Lollipop Magazine

Fu Manchu – In Search Of… – Review

April 1, 1996

Making comparisons between Fu Manchu and ’70s acid-rock kings is slippery business, because, while the influence is undeniable, there’s no nostalgic vibe.

Sink – Review

April 1, 1996

This is funky, bare-bones pseudo-garage rock; the kind you used to hear your cool, chain-smoking, older brother play in the basement with his friends.

Dead Nude – Review

April 1, 1996

God, if I have to listen to one more chest-pounding, grunge-metal band, I’m going to have to crawl into the primate cage at the local zoo.

Dahlia’s Dead – Review

April 1, 1996

The cover of the tape (which earns high marks for production value) depicts a she-fiend rising from her grave. They sound like Swank, only heavier.

Acid King – Acid King/Zoroaster split – Review

April 1, 1996

The low-end drone is its Salisbury steak, the L7-ish vocals are the mashed potatoes with gravy, and the ’70s acid rock nostalgia kick is its peas and carrots.

The Trashwomen – Spend the Night With… – Review

March 1, 1996

This is surf, straight out of the garage, played fast and furious by babes who could break your legs just by squinting.

The Sons of Hercules – “Spittin’ Fire” – Review

March 1, 1996

Punchy, post-punk heavy on the distortion. The Sons of Hercules sound like the Stooges, but with better production. It’s fast and in-yer-face, yet bouncy.

The Impotent Sea Snakes – God Save The Queens – Review

March 1, 1996

A mixture of Kiss, Ru Paul, and Pansy Division. A bunch of guys in drag playing, you know, rock, with obscene lyrics about felching, fist-fucking, and anal sex.

The Hellions – “Highway 101” – Review

March 1, 1996

With twangy reverb, slick guitar licks and flamboyant bass lines, this sounds like a band you’d find playing in a smoky pool hall.

Snuka – Review

March 1, 1996

Vocalist Chloe screeches like your little teenage sister with PMS on a bad hair day who’s out to get revenge on the boyfriend who just dumped her.

Black Light Rainbow – Review

March 1, 1996

Where were you when I was driving down the coast at 3 AM, a mobile mass of coffee jitters and nicotine breath, chasing the burnt-out sunrise?

Seven Year Bitch – Gato Negro – Review

March 1, 1996

Their third release (first for Atlantic), and still as coarse and nasty as ever. Selene Vigil screeches like she’s just had a car door slammed on her hand.

Bald Guys – Bald Guys/ 8 Ball Shifter split – Review

March 1, 1996

Bald Guys play slick, blithesome surf music. Tuneful and clever, this is one wave you’ll want to catch.

New Bomb Turks – Pissing Out The Poison… – Review

March 1, 1996

New Bomb Turks are everything they’re cracked up to be. Pissing Out The Poison compiles singles, many of which are hard to find, demos, and unreleased tracks.

8 Ball Shifter – Bald Guys/ 8 Ball Shifter split – Review

March 1, 1996

8 Ball Shifter sounds like the Ventures and Iggy and the Stooges rolling around together in mud. Gritty, lo-fi, garage punk with just a hint of surfabilly.

Shoveljerk – Swarm – Review

February 1, 1996

Shoveljerk has powerful melodies, well-developed song structures, a solid drummer and bass player, and interesting guitar interplay.

Sharp Nine – Untimed – Review

February 1, 1996

Pensive and esoteric lyrics coalesce with blaring guitars. The music is melodic, haunting, and heavy, but it tends to get redundant after the first few songs.

P – Review

February 1, 1996

Any project that involves a partnership between Johnny Depp and Butthole Surfer Gibby Haynes is bound to be weird, and, on that level, P doesn’t disappoint.

Miss America’s Trash – Swallow – Review

February 1, 1996

Heavy, industrial-tinged guitar, throbbing bass and powerful drums. I’d like to hear more from these guys, if only they’d find a singer who can, well, sing.

Moonwater – Invitation – Review

February 1, 1996

“Give” has that love-groove thang that makes for a great stoner anthem. Trip rock is still a reputable sound and Moonwater does it well.

MoonRage – Serengeti – Review

February 1, 1996

While singer Tye Battisistella has a warm, spiritual voice, the music is completely ignorable. This is uninspired metal that makes Danzig sound innovative.

Surf Maggots – Are You There God, It’s Me Maggot – Review

February 1, 1996

In addition to their own rough boy style, they add female voice. She screeches and spits, and lends her talents to some of the better tracks here.

Compulsion – “How Do I Breathe” – Review

December 1, 1995

Thick and melodic in a faux lumberjack kinda way. Guitar rock in between the fluf/Overwhelming Colorfast sensitive bigboy camp and Jesus Lizard.

Cheater Slicks – Don’t Like You – Review

December 1, 1995

At times, they out-Stooge the Stooges with their metal-grinder meets spin-cycle guitars. The harmonica and swampy rockabilly feel reminds me of Blues Explosion.

Swank – The Swill of it All – Review

December 1, 1995

If you put Black Sabbath, L7, and Smashing Pumpkins in a blender, you’d have a good idea of this trio’s sound.