Groove Krickets: s/t
The Groove Krickets are without a doubt one of America's finest rock n roll bands!! No fancy shit, just rippin riffs, hard and steady backbeat, and classic whiskey and cigs vocals. These guys would rock any party; or if the party ain't happenin' I sure the GK's would bring their own!! Like cheesecake outta da fridge, the rhythms of the GK's will melt 'cha down, pronto. The first cut I tasted, "Drivin", had me cookin' all the way till the end "Who's To Blame"...if it's hard rockin at it's finiest, blame the Groove Krickets...Oh Yeah, the leads are ultra cool too. Gotta have this one, gotta....Contact: PO BOX 1828 , Antioch, TN. 37011-1828. Damn This Shit is good!!!
Colie Bruce: New Age Blues
CB kicks off his version of the blues with a sonic' psychedelic six stinger el feedback assaulto...From there you go into his world of experience dramatically transposed into music....feelings, thoughts, pain and joy excel in Colie's themes. Some of the multitracking here might be thin; just remember this indie jewel was done in CB's bedroom, no wait....his daughter's nursery!! Trip Out!! Some of the instrumentation is really nice on this disc....about a quarter through the 16 song disc, about "Awakening" the artist seems to find the mark and pulls a very fine "Set it Free" out of the hat, very much like classic Zeppelin, a heavier mix would put it on a few AOR heavies...lots of classic music here, great influences....there is not a "bad" song on this disc, almost everything is above top.... pay close attention to Colie Brice, it is a name and a music you'll hear more of...Contact: Colie's Cosmic Cafe: http://www.cybernex.net/~colie
colie@bc.cybernex.net
Princess Superstar: Strickly Platinum
She revs up like a pink dragster and throws rubber all down tha track. What a super hoot!! You get some funked up astro-trippin' beats down up southside with some hip-slop flyin canuck label doin' freestyle, and you'll know what I mean. Strickly Platinum is da bomb daddy-O....If you ain't there Princess Concetta Kirschner and friends will put you there!! You've got this funk-hop with a hendrix thing pumpin' jams out the back end, and 'Ol Sugerstar herself givin' it all outfront, a winning combination at any party. Take along plenty of brew and leaves, it's gonna be a long way-out-there kinda night. So much is urban blight here: Blue beretta, Fried Chicken, Another Day....buy Princess Superstar's disc, really, they do need (want) your money, help feed the hungry...Contact: 5th Beetle Records, POB 7034, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9C3Y6
Timescape: s/t
Boy Oh Boy, UGR lucked up this month and has been blessed with some really great stuff!! Timescape from Sweden are just what 'cha daddy needed. Some harmonic guitars, strong vocals and lots o' bottom.....Much strength in the phrasing and execution of the music, nice N tight...what all the good heavy bands from the greats of the 80's to the emerging new kingdom of whallop have......heavy entwined bottom and melody, and guitars strong enough to play over the top with the vocals sometimes, and vise-versa....You have to put Timescape on top of the list for northern european bands to watch; not only do they sound good, their music has some meaning, unlike much of the stuff I usually get from that area, death metal to the core, depressing with bad vocals, Timescape makes around that cliche' with some emotional input besides the fascinations with dying and destruction. The Berlin Brothers and company have what it takes for a good jam... Such breath has been needed in metal for some time; it takes a very good band to open such doors.....go ahead, let these boys in, enjoy the music...Contact: Johan Berlin, Skogvaktaregatan 4, 602 12 NORRKÖPING, SWEDEN
email: johan.berlin@mailbox.swipnet.se or anders.berlin@ik.se
Nocturne
I had began to think the Gothic community might be somewhat redundant and satisfied to repeat the glories of years past...that was before this Nocturne CD came accross my desk....Rich in flavor and poise, Nocturne's "Of Beauty and Decay" is one minute sublime and prodding the next second it's dashing and ripping. The guitars sound full, with some bite, and the vocals of Jeff hold you there, basking in the fading light, longing for the darkness to take hold. The arrangements and songwriting are a big plus on this 4 song ep, with all holding their own well. It might be that it's time to get out the 'ol pancake again and get hold of some fresh clove smokes....kewl....contact: Old Nick Productions, c/o Mark Blewett, 4319 SE 26th Portland, OR 97202.
Stone Circle: Beyond Your Dreams
With a thick strain of jazz and funk, Stone Circle turn out a 6 song disc full of flavor...come taste the band. In places I wished for more driving, but then too I was in the backseat watching the scenery roll by, so it probably was safer if I hung along for the ride from the inside. My favorite, for whatever reason things get to that honor, is the last song on the disc "Run and Hide"......the other tunes are good, but something about the way the disc ends leaves me smilin' so it must be doing something right. The band is Sherrie Petersen on vocals, Ralph Thomas with da fuzzy-wah guitar, Mike Murphy holdin' down & expanding the bass clef, and bringin it all together is Aric Stack on the percussion side. I had to listen to the disc a few times before I could groove, but after I got to groovin' I kept movin'....Like psyco-cosmic, turn on man, jam out, tune in my friend...Contact: Stone Circle 602-858-5015
Flite: Someday
Their PR says this is the "best (currently young unsigned) rock band in the UK"...Well I can't really agree or disagree with that statement, since I don't hear that many young unsigned UK rock bands. The band is working out heavily though, already doing over 78 gigs this year...if they keep up that apce and do a new release every 9 or 10 months, well by golly they just might make the Top of The Pops (is that shit still on?)..... Flite does display a mature stature in their music for teenagers. The backbeat could be a little stronger, but it probably wouldn't sound too 'pop', and with a smooth sound and youth, the crowds usually love it.. There is no surprise moves on Flite's CD, just even tempos, emotional melodies and a little grunge sound on the axe; though at times the guys are pretty mellow... I'll have to give this band credit, they are definitely going in the right direction. They really need a couple of strong radio numbers for here in the US to push them over...besides that, they can tour till they drop, like so many bands do that come here, and gain a sizeable and substainable audience...Contact: The Stratfield Entertainment Company, 2 Stratfield Saye, Wellington Road, Bournemouth BH8 8JN UK...
John Osebold: Reason and Rhyme demos
John is the first real folk singer I've gotten in close to a year. Jangling away on his guitar, singing songs of angst and modern cornucopia, Osebold paints pictures of society, much like his predesessors that excelled in this field, but he's modern with some twists thrown in there so you don't confuse him for just another "folk-singer"...unless you're sleeping you're not going to miss this boat going through the harbor...JO is original in his approach, he doesn't just tell tales, he creates vision. At times the crooner does come out in John, could he be be a Feinstein fan? A little slow 6/8 ragtime in the mix for potential. I take it Osebold did the guitars and piano for this, unless piano, in it's true form, is known as percussion on this demo, then Jesse Driskoll has the helm, but there are drums on here, so Jesse could possibly be the skin master behind John's ravings...Dave Teal helped produce this and for some big reason that name rings a bell......oh well, the reason and the rhyme...John can come play my party anytime...Damn! It Worked!!....Contact: email- johnozzy@u.washington.edu http://weber.u.washington.edu/~johnozzy
Cortex Bomb: DeMode
These guys are super-cool man...lots of fusion influence...CB is from Arizona, just like Stone Circle (or at least these recordings came from the great wasteland)...maybe the two bands get together and shroom....Somewhere over someone's rainbow Cortex Bomb is blasting away at somebody's inner soul. Pluggin them with snappy jazz riffs and psychedelic meltdowns. Take your dramamine before you get aboard, so the extra movement don't fool ya. Steve Vai did some cool stuff like this at one time, so did Beck (Jeff, not the other one that knows one song), but Cortex Bomb has better horns...CB is in with good company. Slid a littlefreeform in there for trimmings..man oh man.....I haven't heard stuff like this in a while unless it was some really good musicians in for a weekend jam...guess what? That could mean the cats in Cortex are da bomb!!! You could wind these boys up at any cocktail party and have the half the bunch running around nekked and the other half flippin' on the jitterbug. Classic....Needs to be on Vinyl, 'cause it's collector quality. Remember the really cool Seaseme Street cartoons where you didn't realize till you were older that the cartoonists were on acid when they did it...yeah...now you're older kiddies, Cortex Bomb is your drug, soak it up n smile!! Contact: http://www.azstarnet.com/~fishes/mockbwn.html
Bill at (520) 624-4194 or Eric at (520) 622-2466