Strix Vega - Drunken Sky - CD

(Strix Vega) Decent sounding lo-fi college rock that sounds like something out of the late 80’s. I liked their music for the most part and even the vocalist’s voice, which was odd, had a certain charm to it. The only thing that bugged me where how the drums seemed to be getting off beat at times. I don’t think it was intentional, but every so often he’d drop a beat and try to catch up. This would be better if they hooked their drummer up to a metronome.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Stilo - Lisboa Avenue - CD

(Stilo) This is a mostly instrumental CD with a lean towards a world music feel. The songs are a bit light for my liking and after hearing great world music instrumentals by the likes of Dudley & Coleman, AfroCelt Sound System, Lights in a Fat City, etc. this release just failed to capture my interest.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Raz Mesinai's Badawi - Unit of Resistance CD

(ROIR) In 2004 Raz Mesinai booked a recording studio a few blocks from the National Republican convention in New York City. He brought together musicians and recorded 10 hours of spontaneous burst of sounds, music, distorted electronics, etc. He then took those recordings and manipulated them, separated parts, made loops and other such funkiness. He then handed the results to various other artists whose creations can be heard on this release.

Most of the cuts on this CD have a very percussive feel to them, with a world music vibe going on as well. Badawi Quintet's "Market Place" reminded me of the CD "Songs from a Victorious City". DJ Spooky put political sound clips into his mix giving the song "Jihad Remix" a Consolidated feel. That is if Consolidated were a world music band. Seth Ayyaz's "Bahr El Dumu Part 1" is a sonic aura piece, while "Den of Drums" by Kode 9 can be best described as a Dance/Trance song.

Overall this is a very interesting piece of experimental work that is as much a study in collaborative art as a bona fide musical release. It took me a couple listens to get into it, but it grew on me very quickly. So go ahead and give it a few spins.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Keram - Box - CD

(Keram Songs) This starts off with a nice acoustic dual harmony folk song. The next song gets a bit slower and mellower, but picks up a bit on the third track. The rest of the disc flows like this with a progression of slow to medium tempo folk songs with only guitar or piano accompaniment. Through the vocals and musicianship are fine I’m struck by the demo-like quality of this release. It isn’t the recording, this just sounds like a song writer who had recorded his ideas and given them to his band to flesh out. I’ve heard enough demos before to have a sense of this. My advice would be to find some like-minded musicians to help make your musical ideas become full songs.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Leiana - No Going Back - CD

(Page Records) I was going to start this review off by saying how awesome this rockin' female band is, but then I looked at the liner notes and saw that not only was it not a chick band, but the band consisted of only two people, vocalist Leiana (female) and writer, arranger, producer and multi-talented musician Chuck Treece (male). Reading that only made me appreciate and love this release even more.

Every song on this release has an in-your-face catchiness that you just can't ignore. Chuck Treece's playing is tight and production is top notch. Leiana's vocals are powerful and melodic. There's not one bad track on this release, and as far as standouts go I loved them all. Don't let this band get away. You will kick yourself for not picking up this release. One of the most solid CDs through and through that I have heard in quite a while.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Fanny Grace - Rise & Shine - CD

(Fanny Grace) I wasn't sure how I would like this release when the first song kicked in. This is very much a country CD and the first tune started out with a more modern country feel to it, which I'm not a big fan of. However, I quickly grew to love the song and liked the little wink to the Meat Loaf classic "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." The wonderful slightly twangy vocals of Carmen Mejia combined with strong lyrics and great playing help to make this CD solid throughout. I feel the songs that shine brightest are the ones with the more traditional country feel to them, with a few of my favorites being "Rise & Shine", "My Cowboy's Last Ride" and "Till the Wheels Fall Off" with its Doobie Brothers "Black Water" lick helping to drive it along. But by far my favorite tune on the release is "The Storms are on the Ocean", which reminded me a lot of June Carter and got me researching. That's when I found out that the producer of the CD is John Carter Cash, the son of Johnny Cash and June Carter, and that "The Storms are on the Ocean" was actually a June Carter song. Great CD.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Leah-Carla Gordone - Phoenix from the Ashes: Rise - CD

(Leah Carla Gordone) I was very intrigued when I first set eyes on the cover for this release, where the person looks like a cross between Bjork and Macy Gray. However, while listening to this CD Leah-Carla's vocals remind me at times of a cross between Ani DiFranco and Patti Smith but lacking the singing strength and depth of the two. The lyrics are actually really good and I believe that with better production I would have liked this CD more. But with the way it is most of the songs sound singer-songwriter generic.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Steve Dooks - Cocktails, Heartaches and Cigars - CD

(Steve Dooks) Steve Dooks has that cool Vegas lounge singer thing going on here. While his voice might not be as smooth as someone like Harry Connick Jr., Steve could still hold his own with many of the other singers of this genre. There are two things about this release that help it to stand out above the rest. One is that all the songs are original, but for the most part come across as time tested standards. Two is that he infuses different styles into mix of songs on this release. The title cut "Cocktails, Heartaches and Cigars" is all about bouncy hep-cat swing.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Anla Courtis / Seiichi Yamamoto / Yoshimi - Live at Kanadian - CD

(Public Eyesore) 1 whole hour of squ@*^uueee$^*#ek $ squ$&# lchhhhh _ggnnnkkk runk*&kcck bL!@&$ooootTttt W(&hSH)(&#)(8@#&$^*&!! Knkkkkk performed live. No I don't think so.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Audiocrash - Time Sensitive Material - CD

(Audiocrash) Audiocrash is a two man team with a backup band to help them along. The overall feel of this release is that the songs are acoustical in nature, but given a rockin' makeover. The music in itself is good, but I'm still on the fence with the lyrics, and the vocals could use some improvement. They remind me of a cross between Lach and Neil Diamond for some reason, the only difference is that when Audiocrash starts to put emphasis on a line, ala Bruce Springsteen, you can hear the cracking in the vocals. It just doesn't sound good. This is a band I would go see, but wouldn't buy the CD.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Kirsten Price - Guts & Garbage - CD

(Kirsten Price) Kirsten has a nice blend of gritty R&B and soul melded with pop rock sensibilities. I get a sense of KT Tunstall, Amy Winehouse and Christina Aguilera mixed in with a shot of gin at an inner city bar. The songs are rough, sexy and sensual and you get a feeling that Kirsten is a force to be reckoned with. Her voice is extremely powerful and she is in complete control here. If you have been searching for something catchy and soulful that hasn't been distorted by the mainstream then Kirsten Price is yours to be found.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

The Lions Rampant - Play Rock n Roll! - CD

(The Lions Rampant) This is good old straight garage rock going full bore. Lo-fi, gruff and full of energy. They are part grunge (Mudhoney, Tad) and part Jon Spencer Blues Explosion thrown into the late '00s. It's always great to have bands like this around that are just fun and pure energy. Nothing really magical, but it's always a great feeling.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Scott Alexander - Makes Friends - CD

(Scott Alexander Music) I really had hoped this would be better. It has some great elements. Scott has a voice like Adam & His Package, is quirky and actually includes a bassoon on one track. Usually, I would call this the ingredients for a successful release. However, songs don't really gel and while some of his lyrics are quirky, they can't go the distance and become clever. As Spinal Tap said there is a fine line between clever and stupid, and these songs are quite a bit behind that line.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Felicia Carter - Feather / Step Lightly - 2CD

(Alberta Records) I really had to look at the CD information to make sure this was fact a contemporary recording. This double CD set is like a time warp straight from the hey-day of cool jazz. Felicia Carter has an amazing voice that commands your attention and then melts your soul. Everything she sings is in that oh so sweet jazz style where you can feel the sensuality just below the surface. The band backing her up doesn't miss a beat and has such a classic sound you'd swear you were at a dance hall in the 30-40's. This one is going into my personal collection and will be getting quite a bit of play at parties and special occasions. If you want to hear true jazz at its best then get Felicia Carter and let her do the rest.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Elika - Trying Got Us Nowhere - CD

(Fiercely Indie) This is an interesting release that flows between light airy trance / electronica music to full out industrial within the same song. The vocalist, Evagelia, is well suited to the music, but her voice feels forced into the beats on the heavier parts. It's a shame, because I think she could add another layer if she flowed over the beats instead having her vocals chopped up to fit the underlying rhythm The overall feel of the band is excellent, kind of a cross between Halou, Ilya and Portishead. Some of the transitions from the softer trance bits to the heavy fury could be better executed, but overall the sound is excellent.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Trans-Dimensional Voice - The Perpetual Maybe - CD

(T-DV) Very cool electronica album with shades of industrial and goth stylings. I hear mixes of bands like The Crystal Method, The Chemical Brothers and Moby, but in the style of Bauhaus or at times Portished. Most of the tracks are instrumental with a few lyric clips thrown in the mix and a very sci-fi type of feeling throughout. But on some songs there are definitely vocals, even though I can't make them out. Their cover art carries the parental advisory warning so the lyrics must be a bit racy...but I sure couldn't tell. Anyway, vocals are a very minor part of Trans-Dimensional Voice, the amazing parts are the soundscapes they craft. This is by far one of the best releases I have heard this year and will find itself in my personal mix.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Jim Phillips - Jim Phillips - CD

(Jim Phillips) This is a very interesting CD. Jim has a bluesy/Elvis/lounge singer style in both his music and vocals. However, the songs he sings are about the Bible. While the subject matter and lyrics make the songs feel monotonous, I will say that there is catchiness to the music and the opening tune "Count on You" is a pretty good song.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Dan Weintraub - Loose Ends - CD

(Dan Weintraub) Basic acoustic male singer-songwriter that one would find playing a local open mic. Not much more to say on this one.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Polka Floyd - The Polka Floyd Show - CD

(Static Records) Normally I like CDs like this where a band would present classic rock songs
using a different musical style, (Dread Zeppelin, anyone?) but this one just fails to impress. The songs on this CD just lacked the gusto that one would expect with a band such as this. If you hanker for this type of music then you might want to check out Those Darn Accordions out instead. I would also suggest that The Polka Floyd Show not just focus on one group like Pink Floyd and stretch out to other bands to help to liven things up.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Donald Norris - Donald Norris - CD

(Donald Norris) I'm a bit confused on this one. It starts out with an acoustical tune with a female singer. The last two tracks on this 3-track CD have male vocals with a strong country twang. This is a homemade CD without liner notes, so I'm not sure who the female is. The first song is pretty decent and the music and vocals on both are good. The lyrics on the last two songs are horrible. I know that the songwriter is trying to make a statement with the lyrics, but I feel that there would be a better way to convey the message that would be more interesting.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Taba Goog Music - Lophophora - CD

(Taba Goog Music) First off terrible name especially for a band that has funky industrial-dance
experimental beats as this band. I really liked the funkiness of "Feel So Good" as well as the disco groove of "Look Up". There are a few songs where the vocals seem weak, but overall not bad, just change the band name.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

We Need You - We Need You - CD

(Public Eyesore Records) Minimalist screeching on horn, bass and drums just isn't my cup of tea,
and unless you are bonged out of your brain, it's probably not for you either.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Joe Soko - Floss Like a Beast - CD

(Fuzzy Planet) I think the subtitle on this release sums this release up best; a collection
of incredible strange folk songs. Joe Soko is like the poor man's Haywood Banks in that his songs are quirky and slightly amusing, but not gut busting. But still how can you not laugh at song titles like "Yum! Yum! Yum! (and I am insane)" and "My Nuts are on Fire".
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Steve Gattermeyer - Stockholm Sin Drone - CD

(SoniCraft Records) I had friends in high school that had a band and dreamed of hard rock stardom. While they could play their instruments fairly well, they just didn't have the artistic talent that would have made them stand out among all of the other high school rock bands dreaming of stardom. And when they did originals the lyrics were always weak. The music on this release reminds me of those bands. If you had to listen to one song on this release is would be "If It Ever Comes Back" which is mostly an instrumental.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

V/A - Release the Cheerfulness, China Ground Up 2 - CD

(Noise Order Recordings) Back in 1995 Jason Kopec loaded up a backpack of recording equipment and headed to China to do field recordings of street and classical Chinese arrangements as well as sonic samplings of the places he visited. The resulting mixes on this CD range from relaxing melodic instrumental pieces to grating soundscapes. At times I was reminded of the music from the Akira Kurosawa movie Dreams. I would have liked it if the 14 tracks on this release
were titled or if more info was given in the liner notes concerning the music of China so listeners would be able to gain a better understanding and appreciation of what they were hearing. Overall, I preferred the minimalist tracks on this release minus any vocals.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Shelflife - Concerning the Absence of Floors - CD

(Public Eyesore Records) I knew a guy from the early '90s who mashed together various industrial
noises and his synthesizer and put together a minimalist noise collage that was reminiscent of the industrial white noise at the beginning of the movie Erasurehead. He called his project Noise Coitus. This CD is similar. I wasn't too impressed with it then and I'm not impressed with it now.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Jason Moss - The ep - CD

(Jason Moss) Jason has a laid back singer-songwriter acoustic sound that some people might liken to Jack Johnson meets Dashboard Confessional. Both Jason's vocals and music make you sit up and pay attention. This is the kind of songwriter who when he starts playing at a noisy bar
everyone stops what they're doing and pays attention. Definitely check this one out.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

FourWayFree - FourWayFree - CD

(FourWayFree) This CD starts off with the tune "Done" which is a Southern rock tune with white
guy blues vocals. It gets your toes a-tappin'. Then FourWayFree get mellow and wimpy. While I can handle the final tune on this release "Opposite of Empty", these songs aren't something I would want to hear over and over again.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Counting Crows - August and Everything After (Deluxe Edition) - 2CD

(Universal Music Company) This is another re-released re-master of a well-known alternative band by the folks at Universal in their Deluxe Edition series. It's hard to believe that it's been almost 15 years since Counting Crows hit the scene with their two hits off of this release: "Round Here" and "Mr. Jones." Now while I have never been a big fan of Counting Crows I do appreciate the tightness of their unique musical style as well as the catchy lyrics, and their nice musicianship sounds even more stunning on this re-mastered release.

Along with the improved crispness to the sound, fans will be happy to know that disc one of this two disc package is loaded with six demos, while disc two is a recording of the band playing live in Paris, France in 1994.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

I like the Counting Crows and found this to be a very interesting re-release. The live show was especially good, except for the extended versions of their two hits which went on like some jam band from hell. Otherwise this is a great record of their early songs. - Grog

2Pac - Thug / Life - 2CD

(Universal Records) Listing to this 2-pack 2Pac best of release, I have to say that I still don't get his appeal as a rapper. Disc 1 is subtitled Thug, while Disc 2 is subtitled Life, and as far as the music goes I can't really tell the significance of why which song went on which disc. If you are a fan of 2Pac looking to freshen up or tighten up your 2Pac CD collection or just getting into rap, then yeah check this out. But if you're like me and find it strange that a song called "Never Call U B**ch Again" is presented as a romantic tune, then just stay away from these two discs. (*Note: 2Pac was commonly known as Tupac Shakur until recently. I have no idea why this change happened...it just did.)
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Analog America - A Four Course Meal of Found Sound - CD

(Hollow Earth Radio) This is basically a disc of found recorded phone conversations, answering machine messages and a couple of songs. While I love the concept on found art, I think the presentation could have been done better for this release. It would have been cool if a narrative could have been worked out with the recordings so that they would tell a story. I would also like to
hear more diverse recordings put into the mix. If you want to hear more found sound projects then go to their site.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Ball in the House - Grantie Ave. - CD

(Ball in the House) Five very talented vocalists belt out a cappella soul music. While I can appreciate their talent, I can’t really get into their chosen style of music. While I liked bands like the now defunct Moxy Fruvous and Da Vinci’s Notebook, I can’t really relate to these oh so smooth, yet rough songs. If you like music such as Boyz II Men then this will probably be right up your alley.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Sam Cubbage - Dare to Dream - CD

(Sam Cubbage) Average sounding, bar band, blues rock with “makes me cringe” background vocals. This will never get beyond the stage it is at and that seems to suit Sam just fine.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Brian Molnar - Feelin Out of Time - CD

(Avenue A Records) Brian Molnar plays country music that borders on folk so it is more palatable to me than straight country. The songs have a basic country feel with a nice female background vocal harmony that adds a special element to the music. A few of the tracks get a bit to “down home” for my personal tastes, but they are very well done regardless. If you’re a fan of basic country or even folk you should do yourself a favor and check out Brian Molnar.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

The Wake Effect - Step One - CD

(Effected Music) The band in reality consists of one man, with a second person helping out on drums for a few tracks. Overall the Wake Effect owes a lot to late 80s metal rock. The songs seem to focus on a different instrument with each track and I assume that is the one he wrote the song on. The second track, “Faith & Fire”, is driven by the bass, track three “Dusted” is driven by the guitar etc. Overall he writes decent metal, but his voice is weak and mixed way down which makes it sound even more diminutive. I like him better as a bassist than a guitarist primarily due to his guitar style sounding like so many other people. His bass playing is fairly unique though and would sound excellent in the right band. While this release has its moments I think he would be better suited joining a band as a bassist / songwriter.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

The Cherry Poppin' Daddies - Susquehanna - CD

(Space Age Bachelor Pad) The Daddies are back and doing what they are known for…rocking out several genres on the same disc. Yeah, many people only associate the Daddies with swing, but people who heard them before the Zoot Suit Riot compilation know that swing is just a small slice of their pie. They take a wild ride through rockabilly, latin influenced rock, punk, ska, flamenco and yes even swing. Some songs are about ruined by the turn of a single phrase, such as “Wingtips”, but others are new classics like “Blood Orange Sun”. Overall Susquehana is one of the best albums put out this year and will most likely be overlooked by the mainstream due to its diversity. If you love to hear a band of extremely talented musicians playing a whole lot of different styles then the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies will fill that void and get you on your feet.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Bayard Russell - Selftitled -CD

(Bayard Russell) Slightly geeky musician boy meets girl. Girl and boy date for a while. Girl breaks up with boy and he is shattered. Boy records CD using girl as inspiration. CD starts off with a charmingly geeky attitude. Nice song writing and vocals that really match the feel of the songs shine through for the first few tracks. Then the boy starts singing a bit more about how the girl should come back to him and how much better her life would be. Boy carries on in that vein and it all gets creepy and obsessive. I think the boy is very talented and has something special, he just needs to let the girl go and write songs about something else. Trust me, there are plenty of other girls out there and some will be amazed by you.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Sky Cries Mary - Small Town - CD

(HooDooh Music)
Whenever I think of Sky Cries Mary, the band Cocteau Twins comes to mind as well. I think this is due to the atmospheric female vocals and that they both hit the college radio airwaves around the same time. Sky Cries Mary has a bit more of an edge to their music and the combo
of the male and female vocals help give the songs more depth.

"Land of All" had me looking at the liner notes to see if John S. Hall from King Missile was a guest vocalist on the tune. They get their trip hop groove going on the song "I'm Always Home", which will help pacify those of you who are eagerly anticipating the new Portishead CD which I hear is in the works. My other favorites on this disc include "Small Town" and "Travel Light".
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Truckeebrothers - Doublehappiness - CD

(Populuxe Records)
The Truckeebrothers have a very strong guitar driven rock sound with most of the songs being sung with harmonized male vocals. I did find the music to be strong throughout this release; however I felt that the overuse of the harmonized vocals just took away from the overall disc. I preferred the songs where the vocals seem to play off each other a bit more like "Formula
O" or "Royal Finale". Still, not a bad CD overall.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Catman Cohen - How I Want to Die (Vol. I) - CD

Catman Cohen - How I Want to Live (Vol. II) - CD
(Catman Cohen)
I know that Catman Cohen meant this release to be serious, but while listening to the opening tune "How I Want to Die" I couldn't help thinking of the scene from Annie Hall where her artsy boyfriend tells a college aged Annie that the way he wants to die is to be torn apart by wild dogs.
The songs on this conceptual CD sound like they were written for a musical that takes itself too seriously. The male vocals aren't much better, and almost have a religious slant to them. The only bright spot on this release was the vocals of Ronee Martin on "Wishin' on a Star". Other than that I have to say I didn't really like this release too much.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Mezklah - SpiderMonkey - CD

(Escuchalo Records)
When I picked up this disc and looked at the cover, I had no idea of what I was in for. I'm still surprised after listening to the disc. There's a heavy influence of what I believe is a South American musical groove going on throughout this release, with a helping of reggae and rock thrown in. It's as if Mezklah is the Latin music version of Sublime. So while I don't understand the words on many of the songs, the music is great and each song gets multiple plays. This is one release that deserves
your attention.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

V/A - Parx-C - A Compilation of Independent Music - CD

(Clear Springs Entertainment) When it comes to independent music compilations it's always hit and miss, with a majority of the releases just plain sucking. No so with this release. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. While most of the songs have a mellow acoustical singer/songwriter feel to them, there are a few rocking tunes on this release as well like Agent with the tune "Crave".

I've listened to this release many times now and just about every tune is a winner. There are a few standouts that caught my ear with each listen. Things get started off right with the catchy tune "Pushover" by The Long Winters. However, I was a bit confused in the middle of the release and then realized it was because two songs somehow ended up on the same track. So while you're listening to track 9 know that halfway through you will have a nice little surprise when Jenny Dalton starts singing "Lily and the Stranger" which reminded me a bit of Tori Amos. The you will have to pay close attention to the liner notes and lyrics to make sure the artist you're listening to is actually who you think they are. Anyway, Amanda Rogers "Drive" is another lovely tune as is the Todd Weidner sounding "Pair of Horses." But my favorite track on the release by far is "The Devil Came Back for You", by Katie Brianna. It reminded me of another Australian singer which I love, Kasey Chambers. This is one of the most enjoyable comps that I have heard in a long time.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Bayadera - Rotation of the Earth - CD

(Bitemark Records) I guess you could call this Latin influenced pop-rock. They are a very talented and tight band with flowing rhythms, especially on the Latin influenced songs such as “Fantasy”. The drummer puts down a great steady beat with a bit of mixing it up and the bassist does some great fills without overpowering the primary melody. The guitarists play well off of each other and the vocalist to form well crafted pop songs. The absolutely stunning singer (prominently featured in all the photos) has a voice to match her looks. The only thing I can say that is wrong with this band is the lyrics. They are overly repetitive and simplistic, many with a standard A-B rhyming pattern. If they can just break out of the basic lyric mode and get creative then Bayadera will be a force to reckoned with.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Rachel Taylor Brown - Half Hours with the Lower Creatures - CD

(Cut Throat Pop Records) This CD starts off with haunting bells which seem to morph into the twinkle of a toy piano and atmospheric female vocals with a hint of scratchy spoken word, very different but very cool. I knew right then that I would like this release. Overall, Rachel Taylor Brown has a sound that reminds me of Dresden Dolls and Paula Cole. "You're Alright Sorla One" and "Stagg Field" both have an aggressive piano rhythm that sounds very much like the Dresden Dolls. While the song "Mette in Madagascar" and "Passion" have, well, the subtle passion that Paula Cole has at times. This is a CD that is very unique in a good way. So give it a listen.
-- Mite Mutant (2008)

Alternate Sound of Life - She Whispers Loud - CD

(ASL Music) This is one of those bands that proves that technically proficient musicians don't always make the best music. ASOL are amazing musicians and play very intricate melodies fronted by just average vocals. However, most of the songs seem a bit too clinical and not very emotional. It's like what happened with the prog-rock movement when it entered the early 80s. If you are into a lot of precise playing and music that sounds something like Coheed and Cambria then maybe ASOL is for you.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

Alternate Sound of Life - She Whispers Loud - CD

(ASL Music) This is one of those bands that proves that technically proficient musicians don't always make the best music. ASOL are amazing musicians and play very intricate melodies fronted by just average vocals. However, most of the songs seem a bit too clinical and not very emotional. It's like what happened with the prog-rock movement when it entered the early 80s. If you are into a lot of precise playing and music that sounds something like Coheed and Cambria then maybe ASOL is for you.
-- Grog Mutant (2008)

The ChickenFish Now Blogs!

Yes, it's true the ChickenFish is now blogging as you can see. We will be posting all of our new reviews and possibly our archives depending on how we like it here. So sit back and enjoy the latest reviews from the week of March 21-27, 2008