Music Reviews by Kent Manthie<\/p>\n
Dactyl: \u201cTeething\u201d (Reptilian Records)
\n All through the (only) 8 tracks on \u201cTeething\u201d, Dactyl manhandle the hell out of the bass guitar, thumpin\u2019 and bumpin\u2019 it, pumping it through a fuzz-box, it really anchored the band quite well. The tunes are groovy punk riots \u2013 take \u201cUlterior Motives\u201d: there is a blissful conciseness here: \u201cDNA\/It has its own agenda!\u201d and then \u201cTooth Magic\u201d has one of the coolest lines I\u2019ve heard in a while: \u201cFreedom is a mustache, man\u2026\u201d \u2013 indeed! Underneath the razor-sharp terseness, there is a wry sense of humor throughout the short, sharp \u201cTeething\u201d \u2013 they don\u2019t want to hurt people, they just want to do their own thing,
\n The fuzzy bass and the screaming guitar were purposely made to drown out the vocals \u2013 angry calls for blood, more hammers and anvils. Anyway, I dig this album a lot and so will you fans of the Melvins, Drive Like Jehu and Mudhoney. \u201cTeething\u201d was recorded at the Talking Head Club in Baltimore but it\u2019s not a live album per se. I don\u2019t think there was a show actually being captured for posterity; they just recorded the album there without overdubs and all that kind of stuff that goes on in the studio. Dig the outta-sight artwork on the CD sleeve by Orin Brecht; it\u2019s got that old concert showbill art style to it, that cartoonish, graphic arts type of drawing, with 4-color processes. The whole album rocks, it\u2019s just song after song of tight, jammin\u2019 get-ups that put you in a head-bobbing mood and will be the most exciting thing you hear tonight. For the websites of your life, go to: http:\/\/www.dactyldactyl.com or http:\/\/www.reptilianrecords.com \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
Slowdeath: \u201cA Rising Tide of Anger\u201d (Moebius Palindrome Records)
\n On the long-awaited follow-up to 2002\u2019s \u201cNew Deadly Sin\u201d, Slowdeath bring you \u201cA Rising Tide of Anger\u201d and believe me, it\u2019s angry! It\u2019s very fast, fiery and man, the singer-front man Ed Milch, sounds so damn angry, I feel like saying to him, \u201cgee, Ed, lighten up, will ya? Get over it already!\u201d The CD gets going with a really cool opener called \u201cApocalypse Dub\u201d, a funky little instrumental jam that pulled me in only to bait & switch me after two minutes when it went into the meat of the disc: a grungy, violent Manichean bloodbath took over. It\u2019s a veritable catharsis of major proportions \u2013 for both Slowdeath as well as the fans who listen to the CD.
\n Besides the opener, \u201cApocalypse Dub\u201d, check out \u201cRequiem\u201d, \u201cHelicopter Head\u201d and \u201cSlow Doom March\u201d for some good samples. For the requisite website information \u2013 http:\/\/www.moebiuspalindrome.com \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
Slowdeath: \u201cNew Deadly Sin\u201d (Moebius Palindrome Records)
\n Slowdeath are some busy cats, pumping out CD after CD, filling the streets with more and more death-cult scenery. Yeah, dude, I dig it. \u201cNew Deadly Sin\u201d goes full-throttle from the very first note and doesn\u2019t let up until the end. This is an older release, back from 2002, but as long as we\u2019re doing the Slowdeath reviews, I thought I\u2019d give a special mention to this one to show you what all the fuss is about when it comes to their more recent stuff. I say get \u2018em all.
\n As far as the music enclosed therein, \u201cLiberty\u201d is a nice extended slugfest, a jamboree of fury that has the tightest guitar riffs this side of Saturn. Then for you axe murderers out there, \u201cThe Fear\u201d is your song. Also, let me say that the title track is a nice closer, I mean, well, so it\u2019s not a whole lot different than the other tracks, it\u2019s got a unique groove-thang that leaves one thinking about them for a while after it\u2019s over. For more info and junk, go here: http:\/\/www.moebiuspalindrome.com \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
Drats! Presents: \u201cWelcome to New Granada\u201d (Burnside Distribution Corp.)
\n For those of you who remember the 1979 cult-film \u201cOver the Edge\u201d will recall Matt Dillon\u2019s debut film performance. It is the story of the teenagers who are growing up in a soulless subdivision in some plastic suburb in Anywhere, USA. When I saw the movie, about 15 years ago, I totally saw the suburb where I lived and went to high school \u2013 it was like they were telling the story of my friends and me in the late 80s, it was so like my experience it was scary! But, anyway, Drats! \u2013 an interesting new musical combo with some interesting ideas as well, took the aforementioned indie flick as an inspiration and wrote and recorded their musical interpretation of the movie. It is in the tradition of other classic movie music such as \u201c200 Motels\u201d, \u201cMore\u201d or \u201cZabriskie Point\u201d. With more than just novelty value, this ex post facto soundtrack actually is a very cool and musically stylish work of art. I am so glad that there are still people around in this world who appreciate avant-garde, originality and fresh ideas. That is such a comforting thing to know.
\n So now you have to go out and find \u201cOver the Edge\u201d on DVD somewhere (that is, if it\u2019s even on DVD) and watch it so you can better appreciate this CD. But even if you\u2019ve never seen the film and never will you\u2019ll still get a great kick out of listening to \u201cWelcome to New Granada\u201d \u2013 a musical fantasy that has a hip jingle-jangle pop sensibility to it.
\n Drats! are the newest musical sensation from Portland, OR, a sextet that does their level best to be as outr\u00e9 as possible. Their syncopation and eclectic melodies make listening to this album over and over again a pleasant experience with something new popping out with each new hearing. \u201c\u2026New Granada\u201d is not a long, drawn-out experience, it\u2019s only a handful of minutes long, less than forty minutes, but each note is a big-time sweetness rush. Check \u2018em out at http:\/\/www.dratslive.com \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmerican Heroes\u201d \u2013 Various Artists (3 Point Records)
\n For all you \u201cpatriotic\u201d types out there \u2013 you know who you are \u2013 here\u2019s a little something to put in your CD player: 3 Point Records has issued this tribute to military folks with \u201cAmerican Heroes\u201d. There are a whole slew of people who\u2019ve donated a song to this, people such as: Fremont John, Eric Hansen, Drew Gorman, Andreas and Ode, just to name a few. The music is a sort of blend of homespun, country fried chicken-&-apple-pie paeans. Well, if you like your music flag-wavin\u2019 and thick with a lack of irony, you\u2019ll really dig this CD \u2013 and best of all, it\u2019ll give you a nice little warm feeling when you find out that 3 Point Records is donating the proceeds of this CD to Keystone Soldiers, a foundation that helps people do stuff.
\n But I must say, I think it\u2019s kind of disingenuous to write things on the back of the CD cover like \u201c\u2026We are proud of our heroes, who cannot be at home with their families because they are protecting all of ours.\u201d It\u2019s ok to support your military loved ones, but don\u2019t be deluded: nothing in the U.S. is being protected by our military occupying Iraq \u2013 especially since we\u2019ve been losing liberties left and right, one after the other thanks to the Bushies.
\n There\u2019s only one way to support the troops \u2013 BRING THEM HOME. But hey – dig the music, kids\u2026dance, dance, dance – http:\/\/www.keystonesoldiers.com \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
Spirits in Ambience: \u201cSIA\u201d
\n The music here is kind of a cool, electronica-disco. It\u2019s not Ambient, with a capital \u2018A\u2019, but it\u2019s got some smooth atmospheric pleasure-dome effects to it. I tell, you though, it\u2019s pretty hard to like the first cut when you keep hearing Hitler\u2019s voice over and over (track #1, \u201cSubmission\u201d)
\n Anyway, the rest of this four-song EP has some midnight-black, ominous-sounding dance-jams that would not be out of place at your local downtown nightclub; there are stylish guitar loops, a flashy drum machine, a sexy-sounding female singing in French and pulsing electronica wigging out in many layers. It would go well for your date with that tall blond German girl. Check out the website \u2013 http:\/\/www.aurorablue.com \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
Dead City Dregs [Demo]
\n Well, the word on the street is out \u2013 these guys rock! They are already taking California by storm with their rip-roarin\u2019 debut \u2013 hell, it\u2019s only a DIY demo CD with four tracks but it\u2019s already buzzing all over the place \u2013 everyone I know says they really dig these guys and cannot wait to see them tear the place up when they come to town and play live.
\n Anyway, DCD are a quartet from the good ol\u2019 Midwest river town of St. Louis, Missouri, where William S. Burroughs grew up. Bryan, Shane, Jake and Tom are exploding onto the indie scene, getting airplay on XM satellite radio, getting rave reviews by fans through word-of-mouth and on the internet.
\n For the last year and a half, the Dregs have been working overtime, playing gigs in and around the St. Louis area and even appearing on the opening bills for bands like Frontline Attack, On the Rise and Time Again.
\n Well, all that hard work has paid off and they\u2019ve managed to craft a nice oeuvre so far. Of course, this is only the beginning. The first cut, \u201cGoin\u2019 Back\u201d is a stimulating dance number to which you can\u2019t resist bopping up and down. Song 2, \u201cEnd of the Line\u201d is a straight ahead rocker, a hard-edged roadhouse jam. Third cut, \u201cWeapons\u201d speeds things up a little; it\u2019s a frenetic, herky-jerky groove \u201c\u2026forty days to the night\u201d. My favorite, though, is the last tune, \u201cDead Air\u201d \u2013 a punk party tune, reminiscent of Rancid at their best.
\n Currently, Dead City Dregs are doing \u2013 guess what? \u2013 more touring. This time they\u2019re branching outside of St. Louis and playing gigs in select cities around the U.S. in support of this currently-available-for-purchase demo CD and they\u2019re also getting ready to put out a full-length CD with some refined and measured stuff, so keep your ears open and your eyes peeled for these guys to come to your town soon! You can visit them (virtually) at their MySpace page: http:\/\/www.myspace.com\/deadcitydregs – KM.<\/p>\n
Spirits in Ambience (s\/t)
\n This is kind of a concept album \u2013 there is an accompanying paper that came with my copy on which every song title is deconstructed and the meanings of the songs are spelled out for interested listeners. Spirits in Ambience is the project of producers Mark Peacock and Greg Vossberg; they\u2019ll take you on a magical dance journey and you\u2019ll be gyrating non-stop before the whole thing is over. Mark Peacock is the progenitor and proprietor of Aurora Blue, an ambient music society that is putting out this trippy essence of ether. This is their pet project but they have big plans for the future, which will be bright, indeed.
\n The music on this CD is much more laid back, ambient stuff than the dance-y four-song EP, \u201cSIA\u201d. \u201cSpirits in Ambience\u201d is a more grown up, chill-out record, a fabulous, swirling vortex of the stuff dreams are made.
\n It sort of reminds me a little of Orbital, the 1990s trippy dance-ambient sensation, albeit SIA add a touch of the earthy along with the ethereal. Instead of getting up to dance, \u201cSpirits in Ambience\u201d will make you want to get down and make love, go on a nature hike or slip into a blissful trance.
\n Interwoven with the mechanized electronic dance dubs is some flamenco guitar, some bluesy electric guitar, a bit of violin with a pick up played through effects pedals and other humanizing touches that add a great flair to it, that give it all some soul. Especially in the last few cuts, things let loose, hair is let down and the disco energy is adulterated with some electric bugaloo microdots
\n To get in touch with your inner Spirit in Ambience, go to: http:\/\/www.aurorablue.com \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n
Karyn Roy Smith: \u201cWhen the Stars Come Out\u201d
\n More and more people are expressing their artistic sides and writing their own music and putting out their own CDs and so on. It\u2019s not just garage bands who record their own demos anymore. Karyn Roy Smith has just crafted a lush pop CD with bubbly, dance stuff on it for your listening pleasure. If you like to go out dancin\u2019 with your loved one, this will probably be the one that induces you to get out and hit the dance floor.
\n What with songs like \u201cBeautiful Again\u201d, \u201cWhen the Stars Come Out\u201d and \u201cSwept Away\u201d how can you possibly go wrong? Dig the soothing, sensual melodies, the carefree, windswept soundscape. You\u2019ll fall asleep with a smile on your face.
\n What is more, Ms. Smith isn\u2019t just some dumb chanteuse, she\u2019s written all her own songs, created a style all her own and has taken it to the streets. If you\u2019re in the mood for light summer fare this is probably the one for you. For more information, check out: http:\/\/www.karynroysmith.com \u2013 KM.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Music Reviews by Kent Manthie Dactyl: \u201cTeething\u201d (Reptilian Records) All through the (only) 8 tracks on \u201cTeething\u201d, Dactyl manhandle the hell out of the bass guitar, thumpin\u2019 and bumpin\u2019 it, pumping it through a fuzz-box, it really anchored the band quite well. The tunes are groovy punk riots \u2013 take \u201cUlterior Motives\u201d: there is a blissful conciseness here: \u201cDNA\/It has […]<\/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":[306],"class_list":["post-324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-archive","tag-music-reviews-61507"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":300,"url":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2007\/05\/29\/reptilian-records-ad\/","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":0},"title":"Reptilian Records ad","author":"admin","date":"May 29, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"NEW RELEASES! DACTYL, Teething & Gunna Vahm MAN HANDS FOR RUMP LUST available now at Reptilian Records http:\/\/www.ReptilianRecords.com","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":469,"url":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2008\/04\/22\/new-music-reviews-by-andrew-napoli\/","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":1},"title":"New Music Reviews, by Andrew Napoli","author":"admin","date":"April 22, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"http:\/\/reviewermagazine.com\/rvur38music-andrew-napoli-4-23.htmlNew MusicCD Reviews By Andrew NapoliCeleste Lear Looking Up from Under Water Celeste is the granddaughter of the man who invented the 8-track. She continues in this solitary tradition by handling nearly everything herself: producing, programming, playing guitar and singing. She puts her degree in sound engineering to work on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":426,"url":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2008\/01\/17\/new-music-reviews-eight-minutes-to-twilight-others\/","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":2},"title":"New Music REVIEWS: Eight Minutes to Twilight, & others","author":"admin","date":"January 17, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"New Music ReviewsBy Lindsay Johnson ... the token \u201cslow song,\u201d although it is a sweet plea for \u201cgirls to give me some head.\u201d ~ ::: Eight Minutes to Twilight Fairlanes Avenue While the attempt at music is honorable, and notable, it is not stable enough to carry the album. There\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":265,"url":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2007\/03\/18\/music-reviews-the-cinematics\/","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":3},"title":"music reviews – The Cinematics","author":"admin","date":"March 18, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Music reviews, by Natalie Kardos The Cinematics \u2013 A Strange Education With their full-length debut album A Strange Education, The Cinematics throw their hat into the dance-rock ring. Their highly polished variation on this now-familiar theme includes glitzy guitar licks, glimmery chords, and cymbal-centric drumming. Many of the songs, including\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":233,"url":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2007\/01\/30\/music-reviews-by-kristina-clayton\/","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":4},"title":"Music Reviews by Kristina Clayton","author":"admin","date":"January 30, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"MUSIC REVIEWS by Kristina Clayton Dirty Kings Electric Dirt Nice guitar riffs, smack-ass bass and rump-rockin rhythm coming from this trio of musicians. Electric Dirt is one of the better underground rock albums even though I think the singer is a bit tone def. That would not matter at a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":643,"url":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2006\/03\/29\/issue-32-music-reviews\/","url_meta":{"origin":324,"position":5},"title":"issue 32 music reviews","author":"admin","date":"March 29, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Music Reviews for issue 32 (with one DVD review) by Vikkee Payge Tarantella Esqueletos This album is the band\u2019s first full-length album, and it\u2019s beautiful. The haunting fiddle playing by Kelly O\u2019Dea flows with the mournful melodies of lead singer Kal Calhoone like water. The album, sung in both English\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=324"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}