antiReviews
Quick
Hits! by antiGUY and
friends.
Rating
Guide
|
Drop
everything and Buy this CD |
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Great
Stuff, get it soon. |
|
Worth
a listen |
|
Only
for the most Die-Hard fans |
|
A
waist of packing material |
Welcome to the Quick
Hits for July 2000! This will be our last Quick Hits review segment. We
will still review CD's that we think are great on a regular basis, but
they will be on an individual basis. There is also talk about re-launching
the listening party, except with our visitors going into a chat room or
message board to discuss new releases. Interested in joining the listening
party? Drop me a line at antiguy@antimusic.com
For our final Quick
Hits segment we have quite a collection for you. antiGUY
Boiler Room -
Can't Breath
Road Runner Records
Rating
Boiler Room doesn't
pull any punches with their Road Runner Records debut, "Can't Breath".
Filled with crunchy guitar, Trent Rezner meets Scott Stapp vocals, funky
beats and powerful songs that go to eleven! Opener "Do it Again" sets a
high pace for the album and the remaining twelve tracks don't bring you
back down. If you're a riff addict, this is the must have release
of the year. While most modern metal bands rely heavily on drop D tuned
power-chords, Boiler Room brings the lead guitarist back into vogue with
some great chops and leads. Brothers' James and Mike Meselsohn's solid
rhythm section provide the perfect backdrop for vocalist Chris Lino, who
seems perpetual on the brink of a Primal Scream while keeping the tunes
melodic. The overall sound falls into the middle ground between Nine
Inch Nails and Soundgarden. This is one hot debut from a band that should
have an easy time making a name for themselves with the current hard rock
renaissance.
Listen
to samples or
purchase this title online
Cub Koda &
The Points - Noise Monkeys
J Bird Records
Rating
"Come on baby let
the good times roll!" That's what comes to mind when listening to this
album. Cub Koda takes some raunchy blues, mixes em up with hard rock and
creates a good-time-rock-n-roll CD. Best known for his hit "Smokin' in
the Boys Room" Cub has been veteran of the rock scene for years. Sadly
this album is Cub's swan song. He passed away from complications from Dialysis
treatment on July 1st. "The Noise Monkeys" is the perfect epitaph for Cub,
containing 13 songs with stylish blues rockin' raunchy guitar and politically
incorrect social commentary infused lyrics. How could you not love songs
called "Fast Food-Slow Death", "Pusherman of Love", "Spit it on the Floor",
and "Nicotine & Caffeine"?
Listen
to samples or purchase this title online
Finger Eleven
- The Greyest of Blue Skies
Wind-Up Entertainment
Rating
Most bands dread
the sophomore slump. Finger Eleven transcends that trap and has created
a album that is in many ways far superior than their debut "Tip". It further
shows that the group is growing musically. When they released their debut,
they were at the forefront of the new metal sound, now they are seasoned
veterans. Vocalist Scott Anderson continues his style of demonstrating
the fine balancing between the scream and melody. The music takes on an
industrial metal touch that carries the listener from track to track. From
the first note of "First Time" Finger Eleven got my attention and never
let go through all eleven tracks. The first single "drag you down" should
give listeners a clear understanding of why this band stands out from crowd.
The sixth track "Broken Words" is a sure radio hit if it becomes a single.
It's slow and moody verses balanced against an incredible chorus easily
make this one of the best songs in a collection of great songs. "Sick
of it all" is another standout, with multi-layered music and a chorus containing
a solid vocal hook that will have you singing along on the first listen.
This album contains eleven songs and it's eleven great songs you will get,
no filler here. Congrats to Finger Eleven for overcoming the sophomore
slump unscathed. We look forward to great things from these guys!
Listen
to samples or purchase this title online
Goudie - Peep
Show
The Music Company/Elektra
Entertainment
Rating
Goudie is the surprise
release of the year. While their style doesn't easily fit into any conventional
musical modes, it easily won us over here at antiMUSIC. If comparisons
must be drawn, then Goudie sounds closest to musical pioneers Radiohead
mixed with the pop hooks of the Marvelous 3 with shades of Prince thrown
in for extra flavor. It must be pointed out that "Peep Show" is the second
CD released by "The Music Company", a new label founded by Lars Ulrich
of Metallica. Avant-Garde-altrock is good label for Goudie. With high energy,
yet melodic tracks like "Baby Hello", "Sugar Daddy", and "Valentine" contrasting
beautifully against slow and melodic tracks like "Tonight" and "Julia",
Goudie manages to transcend the musical conventions of modern rock and
succeed in creating one of the most exciting new releases of 2000. Tired
of the same ol' same ol'? Then you should give Goudie a try. You might
be pleasantly surprised by what you hear.
Listen
to samples or purchase this title online
The Hampsterdance
Song
Koch Records
Dance crazes from
the Twist to the Shuffle and the line dance of the early 90's to the Macerana
of four years ago always seem to stem from a single song. With the dawn
of the Internet Age, we may now see the first dance craze started by a
web site. Are you among the millions who have logged onto Hampersterdance.com
and Hampsterdance2.com to watch the fury little creatures dancing to the
beat? Now you can own the song those happy little guys are dancing to and
start your own hampster dance in the privacy of your home. Imagine your
neighbors getting an eye full watching you dance with your computer!
Listen
to samples or purchase this title online
Motley Crue -
New Tattoo
Beyond Records
Rating
"New Tattoo" is
nothing new for Motley Crue. The band that seemed to change with the popular
winds in the 80's and early 90's has now settled into the mold of rehashing
"Dr Feelgood" about every 18 months. Are we getting older, or is Motley
Crue just getting old? Sure, "Dr. Feelgood" was the band's biggest success,
but that was the early 90's, the landscape has changed and the band that
changed their sound and fashion so well to match the current trends in
the past now seems to be hell-bent on recapturing their glory days. Is
this a biased review? Of course, all reviews are biased and I will state
for the record that I am not a big fan of post "Shout at the Devil" Motley
Crue. If this band chooses to rehash their prior material, why not go back
to the sound that made them stars in the beginning? Motley Crue fans will
love this album, it's Crue through and through, perhaps that's why it was
so unappealing to me. You will rarely see me bashing an artist or new album
here, typically we just ignore those albums and tell you about stuff we
do like. This time around, I felt compelled to speak up and say something.
Vince, Nikki, Randy and Mick come on guys we know you can do better than
this. The 80's are over, and while many of us have fond memories of those
days, it's time to try new things. You made a career out of evolving musically,
why are you stagnating now? I will throw you a bone in conclusion, if you
liked "Dr Feelgood" and "Generation Swine", you'll like this CD too.
Just don't expect anything new here.
Listen
to samples or purchase this title online
Mo Thugs III -
The Mothership
Koch Records
Rating
By Freak
It's rough being
the only rap fan surrounded by a bunch of rockers. But Yo, forget about
it man. They don't know what they are missin. The fresh beat, the kickin
rhymes, the gangster s***. It's all good. Mo Thugs is the real deal my
bruthers. Forget Dre and Eminem, those fools can't touch the fresh rhymes
here. The glory dayz of Gangster rap is back. Eazy-E may be gone but his
style is alive and still kickin ass with the Desperidos, Seldom Seem, Freaky
G, Ken Dawg, Flesh Bone and Black Hole of Watts all throwin it down and
keepin it real. If you like the ganster mix, check this out!
Listen
to samples or purchase this title online
Prettypony - Micropaillets
Tiger Tuff Records
Rating
What in the hell
was that? That was the question I asked myself after hearing this alt-punk-pop-bisexual
group know as Pretty Pony. It's strange, funny, rockin' and unconventional
but it works beautifully. Disenfranchised, march to the beat of a different
drummer? You'll be right at home with Pretty Pony and their tongue in cheek
lyrics that mostly deal with the subject of terror known as high school
and sex, all set to alt-punk music. Good fun for the whole family!
The Workhorse
Movement - Sons of the Pioneers
Road Runner Records
Rating
Road Runner records
continues to bat a thousand with new artists. The Workhorse Movement is
no exception. This Detroit outfit takes their motor city heritage seriously
by blending hard hitting rock and the soulful urban sounds that have made
their home town a Mecca for popular music for half a century. With "The
Sons of Pioneers" the band creates a sound that is in sync with today's
current hard rock meets the urban streets trend, but still stays true to
their various influences. The album opens with an interesting spoken dialog
that carries over into a funky hard rock fest with "Keep the Sabbath Dream
Alive". With hard guitar rock riffs backed by a funky bass and drum track,
this tune carries the listener with one of the finest fusions of the urban
and hard rock sounds yet achieved. Vocals hooks? There are plenty.
The second track kicks into high gear with heavy riffs and rap like vocals
in the tradition of Rage Against the Machine then the chorus breaks into
a funk style that would make James Brown proud. While many bands
try in earnest to mix the seemingly incompatible urban sound with heavy
metal, The Workhouse Movement succeeds where others have failed miserably.
"The Sons of Pioneer" is one of those albums that marks a cornerstone for
a music movement, innovative, creative, musically sound, and captivating.
It has the potential to win over new converts to the rapcore sound, and
lays out a fine example of how to mix the musical worlds of rap, funk and
metal into a cohesive and appealing sound.
Listen
to samples or purchase this title online
Jimmie Van Zant
Band - Southern Comfort
J-Bird Records
Rating
When you come from
a family that is synonymous with Southern Rock it is sometimes hard to
live up to that tradition while creating music that is still relevant to
today's music scene. Jimmie Van Zant, does not have that problem. His debut
album on J-bird Records keeps the spirit of Southern Rock alive with 8
tracks that does his family name proud. The album opens with a couple of
straight ahead southern hard rock numbers, "Get Up" and "Bad Habits" then
goes into the heart felt ballad - "Ronnie's Song" about Jimmie's uncle
the late Lynyrd Skynyrd legend, Ronnie Van Zant. The slow tempo continues
with "Angel in the Night" and then picks up the pace again with "Southern
Comfort". Next, Jimmie does an excellent job of covering his uncle's "Simple
Man" followed up with two modern southern rock classics "Here to Stay"
and "Party in the Parking Lot."
Overall, Jimmie continues
the proud tradition of his family with great vocals, excellent musicianship
and song writing. With "Southern Comfort" he lets the world know that Southern
rock is alive and well and still kickin ass!
Listen
to samples or purchase this title online
Previous
Quick Hits
June
2000 - Round Two - The Nixons, Dave Davies,
Duran Duran, Bon Jovi, Fleetwood Mac, The Black Crowes, Naughty Platinum
Rock, Paul Rodgers and the Drowners.
June
2000 - Round One - Angie Aparo, Don Henley, Eminem, Commodores, Deep Purple,
Iron Maiden, Nickelback, The Step Kings, and Nashville Pussy
May
2000 Mindless Self Indulgence,
3
Doors Down, Britney Spears, Bad Religion, Departure Lounge, and
Primal
Scream
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