Review(s): The Noisies

The Noisies - The Folk Fission Odyssey: I like CDs that make me laugh. This CD made me laugh a lot. Consequently, I like this CD a lot. More focused than his previous outing.

Review(s): The Noisies, Cave In x2

The Noisies - Somewhere Under A Rainbow: I have tremendous respect for singer/songwriter Dave Noisy, brainchild of The Noisies. Not only does he sing about subjects that I can relate and agree with (animal rights, turning away from God) but he does so without caring about other's opinions. Created using only his computer and self-released, this is one of the best CDs I've heard in a long while.

Cave-In - Creative Eclipse: I suppose if they had called it what it really is - Predictable Eclipse - it wouldn't have sold as many copies (not that it sold too many anyway).

Cave-In - Beyond Hypothermia: Doing absolutely nothing that hasn't been done before. However, if you like by-the-books metal, check them out.

Review(s): Guided By Voices

Guided By Voices - The Best of Guided By Voices: Human Amusements at Hourly Rates: Having never heard a song by this band, I picked up their greatest hits (32 tracks for $10.99) after hearing some good things. Perhaps I wanted it to be better than it was. And perhaps, their albums are better than this compilation suggests.

Review(s): Mono

Mono - Under The Pipal Tree: Too much 'fluff' and not enough substance (particularly in the middle of the disc) plagues this debut. Still, what I like, I really like and look forward to listening to their further outings.

Review(s): Linkin Park, The Beatles

Linkin Park - Meteora: Music for disaffected youths should be made by disaffected youths. Meanwhile, Linkin Park could use their obvious talent to make good music.

The Beatles - Let It Be...Naked: This disc further reinforces the notion that the Beatles are in desperate need of remastering their entire catalog.

Review(s): By The Grace Of God, Carnivore, Champion, China The Beautiful, Damage Control, Deathwish, ErrorType: 11

By The Grace Of God - For The Love Of Indie Rock: Two years ago, By The Grace Of God would have been my new favorite band. Now, they just seem derivative and boring. Though, I can't help but shake the instinct that there's something different, even special, about them.

Carnivore - Retaliation: Metal with song names like: Angry Neurotic Catholics, Suck My Dick, Jesus Hitler and Word Wars III And IV. Need I say more?

Champion - Count Our Numbers: Hardcore has fallen out of my favor, save for the truely unique. Champion is not unique. (Points for the AIAC cover though)

China The Beautiful - Demo Songs: I forget how I found out about this band, but I'm glad I did. I cannot wait to see what they do next.

Damage Control - Can't Keep Us Down: Why didn't anyone tell me that Youth of Today was reforming under the name Damage Control? Better yet, why did they decide to get less talented?

Deathwish - Tailgate: "Not bad, not really memorable" says http://www.bnrmetal.com/groups/dthw.htm. I concur.

ErrorType: 11 - Amplified To Rock: Rumor has it that Walter Schreifels and Artie Shepherd disbanded World's Fastest Car for "creative difference" leaving Artie to form ErrorType: 11 and Walter to form Rival Schools. Well, if you listen to this record and United By Fate back to back, the only possible "creative differences" there could have been was wether the toilet paper goes over the top or under the bottom.

Review(s): Cerberus Shoal

Cerberus Shoal - Mr. Boy Dog: Cerberus Shoal is one of those bands that you can listen to once and then never again. Kind of like The Boredoms. I'm sure, however, that you can sift through their discography and come away with one disc that is truely good and in need of multiple listens.

Review(s): Equal Vision Records Presents..., Cerberus Shoal

Various Artists - Equal Vision Records Presents...Inventing The Scene: This disc is one part sampler and one part compilation. You buy it for the unreleased songs of your favorite band and Equal Vision Records hopes you'll listen to their new crop of bands. Well, it worked, because I bought it. Only thing is, all their new bands suck.

Cerberus Shoal - Homb: Post-rock meets the Gregorian Monk Chant makes for an interesting record that shows more promise than actual good music.

Review(s): Cerberus Shoal

Cerberus Shoal - Farewell To Hightide: Less jazzy than Crash My Moon Yacht and with many more words, but nonetheless beautiful and breathtaking.

Review(s): Cerberus Shoal

Cerberus Shoal - Crash My Moon Yacht: Post-rock with very jazzy undertones makes for an enjoyable listen, one that will be heard again.

Review(s): Brian Jonestown Massacre

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request: I liked this album [when the Beatles did it].

Review(s): Blood Red, Breaker Breaker, Against Me!

Blood Red - Demo/Hostage: Yet another "Starting Back Thursday" band. If you didn't care then, you won't care now.

Breaker Breaker - Out Of Service: I've always had a soft spot for these guys. Maybe it's because I have their red demo tape (limited to like 30 copies) and I was hoping they'd be huge. Solid hardcore, with nothing special.

Against Me! - As The Eternal Cowboy: Leave it to Fat Wreck Chords to release a mediocre album by an established artist with a good track 'wreck chord'.

Review(s): Explosions In The Sky

Explosions In The Sky - Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place: Godspeed it surely isn't. Good it surely is.

Review(s): Boxhead Ensemble

The Boxhead Ensemble - The Last Place To Go: All of these songs were improvised live to a screening of a movie, which makes it a kind of "had to be there" album. I wasn't there.

Review(s): Vietnom

Vietnom - Death Is The Outcome: According to a friend, inability to imitate is the highest form of greatness. So why, then, does this band suck?