Whaddaya
know, a major label punk release that doesn’t suck. The majority of the songs
on ‘Andiamo’ are fierce and anthemic, and the lyrics actually have some
substance, to boot. About the only sign that this is a major label release is
the production; it’s slick, but still has enough rough edges to keep from
sounding sterile. “Painted Windows” and “Revolution” kick off the album with
energy, passion, and old fashioned good songwriting. Most of the songs on here
are pretty fast, but the under a minute “Society’s Sequence” and “Siempre Loco”
really blaze. For variety’s sake, the band also tosses in a Latin-tinged
surf instrumental (“Chile Con Crudo”), and a few ska numbers (I could do without
‘em, but then I just don’t like ska very much). The cover of Wall of Voodoo’s
“Mexican Radio” doesn’t thrill me, either, but I’d say I liked about 2/3 of this
album’s 14 tracks. Definitely worth checking out. (Bob Ignizio)
Moonlighting from their main
gig as Blue Taxi, the musicians who make up Billy & the Bullets prove they’re
just as adept at rockabilly as they are at the blues. This disc was recorded
live in the studio in one day, and you can really feel the energy in the
playing. This especially comes through on instrumentals like “Shifting Gears”
and a cover of Jeff Beck’s “Jeff’s Boogie” where guitarist Billy gets to really
shine. The band does a great rockabilly arrangement of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom
Prison Blues” and a nice bluesy version of Ricky Nelson’s “Lonesome Town”. As
for the originals, “Sweet Young Thing” and “Belly Ring” are pretty straight
forward rockabilly, with vocals that remind me of Jerry Lee Lewis a bit. “Dee &
Jim” is more of a country rock song, and a good one at that, and “Something
Special” is a nice ballad that fits keyboard player ‘T’’s voice to, well, a
‘T’. The band’s background in the blues comes through now and then in their
playing, but only the most snobbish of purists would be bothered. It’s not a
perfect disc; “Jump Boogie & Bop” didn’t do much for me, and the vocals on the
cover of “Folsom Prison Blues” could be better. Overall, however, this is a
solid debut. To get yourself a copy, head over to the band’s
website. (Bob Ignizio)
Devil
To Pay - ‘Thirty Pieces Of Silver’ (Benchmark Records)
Devil To Pay aren't a bad
band. They play the stoner rock thing to a tee. However, it's been done before.
Their CD, "Thirty Pieces Of Silver" is a typical ride through stoner rock.
Sometimes it has an Alice In Chains vibe cutting through it, too. The singer,
Steve Janiak, sounds like Scott Weiland mixed with Layne Staley. The guitars are
total Kyuss. It's not to say that this disc is bad, it's just to say that it
provides nothing new. Their musical skills are very apparent, but their
creativity is a little lacking. Worth checking out if you like this type of
music, but nothing to write home about. (Eddie Fleisher)
It
is possible to make music that is noisy, ugly, dark, and brutal and still write
a decent song. The proof is this latest disc from The End. ‘Within Dividia’ is
full of creative, memorable riffs, varied dynamics, and darkly poetic lyrics.
Musicianship and production are top notch, and the vocals…well, they’re pretty
much of the standard “guy screaming like someone is twisting a knife in his
back” variety, but that’s pretty much to be expected. Anything else wouldn’t
really fit, anyway. This album kind of reminds me of Carcass circa ‘Necrotism:
Descanting the Insalubrious’. Not so much that it sounds like that, but in the
way it shows a band taking their brutality and focusing it into a more
accessible form. (Bob Ignizio)
Whaddaya
know, a major label punk release that doesn’t suck. The majority of the songs
on ‘Andiamo’ are fierce and anthemic, and the lyrics actually have some
substance, to boot. About the only sign that this is a major label release is
the production; it’s slick, but still has enough rough edges to keep from
sounding sterile. “Painted Windows” and “Revolution” kick off the album with
energy, passion, and old fashioned good songwriting. Most of the songs on here
are pretty fast, but the under a minute “Society’s Sequence” and “Siempre Loco”
really blaze. For variety’s sake, the band also tosses in a Latin-tinged
surf instrumental (“Chile Con Crudo”), and a few ska numbers (I could do without
‘em, but then I just don’t like ska very much). The cover of Wall of Voodoo’s
“Mexican Radio” doesn’t thrill me, either, but I’d say I liked about 2/3 of this
album’s 14 tracks. Definitely worth checking out. (Bob Ignizio) 
Moonlighting from their main
gig as Blue Taxi, the musicians who make up Billy & the Bullets prove they’re
just as adept at rockabilly as they are at the blues. This disc was recorded
live in the studio in one day, and you can really feel the energy in the
playing. This especially comes through on instrumentals like “Shifting Gears”
and a cover of Jeff Beck’s “Jeff’s Boogie” where guitarist Billy gets to really
shine. The band does a great rockabilly arrangement of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom
Prison Blues” and a nice bluesy version of Ricky Nelson’s “Lonesome Town”. As
for the originals, “Sweet Young Thing” and “Belly Ring” are pretty straight
forward rockabilly, with vocals that remind me of Jerry Lee Lewis a bit. “Dee &
Jim” is more of a country rock song, and a good one at that, and “Something
Special” is a nice ballad that fits keyboard player ‘T’’s voice to, well, a
‘T’. The band’s background in the blues comes through now and then in their
playing, but only the most snobbish of purists would be bothered. It’s not a
perfect disc; “Jump Boogie & Bop” didn’t do much for me, and the vocals on the
cover of “Folsom Prison Blues” could be better. Overall, however, this is a
solid debut. To get yourself a copy, head over to the band’s
Devil To Pay aren't a bad
band. They play the stoner rock thing to a tee. However, it's been done before.
Their CD, "Thirty Pieces Of Silver" is a typical ride through stoner rock.
Sometimes it has an Alice In Chains vibe cutting through it, too. The singer,
Steve Janiak, sounds like Scott Weiland mixed with Layne Staley. The guitars are
total Kyuss. It's not to say that this disc is bad, it's just to say that it
provides nothing new. Their musical skills are very apparent, but their
creativity is a little lacking. Worth checking out if you like this type of
music, but nothing to write home about. (Eddie Fleisher)
It
is possible to make music that is noisy, ugly, dark, and brutal and still write
a decent song. The proof is this latest disc from The End. ‘Within Dividia’ is
full of creative, memorable riffs, varied dynamics, and darkly poetic lyrics.
Musicianship and production are top notch, and the vocals…well, they’re pretty
much of the standard “guy screaming like someone is twisting a knife in his
back” variety, but that’s pretty much to be expected. Anything else wouldn’t
really fit, anyway. This album kind of reminds me of Carcass circa ‘Necrotism:
Descanting the Insalubrious’. Not so much that it sounds like that, but in the
way it shows a band taking their brutality and focusing it into a more
accessible form. (Bob Ignizio)