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06 March 2006

Shooting at Unarmed Men, There Will Be... Shooting at Unarmed Men (Too Pure) Rating: 4
Formed from the ashes of now defunct and under-appreciated (isn't that always the case?) McLusky, bassist Jon Chapple is the first of the former trio to appear with a new disc. The debut EP (running at a full-length worthy 30 minutes) by Shooting At Unarmed Men on the surface bears some of the same trademarks of Chapple's previous band. With witty song titles ("There's A Reason It's Called The Easy Way Out", "This Much Is a Lot", "When Potent Mean Don't"), a scruffy workingman aesthetic and continuing the minimalist approach of a trio, the disc offers hope that it will pick up where McLusky left off. Sadly, Chapple's new gig takes a tremendous step backward. The wiry, taut and ferocious sound of Mclusky is left behind for something far more conventional. Loose and shambling, There Will Be... is a not very impressive barroom punk skronk. Nothing here comes close to the immediacy of Mclusky's finest work, with songs never being more than functional at best. They amble along, with their simplicity worn as a badge of honor. The disc is charming in its shaggy dog way with the raw vocals and unprocessed instruments bringing a palpable grit to the whole affair. But like any night with too many beers and half-finished conversations, by the next morning you probably don't remember much (and it probably wasn't worth remembering anyway). — Kevin Jagernauth [Insound]
MP3s from Soon There Will Be...
"When Potent Means Don't": [MP3]
"The Pink Ink": [MP3]

Small Arms Dealer, A Single Unifying Theory (Deep Elm) Rating: 5
Headlining acts couldn't headline without opening acts, and as long as that fact is kept in mind, Small Arms Dealer's debut LP isn't without its minor virtues. This is pretty much standard-issue contemporary punk: melodic guitar lines that go a bit beyond the traditional three chords, and lyrics that oscillate between a facile death obsession and inspirational pap like "life's not fair and it's a bumpy ride," all flavored with a healthy smattering of obscenities. Generic as it is, the album has its moments; the hoarse traded vocals on "Tonight... On a Very Special Episode" carry a ragged charm, and the nice acoustic interlude "My Headlocks Are (Crazy)" benefits from female backing vocals. Otherwise, titles like "What Would Bruce Campbell Do?" indicate the general dynamic here. Any physicists who thought Small Arms Dealer had finally tied together weak, strong, electromagnetic and gravitational interactions on this album will be very, very disappointed; the rest of us will find it a pleasant enough way to pass a half-hour, if not a terribly memorable experience. — Whitney Strub [Insound]
A Single Unifying Theory: [player]

Die Monitr Batsss/Les Georges Leningrad, "Clean Up" b/w "Monster Klaw" [7-inch single] (5RC) Rating: 6
Both of these bands have been digging the disco-punk that's finished with its flash, but neither seems concerned with the crisp funk or sharp production that has marked that genre's surge. And you have to respect that. Die Monitr Batsss keep a dirty grind and angry bass riding underneath their track's carriage, leaving ominous smoke to build up around this song of a bitter relationship before finally melting down into a freakout. Les Georges Leningrad go back to the dance club for their inspiration, but make a sharp turn to No Wave -- probably something to do with their DNA -- and wind up with some akin to a subway train dragging a chain of beer cans, but in the good sense. — Justin Cober-Lake [Insound]

The Never Enders, Air Raid Romance (Indianola) Rating: 4
Singer Michael Sonbert is also the author of a new book that, oddly enough, is the same title as his band. Perhaps he could stick to writing a bit more, as the leadoff "Broken" sounds rather damaged -- too slick, too formulaic and too blah. Meanwhile, when The Never Enders try to get radio-friendly, as they do with "Today's the Day" it seems to miss the mark. The more forceful, punchier "Push" is the first ray of light that the album could be salvageable, but the "emo" screams push it into the ground as one of the lyrics reads. The momentum-shifting "California Against New York" again starts off well but is diminished due to the blood curdling wails that commence the homestretch. There is some great and tight guitar work and arrangements here, especially on the pleasing "Love the Way It Hurts" and some moments during "Top of the World". The group comes off like the blend of Billy Talent, Godsmack and The Calling for some strange reason. One quasi-highlight is "Fall Down". The Never Enders aren't unique and seem caught in that clot of "emo" hardcore/rock bands that are hard to differentiate. But not all is lost, for their drummer's name is Chachi! — Jason MacNeil [Insound]
Myspace: [multiple tracks]

Crazy Frog, "Axel F" b/w "Whoomp! There It Is" [12-inch single] (Universal) Rating: 0
We could talk about the internet and viral phenomenon and their effects on the dissemination of creative endeavors. We could talk about the ever-increasing presence of marketing concerns in the arena of art. We could talk about image branding and its use as product placement within music. We could talk about the inevitability of sampling to mine '80s and '90s nostalgia with no sustainable outlook or noticeable recourse for artists of those eras. We could talk about the place of mediocre entertainment within civil society, namely weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, coming-of-age socials and coming-out disclosures. We could talk about the so-bad-it's-gotta-be-good theory, also known as the "guilty pleasure." But this is none of them because this shit sucks. And it can stay across the pond. If there was ever a time to stand up as an American, then please join me in saying, "Fuck this shit." — Dan Nishimoto

.: posted by Editor 7:38 AM