Once you’re into the first minute of the CD’s initial song, “Circles”, you can tell that Bob Mould’s experimentation in electronica has paid off in “Body of Song”, his return to a more guitar-oriented rock CD. His voice is actually in front of the music, not lumped in with the screeching guitar chords. There are slight changes in his vocal delivery, whether it’s a low, almost raspy baritone in the low key “Always Tomorrow” or using a voice modulator (think Cher’s “Believe” but not as disco cheesy or irritating) in “(Shine Your) Light Love Hope” and “I Am Vision, I Am Sound)”. And there are some slower and (dare I say) power ballads like “High Fidelity” and “Gauze of Friendship”, which may freak out some longtime Husker Du or Sugar fans but in a good way.

Even though with these new facets, the constants in a Bob Mould song have always been solid song writing and catchy alt-rock hooks and those properties are still intact and flourish with this new release. For example, the first single, “Paralyzed”, a song about a dysfunctional one-sided relationship, is typical in Mould’s ability to craft an upbeat tune about such a downer of an idea. So, for those who are looking to escape the drone of mainstream radio or those who can appreciate an artist truly immersed in his craft, you can’t do any better than “Body of Song”.

You can buy the CD reviewed by clicking on the Amazon link below.

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Well, if you’re one of the people who are bored with today’s music scene’s regurgitation of the 80’s New Wave vibe, I found a group that isn’t following that trend. Sexual Factory was formed by two guys from Cali named Derek Allan and Wyatt Kozinski. The type of music that they play can only be described as a pastiche of 60’s psychedelia, classic Motown horns and hip-hop drum loops with an occasional sample thrown in for good measure. Songs that highlight this eclectic mixture of styles in the best possible light are “Can’t Help But Wonder”, “Each Time You Try (To Get Away)” and “Oh Good Lord”. And if you’re scared to try new music to avoid spending your hard earned dough, no need to fear. The whole CD (about 30 minutes in length) is free to download. All you have to do is visit their MySpace site and check their posts. All of the directions are right there. Just tell them that Britt sent you.

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The Foo Fighters’ fifth disc reflects a different tact – a double-disc effort that separates the harder music on one and the slower songs on the other. Dave Grohl proves that he can still write great angry music but he also shows a deft touch for writing catchy mid-tempo tunes as well. And for the most part, this separate but equal technique succeeds.

For instance, if you like former hits like “Monkey Wrench”, “This is a Call” and “Learn to Fly”, you will have no problems rawking out to tracks like “In Your Honor”, “Best of You” and “The Last Song”. And by the same accord, if you’re a fan of Grohl’s slower stuff like “Big Me” and “Everlong”, you will gravitate towards the second disc with songs like “What If I Do?”, “Friend of a Friend” and “Virginia Moon”.

Some critics have said that the two-discs are somewhat overindulgent and could’ve been reduced to a single CD. After listening to the CD a couple times, I could see their point. But I like the ambitiousness of the group and the risks that Grohl took by making two totally different discs. Overall, I would compare “In Your Honor” to a Bizarro Peanut Butter Cup; the kind where the chocolate and peanut butter never meet and the people were happier for it.

You can buy the disc review by clicking on the Amazon.com link below.

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Maybe I’m getting old, but man, after a couple years of just not understanding the hype surrounding tuneless Gang of Four wannabes like The Rapture, overrated disco knockoffs like LCD Soundsystem, and the dull, affected mope rock of Interpol, I’m ready to bow down at the feet of a 70s/80s-inspired New York City band with some goddam chops who know how and when to end a song. This band is called Diamond Nights, and they are ready to pummel the world with blazing tunes and sweet riffage. Exhibit A: their just released 5-song EP Once We Were Diamonds. Yes oh yes.

Sure, “The Girl’s Attractive” is a gloriously Cars-esque one-hit-wonder in the making, and “Dirty Thief” appears to be giving propers to Rick Springfield. But check out the irresistible chug and shit-eating-grin hook of “Destination Diamond,” and the catchy, sheer ridiculousness of “Buddies,” which in another dimension is a lost arcade classic. Seriously, didn’t I play a couple rounds of Mr. Do’s Castle and maybe Tron to that song…?

I salute you Diamond Nights. I salute you with the devil horns. Thank you for ushering in summer with the offering of rock.

Along the same lines, Rye Coalition is another quality area band who seems to enjoy what the gods know as rock.

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Remix songs are usually a crapshoot, so to speak. They’re either a nice change of pace that enhances the playability of the originals. Or the remixes somehow become a complete bastardization of the source material and the listener will try to rip off their ears rather than listen to them again. So, listening to a whole CD full of remixes might be considered musical suicide or harmonic bliss. That being said, Motown Remixed can be said that it is little of both.

Similar to the Verve Remixed series (which remixed old Jazz tunes) or last year’s release, What Is Hip? Remix Volume 1 (which remixed old Warner Brothers hits from the 70’s and one hit from the 80’s), Motown Remixed takes the master tapes of the original R&B gems from the Motown Archives and asks some of the biggest names in turntablism to bring a new perspective on the tunes. And on more than half of the tracks, the perspective is fresh and very listenable.

Some top-shelf tracks include The Temptations’ “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” (DJ Jazzy Jeff & Pete Kuzma Solefull Remix) which marries the original vocal track with a killer disco beat and trumpet solo; Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” (Da Producers MPG Groove Mix) that blends a cruising hip hop feel with Marvin’s sexy verses; Gladys Knight & The Pips’ “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (Sympathy for the Grapes Mix by The Randy Watson Experience) which places a “The Payback”-style percussion rhythm with the original soulful crooning by Ms. Knight and her men; and Rick James’ “Mary Jane” (DJ Green Lantern Evil Genius Remix) that kicks a vicious back beat while Mr. Superfreak himself waxes poetically about his favorite herbal inhalant.

Unfortunately, there were some tracks that didn’t sound up to snuff. The Tranzition remix of Diana Ross and the Supremes’ “My World is Empty Without You” sounded a beat or two off. Easy Mo Bee’s remix of The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination” didn’t seem all that dissimilar from the original. And the Groove Boutique remix of Smokey’s “Quiet Storm” just seems rather bland instead of being a laid back slow jam.

Now, Motown purists and the “Big Chill” generation may find this CD a direct affront to their life history. And the kids who are into smashups will probably dismiss this CD as lame (if they still say that nowadays). But if you put in this CD, sit back and listen to it with an open mind, you might just be surprised at the strength of the collaboration.

You can buy the CD reviewed here at Amazon.com by clicking the link below.

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Garbage’s dirty blend of beautiful yet mega-textured guitars, bombastic yet programmed percussion, screechy yet sublime synthetics, and punky yet sultry vocals helped redefine alternative rock in the 90s. Three producers and one insanely charismatic frontwoman: surely the band of the future? But like so many of their 90s electronica contemporaries, Garbage found themselves struggling to find a place in the stupidly technophobic rock world of the new millennium. Despite being their most daring and diverse album yet, 2001’s Beautifulgarbage fell on deaf ears, and it fell hard. Beautifulgarbage is an admittedly flawed album; but when a single like “Cherry Lips (Go Baby, Go)” fails to inspire the planet’s youth to put on their dancing shoes, something is profoundly wrong with the world.

Thankfully, the commercial tragedy of Beautifulgarbage wasn’t enough to send the band packing with their tails between their legs for too long, as they’ve returned with a new full length album — their fourth in ten years — Bleed Like Me. The placement of their tails, however, remains somewhat in question.

Triumphant lead single “Why Do You Love Me?” is the perfect song to reintroduce Garbage to a world full of fickle hipsters too young to remember how important this band was just a few years ago, however, the rest of the album is decidedly less direct. While not bad, really, Bleed Like Me is certainly, er, anemic. This album finds Garbage pulling what we’re going to call, “a U2.” That is to say, releasing an album nobody liked that was actually pretty good (substitute U2’s Pop for Beautifulgarbage) and instead of saying fuck you and pressing on, they decide to more or less cover their more popular former selves (substitute Joshua Tree for Garbage) and create a relatively average album that will appease old fans and replant their flag directly on the beach of the mainstream (substitute All That You Can’t Leave Behind for Bleed Like Me).

But the worst Garbage album is still leagues better than the best U2 dad-rock. While it’s a little disappointing to see this very progressive band return to a sound they’d proclaimed to have left behind, it’s probably worth it to live in a world with solid Garbage dance-rockers like “Boys Wanna Fight,” “Run Baby Run,” and “Metal Heart.” The title track — the first title track this band’s ever had — is far and away the standout song. A mellow-loud-mellow self-destruction anthem in the tradition of “#1 Crush,” “Medication,” and “You Look So Fine,” “Bleed Like Me” is set to be Garbage’s most interesting single yet, as Manson is sure to be taken to task for the most blatant self-mutilation references she’s ever committed to ProTools.

Louder than Beautifulgarbage but not as loud as Garbage; “live-er” than Version 2.0, but not as epic, Bleed Like Me is a bittersweet sonic portrait of a band who once made a name for themselves by cleverly combining the leftovers of their favorite genres now, for better or for worse, combining the leftovers of themselves.

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Sometimes, people can’t see the forest for the trees. Shifting Gears is Z-Trip’s first major label CD release and people can’t get over the fact that it is not the second coming of Uneasy Listening Vol. 1 (with DJ P) or a duplication of Future Primitive Soundsession, Vol. 2 (with Radar). Z-Trip has decided to forgo the mash-up formula that worked so well on those previous CDs and has instead turned out a solid but unspectacular rap CD with Z-Trip still mastering the wheels of steel.

There are some good cuts include on the disc like “Listen To The DJ” with Soup (Jurassic 5), “Walking Dead” with Chester Bennington (Linkin Park) and “Shock and Awe” with Chuck D. (Public Enemy) as well as some fine displays of turntablism with “About Face” and “3rd Gear”. But the parts just don’t add up to an entirely whole CD; it’s more like three quarters full. “All About the Music” with Whipper Whip just doesn’t seem to resonate a party atmosphere like the title implies. And Supernatural feels like he mailed in his two raps on “For My People” and “Breakfast Club” (with the help of Murs).

Overall, Z-Trip’s CD pleases more than it disappoints. If you are looking for another mash-up by Z-Trip, this disc is not that. But if you’re looking for a disc that has some good hip-hop break beats, decent rhymes and interesting samples, this is the one.

You can purchase this CD from Amazon.com by clicking the link below.

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“Just Let Go” opens with a more traditional dance beat than we’re used to hearing from electroclash/art-wank heroes Fischerspooner, and it is just the first of many indicators of the duo’s Second Phase. The next is Casey Spooner’s verse-chorus-verse-chorus lyrics, along with what seems to be actual MEANING in his words. Not that I’m going to presume to know what they are. And really, who cares? FS are about weird performance art fun and dancing.

The third indicator is a guitar. That one instrument, previously conspicuous by its absence, fits in extremely well among the traditional Fisherspooner arsenal of hypnotic electro grooves, overproduced hi-hats, WTF vocals and Nintendo melodies, making “Just Let Go” a contender for FS’s most danceable track yet.

Despite its immense hip-gyrability, the track is considerably less interesting than previous epics “Sweetness” and “Emerge.” Before, Spooner’s voice played the role of any other instrument; just another component in a meticulous electronic puzzle of a song. “Just Let Go,” while great fun, would seem to suggest that Spooner’s become more confidant as a singer and lyricist, and that the band might be taking a more traditional pop turn. Hopefully that’s not the case, but we’ll have to wait for the new LP Odyssey to find out for sure. In the meantime, you’ll have to just let go and get your art-fix from the outstanding Thin White Duke Mix by Stuart Price (aka Jacques Lu Cont).

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