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Jersey Beat Columns - The Quinlan Chronicles


THE QUINLAN CHRONICLES - Reviews by Rich Quinlan

POLAR BEAR CLUB -
Sometimes Things Just Disappear (www.redleaderrecords.com)

When the opening track of Sometimes Things Just Disappear, the awkwardly titled, “Eat Dinner, Bury the Dog and Run” began, I was instantly off-put by the vocals of Jimmy Stadt. His voice seemed to be straining beyond its means, and I was a little concerned about Polar Bear Club’s post-punk aesthetics. However, the second track - which featured some vocal similarities to the first - made me more excited about what I heard. “Burned Out in a Jar” and “Heart Attack at Thirty” were two of the songs that featured thick guitar and a rollicking rhythm section. This is not revolutionary by any stretch, as you will repeatedly feel that you have heard “Our Ballads” or “Another Night in the Rock” many times before. However, the band does offer a nice sense of ambiance with some of the guitar work of Chris Browne and Nate Morris, both of whom can provide atmospheric touches when needed. The biggest mistake for the band came at the conclusion of the disc, with the pseudo-heartstring puller “Convinced I'm Wrong.” It begins too quietly and features lyrics that sounded very forced. (“Don’t go. Tonight I'm looking for salt in a snow globe”.) This young Rochester band has an immense of pressure on them with this record, based on the success of their 2006 EP The Redder The Better. I think they have the chops to be a strong band live, but this record did not really get me hooked.

GUAPO - Elixirs (www.neurotrecordings.com)

If you have ever watched a great horror film when the action is shown through the eyes of the killer, Guapo plays the music you hear when the killer is silently stalking his helpless victim. Haunting, chilling, and uniquely crafted, the polyrhythmic Elixirs is a magnificent journey through a myriad of emotional states. The opening thirteen minute “Jeweled Turtle” is simply intoxicating, as it develops incrementally into a sprawling soundscape of beauty. The band, comprising only two members, Daniel O’Sullivan and David Smith, utilizes a wide array of instruments including autoharp, harmonium, synths, and even elements of electronics. None of the songs here are brief, but they are worth your patience and time commitment. These tracks are also not always easy listens, but that quality is what makes Guapo so fascinating. The lush majesty of “Arthur, Elsie, and Frances” fades into the centerpiece of the disc, the two “Twisted Stems.” The first was the “Heliotrope”, and the second is “The Selenotrope”. The former features the evocative voice of Alexander Tucker, which hovers peacefully within an intricate wall sound. The latter revolves around the vocal contributions of Jarboe. That is the only credit listed, and while there may not be much information provided, the song itself is unforgettable. I was swept up in this work, and the concluding efforts “The Planks” and “King Lindorm” are equally expressive, albeit a bit more angular than the earlier pieces. This was symphonic in nature, making it both lush and intimidating, essentially a musical version of a rain forest. It is beautiful, but there is a hidden danger within its perimeter. Expand your mind and collection by finding this.

THE IMPULSE INT'L - “Arm the Girls” b/w “Run and Hide” (Deranged Records www.the-impulse.com)

Hitting with the same kinetic hyperactivity of Peter and the Test-Tube Babies’ classic “Banned from the Pubs”, “Arm the Girls” is a track designed for those who loved punk’s earliest, most pure elements. I loved the energy and enthusiasm here, and any song that ahs the lyrics, “We had alcohol, I spent the night in her room” is fine by me! The B-side is similar in nature to its counterpart, with a pure 60’s rock sound that would make the members of the Dave Clark Five smile. The pounding, rhythmic force of “Run and Hide” was a shot of pure sugar. The chorus, partly due to its simplicity and partly due to its hook, will not leave your brain for days. Go get this!

BLAKE/E/E/E - Border Radio (www.freefolkrecords.com)

Blake/e/e/e, along with having a confusing name, also has a highly varied musical personality on Border Radio. The disc begins with “Holy Dub”, and it is what one would expect: a bouncy, rhythmic dub track. This is easy enough, but that is where the simplicity ends. “New Millennium’s” is gorgeous in its delivery. This lush, sprawling track introduced a subtlety into the record before changing gears to the straight forward “lack of Self-Explanation”. This track drones, rises, fades away, and then returns with another droning riff. The remnants of this song slide into the Beach Boys-inspired “narrow Zone”. Psychedelic and fun, this track was my early favorite until I heard the next song, “Time Machine”. This could have been the title track for this disc, as Blake/e/e/e is a throwback of a band that refuses to surrender to what is dominating radio and pop culture to generate music that is wholly original. The throbbing bass, strange, ethereal vocals and hypnotic rhythm of “Time Machine” made it my favorite of the record. From this point forward, Blake/e/e/e revisits a series of ideas: “Holy, Yes to the Sunny Days” and “Saint Lawrence Tears” both revolve around pseudo-country riffs and twangy, folk-inspired playing. Additionally, “Dub-Human-is” resurrects a similar idea from the opening song. This particular song seemed to move slowly out of the blocks, filling the listener with a sense of uncertainty. However, the song is allowed to take its’ time, as the track lingers for ten minutes! The title track “Border Radio” and “The Thing’s Hollow” are nearly tribal in their energy, with the latter featuring magnificent female vocals and lyrics about stars, space, and a lack of gravity. This disc may be the soundtrack to a bizarre hallucination, and it is truly for a select audience.


MOVING MOUNTAINS - Pneuma
(www.deepelm.com)

The four members of Moving Mountains have instruments such as glockenspiel, vibraphone, cello, and trombone among their listed responsibilities, and they seamlessly work these more refined instruments into a rock aesthetic. This has many elements of math rock detail, yet Moving Mountains avoids the oppressiveness that can emerge when bands begin to obsess over every piece of minutia. This is particularly true on songs like “Alastika” and the beautiful “8105”. If you are looking for music played loose and with a sense of recklessness, this is not your band. However, for those who are seeking harmonies that are nearly angelic played by people with immense talent, Pneuma is your album. The title of the album is Greek for “breathe”, and there does appear to be great expanses of air on a numbed of the songs, including “Cover the Roots/Lower the Stems”, “Bottom Feeder” and “The Earth and the Sun”. However, this spacious quality does not act as a detriment in any way, as Moving Mountains captures the finer aspects of emo’s more pure elements, namely the stark sentiment and lush musicianship, and utilizes these qualities to create poetic, stirring anthems like “Sol Solis” and ‘Fourth”. The most pleasant surprise for me was the more guitar charged “Grow On, Grow Up, Grow Out”, a song which was a bit more traditional in nature, but demonstrated that these guys from Purchase, New York can also turn up the energy at times as well. This will greatly impress dedicated musicians and casual music fans alike, for there is a special feature to this band that urges you to put this on repeat and listen again.


TORCHE - Meanderthal (www.hydrahead.com)

I wish I had a way to adroitly prepare you for what lies within this disc, but Torche is doing things that will defy your ears. Imagine if Eyehategod or the Unsane listened to pop rock and you have the start of what Meanderthal offers. The disc, a monolithic collection of thirteen punishing slabs of dark, tuned-down sludge glory, also contains a startling amount of catchy riffs. Additionally, the songs are quite brief, therefore avoiding the one complaint some have with music of this style; the songs just seem insufferably long. The introductory “Triumph of Venus” introduces the talents of this band and the listener is bombarded with a kamikaze barrage of drums and guitar force. However, it is the quick stabs of “Pirana” that really launches the disc into its own stratosphere. From there, Meanderthal simply does not take a breath, aside form the 32 seconds of “Little Champion”. Efforts like “Speed of the Nail’, “Fat Waves” and the concluding title track all contain a paradoxical blend of deafening metal power and ear-pleasing melodies. For those who believe that you cannot have it all, Torched proves them wrong. The band flexes muscles as large as the most pummeling of acts, yet carries a secret weapon that many bands of any genre would wish to have, and that is Steve Brooks. The man can simply write a hell of a hook, and that makes Meanderthal your atypical release. There has been talk about his band for a little while now, but you should pick this up quickly before you fall behind the curve.


THE CORDOVA ACADEMY GLEE CLUB - Be Mine Or There Will Be War (http://www.cordovamusic.com)

I first loved this band simply as Cordova, but now they have elevated their name to reflect something more erudite and sophisticated. Luckily, they have not altered the clout of their music. Be Mine Or There Will Be War is not only a great title, but it opens with an incredible flurry of punches. “Death March of the New Wave” is a throbbing, pounding track with a ridiculously catchy chorus. This leads effortlessly into “Amplified Savior” and the superior “Dance Floor Massacre”. This last track will have you dancing and singing whether you want to or not, and whether you can sing or not! James Alex, much like his days in Weston, spins yarns that are timeless in meaning and applicable to people of all ages and locations. The band uses a number of tried and true styles, such as the start/stop method of delivering lines on “Do We Speak in Complete Opposites”, or the breathy, somewhat haunting lyrical style of “Baby, I Do Not Blame Your Love for Drowning”. What I respect is how the band has continued to grow without sacrificing what they do best. This is a great guitar-pop band that will appeal to the kids just getting out of school as easily as it will to the probably-too-old-to still-be moved-by this-as much-as-I-am crowd. “French Novels About America” and the incredibly cleaver and accessible “How to Speak Hip” and “Atomic Lipstick” are highlights of an astounding album. You can tell by the quality of the playing and production that you are dealing with pros, but these guys have clearly not forgotten the earliest days of playing, when fun and adrenaline carried you from gig to gig. Go out and wrap yourself up in this.

HELLHOLE - “Uppers/Downers” 7-inch EP (www.dongiovannirecords.com)

When a slab of clear vinyl arrives in mail, I tend to get excited. Yes, life for me is slow, but this was more intriguing than your typical arrival of new vinyl. This record was accompanied by only a sheet of paper with images of Rasputin with the phrase “The truth will set you free” repeated numerous times. Once I placed this thing on a turntable, the real fun started, and this was more than what I could have hoped for, even from a band called Hellhole. The A-side was furious, noisy barrage of power-violence called “Uppers”. This chaotic display of force was only matched by the fury of “Uppers II”, a track that went from the relatively audible to the flesh-ripping within seconds. The second side was a slower, sloppy, feedback submerged dirge called ‘Downers”. Sounding like an outtake from a late in life GG Allin session, “Downers” begins with Hellhole’s vocalist lamenting, “What was I thinking?/What was going through my fucking head?” The angst and bewilderment expressed here eventually collapses under its own weight and dissolves into moments of sparkling distortion, screeching feedback, and old fashioned clamor. I eventually found out that this band hails from Jersey, which makes sense, but Don Giovanni Records has unleashed a scourge of magnificent destruction upon an unsuspecting world. Convert to this now and be saved.

KING DUST - Full Denim Jacket (www.kingdust.com)

King Dust is a band that brazenly calls itself “arena rock” in the opening line of their press packet. Immediately, red flags appear in my head and I’m apprehensive about what I am about to hear. Luckily, no one plays music on a press release. Full Denim Jacket, despite its dated title, is a monstrous rock album that will thrill fans of big guitar, raspy, yet powerful vocals, and bass lines designed for the best sex of your life. This is raucous guitar in the form of mid-70’s Sabbath and Blind-era Corrosion of Conformity. Anyone talking about a rock revival would be horribly misguided to not include King Dust in that discussion. There is not a flat song to be found, opening with the beautiful sludge of “The Devil, the Dust and Me-Part I’. From there, the band locks into a permanent groove with ‘Say You Will”, “Long Way Back”, High Road to Hell”, and “Aces and Eights”. Vocalist Matt Payne pushes himself without straining, and his gruff voice adds a level of toughness to tracks like “My Sweet Satan” and “Shoulda Known Better”. I was immediately hooked by the guitar work of Karl Moore, as he plays, stripped down, straight ahead riffs at ear-splitting levels. Mike Watt (no, not that one) and bassist Dan Cav play with a vengeance fitting of any metal band, as their bastardized blues backbeats drive each track. (Cav, by the way, has a titanium leg from the knee down due to a bizarre accident involving a car, a street corner, and one very unfortunate bass player.) King Dust may single-handedly bring back the term “hard rock” into the musical lexicon of the nation.


ECSTATIC SUNSHINE – “Way” EP (www.cardboardrecords.com)

Ecstatic Sunshine’s three song odyssey, "Way," is a sprawling behemoth of sound. Waves of delicious noise wash over you, challenge you, and dare you to keep listening. Unlike some noise acts that look to bloody your ears and violently beat you into submission, Ecstatic Sunshine presents a nearly pop-like diagram of chaotic genius. The record may sound messy and even haphazard at times, but there lies an intrinsic majesty in their work; you can hear their riffs and the wall of sound generated here is crafted by human being experimenting with tones, not over hyped techno-files sitting around a laptop cackling to themselves as they splice pre-existing material together. For a disc with such an ethereal aura, there is something profoundly human in the work of Ecstatic Sunshine. This record is an experience, much like bands such as Lightning Bolt, Black Dice, or even Genghis Tron. You cannot simply put this in and lay back-true enjoyment of this comes through careful attention to the intricacies within each of the three efforts. My favorite of the bunch was the spacious “Perrier”. This remarkably flexible song moves from transcendental beauty to funeral march plodding while never losing its astounding splendor. The world only needs a few bands like this, for acts like Ecstatic Sunshine are talented enough to produce stunning music in both sensuality and technical grace.

THEM, ROARING TWENTIES - Future Sandwich (www.sickroomrecords.com)

Normally when a disc presents eight songs in under twenty-four minutes, it can be easily forgotten. That certainly will not be the case involving Them, Roaring Twenties. The Illinois outfit has put together a record that flows effortlessly, generating an album that comes across as one extended, multi-layered track. To their credit, the material on Future sandwich in incredibly challenging, as the ability needed to play this type of jazz-inspired, hyper-kinetic anthems is well beyond the realms of most bands. Using samples from children’s books and minimal vocals, the listener is allowed to fully immerse one’s self in the talents of the band. Speedy, yet malleable guitar dominates the majority of the work, while start-stop drumming acts as a ferocious backbone to each of the eight efforts. This is clearly designed for those with a discerning ear, requiring the listener to be tired of the force-feeding of mass produced nonsense, or you appreciate staggeringly well played music. To top it off, the disc was packaged as a board game, complete with pieces featuring band members and the key haunts of Chicago, which is cooler than Monopoly, and simply a brilliant idea. Buy it for the music, stay for the game.


ELEMAE/MEMORIAL/SOON (www.Engineerrecords.com)

This release was a convenient introduction to three bands in Engineer’s ever-growing stable; two from the US and one Belgian import. The heavier guitar droning of Elemae started the disc off in impressive fashion. Boasting an eight year history, this group of New Jersey veterans played intelligent, emotionally charged rock with a subtle ambient touch. Their intellect and musical dexterity was displayed on “Pulse”, a dense explosion of controlled force, while “Hospitals and Mazes” adroitly tackled the topic of health care. The guys deserve respect just for being willing to do a song about health care, but as a bonus, it was also a great song. Elemae merged nicely into the obtuse, mid-90’s sound of Richmond’s Memorial. Taking a sound reminiscent of Smashing Pumpkins and merging it with Cursive, the band played thick slabs of poignant guitar rock, with “Who Are We to Say?” the best of the three tracks offered. “If it Helps” was a slightly more upbeat effort, a la the Killers, which was sandwiched between two heavier works, as “Munich” finished the triumvirate provided by memorial. While Memorial may have been slightly bouncier than Elemae, the sugary goodness of Soon continued that trend. The poppy “There Go the Boys” clearly harkened back to a sound of the 80s, and this would have been an instant MTV hit. Still ethereal, but not quite as smile inducing was “Inverse Ratio”. This more animated song displayed a mature side of the band not immediately heard on the first track. The closing “Serenade in the City” was a bit repetitive, but still possessed clearly defined signs of a band developing a unique sound. The future looks bright for Engineer records.


BOX BOMB - My Obsession (www.tragicherorecords.com)

This North Carolinian outfit plays a unique brand of ambient, yet poppy piano rock (“Further”, “Look Past”) with touches of early 90’s grunge and delicate acoustic guitar. The band pays homage to a clear influence on “Monotony” when vocalist Ryan Gustafson yelps “I’m still full of rage/I’m still just a rat in a cage”. I thought it was a bit too soon for such nostalgic grunge throwbacks, but Boxbomb have much more than just three chords in their pockets. The acoustic “Good Boy” and “Let Go” have fury bubbly just below the surface, while “Get What You Pay For” and “Not the Same” are mid-tempo efforts with matching pounding backbeats and subtle guitar work that at times explodes into a mighty, majestic wave of a riff. The talent on display is obvious, but Boxbomb moves at a snails’ pace for much of the disc. The band continually sounds like they are holding back, as the beautiful ‘Wishful Thinking” demonstrates. “James Street” comes across as a pious tribute to Paul Westerberg at his most disheartened (i.e. “Here Comes a Regular”), which is not a bad source of inspiration, but My Obsession may be ironically summarized by the title of the closing “Serotonin St.”: You may enjoy it, but this is a disc that will not raise your blood pressure.


MAN MAN - Rabbit Habits (Anti /Epitaph)

Be forewarned; a number of your friends, family members, and general acquaintances will not get this record. Man Man has everything from strings to sax, oompa beats to big guitars, but the one thing they do not have is predictability. The thirteen efforts on Rabbit Habits are a journey through rock, swing, jazz, soul, and psychedelia without any one style being slighted. The five members are multi-instrumentalists, quite often with “etc.” listed next to their names in terms of musical responsibilities. The one common denominator of this band is their sterling ability to completely dominate their instruments. Each member can play with flair and a command of a multitude of styles. Tracks like “Hurly/Burly’ and Doo Right” are big, boisterous efforts with rousing choruses and pounding drumming, while “The Ballad of Butter Beans” uses lovely female vocals and xylophone in a fashion that rivals the finest moments of the Violent Femmes. “Big Trouble” and “Whalebones” takes the listener back in time, as this could been the soundtrack for an early 50’s poetry slam or cross-country journey with Kerouac. My personal favorites were the joyously bizarre “Harpoon Fever (Queequeg’s Playhouse)”, a track that blended chanting vocals with a return of lush female vocals and raw emotion, and the futuristic “El Azteca”. There is nothing this band will not try, and fans of Glen Miller to LCD Soundsystem will find something here.


RETRIBUTION GOSPEL CHOIR (www.caldoverderecords.com)

Low guitarist/leader Alan Sparhawk returns with a new manifestation of his talents in Retribution Gospel Choir. This trio, rounded out by Matt Livingston on bass and drummer Eric Pollard, with occasional and stunning vocals by Sparhawk’s wife Mimi Parker, offers a spiritual movement loaded with rousing guitar and tight harmonies. Opening with the controlled bombast of “They Knew You Well”, the band tears through four solid, rollicking efforts, highlighted by the infectious “Somebody, Someone”. From this point, the disc becomes a little sleepy at times, yet “Holes in our Heads” and “What She Turned Into” are lush, melodious offerings. I loved the more gritty efforts, such as “For Her Blood” and “Kids”; both of which are coarse guitar anthems with Sparhawk’s typically sardonic lyrics delivered with intense precision. Fans of Low will adore this, and those who somehow missed out thus far on what that band has done should go out, buy this, absorb it, and then order as much of Low’s back catalog as possible. Produced by Sun Kil Moon’s Mark Kozelek, the Retribution Gospel Choir should earn itself a mighty congregation.

FAKE PROBLEMS – “Viking Wizard Eyes Wizard Full of Lies” 7-inch EP (www.goodfriendsrecords.com)

Fake Problems deliver three alt-folk pieces on this tongue-twisting 7-inch, each of which is slightly different from the other. The A-side kicks off with “Adam’s Song”, a resolute blend of guitar rock and Americana with noteworthy lyrics. (“I hear good things come to those who wait/So keep your hand on your phone, maybe I’ll call you someday.”) The second track, “Mutt” has a more traditional country aesthetic, telling stories of hidden love and hook-ups. Fake Problems comes across as a Wilco-style band through their first two efforts, and there is not much wrong with that. The B-side, “Wendy Clear” sounded like Woody Guthrie jamming with R.E.M. circa 1982, as the band used a quiet/loud dynamic on the strongest song of the bunch. Singer Chris Farren is highly expressive with a warm vocal tone that perfectly compliments the work of mates Casey Lee (guitar), Derek Perry (bass) and Sean Steveneson (drums). These guys are slated to open for Anti-Flag through the spring, and I wonder how those fans will respond to Fake Problems’ use of banjo and mandolin. Very well played and interesting.

FAREWELL TO FREEWAY - definitions (www.victoryrecords.com)

Initially tiled just Freeway, this Ontario band had to change its moniker after learning of a rapper with the same name. With that aside, the band went on to alter its sound as well, moving from a poppy, mainstream rock bend to a heavier, more metallic temperament. The end result of that maturation process is Definitions, the band’s first record on Victory. Ultimately, Farewell to Freeway will fit in quite well with Victory, for the heavy guitar, singing/screaming vocal style and predictable break-downs will be eagerly gobbled up by kids who still believe that Avenged Sevenfold and Lamb of God are dangerous metal acts. Efforts like “The Desperate Age” and “Lemmings” are solid musical pieces, but you have heard this same thing for years. I did not hear much of this band’s more rock oriented material, but I wonder if they should have simply developed that angle a bit further, because this sounded very much worn. Vocalist/guitarist Chris Lambert provides the “clean” sounding vocals while his brother Adam offers bass and “screams”. Even the addition of keyboard/sampler Michele Walter does not truly separate this band from the endless collection of bands exploiting this sound. In terms of musical chops, the act is clearly talented, and they do offer a few moments, such as ”Speak Your Words” and “The Glory Days” in which they do not simply attempt to pummel the listener into submission. However, too often, such as the title track, Farewell to Freeway is offering just another example of a style that has become the flavor of the month, and not something that will allow them to truly stay with you after the disc is done. They have the ability to be a very promising heavy band; I wish they utilized their talents to make something more representational of their skills.


SUMP PUMPS - Revenge of the Sump Pumps (www.8bitrecords.com)

I never would have expected anything like this to come out of Bloomington, Indiana. Apparently, the guys in the Sump Pumps missed out on writing anthems about farms and potential truck jingles, because Revenge is a wild, swirling record of angry, punk-infused fury that takes Devo (see the uniform dress of the members) and gives their sound to the Butthole Surfers. Kyle Beach handles lead vocals and bass and stood out for me as the most kinetic and forceful member of the band, rounded out by Ben Bussell (drums), Rob Ross (who is listed as Moog and keytar-a guy actually wanted himself down as the keytar player. Points for bravery or irony, I don’t care which.), and Ryan Paulsen. Paulsen contributes surprisingly blazing guitar work which was only matched the force of his synth playing. “State of the Art” is one of the best examples of this maniacal guitar playing, as the riff is the musical bed for the screams and yelps of Beach, before launching into an intersperse guitar/synth solo. I could not imagine that keyboards could be used to create such a fuming tone, but this left me greatly impressed. Tracks like “The Mechanical” (whose rousing chorus “don’t fuck with the mechanical” is one of the best I have heard in a while) and the explosive opener “Space Camp” will appeal to fans of Genghis Tron and other bands that are expanding the scope of what keys can do within the context of a heavier act. The centerpiece here is “Pon Farr”, a driving, hypnotic, and pummeling track that could match the energy of any hardcore band. The mechanized, heavily altered vocals of “Continuity” seem to borrow as much from bad sci-fi as they do early 80’s rap, and the end result is nearly flawless. This will be challenging for some, and I am sure the reactions must be interesting from the unsuspecting people at gigs, but this is band that is creating a new invention of indie rock.


VENDETTA VALENTINE - There’s Nothing Safe (www.vendettavalentine.com)

It is so rare when a disc comes along in which the playing sounds inspired and the fun being had by the members shines through on each track. This is exactly what happens on Vendetta valentine’s debut, There’s Nothing Safe. This California trio takes electronic funk and pop and then slams it together with a raw punk aesthetic, and then garnishes it with some sharp lyrics and brilliant arrangements. With a style that ranges from Blondie to B-52’s to even one of my long-lost favorites, Berserk, Vendetta Valentine are a perfect band for the next generation of rock. Rhythm guitarist and vocalist Thomas Monroe has a voice that is deeply expressive and passionate without even sounding artificial. The emotions displayed on There’s Nothing Safe are as unprocessed as the musicianship, as Daniel Powell’s bass and programming work mesh perfectly with Anna Judd’s keyboard playing. The band retains a DIY spirit not seen much in the age of MySpace and Hot Topic, as they recorded, produced, and mixed the disc by themselves, with Anna also supplying the artwork. Even if you cannot dance, you will not be able to resist moving to “Golden”, Dissidents” and “Primitive Song about Danger and Excitement”. At thirteen songs, the disc does go on for a bit too long, but the overwhelming majority of the songs are hooky, sexy pieces that will change your opinions concerning the interconnection of rock and dance music. “Stars are Papercuts” and “Hang Up Station” are two more highlights from a disc that should make you wonder how this band is unsigned. If you are one of those individuals who gets nervous whenever words like “keyboard-laden”, “dance” and “electro” are used to describe a rock band, do yourself a favor and expand your horizons here.


OVERKILL - Live at Wacken Open Air 2007 DVD ( www.bodog.net)

For those of you, like me, who are unable to afford the airfare to get to Germany for the massive Wacken Open Air metal festival, this DVD may be the next best thing. Featuring ten tracks from Over Kill’s set, and shot with startling clarity, you are placed on stage with these legends of New York metal. To their credit, the twenty-plus years of playing have not lessened the enthusiasm of energy of these guys, and singer Bobby Blitz looks positively ripped. Whatever he does to stay in shape could either land him a deal for exercise videos or a Senate hearing along with Roger Clemens. The ten efforts here span the career of Over Kill, a band who truly never receives the respect they deserve, as their sound consistently outshines anything being put out by their contemporaries Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, or Testament. The highlights include blazing renditions of “Rotten to the Core”, “Thanx for Nothin’”, their immortal “In Union we Stand”, the great sing along “Wrecking Crew” and fan favorite “Fuck You”. The disc is heavy on music and facial expression camera shots and light on banter in between songs, which is exactly the way most metal fans want their shows to be. At Wacken, Over Kill was finally given proper treatment with a night time set, clearly indicating that they were one of the headlining acts. Despite the darkness enveloping the crowd, it was still discernable to witness a substantial number of people moshing and head banging furiously to a blazing set. I have been a long time fan of Over Kill, and I have great respect for their relentless commitment to their vision, and the Live at Wacken DVD will give fellow devotees or even brand new fans a grand overview of this band’s career.

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