Drive By

Drive By – I Hate Every Day Without You Kid… (c)2006 Riot Squad RecordsHere is some more music on the Emo tip. Not quite as bad as the crap that I usually hate. Drive By has a bit of an Alkaline Trio feel albeit with less punk rock and more emo-pop driving it. I guess the drive by that they are taking about is the one where you drive by the flower shop and pick up some flowers for a funeral or something. Don't get me wrong though, I listened to the whole CD a couple times and not once did I run away screaming or try to stab myself in the ears with a pen. The debut CD from Drive By is definitely music for the depressed, the ones that are looking for catharsis.  

City Sleeps

City Sleeps – Hotel (c)2006 Maverick RecordsCity Sleeps – Freaking Ugggh. I am sick to the flippin' gills of whiney 'cry me a river' rock. Remember back in the day when Maverick was courting bands like Rancid? Maybe things would have been different then. Instead Maverick is so blighted that they list the Austin Powers soundtrack as a band in their roster. Hotel is music made by whiners for people who like to whine about how whiney music rocks. Oh, and rip off Brain May just once and people will claim that you're like the next Queen.

Catch 22 Permanent Revolution

Catch 22 – Permanent Revolution (c)2006 Victory RecordsAs I sit and listen to this Catch 22 release, I must say this is one of the best from the ska-punk band from New Jersey.  Having all their other releases, I must say I was excited to hear the newest one.  Now I must say that the first couple of times through this CD I thought it was kinda slow and different, but the more you listen to it the more I love it.  The CD explores the life of Leon Trotsky and it is very interesting how the story is told.  Catch 22 has brought us yet another great Disc and their live performance to back it up cements that.  I hope that Catch 22 will continue to bring us great music 'cause I know I will be listening.  I will give this CD 4.5 checkerboards out of 5, so pick it up and dance your ass off!!!

Slayer – Christ Illusion

Slayer – Christ Illusion (c)2006 Warner Bros. RecordsThere are 2 types of people in the world, the people that think Slayer rules, and the people that suck. With over 2 decades of butality under their collective belts, Slayer, unlike so many other bands, has not lost its diabolical touch. Slayer will still frighten the crap out of the feint of heart with all their music and If anything, Christ Illusion is their strongest material in a decade. It is umistakably signature sounding and that is just how it should be. I’m impressed by the bands ability to keep things fresh while at the same time keeping consistent. The one thing I do notice about how Slayer has progressed over time is that they are so much tighter as a unit now. Go out tomorrow and get Christ Illusion and play it loud. Personal favorites include Jihad and the scathingly satirical Supremist.

Angel City Outcasts

Angel City Outcasts – Deadrose Junction (c) 2006 Sailor's Grave RecordsThough they may tout the word outcast, these L.A. Boys massively recall the extremely embraced early 80's SoCal rock sound, albeit blended with more punk attitude. The Angel City Outcasts new release "Deadrose Junction" begs to be compared to early Crue and G'N'R. It is definitely straight ahead rock, but thankfully it lacks the posturing and pretense of the 80's hair-metal glam scene. "Deadrose Junction" also raises the rock bar with some of their more aggressive punk riffs. Comparisons and critiques aside, I still can't help but think that I could really get into blasting this on a beat up jam box while riding around drunk in the back of a pickup anywhere in the Midwest. 3 cheers for Rock and Roll! 

Bury Your Dead

Bury Your Dead – Beauty and the Breakdown (c) 2006 Victory RecordsMassachusetts band Bury Your Dead brings down a brand new furious assault with their new release ‘Beauty and the Breakdown’ Behold the 11 tracks of hardcore metal power. Grinding guitars, and pounding drums will hammer a rhythmic pulse into the deep recesses of your mind, while subtle melodic underpinings keep you intrigued as the songs continue their constant pummeling. This is good old fashioned hardcore metal, the kind your parents will still be afraid of.�Cheers,Jerry Actually

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – Don't You Fake It (c) 2006 Virgin Records The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus brings about more emo-esque pretty-haired new metal pablum. I really hope to never have to listen to this CD again. It reeks with banality and is about as insipid as anything else you're going to hear on new rock radio. I suspect that one of two things is going on. 1. People really like this type of music. Ok, bully for you. Rock on with your lame self. 2. People are convinced that this is what they are supposed to like. Ok, bully for you too. Bottom line, get a set!

Grrrl : A Novel

Grrrl : A Novel – Jennifer Whiteford (c) Razorcake / Gorsky PressIf you ever were, are, or wonder what’s going on witha teenage suburbanette… READ THIS BOOK. Ottawa’sJennifer Whiteford weaves a boldly textured andbrilliantly colored tapestry of early 90’sadolescence. Grrrl is a wonderful adaptation of a highschool riot queen diary . There are too many awesomethings to tell you (the reader) about but I bet you’llenjoy it. When you get finished, pass it on to yourlittle sister. – Krystal Tolle

Dennis Bagwell

Dennis Bagwell – A Random Litter of Thought (c) 2006 Batteryface RecordsI don't very often have the opportunity to review spoken word CD's, but that is what, in fact, we have here. "A Random Litter of Though" is 29 tracks of the recorded thoughts of OC area "Beat Punk" Dennis Bagwell. Funny thing is, if you do some research on Mr. Bagwell, you turn up a whole lot of info about a Texas former death row inmate of the same name. I'm going to suspect that unless this is a posthumous release, they are not one in the same. This Dennis Bagwell carries on in more of the vein of Ginsberg and Burroughs. The poems speak of death and redemption, love and loss and some liken humanity to feces. Though I respect the work done here, it isn't very easy to rock out to. In fact, it is kind of dragging on and on. I think poems are likely better left to the printed page.    

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium (c) 2006The much anticipated double CD release of Stadium Arcadium, the new release by the venerable Red Hot Chili Peppers, must have been released for someone other than me. I can't argue their process I guess, it is time tested and public approved. However, it seems as though the peppers have become trite and formulaic. I had hoped for something to live past the legacy of Blood Sugar Sex Magik, instead I got a whole lot of tracks that would have been better released on a B-side compilation. I can't even pick a standout track. The 'hit' single Dani California is probably the best of set, and it is lackluster at best. I say spend your money elsewhere. Go buy a used copy of Mother's Milk.