text. If you are motivated, if you have drive, you can achieve some of what you want. That said, I think the book ends on a little bit of a sour note. It feels to me like the author is trying to justify the current position of the band. He doesn’t come right out and say it, but I suspect that he is trying to defend himself from accusations of selling out. For some final thoughts: from cover to cover the book is 163 pages and a reasonably easy read. I think young punk bands could learn a lot by hearing about the mistakes that bands have made before them. And one more thing, Tripp, a spell check does not a copy editor make.–Jerry Actually
The Press Fire [New Dress New Rules]
The Press Fire – New Dress New Rules (c) 2006 Indivisible by Zero MusicSo… Some of the !upstarter team were less than enchanted with The Press Fire's release, “New dress, New rules”. Personally, I liked it. Grrrls Rule! There are a few moments of chaos but all together, a good album the the grrrl who doesn't die. Lots of fun, lots of energy, lots o' grrrl. It has a sort of Babes sound which I can appreciate. MY TWO THUMBS UP!Krystal Tolle