Poker Face - Sex, Lies & Politiks
Sex, Lies & Politiks by Poker Face (Dennis Beidler, Howie Dean, Brett Griffiths and Paul Topete)
is a great political CD by a top political band. Songs like Illuminati, Tear it Down and Freedom, an
enhanced portion of the CD that contains the Declaration of Independence, and the words of George Washington, and a 3x3 panel with a map of the U.S. detailing the operations of the shadow government and
a writing by Poker Face -"A Few Thoughts on Freedom" - really help to open the eyes to current
government malfeasance. A Patriot band, Poker Face believes in America, the Constitution, and Freedom, as opposed to One World Government Tyranny. Get the CD and learn, if you don't know, or support the movement if you do. Oh, and the CD rocks and sounds great. Here's most of an email I sent to Paul
the day I got the CD - didn't write it for publication, but he liked it enough to use it, so ...
Paul - totally excellent - awesome. I wasn't sure what to expect. Totally top-notch all around. Every facet. I knew the politics was going
to be there, and they are, and that's good. I guess the 2 things that are the most surprising are the super high quality of the ECD ... and the amazing quality of the sound. The sound is amazing. You must have spent hundreds and hundreds - if not thousands - of hours in the studio. The tones are really rich and smooth, the arrangements are
complicated and full without seeming cluttered - reminded me a little of some Zep in that respect - and, one of those things that I
haven't even much noticed in CD's recently, the stereo mix really adds a noticable level of quality appreciation to the music - it's been a
long time since I've heard a CD that I can say the stereo separation adds anything to the music - again Zep maybe. The songs rock,
but I was familiar with many of the songs from the Gull show last July - maybe it's similar to how the JCS Salmonella CD was so much
richer than the Fowl CD's and live. Totally awesome - 5 out of 5. (5-00 jl)
Anthrophobia - In the Zero to 3 Movement
In the Zero to 3 Movement by Anthrophobia (Frank Phobia - Throat, Noises; Tim Risser - Bass; D.L.P - All Guitars; 3D - Drums, Cymbals, Rims) is a Super Heavy, really really good CD on 215 Records. Their last CD, Pulse, sold some 50,000 copies, and Anthrophobia toured to
support it. It got good airplay on, I believe, active rock radio in certain markets. This is 90's modern heavy rock (I would say, as music and genres
are changing, and I'm not exactly on top if it) but is definitely not 80's metal. The song Knockout was caught in my head for a while, which gives an indication of
catchiness as well as heaviness. They cover Moving in Stereo by the Cars, and it sounds nothing like the Cars. They opened for
Godsmack in February 1999, and tore the place up - there was plenty of rockin' fury at that all age show at the
City Island Pavillion. The production is good, the playing is good, the singing is good, the writing / songs are good, it's all good.
A professional, heavy CD. (12-99 jl)
Aw Yeah! - Not 4 Everyone - Just the Sexy People
Not 4 Everyone - Just the Sexy People by Aw Yeah (kitty-kat - Vocals; daddy-oh! - Vocals; the freshmaker - Guitar; mr. sweetback - Theremin; skip - Guitar, Vocals; simbad - bass; err titus - drums)
gives you Good Funk Grooves. They thank (or Aw Yeah! "lusts after") the All Mighty Senators in the
liner notes (if they're still called that). That should give you an indication. Aw Yeah! is also in the same
basic category as Baby Fat and 2 Skinnee J's. They're fun, do the 70's look, with the wild clothes and oversized
sunglasses, have stage names (like the J's), and quote and sample extensively from other bands and songs .
I would guess that they'd be good live, they would be likely to get bootys shakin'. On the downside, I think
that the production is a bit off, but just a bit. Some of the instruments are either a bit high or a bit low in the mix.
Also, when they try the humor / attitude thing, sometimes it misses, but humor can be tricky to do. Other than that,
overall I would say that its a good album, and I would guess that their live shows are even better. (12-99 jl)
The Badlees - up there down here, amazing grace
The story of The Badlees (Bret Alexander - guitars, mandolin, banjo, lap steel dulcimer, zither, vocals; Jeff Feltenberger - guitars, vocals; Pete Palladino - vocals, harmonica, accordion;
Ron Simasek - drums, purcussion, vibes; Paul Smith - basses, cello, vocals) should be familiar to many of you. From Central PA, The Badlees released a number of self-produced CD's in the early
90's. Their 1995 CD "River Songs," produced at The Green Room, and released on their own label, was picked up by A&M Records and released with only minor changes. River Songs was
a critical success and had some commercial success with the hits "Angeline is Coming Home" and "Fear of Falling". Fast forward to 1998, and Seagrams has purchased Polygram and all of its
labels (including A&M). Up there down here has been recorded and is ready for release. But, because A&M has been acquired, it does not appear UTDH is to be released any time soon.
In early 1999, The Badlees record and then release Amazing Grace on their Rite-Off label in the spring. Around the same time, they are released from their A&M contract, and UPDH is
picked up by national label Ark 21 records. UTDH is released in August 1999. So, about the CD's. Both are super great CD's in the roots / americana vein of The Band. They have a textured richness
that grows deeper and more complex with every listen. There isn't a lot on the CD's that jumps out of the speakers and grabs you immediately (however, I think that Which One of You could be a single -
it was played by ABC tv in prime time - and Don't Let Me Hide, the first single, is doing well), mostly, the songs are more reserved. To me, UTDH is a little smoother, a little more polished, than AG, which might be the result of the more extensive production for A&M as
opposed to the home recording of AG, but it also could easily be the intent of
the band. Pete shares the signing duties on AG a little more than on UTDH, and AG has more of a relaxed, team effort, earthy feel. For those of you who think you know The Badlees
based on an experience of 4 or 5 years ago, you might be surprised how The Badlees' sound has grown richer, darker and more complex, while retaining its rootsiness / Band / Bruce Springsteeen / Americana flavor.
Just go and buy these CD's and find out how. (12-99 jl)
Cotton - Blue Ruin
Blue Rain by Cotton (Kirk Folk - vocals & acoustic guitar; Ralph Wyant, Jr - bass & backing vocals; Johnny Star - electric guitars and backing vocals; Trent Sprenkle - drums)
is a good album with clear 70's influences. Catchy and radio-ready. Longer guitar solos than is today's norm.
Well-produced. Kirk Folk is a good singer who sounds a bit like Ian Asbury of The Cult, or the guy from Uriah
Heep whose name excapes me. At The Blue Bird Inn sounds like Grand Funk Railroad. Twisted by the Light has
a country feel, and starts out a bit like Walk Like an Egyptian, then a little later gets funky.
Blue Rain sounds like acoustic Led Zeppelin circa III. Sheputa is the most "alternative" or "modern" sounding
cut on the CD - got the groove thing going, got the Ian Asbury thing going, got the 70's analog sounding effect
thing going - good rocking song. I think that fans of the Badlees might like Cotton, and that Cotton would be a
good band for clubs to book if the clubs advertise with classic rock stations. The songs are quite good, and,
again, the album could have been released in the 70's - which in this case is a good thing. (12-99 jl)
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The Jellybricks - Soapopera
The Jellybricks (Larry Kennedy - guitar, vocals; Garrick Chow - bass guitar, vocals; Bryce Connor - guitar, vocals; Laine Wehler - drums, vocals) are usually considered part of the Harrisburg Power Pop scene. This album seems to mark a departure for them as, to these ears at least,
there seems to be a heaping dose of early 70's natural / country rock. Speechless, the 1st song, sort of sounds like Derek and the Dominos or Derek and the Dominos era Clapton.
Sure, the traditional Power Pop is there (Song 2 - Soapopera, where the solo sounds like Brian May, Brand New Sunglasses, more), but Bittersweet Day, Martyrs,
and more have the aforementioned 70's feel. This could be the result of artistic development, initial mischaracterization, a Badlees influence (both The Jellybricks and The Badlees
are managed by Terry Selders and The Jellybricks are on Rite-Off Records), or a Green Room influence. The CD was Produced by Dale M. Epperson (The Green Room) and The Jellybricks and Co-produced by
Robert C. Welsh (The Green Room), and the CD does have a Green Room influence, which to me is a very natural 70's kinda sound. The Green Room in all cases I'm aware of has done a great
job of productions, and this CD is no exception. This is a really good CD - hooks, hooks, hooks and more hooks - I can hear plenty of radio hits on it. (12-99 jl)
Nowhere Quick - Who gives ya candy?
Who gives ya candy? by Nowhere Quick (Matt Miller - Bass; Jason H. Drayer - vocals, guitars; Matt Washkevich - Drums) is sort of hard to
characterize. It has complicated syncopated rhythms,
lilting vocal melodies, abrupt tempo changes, acoustic and electric guitars, loud and soft and heavy and light in the same song.
Call it acoustic / modern progressive rock, maybe? I hear a little bit of a Rush feel to it, but it really doesn't sound like Rush. It must sound like other bands, but I can't think of them.
This is a good CD, it may be a bit too different for contempory tastes, but that might make it the next big thing. (12-99 jl)
Schmok - Schmoktobertest
Schmoktoberfest by Schmok (Dan Perry - Lead and Rhythm Guitars; Joe Boylan - Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Bass, Vocals; Joe McBride - Vocals, Guitar; James McBride - Vocals, Bass; Brian Sinclair - Drums)
is a very, um, interesting cassette.
Now, I've tried to create songs, using the sound card
on the computer, and a single track software program, and
I know how difficult it can be to get good results.
I don't know if they used the same production techniques
as I did, or the same songwriting techniques, but I really thought
it sounded like me. The distain for conventional song structures,
making it difficult for listeners to tell when the songs begin and end,
the mosquito buzzing effect of the quitars, an easy effect to achieve, and
one I have achieved many times before accidentally. "I thought the guitars
sounded good, why do they always sound like mosquitos buzzing."
Now, this doesn't make this a bad tape. In terms of type of music, we're
talking maybe psychedelic, bluesy. They play the same riff over and over, with
muddy vocals that you can't hear. Perhaps that leads to a hypnotic quality.
Perhaps it doesn't. Notes on some of the songs: Song 1 - Something Else - sort of a Pictures of Matchstick
Men late 60's psychedelic pop quality - again, super lo-fi. Next song - Cozet - sort of a happy mellow sound,
but with that mosquito guitar solo. Song 3 - One foot in the grave - a wobbly medium rocker with the wobbly
vocals buried in the mix and the mosquito. Song 4 - Happy Days - I like the riff here and how the instruments a
nd the vocals are clearly doing the same song. There are 8 other songs.
Clearly not ready for prime time, the tape does have a quirky appeal, mostly on an intellectual level.
Not nearly as bad on the 2nd listen as on the 1st. (12-99 jl)
Stiletto Boys - Rockets and Bombs
Rockets and Bombs by Stiletto Boys (Benner - Guitar; Garvin - Bass; Casey - Drums; Sean - Vocals) is sort of older, authentic punk, maybe melodic punk.
Actually, I'm aware that there are tons and tons of types of punk and hardcore
and I wouldn't know how to characterize them. The vocalist sounds like the vocalist from Rancid - and they sort of sound like
Rancid - and I mean older, better Rancid. I like this CD. It has 23 songs so you get your moneys worth - its over an hour long.
The songs are catchy and the CD is well produced. Good Lancaster Punk. (12-99 jl)
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