Beloved
Binge - Blender Theory (www.belovedbinge.com)
Beloved Binge nailed it: Twisted, lo-fi indie
homage with just enough mad science and tongue-in-cheek
irony (just about any song on Blender Theory).
The band services up a stereophonic celebration
of jangly off-kilter guitars in the vein of
They Might Be Giants, The Flying Lizards,
B-52's, etc., that accent tight, catchy little
pop songs that, at first, seem simple; but
repeated listenings reveal the band’s
wicked humor, and their amazing less-is-more
approach. - Phil Rainone
Goodbye Sluggo - Frampton Comes Alive (www.goodbyesluggo.com)
Naming their album "Frampton Comes Alive"
scores a few big points in my book (like a
gazillion). Their sound, while not dated,
garners comparisons to 90's alternative bands
like Dinosaur Jr., Catherine Wheel, and of
course The Replacements’ shimmering
pop punk sound. Goodbye Sluggo has done what
most bands try for, but sometimes lose sight
of: They've written a record about love, loss,
and all the stuff (funny and sad) that happens
in-between. They created something of quality
that will withstand the test of time, rather
than some whinny burst of emotion that will
disappear after a few months when the next
"it" band does the same thing under
a different name. Buy the record, see the
band.- Phil Rainone
Mannequin
Men - Fresh Rot (www.flameshovel)
Mannequin Men play straight-up rock 'n' roll!
I always appreciate it when a young band is
aware of the roots of the music they play
(New York Dolls, Velvet Underground, etc.).
Really good bands like Mannequin Men can assimilate
these influences without sounding retro or
imitative. When I first heard the band, my
immediate reaction was that they had listened
to a lot of 60's/70's proto punk rock bands
like The Stooges. That was based not only
on the songs, but the dual vocals that pop
up now and then. But listen closely and you'll
also hear strains of The Romantics, Sonic
Youth, and other notables. The band shines
on rockers like the opening cut "Private
School," "We Are Invisible,"
and "We Are Free." The rave-up "Pattern
Factory," and the inventive, harmony-laden
psych-pop of "Sewers" add to the
complexity and simplicity that the band balances
so well. Listen to "Fresh Rot" loud,
and listen to it often. - Phil Rainone
The Modey Lemon - Season of Sweets (www.birdmanrecords)
The Modey Lemon have reinvented the genre
of heavy, psychedelic underground-garage rock.
The up-tempo Ziggy Stardust inspired opener,
"The Bear Comes Down The Mountain,"
is a five minutes and change blast of punky,
fuzzed out garage rock that is fun and straightforward.
The album increases with melodic, Neanderthalic
growth that is undeniably captivating. Listening
to "Season of Sweets" you just know
that the band's live show is going to be captivating
as well. A cool hybrid of smart song writing,
humor, and musicianship, the band tears through
this album with frenzy and howl. Mixing at
times, gently twisting melodic pop, aggressive
Hendrix-ian jamming, and moments of reflective
introspection with flashes of absurdist humor,
"Become A Monk," hits the mark,
and is well-crafted garage rock. Never thought
I'd use
those two words in a sentence together! The
driving rhythm section bends and turns right
along with the guitarist, rendering the unpretentious
psychedelic rocker the centerpiece (over 7
minutes) of a very fine garage rock album!
Like a lengthy acid-rock trip (wow, I haven't
used that term in a long time, but it's definitely
appropriate), the album is loaded with wild
feedback and exciting guitar crashes and gashes,
especially on "Milk Moustache,"
which sounds like a crazed demented dinosaur
rearing its head in victory. "Season
of Sweets" devolves into a noisy, old-fashioned,
earsplitting rave-up. The last song "Live
Like Kids," contrasts the acoustic strumming
with a slow, massive buildup of distortion
favoring The Jesus and Mary Chain's reverberating,
sharp-edged style, but with a more modern
arrangement. The Modey Lemon's album Seasons
of Sweets is challenging, rewarding, and leaves
you wanting more! - Phil Rainone
CD Reviews 
