RegistratorsTerminal Boredom
(Rip Off Records)
Rude, bratty, and fast, Japan's Registrators will be stopping in Phoenix, Wednesday, Nov. 20th, at Cannery Row to kick out a set of raw punk rock, in the midst of their 10-date U.S. tour.
The Registrators hold their own in the existing garage scene, living up to and being unavoidably compared to fellow Japanese garage acts, Teengenerate and Guitar Wolf. The Registrator's first full-length album, "Terminal Boredom" is undiluted late 70s punk, right down to the flawless title. Sounding like the most unbearable punk rock brats, the Registrators don skinny ties and wrap around shades, reminiscent of the new wave era, and give "Thanks to no one" on their album cover.
Fans of past Registrator singles will recognize the band's simple chord, tight style that make tunes like "Stamp You Out", "Scratch Your Heart", and the title cut outstanding with their pogo-inducing catchiness.
The Registrators will be supported by Tucson's Fells.
-Fen Hsiao
Buring Heart Records
Cheap Shots Volume 2
(Burning Heart Records)
One Sunday evening after watching the band Millencolin play an excellent set at Toxic Ranch Records, I received a free compilation after I purchased a Millencolin shirt. Little did I know that I'd be listening to "Cheap Shots Vol. 2" nonstop for three weeks and find myself singing along with these Swedish delights.
A picture of Bruce Lee with a fro and a Black Flag tattoo graces the cover, and contained inside are 11 of Sweden's finest punk, funk, hardcore, and ska bands who play infectious, addicting music that's slowly winning fans all over the world. Burning Heart Records, a lable that's been around since 1993, is dedicated to promoting young talent both in Sweden and around the world - there is also an American band on the comp. Most of the members of these bands age from 16-22, and it serves as a reminder that the youth will always prevail, no matter what.
-Andrew Berenson
Kula Shaker
K
(Columbia)
Thank Noel Gallagher. All by his lonesome, the man has managed to open America back up to British music. Of course, now every band from the UK gets compared to Oasis, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The Beatles' influences are on Kula Shaker's debut, as well, but if Noel is writing the Paul and John songs of the 90s, then Kula Shaker's Crispian Mills (son of Hayley Mills) is more concerned with recalling George. In fact, the band even received permission from George himself to use a guitar riff from his song, "Ski-ing" for their track, "Gokula," which will appear on their latest UK single.
Crispian spent some time in India, where he developed his Eastern sensibilities, which are most apparent on the album during "Govinda," which is entirely in Hindi, the instrumental "Sleeping Jiva," and the absolutely brilliant track, "Tattva," easily one of this year's best songs. Then there's Krishna on the album cover, along with a whole bunch of other folks whose name start with "K."
Don't be misled, though. There are many other sounds on this album as well, including echoes of Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, of course, and even the strange nod to the Grateful Dead with the track(s) "Grateful When You're Dead / Jerry Was There." Yes, the record is diverse. Yes, it's even a little inconsistent at times. But you must get it anyway. It's worth the price for "Tattva" alone, so any other enjoyment you get out of it (and there will be a lot) is just a bonus. It even comes with a free single for a limited time.
-Doug Levy
Punka
Kenickie
(EMI)
Okay, okay, I apologize for this in advance. This is Kenickie's first single and it's only available as a UK import right now, so it might take some work to track it down, but it's just so much darn fun, I had to tell you about it. Kenickie is a four-piece almost all-girl band (the drummer is a guy, as is usually the case in these situations) that play some of the silliest, poppiest, most delightful songs I've heard in a while.
Imagine Elastica, only not quite as serious. (If you don't know, Elastica themselves are not that serious to begin with.) Kenickie are almost cartoonish in their musical sensibilities, and the single even features a comic-strip-type album cover, and captioned photos of the band on the inside. The four songs on this release clock in at under ten minutes total, but instead of feeling cheated, they just leave you wanting more. "We never learned to play - cos we're Punka!" sings Lauren Laverne on the lead track. If only some the other bands around today had never learned to play, too. We might not have to listen to some of the intolerable music spewed our way.
If you can't find the import cds you're looking for, a great source for imports is SirenCD in California. You can reach them online at www.sirencd.com .
-Doug Levy
House of Pain
Truth Crushed to Earth Shall Rise Again
(Tommy Boy)
Well, it's House of Pain, isn't it? It was apparent after their last effort that these guys had found a formula and were happy to stick with it. A catchy little beat, some really silly lyrics, an excessive amount of similes, and an attitude of attempted ferocity that never quite makes it through the speakers.
There are some changes with this album, though. Like Everlast's voice. Whatever the man has been doing to his throat, it can't be good for you. He sounds like he has been taking singing lessons from Dicky Barrett of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, which has the wonderful effect of giving the album that early-stages-of-laryngitis feel.
There are also collaborations with Sadat X, G.U.R.U., and Divine Styler and Cockni O Dire, "the original Scheme Team," who give us such words of wisdom as, "This is for all them dirty bitches out there. Suck up on these motherfucking nuts." This must be their way of attracting a larger female fan base.
Everlast himself is in typical lyrical form, giving us lines like, "my sonic's got youth cause my mud's got honey," and, as usual, the similes by the truckload. "Fresh tattoos mark this occasion," reads their press release, "as with every important event."
I think that about says it all.
-Doug Levy
Madonna
Evita
(Warner Bros)
Madonna entered the music scene singing bubble gum pop and ear candy. Then she matured and made message songs like "Papa Don't Preach," and "Til Death Do Us Part." The 90s rolled around with Madonna singing 40s-like songs from and inspired by the film "Dick Tracy," on her CD "I'm Breathless." In 1995, she showed her melodious side by releasing a collection of her greatest ballads on "Something to Remember."
Now, in 1996, Madonna takes her voice to the highest octaves ever sung in her career in Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice's rock opera "Evita."
Madonna sings with pride, balance and levels never heard on previous records. She portrays Evita through the music as a poor, innocent girl maturing into a strong, powerful and influential women who is considered a God-send by some Argentines. Madonna's newly-trained voice goes from soft to high notes to growling in anger.
This album may not sell well to teenyboppers due to the fact that it is a double CD set and that it exhibits a story, as opposed to a bunch of heroin-induced soapbox songs with sexual innuendoes. But, for those cultured folks out there, this is well worth the money.
-Anthony R. Ashley
Railroad Jerks
The Third Rail
(Matador)
A bit too silly to be taken seriously, Railroad Jerk's self-proclaimed exploration of "gangster folk" is continued in their fourth album, "The Third Rail." Or so I guess. This self-description is rather misleading of Railroad Jerk's music that strives to be at once tough and valid, yet fails to even convey a sense of consideration from the listener.
Although named Village Voice's "Best NYC band" of `95, Railroad Jerk's only claim to fame is a once-played video, on MTV, "Rollerkoaster." Ugh, there's really no reason to volunteer your own take on the English language and its spellings.
Using harmonica, borrowing from Blues Explosion, and screaming similarities to Beck, Railroad Jerk blends "quirky" alternative rock with country and pop. Making repeated use of radio airwave samples as a backdrop to drawn out vocals and poetry-like lyrics, Railroad Jerk sounds far from the "scum rock" attitude they supposedly possess.
Railroad Jerk fail to show any sign of individuality and lucky for them, they seem quite content to dwell in the annals of indie rock.
-Fen Hsiao
