Mellow, atmospheric pop that reminds me of a more rock-oriented Moon Seven Times. Obviously, parallels can be drawn to quite a few other acts as well.

Which is the main problem here. The songs flow from one to another, with little change. Many have that echo-guitar stuff intro used by RHCP, Live and countless others. I've heard it before, and I didn't really like it then.

Christian Merry growls her way through the vocals. I wish she'd sing a little. It might provide some distinctive touch for the band, something that is sorely lacking.

Another band that needs to find a sound outside of what major-label bands are currently doing.

Conceived in greedtime, written more recently, this project (comprised of poems, stories and a few fragments) sounds curiously dated, like tales from a past we still haven't overcome. Or maybe Hollywood never left the eighties.

Berry likes to riff on pop icons, from Keith Richards to Cocoa Pebbles. This gets a little annoying after a while, and Berry doesn't help when she decides to beat you over the head, rather than stroke you with subtlety.

But many of the stories are fun and intriguing, if occasionally maddening. Berry needs a little editing and guidance. Her voice carries her ideas well, though, and that partly makes up for the shortcomings.

Overpowering hardcore pop arising from the Kansas City area that has spawned such cool bands as Shiner and Season to Risk (not to mention last issue's awesome Crank! band, Vitreous Humor, though VH is from Lawrence).

Boys Life meander from disjointed pop musings to full swirl attack pop and then back by the back road. Sure, there is a debt to bands like Jawbox and Treepeople, but Boys Life stakes its own claim to this territory, refusing to follow any lead.

Indeed, this is not the trendiest music around. But it may be close to the best. Boys Life should probably tighten things up just a notch, but in all respects this is an outstanding debut.

Forty spoken work bits and pieces. All of these were recorded live, so some of the production is more sparkling at some spots than others. But the sometimes smudgy sound really lends an alive feel to the proceedings.

Sometimes sad, often hilarious and occasionally even brilliant. Brewer's (artistic) voice can be maddeningly inconsistent. But once you persevere through an incoherent muddle of thought, the true picture often reveals itself. Brewer isn't as blatant as some (he is a poet, after all), but he knows how to deliver his work in a way that isn't terribly pretentious but still conveys the real fire of inspiration.

Brewer doesn't go on an on about nothing. He has a point, and he often provides great insight into this condition called human. Can't ask much more of a poet.

Four remixes of "Panic in Detroit", and one remix each of "Figurative Theater", "Venus in Furs", "Skeleton Kiss" and "Spiritual Cramp".

The best of the bunch are Rosetta Stone's mondo-goth reworking of "Panic" and "Figurative Theater", given teeth by Jürgen Engler and Chris Lietz.

The rest are alright (Len Del Rio's "Panic" is actually pretty good) but not much to write home about. Just another piece of product schlepped out.

Subtitled "The Music of Dizzy Gillespie", Cole and conductor Bob Belden have put together a program of nine Gillespie tunes and one ringer ("You Go to My Head") that fits right in.

Cole reinterprets Gillespie's melodies on his alto sax, lending a slightly different feel to the compositions. Of course, he improvises along the way in true jazz fashion, and his affinity for the music comes through in his playing.

Many of Gillespie's most famous works are recreated here, from "Manteca" to "Birk's Works" and, of course, "A Night in Tunisia". Cole doesn't try to imitate Gillespie; that would be foolish. Instead, he tries to bring his own flair to the music, and succeeds admirably. Many only remember Gillespie for his famous cheeks; this disc will help us remember his more enduring musical legacy.

A collection of works from this sometimes-collaborator of Pink Floyd (and ex-Floydsters) spanning the years 1970-1988.

Not for the feint of heart. This is experimental electronic music that would be in the tradition of such contemporary acts as Dead Voices on Air and Lab Report, except that Geesin obviously predates these. His only real peer age-wise is Brian Eno, but Eno has always been more listener-friendly than this stuff.

In short, these pieces are not songs, but very much sonic constructions which more often than not assault the mind of the listener. Geesin obviously doesn't believe in the song form, and his work reflects that appreciation of chaos.

Wither a linear reality? Nowhere near here.

Gene has a penchant for convoluted pop tunes, and the band backing this duo is solid as hell. If only Mimi didn't insist on trying to sing like Sandra Bernhard (particularly on "Something Important", a great song that is torched by her digressions).

Mimi is a better singer than Sandra, but she sometimes can't decide whether to sing or belt out the tunes, and the result in an occasionally maddening whine.

When she does come to a decision (like on the terrific raver "This Is Me"), everything is clicking wonderfully. Gene has a nice earnest voice, which compliments his songwriting perfectly.

Gene really does have a knack for writing cool pop in that distinctive New York style. A little more work on arrangements and such could really get this pair somewhere.

Two guys trying to replicate the Whitesnake sound (with less bass) and replacing the sex rhymes with western movie themes.

In other words, highly anthemic glam with artistic pretensions. And it even works sometimes. Sure, in the end this stuff comes off as pretty silly, but when the guitar work is kept simple and the drums stick to a nice "boom-chicka-boom" beat this really clicks.

All in all, very weird for obviously commercial fare. It just doesn't add up. And you simply must hear it to believe it. Sorry I can't help you more than that.

A "Swans related project", as if we didn't know that already.

These two solo works by Jarboe and Gira have really delineated the distinct songwriting styles of the two artists. Jarboe is highly conceptual with her lyrics, but her music is stridently derivative, as if she couldn't (or didn't want to) really create a new sound.

Gira is much more interesting musically, jumping all over in terms of styles and sounds. But at times I wish Jarboe's more esoteric lyrics would lift Gira from some of his mundane topics.

Each of the solo works is interesting on its own, but the more important examination is of the two together. And I have come to a greater appreciation of the collaboration that is Swans.

Hatza plays the Hammond B-3, and his Organization plays just on the jazz side of Booker T. and the MGs.

The comparisons are inevitable, but I'll try to sidestep them. After all, where Booker T. and the MGs were riffing through the pop standards of the day (creating a few along the way), Hatza and company flip through five bebop and big band standards, along with six Hatza compositions which don't sound out of place at all.

Sure, the intricacies of Gillespie and Coltrane are much easier accomplished on an organ, but Jim Snidero on alto and Major Boyd on soprano sax also get much of the spotlight. While you might accuse the band of turning classics into easy listening (and that thought gains creedence with the inclusion of a rendition of "Georgia on My Mind"), the playing is quite inspired and not at all timid. Yeah, a B-3 just screams "mellow!", but once past that roadblock, the musicianship can be appreciated for its own merits.

I actually prefer the originals to the arrangements of the standards. Hatza has a nice feel for the limits and possibilities of his instrument, and he has a solid band to help him push the envelope.

"Poison Fingers" you know as the second track on Ignaurus. The other two songs, "To Be Free" and "Herbivore", are definitely b-side material.

"To Be Free" has a real Mordred feel, which is a new tack for Into Another. The lyrics are a little preachy, but esoteric enough to be forgivable. A good enough piece.

Not so on "Herbivore". The boys dig deep into their Black Sabbath bag and pull out a real clunker. The riffs are uninspired, the lyrics as pretentious as anything U2 has put out recently. Bleah. I think the band tackled this subject much better with "Anxious", the last song on Ignaurus. "Anxious" is sublime, "Herbivore" merely substandard.

A real disappointment. But I still await a new album (on Hollywood Records-sigh) with nervous anticipation.

Listed as a "Swans related project", along with M. Gira's disc this album trumpets the arrival of Swans on AT.

One of the most attractive parts of Swans is Jarboe's ethereal-yet-powerful voice. In general, this album is more introspective and less harsh than Swans, but none of the edge is lost. Jarboe has merely tightened the grips on the subconscious.

Yes, the hallmarks of solo works are in evidence: some self-indulgent moments, a lack of coherence and a more intimate feel. But the first two are regular Swans characteristics, and the third is a plus.

More experimental than recent Swans works (along with reworked versions of songs from the last Swans album), this album (along with M. Gira's) brings real hope of a Swans resurgence on Alternative Tentacles.

Pounding, anthemic riffola that manages to satisfy from time to time.

The scattershot attack (the music veers from one punk influence to another, sometimes seemingly in the same measure) leaves a little to be desired. And that's not to say these guys are sloppy. Not at all. The music is polished, if a little harebrained at times.

Jimmy Eat World is missing that one jewel, the songs (or songs) that make me sit up and take notice. It's not often that a band tries to sound like the Replacements and Bad Religion on the same disc, much less the same song. But that heavy reverence for the worthy isn't enough. Jimmy Eat World needs a little more time to develop.

Artistically speaking, not much going on here. A bunch of your favorite Hispanic Doctor Dreamers (and a couple friends) slap stereotypical mannerisms onto punk chestnuts.

Of course, it is pretty fun, and maybe there is a point after all (but you do have to dig a lot). The guys can play (we knew that), and the production is nice and clean.

I don't think the novelty factor can be avoided for even a second, but you shouldn't worry about that. Just smile.

And by the way, in case you didn't know: the "menudo" in the title is a dish. The cheesy pop act was named after the word and not the dish, the latter being (I think) an American invention. Not unlike the burrito.

Mac McCaughan (Superchunk, of course) comes back with another installment of his side project. More Chilly pop, but a little more assertive than the first.

While this sound is certainly a departure from early Superchunk, the first Portastatic album, I Hope Your Heart Is Not Brittle, was a telling precursor of Foolish.

Mac's (funny how us critics all feel free to use his first name, even if we don't know him) voice earnestly delivers the introspective and at times embarrassingly painful pop tunes. The arrangements are sparse (he does play most of the instruments), but for being a studio-constructed project, Portastatic still has a live feel. Just a testament to true board-twisting genius.

Yeah, Superchunk is more immediately arresting, but I think McCaughan may be really getting down to his artistic soul with Portastatic. Just be glad he let you in.

If you remember Mary's Danish, Ritter gained first notoriety in that group. This collection of spoken word bits consists of excerpts from her journal, which she has kept since she was 10 and other bits of poetry and ideas.

Ritter performs her pieces like she's on stage. She is good enough to make this sound real and not just pretentious. Perhaps it is because these are her words, or maybe she is a good actress. It doesn't matter which, really.

The most arresting piece is easily "Rebuilding Democracy", which intersperses the experience of a Bosnian rape victim with the slogans of our mass-consumption society, all delivered in a rat-a-tat-tat fashion. It assaults without relent.

Most of the other pieces are more personal, but often just as arresting. Ritter has something to say, and she says it with aplomb. One of the best spoken word discs I've heard in years. The melodies behind the words are astonishing.

Mid-eighties Cure without all the keyboards and all muddled up. I'm not sure what the point of all this is, but it does get kinda hypnotic, and the lyrics are nicely sardonic.

I'd like to see these folks live and figure out exactly what's going on. The songs are disjointed bits of moody pop that seem to be screaming out for massive production and mass appeal, two things that are lacking in this single.

By the way, this should be played at 33, not 45 as the label sez. Unless the band wanted to sound like the Chipmunks playing Depeche Mode, that is.

Fusing fusion, R&B and simplified Caribbean rhythms, Seawind released albums in 1977, 1978 and 1980 before finally splitting up. The 1980 disc was on A&M, which is fitting, as the horn work would certainly have appealed to Herb Alpert (the "A" in A&M).

This disc takes 10 tracks from the seventies albums and adds five unreleased songs from 1981. There are nods to disco and the Tower of Power sound (note the time frame), and as the disc goes on, you can hear how Seawind's evolution left the band nowhere near where it started.

I like the first part of the disc, where the original musical concept of the band shines through. As things get more stylized and commercial (almost perceptibly as the tracks roll on), I lose interest.

Not sure what this is all about. Two demo versions of songs from the forthcoming Sense Field album Building, four songs (and one remix) from their self-released EPs, released on Revelation last year, and "Papercut" from Killed for Less.

The release of the early EPs was a revelation for me, as I thought Killed for Less was overly bombastic and pretentious. I liked the understated way those early songs came across.

The two demos aren't quite as heavy as the previous album, and I hope they pare back some of the mess with the new recording. I think the songwriting has always been solid, but the producer should be less worried about kicking butt.

Nice to see some of the original types getting up with the new surf wave. Shig & Buzz have been playing since the sixties, though under the names Peter Miller and Shigemi Komiyama and not their new moniker. Never heard of them? Well, that's because they were mostly session guys who merely managed to absorb the true feel of early sixties instrumental rock.

The playing is so smooth and flowing that at times this does sound like a couple of session guys. Miller is a good guitarist, but at times his precision doesn't allow room for the soul of, say, a Dick Dale.

But if you want something like the Ventures (a studio creation in itself), the Shig & Buzz should fit the bill. This is a nice set of tunes that evokes the sound of a time gone by. I wasn't blown away, but this is great stuff for sunset listening.

More than any pop band since Young Fresh Fellows, Superchunk puts out a ton of songs on every label imaginable.

But, just in case you wanted to complete your collection, these folks are nice enough to put out the occasional singles compilation. This is the second installment in that series, and it showcases precisely why Superchunk is a word best used breathlessly.

I've reviewed at least five of the tracks on this disc in these pages over the past four years, so no real need to get into specifics. But while Superchunk can get self-absorbed and put out the odd bad song, there aren't two bummers in a row on this 19-track collection.

A few covers (Chills, Motorhead and more), but mostly original. Like Rocket From the Crypt, Superchunk may well have a better singles track record than album track record. This set is ready to be reaped.

Clever, sometimes snotty midwestern rock. Except that Kurt Bloch produced this San Diego/Seattle outfit. Why do they remind me so of mid-to-late eighties Replacements and Soul Asylum?

Because that's what they sound like. Minneapolis rock. And as that may be the quintessential American contribution to rock during the eighties, then no apologies are necessary.

Bloch keeps the sound clean, but the boys manage to fuzz things up now and again. And the little touches (an Axl imitation towards the end of "Chick Rock", for example) are wondrous.

A summer album if I ever heard one. While the kiddies will be jamming the new Soul(ed Out) Asylum, you can have the real deal: Uncle Joe's Big Ol' Driver.

Starting with the cool "patent-pending" blinking eye cover, this is a truly attractive set. As you probably know by now, trance is a more club-oriented form of ambient music. At least, that's how I choose to define it.

Ten tracks by ten bands, of varying quality and danceability. The first two tracks show off the diversity; Reverse Pulse cranks out an introverted techno tune, while Hybrid takes its time in working up to a fevered club pace.

As often is the case with European sensations, drug use is paramount. I'm not on X or anything else at the moment, so perhaps I am not quite enjoying this stuff to the hilt. I know, X is out now, but people down here in Florida seem to just be getting into it. And I thought Missouri was backward.

Drug trends aside, Trance 4 Mations is a cool exampler of the trance sound. If you're curious, what lies within is an accurate sample, though if you want the best, check out the new Virtualizer.

The sticker on the cover says "ambient trance space purity". While I'm not exactly sure what that means, it does seem to be a superficial description of what lies within.

Of course, all that lies over techno beats (I suppose that might be the "trance" part; my terminology on these things is a little weak), so things do move along. And there used to be a space music show on this station where I went to school (not the station where I worked). I used to tune in on Sunday afternoons while trying to sleep off a hangover. It worked wonders, keeping me asleep another two hours.

But while Virtualizer certainly lies in the mellow techno universe (that's why the "ambient" is there), it is anything but boring. A lot is going on, and there isn't that much repetition.

This may not be everyone's bag of goodies, but I like it.

A perfect example of what the P.D. at the Missouri NPR station (as opposed to the college music station) used to call "happy jazz". Well, he probably still calls it that, but I don't think he works there any more.

White is a drummer, but the reason his name is on the album is that he's the producer (not unlike Sergio Mendes). And while this is perfectly charming easy listening music for the masses, I can't get into it at all. Any rough edges have been mercilessly refined.

Hey, if you like Kenny G, you might dig this. But I don't.

Easy listening stuff from the lead singer of Seawind. This sounds a lot like DeBarge, which I remember liking when I was 12.

Of course, I think this sort of thing is commercial cheese today. Pseudo-pretentious lyrics allied with bouncy keyboards and Top 40 bass (a really nasty affliction).

And not terribly distinguished for that sort of thing, even. Wilson has a strong, clear voice, and maybe this is what she sings best, but I still like those early Seawind songs much better.

Various Artists
A Saucerful of Pink advance cassette
(Cleopatra)

Lots of goth, industrial and space rockers do Pink Floyd tunes. All done well, but personally, I'd rather see the roster of Epitaph do Pink Floyd. Something different, ya know?