Less Than Jake • Crash Course in Being an Asshole 7" • Rhetoric Records • Three tracks from this pop-punk-ska band who are surely headed for stardom. All tracks on here are covers: "Your Love," "Teenage In Love," and "Freeze Frame."
Bob • Bob O’Clock • Throwrug Records • This band is a ton o’ fun. Throw me an influence. Rap? It’s in there. Punk? It’s in there. Alternative? It’s in there. Without hearing them ever again, I’ll vote them “Best Party Band of ‘97.” Look for their single “Brunettes In Straw Hats Who Love Corn” to be huge.
Various Artists • Let There Be Singles (The Imports) • Alternative Tentacles Records • You like punk? No, I mean really like punk? This is for you. This is a two CD collection of raw, hard, in-your-face punk. Lots of bands, all pissed off and all mosh-inducing. If I didn’t know better, I’d say The Ramones, Motorhead and The Sex Pistols jammed for three hours and cut 42 songs.
Karma To Burn • Self-titled • Roadrunner Records • Heavy music that is surprisingly melodic. I wasn’t expecting to like this too much, but it is really good. Just fun, banging music that would be great music to drive around town to.
Various Artists • Spectrum Fest • Relapse Records • With bands like Bastard Noise, Brutal Truth and Mortician, you can bet that this compilation disc is heavier than lead. Full of the latest in grindcore and industrial, it’ll definitely wake the neighbors.
White Trash Debutantes • It's Raw But You Live For It • 206 Records • This is really fun music. 4 chicks sing while 4 guys play gritty punk which is fairly reminiscent of the Angry Samoans. Mostly original tunes with a few covers of popular favs like Screeching Weasel. Good Stuff.
elliott • in transit 7" • Initial Records • Two great voice and guitar driven songs filled with a raw emotion outside of anger. This is the sing-a-long catharsis 7" to own. Nothing short of brilliant, so what are you waiting for? GET IT!
Souvenir • Soviet Opiate • self-released • This is a 4-track cassette from a now restructured Orlando band. Frankly, the music is a little too weak for me. I suppose it is emo, but maybe a little too much. It sounds like they may have tried to be overly creative, if that is possible. Not bad, just not my fav.
Reflector the Illuminator • Peter Sieper b/w Call Me Monday 7" • Zero Hour Records • Interesting pop songs, with “Call Me Monday” being a must-listen for fans of 80’s progressive rock complete with synth and drum rolls.
Floor • Goddard b/w Slugthrower 7" • Rhetoric Records • Amazing packaging for a rough record. “Goddard” is a noisy rocker with dialogue from exploitation flicks. “Slugthrower” must be played loud! At first I was put off by it, but upon increasing the volume, I liked its thick and throbbing noise with vocals buried in the mix.
Blackhead/Kosmo Kramers • Punk & Surf for Dummies 7" • Flatbroke Productions • Blackhead does two songs of Screeching Weasel style punk while Kosmo does two tracks of great psycho-surf punk rock. Great local Orlando stuff!
Mucky Pup • Short Attention Span b/w Straightman 7” • Crustacean Records • This is plagued by oversimplistic lyrics such as “waiting for you to call is like waiting for something that’s never gonna happen.” What?! If their wit matched their musical abilities they’d be dangerous. As it stands these songs bark with no bite.
Nova Sonic • Down Hyper Space 7" • Throwrug Records • The vocals are quiet enough to not get in the way of this saturated recording. If you have an interest in experimental noise rock & psychedelia, pick this up. The sonic structure is stunning.
Lint • Stay b/w Turn Around 7" • Plumb Records • Mid-tempo indie rock deserving of your time. The female singer’s voice on “Stay” has a vulnerable apathy to it that’s engaging and endearing. This is an exciting introduction to Lint, complete with a hidden track. Get it! Own it! Enjoy!
The Fairlanes • Hi! We’re the Fairlanes 7" • Suburban Home Records • Four songs that adapt the Phil Spectre’s “wall of sound” to present day. 60’s pop rules over the Fairlanes if at a faster speed with louder guitars.
The Sonics • Sinderella • Bomp! Records • This is a CD reissue of the 1980 tapes. This is rock and roll, baby! “Tallahassee Lassie,” “Leavin’ Here” and the overly sexual “Open Up Yer Door” are personal faves. The vocals are gruff and distinct, the music is stripped down and straight ahead, and the lyrics are perfect.
Rabby Feeber • Rabby Road • Resurrected Records • This starts off straight ahead and quickly descends to a distorto-anger mode. “Rabby Road” is the work of genius- do not write it off as “weird.” If you want your music to have interesting lyrics, get this. Be the first on your block to have a CD with such balls!
Stillsuit • At The Speed of Light • TVT Records • Wow! I will admit that this one had to grow on me, and damn did it grow. I always admire bands that are not afraid to try new things. Stillsuit are my new heroes, and with plenty of balls to make a great sauce. Produced by Don Fury, of Quicksand and Orange 9mm production fame!
Despair • As We Bleed ep • Initial Records • Okay, so maybe I'm just not too much of an old-school, straightedge hardcore fan. Definitely loud and pissed off...and predictable as hell! Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of changes, just not good ones.
Phantom Surfers • The Great Surf Crash of '97 • Lookout! Records • If you notice someone listening to this disk before they go surfing, be careful. This is a great mixture of 60's surf rider rock and today's cutting edge punk/pop. You might think of Pulp Fiction when you hear this or maybe Endless Summer 2.
Various Artists • Laugh While You Can Monkey Boy! • Bomp! Records • This compilation has something for everyone: Acid Jazz, Punk, Thrash, Retro/Progressive, Indie Rock, Experimental/Abstract Sound. There's a lot of less known talent packed in this 16-track disc.
One Hit Wonder • Outfall • Nitro Records • This is excellent sing-a-long melodic punk rock. This features a lot of choruses, gruff vocals with great harmonies, melodic guitar driven music and a great bouncy beat. This is their debut album. One Hit Wonder will be storming the scene and is sure to make punks listen. And, this album features 16 songs!!!
John Sinclair and His Blues Scholars featuring Wayne Kramer • Full Circle • Alive Records • The title is quite apt as Sinclair, Kramer, and some old friends from the Detroit music scene in the 1960’s have gotten together again for this album. On Full Circle, Sinclair reads his poetry over the traditional blues arrangements of former MC5 guitarist Kramer and the Blues Scholars. This is good stuff.
Shyster • Say Uncle! • OffTime Records • Florida's leaders in punk rock have released their first CD that proves they aren't just another local band. This album is tight, powerful, melodic, heartfelt punk rock. The tempo changes and the creativity of the music show that Shyster has a lot to offer. The lyrics are intelligent, something that most music today is lacking. This is a must have, local or not!
Zoinks! • Stranger Anxiety • Dr. Strange Records • Zoinks! are a great pop-punk band. It has been said before, they sound like a much better Green Day. This CD compiles all of their 7" tracks. Nineteen tracks worth of one of the best bands around.
Deviants ixvi • Eating Jello With a Heated Fork • Alive Records • This album is at its best when these guys decide they want to rock; unfortunately, they don’t do it enough for my taste. The title track is like a tease of loud, fast rock. After that, the album dissolves into some slower material with spoken word lyrics and bland mid-tempo rock with the occasional cool track thrown in to the mix.
Various Artists • The Roots of Power Pop • Bomp! Records • Power pop’s driving guitars and melodic hooks have their roots in the early days of rock. Bomp! Records, one of power pop’s main supporters during the 70’s, has released this collection of power pop classics, featuring such acts as the Romantics, the Plimsouls, and the Flaming Groovies.
KMFDM • XTORT • TVT Records • Back with their zillionth album are the kings of hardcore techno. KMFDM are creative, innovative and destructive. This album, like all the albums before it, is long, consistently good and electronic as hell.
Man Dingo • Macho Grande • Dr. Strange Records • Man Dingo's past stuff was a bit wimpy. This album is anything but. They throw forth fifteen tracks of fast-paced, melodic, in-your-face, punk rock.
Giants Chair • Purity and Control • Caulfield Records • This CD has a familiar feel to it, which is a good thing. The vocals sound similar to Superchunk at times, with a guitar-bass-drum driven sound. “Art” is a dirty word in music nowadays. This CD takes a gamble on honest expression, so take a chance and see what the words and music evoke from you.
Drastic Measures featuring Cappadonna • Taking Drastic Measures • Drastic Records • Yes, that is Cappadonna of Wu-Tang fame. But the main dish on this single is Orlando's own, Drastic Measures. Drastic are fulla beats and rhymes that make your mind...dance. This ain't your typical radio rap crap. This is real flavor for your ears.
Stone Roses • The Complete Stone Roses • Silvertone Records • They are British guitar pop! Here are their best hits all on one CD. Twenty-one tracks including, "Elephant Stone," I Wanna Be Adored," and "Fools Gold." If you don't know 'em by now, it's time to learn.
The Hi-Fives • and a whole lotta you! • Lookout! Records • The swingin' '60s have not been forgotten. Add a punk attitude and quirky lyrics and you have a hot band. This is swing-pop at its very finest. Sixteen tracks of hipster music to keep your toes tappin'.
Joystick • Heavy Chevy • Lobster Records • Joystick is a cali-based punk rock five-piece. This album was produced by Shawn Dewey (Lagwagon). It features 11 tracks of melodic, driving punk rock 'n' roll. The music is tight, well recorded and damn powerful.
Baby Gopal • self-titled • Victory Records • Cool, girl indie-rock packed with catchy melodies exploding into frantic crescendos and then backing down. Give 'em some time, they could be big!
Dogtooth • Steel Vines • Airhead Spyplane Productions • Alternative college radio station music. Little bit of rock 'n' roll. Some possible Hootie influences, and even more of an REM feel.
A Tribe Called Quest • Stressed Out (Remixes) • Jive Records • Tribe proves once again that they’re hip-hop innovators, open to all interpretations of their music. Here, the trio has their single Stressed Out remixed by Bjork and Raphael Saadiq. Bjork focuses on bringing out different meanings of the refrain by adding ethereal beats, while Saadiq just keeps it funky.
Funeral Oration • Believer • Hopeless Records • Fast, melodic punk rock with vocals reminiscent of Jawbreaker. Fourteen songs of emotional kickassness that inspire the punk rock soul. Great album. We need more of this stuff.
Ignite • Past Our Means ep • Revelation Records • This 6-track CD has a real old school hardcore feel. However, the vocals remind me, incredibly so, of SNFU. The music is fast paced melodi-core.
MC Murph • Martyrs & Heroes • NQuit Records • Murph is one of many indie hip-hop artists. However, he is one of the few with the motivation to release something on his own. This has an old school feel. A little too much singing (R&B style) for me. For a self-released hip-hop album, this is impressive.
Those Damn Accordions! • No Strings Attached • Globe Records • Don’t tell this San Francisco-based band that you can’t rock with an accordion. TDA! takes on the Who classic “Baba O’Riley” and Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”. Originals such as “Mothra” and “Hamsterman” showcase the band’s unique songwriting style. No Strings Attached proves that accordions aren’t just for polkas anymore.
Metal Molly • Surgery for Zebra • Silvertone Records • They aren’t metal the way metal was when it died, but they’re as good a representative for 90’s metal as it gets. Hard, crunchy music that’s part “metal,” part alterna-stuff, part funk and very addicting. If you wish big hair and spandex were still in, this is your band.
Coal Chamber • Self-titled • Roadrunner Records • Pretty heavy rock. Punctuated by groovy beats and grinding riffs, this is a disc that makes you want to bang your head. Although they take a bent towards the angst ridden lyrics which are so popular, this is a band worth listening to.
June of 44 • The Anatomy of Sharks • Quarterstick Records • I think June of 44 has a fascination with all things nautical. This new EP follows last year’s Tropics and Meridians and 1995’s Engine Takes to Water. Sharks is more experimental than its predecessors, with three songs moving from straight-ahead rock to math-rock to ambient material. June of 44 should have a new full-length sometime later this year.
Anti-Flag • Die For The Government • New Red Archives • 'Punk's not dead,' the Exploited wailed in the '80s, and it's still true with Anti-Flag. They're aggro, against government and the establishment. If you thirst for punk, get it quick.
