Rockpile

#92/June ’03; $2.50
(PO Box 258 Jenkinstown, PA 19046)
by Tim Den

Good ol’ reliable Rockpile: Never as bandwagon-happy as Alternative Press or as snobby as Magnet, but always as informative and topically broad as… well, almost as topically broad as Lollipop (y’all could use some more metal coverage).

Using a “Highlight On…” system for the first half of the magazine, Rockpile gives the reader quick glimpses of the best out there this month without cheap-changing information (or an overload of it). Features that are “just right” in size, informality, and insightfulness, make interviews (such as the one with Blur in this issue) feel like sneak previews into the band/artist’s life. CD reviews (tucked away in the back) are subjected to an ever-changing grading scale, one that uses compliments/put-downs such as “So Fresh & So Clean” and “Mark Ass Trick” to boost the entertainment factor.

Perhaps the best thing about Rockpile is its frequency. As a monthly, you can always count on this mag to let you in on the best stuff to check out. Whether it be Joe Lally’s (Fugazi) new band (The Black Sea), Fat Mike’s “Rock Against Bush” tour, or an amazing post-hardcore band from Spain (Standstill), it’s all right here.