Scroll down for capsule reviews of the latest from Mick Hargreaves, Panel, The Black Watch, Messyheads, Deering and Down, Tractor Kings, RockFour, Be, Sean Kennedy and Ramona the Pest

Adam West -- Right On! (The Telegraph Company): Rock in fifth gear, in the manner of Detroit forebearers like The Stooges and MC5, and more recent ass kickers like Lazy Cowgirls, Hellacopters, Gaza Strippers and The Hives. Vocalist Jake Starr sets the tone with his powerful roar - this is too heavy for pure punk, but too concise and swingin' (thanks to the deft rhythm section) for metal. Generally, the throttle is stuck on high, with numbers like "Fire in My Bones" and "C'mon and Bludgeon Me" passing by like Formula One racers. When the band downshifts, as on "Swagger", they are equally effective - the lead guitar work is exceptional. Fans of stoner rock (or old Zodiac Mindwarp records) who would like their ass kicked at a higher tempo may also find this cool. Thetelegraphcompany.com

Mick Hargreaves -- Redemption Center (Crazy World Ain't It): Veteran rock dude (ex-Grip Weeds, Ghost Rockets, Tonebenders) plays pop with a sturdy rock coating and throws in some country vibes too. Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, Walter Clevenger, The Plimsouls and Mike Shupp are solid reference points - vocally, Hargreaves is probably closest to Edmunds - he has a friendly sound. Mick touches quite a few bases - "Stuck in the Stable Blues" comes off like a less quirky Ass Ponys, "Your God Given Name" is twangeriffic, "Hard to Get" has a light rockabilly feel and there are a couple terrific contemplative acoustic numbers ("See What You can Make of This", "Haunted"). "Be Like You" and "Always Come" verge on power pop, and each have a slow burn intensity. The more country side dominates the second half of the disc, and isn't as consistently strong as the more straight pop-rock side. Hargreaves' versatility is laudable, but he needs to better integrate his varied interests into a cohesive whole. Mickhargreaves.com

Panel -- Panel (self-released): On first listen, this four song EP of acoustic rock only left an impression with the final cut, "Submarines". A very well rendered composition that emanates from a folk rock territory somewhere between Neil Young and Loggins & Messina, the song is evidence that Panel has loads of potential. The remaining three cuts insinuate within a couple more spins - "Tomorrow" in particular has a sturdy acoustic guitars/intent rhythm section construction (fans of early R.E.M. and The Connells will appreciate this), and is performed with a great deal of passion. Most bands cut full-length discs that should be EPs - this is more rare, the EP that would be even better as a full disc. Timeless stuff. Panelmusic.com

The Black Watch -- The Christopher Smart EP (Saltwater): More delicate on the outside, tough on the inside chamber pop-rock from L.A. band that is on par with bands such as The Triffids and the recent vintage of The Green Pajamas when it comes to making tunes that are sophisticated without being stuffy, catchy without being common. Not as rock driven as their last LP, the band uses drum machines and then layers on the acoustics and J'Anna Jacoby's always wonderful violin accompaniment, which is a defining characteristic of their sound. Numbers like "Christopher Smart (1722-1771)" and "Theme From Christopher Smart" have an orch-pop slant that fans of Ladybug Transistor and Eric Matthews might dig - John Andrew Fredrick is a splendid vocalist, articulate and warm. "Honeybee" is a more guitar driven number featuring Jacoby on lead vocals and a subtly ascending chorus melody that burns in your brain. Meanwhile, "When You Get High" has a percolating New Orderish rhythm track that meshes perfectly with the standard Black Watch loveliness. My only beef with this disc is that five tunes is simply too few from a band that has mastered its sound so thoroughly. Saltwaterrecords.com

Messyheads -- Say Something Stupid (Snub!): Darned good modern rock effort. The centerpiece track "The Answer is You" relies on an insistent rhythm track and counterpoints some searing guitar with a delicate keyboard melody in support of a great hook - the song is eight-and-a-half minutes, yet could be described as breezy. The other top track is "Say Something Stupid", which appears in two versions - it's a languid acoustic number, with Messyheads mastermind John Connor vocalizing in a decidedly Lennonish manner. This tune, along with a couple others, shares a solid '60s melodic foundation akin to artists like The Chamber Strings, but with a more contemporary slant. Connor, who also produces this effort, keeps some rough edges on the tracks - "Don't Care" has a perky chorus that springs from verses that sound tuneful yet slightly out of tune - trust me, it works really well. And "Sh*teater" has that cool phased guitar sound that Pete Shelley used on his solo records, and it still sounds cool here. For pop fans tired of slick stuff, but still in need of some hooks. Messyheads.com

Deering and Down -- Coupe De Villa (Burn Barrel): Reverend Neil Down is an accomplished guitarist and musical vet. Newcomer Lahna Deering is an exceptional talent - I would compare her to when Maria McKee burst on the scene with Lone Justice - she has one of those explosive voices that makes your ears perk up, and already has a pretty good idea how to use it. She isn't seduced by her power, making her all the more seductive. The tuneage is a goulash comprised of some blues, some twang, some jazz and some rock. The album may be lacking the one or two signature songs that would really elevate it to top notch status, but there are some really fine numbers: the delicate "Room 101", a Deering composition where the artfulness of her phrasing shows her instant maturity, two Down-penned rockers, "Rocket It Around" and "Something 'bout You" and Deering's stretched out "I Need a Change". This album casts her as a young Bonnie Raitt with Rachel Sweet's firecracker presence. There's a 75% chance this disc will be reissued on a larger label, because I don't think that Deering will remain a secret too long. Lahnadeering.com

Tractor Kings -- Sunday Night (Mud): Duo of Jacob Fleischli (vocals/guitar) and Rebecca Rury (drums) put a gingham shirt and overalls on the template of Dylan, The Byrds and early Velvet Underground. Fleischli has an appealing drawl, and although the band is very effective live just as a duo, there are some guest musicians and overdubbed guitars to flesh things out - not that this is Phil Spector production, but the ba

nd avoids that demo feel some duos have. And Rury will inevitably draw comparisons to Mo Tucker, but she has a distinctive personality on the skins, and she does a great job of keeping the beat moving, while also embellishing things to add color to the songs. Speaking of the songs, the disc is chock full of winners. My fave de jour is "Dancin' All Around", which sounds like Dylan copping Buddy Holly. Next in line is "I Thought You Loved Me", which is comparable to Beachwood Sparks in blending some Byrds-ian melody with some haunting psychedelic guitar. A few tunes have a wee country tinge, some are folky and a there are some great melodies. This disc is so charming, you can't help but like it - and may grow to love it. Parasol.com

Rockfour -- Another Beginning (Rainbow Quartz): This is a compilation of most of the top tracks from this psych-pop juggernaut's first two LPs, with a couple new tracks. As one writer put it, when writing about their first album: "[o]ne thing that most of the tracks have in common is that the band doesn't always make the obvious choice when it comes to arrangements or chord changes, leading to some pleasant surprises." Writing further, this dude said, "[t]his quartet has a strong interest in the psychedelic sounds of the 60's, but has a keen understanding of how some of those sounds led to the initial art-rock spectacles released by Genesis and Yes early in their careers." Amen, brother. As to the second album, the same writer penned this: "Rockfour is the band that may bridge the gap between various '60s rock and pop influences and Radiohead (when Radiohead still wrote real songs)" noting that Rockfour has a "burgeoning reputation in some circles as one of the most exciting bands in the world." Double amen. And, to paraphrase Wink Martindale (from his classic tune "Deck of Cards"), I know these quotes are true, because that writer was me. No psychedelic pop collection is complete without a Rockfour record, and this distills the best, so buy the darned thing. Rockfour.com

Be -- Thisstupiddream (Be): Dallas, Texas band has pop instincts, anthemic ability, and a sound that is arena ready. At their best, Be can do mellow melodic nuggets a la Crowded House ("On the Last Day I Was Happy") or guitar pop nearly on par with The Rosenbergs (check out "Driving to the Beach", featuring excellent harmony vocals). Generally, the bigger they make their sound, the more generic they become, as the melodies flatten a bit and the band's lack of distinct vocal personality works against them. But when they balance their pop side with the rock side, you may want to whip out your lighter and hold your arm aloft. On the title cut, the two approaches merge - when the electric guitars kick in, the tune really soars. And "The Night You Faked Your Own Death" is a nifty moody rock number, with a great middle instrumental bit, with a crackling snare drum, melodic harmony vocals and even some dub effects - it shows off the band's tightness. Be could fit in well with the current major label rock band scene, but they are many cuts above Train, Three Doors Down and their ilk. Besongs.com

Sean Kennedy and the King Kats -- Big Town (Rocket King): Rockabilly that has a strong jump-blues element, akin to Brian Setzer. A couple twangy blues numbers actually delve into territory explored by Wayne Hancock. Kennedy has a great feel for the material - his songs (he writes seven of the disc's 10 tunes) are well crafted, and although he doesn't have a classic rockabilly voice, he sounds fine on these tunes. The band is a solid unit, and when Kennedy (on guitar) or saxophonist Jim Hannibal get the solo spotlight, they shine. The best track is the slow rumbling "I'll Be Yours", where the band stretches out admirably. Peppier numbers like "Sweet Tree" and "Rockin' Baby" swing. And the cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" passes muster. Fun genre exercise. Seankennedy.com

Ramona The Pest -- Birds, Bugs, Bones (self-released): Quirky guitar-pop band fronted by talented singer-songwriter Valerie Esway. The band owes a debt to alt-rock gods like Pixies and PJ Harvey, marrying some distinctive melodies to some jarring-yet-appealing guitar chords. "Itsy Bitsy Spider" is a great showcase for Esway's vocal acumen - she's sassy, she's powerful, she's sexy, she's simply pretty damn cool, as the song whispers and screams in different spots. "Skeleton Woman" is OK, but has a great instrumental break, with Esway's backing harmonies layered in the background. The EP opener, "15 Yeah", is a great rocker - it has a slight surf-cum-punk feel that may remind some of Aquanettas or Slant 6. More than four songs next time, please. Ramonathepest.com

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