Sounds a lot like the one type of metal that never quite made it even in the mid-80s. Excessively technical anthems, where ever little nuance is overloaded with bombast. Aces Wild does have an interesting take something akin to 38 Special meets Rising Force (minus Yngwie), but the formula is still stale.

The music is earnestly played, and extremely well-produced (major-label quality there). While these guys can sing and play as well as anyone, there isn't a great songwriter in the bunch. At best the lyrics are hackneyed, and the music follows the same lead.

I've always said that a great band can make any genre sound good. Aces Wild isn't good enough to lift its music out of this moribund morass of retread grooves. By any technical estimation, the guys are quite good, but it takes more than that to make good music.

The first ALL recording in quite a while, and quite possibly the last Judge Nothing release, period.

This split is certainly fitting, as Bill and Steven produced the last JN album, and the bands do share a similar approach to crunchy punk pop.

ALL does a fair rendition of Kenny Rodgers' tune "Ruby", but I sure hope the upcoming Epitaph album is a bit more interesting. As the guys haven't been together as ALL in some time (Chad has been working with Armchair Martian, and the rest have been doing their Descendents stuff), perhaps this should suffice as a warm-up.

The Judge Nothing tune, "Score Uneven" was one of the best tunes off the last album, but then again, it's pretty old. There is a bit of a secret track that starts up at the end (runs a little more than a minute, is kinda amusing), but not enough to really excite me. There's some cool artwork on the vinyl (if you like voluptous succubi, I guess), but the music is anything but a revelation.

Another set of truly heavy metal stylings. Another Society does a good job of mixing its influences up and finding a sound somewhere between Alice in Chains and Pantera.

And just like the last time out, the production is excellent, the playing quite good and the songwriting leaves something to be desired. A notch above the stuff on One Last Step, but not quite good enough to break out.

One big improvement is an added emphasis on the percussion (not just drums). Those little breaks combined with a greater focus on rhythm and grooves do make for serious improvement.

Still not as good as it could be, but a good step up. As long as Another Society keeps working to expand its sound and writing, it can only get better.

I must say that I've never heard a solo album where the featured performer is a drummer. Well, in the rock trade, anyway.

Zak Rivzi wrote the songs and plays guitar and keyboards, thus carrying the melody. The sound is basic rock guitar instrumental stuff, not terribly inspired, but not insipid, either.

Bergamini's drumming is fairly impressive, though for most of the album he simply keeps time. There are a few breaks, but nothing like a serious solo. Of course, if there's one thing that's overdone, it's the bombastic drum solo, so maybe I should be happy for that.

A somewhat confusing project on the surface, though it gets much easier to judge simply by the music alone. The stuff is decent, but generic. And that's about it.

Bass groove-oriented stuff, the kind that actually moves the booty now and again. The a-side sounds kinda like if Biohazard and the Jesus Lizard took up together and decided that procreation was a viable option.

The flip is a bit more pop oriented (in an emo way), but still impressive. Brenda plays all over the place, from noise rock to more coherent hardcore stylings. And this is just in two songs. A lot of bands try to achieve less and still sound overloaded. Brenda pulls off a finely-textured sound that could have been crafted by the finest Swiss watchmakers.

A truly impressive slab of vinyl. I haven't been this blown away by a seven-inch in months. Bravo!

An exceedingly solid pop foursome from the Seattle area. Echoes of Treepeople and the Posies abound, as might be expected, but with Steve Berlin of Los Lobos at the helm, the band has managed to hone a nice sound that manages to elude any derivative qualities.

The wild diversity of influences helps tremendously. CU isn't happy to play the same sort of stuff from song to song. The changes are nicely subtle, enough to prick up my ears, but not going overboard.

Berlin has given each song its own sound (something Los Lobos has insisted upon for most of its career), and that is certainly helpful in keeping the album lively. From ballads to uptempo ravers, CU proves it knows how to handle nearly every tempo. And the lyrics are as diverse and introspective as the music.

Completely assured and confident. Pop music from a band who knows what it wanted, and then went out and made it. High quality.

The finest gothic techno, with plenty of hard elements as well. A nice balance between distortion and orchestral grandeur. I've said it before, and I suppose I'll have to say it now: Covenant does this better than anyone else.

Throbbing, pulsating and simply oozing with life. Most of the acts who play in this pool come off sounding cold and remote. Covenant drops enough noise into the pot to bring off a wonderful, earthy feel to the music (the act likes to think of itself as a mixture of techno and the EBM movement, and I won't argue the point). And, of course, it's great for dancing.

The Stalker EP is included as well, featuring a couple remixes of the album track and three other songs, most likely stuff that didn't quite measure up to full standards. The tunes are bit more experimental and not entirely successful. Still worth hearing, though.

Blown away, as I have been by everything I've heard from this Swedish act. If you even pretend to like any electronic music, Covenant is a must.

It seems as though Epitaph is becoming a proponent of geezer punk. First Wayne Kramer, then the Descendents and now the Cramps (with ALL upcoming). Alright, so that's not really a bad set of bands. And so what if \ the Cramps are really rockabilly? I doubt any old-time Buddy Holly fans have made it through a Cramps show.

Simply put, the Cramps paved the way for the rise of two rockabilly revivals, from the Stray Cats stuff of the 80s to the Rev. Horton Heat and friends a couple years back. What's almost as amazing is that in more than 20 years, not much has changed on record or on stage. Lux's voice is still harrowingly compelling, and Poison Ivy still plays sex kitten almost as well as she plays guitar.

This is as rambunctious a Cramps album as I've heard in some time. Most of the band's labels have tried to restrain the raunch and emphasize the cheese. No such problems with Epitaph, and all of the sneering innuendo comes through in full regalia. Probably the band's best album in 10 years.

The cap and silliness are still in full flower, as songs like "Sheena's in a Goth Gang" and "Wet Nightmare" will attest. In all, this is a bit better than I expected. But as anyone should know, you can count on the Cramps for a great live show, and every once in a while that even translates into a great album.

Power pop that wanders into rough waters from time to time. Part of the reason is that singer Linda Jung doesn't seem to like latching onto any one particular tone for more than a fleeting instant. But part of it is the band's flair for kicking past the restraints of genre labels and striking forth toward its own sound.

Heavier than you will expect, undoubtedly, but still strangely fragile, as if at any moment the whole facade will fall and the band will be exposed as... well, I don't know what. Walking such an emotional line is a neat trick, though, and Curious Ritual does it all through this EP.

I think the band might have been better served by a slightly lighter hand in the booth, but that's really a minor quibble. Curious Ritual makes its point through small shifts in stature, even while the music itself seems to be pounding at the ramparts. Perhaps this is what contributes to my general sense of unease.

Whatever. I like what I hear, and that's what matters in the end, I guess. Well struck.

Hardcore emo (as if that makes sense to anyone), with a decent rhythm groove base and some well-shouted vocals.

The a-side, "No One", is uptempo and rather messy. The song doesn't seem to come together very well at all. The same result for the flip, "Tip of Your Tongue", a rather dirge-like song (even considering that it's emo) that rambles on and on with no end in sight (although one is mercifully supplied).

The main problem with the songs is that they don't have a center of any kind. It doesn't have to be much, a particular riff or bass line or something. These tunes aren't even coherent enough to be amorphous.

More work is definitely called for here.

German engineering at 200 BPM. Loads of samples and guitars, replayed at breakneck speed. A nice little poppy industrial rush.

Well, "Promise of a Liar" does slow the tempo down significantly, but the other three main tracks are fast and tight. Fun and easy, if not terribly unique.

I guess that's my main beef. Laughing Us is just another of those faceless bands that cranks out amusing dance candy. There is nothing here to distinguish the band from countless others, so that no matter how appealing this is on first listen, I know I'll tire of it in a few days.

A tasty treat, but watch for the calories on the back end.

Cool noise rock that gets even better when the band finds a nice, tight rhythm groove.

Okay, so it takes a minute or so for "Quebradita #4" to find the feel, but once there, Leopold latches on and doesn't let go for any reason. The two songs on the flip flow along in the same linear, yet painful, fashion.

The sound is pretty bad, leaving the vocals way back in the mix. For something like this, though, that is almost a benefit. This way there's no way to ignore the awe-inspiring groove apparatus, nothing to take your mind off the throbbing ecstasy that keeps building.

If you need a comparison, think of an exceptionally dirty version of Kepone. I don't think cleaning the mix up a bit would hurt, but that's obviously not necessary for Leopold to impress.

It's interesting. Among all the bands I've reviewed, I get more comments on my negative reaction to Life of Agony than almost anything else. I can't explain it, really, but I just don't connect with the band.

Life of Agony is still a band in search of consistency. For example, take the first three songs. "Hope" is metallized grunge pure and simple. "Weeds" is a fairly attractive (not to mention accessible) punky raver. And "Gently Sentimental" seems to want to be some kind of pop song, at least until the STP-esque chorus wanders by.

By and large, this album is a little closer to LOA's first. And I don't think that's a terribly good idea. The songs are arrogantly bombastic, as if daring me to punch holes in the pomposity. The thing is, that just isn't hard to do at all. Behind all of the excessive studio tricks lies... nothing.

Life of Agony is still reaching for the big ring, and it shows in the worst way. A monster big rock album, and who knows, maybe it will fly with the masses this time. It's just not my bag at all.

I'm all in favor of more American bands attempting to sound like Britpop acts. I mean, when you think about it, there's no way bands like Duran Duran, the Buzzcocks and the Fall could have risen to success in the U.S. in the same five-year period. Yeah, so the Brits are notoriously fickle. That tends to engender more diverse popular music. But then, Brits also have to take the blame for Cliff Richard, Kylie Minogue and the Spice Girls.

That tangental discourse aside, Love American Style whips out some poppy stuff that might be considered just behind the trend across the pond, but well ahead of the American curve. The songs are nicely crafted, with lots of little sonic goodies embedded within the hooks. All this musical gadgetry is a bit annoying, sure, but it does help keep LAS from sounding like anyone else.

And the guys don't stay in one place for long. Like the best pop bands, LAS trips from heavy to gentle, fast to mid-tempo to slow, as easily as shifting on a Vincent while flying flat out on I-40 across the Texas Panhandle.

God, I haven't listened to this long enough to decide whether it's cotton candy or a substantial meal. Right now, I'm leaning toward the latter. Nicely textured pop music, with attitude and bite. There can never be enough of that stuff.

Loverly heavy rawk, inspired by the likes of Iggy and the Replacements but with the full-on sound of now, baby. Uptempo and whompin, with little regard for anyone left behind.

In other words, basically tuneful stuff with awesome guitar licks. The sound is dead solid perfect, tuning up all the of the various components until the machine is purring like a kitten. And make no mistake: Magnolia Thunderfinger delivers when the light goes green.

Simple pleasures, sure, but it's awful nice to hear unapologetic guitar rock done right. No hangups and no obeying some ages-old "formula". The songs keep rolling out, and the disc keeps impressing.

I sure wish I'd had this puppy all summer, because is exactly what I want to have blaring out my windows as I zoom around in the sunshine. Music that makes me feel alive. And that's a great fucking feeling to have, let me tell you.

Another big load of punk pop musings from one of the best such bands around. I was a bit bummed by the single, which wasn't terribly witty or catchy.

On the whole, there's more than enough wit and hooks here to keep just about any fan happy for a good long time. While there isn't a breakout song here like "Sackcloth and Ashes" (which is still one of my ten favorite songs ever), the songs are still quite strong. As if it wouldn't be so.

Sixteen more songs about love and, even worse, relationships. The inexhaustible fount, it seems, as Dr. Frank and buds manage to whip out a quality new album every year or so.

Will it ever end? I dunno. This puppy merely stays the course for MTX, but that's a fine way to travel. First class all the way.

Amazingly, there are folks who have never heard of the AmRep sound. This despite the mainstream success of such alumni as Helmet. Ah, I still remember Strap It On...

Sorry. Anyway, Mog Stunt Team 5 is a peppy power pop band run though the traditional AmRep sludge apparatus. Oh, I suppose the band might have resembled Magnolia Thunderfinger or even Soul Asylum (early, of course) with a regular job, but see, there seems to be a requirement that any Amphetamine Reptile release absolutely deaden the treble.

It doesn't hurt, really. In fact, this rather weird production scheme seems to have granted Mog Stunt Team 5 a lease on an original sound. The songs are well-written, and while not necessary, the playing is good as well. Enjoyable and loopy, in a violent sort of way.

I have no idea what audience this puppy is supposed to please, but I'll be happy to claim a spot in the corner.

Keenly-edged rock with its roots in hardcore. Instead of going over to a metal guitar sound, though, Monotonic has dulled the guitar sound and chilled out just a bit. Boy, do I like this.

Yeah, the songs are anthems with often silly choruses. Doesn't matter. I like the way I can hear spaces in the sound, and I like the way all of the parts seem to be working toward the betterment of the band superorganism. The songs are so well-written, the different players sound like they're merely tapping into a greater consciousness.

And the guys aren't afraid to take some real chances, like with "Fucked Up Genius Love", which plays quite close to such songs as "Creep" and, strangely, the Crue's "Home Sweet Home". The amazing this is that the band pulls the song off at all, much less as well as it is done here.

Just one of those albums that comes out of nowhere, grabs me by the balls and doesn't let go. A nice feeling to have, really.

If you ever want to feel like you know nothing about music, talk to Jim O'Rourke. I didn't even have to give him a call. I read the press for this disc (something I don't normally do) because it contained a lot of interviews and I was curious what goes on in the mind of one of the true geniuses in music today.

Apart from discussing tons of people I've never heard of, much less heard, even his most minute observation is so far beyond my grasp of musical understanding that I simply sit here in awe. And, understand, I'm supposed to know something about unusual music. At least, that's the theory.

The music itself is even more intimidating. Long songs (four of them, averaging more than 10 minutes per), and yet they fly past so quickly it's as if time stands still. Instead of the rather discordant guitar melody structure he's used for projects like the Red Krayola, the fingerpicking here follows in a more traditional folk bent, although with enough rhythmic and tonal variation to distinguish himself.

At times, O'Rourke leaves his acoustic guitar naked. And then, slowly, he flows in horns, a pedal steel, keyboards or even some percussion. The songs do build in similar ways, though with some strong differences in tone. Stuff that is quite literally mind-blowing.

All I expected, and maybe a smidge more. O'Rourke is not simply a master guitarist; he knows how to use the guitar to express himself musically. And he does that as well as anyone else I've ever heard.

A compilation of recent singles and other oddities. Sure, there's some dreck here (this puppy is for completists, after all), but in general the quality.

From the unrestrained metal tribute single "For Those About to Suck Cock" (including remakes of Judas Priest and Kiss tunes) to the wackiness of "Manada", there's plenty here to enjoy.

Alright, so sometimes the agenda gets a bit ahead of the music ("Political Asshole" comes immediately to mind), but most of the time Pansy Division works the music as well as the philosophy. And, while I suppose it helps to be gay, even straight dorks like me can get off on this stuff.

Um, it's stuff from four Pansy Division singles and few other naughty bits thrown in for good measure. Good enough for me.

With every Paradise Lost album comes the mention of Gothic, which really did set the table for (better) bands like My Dying Bride and Edge of Sanity. Since then, Paradise Lost has been confused. Is it a metal band? A gothic pop band? A cheesy parody of either or both?

The albums have been pretty, but not terribly interesting. Lots of lush, overpowering chords and excessively ponderous arrangements. Nothing to move the sound along, nothing to make me take any notice.

Well, One Second is certainly a departure. It's the best Sisters of Mercy album I've heard this decade. Not that that's terribly bad or anything, but there's no way this can be considered a return to trendsetting form. First, this sound is fucking huge, both in the States and Europe. I mean, if the Bennigan's in St. Petersburg, Florida can sustain a goth night, then it has to be a serious trend.

And this music is more interesting than anything off the last couple PL albums. It's not original or innovative, but at least there is a sense of wryness that has been missing. A Paradise Lost album I might revisit from time to time, which is certainly better than anything released in recent years. A special note: For those who care, the bonus track is a Smiths cover.

Pounding, throbbing stuff built around drones. If you really want to try and find any conscious method of song construction at all. I'm not sure if there is one, myself.

Any technical analysis is bound to find deficiencies, so I'll stick to my visceral reaction, which took this album as a serious gut check. Snatches of sounds that remind me of Iceburn, Neurosis and Morsel. And yet, that explanation falls flat, too. Pineal Ventana is utterly and completely unique.

And so, in the end, I'm left to try and describe an utterly indescribable band. You gotta listen, but let me warn you: Don't run away too fast. If you give the music a few moments to settle, certain things will be made clear. This is great music for meditation (the drums keep constant time); you can lock in on one sound and let your mind follow all the other paths.

Completely free and beautiful. Who needs structure, anyway?

A legendary band that has never broken through to the mainstream. Probably because while there is something of a continuum from album to album, Polvo never stays in the same place. If you come to an album expecting something in particular, it will never be there.

Same goes for live shows, of course. And that's one of the reasons I really like what Polvo does. This is a band that encourages its fans to demand more of the act itself. A never-ending circle which basically results in more experimentation and musical growth for the band. Never a bad thing, particularly with folks as talented as these.

One theme that hasn't changed is Polvo's obsession with dichotomy. Soft, gentle acoustic bits broken up by slashing electric chords, something like hacking a broken bottle across your abdomen. Well, in the hands of these masters it's more like surgery, but you probably get the idea.

I've never been disappointed by a Polvo album, and this one doesn't break the trend. If there is one thing that differentiates Shapes from what came before, I suppose it might be a slightly greater reliance on Eastern musical ideas, but like I said, Polvo doesn't run in place. After all, the race never ends.

The brainchild of Bon Lozaga (who also runs Lolo records), Project Lo runs somewhere between a jazzy version of ambient music and a moody version of art rock.

A lot of Middle Eastern influences, though they're assimilated into a more traditional sound, rather than used as the basis for a more radical exploration, a la Trial of the Bow. Actually, much of this reminds me of a somewhat less edgy version of Peter Gabriel's Passion. And there's even a rendition of Gabriel's "Mercy Street", though Project Lo doesn't do much to redefine (or even refine) the original.

The more freeform tracks like "Tolerance, Acceptance, Transformation" are the most satisfying. Here Lozaga and his mates take a few minutes to really dig into some musical ideas.

And the worst that can be said about anything else is that the production is perhaps just a bit too sharp. Perhaps Project Lo isn't as adventurous as it could be. It still manages to turn in some nice, contemplative music.

A soulful slice of looped music, if you will. The emphasis is on mood, not rhythm, and in that way Project Pollen works fairly well. Actually, it's this sort of "electronica" that might actually do some serious pop damage.

This is not music that takes chances, though. It is exquisitely mixed, and the loops are used to decent effect, but the lounge feel of the album turns me off. This sounds like easy listening when compared to stuff like the Chemical Brothers (which is an inadvisable comparison, in any case), and I don't really dig another of the press references, Moorcheba.

This is music that could easily be created by regular players and real instruments. Project Pollen is, by its own admission, a technology-driven act, and yet the technology has yielded a fairly generic-sounding slice of soul.

Better than what Motown has been putting out, to be sure, but still dull. Music for the lazy ear set. Of course, that is what sells.

Instrumental guitar, with a greater emphasis on feeling than pyrotechnics. Always a plus, in my book.

Scheetz isn't the world's greatest songwriter. His basic structures are a little shop-worn, and at times he kinda resorts to familiar lines as a way to extricate himself from a particularly tough spot in a song.

But he redeems those fairly serious problems with his playing style. Scheetz is quite good at evoking a mood and then working within that sound. Sometimes the musical ideas aren't the greatest, but I can hear him trying.

He's got the right idea, if not the perfect execution. I'd prefer to hear impassioned playing than wild fingering exercises any day. And there's plenty of feeling here.

So you take a band that has made its reputation through live shows, and you get Danny Kortchmar to produce them? Oh, my.

The music is something like Melissa Etheridge meets Trip Shakespeare (or, more correctly, Janis Joplin meets the Grateful Dead) filtered through that noxious techie sheen that Kortchmar seems to love throwing over his charges. Imagine, if you will, what Don Henley's albums might have sounded like if they had been produced in the style of the early Eagles albums.

But while a producer can fuck up good material, it takes a songwriter to craft bad stuff. Perhaps these songs work live, but it just sounds way overblown. I can imagine settings in which some of these songs might sound good, but they're nowhere near where they are now.

Like a big clank. The playing is nice enough, and Patrice Pike certainly seems to have the ability and appearance to be a major star. Not with this album, though.

The sort of sound Reconstriction is known for: heavy synthesized guitars, fast beats and mean lyrics. Society Burning leaves a few more spaces in the sound, adding a bit of a gothic feel, but otherwise, this is right out of the book.

The faster songs have a bit of a Sisters of Mercy feel (with a cybercore twist), but the uptempo stuff generally seems to be rushed, as if there's too much to express within the speed constraints. And even at slower tempos, the highly mechanized sound can get grating. The production has left some cool holes, but that helps humanize things just a bit.

The real downfall is the songwriting, which simply isn't up to the task. The songs are overloaded with ideas, and much of the time all that excess seems to spill over, losing track of the original goal.

A good effort, particularly in the booth, but the nuts and bolts of writing better songs needs to be addressed. I really like the sound, but the rest is still lacking.

Metal. The kind of metal that isn't terribly cool now. Which makes Staind either stupid or truly driven. Just a few seconds should give you the answer. This is pain-stained music, as if the band expects to ride the pine at radio statons.

And that may be the case, but these guys sure know how to craft pile-driving music in such as way that it doesn't become drudgery. Not quite sludge (there are too many quiet moments), but not quite anything else, either. Armored Saint is the closest reference that comes to mind, but Staind is much more rhythm than melody oriented. Just good stuff.

I haven't heard a band like this, period. The songs would probably benefit from a bit of further tightening in the rhythm section, but the mechanics are sound.

A nice find. Glad this one came down the pike.

I pegged the Step Kings as a ska band based merely on the name. Not really. Hardcore with a backbeat and oozin-ahs. There's a bit of a Sepultura-style guitar throb, but the attack is melodic.

Quite refreshing, actually. The Step Kings are really much more in line with Black Flag and the old line of hardcore. The melodic choruses are a welcome respite from the avalanche of gang shout aficionados which populate this style.

Short, tight and to the point. The Step Kings don't mess around or bother to wreck their sound with excess baggage. A supreme exercise in discipline and songwriting.

Quite good, if not quite to the level of great. I can feel a wild vibe in this music, and that's pretty cool to tap into. A little more experience, and who knows?

Vic Stevens is a drummer, and his idea of good jazz means experimentation and virtuoso performances. Within a fusion context. Kinda like the Yellowjackets playing Yes, although those references don't do this music justice.

Yeah, it would sure help to have at least a passing appreciation for prog rock to groove on this. The keyboards are everpresent and can get somewhat drenching. The songs are built around Stevens' rhythmic ideas, and that leads to some very strange structural tangents.

All the more interesting, though a straight line now and again would be nice. All of this rambling gets tiring, no matter how impressive the idea.

Still, in all Stevens drumming and light hand over his sides has led to one of the few real "fusion" albums that I can stomach. At play in some fine fields, these folks spin a few nice webs.

Upbeat noise pop. Highly distorted vocals and guitar punctuate these little rambling bits of pop culture references (though I don't know who or what Yuen Wah is, though my guess is it might have something to do with John Woo).

The lyrics are fairly interesting, but the music is just dead. I kept waiting for something appealing, but the chords stayed within regular boundaries and despite the rusty edges didn't really go anywhere I'd never been before.

Now, at 45 (the single is master to 33 1/3), the songs at least had something resembling hooks. Maybe that's a hint: These guys are so cool they're making pop music at the wrong speed. Or maybe I'm just trying to hard to justify this.

Straight-ahead punk rawk, with Terri Laird's vocals high in the mix. The production is fairly sharp, with a musical emphasis on the guitars (the drums almost get lost sometimes, which is certainly unusual). And the songs are energetic, if somewhat rote.

Basic. As basic as basic gets, really. The band hasn't quite figured out that instead of a minute-long live-style song wind-up, they should just fade out, but hell, it's that energy that appeals to me in the first place.

The songs aren't anything special, except that they are amusing enough to keep me listening, cranking the volume up almost constantly. And trust me, this tape sounds better as the knob limbs higher.

Loads of fun, if nothing else. Texas Terri & the Stiff Ones crank out high-energy punk with some serious smoke. No nuance, but none is really desired.

Take one member each from the High Llamas and Stereolab, and what do you get? Well, loopy music, but not in the sense you might expect.

While the music is constructed mainly of tape loops, this is hardly repetitive fare. Indeed, whenever I began to think that the stuff was getting just the slightest bit dreary, the disc seemed to sense my antipathy and shifted into something completely different. And I use that phrase advisedly.

Few acts have both the technical know-how and the artistic vision to take full advantage of the latest in music technology. The members of Turn On have already proved themselves master of both in their "regular" gigs, and here they seem intent upon taking everything just a step further.

Pop, some mutant form of jazz or something that is simply undefinable? Hell, I shan't hazard a guess. This earthy electronic music is simply a joy to behold. Wacky, transcendental or simply amusing, Turn On pushes all the right buttons with me.

Music from a "hardcore coming-of-age movie". Starring Rick Rodney of Strife (who appears here, natch). With folks like Pennywise, Stanford Prison Experiment, MxPx, the Descendents, Rollins Band and lots more bands, leaning heavily on the Tooth & Nail and Epitaph rosters (not bad places to take up residence).

Most of these songs are previously released, but at least the liners are cool enough to say where the song appeared originally. A nice mix tape project, cutting across the punk landscape and providing a nice snapshot of some of the best bands around.

Twenty-two songs by 22 bands. An earful for even the most jaded and knowledgeable fan. One of the rare piecemeal soundtracks that works well together. Darren Doane, known for his video work with many of the bands represented here, directed the flick and picked out the music. That guiding hand makes this a most worthy disc, indeed.

Not essential for the rabid fans, but like I said, this is a pretty cool mix set. It's interesting to hear these bands in juxtaposition with each other.

Laylaw has been producing jazz and rap superstars for quite a while. He's got his own label, and now he's putting out what he considers to be his first "solo" album.

Of course, when you've got friends like Ice Cube, Ice T, Pharcyde, Coolio and Above the Law, why play with yourself? Laylaw drops 13 tracks, with a few short interludes to keep the ride rollin'.

I'm not the world's biggest fan of the current "faux soul" rap sound, and Laylaw isn't bucking the trend. But he does more within that feel on this disc than most producers have done during their entire careers.

And while this disc might be intended to showcase some of the younger talent, it's the legends here who do the damage. A few of the tracks wallow in mundane grooves, but on the whole this is a worthwhile set. There is some talent going down here.

A set of 12 "loungecore" tracks. More than a few of these tracks don't seem to be on the level, and I kinda like that subversive comment on a dreadful musical trend.

One the other hand, there are bands here who really seem to think that Dean Martin epitomized the be all and end all of the sixties musical experienced. Even someone as establishment as Peter Sellars was able to properly satirize that notion.

For every track as nicely goofy as Loveletter's take on "Barbarella" there is one as dreck-filled as Milky's "The Emperor of Oranges". The Wallpaper tracks are amusing instrumental (or wordless vocal) excursions, and Fantastic Everlasting Gobstopper's "Schoolgirl Psychedelia" rather points out the whole futility of the sound even as it plys those waters.

A joke or a tribute? Probably both, though any purchaser will probably be of one mind or the other. I simply find all this fascination with such sounds weird.