Mike Bennett reviews the latest from The Gay, The Pills, Dave Rave, Tiara and The Boris Flats. Mike also presents capsule reviews of releases by Katrina and the Waves, Al Green, Various Artists -- Hi-fi Christmas Party, Dipsomaniacs, Various Artists -- Planet Of The Pop Boomerang, Mr. Encrypto, Katie The Pest/Banner Day, Denali, The Love Thugs and Ray Mason Band. Mike also has another CD-R of The Month. Gary Glauber reviews the latest from Paula Kelley, Steve Ward, Isolation Years, Trolleyvoxx and Tiny Volcano.

Shona Winfrey has the latest from sex & reverb. Kurt Sampsel reviews an important reissue from The Free Design.

If you are a first time visitor, visit our About Us page. Please scroll down for this month's columns and interviews. Click here for back issues.

____________________________________________________

2003: I've Got Five Records…Five Records That I Want You to Hear…Right Now!

by Kurt Hernon

"I'm living on shattered faith / the kind that likes to restrict your breath / there's never been a better time than this / to suffocate on eternal bliss!" - Brody Dalle (nee Armstrong) "Drain the Blood", The Distillers

Now this is what I'm talkin' bout folks! This is what I've been waiting for! It's been a long time coming and let me tell ya, it feels good! 2003 on the Christian calendar and finally rockroll sounds are...

MORE >

__________________________________________________________________

Christmas Sounds: Sixty-Plus Years Of Holiday Recordings

by Michael Lynch

One of the traditions of the Christmas season for any music fan is hearing on the radio those classic holiday recordings we only ever hear a few weeks out of the year. Well, sure, you COULD play your copy Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" in June, but wouldn't you feel rather funny about it?

Well, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only...

MORE >

__________________________________________________________________

The Folly of Youth and A Thirty Something Perspective: The Thrills

by Mike Bennett

I recently snagged the debut from The Thrills, So Much For The City, yet another buzz band. This Irish band has a singer whose voice is like Joe Pernice or Tahiti 80's Xavier Boyer cross-bred with Steve Forbert, with music that sounds as if it were vetted by a panel of MOJO magazine readers. Twenty-somethings show their appreciation for the classics, particularly the classics that came from the West Coast in the ‘60s.

What is striking to me about this record is the low level pretension of the lyrics. Rock and roll has always been, in large part, a platform for teenage and young adult expression. Because...

MORE >

__________________________________________________________________

Eight Questions for Greg Prevost, Chesterfield King

by Gary Pig Gold

The Chesterfield Kings, besides most adroitly picking straight up where Between The Buttons once left off, have gone and produced their very own Monkee-worthy television spectacular Where Is The Chesterfield King? , given The Pendletones a run for their sand dollar with that ho-dad-stomping masterpiece Surfin’ Rampage, provided no less than Mark Lindsay with his rough ‘n’ tumblest back-up combo since the Spirit of ’67 Raiders themselves, and...

MORE >

_______________________________________________________________

Some Cool and Not So Cool Music of 2003

by John M. Borack

As another year quickly draws to an end, I find myself with stacks and stacks (and more stacks) of CDs that for some reason didn't get reviewed. It's with this in mind that I present to you, dear reader, some snapshot reviews of cool--and not so cool-- stuff that made its way into my CD player in 2003...

Swinger's The Walk is a solid, jangly (and short - only 35 minutes) pop album, with special harmonies from Mike McLaughlin and Rob Schulz and a handful of great songs (cue "Mercy Mile" and "Day By Day").

I believe that The Blakes may have broken up, but their groovy New Tattoo five-song EP was a hell of a swansong. Well...

MORE >

__________________________________________________________________

Further Observations From a Jangly Music Fan

by Eric Sorensen

I hope that all fellow jangle enthusiasts and www.fufkin.com site readers enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday and all of you are ready to embrace the joyous spirit that accompanies the forthcoming holiday season. Among the new discs that have given me lots of listening pleasure during the past month is an advance copy of the soon-to-be-released Jamie Hoover/Bill Lloyd collaboration entitled Paparazzi. These two gents have over five decades of combined experience in the indie pop entertainment field, and their full-length disc (to be released on the Paisley Pop label) will make an excellent stocking stuffer for pop music fans. Jamie and Bill both wear their Beatles influences on their...

MORE >

____________________________________________________

So Much Music...too Little Time

by Kevin Mathews

I think my year end list for 2003 is taking shape - slowly but surely. Let me just say that the top three positions will probably be Sumday (Grandaddy), Yoko (Beulah) and When I Pretend To Fall (The Long Winters) in that order. These releases represent to me the sonic achievements of the year, all headphone treats where every nuance, every lick and every beat seems to be deliberately crafted and fashioned to create emotional highs (and lows) that resonate. Yes, I realize that there is still a couple of weeks before we say goodbye to 2003 but barring some last minute surprises, which is still a realistic possibility considering the ton of music that I haven't had a chance to listen to, I'm pretty much sure that these three fine...

MORE >

_______________________________________________________________

Cool and Steady Winwood Returns to Claim his Legacy-Will the Breeze Keep Blowing?

by Andrew Tarsy

If you were "of-age" when the Spencer Davis Group made its mark and Traffic was a seven-letter word for jam session, you probably can't help think of Steve Winwood as a perpetual comeback act and somewhat of a disappointment. The psychedelic, jazz-infused, brooding, rhythmic and danceable anthems he created with these acts and Blind Faith have endured, but the man himself has never really tried to get back to the top of the mountain. He hasn't disappeared either, and now 37 years after "Gimme Some Lovin," Winwood has put together a new band, released a spare, organ-loaded live studio recording with more rock gravitas than the synth-pop into...

MORE >

__________________________________________________________________

2003 into 2004: Where Do We Go From Here?

by David Fufkin

Most music lovers won't argue with the abject pleasure of popping a new CD out of its jewel case, placing it in the player and pulling the book out to read the liners. I just purchased a Count V compilation on Big Beat. Is there anything more enjoyable than reading Alec Palao liner notes? Other than listening to the music, there is nothing better.

It was the same with vinyl: that big gatefold sleeve, the graphics: it was and will always be a sensory experience. The truth is, however, that all of that packaging, the one-stops, the retailers and the record companies themselves have always placed their prices so that everyone in the food chain could profit handsomely. The trip between the sound recording and the consumer is filled with tollbooths on a very expensive turnpike. The problem for the bigger media companies who have grown fat with this business model is that they have failed to realize that the model is dead. We are just starting to understand that it is about time to have a proper burial.

Sure, the digital delivery model isn't...

MORE >

__________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Thanks for visiting. Please explore, and we hope that you make us your virtual

Home.

________________________________________________