Lagwagon – ITMOBUTLTL

(c) 2008 Fat Wreck Chords
[rating:3/5]

All aboard the Lagwagon party goers. The original Fat band is back with a new release. By my account it is an EP. Seven tracks clocking in at minus 20 total, not that EP’s are a bad thing by any means. An EP is a great amount of work when your band is focused on more than one project. (Two of the members are also in Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.) Side projects notwithstanding, the obviously back dating and self-depricating “I Think My Older Brother Used To Listen To Lagwagon” is exactly what one should expect from an older and wiser Lagwagon. The songs have more depth, both sonically and contextually. Along with additional depth comes additional weight. I’m pretty sure that must be what is making the songs a bit slower than I like 🙂 In all seriousness though, this is a must have for any fan and for all the new kids to the punk rock block, pick up a newie but a goodie from an oldie but a still goodie band. As I said, “All aboard the Lagwagon!”

–Jerry Actually

The Waffle Stompers – Black on Black

(c) 2008 The Waffle Stompers
[rating:4/5]

Lets hear it once again for New Jersey. From the state that gives you Catch 22 and Streetlight Manifesto, may I present The Waffle Stompers. This seven piece outfit–straight outta New Brunswick–brings an infectious blend of ska and punk that makes me wax nostalgic for the 3rd wave. Sounding like a Thomas Kalnoky protoge with a mix of old LTJ, Black on Black is a fun, albeit short, walk through the ska punk park. This is the band’s 3rd EP since 2005 and though I don’t have any reference to the prior material, I really like what I’m hearing on the new release. On another continual note, bands that both rock and rock for fun and unity are all good in my book. Head on over to their myspace page and buy some of their stuff, ok. The Waffle Stompers

–Jerry Actually

Heavy Water Experiments

(c) 2008 Intrepid Sound Recordings
[rating:3/5]

Heavy Water Experiments’ (formerly Imogene) new self-titled release is a dense swirl of 60’s prog and psychedelic rock. The lush sonic swirl and non-standard instrumentation (eight string as well as four string bass, vintage keys and drums) definitely pays homage to the psychedelia of years past, however the bass heavy progressions are often reminiscent of Morphine. The mind altered musical melenge aside, Heavy Water Experiments still have a decidedly subtle rock and roll feel. The new self-titular release proffers up 12 groove heavy, jam length (mostly) tracks. I suggest listening to it in the dark with headphones on so you can pick up all the nuances, and if you have one, fire up the lava lamp and let the trippy jams play on.

–Jerry Actually

The Real McKenzies – Off The Leash

(c) 2008 Fat Wreck Chords
[rating:3/5]

The Real McKenzies are to Scotland what the Dropkick Murphy’s are to Ireland. That is punk rock music with strong ties to cultural heritage. Like Dropkick, The Real McKenzies are displaced from their roots, but those roots still run deep. The new release, “Off the Leash”, will have you swearing that, “If it ain’t Scottish, it’s crap!” Though these fellows hail from the land of DOA and Michael J. Fox, their music still has the rebellious power of William Wallace. “Off The Leash” delivers 13 tracks of Scotted up punk, all of them totally sweet. If you like your punk anthemic and Celtic culturalocentric, don’t hesitate to let your self off the leash and go buy this disc. Ha! I made a less than humorous reference to the title of the CD in the review itself. That makes it a good review; kinda like movies that use the name of the movie in the dialog of the movie. I win! One to nothin’

–Jerry Actually

OPM – Golden State of Mind

OPM – Golden State of Mind(c) 2008 Suburban Noise RecordsOPM, the band that brought you “Heaven is a Halfpipe”, returns with a new full length, “Golden State of Mind”. The fourth (I think) full release from the So Cal quintet brings more of the pleasing combination of Roots Dub Rock with a laid back coastal vibe that is only known to those on the left coast. The new disc delivers 14 star studded cuts including guest appearances by Pato Banton and Sen Dog (Cypress Hill) On a whole the disc is a bit “rap” heavy for my tastes, but it is also well tempered by smooth reggae rythyms and even a punkesqe rocker, track 3 “Runaway”. Moreover “Golden State of Mind” is a great party jam, capable of pleasing large groups of partiers with disparate musical tastes. So bust it out at your next swaree and when the smoke haze clears you should have about 90% smiles. Pretty good I’d say.–Jerry Actually

Bloodbath [The Wacken Carnage]

Bloodbath – The Wacken Carnage(c) 2008 Peaceville RecordsBloodbath is a Swedish metal supergroup of sorts consisting of members of Katatonia and Opeth. The Wacken Carnage is a live CD/DVD double set from the bands brutal performance at the 2005 Wacken Open Air Festival. What can I say other than this mother shreds. (to the extreme) Of all the metal I’ve been listening to lately, I must admit that I’m rather fond of Bloodbath. They really bring it on home. Granted, I still could sleep easier at night without the sound of vocal chords shredding. What they lack in my particular vocal preference, is more than made up for with speed and aggression. Get this set, pop in the CD or DVD and enjoy the ensuing Bloodbath.–Jerry Actually

Walls of Jericho – The American Dream

Walls of JerichoThe American Dream(c) 2008 Trustkill RecordsHere we are again. Metal; Brutal, ear drum splitting, spine bending metal rotates in the player before me. Walls of Jericho have it all if you are looking for an anathema to aggression. The music pounds. The riffs shred. The vocals growl. (Incidentally, singer Candace Kucsulain sounds like Patty and Selma combined, after both of which have been kicked in the throat.) That said, it would be mostly difficult for those unaware to detect that Walls of Jericho have a female lead “singer”. The American Dream fully kicks ass in a metal sort of way. The problem is that I just don’t feed on growling vocals. If they would drop the histrionics about 80% I could probably dig this band, but as it sits I grow weary of the razor’s edge growl on each and every song. (except the last track) But being that they hail from Detroit, I can see why they’re so damn pissed and far be it from me to dictate what kind of vocals you should appreciate. If snarl is your sort of thing, then by all means The American Dream f-ing rules. Seriously, I do like the music. I just can’t get past the vox.–Jerry Actually

Chris Murray Combo – Why So Rude

(c) 2008 Unstrictly Roots
[rating:5/5]

If you’ve been reading the reviews on !upstarter for any length of time, you would realize by now that I’m a big fan of Chris Murray. Ever since I saw him open for Skavoovie and the Epitones and Less Than Jake in Lawrence, KS ages ago (1996 maybe?), I’ve been hooked. Time has seen several new releases since the 4-Track Adventures of Venice Shoreline Chris, each of which has been rock solid in its own way. Why So Rude is no exception.

If anything Chris Murray, now as a three piece combo, is more solid than ever. The new release is a culmination of time spent playing as CMC over the last few years and newly recorded versions from the Chris Murray and King Apparatus back catalog. The band consists of Ben Farrar on percussion/backing vocals, Eddie “Chiquis” Lozoya on bass/backing vocals and Chris Murray on vocals/guitar. Frankly all three of these guys bust out the stops at their respective musical posts. The bass is smooth and rolling. The symbol hits are second to none, and the vocals compliment the songs like a glove to a hand. Though this is a slightly different lineup than when I last saw the CMC. Bass duties were once upon a time performed by Jeff Roffredo, but that was a few years back.

None the less Why So Rude lays down 13 tracks: some new, some old, all good. Personal Favorites include the opener: I need Water and the title track: Why So Rude. The cover of Maga Dog and the re-recording of Michael and Anne are top notch as well. If you like your Ska, Roots and Reggae full of genuine soul, compelling song writing, sincere vocals and subtle harmonies, do check out the Chris Murray Combo. You shan’t be disappointed.

–Jerry Actually

Zebrahead – Phoenix

Zebrahead – Phoenix (c) 2008 Icon MusicWow! someone forgot to take their ritalin. Orange County band Zebrahead brings your their fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and maybe eighth releases all on one disc. Ok ok maybe it is technically just their fourth release, but holy crap this disc is all over the place. Because of that I think that it suffers a severe identity crisis. Phoenix carries a sound that is nearly equal parts Rage Against the Machine, 311, Sugar Ray, P.O.D. and not so equal parts of bands so banal that I can’t remember them, only their typical nature. It leaves me to wonder who/what they are attempting to be. I’m not saying it is all bad, just not half good. The musicianship is top notch and the songs are performed admirably. They just don’t know what they want to accomplish sonically (or maybe I’m just not getting the point)… full of sound and fury signifying nothing perhaps. However, if you suffer from short attention span, then perhaps Zebrahead are just the ticket. Phoenix is so incongruous that you just might come away with a whole lot of new favorites.–Jerry Actually

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes – Have Another Ball (c) 2008 Fat Wreck ChordsDid you ever have to hate your friends or your friend’s sister because they had the K-Tel version of that sweet BTO song you totally loved? Do you remember wtf K-Tel was? Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a more modern punk rock incarnate of the very same ideals. They take all your favorite songs (originally by the original artist) and they make them better.This time (and the times before) around the joke’s on those K-Tel chumps. Me first and the Gimme Gimmes punk the heck outta those “original classics” For the folk that are familiar, Have Another Ball is the second installment of tracks off of the original recordings from a decade ago. So, if you are indeed familiar, odds are good that you’ve heard a lot of these tracks on other releases. Does it matter that they’ve made better versions of their own versions of other peoples songs? Probably not. Is it still all the same fun punked up karaoke that you were looking for? Most likely… I don’t know what you were looking for, but if it was a punk cover of “Mahogany” or “The Boxer” well then, godammit, this is it. I can’t say it is best of breed, but out of all the cd’s I’m playing right at the very moment, it takes a close second.–Jerry Actually