Lollipop Magazine

Parts & Labor – Tyondai Braxton – Rise, Rise, Rise – Review

March 15, 2004

A Brooklyn three-piece. Most other reviewers have compared them to other art-rock bands, but those sorts of comparisons imply that they’re some sort of rip-off, which is patently false.

Nova Express – Gimme Some – Review

March 15, 2004

Four piece snarl/blaze classicist swagger rock. Real good singer, decent to damn fine tunes, and a clean, full recording.

Rob Falgiano – Things I Used to Know – Review

March 15, 2004

Rob knows how to write good pop with a touch of rockin’ country twang. He does it with energy and a smile, and throws in some gentle slow jazz sounds and even a little funk for good measure.

Railsplitter- 860 Some Odd Lbs – Review

March 15, 2004

The tough scaly underbelly of ’90s Southern grind (Eyehategod, Buzzoven) taken into a bikerish “don’t let’m grind you down” direction. Ex-Dragbody/Bloodshovel guys.

Helmet – Unsung: The Best Of (1991-1997) – Review

March 15, 2004

A long overdue retrospective of one of the most influential heavy bands of the last decade. This chronicles the almighty Helmet through their full-lengths Strap it On, Meantime, and (the criminally underrated) Aftertaste.

Monty’s Fan Club – Review

March 15, 2004

The guitars punch like a Leatherman, and the thematic horns are pure Quinn-Martin production. The lyrics are devoid of humor, save one Brady Bunch reference that slips through.

20 Miles – Life Doesn’t Rhyme – Review

March 15, 2004

Half-assed blues from one-third of JSBX. Judah Bauer plays the kind of music that makes you think, “Hey, that Jon Spencer is a pretty good guitarist, isn’t he?”

Machinery Hall – The Separation of Music and State – Review

March 15, 2004

Imagine Blue Öyster Cult meet The Moody Blues, soulfully singing “I don’t talk to no one but myself” and occasionally slowing it down with a folksy ballad. I don’t have hard proof, but I smell a Renaissance Faire somewhere in here.

The Failure – …of reason – Review

March 15, 2004

Nice radio-ready rock band that puts together chirpy/pushy tunes with real-sounding instruments and a heartfelt (read: ’70s-speak for “emo”) singer.

The Desert Fathers – The Spirituality – Review

March 15, 2004

The Desert Fathers offer up a mixture of metallic distortion, electronic beats, and amorphous samples that is all then piled onto a rock and roll foundation with vocals that remind me of Built to Spill.