Music Reviews by Kent Manthie<\/p>\n
Antique Scream: \u201cBeware of the Fox\u201d (no label)
\n How is it that these days some of the best rock & roll being made is being recorded by bands who aren\u2019t signed by any labels and they just don\u2019t care and instead they go ahead and write songs, record them in their bedrooms or garages or girlfriend\u2019s house or whatever and it blows away anything put out by the Warner Bros. Group, Sony, Universal\/MCA or any of the other music pimps.
\n Antique Scream are the latest in that short-lived tradition, a trio from somewhere in these United States \u2013 they have the usual rock combo\u2019s accoutrements: guitar, bass drums, but what sets this CD apart from myriad bores is that these guys put those widely used instruments, those ubiquitous tools of the trade, to good use. \u201cBeware of the Fox\u201d is a slick, well-produced CD. I looked all over for a record label logo but couldn\u2019t find one \u2013 it sounded like it had to have some bucks behind it, but that can be deceiving these days with the increasing availability of better and better digital recording technology that can make any room into a recording studio.
\n From the get-go I was entranced by an infectious set of beats and jammin\u2019 hooks and tough riffs, anchored by a fuzzy bass, they are surprisingly intense, especially when you look at the kind of dorky cover they put on the CD case. What is the deal with that? It\u2019s a goofy cartoon with a Little Red Riding Hood theme to it, or something like that. I was expecting something else but when the CD started playing I was pleasantly surprised.
\n The CD just rocks and rocks all the way \u2013 slowing down for a minute on track 8, \u201cA-Side\u201d and on track #9 too, \u201cEl Borracho\u201d, but it has a soulful, bluesy touch to it, white-boy-style, an almost seven minute ballad with a compelling grab to it and the last cut is a soulful, velvety number called \u201cTrips to the Moon\u201d. But there\u2019s a little extra treat here for you: there\u2019s another song hidden in track #10 \u2013 after the song is over the time counter keeps on going, on and on, until it gets to a little after 11 minutes and then \u2013 voila \u2013 a secret, unmentioned, hidden track! I think there may be a future for these guys, stay tuned and remember, you heard about them from me first! You can check out more about them at: http:\/\/www.antiquescream.com \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
Cuomo! \u201cHoliday\u201d (Ever Reviled Records)
\n I know the routine \u2013 some smug dude thinks he\u2019s going to be funny by making a record of stupid, kitschy, campy songs; and when it comes out, easily fooled critics will write these god-awful rants about what amazing stuff it is \u2013 how they are such brilliant and clever tunesmiths.
\n But, there\u2019s just nothing funny about this CD; it\u2019s not cute for being stupid, it\u2019s stupid because they try to be cute and there is no substance to it, just fluff. I don\u2019t know why it was even made in the first place. What is Cuomo! trying to accomplish here anyway? What the hell are they trying to prove? Huh?? I kept hoping that the next song would make up for the silliness of the previous one but it just kept getting worse and the joke just wouldn\u2019t end, which just frustrated me to no end and I just finally got mad and threw the disc at the wall. Don\u2019t bother buying it \u2013 unless you want to give it to someone in a pique of vengeance. (http:\/\/www.everreviledrecords.com) \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
Stemm: \u201cSongs for the Incurable Heart\u201d (I Scream Records)
\n I Scream Records have a stable of hard-working, Republicans making speed-death-metal CDs, eight hours a day, seven days a week, a veritable sludge factory. Gawd, it is the most vile, god-awful noise I ever heard. I can see how a lot of misfit teenaged, acne-scarred white boys would get into this, maybe they can get a catharsis from listening to this that will keep them from shooting up their school. Music as therapy? Rock on! (http:\/\/www.iscreamrecords.com) \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
The Screamin\u2019 Yee-Haws: \u201cThe Bottle and the Band\u201d (Calabama Productions)
\n Ersatz Hillbillies \u2013 why would anyone? San Diego natives, the Screamin\u2019 Yee-Haws have put out a CD that is in the same vein as Rev. Horton Heat, etc, a punk, rockabilly blender mix that has a hootenanny quality to it; a raucous, alcohol-fueled jamboree that is quite infectious, as far as spreading those blue-eyed soulful vibes. It turns your depressing day into a devil-may-care noisefest and you deserve it, man.
\n You see, anything goes here in Southern California and if someone here wants to act like buzzsaw-eating rowdies that dance crazily and make jet-fuel rockabilly then they can do that. Just listening to \u201cThe Bottle and the Band\u201d gets me all excited it makes me want to go out to some honky-tonk dive bar and get my rocks off. Yee-haw, indeed. \u201cBurnin\u2019 On Jimmy\u201d is punk-rock ditty, on fire, electrified, it has a wild streak to it. I was also put into a wild mood when I heard \u201c_\u201d \u2013 the whole album has a way of putting things in perspective; in other words, don\u2019t take things too seriously, mellow out now & then and let your hair down. What have you got to lose? Yee-haw. (http:\/\/www.screaminyeehaws.com) \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
8 Equals D: \u201cLiving the Dream\u201d (Demo)
\n I think that 8 Equals D may have Reviewer mixed up with a record label instead of the highly influential music mag that we are. They sent us this fifteen minute demo on a Memorex recordable CD \u2013 we\u2019re talking very DIY here, but no matter, that is what we\u2019re all about: the best new music, regardless of how much money you\u2019ve got or where you\u2019re from.
\n They have some potential, displaying some raw energy, an anarchic spirit and a true punk ethos. Hailing from Los Angeles, they fit in nicely with that city\u2019s lineage of legendary punk bands (Black Flag, X, Minutemen). The first cut, \u201cFirst to Last\u201d piqued my interest enough to tune in more; I was intrigued by what I heard. Other hard-core jams include \u201cSteel Belted Rivals\u201d, \u201cSuch a Victim\u201d and \u201cPR\u201d which evoked some classic 1980s hard core stuff – for me, anyway. The shortness of the CD \u2013 15+ minutes \u2013 reminded me of the too-concise classic punk record, \u201cPunchline\u201d by Minutemen, which itself is less than twenty minutes; also in that vein was the fast, loose and perfect \u201cEverything Falls Apart\u201d by Husker Du.
\n Anyway, this CD could be the kind of thing to hold onto and just in case something interesting happens you\u2019ll be able to say you knew \u2018em when. (http:\/\/www.eightequalsd.com) \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
Hialeah: \u201cWhen You\u2019re Standing\u201d (Blackbox Records)
\n Few bands these days can pique my interest; it\u2019s a rare thing for me to be blown away by new music since so much is derivative that one has to judge a lot of this stuff by different, diluted standards other than originality. OK, Hialeah are not the only ones to sound like this. What they did, though, is to whip the senses into a frenzy of cool receptivity.
\n Hialeah fits into this interesting box \u2013 the better file, I guess you could call it. I was pleased by the deconstructed power pop, the cerebral, emotive musings. The music really gets a kick from the thundering bass and the pulsing, throbbing beats of the drums; they both anchor the noodling, jangle of the guitar and the understated plaintive angst of the vocals. Hailing from the San Diego area, down in the mellow sunshine of So-Cal, Hialeah has a similar vibe to other area bands like The Nervous Return or Dehra Dun.
\n A concise power-trio, Hialeah consists of Mario Quintero playing guitar and singing, Justin Jay on drums and Mike Pereira on bass and vocals. They are a tight outfit, the CD is well-produced and the rhythm section \u2013 bass & drums \u2013 is turned up quite high in order to really add a synthesisic addition to all the songs on \u201cWhen You\u2019re Standing\u201d.
\n With songs like \u201cFault Line\u201d, \u201cTurn it Down\u201d or the closer, \u201cForevermore\u201d, these guys are taking emo-core to a new subtlety, with blissful results. (http:\/\/www.hialeahrock.com) \u2013KM.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Music Reviews by Kent Manthie Antique Scream: \u201cBeware of the Fox\u201d (no label) How is it that these days some of the best rock & roll being made is being recorded by bands who aren\u2019t signed by any labels and they just don\u2019t care and instead they go ahead and write songs, record them in their bedrooms or garages or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[295],"class_list":["post-273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-archive","tag-music-reviews-antique-scream"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":55,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2006\/05\/19\/music-reviews-issue-32-by-kent\/","url_meta":{"origin":273,"position":0},"title":"music reviews, issue 32, by Kent","author":"admin","date":"May 19, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Music reviews by Kent Manthie Low Cloud Cover: \u201cSeparation Anxiety\u201d (Breathing Room Records) I love those colorful little houses, situated along the streets of Southern California suburbs. They have a really happy vibe to them all. Light purple or mauve, fuchsia, sometimes even pale yellow or lime green. What wonderful,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":647,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2006\/04\/01\/music-reviews-issue-32-from-kristina-meek\/","url_meta":{"origin":273,"position":1},"title":"Music Reviews, Issue 32, from Kristina Meek","author":"admin","date":"April 1, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Music Reviews by Kristina Meek Desert Rust Cactus Music If the whole CD were like the easy, melodic, gathered-around-the-campfire-drinking-beers first track, Cactus Music would be quite an enjoyable little jaunt. Unfortunately, when Desert Rust picks up the pace and adds thin, strained-sounding vocals, the warm desert night turns ice cold\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":148,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2006\/09\/25\/music-reviews-the-destroyed\/","url_meta":{"origin":273,"position":2},"title":"music reviews The Destroyed","author":"admin","date":"September 25, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"The Destroyed: \u201cRussian Roulette\u201d (self-released) In a world gone wild, there are many who can chronicle the machinations of the few and the actions, reactions and counteractions of the rest of the world. Today we have the punk band, which can sum up ideas and\/or answer the rhetoric of so-called\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":13881,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2016\/09\/01\/antique-gear-the-zeiss-ikon-contaflex\/","url_meta":{"origin":273,"position":3},"title":"antique gear: the Zeiss Ikon Contaflex","author":"Reviewer Rob","date":"September 1, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"[Collectibles] IG post: my new old camera outdated cameras are only one of my obsessions by Reviewer Rob originally from an Instagram post here Newly acquired: an early Model Contaflex from the German company Zeiss Icon. Looks like the fixed lens version they came out with in the beginning before\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "photolog"","block_context":{"text":"photolog","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/photolog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":147,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2006\/09\/19\/music-reviews-secret-apollo\/","url_meta":{"origin":273,"position":4},"title":"music reviews… secret apollo","author":"admin","date":"September 19, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Music reviews by Kent Manthie Secret Apollo: HOMEMADE TIME MACHINE (tall people records) Secret Apollo have twiddled and fiddled with the knobs in the studio for a bit and wound up with this ultra-cool, way hip CD, which is not too long, either, only about 40 minutes altogether. There are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":487,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2008\/06\/21\/new-music-cd-reviews-by-matthew-powers-6-08\/","url_meta":{"origin":273,"position":5},"title":"New Music CD reviews By Matthew Powers 6-08","author":"admin","date":"June 21, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"New Music CD reviewsBy Matthew Powers ::: Bayadera Rotation of the Earth An unironic cover of the most overtly commercial song pop song in history (Wham!\u2019s \u201cCareless Whisper\u201d) says it all: Bayadera want to make it, and make it big. Their template has potential. Gina Bandy\u2019s vocals are smooth as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=273"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}