O-matic – Dog Years – Review May 1, 1996 With the longest song clocking in at just over three minutes, O-matic wastes no time in getting down to the business of getting down to business.
Neutral Milk Hotel – On Every Island – Review May 1, 1996 Their acoustic/electric, fuzz-heavy, ramshackle sound combined with a great sense of melody recalls none other than the mighty Flaming Lips.
Mineral – The Power of Failing – Review May 1, 1996 Mineral mines moody, earnest, accessible power pop territory and delivers it with passionate intensity.
Mauthmann – The Terror of Bojangles Maximus – Review May 1, 1996 The concept is supplemented by serious no-frills garage pop/rock, managing to avoid any conceptual art-wank pretense through aggression and solid songwriting.
Magnapop – Rubbing Doesn’t Help – Review May 1, 1996 13 edgy pop tunes filled with driving bass, crunchy, raspy guitars, and jittery lyrics. Luminous lead vocals skim over the top of everything else.
Lustre – Review May 1, 1996 Lustre are dangerously close to ripping off a number of bands. The last thing the world needs is a Goo Goo Dolls cover band.
Love In Reverse – I Was Dog – Review May 1, 1996 This band harkens back to the days of art rock with big, sweeping sonic landscapes a trademark
Chisel – 8 AM All Day – Review May 1, 1996 Ted Leo’s voice plays around in the upper registers that Pete Shelley can’t quite manage these days. The fluid rhythm section cracks like Eton rifles.
Belloluna – Pleasant Music For Nice People – Review May 1, 1996 Some can pull off Neo-Lounge, some can’t. Avoid Belloluna as you would a leprous rabid pit bull with an automatic pistol and a bad case of syphilis.
Ruby Falls – What She Does – Review April 1, 1996 A tough, artsy clang, kinda like if the Olympia grrrl mafia traded their Runaways records for the collected works of Ut and Live Skull.