ALX is Alex Wilkinson and a few friends. Wilkinson has been writing and editing scores for films, videos and TV shows for more than 15 years. He's also been in the studio, engineering and whatnot, for quite a few folks. He co-produced Marty Friedman's latest solo album.

That skill is evident. the production is sharp, and the musical ideas are expressed with precision and a sharp attention to detail. ALX borrows from the Beatles (later version) and merges those harmonic ideals with a more modern sound that might be best called "industrial lite". Pleasant, but not cheesy.

Wilkinson's experience does have its drawbacks. Most notably, a lack of personal feel. For so long, Wilkinson has sublimated his own emotions and ideas, and now that he is free to fully express himself, he can't quite break out of the box. Better than rock-by-numbers any day, but not inspirational. Just good.

Nothing wrong with that. And with a little more practice, Wilkinson might break free and really kick out something amazing. All the pieces are sitting there, waiting.

The bio is utterly confusing, but the main point is that these guys live in Ft. Collins, Colo., and they play stuff that sounds a lot like the only famous band that lives in that same town.

I would assume that Steven Edgerton and Bill Stephenson (of ALL and the Descendents, whichever name is current) produced this. That monster-thick guitar sound is a dead giveaway, so I feel pretty confident in my pronouncement.

The guys have a strong pop sense, and the buzzsaw guitar attack is most pleasing. Sounds kinda like Fluf, and I won't complain about that. And despite the tight production, Armchair Martian has managed to rip out some moments of spontaneous joy.

I've always been a sucker for this kinda stuff, but hell, why not go with the flow. Armchair Martian travels down a familiar path, but with this band, there's always something new to amaze. Can't help but make you smile.

This release marks the third Art of Noise remix album (after the ambient and fon sets of a few years back) and also is part of the re-issue of the Art of Noise catalog on Discovery.

Not unlike what the Art of Noise did when it was a functioning unit, the remixers tear apart the originals and then reconstitute them into wholly new forms. The sounds on this set are more representative of current electronic music trends (yes, including that stuff that's starting to really break here in the U.S.).

A balanced and diverse set of tracks, with enough creative energy to satisfy just about anyone. Yeah, these remixes show the genius behind the original band, but they also help illustrate the continuity of music. Old music becomes new again, and what seemed "far out" has become mainstream.

All in a days work, I guess. This is a worthwhile set for the music connoisseur.

A few years back, this band's "Cudge" 7" really blew me away. I heard their album some time later (Caroline sent it to my brothers--the Lies guys--but not to me) and got a little bummed. I thought it was good, but it didn't blow me away.

And this strikes me the same way. The music seems almost a little too complicated, almost like the band is working too hard to make great music. And the lyrics are not nearly as sharp as on that long-ago single. I will say that I like the instrumental b-side better, and perhaps the band should work a little more on making the words and lyrical melody fit the music a bit better.

As a college-pop band in the style of Archers of Loaf or (what used to be) Treepeople, Capsize 7 fulfills all the technical requirements of competence. The soul is what seems to be lacking. I hope inspiration is just a moment away.

¡Carlos! is a pretty great band, and these tracks are two of my favorites from Amy Armageddon, the band's album.

But I can't hear a difference between the tracks on the 7" and the album, and I'm kinda mystified. Yeah, this hearkens back to the old days of 7" single releases and the Top 40, but past that I'm not sure why this has been released.

Of course, if you've never heard the band, then this is a fine introduction. If you like heavy pop, I'd suggest you buy the full-length. But if you want a taste before you jump in, then perhaps this is the score for you.

Anyone who has had any relations with Touch and Go over the past few years knows Scott Giampino. As a label flunky, that is. Oh, he did some of the drumming on last year's Kill Donut outing, but I'm mostly used to "Now, you'll print these tour dates if I send them, right?"

John Humphrey is better known musically, mostly as guitarist for that meanstreak band called God & Texas. His riffage hurts people.

So they get together on a low-budget country grunge thing (and, really, it doesn't sound a damned thing like that, but get off my back) and ply a few songs for the masses. Guitar and drums only, but they don't sound anything like Flat Duo Jets.

Confused? Good. So am I. My head hurts and I'm not sure if it has to do with the music (my #1 theory) or the stuff that I've been drinking (I thought it was Dr. Pepper, but there's been some chewy stuff floating to the surface the last couple of minutes; bad things, I think).

Back to square one. I like this stuff. Not in any sort of outlandish way, but in a "you know, if Johnny Cash can do Soundgarden, I guess it only makes sense for Skin Yard to do Lynyrd Skynyrd." Or something like that.

I accidentally listened to the Daisycutter side first (it's not like there are any clear markings or anything--I had to read the vinyl etchings). Daisycutter deals in sludge, cutting the mess with samples and some other weird stuff that simply happens by. The song was a bit dirge-like, and I'm not sure why. Let's just say I didn't like it.

Cavity, though, does the same thing, only better. The music moves just a bit faster, and the absurd rant that is laid over the music is just coherent enough to be amusing. Excessive use of the word "motherfucker" that borders on language abuse. So right there we're in good company.

I figure I'd like some other stuff that Daisycutter does; this song just didn't appeal to me. But the Cavity was damned exciting. They split the rating, but this slab is worth checking out if you're into the unusual.

A sincere practitioner of what even my wife calls "women's music", Colleen Coadic merges pleasant roots-pop with rather agonizing lyrics. Very raw, emotional content here.

The best thing is that Coadic has moved past her earlier recordings and found more of her own sound. Oh, there are flashes of Michelle Shocked, the Indigo Girls, Tori Amos, Kate Bush and, of course, Melissa Etheridge, but Coadic's hard work has produced a clearer vision.

The production has left some of that nasty demo-type muffling (though in general the sound is of a more than acceptable quality). Still, the general sound setting emphasizes Coadic's songwriting, which has become more mature and self-assured.

Still not exactly my cup of tea, but Coadic is so far past where she was just a couple years ago, I'm completely taken aback. This is a strong album by any measure.

Easily the most intriguing debut metal album I've heard in a while. Coal Chamber is far from perfect, but the band's willingness to try anything is a big plus.

The sound is somewhere in that trendy world inhabited by Rage (well, first album, anyway), Fear Factory, Sepultura and the like. A mishmash of styles and sensibilities, laid over a basic hardcore rhythm track. Most of the time.

It doesn't always work, but Coal Chamber has managed to rip off a big chunk of greatness. The real test is where it goes from here. I hope the band continues to try and break the soil of complacency with creativity. This album tells me that's the likely course. A good thing.

This disc is merely at the forefront of current metal styles. With any luck (and a lot of hard work), the next album could define the future. Coal Chamber has that potential. Don't be overly ecstatic with such an accomplished debut. The race hasn't even begun.

Pulsating gothic techno, reminiscent of the heavier, early days of X Marks the Pedwalk. Very much club ready and accessible. Seamless sampling, ace beat work and very classy arrangements.

Just leaves me breathless. Where some electronic acts can get kinda sterile and lack the human touch, Covenant retains a human touch despite the excess of electronics. The real key is in the songwriting, which leaves just the right amount of electronic orchestrations in the mix.

I wasn't prepared for the diversity of sound here, either. Covenant displays an astonishing creativity and willingness to take on a multitude of sounds and moods. Yeah, it's all dance music, but that leaves a lot of room for innovation. And Covenant has taken full advantage.

Positively murder. Covenant has crafted songs that could set the stage for a world takeover. Completely addicting and habit forming. You fall hardest when you don't see the hole.

Apocalyptic, industrial death metal. Sounds a lot like Dead World, except without the little things. Those little things mean a lot.

The sound is just a little overly sequencer driven. A little sponteneity help, especially at the slow speed of the songs. In general, the music is decent, if nondescript. The lyrics need a good bit a work to rise above the middling range. Of the three tunes, the third, "Spineless", is easily the best. There's some real good work there.

One bright point in the overal package is the production, which is well above demo quality. And "Spineless" is good enough to show some potential. Lots of work is needed, though.

DJ Kool owes Schoolly D. Big. Everything from his delivery to the use of real instruments and the style of his backing music are straight out old school. That's the part I like.

Kool boasts a bit too much and relies on a few too many cliches to make a big impression, though. Of course, I said the same about Schoolly D years ago. No more fuckin' rock and roll, indeed.

Six tracks, a remix and a silly intro. Seems a bit slim for a full release. I like the spare sound and the general messiness of the proceedings, but DJ Kool has to tighten up just a bit. The "all-star" remix of the title track is amusing, but nothing more.

There's not enough here to really say much more. DJ Kool has a good handle on how to use music, but the rap side of things is a bit beyond his capabilities here.

Or just Derek Taylor. All by himself. Again.

This is a big rehash of various grunge and alterna-rock styles, but Taylor's talent (playing and producing) keeps this from becoming an exercise in monotony. The songs are surprisingly tuneful, even if they are all from the same mold.

This guy is prolific and exceptionally gifted. I'm not sure that he's ever lived up to his potential, but I'm happy to listen to his attempts. There are some really nice moments on this otherwise middling set of songs. The best come when Taylor really stretches. Hey, we all know he's better with an axe than almost anyone in Seattle, but the key is songwriting. To be great one has to go beyond.

And he does, a couple times. Enough to keep me on the string. Again.

Editor's Note--This is an early incarnation of the Shins.

As the band is from the Big Q, I called my brother Matt (of Lies) to get the scoop. "They're not the big band in town," he said, "but then again, they've been around a lot longer than a few of the 'next big things'. Know what I mean?"

Yep. And this single plays that out. The a-side, "Sue Defender", is a nice bit of what folks like to call emo-core. I quite liked the tune, actually.

But the two on the flip are not very good at all. The pieces don't fit together, and nothing much seems to really work. The b-side stuff is alright in its best moments, but there are quite a few drop-offs as well. Perfectly acceptable music, but nothing spectacular.

Really nice guitar work laid over highly mechanized backing tracks. Foisy's voice is kinda reminiscent of Joe Walsh, and his sense of humor fits in that area as well.

Actually, this sorta thing (with an actual backup band) probably would have done fairly well back in the late 70s and early 80s. Foisy does handle his guitar very well, and the guitar licks sound great. The rest is rather lacking.

And the songs are jokey things that produce more groans than guffaws. I'm a big fan of not-so-serious lyrics, but this stuff just doesn't get me going. I think Foisy should spend more time on his arrangements (and producing them better so that they don't sound so cheesy). Refining the lyrics is also a priority. Hey, the guitar is fine. The rest needs work.

Christian Gibbs of Morning Glories, of course. Easy-flowing rootsy stuff, with a simple production job that leaves the songs to speak for themselves. And with songs like these...

Lets just say Gibbs doesn't play things straight up. The songs are fairly dreary stories, an interesting counterpoint to the pleasant musical accompaniment. Not nearly as noisy as Morning Glories, which works pretty well with the material.

Alright, so he cribs all over the place. The most obvious is on "Animals Criminals", where he steals not only Mick Jagger's falsetto, but Keith Richards' country plucking style. I guess if you're going to take a little, you might as well appropriate the whole store.

But even with such drawbacks, Gibbs shows a nice touch with more delicate material. A pleasant afternoon's diversion.

Not for the faint of heart. Well, the first two songs are coherent and accessible enough, but the last three are quite nutty and delicious.

The folks let me know that the first two tracks are the ones that have actually been seriously recorded, so that distinction makes sense. Now, to try and describe the sound. A melange of sounds and ideas, all kinda working themselves out at their own pace.

Highly adventurous fare, in any case. As Guchlrug is a trio, I imagine the live shows trend more toward the second half of the tape. Different, but not less impressive.

The musical creativity shown here is almost frightening. Reality is not a terribly important concept here, and that's the strength of the band. The answer to any musical conundrum seems to be: Why not?

Indeed.

I loved Kreamy 'Lectric Santa's Da Bronx Sity Chiken Machine, Vol. II, the disc the band put out some time back. This single continues the utter insanity. The particulars are a complete mess, but if you pull back and kinda listen to the stuff in a vague out-of-focus way (like doing those 3-D stereograms), it all begins to make sense.

There's no way to really describe the band to the uninitiated. Actually, though, KLS has plenty in common with Guchlrug, who I just reviewed. KLS is merely more so in nearly every category. "Out there" is an extreme understatement.

The only other real touchpoint I can think of is a band called Bully Pulpit. I know, that doesn't help most of you. But try to imagine a fully musical multimedia experience. If you can get past the oxymoron, then you might have an idea of what I'm trying to describe.

Lunacy, really. There's no way to properly describe Kreamy 'Lectric Santa, and only an insane person would try.

Anthemic, ska-tinged (at least horn-laced) punk. Well, hell, since Rancid broke up I guess there's room for a new contender.

These guys are from Gainesville, and they've been through town a few times. I haven't caught the band, but I know some folks who swear by it. And there's plenty to recommend.

Tight melodies, the usual strong rhythm section you get with ska types, and a nice loose-yet-precise production job. The songs aren't much more than cotton candy, really, but then some 10 million bought that No Doubt album, right?

And Less than Jake is still on the cool side of skadom. Sure, the stray bits have been chopped off (this is a major label release, after all), but the general feel is still fun. And anyone who records a song called "Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts" can't be all bad.

Self-indulgent, excessive punk-tinged rock. Really reminds me of a long-time Austin band known as the Pocket Fishrmen, but I can't find any names that match up. Oh well.

Lots of spacey distortion, lead guitar licks that don't always coincide with where the rhythm section happens to be, and vocals that are out of scope with the music and reality in general. A real ball of confusion, but plenty of fun, anyway.

And the center is tight. The drums and bass invariably lock into a groove for every song, which gives the frontline peripherals room to wander and return. The song subjects are generally silly and not terribly original, but why worry about that? This sounds great!

The mixing on this album is near perfect, moving the various pieces around from song to song and always emphasizing the correct track. Hey, I'm not sure this is the music of tomorrow or anything, but it sounds good today.

Alright, so the folks aren't Canadian. The title's still pretty damned funny.

Dreadfully messy punk stuff, produced for maximum incoherence. Sloppy as hell, and I'm not even sure what's going on at times. Not necessarily a drawback when it comes to punk, I suppose, but I'd like a little more of a clue.

Six songs, all of which share the same chord progressions and something of the same melody. Enjoyable in small doses, but nothing much past that.

Unlike many electronic composers who try and cram their music full of wildly varied melodies and sounds, Valarie Morris rarely ventures past a single melody. Her songs are simple and unadorned, beautiful in their starkness.

Morris also has a wonderful ear for what sounds will best express her melodies. We all like experimenting with sampling keyboard to make cool sounds, but Morris has gone far beyond this, crafting sounds that truly fit her musical ideas.

The songs are self-contained bits of mystery and wonder, with many joyous moments to spare. Sometimes it's easy to forget how beautiful simple music can be. It takes real self-assurance to craft music such as this.

A real treat. Some 30 pieces, ranging from a few seconds to three minutes in length. Nothing is redundant, and no time is wasted. A supreme effort.

Pop is pop, and Nerf Herder has a handle on the good stuff. Nice and crunchy, if you don't mind, with a healthy dose of irreverence. Yeah, it's over-produced (the guitars are too thick and the vocals are mixed a bit too high), but for something that Arista would find fit for release, Nerf Herder is certainly a stretch.

"Golfshirt" should answer any questions about punk credibility, and "Van Halen" should seal the deal for the dyed-in-the-wool DIY sorts. Fuckit. This is amusing and fun, and a notch better than a lot of the crap that the big boys think they can foist upon an unwitting "alternative nation".

Plenty tasty, and more where that came from. I've been hearing lots of buzz, and while I won't put Nerf Herder in the "godlike" category, the band is more than acceptable. don't ask the boys to change the world, and you should have a pleasant afternoon with the tunes cranked up real loud.

Simple pleasures can be the best, sometimes.

Since the implosion of Faster Pussycat, Taime Downe has skirted the industrial waterworks, contributing to such acts as Pigface and the Final Cut. And now it's time for him to debut his new forum (along with co-conspirator Kyle K--aka Kyle Kyle, formerly of Bang Tango), the Newlydeads.

Goth glam industrial stuff. Kinda like if Faster Pussycat had mixed things up with Nine Inch Nails. This is not a bad idea at all, and the Newlydeads have created a rather addicting concoction of accessible beats and wicked guitar licks. I mean, it just makes sense, doesn't it?

I mean, this could have turned out as dumb as last year's Danzig album (one of the ten worst albums ever recorded, easily), but the Newlydeads keep the music light enough so that the moments of excess seem merely silly and not absurd.

Reminds me a bit of the Whorgasm album, which I quite liked as well (though judging by the response from other folks, perhaps that's not a compliment). There's definitely something cool going on here.

Pile-driving action that Mountain would be proud to have cranked out years ago. Boston sludge with just enough motion to keep things from getting turgid.

At first, I thought this was kinda cheesy. I mean, thick riffs and anthemic construction can get out of hand really quickly. But as bands from yesteryear like Agony Column showed, it's possible to make the whole set work from time to time.

As the disc played on, the more I got into Ohm. There is no let down, period. The pain felt from the first riff is just as sharp as the album winds down. And the whole sound gets rather addictive after a while.

A cool mix of classic metal and hard rock with today's sludge sentimentality. Goodness, it just might work.

Another Hypocrisy side project. This one is totally Peter Tagtgren, the group's frontman. Pain cranks out a stripped-down metal sound, one that incorporates industrial, death metal and black metal ideas into a maelstrom of agony.

Tagtgren doesn't skimp when it comes to sound. While the production leaves things a bit more raw than the typical Hypocrisy album, there are plenty of pieces thrown into the mix. Each track is quite distinct from any other. He's reaching out and helping create a whole new metal ideal.

This is precisely the sort of thing a metal fan can throw in the face of elitists who claim there is no musical growth or depth in metal today. Simply put, this is a master of music who is finally able to travel all the byroads his other projects haven't gone.

Hard to say much more. Tagtgren has created an awesome set of loud music songs. There's too much here to ignore.

The liners on this puppy use more nonsensical 50-cent words than I've ever seen. The main point is that the music contained on the disc is rather unusual and powerful. I'll agree.

A wonderfully analog-sounding ambient-noise set of stuff. The beat work is excellent and quite diverse, and the accompanying sounds flesh out the musical ideas quite persuasively.

And it's easy to forgive the nonsensical and arrogant liner notes when the sounds are as wondrous as these. It's quite easy to slip from consciousness if I get at all attuned to the music. Quite the trip, using all meanings of the word.

Far too astonishing to really describe. Large amounts of work went into this album's creation, and yet it sounds as seamless as a one-take run-though. Speaks most eloquently without using any words. Music at its highest power.

Formerly Spine, which was formerly Puke Weasel. Of course, I've liked whatever has arrived from these guys.

My Mom, of all people pointed out to me that guitarist Doug Minner was a playmate of mine when my family lived in Salina, Kan., from 1973-1976. As soon as she mentioned it, I remembered. Weird how this stuff catches up to you.

Personal reminiscences aside, Scully (the guys swear this is the last name) keeps cranking out metal that seems just a step ahead of the curve. Yeah, there are elements of Pantera and the NYC hardcore sound, but mixed together with a unique sensibility. I happened to see the CMJ write-up of this tape, and I concur. It's what I've said for years: These guys deserve a deal.

I know, metal isn't cool right now. And particularly the heavier stuff (before you get to death metal). But there has to be a place for a band that puts out quality heavy music. Come on.

A set of that ethereal pop stuff, filtered through a Midwestern mindset. Not unlike the Moon Seven Times, really. And since Sharashka isn't that far removed physically from M7X, well, I suppose that makes sense.

The songs are pretty, and the vocals are evocative enough to keep the music from fading into the walls. There is the usual demo production job, which leaves much of the details muffled, but I can hear some intersting stuff behind the dull wall.

I'm not sure, though, if there's enough to break Sharashka out of the pack. This sound has sorta gone by the waysides, and what few practitioners are left are a bit more mature and established than Sharashka. Of course, I'm not about to trample on anyone's muse.

Five tracks, just enough to get the blood flowing and make me forget that Sinister still hasn't changed much over the course of three albums and this EP.

Not al a bad thing, as Sinister does crank out basic death metal (which hardly anyone is doing these days). The songs follow the familiar form (dirge, midtempo mosh, high-speed thrash and back again), and if that's your idea of a good time, well, Sinister is still providing the goods.

I'm always amazed, though, by my visceral reaction to Sinister. I know the music is, at best, pedantic and a rehash of much better stuff. And yet the guys know just how to move my corpuscles and heat up my brain. If they could bottle the stuff, I'd be hooked.

Aggression, pure and simple. Works for me, though I'm not exactly sure why.

Yeah, a cover of the George Michael/Wham! (different U.S. and U.K. credits) song. Oddly affecting, really. Whoulda thunk such a thing would translate into a heavy emocore song.

The other two tracks are more of the aggro emocore stuff (like Treepeople back when that band was on Toxic Shock) that rolls off the speakers in a most pleasant way. Nice tunesmithing and ace playing, all with a high energy that is simply addictive.

Pretty tasty stuff. Sloe has studied this sound and replicates it wonderfully. The songs are fresh and tight, and the interaction between the players is beautiful to behold. I hope a full-length is on the way soon.

Despite the label name, this is happy, trippy pop. Obvious fans of stuff like the Lightning Seeds and the Sundays, Smitten is hard to rip. The stuff is just so, well, nice.

There isn't a whole lot of exploration here. Smitten knows what it wants to sound like, and goes right after that notion. So if you like this kinda thing, then you're at the right place. If not, then you have plenty of other spots to visit.

The songs have a nice, easygoing feel. Smitten rarely tries to get overly deep or difficult, preferring to stay right in its prescribed range. This is something of a problem, as some songs seem to sound a bit like some others, but in all the band has done a decent job of keeping things interesting.

The production job is a stock one for this sort of music, keeping the swirly guitars and vocals up, with enough of the rhythm section to keep the songs moving. Well crafted, if perhaps a bit overly so. Still, an attractive album for those into this sound.

Slick packaging, slick music. Too slick for me.

This has the feel of a band that wants to be cool and trendy, and is willing to subvert whatever its personal artistic motives might have been to score a few more sales.

The songs are decent enough, as rock songs go. The production is way too punchy and plastic. At times this sounds like fucking Journey, for God's sake. That's getting a little silly.

What might have been a nice pop album became this BIG MONSTER ALBUM concept. Maybe that's what it takes to make it these days. I don't know. What I do know is that this puppy is way too steroid-heavy to get me going. Rock by numbers never lasts very long.

I quite likes this trio's first album, One of a Kind, and this one falls squarely in the same spot: all over the place.

The liner notes here are alone worth the price. A short essay trying to explain that the best parts of jazz come from the melding of ideas into new forms. And these three guys do just that, merging very different styles into a fine brio (um, sorry, I got carried away).

Jazz that serious listeners and neophytes can equally appreciate. Stevens, Siegel and Ferguson never get too far out of line with traditional musical notions, but the lines don't always follow the accepted form, and it's in those deviations where great music is made. Plenty flows here.

Just over half of the songs are original compositions (and the covers include pieces by Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane), and despite different moods and perspectives, all work together to form a group sound that can be identified.

Another fine album by three of the best, guys who seem to get just a little better when they play together.

Folk melodies and traditional rhythms of Susu Bilibi's native land, Togo, combine with a more worldly pop sensibility to create music that could be accepted anywhere.

More often than not, the idea works. I would prefer to hear something a bit more traditional, but I'm not about to begrudge this personal musical vision. Susu Bilibi presents old ideas in new ways, a time-honored musical craft. The keyboards rankle just a bit, but they are usually overshadowed by the very real horned and percussion.

African music, updated for the 90s. Purists might cringe, but the melodies ring clear and the rhythms are still vibrant. Music is music, after all, the merging of cultures will inevitably bring new forms of musical expression. Susu Bilibi has accomplished this very well.

Simplified, but never treacly, the music of Togo lives on here, even if in a different form.

Raucous and seething, Swindle keeps the San Diego scene's good name. Not at all mature or restrained, this is punk rawk at its most malevolent. Not quite to hardcore, but merely very messy melodic stuff. More than a hint of RFTC and other San Diego sorts, which isn't a bad thing at all.

And here's a case where the production really works. Everything is cranked to high distortion levels, giving a sound kinda like the Lee Harvey Oswald Band (again, no complaints from me on that score).

Lotsa fun, with good feeling to spare. Attitude to spare, with riffs slung from the belt and vocals simply hurled into space. The more I listen, the better it sounds.

Highly entertaining. The SD scene shows well again, and if Swindle can keep this up, who knows where things might lead. A very promising debut.

One thing I've liked about Ron Thal's work is his willingness to try different stuff. But once he finds something he likes, sometimes it's hard to get him off that kick. You take the good with the bad, I guess...

That continues here. His instrumental work is a bit stronger, overall, than his last effort. But most of the time on this album he's singing. This isn't that bad, but it does detract from the guitar work. And he's not as good a lyricist or singer as he is a guitarist.

Still, as a progressive metal album, this scores fairly well. As I noted before, Thal likes to mix things up, and that carries through here. And I'm not trying to rip on his singing; it's more than adequate. I think he might get a little further if he focused on his playing, but that's about it.

He's not quite to "major statement" phase, but this album is a step in that direction. Thal has talent to spare. More exploration can only help him find more hidden gift repositories.

Seven tracks from Rob Crow's new outfit. Sounds a lot like Heavy Vegetable (his last group), and with the tunes clocking in at 12 and a half minutes, that form holds as well.

Where his solo thing was completely unproduced and not well thought out, Thingy returns Crow (and compatriots) into a more controlled and constrained environment. I think his songs work better with a little extra craft. The unusual pop melodies that interact with each other really have to be meticulously sung and played, and if one little thing is off, it doesn't sound nearly as good.

But, of course, all the cards are in the house. Thingy has knocked off seven gorgeous songs, And Rob Crow is in the house once again. Happiness is imminent.

The two songs here are somewhat more cohesive than the stuff on the band's debut album. Of course, that's all relative. Thumbnail is still a purveyor of jumbled jams and chaotic creations.

The a-side, "Station No. Last", works the best. Hell, the band almost follows a standard pop format, even while layering the sound with plenty of extraneous noise. These guys are trying really hard to find something unique, and who knows they just might get there one of these days.

But not here. Not quite yet. This is a step forward, in my estimation, but no brass ring. Progress can be a painful thing.

Twenty-seven songs by 21 bands (if my counting is correct). Most of this stuff is truly "lo-fi", with plenty of demo muffle and more. And some of the bands aren't very good. But all that is overshadowed by the sheer volume of the tape.

Hey, and some of this stuff is good. There are a couple of tracks by Twisted Helices (one of my favorite acts, period), and many of the bands try to escape the bounds of normal music. Yeah, there's some regular rock stuff, too, but again, look at the numbers.

A fine set of stuff. Maybe the tape should be of a higher quality. Maybe it would have been nice if some of the acts bothered to produce their stuff at all. Maybe, maybe. Whatever. This is a cool tape with plenty of great songs. Hard to ask for much more.

The sounds of yesteryear (well, the 80s, anyway) as done by the acts of tomorrow. Folks like Hate Dept., Battery, 16 Volt, Templebeat and Acumen do the nasty to Duran Duran, the Vapors, Depeche Mode and more.

A good idea, and the bands here try real hard to create new versions of well-worn tunes. Much of the time, though, the new renditions just don't work. The first track, 16 Volt's run-through of "Turning Japanese" transforms a pop tune into a cybermarch, complete with an almost unrecognizable reworking of the chorus. Well, it beats the version I heard on some major-label soundtrack recently. But it's still not great.

Still, enough of the songs turned out alright, and with less hits like the Fixx's "Red Skies" and Romeo Void's "Never Say Never" (so it's a cult fave; sue me) next to "Whip It", "Relax" and "Cars", you can't say the selection sucks.

All more than a bit silly, really, but what the hell. I mean, this is the music I heard in high school, and it carries a weird sort of nostalgia. Even if I don't like to admit such things.

The first Radio Oddyssey featured lots of famous bands playing live on WRAS (Georgia State's college music station), so #2 shines a spotlight on local talent. Right nice of them, really.

And this disc does provide an interesting picture of the variety of music within the Peach State. And almost any sort of music you'd like to have represented is here; the compilers have done a nice job. The production is better than you might expect from a live-to-air recording in a college radio station, and the performances, while uneven, are generally good.

And if you really dig one of the bands on the disc, contact info is printed right in the liners. No need to go searching high and low. These folks have done their jobs and crafted another fine set.

A lot of fun to hear, and a fine bit of musical education to boot. The music is the star here, and there's plenty of that (and more) to go around.

As a political and personal notion, there's nothing to gripe about here. The money goes to a good cause. But I have to consider the music.

It's not all music, actually. There's some spoken word bits, too. And the tunes aren't grunge. Everclear, Pete Droge, Cool Nutz and others prove that point. Unfortunately, as the acoustic version of "Heroin Girl" shows, some of the tracks are almost throwaways.

And even the better stuff doesn't get much above the middling level. This stuff gets points for saying the right thing and taking an honorable stand. But the tunes don't quite pass muster.

Yukon Fudge is a guy named Garth Kolbeck. He writes in the style of the Young Fresh Fellows (stripped-down pop with a fine sense of humor). The four tracks here are bright and amusing.

The sound is a bit uneven, but that works well with the songwriting style. This certainly sounds like a band and not one guy stripping tracks together. Quite impressive, really.

I had a lot of fun listening to this. Nothing important or great, just fun music. And I'm more than willing to accord such things high praise. I'll be looking for more from Yukon Fudge.