Issue # 80
Reviews by West
To have your materials reviewed send to ugr.geo@yahoo.com

Starting off at the black circus, our journey into our world of madness begins. Followed by a statement taken as fact "Stealing for my Own Gain" shuffles along breaking windows with the understood discourse being hidden in misleading questions. "A Horse Named Panty Raid" was released as as single. Why? I'm not really sure. As the entire album, it's fun, coy with a sense of the glooms. I guess the herb was good that morning. Slipping in downtown you begin to realize the futility in it all . "I Am Not An Officer" brings us chicken gozzling overlaid by progressive break aways speaking to some kind of musical abilities displayed often throughout. Within the same song a show of the down scene pops in for a picture as you near the end. Things begin picking up on "Tear Into The Bones". A nice play on the high kick coming close to things people will recognize. The same creativity shows again a couple songs later with "Uninhibited". Soaring along on a minor key stab, it doesn't shy away from things unsaid, as the clothes come off in the supermarket.

For most of the album we get relatively quick numbers under three minutes. Towards the end though the band stretches out a bit and actually hits one over the 5 mark!! Of the longer pieces, "Canon McCoy" seems a smooth glider. Feeling traditional, wearing a rockabilly mask then, by god there it is, the English organ! Jut a quick showing though, because the horns, which have it all along, click in tandem with a strong bass. All accumulating in a Syd type dirge showing the lads have done their homework at some time or another. Longest song though is "Feed The Ducks", and it's another of the better on the overall program. Almost a slow dancer, but the blaring whole notes on the horns and, damn if there it's not again, the english funhouse organ, put something in that gels nicely on a harmonizing chorus. Throughout No Teeth will surprise you, if you're listening closely. Last couple they really just show exhibits they've put on display sometime prior. Closing they remind you, it's never over, and you will be got over on.



Great, off the tongue, or terrible, the name first strikes. High levels of abilities in this band, crafting every classic rock and proto heavy metal affront slathered in progressive styled punk you've possibly ever heard. If you like original though vaguely familiar music played like they mean it, this is yer game. Strangely, and for whatever reason it's strange, I hear a massive WHO influence all around here. Lots of it are the ramming powerchords and ferocious drumming meshing together in a loose yet somehow tight running menagerie. More modern psychonaut feel comes across quite often, as if they are seriously trying to ply hidden complexities written around rock that just wants to run. Then they'll top it off with a superb passing melodic harmonization as fine as anyone.

It's the big statements here that matter. Music is definitely the key though a few listens through you'll still be finding passages moving underneath and complimenting the lyrics in ways you'd not considered before. Guitars churn and burn, timing it all togehter masterfully rhythmically, structurally, like a stanch dog. A top release.



Talk on the street mofers that owe will be paying, or as the title sez, Die Slowly. Thinks it's all talk? Chris Rivers & Cory Guns will prove to you otherwise. You don't have to ask because this braggin' on the mic, extended slatter & all that, is earned well, Dividends Paid. Almost wise, ah yeah yeah I do, we had more than a single.




Double draw n seasonal feasts. Talkin mfers talkin shit but flyin' that plane high n fast.




Single which slid across my decks in the summer of 2024. A slowed grind music wise with quick slabs thrown over the top. Speaks of things which go down we all think we know until it's just yourself in front of the flames then with a quickness you realize you don't know shit. Once wordmaster gets fired up, it's lip ledge on the shores of the islands without the reggae but hard on the rap.

Another poetic word exercise comes at 'cha on 25th hour. Militant as was before yet more about sneaking around smoking weed & throwin' spinning drop kicks till gas lines get unhitched and the house mysteriously goes up in flames. It is only then you hear the bullet being chambered and ya know, your time is up!



Dangling over the cliff in wasted slendor, the MK Ultras deliver words of wisdom lost in peaked anatomy chopped fine eschewing disregard for conformity. There's not a lot of feeding you feels, just cleanly executed rock n roll. The bass pushes the guitar to drive hard as the drums mostly lay back and do the fill in. Probably the vocals take the lead in most numbers, not sure I heard anything to take that away.

Perfect numbers for dancing, slamming that is. The band switches things around making it a blast. In the distance you can hear the crowds scream for more, so close, yet so far.



Some gold here, like on the psychedelic "Pullling Saturn" which is excellent. The there are some stinkers, or close enough, "King Of The Room" being one. It yearns to go somewhere, but just doesn't. Unfortunately, that's how most of the album is. Making good use of delay and feedback is where the wheelhouse is for SJS, like on the short but sweet "The Lamplighter". Another standout is "Blue Sky Born", having moving segmented guitar parts backed up with some space organ arpeggios. It could have those mentioned number and "Preview Of Mistakes", proving again the ether floating above the fray is where the band belongs which would have made an outstanding EP. As is, I'll give them a five outta 10.




Melodic overtures greet you here throughout. Not everything is hard rockin, not even half the record. Such as numbers like Flying High deliver without the normalized bombast. Falling is a certified love song, and it too pretty much stays out in the catbox though it soars chorus wise. Things get revved up again with Boogie Man, tickling sweet ivories offering an invitation to the dance floor. I coulda used more breakout when the lead came around, but that's how it goes. Still it gets the message across. Album closer is the anthemic Born To Rock making it's peace without trying too hard. Ritchie Newton, yeah, he has his Moments.




Bringing you quality themes of arabia, the middle east, and intmate hymnals spearheaded by a long list of accomplished talent who bring alive the songs of Sharoon Eliashar, a genuine transplant from both Jerusalem & Bedouins of the Sinai. Both the opening title cut and follow up Tent have places in libraries of people who love music, period, devoid of preconceptions or need of specific genre definitions. The guitar work alone on Tent is especially tasteful.

The single mix of Breathe is another gem included. Touching down again in the middle east as a base we get a mix of many faces, some you may hear as familiar. Placed in a smoothed out arrangement harkening back on opening calls as the song fades away. Later we get the stand out In The Garden; while not as strong as the earlier numbers it's hereditary vibes keep putting on a fresh layer. The more driving Salome peeks at a progressive energy that may be elsewhere but is used front and center here. A clean, crisp production makes hearing the many different instruments and parts easy and a joy.



Plenty of fuzzed out energy driven hard on the edges of the californian canyons keep you on your toes as you enjoy what the buzz is all about. Johnny Nasty boots is definitely cooler with a buzz yet partaking is not necessary to respect the obvious talents here. From psychedelia to garage jams Johnny Nasty Boots also sings it well. You can hear the hundreds of shows he's done adding in that worth of experience. The full release is due any day now. From what I've heard so far, it'll be well worth while.

@JohnNastyBoots



Only got a couple of numbers off this album sent in. Not sure why unless these two are some kind of single. If that is the case then definitely I'd choose Enemy back with Truth Bomb. But what the fuck do I know. I'm just the reviewer.

This is what they're calling progressive deathcore. Like most core it has metal flavorings, which at times here grate though as compositions they both are respectable. Seems to be a bit heavy on the compression and normalization, which kinda deadens things. Most of the time that combination does, but it also if not jammed to the max volume wise, can smooth things out. Seems to be both cases here, it smooths out the mix but ear fatigue could be its downfall.



Diverse principles none of this single file marching down the hall shit. There soars the verse, chorus, and the in-betweens. Talkin' about top notchers askin' How Is New York. Keepin' up the fronts on the tenents and the trash collectors. Not sure why they started off slower though on the first number, it felt more a groove for deep into. In all honesty it takes them a couple to get warmed up to hit How is New York, the trip there being standard indie food fare. Not bad though.

Track four they hit a groove with Our Fire sliding beats tangle the willows swaying & the guitars a playin'. The main riff seeming vaguely familiar. There is talk about fruit eatin', not hidin' the fact folks are goin' down. Then the shrooms come out and we dose out on Secondary Planet. Being out of control and not knowing what to do, the well known mind medicine feels fine! Another of the albums's top numbers. After that we hear the church organs leading into fields of celestial meltdown as we enjoy our high with blending colors on Serotiny.

Toe tapping kick beat drives along as we get closer feeding us into demands to Hear Me Now. Afterwards this is where the album slows back down considerably as the final three burn down to the end. But that shit eatin' grin beguiles that the trip is over. Oh no! It has only just begun!


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