Lollipop Magazine

The Black Keys – Chulahoma – Review

November 10, 2006

Chulahoma is the band’s own personal Kimbrough tribute, a six-song EP that closes out the band’s tenure with Kimbrough’s one-time home, Fat Possum.

Monster Magnet – Spine of God – Review

November 10, 2006

More song-based than 25 Tab, Spine of God is the perfect synthesis of Nuggets-style psych and Blue Cheer-style retard rock. A one-of-a-kind recording.

Monster Magnet – 25 Tab – Review

November 10, 2006

25 Tab is the second Monster Magnet album, easily the band’s most ambitious work, and a successful attempt to make the most psychedelic album of all time.

Comets on Fire – Avatar – Review

November 10, 2006

While Avatar may not satisfy the hard psych freaks who worship earlier records, there’s room for both sides of the band’s personality in my collection.

Black Stone Cherry – Review

October 27, 2006

Someone made a radio-friendly Black Label Society by toning down the aggression, lowering the metal, throwing in big hooks, and prettying up the fellas.

ZZ Top – Fandango! – Review

October 20, 2006

The live half is the only officially sanctioned live recording from the band’s early years. The second half contains their best studio work at that point.

ZZ Top – Tres Hombres – Review

October 20, 2006

This album is probably best known as the home of “La Grange,” but its riches reach far beyond that lone tune. Tres Hombres has a lot to offer.

Small Stone Records Sampler 2006 – Review

October 13, 2006

The 18 tracks on this promo-only compilation pretty much confirm the consensus among rock geeks that Small Stone is the finest rock label in the land.

The Brought Low – Right on Time – Review

July 28, 2006

This is a legitimately great album. Great songs are the most important part of any great album, and it’s difficult for me to find fault with any these tracks.

Bad Wizard – Sky High – Review

July 14, 2006

The band is still playing butt-shaking boogie rock, but the tempo’s a bit less frantic, and the psychedelic effects on the vocals may arch an eyebrow or two.

Dixie Witch – Smoke & Mirrors – Review

July 7, 2006

For whatever reason, the band’s brand of classic power-trio heavy rock seems to spring into a further dimension when the three members step onto a stage.

The Next Hundred Years – Review

June 23, 2006

Has that QOTSA “robot-rock” sound with heavy emphasis on repetition and plentiful starts and stops, but NHY have a much better singer than Josh Homme.

The Cuts – From Here On Out – Review

June 23, 2006

While I enjoyed the woodsy American rock feel of 2 Over Ten, I was hoping for a different direction on the follow-up, and I was definitely not disappointed.

OM – Conference of the Birds – Review

June 16, 2006

Two members of Sleep, the legendary proto-stoner ’90s trio, Chris Hakius and Al Cisneros, return after a long sabbatical as bass-and-guitar stoner duo, OM.

The Velvet Underground – Under Review – Review

June 16, 2006

A reasonably in-depth analysis, and even if there isn’t much new information for the hardcore geeks, the performance footage is enough to make it worthwhile.

Captain Beefheart – Under Review – Review

June 16, 2006

A reasonably in-depth analysis (almost two hours), and even if there’s not much new information for the hardcore geeks, the performance footage is enough.

Throttlerod – Nail – Review

June 9, 2006

Moving from classic rock to the dark and drearily downbeat to angular, hardcore-tinged punk fury, you can’t accuse Throttlerod of complacency.

Five Horse Johnson – The Mystery Spot – Review

June 9, 2006

The boys belly-flop into the deep mud-clogged river of America and belch out steel-shod blues shorn of beer rock, record collector ass-covering, and minutiae.

ZZZ – Sound of ZZZ – Review

May 12, 2006

Drummer Bjorn Ottenheim, lays down a fine, greasy beat, and his vocals are compelling. I just can’t get over my need for stringed instruments.

Dwarves – Fuck You Up and Get Live – Review

April 28, 2006

There’s not a thing wrong with the band’s performance. I just also wanted to see the spectacle, and it’s just not here.

That ’70s Show: Season Two – Review

April 28, 2006

The jokes are funny, but the playful sensibility that includes the liberal use of fantasy sequences and riffs on other genres keeps the laughs coming as well.

Man on Fire – Review

April 28, 2006

Jerky handheld work, jittery jump cuts, seemingly pointless zooms, and anarchic shifts in color palette brings to mind Fincher’s Se7en and Soderbergh’s Traffic.

The Bellrays – @ the Barfly – Review

April 28, 2006

I enjoyed the band’s second and third releases, but their third, The Red, White & Black, was a bit of a disappointment. @ the Barfly draws heavily from RW&B.

The Muggs – Review

April 28, 2006

Musically, it’s equal parts AC/DC and Foghat, with raspy, slightly snotty vocals heavy on important words like “baby,” and I just can’t get enough.

Grand Magus – Wolf’s Return – Review

April 21, 2006

Whereas the first two Grand Magus full-lengths were doom with a bit of classic rock and metal, Wolf’s Return is a classic metal album with just a hint of doom.