Even more understated than previous outings, Bedhead takes minimalist pop out toward Galaxie 500 territory (though with more of a garage feel, to be sure). The tunes are often pretty, in their sparse ways. Just a little hollow in the middle.

I don't mind paying attention to music. Stuff that's on the mellow side of mellow, whatever. And earlier Bedhead certainly fits that territory. But at least the songs got somewhere. With an act like Palace (whatever), the focus is purely on the raw emotions of the lyrics. Bedhead has never really focused on the vocals, and the music here is simply too often two string chords in search of a point.

Now, quite a few of these tunes are better than that (particularly "The Rest of the Day", which, ironically, is also the longest and most self-indulgent song on the album), and on the whole I liked the disc. There are enough good moments to put this on the better side of average. But Beheaded simply doesn't quite live up to my expectations, fair or not.

If you're into this minimalist sound, Bedhead is a band you should check out. Start with the first album, and the later EPs were good, too. If you like all that, then you'll probably groove on this album, too. It's just not the band's best work.

Volume three in Broderick's "Seasons of Saratoga" series, perhaps a jazz answer to George Winston or something. Broderick, in the liners, says he simply wants to portray a full picture of his hometown, Saratoga Springs.

I can't judge that, as I've never been. But the music walks the line between cheesy commercial jazz and more creative jazz quite well. Broderick or bandmate Marcus Benoit wrote all the tunes, and, as any portrait should, the tones vary from bright to smoky and even some foreboding (it is autumn, after all).

While certainly not a great statement of art, Broderick and mates whip through a series of easily enjoyable tunes which aren't cloying in the least. My preferences still run to more edgy sounds, but this is the sort of album folks from all over the jazz appreciation map can like. Not an easy trick to pull off, but I think marketing was on the back burner here. And that is probably the final saving grace.

Complete with comic book. And on the "comic" side, there is a fairly annoying "turn the page" voice that arrives whenever the song has gotten past that particular part of the book. I have never seen such slavish devotion to the children of America.

If you know Craw (like I know Craw), then this tune will seem a bit on the commercial side. Well, it is fairly coherent, and the noise elements are kept to a minimum. Oh, and if you didn't figure it out, the "radio" side contains the same song without the "turn the page" narration". Much easier to follow.

A decent song, and a fairly interesting comic book, drawn by Derek Hess. The tale concerns a tobacco company exec, near as I can tell. Not sure if any of this is connected to the X-Files character of the same name (I've only seen one show and all), but that's not really a concern.

Scrawling guitar pop, without all the mess that is usually involved in a Craw song. I miss the excesses, but perhaps more folks will finally dig in.

Aah, now that's more like it. Craw's song here is "Butterflies", and it is full of the crashing chords and mutant progressions I am more accustomed to hearing from this band. Wild and noisy explorations of the mordant pop ideal. A complete rush from beginning to end. Big smiles.

Primitive (not to be confused with the much more accessible Primitives) checks in with "$10,000 Reward". The sound lost something in the production booth (or it simply isn't as lush and full as Craw's), and the stuff is sorta a noise pop version of late 80's hardcore (kinda like Kepone, I suppose). It's alright, and the strident chord changes keep me up a bit. Still, nothing awe-inspiring.

The Craw track is certainly worth the price of admission. And once you've plunked your money down, the Primitive song will seem like a decent bonus. Boy, if that new Craw album could only be here today...

The first release on Cambodia, run by the members of Craw (this is also where you'll find the upcoming new Craw release). Perfectly suited to such surroundings.

Wondrously morose and noisy, DuValby Bros. never hesitate to wail, crank up the distortion or wallow in mellow musings. Truly schizophrenic, as I'm pretty sure these guys have voices in their heads telling them to do very sick things. At least, that's what it sounds like from here.

Once again, Cleveland has spawned a cool band. And even though the rock and roll hall of fame thingy is there, I seriously doubt the members of DuValby Bros. aspire to such silliness. After all, there is good music to be made.

A fine set of atmospheric noise. I can't say I understand completely, but then, I don't think I want to delve too far into the madness.

It would be simple to call Fuego del Alma just another world music band. Some nice acoustic guitar licks with a vaguely flamenco flair, a full percussion sound and something inexplicable.

Something American. Well, sure, there are Cuban and other Caribbean bits as well, and maybe that has something to do with what I'm hearing. Although I can't quite place it, but the way Fuego del Alma fuses its various members (and their influences) is quite nice. You can even see this approach in the title (an ampersand substituted for "y").

Quite fun without any pandering to an unsophisticated audience. I like a band that is willing to keep its integrity, even if that means fewer folks will grasp the art. Eventually, the greats are discovered. I don't know if Fuego del Alma is destined for greatness, but this first disc is a fine start.

Well-presented and recorded. Not content to simply recycle their influences, the members of Fuego del Alma wrote every song here. That is one of the things that keeps this endeavor from getting dull. This is their music. And it's pretty damned fine.

Last time out, Sascha and En Esch teamed up with original mate Raymond Watts (aka PIG) for an EP and the album Nihil. This time, the idea is to bring in as many special guests as possible.

(Take a deep breath) Chris Connelly, F.M. Enheit, Nicole Blackman, William Rieflin and more. Connelly gets co-writing credit on half the songs, and most of the guests get writing credits on their songs. The result is the most diverse KMFDM album yet.

Don't worry; the guitars still shimmer and the beats still pulsate. This is diversity within the techno-industrial ideal set forth by the multitude of previous releases. Not a bad idea at all.

Finally, a KMFDM album that might move the band from dance floor craze to real mainstream acceptance. Hell, the guys were on the cusp of such things even before this outing. Now It seems inevitable.

A complete powerhouse album. It's as if KMFDM copied the Pigface concept (and brought over many compatriots from that enterprise) and incorporated it into a KMFDM album. Completely awesome.

Touch and Go has decided to flame the rumor fans with possible identities of the (supposedly famous) members of this band. Assuming the pictures are actually of members of the band, this isn't that difficult a call. I'll let you play games; just think of "alternative" icons who might have had reasons to be in Texas, Chicago or jail in the last ten years.

And who gives a shit, with cool tunes like these? Kinda a glam-acid-punk powerhouse sorta thing. Enough Slade and Bowie references to keep any such inclined person in stitches. And the lyrics are as cutting and amusing as any other act around. The band that last time came up with "Jesus Never Lived on Mars" has punched up the sound, but otherwise come up pure.

Total fun. We're not talking high art, but simply adrenaline-punching guitar riffs riding on through the night. Sumbitch is right.

This whole superstar trip on the members' identities is unnecessary. Thus music more than carries the day. Perhaps not the most original sound in the world, just some of the most fun tunes around.

The first full-length from this Charlotte band. Chunky pop riffs peppered with some of that rootsy country feel. All that and some of the more affected vocals I've ever heard. I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but Kevin Harrison sounds something like a down-home and howling version of Sinead O'Connor who can't carry a tune to save his life.

While the singing may not be polished, the production on the music is solid. And the combination of slick southern pop-rock and highly unusual vocals is a nice one. I can't think of any band that has tried to sound anything like this.

The songwriting is solid, if fairly nondescript. And the lyrics are fairly generic, if heartfelt. Pleasant stuff that is most noteworthy due to the way Harrison's odd vocal prowess meshes with the band.

A big-time producer could clean this up and have another one of them "Hootie" bands. And lose all the charm along the way. Not sure how Neglected Sheep can hit the big time with this sound, but stranger things have happened.

Four new tracks hacked together with Gun Club (mistitled, but supposedly intentionally) and Minutemen covers.

These freaks could easily be dumped into the pile of bands that have been recycling all that MC5 and Stooges energy we all knew still existed. But they've cranking out albums for three years (and playing for more), which puts them more in the forefront of this quite welcome movement.

Where most of the retreads (most of which I've quite enjoyed, if a little guiltily) put the emphasis on bass distortion, the Rangers make a mess of the guitar sound instead. A bit more treble, a bit more vicious. Plenty of fun, anyways.

Six songs of pure drug-induced fury. I can only imagine the roadshow. Lock up yer daughters and grab yer guns!

Rambling riffage, bitchin' bass lines and streamofconsciousness lyrics. Like a bad hangover after a vicious Seattle nightmare. Vision is blurred, and whenever the noise gets high enough your whole mind shuts down.

I rather dig a lot of the slow burn style of music, and those parts are quite welcome here. And luckily, Quintaine Americana (what a name) is smart enough to change up the sound enough to keep folks from dozing off. A good number of these songs sound a bit unfinished, but then, I don't think polishing is in this band's future.

I like this well enough. QA has a nice touch with an unusual writing style, and the production is just fuzzy enough to complement the odd musical phrasing of the band. This would fit in well with folks like Kepone, Mount Shasta and other folks who have furthered the Jesus Lizard line of musical progression.

Plenty of potential, and lots of freaky-cool tunes right here. Those demanding coherence and hooks will have to look elsewhere (with the exception of "JT, Fire at the Trailer Park", which is pretty close to a damned catchy raver), but those seeking musical adventure can buy their tickets at the booth.

Continuing its assault on the pop world via an anthemic hardcore approach, Sense Field has (finally) cranked out a new album which realizes all the potential folks like me have preached.

Without ever really putting out a good album, Sense Field has built an astonishing following, mostly with awe-inspiring live shows. The main problem with previous efforts was a tendency to crank out plodding anthem after anthem. And when the guys wrote some up-tempo pop gems, the production was so heavy the cool melodies got lost in the morass of sound.

The production is still a bit much, but when pop bits like "Leia" come up, the sound lightens just enough to let the songs breathe. Yeah, there are still too many anthems which go nowhere, but even those are much better crafted than previous efforts.

Sense Field has finally recorded an album that leaves the band worthy of the hype. Everything is better: writing, production and playing. And the potential that has always been blatant is now blossoming into greatness. There's plenty of room for improvement, but these guys are on the right track.

Distortion-drenched guitar pop with an emphasis on heavy hooks. And the shit clicks. Almost every time.

Best of all, the band refuses to stick to any one tempo or idea, leaving the album with a wide variety of moods and feels. My God, is that fine old world craftsmanship I hear?

Well, they're from New York, but what the hell. TITR knows how to reach into a songwriting bag of tricks and make sure everything comes out just right. And above all, nothing sounds calculated. With all the obvious work involved, the songs are seamless slabs of pop glory.

Not sure what else to say. I think the guys could pick the tempo up a bit more often, but the current diversity suits me well enough. Give them a tour and another album, and who knows where these folks will be next time out. Could be legendary.

The only unreleased track here is from Edge of Sanity (and I'm NOT bitching about that one). The only reason to buy this is if you're interested in hearing what one of the top European metal labels has to offer you this year.

Plenty, really. I've been knocked out by the Edge of Sanity, Cemetary and Necrophobic albums recently released, and much of the other stuff is pretty good. But if you know what Black Mark is all about, this set is useless (unless you want a preview of stuff you haven't bought).

Cheap compilations bum me out. The Edge of Sanity track ("Murder Divided") is quite fine, but as the rest of the set contains previously released (though some is excellent) stuff, I can't get too excited.

Announcing its US arrival, Dojo presents this collection of songs from albums they have reissued recently or will soon be reissuing. Stuff like the Damned, Cock Sparrer, the Selecter, the Business, Sham 69, the Exploited, Motorhead, etc. Stuff that's been hard to find in many parts.

The effort is appreciated, even if those re-issues are probably more interesting than this compilation of tunes that have been available in many other places. Still, the announcement is welcome, and this set shows what Dojo will be offering.

I'd put my money on the real thing and not this collection. But you can check it out and see what should be arriving at the local record shop soon enough.

Much of the Magna Carta line-up gets together to serenade one of prog-rock's eternal acts: Jethro Tull. The whole original line-up of the band, minus Ian Anderson (who many mistakenly call Jethro Tull), appears in various guest shots. And a few Tull contemporaries like John Wetton, Phil Manzanera and Keith Emerson show up to help out.

The thing is fairly well-executed. There is an overture ("A Tull Tale", cobbled together by Trent Gardener of Magellan) and a decent choice of tunes. The production is a bit bright, though. "Thick as a Brick" wasn't just an album title but also a prod-room attitude. This is all just a bit too clean for my taste.

I still have a big problem with the whole tribute album concept, particularly for a band as well-known and influential as Jethro Tull. Still, as this sort of thing goes, its alright. A lot better than I expected.

Wildly technical retro-metal, kinda like old Iron Maiden knock-offs Helloween. Actually, a lot like Helloween.

I liked that band a lot. Sure the stuff was pretty silly much of the time, but still fun. Yosh is a little heavier, but still cranks out a sound that has been absent from the popular scene in the US for quite a few years.

The songs are a bit self-indulgent, and Yosh, like Helloween, never gets over its Maiden obsession. I kept waiting for a song to really give Yosh its own sound, but that never arrived. This stuff is enjoyable, but nothing special. Nice playing, nice production, but I've heard it all before. Rewind.