Aggrolites, The – Reggae Hit L.A., CD | 07.31.2007
2007 is shaping up to be quite a year for The Aggrolites, what with the highly touted collaboration with Tim Armstrong on his solo effort A Poet’s Life and now with the release of Reggae Hit L.A. – their latest LP. The Aggrolites have always stayed true to the 3rd wave ska sound with organ driven mid-tempo melodies and traditional instrumentals.. The band stays true to this formula on Reggae Hit L.A., infusing the dancehall tunes with great lead and backing vocals, and group sang choruses – as best heard on the title track, which will have you clapping and dancing along within the first listen. The rest of the record proves just as catchy with the ballad-like “Let’s Pack Our Bags” and “Free Time” the latter of which could very well be the best Aggrolites cut to date. Hellcat Records http://www.hell-cat.com
Tracks: 1. Work It 2. Faster Bullet 3. You Got 5 4. Reconcile 5. Reggae Hit L.A. 6. Lets Pack Our Bags 7. Left Red 8. Free Time 9. Lucky Streak 10. Rhythm & Light 11. Well Runs Dry 12. Hip To It 13. Fire Girl 14. Baldhead Rooster 15. We Came To Score

Filthy Thieving Bastards - I'm A Son of A Gun, CD | 04.15.2007
Irish punk (or punk Irish) has recently become a household entity, with bands like the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly making the style accessible to listeners from many backgrounds. Still, not everyone knows about some of the real gems this niche genre has produced. Filthy Thieving Bastards is the offshoot of the highly popular and long-running punk group the Swingin’ Utters, and unlike the above mentioned, play a more authentic blend of folk music akin to the likes of Billy Bragg and the Pogues. I’m a Son of a Gun is the Bastards’ fourth record, and is as powerful and soulful as it is lighthearted and fun to listen to. While Irish folk tends to be at the top of the barrel, the boys bring much more to this latest effort. “Bring Me Back” has a sort of ‘60s pop one-hit-wonder feel, with airy back-up vocals and a catchy chorus, while “Oh Sweet Misery” has the hoots and hollers of a classic country tune, with the twangy guitar and a washboard… that’s right, a washboard, providing the melody. The songs on I’m A Son Of A Gun are fun and surprisingly accessible without falling victim to overproduction or mainstream influence. Fans that are looking for punk rock in the vein of Swingin’ Utters might be disappointed, with only “When We Were Kids” serving as reminder of the Utters’ sound, but ultimately the variety found on I’m A Son Of A Gun makes it a record easy to appreciate.
Reviewed by Chris Green.
Tracks: 1. Phony Drunk Poet 2. I Sure Enjoyed My Stay 3. When The Wallflowers Wilt 4. Move Out Of Here 5. Dusty Roads 6. Santa Maria 7. Oh, Sweet Misery 8. Bring Me Back 9. Down Every Day 10. Dumb Dead Goats 11. When We Were Kids 12. On With The Show 13. A Killing On Wall Street 14. Last Of The Big Spenders

Rifu – Bombs For Food, Mines For Freedom!, CD | 01.09.2007
Rifu’s blistering hardcore has a tendency to veer towards grind and noise in an all out sonic assault, before taking a sudden turn back towards melodic hardcore. This musical madness is matched by pained screams and lyrics that underline the problems facing our society going forward. This attack is well planned and executed even better, with “Born Addicted” and “Let Them Eat Bombs” featuring the band at its very best. A strong offering with a stronger message. Go-Kart Records, PO Box 20, Prince Street Station, New York, NY 10012 http://www.gokartrecords.com
Reviewed by Bart Niedzialkowski.
Tracks: 1. Intro 2. Sold Out World 3. The Plague We've Become 4. Born Addicted 5. Spitting At The Remains 6. Come All And Blow Your Brains Out 7. Laugh Ourselves To Death 8. Caught Up In Everyday 9. Let Them Eat Bombs 10. Our Relief 11. Towards The End 12. Massacre Of Man

Shock Nagasaki – Year Of The Spy, CD | 01.09.2007
Snotty, fast and angry three-chord punk is nothing new but that couldn’t stop Shock Nagasaki from hijacking the sound and making it all their own. Even crude production and sloppy instrumentation couldn’t stop this record from rocking your fucking socks off. If you miss in-your-face punk rock with spit flying into a crowd of leather jackets and fingers clasped tight around switchblades poised to cut deep, Shock Nagasaki is your kind of band. “Palisades And Renegades” is an instant classic, and the rest of the album follows suit. TKO Records, 8941 Atlanta Ave #505, Huntington Beach, CA 92646 http://www.tkorecords.com
Reviewed by Bart Niedzialkowski.
Tracks: 1. 1968 2. I Get High On Low Society 3. Palisades And Renegades 4. Deconstruct, Decontrol 5. Classified Information 6. Curse Of The Lady Be 7. These Are Our Streets Now 8. What Have They Done To Me? 9. Late 4 Life 10. Hit The Beach 11. Destination Nowhere 12. Shock Nagasaki

Billy Reese Peters – Almost Heaven, CD | 01.09.2007
Playing trashy southern rock n’ roll with a heavy dose of raw punk aggression Billy Reese Peters is a breath of fresh, albeit whiskey –and-tobacco-tinged breath in a scene slowly suffocating beneath mass of stale, overproduced and insincere shit passed off as independent music. Taking a similar approach to making as Latterman, Defiance, Ohio and Against Me, these guys create earnest and passionate music without compromise or loss of humor, the end result being a parody-filled yet heartfelt record full of gems like “(Crack)Rock Opera,” “Cold One” (so catchy it will give you herpes just from singing along) and “Boner City Limits” which is easily one of the best touring anthems ever written. Just a fucking riot of a record. No Idea Records, PO Box 14636, Gainesville, FL 32604 http://www.noidearecords.com
Reviewed by Bart Niedzialkowski.
Tracks: 1. The Deuce Is Loose 2. Mexico 3. Bathroom Floor 4. The Night That 'Dude' Became A Four-Letter Word 5. Mary Katherine Gallagher 6. (Crack)Rock Opera 7. Cold One 8. Boner City Limits 9. Almost Heaven 10. F' That Crap 11. Traveling Band

So It Goes – Historionics, CD | 01.09.2007
With bands like The Killers and The Bravery burning up the charts it’s no surprise that neo new wave bands are springing up all over the place. Most of them are only good at clearing the dance floor with their brand of forgettable and repetitive melodies, suggesting that reviving the genre takes more than just hype. I pondered this a bit as I hit play and sat through “Get On With It” and “No Guns No Love.” Soon, however, I found myself enraptured by the sound and dismissed all further thoughts in order to concentrate on bouncing around to the rhythm. While Historionics certainly has a few rough moments, (“Animal Show” being the worst offender), they’re merely speed bumps in an otherwise smooth experience. The sound is incredibly infectious and energetic, buoyed by the strong vocals and the dance-y atmosphere it invokes. This is certainly a cheery record but it also packs a wallop as evidenced in the raw and punchy “Ready, Control” – the crowning moment on a very solid album. http://www.soitgoesband.com
Reviewed by Bart Niedzialkowski.
Tracks: 1. Get On With It 2. No Guns No Love 3. Ready, Control 4. Propaganda 5. Animal Show 6. Robots Are Dead 7. The Apology 8. Seven Dials 9. Naked Truth 10. Defcon One 11. Hot Pink Dress

Geisha Girls - Disappearing Act, CD | 07.22.2006
When I got this in the mail, I was a little apprehensive. The liner notes didn’t make this sound appealing whatsoever because it made it seem like a PUNK record, although it did mention that they covered Ceremony, which piqued my interest somewhat. Then I put it in, and Jesus, was I wrong. I guess the old adage of don’t judge a book by its cover could never be truer. I guess this is a punk record, if you think The Stranglers, Radio Berlin, or early Cure are punk bands. This has some really dark undercurrents to it with some great hooks and some catchy choruses. I can’t wait to see them live. http://www.geishamovement.com
Reviewed by Ryan David.
Tracks: Traced Lines Indian Burn

Defiance, Ohio - The Great Depression, CD | 07.02.2006
I could spend a considerable amount of time discussing this band’s spirited DIY ethic. I could laud their important decision to make each of their released recordings available online in multiple audio formats. I could, but as important as both of those issues are, I want to concentrate on the real reason behind the band’s greatness – the music and its’ prevailing message. Combining the uncanny ability to turn even the softest acoustic melody into a raucous punk rock romp with politically and socially aware writing, Defiance, Ohio have created a record full of angst-driven protest songs the like of which have been sorely missing in the punk scene of late. Nearly each of the songs is intricately layered, offering the familiarity of folk-rock and classic arrangements, and the passion, anger and unpredictability of punk. This somewhat unusual amalgamation results in a sound both raw and memorable. I can see why the band has garnered comparisons to the likes of The Pogues and Against Me!, and yet I think it stands on its own in terms of the folk rock and punk rock bloodlines. Yes, the punk rock spirit is alive and well on “The Great Depression,” even if at first listen one might lump it into the rapidly growing folk punk subgenre. Truth is, Defiance, Ohio play with more zeal and ambition than any band in said genre, and with more fervent moxie than most of the bands currently flying the punk rock flag. While the songs are definitely catchy and spirited enough to fit into many a playlist, the caustic commentary and message in the writing means you won’t be hearing these songs on your local radio station. To find out just how great a record this is you will have to pick up a copy. That’s just as well, this revolution is not yet mainstream. No Idea Records, PO Box 14636, Gainesville, FL 32604 http://www.noidearecords.com
Reviewed by Bart Niedzialkowski.
Tracks: Petty Problems Enough Oh, Susquehanna! The New World Order Calling Old Friends Trip And Stumble This Feels Better The Year Grandma Song Letter Home The Temperature Is Dropping Lambs At The Slaughter Condition 11:11	Mp3s: 1. up/mp3s/defiance_ohio-oh_susequehanna.mp3

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Live @ Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago | 03.08.2006
To promote their upcoming release, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs embarked on a mini-tour performing a total of five shows; two in New York, one in Chicago, and two in San Francisco. Chicago’s Logan Square Auditorium was sold-out February 27th and the audience was anticipating some new material. Well, not exactly. The band did play half a set worth of new songs, but the audience appeared unconcerned with anything new and just wanted to hear the radio hits from three years ago. If it wasn’t for the poster showing the date and title of the new album (“Show Your Bones” – March 28th), more than half of the people there wouldn’t have known that the band has a new album on the way at all. Opening the evening was Imaad Wasif, who played a few songs from his own folk repertoire, followed by an impressive set from Chicago’s very own, The Ponys. The three member Yeah Yeah Yeahs(supported by Wasif on a few songs) started off with a few new songs and it was clear that they were testing out the water to see if their new material could float. It didn’t matter that the new tracks were new because the material’s sound covered up any of their natural mistakes and proved that it was indeed buoyant. Nick Zinner, who looks like a shrimp with legs, stared at his strategically placed pedals, never missing a loop while Brian Chase focused his jazz style stance around every accented rhythm. But glitter wearing Karen O proved that she is the naturally born entertainer with her microphone mannerisms and haunting stares. Her angelic voice raised every distorted note and pounding drum to the next level, creating an unforgettable evening. The band rounded up the show with an impressive three song encore of ‘Maps’, ‘Date With the Night,’ and ‘Our Time.’ No hint of exhaustion or neglect was shown during this finale. The YYYs’ new material does not sound at all like recycled material from their last album and saying that it is ‘simply good’ is an understatement. You can tell that the last three years in hibernation were used correctly and the material that was written is their best. Compared to their old songs the trio shows more diversity and a new interest in progression. Several songs, including ‘Honey Bear,’ evolve into a cosmic sound blast. Zinner still plays simple guitar riffs, but builds one on top of the other, moving from idea to idea. Chase’s drumming serves more of a purpose than being just a steady metronome. And like always, the formula would not be complete with Karen O’s voice and clever lyrics. The already released ‘Gold Lion’ does sound average when played between other songs, but the song is catchy, short, and to the point and it serves the position of being a decent single. The next time the YYYs perform in Chicago will be at the Riviera. This was a great chance to be inches from the band and I feel lucky to have heard the future of their music.
Reviewed by Adrian Finiak.
Tracks: Live @ Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago, February 27th, 2006

Rumbleseat - Is Dead, CD | 10.18.2005
Rumbleseat was a rather short-lived project featuring Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard of Hot Water Music fame, as well as Samantha Jones. As often is the case the band got its start after an impromptu jam session. The catch? It was all done with acoustic instruments. The end result is a collection of earnest songs that combine the passion of HWM with the whiskey-doused country, folk and blues influence of the South. Is Dead brings together the entire Rumbleseat discography, as well as the demo recording that got it all started. “Cursing Concrete,” “Restless” and “Saturn in Crosshairs” best capture a band that played louder, harder and more meaningful songs that most bands manage with a stage full of amps and speakers. Don’t miss this one. http://www.noidearecords.com
Tracks: 1. California Burritos 2. Cursing Concrete 3. Trestles 4. Picker 5. Jackson 6. Restless 7. Shithouse Rat 8. Moonshiner 9. Saturn in Crosshairs 10. Chattanooga Bend 11. Sea of Heartbreak 12. Rye Whiskey	Mp3s: 1. up/mp3s/rumbleseat-california_burritos.mp3