Mekons – Natural / 2007 Quarterstick / 12 Tracks / http://www.mekons.com / http://www.touchandgorecords.com / The Mekons have been together for a period longer than most current youthful fans of music have been alive. While it may seem like an eternity to individuals just getting into music for the first time (this year marks the thirtieth since the band was founded), The Mekons are able to create in “Natural†an album…
Junkyard Prophet – The Price / 2007 Self / http://www.youcanrunbutyoucannothide.com / Junkyard Prophet has been under intense scrutiny for the politics that they espouse, especially those that are provided to individuals that are captive, stuck in a high school assembly. However, this review focuses on the music of “The Priceâ€, rather than the politics that surround the band. To get a good idea of how the band has evolved over…
Sound The Alarm – Stay Inside / 2007 Geffen / 12 Tracks / http://www.soundthealarmmusic.com / http://www.geffen.com / Even though the members of Sound the Alarm are young (they are in their twenties), the band has been around for quite a few years. The act formed when the members were still pre-teens; since then, they have been tearing shit up in Pennsylvania. With their album “Stay Insideâ€, released this year on…
Leo – Nightmares / 2007 DreamMakers / 14 Tracks / http://www.leotheband.com / http://www.rockridgemusic.com / Leo is a band that has been able to reach the tars without truly breaking it big yet. While “Nightmares†will change that, Leo has made somewhat of a name for themselves opening up for bands such as Breaking Benjamin and Sick Puppies, along with doing a live set at this year’s South by Southwest.
Monster In The Machine – Butterfly Pinned / 2007 Emotional Syphon / 12 Tracks / http://www.monsterinthemachine.com / Pretty much anywhere an individual looks, Monster in the Machine has some sort of ties to legendary rock acts. The label that they are on, Emotional Syphon, is owned by Munky from Korn. Josh Freese (Vandals) and Doug Ardito (Crawford in Cellophane) are captured in different roles during the tracks on “Butterfly Pinnedâ€.…
Iller Than Theirs – S/T / 2007 Embedded / 11 Tracks / http://www.embeddedmusic.net / “Razorbumps†is the first track on Iller Than Theirs’ self titled track, and it brings an intense style of rapping to a more classic backing beat. Where it would make sense that there would be tension between these two styles, the combination of the flow with the backing beat makes for a strong first effort by…
Parsley Flakes – We Need Friends / 2007 Self / 8 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/parsleyflakes / I’ve seen the Parsley Flakes live about five times, and I was a little afraid that they would not be able to capture their live magic on this studio album. However, after the first few seconds of “Ladyloveâ€, I was reassured. The style of music that the Parsley Flakes play is an electronic-cum-punk rock blend…
Mark Olson – The Salvation Blues / 2007 Hacktone / 11 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/markolsonmusic / http://www.hacktone.com / “The Salvation Blues†is a weirdly-packaged album. When I first opened up the package from Hacktone, I thought they had screwed up and sent me a book instead of the latest Mark Olson CD. A quick check later, and I was on my way to listening to what is one of the more…
Operation Ivy – Operation Ivy  / 2007 Hellcat Records / 27 Tracks/ www.hell-cat.com/ Hep, hep, hep, pick it up, pick it up! Even after their short existence as a band Operation Ivy’s influence can be seen within the Ska/Punk scene as they set the bar for the next platform for a new generation’s angst to be expressed. The reissue of Operation Ivy’s twenty-seven masterful tracks allows a new generation who…
Zigmat – S/T / 2007 Self / 10 Tracks / http://www.zigmat.com / Zigmat plays a brand of electronic-infused indie rock that will get individuals up and on the dance floor as soon as the first bars of “Light of the Moon†start up. The band blends together the rigid structure of the synthesizer perfectly with the much more airy, indefinite sounds of the vocals. What results is a track that…
Megadeth – That One Night: Live In Buenos Aires / 2007 Image / 22 Tracks / http://www.megadeth.com / http://www.image-entertainment.com / Megadeth has been releasing a lot of different material in the last year. There was their “Warchestâ€, and there is also this 2-CD or 1-DVD release called “That One Nightâ€, which covers the band’s trip down to Buenos Aires, Argentina in May of 2005. Apparently, Megadeth plays long shows as…
Necro – Death Rap / 2007 Psycho+Logical / 14 Tracks / http://www.necrohiphop.com / Individuals that are into horrorcore rap will undoubtedly know who Necro is. However, for those that don’t (but may know other rap), Necro is the brother of Ill Bill. Furthermore, ey has worked hand in hand with a number of metal artists, in particular Obituary, Voivod, Hatebreed, and Slipknot. “Death Rap†is the title of this album…
Soulja Boy – Soulja Girl (Feat. I15) / 2007 TVT / 2 Tracks / “Soulja Girl†is the latest track by (you guessed it) Soulja Boy. In an attempt to further get the name of I-15 out to the masses, they are featured on the track. This track is a slower, more grind-worthy track. Hints of Jodeci and K-Ci and Jojo are present during this track, even as the more…
Megadeth – Warchest / 2007 Capitol / 66 Tracks / http://www.megadeth.com / http://www.capitolrecords.com / Megadeth is one of the bands that I first learned about when I got into metal. In fact, one of the CDs that has stuck with me for over a decade (the only other one is Marilyn Manson’s “Antichrist Superstarâ€) is Megadeth’s “Rust in Peaceâ€. It makes sense that Megadeth should get a box set since…
Junk Science – Gran’dad’s Nerve Tonic / 2007 Embedded / 13 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/junksciencerap / http://www.nukfam.com / “Slojo†is the first track on Junk Science’s latest album, and the blend of seventies instrumentation with a current type of flow makes for a strong foot forward. The rap styles that are showcased during this CD are points and strong, and are only moderated by a second set of vocals which end…
I15 – Lost in Love / 2007 Interscope / 4 Tracks / http://www.i15music.com / I15 is another type of R&B / boy band that is done much in the vein of a B2K. “Lost in Love†is typical radio fare, but the act is really able to hook fans with a catchy chorus and multiple-vocal harmonies. This single features the “Radioâ€, “Albumâ€, “Instrumentalâ€, and “A cappella†version of the track.…
Seth Lakeman – Introducing…Seth Lakeman Vol.1 + Vol. 2 / 2007 Manhattan / 6 Tracks / http://www.sethlakeman.co.uk / http://www.manhattanrecords.com / For those individuals that are not immediately familiar with the name Seth Lakeman, ey was a member of Equation during the band’s three-disc run. “Introducing†is not the first solo Lakeman album (even if it does sound that way): “The Punch Bowlâ€, “Kitty Jayâ€, and “Freedom Fields†all were full…
Floratone – S/T / 2007 Blue Note / 11 Tracks / http://www.floratone.com / http://www.bluenote.com / Floratone is as close of an “all star†act that one can get in jazz and free-form experimental music. The two main components of Floratone are Bill Frisell and Matt Chamberlain. For those not in the know, those two individuals together have combined to work with this list of stars: Tori Amos, Morrissey, Stevie Nicks,…
Elliott Carlson Botero – Parasite: A Love Story / 2007 Self / 15 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/ecbmusic / Elliott Carlson Botero has been around a long time. With a couple of discs under his belt, “Parasite: A Love Story†marks his musical magnum opus. “Plastic Bag Tree†is a track that subjugates a number of different styles and approaches into a coherent style. The heavy bass line, the Goo Goo Dolls-like…
Bronze – Calypso Shakedown / 2006 Self / http://www.myspace.com/bronzechicago / “On The Clock†literally sounds as if Bronze is coming out of the late seventies or early eighties. Whether it is through the heavy use of synthesizers, or through the emotive vocals, the band loves their musical predecessors. Like current retro-looking acts like The Darkness or the Scissor Sisters, Bronze are able to be deeply involved in earlier musical styles…