Reviewers: Al Burian (AB) Sean Husick (SH) Dave Laney (DL) Roby Newton (RN)

Bifocal Media: Kampai Comp. CD 3.5 Stars
Bifocal Media o POB 50106 o Raleigh, NC 27650 www.bifocalmedia.com
This comp is all over the place. 21 bands ranging from Monochrome to Render Useless to the White Octave and Kids with Kites. Edgy pop to downright hardcore grind. This is a solid CD featuring some great bands that you probably can’t find in the shelves of your local record store. Standouts: Captain Speky, Fura, Monochrome. My only complaint is that some of the recording is a little too lo-fi. Still though, this is highly recommended.
Design: Bifocal Media 4 Stars
This just stands out well beyond the other CDs in my stack of reviews. It’s printed 4-color but is basically a two color design. Nice type and strong images on this very minimal, 2 panel insert. Bifocal seems to have a certain knack for making things look good. (DL)

Brandtson "Trying to Figure Each Other Out…" Cdep 3 Stars
Deep Elm o PO Box 36939 o Charlotte, NC 28236 www.deepelm.com
Super smooth, mostly upbeat, pop music with lots of singing and good production. Very consistent with what Deep Elm has been putting out lately. If this sounds like your cup of tea, you’ll probably eat this up. The thing I can’t take with this CD is that the vocals are usually two tracks: one lead and one harmony. The way they do it creates this really silky, insincere pop song that sounds very "pro" in a bad way. The last song on this EP is the CDs saving grace. Very soft and somber, reminiscent of Low. I wish Brandtson would push this direction a bit harder.
Design: Matt Traxler, 4/2 4 panel booklet
Julie Terrell, photography 3 Stars
Clean layout with good sans serif font. Don’t like the backwards text in the title. Seems like if you were going to do this, then the opposite part of the title should be backwards on the back where the meaning of the title unfolds. Nice use of bold yet sparse color throughout the cover and photos. I’m not fond of the ">" symbol used as parenthesis, but the whole package comes off nicely regardless. No lyrics… (DL)

Chixdiggit! "From Scene to Shining Scene" CD 3 Stars
Honest Don's o POB 192027 o San Fran, CA 94119 www.honestdons.com
This is a pretty fun recording. I'm not really into records composed of three chords these days, but these 4 guys seem to be having a good time with it. So this is their 3rd full length and from what I can remember, everyone of them sounds exactly like this one. I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing if your into stuff like the Queers or one of those other proud Ramones thieves, but I think these guys do it with a bit more maturity. I've found that this album works as a good soundtrack to kitchen activities like cooking or something. It's an enhanced CD too, but the fuckers made it for PC only, so that didn't do me any good. They hail from Canada and have a website so check it out.
Design: Mike Eggermont, CD + Sleeve design 2.5 Stars
I guess if all their records are gonna sound the same, it's only suiting for them all to look the same as well. Rock poses and a couple of colors…whatever works for you. I have to say that I was quite impressed with the 2 full page "thanks list" and the 1 page of credits–way to fill up that pesky white space gentlemen! (SH)

Emo Diaries o Chapter 5 CD 3.5 Stars
Deep Elm o POB 36939 o Charlotte, NC 28236 www.deepelm.com
Whatever it is that Deep Elm has tapped into, they consistently put out quality music of a definite genre. Call it "emo" if you like, but this is Deep Elm. This comp offers 12 unreleased tracks of solid music by some great bands of the genre including The White Octave, Slowride, Benji, Cast Aside, and Billy. The real stand out is The White Octave, whose song falls somewhere between Shellac and Cursive (if you can imagine that), but tailored with more of a staggered pop feel. Deep Elm has managed to assemble a strong assembly of quality music throughout their Emo Diaries series, and this is no exception.
Design – 2/2 4-page booklet 2Stars
Inoffensive, pastel colored, and minimal, the design here is trying to reflect the artists’ music, but I think it falls short of what they deserve. Seems a bit too typical of the "emo" genre, and I don’t think that it was ever very representative of the music played. These bands have taken the genre another direction, and I wish the design would reflect that. (DL)

Entartete Kunst "Live at the Complex" 2xCD 4 Stars
Entartete Kunst o POB 411194 o San Fran, CA 94141
This is a live, seventeen song comp consisting mostly of semi-ambient electronica. It varies in quality, some of the hip hop being a low point and the more ambient stuff being a high point. Overall, it’s a pretty good listen, good background music that makes you pay attention every few minutes. Unfortunately, my experts did not find it especially danceable.
Design: Collaborative 1.5 Stars
The cover is a beautifully simple black and white photo of an elevator gate. This contrasts with the complicated and nearly illegible interior and back cover. (RN)

False Prophets "Blind Roaches and fat vultures..." CD 3 Stars
Alternative Tentacles o POB 419092 o San Fran, CA 94141 www.alternativetentacles.com
False Prophets were one of the staple Alternative Tentacles bands of the Reagan era, and provided pretty much of what you'd expect from the time: bile, political diatribes, scathing irony, and a willingness to experiment with the thrash hardcore format. They don't sound that dangerous and subversive, in retrospect, but to their credit they still sound as though they believe themselves to be pretty dangerous and subversive. These recordings document a band in the early 80's, before punk music fell completely into the genericizing lock-step of hard-core, noodling around with surf, new wave and even reggae influences, bringing in the occasional keyboard, mostly just bashing out fast and frantic songs which sound tinny and alien now. This is, in short, a prime example of the white suburban counter-culture circa 81-85. And you may ask, so what? Like many of the Alternative Tentacles re-issues, these recordings are more interesting as historical documents than as contemporary sound- the 80's punk aesthetic, in being so specific and reactionary to the times in which it evolved, is particularly prone to being dated. I'd imagine the people at AT are not putting these out so that local libraries can have well-rounded collections for patrons wanting to write term papers or old fogeys wanting to re-live their circle pit days- I would think that they want new audiences to have visceral responses to this, the kind that listeners had when this sort of music first appeared and changed a lot of people's lives. The problem, I think, is that a lot of what is being parodied and referenced here (lyrically and musically) doesn't exist anymore or exists in such an already self-ironized form that the actual culture out-does the send-up. But who knows, perhaps somewhere there are suburban teens who need exactly this kind of thing to politicize them and give their lives meaning. I suspect, however, that teens will find this arcane and meaningless, unfortunately, and the tragedy of a record like this is that it seems now like a strange historical artifact, rather than a living, breathing thing.
Design: Jason Rosenberg 2 Stars
An interesting and informative booklet, providing a lot of background on the band and the creation of these songs which does add a lot to contextualizing and understanding them. The designer seems torn between a desire to go for a "retro punk" look, with spackles of paint and ink and obviously fake staples holding the photos in place, and to go for a more slick layout. I find the compromise (fake computer cut and paste and xerox effects) a bit annoying. (AB)

Frown s/t CD No Stars (Consumer Alert)
Stateless o POB 40734 o Providence, RI 02940 www.members.home.net/statelessrecords
They should have titled this CD "The most offensive, shitty music you’ll ever hear." My guess is that it would have sold better, as the novelty value would have substantially risen, even if it was a one listen type of thing. 19 minutes of one painfully terrible song and nonstop noise. Sounds like a bunch of tough guy fascists trying to do a bad Pain Jerk interpretation of a good Lightening Bolt song. The promo release that came this one says tons of offensive stuff, including but not limited to: "Frown… is an equal-opportunity hate that calls you nigger, cracker, spic and breeder all at once." "You are a bitch and a whiner and deserve not three seconds of Frown…" Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have reviewed this, but I think it should be under the consumer alert spotlight. And yes, this is the only record we have ever reviewed that didn’t even receive one star. It isn’t worth the effort that went into making it. (DL)

I Hate Myself s/t CD 4.5 Stars
No Idea o POB 14636 o Gainsville, FL 32604 www.noidearecords.com
The vinyl of this release came out quite some time ago, but I suppose this CD was recently released. Intense, explosive music that lulls you near sleep and then thunders like the demons have just awaken. Simply great stuff. At times, not too far from Don Martin 3, Seam, or even a much rawer Low. The singer has a soothing voice that runs laps around most singers of the genre, and the guitar work hits all the right notes at the perfect intensity. I like the vinyl version better and would recommend that format, as the packaging here is a weaker interpretation of the LP. Either way you like, you’re only losing if you don’t have a copy of this record.
Cover Drawing: Mike Taylor 3 Stars
You really have to look at the cover for a while to get a sense of all the stuff going on. It’s a one color ink drawing in collage style that feels very hollow, lonely and cold. Seems to work well with the record and the name of the band. The thing is, I don’t really like the name. Seems a bit too narcissistic, but the package fits together smoothly like an envelope containing a letter from your best friend who, guess what, feels very, very bad about her or his self. You look on and either start feeling bad about yourself or hope their outlook takes a swing for the up. (DL)

Imbroco "Are You My Lionkiller?" CD 1.5 Stars
Deep Elm o POB 36939 o Charlotte, NC 28236 www.deepelm.com
This album is a tiresome collection of redundant lullabies to take teary-eyed emo boys to dreamland. If you can still tolerate the Hot Water Music plus Sunny Day Real Estate formula, you’ll love it.
Design: Courtney Cooper/Gabe Wiley/John Szuch 1 Star
Painterly stars and sweet script adorn this dreamy children’s book cover. Apparently, I’m too old for this shit. (RN)

Kerbloki s/t CD 3 Stars
Bifocal Media o POB 296 o Greenvile, NC 27835 www.bifocalmedia.com
"New Kids on the Kerbloki" says my unkind housemate, and, you know, I hadn't noticed it, but there is a certain similarity in production and overall feel to the New Kids in what these Carolinian-via-Manhattanite rappers are doing. Very 80's, "old school" style rap. Which raises the question, do the hipsters co-opt sounds and aesthetics because they are being pointedly post-modern or just because the music technology that was cutting edge in 1985 is now really cheap at the pawn shop? I mean, this is good, it does what it's trying to do well, but, like a record by the Faint or the Champs, you have to wonder, why are they doing what they're doing? Why do mainstream (i.e uncool) musical trends regurgitate themselves ten to fifteen years later as the cutting edge of the underground? I don't think that the members of Kerbloki intend this as irony, but I don't quite buy that this as the sincere expression of their musical vision either. Am I taking this too seriously? Rock the house, party people.
Design: "Amy" 3.5 Stars
I really like this. A section of a North Carolina flag with hand-written (looking) band name on it. Simple, slick, yet not too mechanical. CD art features a very Drive Like Jehu-looking snake drawing by H. Haynes. (AB)

The Ladderback "Honest I Swear It's the Turnstyles" 2.5 Stars
Bifocal Media o POB 296 o Greenvile, NC 27835 www.bifocalmedia.com
This sounds like one of those records where the band forms, writes twelve songs, and then goes and records an album, having only fully cemented their identity around song eight. On the plus side, the songs don't all sound the same, but on the negative side, it seems at times unfocused. A good record which could use a more solid sense of identity. Lyrics don't sway it one way or the other. Good live band.
Design (designer unknown): 2 Stars
Same problem: a little girl on the cover standing against a brick wall looking very emo about something. Band pictures on the back let us know that the singer screamingly opens his mouth wide and has sideburns. Screaming open mouth and side burns!? It's been done. Nice color scheme, though: purplish blue with gold text is boldly regal. (AB)

The Letter E "n0. 5ive Long Player" CD 4 Stars
Tiger Style o 149 Wooster St. o 4th floor o NY, NY 10012 www.tigerstylerecords.com
Members of June of 44, Rex, and Blue Man Group got together to make n0. 5ive Long Player. Very well executed post rock that you could expect from the cast of this band. I actually like this much more than June of 44, though it is more contained and focused on one thing. For what they lose by not having a vocalist is made up for with the depth and groove contained within the songs. The first song sounds like what I would imagine Aloha sounding like if they were covering Uncle Tupelo. Usually slow and somber, but always pushing forward, this is the soundtrack to a cold winter of overcast skies and high dreams. No cover with this one. (DL)

No Means No "One" CD 4 Stars
Alternative Tentacles o POB 419092 o San Francisco, CA 94141 www.alternativetentacles.com
Mathematicians from the old school hash out some new formulas on this full length. The sound is thicker, denser than the older material, making it more listenable but certainly not easy. The lyrics read like poetry of a twisted nursery rhyme variety, however, delivered, sound rather terrifying in a I’m-glad-I’m-not-this-guy’s-ex sort of way. I enjoy the content more when it describes insanity rather than stalking. Additionally, there are two cover songs, one Ramones and one Miles Davis, both funny.
Design: Randy Iwata at MINT-O-SHANK 3 Stars
Conflicting with their elaborate and extensive songs, the cover attempts a very simple act, basic black with gray "1" and "0" (binary code? I think so!). (RN)

Pitchshifter "Un-United Kingdom" CD-EP 2.5 Stars
Alternative Tentacles o POB 419092 o San Francisco, CA 94141 www.alternativetentacles.com
I thought Pitchshifter was an Ozzfest-type metal band for some reason-- but, no, here they are with an EP on Alternative Tentacles, and judging from the cover they look to have a footing in the sort of rave culture meets vaguely hostile techno world of Prodigy or Orgy or one of those british electro-goth outfits. Two of the members having "programming" listed on their description of chores, as well as a Big Black cover, add to my suspicions. The title track, "Un-united Kingdom" confirms the Britishness (I hope so, anyway- otherwise this is the worst infringement of national sovereignity since those canucks Propaghandi had the audacity to sing about completely US-centered, totally-none-of-their-business flag burning issues), and is a lot more straight-forward "punk" than I had expected, in a somewhat rote way. The sentiment expressed is essentially an exact recycling of the Sex Pistols "Anarchy in The UK," but without even the mildly exciting word "Anarchy" thrown in. Singer J.S. Clayton gargles "Rrrrrroyal Brrrrritania" in his best Johnny Rotten snotty growl. The chorus is fairly catchy. Things pick up on track two, "Everything sucks (again)," which delivers the spooky chord progressions and programmed break-beats I was hoping for. Lyrical concerns center around everything sucking. Big Black's "Kerosene," which I suspected would be a disaster, turns out not so bad. The British accents add an over-the-top element and the "set me on fire" chorus works well in the whole evil-dance-music genre. Finally, the "Un-united Kingdom" remix is less Sex Pistols rip-off and more Ministry, which is good. They should have scrapped the first version.
Design: Unknown Graphic Services. 2 Stars
As mentioned, it has that feeling of one of those glossy rave flyers you sometimes get, but a little more scary. (AB)

Q and not U "No Kill No Beep Beep" CD 4 Stars
Dischord o 3819 Beecher St. NWo Washington, DC 2007 www.dischord.com
So I think that this is probably one of the best records to come out on Dischord in a couple years. Intelligent, witty, and fun DC rock–to say that I find most from that area not to be. 11 songs nearly flawlessly recorded at, yep you guessed it, Inner Ear with Ian and Don. A couple subtle electronic tricks, alternating vocals, wacky guitars (I was impressed to see these riffs played live while singing), and inventive drumming has created a record that I think I've listened to 10 times already since I got it for review–definitely one of my favorites this year!
Design: Shawn Brackbill, Photography 3.5 Stars
There wasn't much of a computer needed for this record, as far as design goes, just a few sharp full color photos of a scene from Partyville 2000. Even all the text credits were done on walls and photographed. A nice change. I think that every time I've ever seen their guitarist, he's been wearing that blue camouflage shirt though–so much so that when I forgot his name, I just starting referring to him as the camouflage guy. A minor issue. The record looks good none the less. (SH)

Ratos De Porao "Sistemados Pelo Crucifa" CD 3.5 Stars
Alternative Tentacles o POB 419092 o San Fran, CA 94141
Ratos de Porao were the first pioneers of hardcore in Brazil. This album is a re-recorded version of their first one, originally recorded and released in 1983. Obviously, it’s fairly predictable stylistically, grinding old school punk with hoarsely growled vocals telling of angst and a world gone mad. The great part about this record is that the recording quality is top-notch. The levels are great and it seems like they managed a clean recording without compromising the raw energy of the songs.
Design: Jason Rosenbeg 4 Stars
I have never seen the cover of the original release, so I can’t compare it to this one. The cover has an illustration of a crucified punk rocker, though heavy-handed, probably appropriate, given the era and location from which this band hails. It makes good use of classic punk design, keeping it basic and clean, with stark black and silver inks. (RN)

Reverse s/t CD 2.5 Stars
Reverse o 2039 Washington Street o Wilmington, NC 28401
Southern fried Brit-poppers make their debut with this full length. The songs are solidly poppy and catchy, but there’s something missing in the depth of the sound quality. The vocals are a bit inconsistent, however, when on point, quite touching. The bonus track is one of their best, a sloppy country jam that lets the fun shine through.
Design: Brian Weeks 2.5 Stars
The digipak begins with a simple ‘70s boardgame theme that gets cluttered with too many photos and ideas and becomes overwhelming by the time one opens the cover. (RN)

Shutdown "Few and Far Between" CD 1 Star
Victory o PO Box 146546 o Chicago, IL 60614 www.victoryrecords.com
Fucking "Youth of Today" rip-offs 15 years after the fact singing about the struggle and the streets. Give me a break.
Design: 1 Star
Mike Ski/Eric Deleporte, Construction + Layout
Mike Ski/Eric Deleporte/Marc Scondotto, Art Direction
Mike Ski, Typography and Photo Illustration
There's a hell of a lot of credits here for some shitty-ass album art. They sure have that NY hardcore image down though–3 fonts: 1 grunge, 1 grafitti, 1 collegiate. (SH)

Song of Zarathustra "The Birth of Tragedy" CD 4 Stars
Blood of the Young o POB 14411 o Minneapolis, MN 55414
Troubleman o 16 Willow St. o Bayonne, NJ 07002
blood-of-the-young.com / troublemanunlimited.com
I found SOZ's discography 10" to be one of the best in my collection, so I had high-as-hell expectations for this new full length as well as their new drummer. I'll just say though, that when I was finished checking it out, I breathed a sigh of relief from how fucking worked up it got me. No other band has made me so on edge before. They do a lot less "blast beats" with this record and concentrate more on intense syncopation which makes for some, a lot more of a listenable record. 12 songs in 22 minutes. They are to me, the musical equivalent of heroin.
Design: Jordan Guile, Photography + Design 1.5 Stars
So I'm gonna have to slam the record's look. A really terrible attempt at some kind of "techno" evil. I don't know what the attempt was really, but it looks awful. Definitely don't judge this book by it's cover. (SH)

True North "We Speak in Code" CD 3.5 Stars
No Idea o PO Box 14636 o Gainsville, FL 32604 www.noidearecords.com
Members of 12 Hour Turn, Palatka, Strikeforce Diablo, and probably a slu of other prominent Florida hardcore bands united to create True North. The music isn’t too far from any of the aforementioned, but the lyrics lean towards a more articulated reflection of someone who has been involved with the DIY scene for most of their life, and intends on staying that way. Positive, encouraging at times, and always honest. Somehow they managed to get the most intense, rawest recording possible without being lo-fi in the least. The guitar work here is sometimes abrasive, sometimes melodic, and sometimes dissonant. I do wish there was more variety in the vocals and that fewer songs started with guitar. It sort of has a Lungfish feel, though it sounds nothing like that band. Listening to this makes me feel like I’m sitting in the Hardback with tons of psyched people, which is one of the best things I could say about a record.
Design: Var, 12 Panel 4-Color Booklet 3 Stars
Layout mostly consists of Gainsville area photographs which, in combination with the lyrics, make this whole thing complete. I hate the font used for the lyrics though, as it’s at times impossible to read and has a drop shadow at an already small size. (DL)

West of Here s/t Cdep 1.5 Stars
Shining Sun Productions o Lake Stevens, WA 98258
This is the type of music that makes me leave coffee shops on Saturday afternoons. Offensive acoustic singer/songwriter stuff that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. No cover sent with this one. (DL)

The Whistle of the Missile Video 3 Stars
BiFocal Media o PO Box 296 o Greenville, NC 27835 www.bifocalmedia.com
This is a collection of live performances from ladderback, converge, secret life of machines, party of helicopters, 12 hour turn, rah bras, dillinger escape plan, the episode, legend of the overfiend, crash smash explode, his hero is gone, engine down, and monochrome as well as independent short films from brad scott, dave lukasik, curt sanford, roby newton, charles cardello, randall bobbitt, vikki warner, carl weichert, mathew fulchiron, steve olpin, and greg linguist. For the most part, all of the live stuff looks pretty good but sounds pretty terrible. There's lots of great bands here, but they're shot in many of the same places making for not much of a variety of back drops. I think the saving grace is all of the great short films sandwiched in between the band footage. I don't remember one that I didn't like and having them on a primarily hardcore video makes them a lot more accessible to people who wouldn't ordinarily be able to check them out. The transitions and titling were done quite tastefully and sharp as well with an ongoing hip-hop track that created a nice change up. All in all, this is a well done collection and I look forward to the next one.