This
album isn't very good. Maybe I'm just not into this type of stuff. It's a mix
of minimal dance music, new wave, and some pretty boring vocals. The music
sounds like it was made with the most primitive of electronic music equipment.
It sounds dated, and not in a good way. I will say that when there are no
vocals, it can be decent background music. There, a compliment. (Eddie
Fleisher)
Space Cowboys – ‘Dead End
Streets & Devil’s Night’ (Sonic Swirl)
These
guys are from Sweden, and they sound like a cross between early Hellacopters and
The Supersuckers at their most rockin’. And the songwriting is just as good.
In other words, this should be pure sonic bliss for a certain segment of rock
fans. This is an all too rare case of a band who, sure they’re doing something
that’s been done a million times before, but they do it well enough that I’m not
the least bit bothered by that. I love killer guitar riffs, blistering leads,
and catchy vocal hooks. This sucker has all three in spades. Good enough for
me. Yeah, it gets a bit repetitious by the end, but by the time you start to
think “that’s enough” it’s over. (Bob Ignizio)
Turn Me on Dead Man –
‘God Bless the Electric Freak’ (Alternative Tentacles)
This
sounds kind of like George Harrison, Marc Bolan, and Dave Wyndorf having a jam
session. In case you don’t know who those folks are, that means this is like
psychedelic pop, glam rock, and stoner rock mixed together. Melodic vocals and
simple, heavy guitar riffs are saturated with trippy effects and snatches of
sitar as catchy hooks give way to extended freak outs. In theory, I should like
this a lot. Instead I wound up feeling like it was just okay. The hooks, while
suitably melodic, didn’t really worm their way into my brain. The vocals are
good, but lack the kind of uniqueness necessary to make me sit up and take
notice. And while the riffs have the potential to kick ass, the production
leaves them sounding thin and weak. It’s a compromise between
songwriter/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Mykill Ziggy’s pop and hard rock sides
that ultimately leaves both lacking. It’s not bad, but there’s nothing about
this that really hits me on a gut level. (Bob Ignizio)
Various Artists – ‘Cleveland–Ain’tItFun.com
Tsunami Relief Compilation’ (self released)
After
numerous internet only compilations, the Cleveland - Ain’t it Fun website has
released their first CD, a benefit for the victims of the Asian Tsunami. Yeah,
I know, that disaster is old news now what with Katrina and the Pakistan
earthquake and everything else going on. I’m just here to talk about the
music. As with all CAIF’s online compilations, the bands on here each hail from
the greater Cleveland area. Another carry over from the online compilations is
the consistently high quality of the tracks picked for inclusion. There’s a
fairly wide range of styles on here: Machine Go Boom and this is exploding’s
more poppy, alterna rock stylings, the New Bomb Turks inspired rock of The Vista
Cruisers, the goth punk of Nightbreed, the post hardcore sound of Damn Near
Killed Him, and the classic Cleveland punk sound of Jacknife Powerbombs. As
always, CAIF manages to present a good overview of the Cleveland scene at the
time the comp was put together. Although this isn’t free like past CAIF comps,
it’s still pretty damn cheap. For more info go to
http://www.cleveland-aintitfun.com. (Bob Ignizio)
This
album isn't very good. Maybe I'm just not into this type of stuff. It's a mix
of minimal dance music, new wave, and some pretty boring vocals. The music
sounds like it was made with the most primitive of electronic music equipment.
It sounds dated, and not in a good way. I will say that when there are no
vocals, it can be decent background music. There, a compliment. (Eddie
Fleisher)
These
guys are from Sweden, and they sound like a cross between early Hellacopters and
The Supersuckers at their most rockin’. And the songwriting is just as good.
In other words, this should be pure sonic bliss for a certain segment of rock
fans. This is an all too rare case of a band who, sure they’re doing something
that’s been done a million times before, but they do it well enough that I’m not
the least bit bothered by that. I love killer guitar riffs, blistering leads,
and catchy vocal hooks. This sucker has all three in spades. Good enough for
me. Yeah, it gets a bit repetitious by the end, but by the time you start to
think “that’s enough” it’s over. (Bob Ignizio)
This
sounds kind of like George Harrison, Marc Bolan, and Dave Wyndorf having a jam
session. In case you don’t know who those folks are, that means this is like
psychedelic pop, glam rock, and stoner rock mixed together. Melodic vocals and
simple, heavy guitar riffs are saturated with trippy effects and snatches of
sitar as catchy hooks give way to extended freak outs. In theory, I should like
this a lot. Instead I wound up feeling like it was just okay. The hooks, while
suitably melodic, didn’t really worm their way into my brain. The vocals are
good, but lack the kind of uniqueness necessary to make me sit up and take
notice. And while the riffs have the potential to kick ass, the production
leaves them sounding thin and weak. It’s a compromise between
songwriter/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Mykill Ziggy’s pop and hard rock sides
that ultimately leaves both lacking. It’s not bad, but there’s nothing about
this that really hits me on a gut level. (Bob Ignizio)
After
numerous internet only compilations, the Cleveland - Ain’t it Fun website has
released their first CD, a benefit for the victims of the Asian Tsunami. Yeah,
I know, that disaster is old news now what with Katrina and the Pakistan
earthquake and everything else going on. I’m just here to talk about the
music. As with all CAIF’s online compilations, the bands on here each hail from
the greater Cleveland area. Another carry over from the online compilations is
the consistently high quality of the tracks picked for inclusion. There’s a
fairly wide range of styles on here: Machine Go Boom and this is exploding’s
more poppy, alterna rock stylings, the New Bomb Turks inspired rock of The Vista
Cruisers, the goth punk of Nightbreed, the post hardcore sound of Damn Near
Killed Him, and the classic Cleveland punk sound of Jacknife Powerbombs. As
always, CAIF manages to present a good overview of the Cleveland scene at the
time the comp was put together. Although this isn’t free like past CAIF comps,
it’s still pretty damn cheap. For more info go to
