"Compilation Reviews"
Sponsored In Part By
JOE QUEER PRESENTS MORE BOUNCE TO THE OUNCE
Lookout Records
Two compact discs of total punk mayhem as compiled by Joe King Queer
of the legendary band The Queers. If you want to know what is
happening in today's punk world, obtain this release as a starter.
Contains bands such as The Mr. T Experience, The Pink Lincolns, The
Parasites, Sinkhole, The Hi-Fives, and more. Some of the more interesting
material on this release includes The Queers covering The Who's "The Kids
Are Alright" and a track by The Muffs called "No Action." Hey! Whoa! Let's Go!
Awesome!
- Al Slavicsky
MAKE NOISE AND ONLY NOISE TAPE #2
Your Not Normal Records, 2835 Delaware Ave. #1, Kenmore, NY 14217
If you want some deranged, distorted noise, industrial, or grindcore, this
is a good place to start. From the lo-fi industrial noise sounds of Society
For Cutting Up Meat, Comme, Shiticide, and Stupid Noise Experiment to the
highly techno influenced Row Boat Brain to the grindcorish The Person Inside
of Regan and Captain 3 Leg to the trancelike splatter of Ehi and Aphasia...
all this and more. 90 full minutes of ear bleeding audio torture.
- Al Slavicsky
BACK PORCH BLUES
King Snake Records
For fans of traditional folk and acoustic blues, this fifteen song compilation is
a must-have. King Snake Records has put together a treasure of contemporary
unplugged blues featuring some of the hottest blues musicians using stripped-down
and stark instrumentation and a very intimate focus. Chicago Bob Nelson starts off
this collection with "Sugar Mama," a bare bones blues chestnut with guitar help
supplied by Tinsley Ellis, and it just keeps getting better from there. Southern
harp master Mark Hodgson makes several appearances, offering "Big Foot Woman"
and "Flyright," as well as helping out on cuts from Floyd Miles, "Cocky Rooster"
and "Arthritis." Oklahoma Ace Moreland serves up some tasty smooth vocals and
harp work on "Head in the Bottle" and "Gates of Hell." Remaining cuts from
Smokehouse, Bill Wharton, Eric Culberson, and Jeff Howell all are drenched in
mojo soul and complete this collection to the blues-lover’s complete satisfaction.
King Snake should be commended for supplying us this rare and intimate look at
some of today’s hottest blues masters returning to the roots of the blues with
this thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining collection of acoustic blues.
- Mike Somers
LOUNGING AT THE NICK AT NITECLUB; DANCING AT THE NICK AT NITECLUB;
BEACH BLANKET BASH; and PATIO POOL PARTY
Nick at Nite Records
Nick at Nite Records often releases CD collections in pairs, and they've done
it again... twice. LOUNGING and DANCING are paired; BEACH BLANKET BASH and
PATIO POOL PARTY are also a couple.
LOUNGING is a great disc of lounge music, from Vic Damone's
"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" to Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" to Tom Jones'
"I (Who Have Nothing)." DANCING, meanwhile, contains 14 of those dance
craze songs, including "The Watusi," "The Jerk," and "The Shag (Is Totally Cool)."
BEACH BLANKET BASH covers decades, ranging from Martha & the Vandellas'
"Heat Wave (Love Is Like A)" to Katrina and the Waves' "Walking On Sunshine."
PATIO POOL PARTY ranges less, though it still includes Billy Stewart's "Summertime"
and Kim Mitchell's "Patio Lanterns."
- Geoff Wilbur
1997 FALL SAMPLER
Skunk Records
An introduction into the Skunk Records world through this release which
includes previously unreleased material from bands such as the wrapped
dementia surf rock of the Ziggens, reggae dub punk from Slightly Stoopid,
vintage beer-infested punk of the Juice Bros., drag strip guitar rock of
Del Noah and the Mt. Arafat Finks, classic unreleased 1980s punk from the
legendary Fallen Idols, 1990s style from Corn Doggie Dog and the 1/2 Lb.,
a rare remix from The Lordz of Brooklyn, and an unlisted track from The
Long Beach Dub All-Stars. Definitely worth buying.
- Al Slavicsky