Brian Varney – Page 25 – Lollipop Magazine

The Black Crowes – Live – Review

January 17, 2003

This double live CD, recorded during the band’s 2001 (and final?) tour, seems as neat a way as any to tie a bow around the band’s career.

The Lords of Altamont – To Hell With… – Review

January 17, 2003

How many times can you see and hear the same 25-going-on-65 leather-jacketed guys swagger like they think they’re Keith Richards or Johnny Thunders?

Mudhoney – Since We’ve Become Translucent – Review

January 10, 2003

Sounds like nothing else Mudhoney has ever done, something apparent with the first droning notes of eight-minute-plus opener “Baby, Can You Dig the Light.”

Mike Johnson – What Would You Do – Review

January 10, 2003

What Would You Do makes a strong case for Mike Johnson and Mark Lanegan being brothers separated at birth or spiritual siblings or some shit like that.

Junior Kimbrough – You Better Run – Review

January 10, 2003

You Better Run compiles songs from the three albums released on Fat Possum during his life and does a nice job of representing them all.

Of Montreal – Aldhils Arboretum – Review

January 10, 2003

Like most of the other Elephant 6 related stuff I’ve heard, this seem an attempt to write Smile, Brian Wilson’s ill-fated, unfinished follow-up to Pet Sounds.

New Bomb Turks – The Night Before the Day the Earth Stood Still – Review

January 3, 2003

This should’ve followed Scared Straight. The hollowed-out three-chord punkers that dominated the last two albums are replaced by well-crafted rock songs.

Sucking the ’70s – Review

January 3, 2003

Sucking the ’70s succeeds where so many before have failed because the concept encapsulates such a large chunk of space and encourages bands to take chances.

Mississippi Fred McDowell – Mama Says I’m Crazy – Review

January 3, 2003

Recorded in a house in a couple of hours in 1965 by Mississippi Fred McDowell and Johnny Woods. These two old friends hadn’t played together in eight years.

Lamont – Thunder Boogie – Review

January 3, 2003

The band’s love of arena metal (think Van Halen), and all things fried and greasy (think ZZ Top and the Iron Skillet) is a lot more apparent this time around.