Saboteur
s/t (End Sounds)
Saboteur's self-titled seven-song EP (clocking in at under 20 minutes) works best when it hits with both fists in a straightahead, no-frills hard rock manner. Songs like "Ignited" and "Mommy's Little Anarchist" mix the 90's punk song constructs of bands like Pennywise with a fat chugging overdriven guitar sound. "Declaration On Dependence Drive" goes for a different groove coming up with something not unlike a less metallic Queens of the Stone Age. The closer "Poison Rum To Soak the Lungs" aspires to be the record's standout single and comes up close but not quite on target. (Andy Smith)

THE SAINTS
Nothing Is Straight in My House (UFO MUSIC)
Hard to argue with this effort. This is gruff, bull-in-a-china-shop punk and hard guitar rock from the Saints, one of the pioneers of said style, whose lineup now includes Church guitarist Marty Willson Piper. Saints mainman Chris Bailey heads straight for the jugular on most of these songs--the title cut being a prime example: Over a crashing, churning, gurgling rhythm section, Bailey's tale of frustration takes on a near-banshee wail, with screeching guitars punctuating the pain. Elsewhere, lowdown blues ("I Couldn't Help Myself") and the odd folkish tune ("Digging a Hole"), appear, but it's the four-on-the-floor rockers ("Bang On") and atmospheric epics ("Garden Dark"), spit out by Bailey with passionate fury, that are most worthy of the Saints' respected canon. --Luke Torn

SAM CHAMPION
Slow Rewind (RAZOR & TIE)
NYC’s Sam Champion is an exercise in misdirection. On the surface, one might assume that Sam Champion is a sensitive singer/songwriter type, an assumption that’s disspelled by a four member line-up, none of whom is either a Sam or a Champion. When the band’s debut, Slow Rewind, kicks off, there’s a hint that they (not he) may still fit the sensitive bill, but that idea gets modified about a minute into the title track when their Clem Snide gentility gives way to sheets of Crazy Horse guitar squall. The band doesn’t completely turn its back on introspection, as they explore the lyrical angst of big city life, love and all the attendent complications set to an intimate yet energetic soundtrack that pulls sonic elements from a variety of fascinating sources while playing up the tension between their chosen modes of noisy rock, quiet pop and the electric space between the two. Combining the quirky charm of Camper Van Beethoven, the tremulous verve of Pavement, the sprawling guitar of Dinosaur Jr., the NYC portraiture of Lou Reed and the angular melodicism of Crazy Horse, Sam Champion is four musical heads that sound like a dozen different bands in the service of a single yet wonderfully schizophrenic sonic direction. --Brian Baker

SAVES THE DAY
In Reverie (DREAMWORKS)

The Princeton, N.J., indie foursome’s meteoric rise with 2001’s Stay What You Are secured gigs with Green Day and Blink-182. But unlike the headliners, Saves the Day, with this latest, now claim no punk allegiance, trading in their punk credentials for a 12-track collection of smiling, feel-good pop ditties. Only vestiges of their former selves remain, which means it’s their best yet. Great for pledge parties or playing loud in your dorm room. Enhanced CD includes a link to a “secret” website. (John Stoehr)

SAY HI TO YOUR MOM
Impeccable Blahs
Euphobia
I really have to say it, so please let me. "Hi Mom!" Okay, you can't say they weren't asking for it. Now, let's get on with how much I really wanted to hate this album. First, the ever so cheeky band name to which I quote the third track, "Blah Blah Blah." Second, I beg of you, please no vampire concept albums. Yikes! Lastly, the even-cheekier-than-the-band-name sugary pop song atrocities; gag me with a spoon! Now I'm lopping up loving spoonfuls of every damn drop of that very sugar. I feel the need to randomly blurt quotes from Buffy. "I'm not ashamed. It's the computer age. Nerds are in. They're still in, right?" "Put marzipan in [my] pie plate, bingo!" "I'm sick of this crap. I'm sick of being the guy who eats insects and gets the funny syphilis. As of this moment, it's over. I'm finished being everybody's butt-monkey!" Oh no, I seem to be under a spell of some sorts. I don't know what I'm saying or doing. Track 9 ("Sweet Sweet Heartkiller") is repeating in my mind. Stop. Don't stop. I'm never saying "hi" to my mom again! Leave me alone. I mean it.     --Don Simpson

SEBASTIEN SCHULLER
Happiness
Minty Fresh
French multi-instrumentalist Sebastien Schuller creates some really lovely soundscapes on his self-titled release which mixes acoustic instruments and electronic textures. On about half of the songs, Schuller also sings in a fragile but graceful tenor voice that won't win him any competitions but works as an excellent companion to the music. Happiness would seem to be an ill-fitting title for music that evokes more contemplative melancholy than anything else, but Schuller can certainly be happy with the quality of record he has produced on this record. --Andy Smith

SEAL
IV (WARNER BROS.)

Eight years after his Grammy-winning “Kiss of the Rose,” Seal returns with his fourth full-length. Hopefully, you haven’t waited with bated breath. The charisma, soul, and vocal prowess of Seal remain, but IV is hit-and-miss, with strong singles alternating with weaker fare. Seal’s voice - gritty, unrestrained and silky - still enthralls. He’d make Marvin Gaye proud. Producer Trevor Horn succeeds in creating a slick, sexy but minimalist sound, especially on “Get Together” and “Love’s Divine.” (John Stoehr)

SEAFOOD
Paper Crown King
Cooking Vinyl
Seafood has only been well-known to US audiences for a few years, although the band's history goes back to the mid 90's. On Paper Crown King, the band plays both sides of the indie/emo line, with some songs that get stuck in the prosaic soft-loud-soft-loud construct, and others that venture off in very interesting directions, including some subdued, folk-tinged songs. Much of the record's mood seems to be influenced by the serious health issues that plagued lead singer David Line recently. --Andy Smith

LARRY SEAMAN
SEAMONSTER (HERKEMER)

A longtime luminary on the Austin music scene, Larry Seaman slipped this brief (time: 19:44) EP under our radar in 2001. Seaman once was a mainstay in Standing Waves, one of the city's premier new wave combos. In recent years, he's headed into folk/pop and chamber pop, both on his own and as part of Seaman's Quartet (with ex-Reiver Cindy Toth). Seamonster in part continues the chamber angle, but occasionally veers back toward good ol' rock 'n' roll, evident when the catchy chorus of the dirgy "Ashes" kicks the song into overdrive. "Time Was" melds a crunchy, T. Rex-ish tune to dissonant vocals with mixed results, but the spidery "Innocent Blood," is the record's highlight--Seaman and band channeling Roky Erickson to chilling effect. (Luke Torn)

THE SEA AND CAKE
THE GLASS EP / ONE BEDROOM (THRILLJOCKEY)

The obvious place to begin is the end, a cover of David Bowie's "Sound & Vision." It's brave territory for the Sea and Cake, yet they cover the terrain quite well. The other nine tracks, after listening to "Sound & Vision," acquire new meaning. The breathy vocals and the layers of guitar and synthesizers don't sound exactly like an album produced by Brian Eno (Bowie's Low, for one), but similarities do exist. Enough about comparisons, One Bedroom can stand on its own legs, deserving no genre or comparisons to simplify its meaning. The hypnotic dance beat rhythms, synthesizers, and ethereal vocals lean toward electronica and R&B; the guitar and keyboards, not to mention the lyrical structures, playfully manipulate rock conventions. This is, indeed, art. Imaginative, inventive, inspiring. The layers...the layers...the layers. Then what else would one expect from The Sea and Cake? The Glass EP is definitely not a dance/electronica record, but... Once again, The Sea and Cake create something utterly unclassifiable. They venture from a strange meld of trance and Curtis Mayfield with "To the Author" to jazz teetering on free-jazz with "Traditional Wax Coin." In the end, it's interesting to hear what its like when four, essentially, indie rockers (though they have never made "rock" music per se) make a re-mix record. As one would expect, The Sea and Cake stretch the limits of re-mixing to create something new, and it sounds like they had fun doing so. (Don Simpson)

Secret Machines
The Road Leads Where It's Led EP (Reprise)

One of the highlights of the summer of 2004 was hearing the title track of this EP in heavy rotation on the local alternative radio station. Why such a great song didn't go even further chartwise is only a reflection of how awful radio playlists are these days! If only Secret Machines were teenage girls or the winners of a network TV talent contest! As surreal as it is to imagine the Secret Machines as popular darlings, the road just didn't lead that way. So, a year later, that same song leads off an EP which, aside from a new, lesser, group composition, is highlighted by four unlikely cover versions. They pull off “Astral Weeks” rather nicely, musically matching Van the Man's words to music resembling a space-metal version of “Sweet Jane.” As much of a relief as it is that their version of “Money (That's What I Want)” sounds nothing like the Beatles' or the Flying Lizards', it's debatable whether it requires all seven minutes or not. Dylan's “Girl From the North Country” makes better use of nine minutes, and is equally unrecognizable from the original. In fact, the only song that is even close to its original vibe is La Dusseldorf's “(Deluxe) Immer Wieder,” which is also the most obscure track here. The project is obviously a stop-gap effort between albums, but it's always fun to hear a band stretching out and playing homage to their faves. --d.n.l

SECRET MACHINES
Ten Silver Drops (REPRISE)
Secret Machines has never lacked ambition in crafting its huge sound, and the band's slightly stripped-down version of the Flaming Lips and others' neo-psychedelic stylings certainly won over lots of young ears with 2004's major label debut, Now Here Is Nowhere. Ten Silver Drops uses the same basic template as its predecessor with brothers Brandon and Ben Curtis' formidable rhythm section, Josh Garza's nimble guitar parts, and Brandon's thin but effective vocals on top. The record opens with three really strong tracks, including "Alone, Jealous, and Stoned," which neatly sums up general mood and sound. "All At Once (It's Not Important)" follows, and opens the throttle slightly before segueing into the stellar "Lightning Blue Eyes," displaying the trio's anthemic pop leanings in fine form. It's also the most fully realized song on the record. Though Ten Silver Drops seems to subsequently flounder--"Faded Lines" does save the second half of the record from becoming too plodding. Overall though, Ten Silver Drops is a tease, because Secret Machines show a desire to play massive, soaring rock songs but seem to be reticent about letting that suppress their art-rock tendencies. --Andy Smith

764-HERO
NOBODY KNOWS THIS IS EVERYWHERE (TIGER STYLE)

Despite a change at the bassist position (substitute Robin P. for James Bertram if you're keeping score at home), 764-Hero continue to blast away from within the comfortable trench they dug on 2000's Weekends of Sound. Led by singer-guitarist John Atkins, the trio here again does absolutely nothing to discourage comparisons to their homeboys Built to Spill or Modest Mouse. But the quality of the writing and the playing is generally strong enough for me to consider 764-Hero as peers of those other bands rather than as coattail- riders. The group is at their best on songs like "Oceanbound" and "You Were a Party," mid-tempo, shifty affairs that allow Atkins' guitar to slither fluidly from clanging chords to snaky lead runs. Like Built to Spill's Doug Martsch, Atkins avoids obvious and flashy soloing, but still manages to fill each song with head-turning guitar work. His emotive voice is also well-suited to the material, lending some of the cuts here, like the teary-eyed "Skylines," an almost uncomfortable level of intimacy. For me the album bogs down in its second half beneath the weight of one or two too many slow-smoldering power ballads. But all in all, Nobody Knows This Is Everywhere is another sturdy brick from a group quietly doing some impressive building in their neighbors' shadow. (Matt Murphy)

Charlie Sexton
Cruel and Gentle Things (Back Porch Records)

Charlie Sexton, once a highly regarded musical prodigy, has emerged from his 10 year recording hiatus with Cruel and Gentle Things. During his time away from the mic Sexton produced records for Lucinda Williams and Los Super 7. But his most important contribution to the world of music during this time was his work with Bob Dylan on Dylan’s Grammy-winning Love and Theft, as well as an extended run as guitarslinger supreme on the bard's Never Ending Tour. Cruel and Gentle Things is a bluesy, emotionally charged disc, loaded with masterfully crafted songs that bring in all of the important influences that have shaped his attitude. The opening track, “Gospel,” is a stripped down blues number driven by Sexton’s honest vocals. The rest of the record follows suit and a simple approach to production compliments its earthy tone. The disc isn’t dark, however, at least not overly so, and the quality of this record is exactly what one would expect from someone with his remarkable pedigree. --Lance Looper

BREE SHARP
MORE B.S. (AHIMSA/UNION RECORDING GROUP)

Bree Sharp made a splash in 1999 with her single "David Duchovny" from her debut album, A Cheap and Evil Girl. This follow-up, More B.S., is a strong though often derivative effort. The first two tracks, "Lazy Afternoon" and "Everything Feels Wrong" (the latter is perhaps the album's best cut), see Sharp doing a remarkable job of virtually channeling Sheryl Crow. The third, "Galaxy Song," is eerily similar to Fiona Apple's remake of "Across the Universe" both vocally and musically. Sharp also manages to conjure both Edie Brickell and Lisa Loeb in her singing style. Despite the seemingly derivative nature of much of More B.S., though, Sharp has put together a cohesive and quite good album. Her songwriting skills are strong (and often playful). Her voice is ripe with emotion. It is a solid sophomore effort from a folk pop singer with enough talent to continue to gain fans beyond her gimmicky first hit. (Richard E. Glover, Jr.)

RICK SHEA AND BRANTLEY KEARNS
TROUBLE AND ME (TRES PESCADORES)

This is prototypical, quintessential back porch music. If only my back porch sounded like this CD on a nightly basis! Shea and Kearns are both mainstays of the southern California roots scene, and between them they've appeared on dozens of records and tours of artists like Dwight Yoakam, Billy Joe Shaver, Dave Alvin (who produces here), Chris Gaffney, Mike Ness, and on and on. On Trouble and Me, the virtuoso duo rounds up friends like Don Heffington, David Jackson, and Greg Leisz, and tackle a batch of traditional tunes and like-minded originals, investing them with a down-home charm that's fluid, infectious, unpretentious. The oft-covered "Cane on the Brazos" and the Carter Family tune "Loafer's Glory" fall into the former category and are magnificently rendered, Kearns embellishing "Loafer's" with a signature fiddle section. The Harlan Howard-penned title track is an understated gem, while a run-through of Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Black Snake Moan," with guitar solo by Alvin and a Cajun undertow, has a rhythmic momentum all its own. This is one should not be overlooked. (Luke Torn)

MICHAEL J. SHEEHY
NO LONGER MY CONCERN (BEGGARS BANQUET)

Dream City Fan Club alumnus Michael J. Sheehy has released three solo albums, each a bit darker than its predecessor. Not immediately appealing, this is music that definitely gets more interesting with repeated listens. It's stark, emotionally raw, lyrically distant music that always somehow seems to require a Catholic upbringing to decipher. Spare musically, most songs feature acoustic guitars, minimal electrics, upright bass, simple piano and mood organ, brushed percussion--in all a totally jazz feel while the music is more nearly folk or alt-country than true jazz. David Gray with real issues, perhaps. Best of the lot is "Donkey Ride Straight to Hell," which puts a bleak, haunted processed vocal track atop one of music's great riffs--Willie Dixon's "Wang Dang Doodle"--to make a memorably dark track. "Dark Country Moment" is gospel-tinged country, bleak and desolate, with a hint of hope on the horizon. "Mary Bloody Mary 1" and "... 2" and "Ballad of the Pissed Apostle" are lyrically evocative and yet impenetrable without considerable study. "Swing Low" again visits gospel terrain, "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" recast as a chariot that may or may not be taking the narrator to heaven. And then sometimes Sheehy sounds like Lou Reed, circa the self-titled third Velvet Underground album, in songs like "Twisted Little Man," which sounds for all the world like a young Reed standing on a streetcorner, singing and snapping his fingers, while Sterling Morrison adds some tasty, economical electric tremelo guitar. Michael J. Sheehy sounds completely different to a lot of the music I normally crave, but this is difficult and rewarding music, and is sure to appeal to discerning listeners. (Kent H. Benjamin)

DUNCAN SHEIK
White Limousine (ZOE)
The melancholic spirit that permeates Duncan Sheik’s latest (his first in nearly four years after being dropped by Atlantic) is not exasperating like it could be, even though he’s down on the commercial perils of “Shopping” and whines like a child in the benign “Fantastic Toys and Corduroys.” Other than these back-to-back laments, which beg questions you might or might not care about, it’s hard not to fall for these inherently beautiful tunes infused with loneliness, boredom and frustration. Then again, Sheik is thinking about issues larger than himself here (hardcore opener “Hey Casanova” sets us up for some social commentary with the demise of the ladies’ man). When his backing band, featuring guitarist Gerry Leonard, snaps to for some 21st century blues on the title track, the group rocks about as hard as Matthew Sweet and it works quite perfectly. Sheik’s generally sleepy vocals are surrounded by piano, floating guitar lines and the lofty strings of the London Session Orchestra on a fair portion of the album. On the ominous “Star-Field On Red Lines,” he nearly moans, “Brace yourself, here it comes, head down,” and this provides an odd sense of relief from the backseat ennui. Don’t know if it’s supposed to make us feel better that it’s a dark and bumpy ride in the limo, but Sheik has at least accomplished something besides staring out the window. – David Pyndus

SHELLEYDEVOTO
BUZZKUNST (COOKING VINYL)

Given that the year 2001 marked the Silver Jubilee of British punk, it's perhaps appropriate that two of the movement's elder statesmen should have joined forces again for this collaborative project. Although Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto didn't intend Buzzkunst as a nostalgic, commemorative gesture, it's nevertheless been 25 years since they last recorded together on the legendary Spiral Scratch EP--one of punk's foundational documents and the only official Buzzcocks release to feature Devoto, who quit the band in early 1977 to return to college. For the last decade, Devoto has been living quietly as a photo-archive librarian and Shelley has been playing warmed-over punk with the reformed Buzzcocks, but that hasn't prevented the pair from coming up with something special on this album.

The title Buzzkunst offers a clue to the sound here, the accent being on the Germanic second syllable. While punk's thrashy ghost lurks on the charging, guitar-based "'Til the Stars in His Eyes Are Dead," the most compelling tracks revisit the motorik grooves of Krautrock: these numbers translate the sound of bands like Neu! and Can into a beefed-up version of the electronic environment Shelley and Devoto both explored on their 80s solo excursions. A Michael Rother-style guitar line weaves in and out of the streamlined beat and electro squelches on "Can You See Me Shining?" and Krautrock influences declare themselves all the more emphatically on the album's mesmerizing instrumental tracks: for instance, "On Solids" with its relentless pulsing drive and hypnotic sax and "Strain of Bacteria" with its string-fragments and swelling metallic drone. Buzzkunst is certainly a beat-oriented record but it's not all teutonic and metronomic. Elsewhere there's a more contemporary electronic feel as "Self-Destruction" ventures into industrial disco territory and numbers like "Stupid Kunst" integrate more complex electronic rhythms. Buzzkunst is an inspired effort, as vital and relevant as anything else out there. Maybe Devoto should quit his day job. (Wilson Neate)

THE SHANGRI-LAS
MYRMIDONS OF MELODRAMA (RPM PRODUCTIONS)

Combining their rare debut 45, several B-sides, and unforgettable LP cuts with a 4,800-word CD booklet, Myrmidons of Melodrama is an incredible document of this female vocal group. With songs like "Leader of the Pack" and "Give Us Your Blessings," the girls were controversial and at the center of the teen "death-disc" phenomenon. With tracks like the free and jazzy "Sophisticated Boom Boom" and "Give Him a Great Big Kiss," they were on the edge of stereo experimentation. Admittedly, their recording career contains forgettable fluff. However, Myrmidons of Melodrama compiles the crème de la crème into one important and memorable collection. (TTS)

SHELLITO
INGREDIENTS (BIRTHA)

Philadelphia natives Mike Shellito and Jeff Tanner craft quirky, largely upbeat pop songs that are guitar-based and rounded out by studio noodlings and keyboard touches. The first track here, "Orange and Green," is a euphonious slab of twee pop that recalls the Field Mice (and that's a good thing), with multi-tiered vocals. The rest of the album never quite lives up to the promise of the opener, however. "Smart People" is typical indie-pop fare with a few jarring shifts in feel that throw it off the rails. (Quite often these jarring, inorganic shifts crop up, as if Shellito are striving for complexity within the relatively narrow confines of their songs.) "Jim" is a fairly strong track with Velvetsy strumming and bouncing keyboard touches, while "You Really Like Me" has some great, hooky moments. Overall, however, this album features more quirk than substance. (Erik Hage)

MATTHEW SHIPP
NU BOP (THIRSTY EAR)

Pianist Matthew Shipp is best known for his free jazz excursions with bassist William Parker, but on Nu Bop he goes in a different direction. Along with Parker, saxist Daniel Carter, drummer Guillermo Brown, and electronicist/co-producer FLAM, Shipp puts his prodigious chops on the 88s to the service of groove. Taking inspiration from, but not copying, the funkier recordings of Ramsey Lewis and Herbie Hancock, Shipp revitalizes soul-jazz (or fusion or whatever you want to call it) with taste and fire. He applies some of his most lyrical, melodic playing ever to pulsing hip-hop grooves on "D's Choice" and "Space Shipp," and solos eloquently over more laid-back but still stanky rhythms in "Nu-Bop." He still indulges in his trademark flights of fancy, however. "Rocket Shipp" finds him contrasting his "out" playing to the more regimented rhythm section for a piece that recalls the best moments of early 70s Miles Davis, while "ZX-1" showcases his fingers playing unaccompanied for what could be termed a free jazz ballad. "Select Mode 2" is the culmination of the approach, as Shipp's jagged chords spar with Brown's hyperactive drumming for a funky, frenetic, but never unstructured journey into abrasive accessibility, and it fittingly closes the album. Matthew Shipp continues pushing the envelope, shredding it along with listeners' expectations. (Michael Toland)

SHOOTING AT UNARMED MEN
Yes! Tinnitus!
Too Pure
Shooting at Unarmed Men is the new vehicle for Jon Chapple, a member of the much-heralded Mclusky, who broke up rather unceremoniously last year. Not surprisingly, Yes! Tinnitus! is similarly bracing and bludgeoning in its slant on angular guitar music but is generally less abrasive and noisy as Chapple's previous band. There is also less of the dark oddball humor that made Mclusky more than just another band with a penchant for creating music that is antithetical to the word "pleasant." Shooting at Unarmed Men is more of a straightforward project in the spirit of The Fall and the harder Gang of Four tracks. The best song on the record is first one, "Pathos At Pathos."--Andy Smith

The Shore
s/t (Maverick)

Though it has been out for over a year, the debut record from the Shore has been woefully underexposed, which is truly unfortunate because this LA band exceeds all expectations and warrants serious attention from music fans. The sound is rooted in the splendidly hazy twang used by other fine LA artists including Tom Petty, Grant Lee Buffalo, Jackson Browne, and E of the Eels, though many others have compared the Shore to UK bands such as Oasis and the Verve. What makes this record most impressive is that songwriter Ben Ashley manages to find real life in the mid-tempo lonely white guy mellow melodic rock style, which is a nod both to his talent and also to producer Rick Parker, who conjures up a shimmering, almost symphonic backdrop for Ashley's aching songs and voice. The record starts out stumbling with its two weakest tracks ("Hard Road" and "Firefly") coming before the gorgeous "Take What's Mine" begins a run of eight strong songs that dip and soar almost effortlessly before ending with the brilliant closer "Coming Down." A terrific record. --Andy Smith

THE SIGHTS
GOT WHAT WE WANT (FALL OF ROME)

Yet another entry in the increasingly crowded "garage revisited" field, Detroit upstarts the Sights are just as potent with the three-chords-and-a-cloud-of-dust formula as the next band. Though they do tend to a slightly more portentous approach than some of your more straight-ahead acts, you can hear plenty of MC5, white-boy blues freak out rockers, and Nuggets-era oomph in their sound. Highlights abound on Got What We Want, from the bouncy high octane riffage in "Be Like Normal" to the blues scoot of the (John Lee) Hookerized title track. Though the Sights often fall prey to simplistic, cliched lyrics--i.e., "Last Chance" and "Sweet Little Woman"--there's enough grit throughout to compensate. (Luke Torn)

SILVERMAN
SPEED OF LIFE PART TWO (UGLYMAN)

Silverman come very much from the Portishead/Lamb/EBtG style of female/male pairing. This English outfit coalesced via an ad placed in a Brit music magazine: vocalist Anna Dennis, who straddles the thin line between Tori Amos and Kate Bush with her precocious singing, and Martin Williams, who leads the band through a series of song stylings that come off as more a resume than an album. Speed of Life Part Two is enjoyable enough, even if it's all kind of contrite and derivative. "Eleven Eleven" is the best cut here, a kind of slow burn guitar track where Anna sings "Fuck you, fuck me, fuck every fucking buddy," though the sentiment is not so much sexual as it's just snotty. The song doesn't come to any expected finale or resolution; it just kind of fizzles out, as though the the group is able to reveal only a limited amount of anger or passion at a time. The rest is just the usual--cliché's and worn-out musical threads ("Can I Have My Heart Back Please?" being one of many very Tori moments) from a group looking for the big money deal. (d.n.l)

SIMON & GARFUNKEL
LIVE FROM NEW YORK CITY, 1967 (SONY/LEGACY)

Many times in the months after 9/11, I heard people talking about the music they turned to in soul-searching times. And, more than a few times, they mentioned Simon & Garfunkel. The premiere folk/rock duo created, in their prime, a music so pure and so idealistic, that it somehow still stands as a beacon in these cynical, corrupt days. The purity of the harmonies, the very preciousness and melancholy of Simon's songwriting, it all speaks of a time when change was in the air and people (at least seemingly) had a stake in it and an ability to shape and define it. Well, like karma, Live From New York City, 1967 arrives, holding so much of that emotion within its grooves. Accompanied only by Simon's agile acoustic guitar, this slice from the group's stage show certainly catches them in their prime. Song after song is rendered with gloriously tight, angelic harmonies, purposeful singing, innate timing. In fact, this is a snapshot of the duo just before their meteoric rise, rendering songs like "Homeward Bound" and "I Am A Rock" minus their fancy studio arrangements, just voices and guitar. And in some ways, the versions here, recorded before a breathless audience, eclipse their better-known counterparts. This is the idealistic 60s. Anthony DeCurtis contributes spartan liner notes. (Luke Torn)

PAUL SIMON
Surprise
warner bros.
Surprised? Yeah, from the moment I put the CD in, in fact. Surprised that Simon recorded an album with Brian Eno front and center (it should’ve been Simon/Eno if you ask me), surprised that it’s been 15 years since Simon’s last real masterpiece (The Rhythm of the Saints), and surprised that he’s still pushing things forward well into his sixties. The songs themselves are more like one-way conversations with a friend you haven’t heard from in ages. All kinds of questions he answers himself, like opening song “How Can You live in the Northeast?” and “Outrageous” and it’s refrain “who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?” (The answer? “God will!”). Mostly, though, the conversations are ones you’re glad to listen to, with Eno giving the album the same humanistic electronica shades he gave his own Another Day On Earth last year. It’s not quite as though electronica is just one more kind of world music for him to conquer, Simon really sounds great in this setting. “Wartime Prayers” is less a protest song and more an acceptance that there’s always a war; his way with heavy subjects is with such ease you realize that it’s the collected wisdom of an older man looking back. The sweetest thing here is the album closer, “Father and Daughter,” the only song here pre-dating Eno. When I heard it and its refrain “there could never be a father who loved his daughter more than I love you” two years ago I thought it was pure saccharine. Now that I have my very own baby daughter, however, it takes on a whole new meaning. Life is full of surprises.  --d.n.l

Keaton Simons
Currently (Maverick)

Currently, the EP from musical prodigy Keaton Simons, is a wonderful collection of deeply soulful songs walking the line between blues, jazz and country. Simons was playing Beethoven by ear as a preschooler and that development has continued beautifully. Extremely skilled guitar playing and smoky vocals could draw comparisons to Norah Jones, and that ain’t bad. With his cover boy looks, Simons is already getting national attention. The 25 year-old should be exploding onto the scene for real when his LP, Exes and Whys is finally available (no release date has been set as of press time). In the meantime, pick up Currently and be ahead of the curve when the rest of the world discovers this exceptional young talent. (Lance Looper)

FRANK SINATRA
CLASSIC DUETS (CAPITOL RECORDS)

This one's mostly for the collectors, but it's a very entertaining listen all the same. From 1957 through 1960, Frank Sinatra did a TV series for ABC, along with four hour-long specials. In every episode, he'd sing duets with his guests, and this compilation collects the best of those on one CD. The audio is lifted from TV soundtracks, so it's all mono with fairly limited range, but the sound isn't too bad. Hearing arguably the finest male vocalist of the century performing with some of the finest singers of his generation (Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Louie Prima & Keely Smith, Ethel Merman, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, Peggy Lee, Dinah Shore, Shirley Jones, Sammy Davis, Jr., Lena Horne, and the McGuire Sisters), at a time when Sinatra was still at his peak, is not a bad thing at all. "High Hopes," with a bunch of kids, is one of my favorites, and brings me right back to my childhood. While the long medley with Dino is full of laughs (mostly theirs), Bing brings class to the whole thing, and the Elvis duet is the stuff of legend (although you don't get the shoulder shake/hip shake joke via audio only). Still, it has to be noted this should be a DVD release, not an audio CD. (Kent H. Benjamin)

Slang
Blue (Dives Project)

Slang is quite popular in their homeland of Bulgaria, and Blue is their first stab at penetrating the US market. The sound of Blue is reminiscent of top 40 rock radio from the 80's and early 90's and conjures up the term "Condo Rock." It's very glossy and well-played with vocalist's Dimitar Ekimov's surprisingly unaccented vocals out front. The songs are pleasantly bland and easy to listen to without being particularly exciting or memorable. If they can manage to be heard by the correct light-rock demographic, they may really have something. Good luck to these intrepid rockers of Bulgaria. (Andy Smith)

SLEEPING FLIES
YOU ARE SUPERIOR (ELECTRONIC WATUSI BOOGALOO)

Drawing from a wide range of styles and beats, Richard Olson--the prime mover of Sleeping Flies--presents an impressive dance album that's not just boogie- fodder for the insomniac; it's also tender audio cutlets for the stoned headphone freak. Like the immaculate Thievery Corporation or Photek, Olson creates a collage of electronic textures, layers, and moods that keep even the non-dancer riveted. But considering the generous portions of acid house, ambient dub, and Neu!-like spatial psychedelia present, this disc is made for dancing, even if you're just spinning around, vibing the cosmos. The bulk of the project was recorded in Athens, Ga., with former Olivia Tremor Control mastermind and current Sunshine Fix frontman Bill Doss. Doss contributes a fair share to the album, providing melodic motifs that are alternately shredded into a fragmental mélange, like in "Reverberation," or left intact, as in the last track, "Deep Inside My Soul," which stands in stark contrast to its neighbors as a legitimate pop song (though it is given the tripped-out treatment). Sleeping Flies are not alone in their quest to tranquilize the normally coked-up state of electronica. Along with Biowire, Jivaro, and Babalu, the group forms what they call the Ultra Wide Band, a collective not unlike the Elephant 6 bunch, who share a common vision of the future of electronic music. The foursome records on the Electronic Watusi Boogaloo (EWB) label, which distributes with Athens-based Kindercore. There are signs of a full-blown trend toward a softer, flower-power blend in electronica, but that remains to be seen. (John Stoehr)

SLIPSTREAM
Transcendental (HIDDEN AGENDA)

Having helped out on Spaceman 3's swansong, the deliberately schizophrenic Recurring (not to mention the first two Spiritualized albums), guitarist Mark Refoy brings a little taste of both to his Slipstream project. I love the druggy whir of keyboards that made Recurring such a perfect winter album, and here Refoy demonstrates that much of the instrumental sound I had previously credited to Jason Spaceman and Sonic Boom were actually coming from somewhere else. Slipstream is very much of a piece with the other bands Refoy's worked with, and since neither Spectrum nor Spiritualized sound like this anymore, I guess that bodes well; a retro sound, stuck of 1991, caught in a piece of amber from a distant time. You can credit part of this time-warpage the fact that this work was done in several sessions over many years--1996 to 2002. Refoy doesn't have much to say lyrically, especially compared to Jason's semi-gospel drug survivor tunes, and his voice is rather slight (rather like Dean Wareham's), but the lyrical pieces like "Tonight's the Night" (not the Rod nor Neil song) are sweetly tuneful in a very crystalline way. The album is enjoyably long and ends with "Clare's Ghost," featuring an interesting narrative from Watchmen comic writer Alan Moore. (d.n.l)

The Slow Poisoners
Melodrama (Rocktopus Records)

On Melodrama, the formula for flawlessly executed pop music in a haunting, strange setting is carried out to pure perfection. The Slow Poisoners bring together a decade of performance and songwriting to create an unusual masterpiece of glam-rock, gothic and David Bowie theatrics with shades of Johnny Cash to boot. With their exposure through the Warped Tour, and a recording stint at the famous Sun Studios in Memphis, The Slow Poisoners get serious delivering eclectic, sophisticated and maniacally zany melodies. Melodrama throws everything, including the kitchen sink and a load full of dishes, at the listener with bedazzling gothic statements, gravely spun roots music, beat poetry and bits of horns, Hammond keyboards and distorted guitars. "Star Flower Pine" eerily carries traces of Bowie and the Beatles, leading into the delightful Spanish feel of "Todo Es Mal!" Each song has a message and unique personality of its own, truly adding flavor and color of originality to a group with much wit, charm and engaging character. With the mysterious tapestries of "The Creeping Ritual" and the humor and romance of "She Loved the Stars Too Fondly," choosing whether this record is a masterpiece intended for one's extended listening pleasure is not a hard decision. A surefire delight. (Shawn M. Haney)

The Slow Signal Fade
Through the Opaque Air (Stroll Music)

The Slow Signal Fade seems to have never met a minor chord it didn't like. This LA-based quartet showcases moody, haunting territory on this six song record reminiscent of bands like Slowdive. It's all very drawn-out and rather overwrought. Vocalist Marguerite Olivelle has a decent voice but seems to be tentative against the backdrop of Ron Ulicny's guitar attack. The band might benefit from mixing with her vocals more out front because the combination of the mélange of effected guitars, the overly long songs, and similarity in tones makes for a big yawn. There is certainly some talent here, but it hasn't been adequately captured in this recording. (Andy Smith)

SNOWGLOBE
Oxytocin
Makeshift Music
Snowglobe is the product of songwriter/singer/multi-instrumentalist Brad Postlethwaite, and Oxytocin offers his slightly skewed, layered pop music. Overall this is an intriguing record that has plenty of nice pieces but doesn't inspire as a whole. Part of this is likely because there are so many other people these days using a similar approach, and with such a crowded field, this just doesn't stand out enough from the crowd. --Andy Smith

Kelly Snyder
Oxygen (Mother West/Paper Cup Music)

Whether it's Alanis Morissette awkwardly stretching a single word to fit a melody or Michelle Branch sloppily ending a line with "ah," female singer-songwriters with distinguishing, and often annoying, vocal mannerisms have been commonplace over the last decade. Thankfully, newcomer Kelly Snyder hasn't introduced any new quirks to the world on Oxygen, her debut disc. In fact, the Philadelphia native's sole singing offense is trespassing on Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera territory, showing way too emotion during the track "Are You Missing Me?" But while Snyder successfully avoids doing anything that's overwhelmingly irritating, there isn't much that's captivating either. Her singing and piano playing are competent throughout, but neither is interesting enough to carry such sparsely arranged songs as "Rescue Me," "Fall" and "So Bad." She fares much better on "I Didn't Know," which features a memorable chorus, overlapping vocal parts, a supple string arrangement and a rhythm track reminiscent of Dido's work. Equally as strong is "Innocent," a song about the complications of romance that Snyder sings most convincingly, her effect-coated voice complemented by moaning guitar licks. As these two tracks illustrate, sometimes more-is-more beats the less-is-more approach. (Chris M. Junior)

So Many Dynamos
When I Explode (Skrocki Records)

So Many Dynamos, a 4-piece from St. Louis, have sonically created one of the most creative and adventurous albums in the history of emo or anthemic rock (their label classifies them as a "mix of experimental noise punk, dance music and anthemic rock"; I could compromise with a mix of 2/3 anthemic rock and 1/3 noise punk), completely disassociating them from the negative connotations of their genre. Their noise punk tendencies are quite conducive to the production techniques with their tinker-friendly disjointed compositions and willingness to utilize random accent noises (keyboards, claps). The anthemic rock side adds an emotional frailty to the usual toughness of noise punk. No matter how clever the songwriting, the producer, Chicago audio guru Jeremy Lemos and mixer Jason Caddell (of the Dismemberment Plan) deserve the real kudos. --Don Simpson

THE SOCIETY OF ROCKETS
Where The Grass Grows Black (UNDERPOP)
Looking at the cover of Where the Grass Grows Black, I dunno, somehow someway I imagined that this was a rock ‘n’ roll band that parlayed SF psychedelia, garage and Stones blues rock into a dirty raucous gumbo. And I was right! Making no apologies whatsoever, the Society of Rockets, with their brash guitars and lusty horns, act as if the 70s never ever ended. I mean, spot the inspiration – Free, Jefferson Airplane, Mott the Hoople, Gram Parsons, CCR, Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones etc – there’s lots to rock out to here. Best of all, is the presence of a rustic ballad that sweetens the deal - the tragic “Suicide Summer” that splits this album in half. You want more? How about the 11-minute epic that is “Old Glory”? With echoes of Neil Young and Crazy Horse ringing from the speakers, “Old Glory” is classic roots rook at its best, ragged and fuzzy, with its heart on its sleeve. Here's a band that is so confident in its ability to excite and thrill and never stops to consider the artistic statement it may or may not be making except for how it all feels… --Kevin Mathews

SODASTREAM
IN BETWEEN TIMES (CANDLE/ACRUELA)

The first time I heard Sodastream, I was under the impression that their roots lay somewhere in the United Kingdom. That slow, sad sentimentality, complete with a seemingly unmistakable accent, just seemed to fit within those boundaries and under those grey skies. But I was wrong: Sodastream is from Melbourne, Australia. Not that any of that matters, but when past comparisons to Nick Drake and Belle & Sebastian are conjured up, you'll see that the accent is partly what draws these parallels and what gives Sodastream their distinctive, moody sound. Usually a two-piece, with a come-and-go drummer, Sodastream is led by Karl Smith, who provides the beautifully gentle voice and delicate acoustic guitar. His vocals are sung with strength but filled with fragile feelings. Add to this the pluck and bow of Pete Cohen's soothing, evocative cello, and you have the basic ingredients. Their sound is minimal and drenched in despondency. At times they sound centuries old, but they're timeless just the same. This is somber catharsis. In Between Times is a limited edition EP and Sodastream's fourth work overall. With four moody gems clocking in at just over 14 minutes, Sodastream has just enough time to run the spectrum of emotions. (Nolan Gawron)

THE SOFT BOYS
SIDE THREE (EDITIONS PAF!)

In March 2003, Robyn Hitchcock announced that the Soft Boys were officially no more (again), after a brief, illustrious two-year reunion. It was to be expected, really, but at least they left us one more excellent little record, this six-song EP of leftover tracks from Nextdoorland, available only online. The lead track. "Narcissus," maybe should've made the album and been pushed to radio as a single, as it's an insanely catchy little track about a lonely boy who's never talked to the real world. "Disconnection of the Ruling Class" is a rare group composition, and I'll gladly buy a pint for anyone who can satisfactorily explain the song's references to Slade. Three more fine little numbers fill out the EP: "Om," "Each of Her Silver Wands," and "Comin' Through," all of them good, but understandably omitted from the album. And as a final treat, there's a live performance of the otherwise unreleased "Evil Guy" from The Fillmore on the spring 2001 reunion tour. God bless 'em, and here's hoping we get a few more little jewels before another 20 years go by, because this was one of the few reunions that truly meant something. Don't miss their website (or Kimberley Rew's history of the band) at www.thesoftboys.com. (Kent H. Benjamin)

SOFT MACHINE
MAN IN A DEAF CORNER (Trojan)

How sad it is to have one of the great groups ever represented by such a piss-poor compilation of cast-offs, live tracks, and early experiments that, unfortunately, shed little light on the band's genesis. Assembled by Brian Hopper (whose brother, Hugh, was in the band), Man in a Deaf Corner begins with some very early pre-Machine experiments by band members. While, for fans, it is interesting to hear what Robert Wyatt was doing in 1963, the tracks have little excuse showing up on a compilation album. The second disc centers on a live gig at the Paradiso in Amsterdam in 1969. It's a good show, but Robert Wyatt's normally beautiful voice is ragged, and it becomes rather obvious how predominant Mike Ratledge's organ was in their sound. The rest of the set concentrates on the Soft Machine's sad descent into somewhat boring jazz-rock band territory in their post-Wyatt years. The ultimate rub comes with the closing track--a polished version of "As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still," with vocalist Jakko Jakszyk replacing Wyatt, and Hugh Hopper serving as the only remaining link to the true Soft Machine heritage. So, while these barrel-scrapings might be of interest to hardcore fans, there is little to recommend to anyone else. The group was properly anthologized on the long-out-of-print Triple Echo (Harvest Records, circa 1978); if only a label could mend the obvious licensing problems and reissue that. This group deserves so much better than this! (d.n.l)

SOME GIRLS
Crushing Love
Koch Records
Some Girls are an alt-rock female trio consisting of indie rock pinup Juliana Hatfield, drummer and former Blake Baby (w/Hatfield) Freda Love, and bassist (from the Pieces) Heidi Gluck, and this is their second and most democratic album. Their debut was primarily Hatfield songs, but this time all three ladies (and some boyfriends and exes) all contribute songs. It's a great album-- all appealingly memorable songs with mostly dark subject matter. The vocal blend between Hatfield's voice and Gluck's high harmonies (reversed when Gluck takes a lead vocal) is really effective. Songs like "Poor Man's You," "Live Alone," "Hooray for LA," and the song from which the LP's title is derived, "Magnetic Fields," are all top-notch. There's not a single weak song; this is one of the year's most satisfying releases.         --Kent H. Benjamin

SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN
Broom
Polyvinyl
The circuitously named Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin combines the off-kilter pop charms of Pavement, the bedroom ethic of eels, the goofy transcendence of the Modern Lovers, and the tremulous basement brilliance of the Shins on their debut album, Broom. The Springfield, Missouri quartet self-released the album and made some impact in their hometown before inking with Polyvinyl for this wide re-release. Like all of the above named entities, SSLYBY excels at the idea of sophisticated musical naiveté, and of producing material that shows the light seams of its pop creation without devolving into sloppiness for art’s sake. There are moments on Broom when SSLYBY sounds like something straight out of the ’60s, a demo confection whipped up by a happier, less neurotic Brian Wilson or Ray Davies, all swinging piano and jaunty melodies which ultimately give way to more contemporary sounds and vision, like a Midwestern tribute to the Elephant 6 collective. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin is esoteric pop with a grounded heart.    --Brian Baker

THE SONS OF HERCULES
RIGHT NOW (SUPREMA)

More righteous garage sludge from the longtime Austin/San Antonio (by way of Green Onion, of course) kings of rock 'n' roll. The production's muddy, the vocals sometimes buried, and the songs kinda run together on Right Now, the band's fourth long-player. But those concerns really don't matter, because the Sons of Hercules sound like a buzzing, amped-up Hives after a serious bender. Guitars siren, then careen outta control, singer Frank Puglise staggers through the songs taking no prisoners, and 1966 garage meets 1977 punk in a street brawl. The usual influences--the Stooges, Stones, Dolls, maybe the Sex Pistols--float around in this sonic stew but, really, the Puglise and his rotating gang of cohorts have been doing this long enough that they've got their sound down. Best song: the chugging, jealous rage that is "I Wanna Know." (Luke Torn)

SOULIVE
NEXT (BLUE NOTE)

Groove jazz ensemble Soulive has garnered itself quite a following on the jam band circuit, marketing itself in the same way as its kindred spirits Medeski, Martin & Wood. Expanding from a trio to a quartet with the addition of saxophonist Sam Kininger, the band pushes its hip-hop flavored jazz/funk on its third album Next. Even more so than on previous platters, Soulive's sound on this record is all about the rhythm. Drummer Alan Evans keeps his traps sturdily in the pocket, accenting the danceability of kickin' tunes like "Liquid," "E.D. Hambone," and "Whatever It Is." Guitarist Eric Krasno and organist Neal Evans provide flowing, jazzy melodies and greasy textures for songs like "Flurries" (which quotes Earth Wind & Fire's "Can't Hide Love") and "Ne-Ne," while Kininger takes most of the solos. Alas, the record also contains fruitless attempts to crossover into modern R&B. Guest Dave Matthews turns in a horrendous vocal on the rug-beside-the-fire cover of Ani DiFranco's "Joyful Girl," while Amel Larrieux's crooning on "I Don't Know" is indistinguishable from dozens of similar soul divas. And not even Black Thought from the Roots can enliven the lame funk of "Clap!" The band is at its best when it's filling the dancefloor. Soulive isn't about expert musicians showing off their chops or scoring hits on the R&B charts, it's about gettin' a groove on. When Next sticks to that approach, you can't help but shake booty. (Michael Toland)

THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES
GIMME FIVE EP (HIDDEN AGENDA)

This 2000 five-track EP was reissued in May 2003 in America, and if you've been a fan of the group's albums like Behind The Music and Welcome To The Infant Freebase, it's a must-have.