Category: General

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

The Agency – Turn (c) 2007 Perch Records I'm scared.  I really am.  The massive resurgence of the sounds of the 70's and early 80's is naturally (or perhaps supernaturally) progressing in what I consider to be a negative direction.  Let's take, for instance, The Agency.  They kick off a vibe somewhere between Supertramp and Night Ranger or Lover Boy.  Well, I say turn me loose, 'cause when you try to bridge that kind of gap you bound to end up in the anachronistic and perilous path of the mellow gold.  Some of you out there may know what I'm talking about.  The horrid drivel of mid-late 70's adult contemporary.  When it comes to the point where bands are starting to sound like Andy Gibb or Johnny "Slow Dancin'" Rivers–holy crap–man, I want out!  In all fairness The Agency has a decent pedigree, featuring members of Dashboard Confessional and Seville, and I'm not saying that they are all bad.  I'm just saying that if your into it, maybe you should look into getting some new shag carpet and a disco ball for the ceiling of your bitchin' conversion van.–Jerry Actually 

Sin Voz – Death to the IMF (c) 2006 Sin VozStraight outta Berkeley comes Sin Voz (that's Without Voice for those of you too inept to use an online translator).  They submit for your approval "Death to the IMF" I can only assume that they are referring to the "Interplanetary Magnetic Field" when they espouse their desire to destroy something that bears its initials.  Aside from plotting something that would obviously irreversibly alter the world as we know it, "Death to the IMF" is also a sonicaly diverse eight song E.P.  Vaguely like a cross species of Morrisey and Sublime, yet oddly Sonic Youth.  Add a splash of some post Grundge Eddie Vetter.  Speed it up a notch, on some of the tracks, and you've got some sort of idea of what I'm listening to right now.  It seems to me that Sin Voz is working on making some rather transcendent music.  I should expect no less from folks that haunt the UC Berkely campus.  Overall a refreshing sound in comparison to much of the tripe slid across my desk, however it also is a bit on the depressive side.  I think the mix would benefit from a little more edge.  It seems as though it was softened up a wee bit too much.  That aside if you like moody tempermental alternative, give ol' Sin Voz back some of their voice in the form of cold hard cash.  Their E.P. is available via iTunes and CD Baby . –Jerry Actually

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