Scroll down for capsule reviews of releases by Dag Nasty, Nashville Pussy, The Kaisers, Peter Wolf, Dynamic Ribbon Device, Perner, The Chargers Street Gang, John Moremen, The Vinyl Kings and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Division Of Laura Lee – Black City (Burning Heart/Epitaph): Second album from Swedish band who has some of the garage suss that fellow countrymen The Nomads and The Hives possess, but their rock is a little less beholden to that tradition. Add to the R & B riff simplicity that certain between punk-and-pub rock sensibility that defined The Godfathers and then a extra level of screaming frenzy that you might associate with Nirvana, Jets To Brazil at their angriest or Husker Du – it's loud, traditional, timeless rock and roll. Per Stalberg is an urgent vocalist, who really strains his guts to intensify each word. He has little choice, as he and Henrik Rostberg pile on the guitar noise – indeed, Rosberg is credited with ‘guitars, vocals and noise'. The band does not get up to Jesus and Mary Chain levels of distortion, but they're not afraid to layer on riffs and buzzy noises (check out "Number One", for example). The production team, which includes Kalle Gustafason (who has worked with The Soundtrack Of Our Lives) deserves a lot of credit for getting the balance right, so the noise manages to hit you like a brick wall, yet still has a remarkable clarity. Distinct cacophony. DOLL relies on dynamics and crisp songwriting to keep this from just being rock for rock's sake, a la The Hellacopters. It also helps that they can throw in just a bit of a pop sensibility, like the ringing lead guitar on "Access Identity" (which also shows that the rhythm section can do more than pound away). The band has a haunting side too – "I Walk on Broken Glass" has a whispering Stalberg, Jonas Gustafsson's prominent organ, which gives the song a quasi-symphonic overtone, and a romantic bravado that is ballsy and refreshing. Of course, right after that fades out, the band just kicks out the jams some more. Great record. divisionoflauralee.com.

Dag Nasty – Minority Of One (Revelation): This is a darned good contemporary punk record. Whether it's a good Dag Nasty record is up for debate. This album finds the band back together for the first time in ten years. In the interim, the members have done other things, most prominently, singer Dave Smalley leading the fine emoesque Down By Law, while Brian Baker wound up taking Brett Gurewitz's place in Bad Religion. This is melodic punk that works for either singing or shouting along. It really is closer to recent Down By Law records than the Nasty's back catalog. By that I mean that some of the menace of the old Dag Nasty is not present here – their sound seemed to fall in between the rousing melodic rage of Naked Raygun and the darker near post-punk turf trod upon by Wipers and the second edition of Effigies. So some of the character of the band is missing. What's not missing is the passion. These guys sound fired up to be playing together. And Smalley is at lyrical peak. In these times of forced consensus, it is great to hear one of the grand old men of American punk still pissed and articulate: "The government controls you/and brother that's not just a line/but don't trust them to tell you/how to live your fucking life". The band also unleashes fury on "Average Man", Smalley haranguing about folks stuck in cubicles wasting their lives away. Baker's guitar work is impressive throughout, from his alternatively scraping and gliding guitar chords to his precise gunfire lead guitar work. Much like last year's T.S.O.L. reunion, while the band might not sound exactly like they did during their glory days, Dag Nasty still rocks quite well. daghouse.com

Nashville Pussy – Say Something Nasty (Artemis): More liquored up shit in the vein of Supersuckers, AC/DC and other hard rockers. This meets minimum RDA kick ass requirements and rides the line between professional and inspired. The lyrics are predictably salacious ("Keep on Fuckin'"), with intermittent wit ("You Give Drugs a Bad Name"). Blaine Cartwright's reedy growl is two parts Jim Dandy and one part Zodiac Mindwarp, while lead guitarist Ruyter Suys gets off a few blistering solos. 15 cuts is way too many for such a narrowly focused disc, but there are some songs that should become staples of their notorious live shows. On "Gonna Hitchhike Down to Cincinnati and Kick the Shit Outta Your Drunk Daddy", drummer Jeremy and bassist Katie Lynn throughly nail the swinging blues-metal rhythm that fueled AC/DC classics like "Let There Be Rock". The band even takes on boogie in a couple of spots. However, instead of logically covering Black Oak Arkansas (thanks, by the way), they do a pretty faithful version of "Rock'N'Roll Hootchie Koo", which really isn't well suited for Cartwright's limited range, but wow -- it sure sounds dirty when he sings it. artemisrecords.com

The Kaisers – Shake Me! (Get Hip): Yet another collection of songs from the band stuck in about March 1965 or thereabouts. The Kaisers affection for prime Merseybeat knows no bounds – they have studied their early Beatles, Dave Clark Five, Shadows, Hollies and Searchers very well. The sound on this disc is pristine, which sometimes is a disadvantage – I wish that the sound was a bit rawer, and having seen them live, I know they are capable of it. This is all about the sound. As songwriters, The Kaisers are skilled mimics, but they don't quite match their idols. On the other hand, they sound a lot better than Gerry and the Pacemakers or Freddy and the Dreamers. And it's difficult not to crack a smile at Shadows-y instrumentals like "Paradiso Twist" and "Trick Shot" (which has a fun handclapping interlude), the sweet ballad "Angel of Love", "What You Gonna Say" which sounds like early Hollies, and boppers like "Jenny G" and "Miserabella". gethip.com

Peter Wolf – Sleepless (Artemis): Former J. Geils Band singer is still a distinctive blues-rock singer and his gifts are on display on this stylish effort. This is on par with some of the better recent efforts of Bonnie Raitt – an old pro just doing his thing. Particularly impressive is the variety of vocal approaches that Wolf takes – he can howl, he can sing, he can joke and so forth. Mick Jagger takes a verse on "Nothing but the Wheel", the type of mid-tempo shuffling country-blues that the Stones should be doing now. Fans of J. Geils Band, who were a repository of terrific R & B covers, will love Wolf's treatment of the old Stax number "Never Like this Before" -- this is a reminder of Wolf's strutting personality which was tailor made for ‘60s soul classics. Steve Earle lends vocal assistance on the country-waltz "Some Things You Don't Want to Know" that sways with the quiet majesty of The Band. The title cut wraps up this masterful display, and it's a wonderful epic ballad so classically composed that you could imagine The Drifters doing it in the ‘50s, Sam Cooke in ‘62 or Otis Redding in ‘67. Wolf's controlled vocal and the Uptown Horns just take it to the top. Magic Dick and Keith Richards also guest on this unexpected gem. peterwolf.com.

Dynamic Ribbon Device – The Elysian Fields (Bilderberg Group): Australian group is a real throwback to arty ‘70s pop acts like 10CC and Stackridge, and arty ‘80s pop acts like Deaf School and Local Boys, primarily in their approach. The closest modern act to compare them to might be Dada, and though D.R.D. lacks an ace singer, the band manages to have a lot more personality then those guys. Yep, Dynamic Ribbon Device is a group that is doesn't have gigantic quirks, but refuses to rely on obvious devices to snare the ears. The songs are the pop equivalent of short stories, not relying on big choruses and driving hooks, but combining pleasant melodies and interesting lyrics to entertain yet challenge. In other words, this one takes some spins to sink in beyond the surface appeal of their sound. It is definitely worth the effort. They mutate reggae into tinkertoy music hall on "King Reggie", Russell J. Duncan's nasal vocals turning out to be naff yet perfect for the tune, which breaks down into some let loose rock and roll at the end. "Unholy Trinity" sounds like Robert Wyatt trying out an unused latter day Split Enz tune, the perky rhythm and snappy melody (and B.A. Taylor's constantly creative and skillful guitar work) almost masking the somewhat disturbing story in the lyrics. Peter Bowers takes a wonderful turn on the mike on the pretty acoustic "World" – here, his voice has an appealing weariness on a mellow pop gem – the addition of the pedal steel is a fine touch. The band tarts it up a little on "Diamonds", which has a lead guitar line that could have made it on a Queen soundtrack song for an ‘80s action movie – how composer Taylor weaves the pomp of the intro, the urgency at the beginning of each verse and the sweet melody on the bridge, which climbs back into the pompy part shows all that D.R.D. does so well. Score one for smart guys who aren't too full of themselves. Drd2012@hotmail.com.

Permer – Summerdays Attract The Pain (Hidden Agenda): If you open up the CD booklet to look at the photos of Martin Permer and collaborator Agnes Bylander, it looks sort of like an advert for a James Spader/Linda Fiorentino movie. Just had to point that out. Permer is the songwriter behind Waltz For Debbie, a Swedish group with vocalist Annica Lundback, who produce dancey pop tunes in the vein of Saint Etienne, Pet Shop Boys and The Cardigans. Permer's solo effort is in similar musical territory, but lyrically seems to be more personal. Permer is an adequate vocalist and an admirable tunesmith who puts together songs that put their emotions on display while making your feet move. Yet the pick to click here is the moody synth-ballad "Sarah", it's haunting chorus working so well simply by having the vocalists (Permer and Bylander) extend the final note of the melody, letting it waft and disappear like smoke. Permer has a penchant for appealing melodrama, best rendered on "Sleeping in Your Parents Bed" -- it sounds like the Human League meets Douglas Sirk. And he's almost as good as The Pet Shop Boys at managing to create a pumping dance track while dropping major melancholy science -- "Women's Liberation" is not about the feminist movement, but tells the tale of one woman getting out of a bad relationship. The break up is sad, and reflected in the melody, while the percolating rhythms signify empowerment in her independence. This runs a tad bit long, but it's a nifty effort. parasol.com

The Chargers Street Gang – Holy The Bop Apocalypse (Get Hip): Music in the sloppy vein. This isn't quite garage rock, it's not quite punk, it's not quite metal. It's got a blasting quality that's kind of on par with Electric Frankenstein, but it's a bit less beholden to certain genre convention. So the Gang can smack you upside the head with crude rockers and then stretch out on "Amazing Disgrace", offering a boisterous take on the folky-rock sounds that are more associated with Steve Wynn and Green On Red. The band also throws in bits of blues and R & B, shouted out with maximum drunken intensity. This is a terrific recording, with a true live feel. The energy generated by this sextet may obliterate any flaws in the songs. And this band pulls off a song called "Tom Waits for No-one" and it doesn't suck. Kick ass. gethip.com

John Moremen – John Moremen EP (Bus Stop): The drummer for The Orange Peels gets up from his kit (which is occupied by X's D.J. Bonebrake on three of the EPs four songs) and steps up to the mike. With assistance from members of the Loud Family, Monks Of Doom and The Ophelias, Moremen's songs are maybe a step or two away from Peel's California pop, moving a bit towards the more recent pretty twang of The Velvet Crush. Moremen is not a great singer, but has an adequate range and tone that fits the winsome qualities of his tunes. The final cut, "Cemetary Row", co-written with Allison Faith Levy (Loud Family) and Scott McCaughey (Minus Five/Young Fresh Fellows), is lovely, with Moremen's strongest vocal. The musicians stretch out a create a lovely tableau for Moremen's thoughts on going to the titular row. "From the Outside" jumps with the vigor of an old Everly Brothers number mixed with the essence of Big Star sweetness. Bonebrake's mild galloping beat provides a great platform for Moremen to show off his lead guitar skills, which punctuate the easy going melody. Fans of The Orange Peels will probably most appreciate "Never Told You This", which has a hook that wouldn't sound too far out of place if it were sung by Allen Clapp. A little delight that captured me more with each play. johnmoremen.com.

Vinyl Kings – A Little Trip (Vinyl Kings): Old pros like Jim Photoglo, Larry Lee and Josh Leo combine forces to pay tribute to The Beatles, not by doing their songs, but doing songs cut from bolts of Fab cloth. These are skilled craftsmen at work, and they know their stuff. This is both a pro and con. The songs are solid and at times, quite good. And they can sing and they can play real darned well. But they can't help but worship at the throne of the recording god Precision, so the performance of these songs comes a lot closer to Toto than The Beatles. Moreover, while the fact that these guys are having comes across, this doesn't have the nudge-and-wink spirit of projects like The Rutles and The Dukes Of Stratosphear, which means sometimes it feels like the concept is approached too respectfully – adding further to the slightly sterile feel. Despite these criticisms, this record has moments that catch me, as the Kings do periodically nail the mojo that we have loved for years. The ballads are particularly good. vinylkings.com

Jack And The Beanstalk – Vodka Line E.P. (Rhythm Barrel/Parasol): Joe Algeri and crew clock in with another winning collection of tunes. This EP is divided into 5 fleshed out rock tunes and four acoustic numbers. The early part of the disc concentrates on feel good jangle that is set midway between The Byrds and Teenage Fanclub. My favorite is "She Does the Handclaps" an ingratiatingly clever tune, meaning it's clever without making a big deal about it, that is just plain fun. Algeri's vocals sound great throughout and on a couple numbers take on a slight tint of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. The mid-tempo run through of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" is quite nice -- a relaxed ramble with Algeri singing with a genial sneer. The revenge here is best served simmering. The acoustic numbers are equally good, performed with a tenderness and commitment that allows the melodies and sentiments to wrap around the listener like a warm blanket. The demo "10,000 Sunny Days" is particularly affecting and a compelling example of the joys of compositional economy to express feelings in a direct manner. Certainly one of the better ‘between albums' EPs that I've heard in the past five years or so. parasol.com

Flannelmouth – I've Seen Moonlight (Teosto): Extremely talented Finnish band who have a lot in common with bands like Gene and Kitchen Of Distinction, with swooping melodies, tailor made for Tuomo Kuusi to swoop down. However, Flannelmouth differentiates itself from those big sounding bands with a remarkable facility for keeping the emotional scope, but scaling down the music to a level of true intimacy. The bass/drums/guitar combo is augmented by Antti Lonnblad (bass) and producer Tom Hakava, who add various keyboard touches, from organ to piano to mellotron. The band's playing is impressive enough – Markus Koskinen (drums) and Lonblad's rhythm section work is remarkable – they pulse every song along without overwhelming the primary foci: Kuusi's passionate croon and Jussi Lahtinen's delicately plucking guitar parts, that always compliment Kuusi's work, the two impressive parts making an even better hold. The four songs get progressively more rocking, in a relative sense. On "Dead Moody", the band plays a jaunty backing somewhere between Motown and The Smiths or The Go-Betweens, and Kuusi opens his mouth and shows you his heart. Sometimes his accent makes the words a wee bit tough to understand (lyrics are included!), but you still know what he's saying by how he sings it. One of the best EPs of the year. flannelmouth.cybercafe.nu.

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