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3
out of 5
www.newsoundtheory.com
The long awaited & highly anticipated madison park debut is €nally
here! Beautiful lullabies w/all the sexiness of 60s lounge & 80s decadence
make Boutique a lush soundscape rich w/emotion. Add to that the seductive
vocals of Deanna Cool & Madison Park prove that they were well worth
the wait.
Madison Park is James & Deanna Cool, the wonderful people behind the
brilliant New Sound Theory compilations. (volume 3 dropping shortly) Over
the last several years the husband & wife team have been working hard
to pull Atlanta’s DJ scene to the forefront of electronic culture,
while building a presence on the global decks. Their NST compilations
have reected this growth, going from showcasing heavy local talents to
infusing more global artists into the mix. Now it is their turn.
Boutique follows a winding path of emotions, often heartfelt, but always
fun. Old friends from the NST compilations make appearances on some of
the plates better tracks. “Ocean Drive,” a laid-back dance
groove is powered by the delicate duality of Deanna’s vocals &
Lenny B’s signature style. It is w/"Opus One,” however.
that Madison Park presents its best work. Bleeps & blips layered over
well nourished beats set the pace for the record’s most con€dent
vocal performance.
Fun clean moments of music that will keep you coming back. Madison Park
is here.
4
out of 5
www.sondrelerche.com
First let me just say that the sophomore release by Norwegian Sondre Lerche
should be titled Impossible, rather than Two Way Monologue. Impossible
because the cd cannot be readily tagged to any one sound. Two Way is a
bright collection folk-pop ditties, chock full of unsuspecting hooks &
old-fashioned vocal treatments. It is sonically lush at times- beautifully
minimalist at others & quite original in it's familiarity.
As 'impossible' as it may be to categorize, it is quite easy to enjoy.
Lerche crafts songs from a place which many of us don't know. Tracks like
"Maybe You're Gone" are a dark corner booth in a small Italian
restaurant- watching the person you love the most walk away for the last
time. The lyrics hit you in the heart while the tender plucking of his
guitar tell you it's going be alright.
Sondre Lerche is not a sad soul, though. His 'wise beyond his years' sound
will make him your new best friend, while the acoustic pop approach to
music will lead you on your own journey. Intelligent song writing has
all, but been abandoned- Sondre Lerche is here to bring it back.
2
out of 5
www.maximumrotation.com/artist/officialsite.php?ID=123
Marques Wyatt has long been know as the defacto ‘king of house compilations.’
On Horizons, the L.A. natives latest, he achieves new levels of funk w/12
tracks from some of electronica’s elite. A fun & upbeat vibe
shines through each track, adding complement to Wyatt’s tribal come
jazzy mixes. This plate is for all those out there dripping w/con€dence.
Today is your day & this is your soundtrack.
While the funk may be in full force, Wyatt does not take too many chances.
Tracks by Mark Grant & Intense & Voices Of 6th Avenue are a bit
expected & detract from the stronger more tribal beats within. Horizons’
best offerings rise out of those beats who seem to be transported from
distant lands. “Echo Aye,” a Caribbean inspired track blazes
in almost a carnal way, while “Slangin’” displays some
delicious vocal play.
Despite the dips in a few spots, most will enjoy Horizons- you not only
get a full on funk infusion to house, but a blend of the Islands as well.
4
out of 5
www.mfdoomsite.com
Pimpin’ platter for one, coming right up.’ MF Doom has gone
& done it again. Special Herbs, the third installment of this instrumental
only series, is a maxed out celebration of all the freaky styley beats
used past present & future under Doom’s many monikers. Avid
fans of MF Doom, formally known as Zev Love X during his days w/KMD, will
recognize some of the tunes as the soundtrack to what Doom has spit over.
Others will see the light as new MF Doom project arise, but all is good.
For those of you trying to tag a style to Special Herbs, keep trying.
Doom’s versatility, as well as his inuences shine bright throughout
the 13 tracks. Hypnotic samples, some more recognizable than others, receive
the treatment in the form of some of the illest textured beats out there.
Hit “Puri€cation” €rst- it’ll throw you.
The main detractor of Special Herbs, ironically, is also its strongest
point. Glimpses of what’s to come toy w/you, while those beats that
you may have forgotten will have you diggin’ through the crates
in search of.
5
out of 5
www.probotmusic.com
Oh Probot, I heart you- I feel like I just died & went to Death Metal
heaven. And to all of the minions who happened to be hiding underneath
a rock for the past few years & may not have heard of this Dave Grohl
project, it is time to plug in. Everyone has an alter-ego, Probot is Grohl's
who seems to find his way onto records as far removed from the Foo Fighters
as possible (Queens of the Stone Age, Killing Joke, Tenacious D, etc.)
So what is Probot? Put simply, Probot is the middle finger of rock n'
roll. Over the course of three years, Grohl put himself to task crafting
the instrumental tracks for this beauty in his home studio. Dipping into
the pits of 1983-1990 metal hell, Grohl shipped each of the 12 tracks
to his favorite snarling vocalists. Probot is a metallic feast, w/each
vocalist dishing out some of their best performances. D.R.I., Soulfly,
Motorhead, Corrosion of Conformity, all kill.
In a era where the airways are clogged w/emo & labels are afraid to
take a chance- Probot is a fist in the face of the industry.
4
out of 5
www.thehiss.com
This is not Jet or The Hives. Neither B.R.M.C. nor The White Stripes (although
Jack White is a fan & the band opened for the Stripes in Atlanta)
This is The Hiss & they are blazing a path all their own. Having already
built up a loyal fan base in the UK, a new US contract is set to make
these Atlanta boys a household name. To all the loyal readers of ATL,
you already know how these guys rock as they were voted Best Local Band
in our October issue.
Panic Movement is almost as great for what it isn’t as it is for
what is actually is. Pushing past easy comparisons to their BritPop peers,
The Hiss have depth beyond the growl of early single “Clever Kicks.”
Standouts, “Riverbed” & hidden bonus “City People”
place the band somewhere between Bleach-era Nirvana & Buckcherry’s
Josh Todd.
To see the band live, which The Hiss capture very well, they are quite
unassuming. The rapid €re bursts of drummer Todd Galpin, pinned between
guitarist Ian Franco’s swirling style & Johnny Kral’s
brooding bass, all to the raspy howl of Adrian Barrera. This is The Hiss
& they’ve come to set things straight w/rock.
3
out of 5
www.thevines.com
BBy now you should all know The Vines, a group of volatile Aussies w/a
penchant for psychedelic rock kicked up a few notches. Their breakout
hit "Get Free," off their 2002 debut, made them immediate media
megastars. So how has the band which brought you the ambitiously titled
Highly Evolved, furthered their own evolution?
For starters there is no sequel to “Get Free” on The Vines
sophomore release. The remnants of their past take form in the shape of
the more trippy of their tracks. This is no more evident than the acoustic
tinged "Autumn Shade II"- not so much a sequel to the track
from Highly Evolved, but equally as spaced out.
The Vines spend so much time trying to not be Nirvana for the next generation
that they can often sound like a cover band. This is not to say that they
are bad- ("Ride," "Animal Machine" & "Fuck
The World" down right rock) it is more a plea to The Vines to let
the comparisons happen. Sure, Craig Nicholls vocals are the echo of Kurt
Cobain's ghost. Unfortunately, an echo never sounds as good as the real
thing.
3
out of 5
www.elfpower.com
Sometimes I just don't understand the artistic folk, which is odd since
I am a pseudo-artistic type myself. Take Elf Power for instance. There
latest record, Walking With The Beggar Boys, is quite enjoyable. A mixture
of pop, folk & rock, their sixth release runs a gamut of styles, one
more interesting than the next. What I am having trouble understanding
is why it seems like they are trying to piss it away by naming themselves
'Elf Power'- all in the name of maintaining their underground/cult status.
Granted, I do not know the story behind the name, but most won't either.
Couple that w/the backwoods, jug-band cover &... well, you get the
picture.
If you can remember to 'not judge a book by it's cover' you will really
get into this Athens, Ga quartet. "Never Believe," a pop plate
about advertising & the media, toys w/earlier They Might Be Giants.
"Drawing Flies" has an indie rock vibe which would be right
at home w/some of Sub Pop or Matador's more talented artists.
Elf Power is a good lesson in having an open mind. Quality music once
you scratch past the self-created image they live behind.
2
out of 5
www.prestonschoolofindustry.com
Some things you just can’t escape- the good things you never want
to. The thing which Preston School Of Industry may never be able to escape
is frontman, Scott Kannberg’s past. Guitarist for one of the best
indie bands of the 90s Pavement; Kannberg emerged in 2001 w/a record full
of ghosts still oating around from the 1999 break-up. Fast forward to
2004 w/Monsoon- a rich & textured release whose ghosts may not be
immediately evident, but are most de€nitely there.
Enlisting help from Wilco, The Minus 5 & Scott Mc Caughey from Young
Fresh Fellows, Kannberg (a.k.a. Spiral Stairs) takes the right approach
in trying to push beyond the Pavement comparisons. P.S.O.I. seems to have
found a bit more of it’s smile, compared to All This Sounds Gas.
Kannberg’s effortless blend of rock is like a warm blanket of rock
to comfort you in your Post-Pavement life.
“Walk Of A Gurl” & “Caught In The Rain” are
a good start for newcomers to P.S.O.I., but are also two of the tracks
most closely tied to the past.
3
out of 5
www.mrnorthmusic.com
Good day MrNorth, how do you do? Look €ne. Fine indeed. In reality this
band is quite far from €ne, but are close to spectacular. The product
of the late 90s alt-rock €zzle, MrNorth (one word) took the best of what
was & set out to become the best of what is. After a 2 year run in
Italy, MrNorth landed a record deal after a visit to NYC, which brings
us to Lifesize.
Revered by their devout fans for being so uplifting, the band’s
debut follows a pattern started by the likes of Radiohead & Ours.
But as those bands dipped into more experimental areas following their
debut, MrNorth does not give any indications that it will follow suit.
Ambitious to a fault, Lifesize is almost too positive. On “Let Me
In” the band walks a thin line between odd love song & Christian
like enthusiasm. And on “Silver Mouth” a trademark Irish howl
will put a smile on your face & a €nger on the repeat button.
The charm in listening to MrNorth is that it will bring people together.
Much in the spirit of ‘you tell two people & they tell two &
so on’- MrNorth will €nd it’s audience.
3
out of 5
www.theevening.com
W/a penchant for dramatic hooks, Other Victorians is at once stylish &
expansive. And while the inuences are inescapable, they manage to make
this a sound all their own. “Wither In Bloom” is a personal
favorite, w/it’s ethereal instrumentals leading you right into a
classic rock tinged “Vieux Finder.”
Opting to avoid the ‘elegantly wasted’ delivery that their
peers rely on so heavily, Evening carries an up front energy about them.
They seem proud to be where they are at & are not afraid to let it
show.
3
out of 5
www.jpnm.net/voodoochild/
By the end of 2000, Moby had been €rmly established as one of the globe’s
biggest stars. All 18 tracks off of Play had been licensed or exploited
in some commercial capacity, as to make Moby a cliché of himself.
On his follow up,18, this ‘modern-day Mozart’ continued down
the path of commercial success w/a similar albeit more somber offering.
So how does an artist who is on nearly every commercial & on almost
every soundtrack escape from the monster which he created? If you’re
Moby you revert back to your dancehall roots & dust off the Voodoo
Child moniker which preceded your stratospheric success. Emerging in mid-1996,
Voodoo Child was a project relegated to overseas which is somewhat appropriate
being as the European leg of the 18 Tour is what inspired Moby to bring
Voodoo Child back.
Baby Monkey is a straightforward dance record, which €nds Moby right at
home. Trading gospel samples for grinding beats, tracks “Gone”
& “Gotta Be Loose in Your Mind” keep things lively, while
trance seems to be the common thread.
Moby sums up Baby Monkey w/one simple comment. “I love electronic
dance music, and that’s why I made this record. And I hope that
you like it.”
And for the most part we do.
 3 out of 5
www.astralwerks.com/air/talkie_walkie/default.html
For those of you who referred to french fries as ‘freedom
fries,’ Talkie Walkie will largely be lost on you. For the rest
of us Air returns w/what many are calling a return to form.
After 2001’s 10,000 Hz. Legend, many believed the French duo to
have pushed it too far. Complicated, overly ambitious- whatever you may
wish to call it, 10,000 Hz. Legend set the stage for an unintentional
return to form.
Despite being paranoid of repeating themselves, the Air sound is inescapable.
Try to understand how The Wizard Of Oz would sound if it was an electronic
duo from Paris & you will get the basic idea behind Air’s songwriting.
Talkie Walkie is classic Air. Beginning w/the calm before the storm “Venus,”
spinning down the yellow brick road ”Run” & riding home
“Sur€n’ On A Rocket.” And while the cinematic grandeur
of Oz may be evident, Air takes a minimalist approach to songwriting-
letting your imagination paint the picture.
Talkie Walkie is all that & Toto too!
 4 out of 5
www.waxpoetic.net
Remember the scene in Swingers, where they are looking
for this hot club, which has no sign? “All the best clubs are hard
to €nd.” Almost every cosmopolitan city has just such a scene, including
NYC- home to the eclectic Wax Poetic. Cultivated deep within the caverns
of key & sax player Ilhan Ersahin’s club Nublu, Wax Poetic has
evolved into a full edged band.
In Wax Poetic’s early trappings, a young vocalist by the name of
Norah Jones made her start. And in one of the classier moves by a major
star, loans her voice to two of the tracks she originally performed w/the
group.
It would be doing Wax Poetic a grave injustice to try to describe Nublu
in simple words. What you will €nd here goes beyond the confines of a
sentence & must be experienced. Atlanta on it’s best night could
maybe reect the vibrant rhythms found here. But those nights are not
easily found. Seductive, dreamy, vibrant- Nublu Sessions is the blueprint
for the next great club you will never €nd.
 4
out of 5
www.justjackmusic.com
Apparently, if you are a rapper from the UK ‘it’s
hard…trying to be a geezer.” It was tough for the Streets
& I could almost believe that it is tough for Just Jack had he not
delivered such a lyrical showcase. Not more than a step from Mike Skinner’s
vocal styling, Just Jack puts his effort into the musical composition,
bullying his way past Original Pirate Material.
The scenes from The Outer Marker blur like a ride on a commuter train.
Melodies interwoven w/the laid back social narration of Jack Allsopp transport
a stale hip-hop genre into new areas. “Paradise (Lost & Found)”
is a perfect example, balancing an odd tale of drug/love use w/a dance
worthy melody.
What makes Just Jack so refreshing is the self-emaciating honesty, minus
the vulgarity, of each of the 12 tracks. These aren’t songs, they
are arrangements- slowly presenting themselves like frost on a window.
“Sometimes it feels like I’m looking through a pain of glass-
I can see your mouth move, but can’t hear the words.”
3 out of 5
www.bobby-digital.net
Northstar are journeymen of sorts. Discovered by Wu
Tang’s RZA back in 1998, the power duo have appeared on numerous
Wu Tang projects while crafting their debut release. Now, six years later
Christ Bearer & Meko seem ready for the World. W/RZA, a.k.a. Bobby
Digital’s name all over this puppy, the questions begs- ‘what
would Northstar be w/out the Clan’s most talented producer?’
This is not an easy question to answer. Straight off “Luv Allah”
comes w/it’s intricate strings & horns, coupled by Northstar’s
contrasting lyrical affair. Christ Bearer lays it smooth, only to have
Meko come in & rough shit up. Further on “Red Rum” RZA
works it into a fury, while Northstar keeps pace w/grit rhymes. Fact is,
the tracks that RZA does not have full production duties on don’t
seem to have the same punch, despite the verbal arsenal Northstar delivers.
There is some serious fat here which needs trimming. Drop the skits, drop
the reworked/repeat tracks (”Black Knights of the Northstar”),
drop RZA’s name all over the disc. Northstar has the talent, they
just need to stop thinking about it & bring it.
 4
out of 5
www.borialis.net
Good things come to those who wait, which is lucky
for us because we have been waiting for this one a mighty long time. Borialis
is an ‘Olympic Village’ of sounds, fusing rock, rap, pop &
even a bit of reggae. The sextet from Neptune, New Jersey cut their teeth
on the Warped & Sprite Liquid Mix Tours & are now ready to take
things on on their own.
First thing you need to understand about Borialis is that this is not
rap-rock. Fred Durst does not live here. Instead, Borialis focuses on
heart-felt lyricism which travels from an ill-gotten past to a now bright
future. On “Why Oh Why” (a personal favorite), lead vocalist
Rick Dahrouge spits, “I was lost gettin’ caught up in all
of the hype. It took me ten years to get my priorities straight.”
What You Thought You Heard, a reference to these rap-rock comparisons,
pushes Borialis beyond their peers. The sum of their debut carries owing
harmonies rarely scene in the genre. “Basically, we’re a hip-hop
jam band,” says Dahrouge.
In laymen’s terms, Borialis is the band that 311 once was &
the one they should still be.
 3
out of 5
www.skrape.com
New Killer America, the debut cd by Florida based Skrape
was a throat scratching platter of desperation rock. Laying a brutal swath
through America’s rock radio wasteland w/singles “Waste”
& “Isolated,” Skrape had their fans amped up for another
brick to the face. Instead what they got was something better. Like the
medicine you like to take, Up The Dose bites before taking you in w/it’s
textured rhythms & complex melodies.
After a dark two years Up The Dose follows the band to the depths &
the growth that comes from it. “Summer Song,” the €rst single
could not have been done by the Skrape of 2001. Falling somewhere between
Staind & Cold, the band relies heavily on the power of strong anthematic
sing-a-longs.
This will be a deterring factor for fans of New Killer America. Even at
Skrape’s hardest, “Up The Dose,” and “My Life,”
are still a baby aspirin version of their past. Fault them if you will
for switching things up to €nd mainstream success, but the band is as
catchy as the common cold. Try as you might, you may not be able to escape
it.
 2.5 out of 5
www.soilmusic.com
Soil’s sound is a big sound. One foot up on the
monitor, lip curled into a scowl, w/€st pumping, Soil delivers it’s
best ‘Rebel Yell’ to metal fans everywhere w/it’s sophomore
release. Filled to the brim w/testosterone injected passion, the Chicago
€ve-piece are doing everything in their power to bully their way into
your consciousness. Based on this gruff approach alone, the comparisons
drawn to Soil & the dilapidated grunge scene should be abandoned.
And while the approach may be different, the sound is not too dissimilar.
The ghost of Layne Staley, at the crispest edge of his anger, utters
throughout Rede€ne. This is not to say Soil is merely vocalist Ryan McCombs
w/backing band. The band’s sound is not so easily de€ned. Sevendust,
Static-X, Pantera all come to mind as the meat of this release shows itself.
Rede€ne is enjoyable in it’s own right, but you have to be ready
for it. Maybe as you wait for that new Alice In Chains record to drop
you can €nd solace in the arms of Soil.
 3 out of 5
www.reggaecowboys.com
There’s a new sheriff in town by the name of
Stone Ranger. And he, along w/his posse, the Reggae Cowboys, is riding
forth w/the most original sound of the year. Never before has a band’s
name more aptly de€ned it’s sound. Bouncing spaghetti-western rhythms,
wiggling to an island reggae beat, spirit this release into the sunset.
W/the look of Jimi Hendrix & the sound of Bob Marley, everything about
the Reggae Cowboys is different.
Perfect example of the Reggae Cowboy’s drive to be different is
Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.” If you can’t
do it better or different, than you shouldn’t do it at all. And
to be as cheesy as I wanna be- Johnny B. Betta. “Maria” &
“Jed,” be pretty good as well- seamlessly linking Stone Ranger
throughout.
As good as the Reggae Cowboys are, they are what I refer to as an ‘occasion
band.’ This is not an album you will just pop in. Almost by law,
there has to be a party going on. Fire up the margaritas, slather yourself
in Coppertone & get ready for a day long bender. Screw Jimmy Buffet,
let him eat his cheese burger wherever he damn well pleases. We’re
hangin’ w/the Reggae Cowboys.
 3 out of 5
www.luomomusic.com
Sensuality ows through the follow up to 2000’s
Vocalcity. A more vocal centric offering, The Present Lover sees Luomo
exploring new areas while keeping the atmospheric sound from where he
started. A multi-talented Finnish lad, Vladislav Delay aka Luomo uses
dub tinged synth-rhythms & subtle basslines in support of the vocals.
Whereas the voice for Vocalcity was just another layer added into the
mix, the change is pleasant.
Despite his minimalist approach Luomo's layered song composition is blissfully
complex. Vocalists Johanna Niemela & Watkinson, now at the forefront,
beautifully infuse the house vibe w/pop sensibility. Standout track "Tessio,"
a remnant of Vocalcity, is transformed into an infectious jazz groove.
The Present Lover will play w/your mind before taking over your emotions.
The mental picture behind this release is one that could only have followed
a close & highly physical night on the dance floor.
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