3 comments about Five by Five.

1. Each track is truly a gem - and an aural delight as well. Utterly brilliant performance and production!



2. I just don't know where to place this band in the pop spectrum; each piece surprises me!



3. every song is a gem, it's over so soon you have to play it again. catchy kitchy pop tunes, very clever and creative. this cd saved my marriage, almost.

   -messiah wannabe

5 comments about Celebrate the New Dark Age EP.

1. Shellac, Slint, power chords loud quiet, blah blah yawn yawn. Since their '90s hayday Polvo have been unfairly suctioned under the vague, useless canopy of "mathrock". But they had very little to do with chavez, unwound, superchunk, archers of loaf, monorchid, and don cab. No offence to those bands -- who were very good -- but Polvo were, and remain, one of the most innovative guitar bands of all time! And this EP is one of their greatest recordings. Are you a fan of MBV, Sonic Youth, John Fahey? ANY FAN OF GUITAR should hear this EP -- this is one of the few places the '90s was interesting! Their recent reunion is a blessing, but their recordings have already confirmed them as peerless.



2. This is truly one of the best records from my personal favorite band, Polvo. I'm not sure if there's much I can add that hasn't already been posted here. But I was in a local shop the other day, asking about a copy of the first 7" and the clerk was sort of bemused. "I had no idea there were rabid Polvo fans out there." I thought to myself, "It's a small legion." It's true, but think... a band with 4 or 5 rabid Polvo fans?



3. It is a pity that the success of "grunge" bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam overshadowed the incredible goldmine of "indie" guitar rock available in the first half of the nineties. For those in "the know", bands like Pavement, Sebadoh, Trumans Water, Guided by Voices and Polvo fired glorious shots of fuzzed-out guitar innovation to the deaf masses. Perhaps it is for the best that radio and MTV have overlooked this mini-rennaissance. In twenty years time, everyone will claim to have owned the likes of Polvo's masterpiece, "Celebrate the New Dark Age". The key here is solid songwriting laced with the most dazzling and moving guitar hooks ever to grace a rock album. The guitar interplay is both fierce and beautiful. What makes this album so special is the definite Eastern influence in the melodies. Bowie is a master of the whammy bar and slide. The album opens with a blast; Fractured Like Chandeliers showcases the frenetic and glorious alternate tuned strumming and picking. City Spirit is one of the most haunting songs they have ever written. Tragic Carpet Ride is a dense tremolo-laced psychedelic masterpiece. For my money the standout track, is a short piece called Solitary Set. This song will bring tears to your eyes; it's that pretty. It's right up there with Dinosaur Jr's Little Fury Things. If one aspect must be criticized, it is the lyrics; but, who cares when Bowie sings the melodies with such emotion.



4. This is my personal favorite from the band, especially "Fractured." I bought this album on a whim at a used record store some years back and have been a huge fan ever since. These guys, without a doubt, restructure the language of music! I strongly urge anyone looking for a way to break from the humdrum of corporate "alternative" homogeny to listen to Polvo and then try to go back. You will never look at music the same way again.



5. This is my personal favorite from the band, especially "Fractured." I bought this album on a whim at a used record store some years back and have been a huge fan ever since. These guys, without a doubt, restructure the language of music! I strongly urge anyone looking for a way to break from the humdrum of corporate "alternative" homogeny to listen to Polvo and then try to go back. You will never look at music the same way again.

5 comments about The Fashion Focus.

1. Starflyer 59 has never lost its edge. I love all of their albums now, but this is the one that really turned me on to them. Such a new sound for them considering Silver and Gold respectively. The low fi sound is signature, but Fashion Focus is like Jason Martin broke through the icy top of his gloom for a moment. Each song is great and I think youll find most all of their albums are very accessible. A great band that deserves way more credit.



2. I can't believe there's a reviewer who says Jason Martin can't sing. I can't imagine any other voice with these songs. Talk about gentle, beautiful, intense melodies-- there are few bands who put out such consistently amazing albums.

   Starflyer 59 is like the beat-up stuffed animal you've had forever... you can curl up with them and come back to yourself again. You can listen to them in your walkman, whatever the time of day or weather, and feel refreshed and doubly alive. You will claim them as a personal discovery in your music collection and there will be times you can't listen to anything else. SF59 is one of those bands I cringe to think I might have gone through life and never found. I pray that some day this band will get the recognition it has earned so many times over.




3. The Fashion Focus heralded a new era for Jason Martin and his rotating cast of players. It opened with a driving drum beat and synthesized strings, a far cry from the walls of reverberated, distorted guitars that characterized past Starflyer albums.

   Those guitars come back in a few songs--the forgettable "Days of Lamech" and "The Birthrite," but more notably, in the second half of "We're the Ordinary," unquestionably Martin's finest production. The song drifts along with its cold piano line and monotonous Arp String Ensemble until its end. "Sometimes," Martin quivers, "we don't have a life," and the guitars rush in to fill the space. Gorgeous.

   Indeed, the first five songs are some of Starflyer's best, but much of the album seems like filler material and could easily have been left off to make a perfect EP. The band did settle into their groove with the follow-up to this album (Everybody Makes Mistakes), though, and The Fashion Focus is worth the admission price any way you look at it. 3.5 stars.




4. The first post-fuzzrock album SF59 put out shows the span of Jason Martin's creative genius. This eclectic group of songs is a great farewell to the shoegazing rock of yore (though it will be missed) and ushers in a new era. "I Drive A Lot" is one of the best Starflyer songs (and one of the fastest). The synth-string hook is great. "Sundown" reminds me a little of Joshua Tree era U2 (mostly "Bullet the Blue Sky") with it's loud steady drums and jangley reverbed guitar. Gene Eugene's keyboard work is great on this album from the piano in the stripped down "Fell in Love at 22" to the great organ in the britrock drone of "Shut Your Mouth" (my personal favorite) Gene shows us why he will be dearly missed as a musician and even more-so as a person.

   "A Holiday Song" dares to be perky with it's driving drums and catchy guitar hook. "The Birthrite" and "Too Much Fun" bring back the fuzz (somewhat) that old SF59 fans know and love -"Too Much Fun" clocks in at a very shoegazerish 7 minutes. "The Fashion Focus" shows Jason's skill as a lounge singer (if he needs a second job...). The album ends with the beautifully simple "Days of Lamech". Stripped to just drums, bass, lead, and rythm guitar. Sounds like a full band, but for Starflyer this is "basic". Buy this album just for the killer "Shut Your Mouth" and enjoy the rest.




5. Starflyer 59 is my favorite band in the whole universe. If you'd like to find out why, buy this CD. That's all I'm saying, except for one thing: Check out some of their other albums, too, by clicking on my "See More About Me" link.

2 comments about Colours.

1. The last 'album' on which Stephen Mallinder's vocals were to be heard on a CV album, for the time being anyway!

   A good collection of songs to have, particularly the stunning 'thunder mix' of "Colours".

   Mallinder's vocals are much more emotive than on earlier releases, these can be most heard on "Smooth" and "Wildlife".

   The final track "ex" is a well worked melodic electro/techno track which would point the future direction of Cabaret Voltaire.

   Worth buying as they are a good selection of tracks.

   One for the fans and those interested in early 90's techno and house.




2. As this is apparently discounted, I won't complain too much about its standard LP duration time. This is manages to be almost entirely electronic without being obviously cartoony, as most from this long ago tend to be. It has aged remarkably well, but I can't name a reason to choose it over new stuff. It's a pleasant listen, and even mildly inspirational.

5 comments about Regulate the Chemicals.

1. Not too many other words can describe this cd. The lyrics, the melodies, just everything rolled into one package is just amazing. It is one of the few cd's where I don't want to skip a song...I can listen to the whole cd over and over again--and I have.



2. What i love most about this album is that it is very real, and very focused. The band sounds very mature and doesn't follow the crowd with songs about how much life sucks, but instead just about everyday life, and the view that they have of it. I'm so glad i discovered this band. They're like a rose in the desert, and thankfully i followed the mirage.
   THe lyrics are great, and very focused, and also show just how talented the band is. Some of the songs are also very haunting, which makes this not just some album, but a sirious album that wants to be taken siriously.
   I'd recommend this album to anyone who desires sirious punk rock, and a band of maturity.



3. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for haunting music and well-written emo/indie rock. I love twothirtyeight and other bands of the ilk (Pedro the Lion, Roadside et. all.). This album, whether you have the original and *short* takehold version or the lengthened Tooth and Nail re-release, is incredible. From songs like "The Hands of Men" to "The Bastard Son and the Spoiled One," the music seems to have transcended the idea of art and entertainment and moved into confession and questioning purposes in life. The lyrics are moving and understandable, touching on basic truths in an effective way. The line: "I'm not the gratefule bastard son, I'm the rich and spoiled one" gives a whole different perspective on common understandings of moral lessons.

   Harder songs like "Songs Will Write the Words" are complemented by slow moving David Bazaan-esque songs like "Indian in Your Eyes." This album is wonderful, and is one of my favorites of all time. Though it surprises most of my fellow twothirtyeight addicts, I even prefer this album over the more recent album: "You Should be Living."

   A quick anecdote, this past summer I was driving to a Sleep Center to undergo a sleep study, and I pulled into the parking lot listening to "Hands of Men" and the haunting line: "Sleep safely in the hands of men" was playing at the time...coincidence...yeah, probably, but it still made me think.




4. Although i don't yet own this album,i've heard it many times. My cousin loves this band,and introduced me to them about 2 months ago. It was then that i too fell in love. I was first impressed by the music,which is truly amazing. When you hear the songs,you want to hear them over and over. Second,i was impressed by the quality of the lyrics. They convey emotions incredibly,and in clever ways. Overall,i can't wait until i can get this CD,because i already love it. i highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for GOOD music.



5. Incredible. Yes it is. And so refreshing... refreshing in the lyrical approach. It's like David Bazan quit making concept albums and decided to just sing about heartbreak and all that other emo stuff while still leaving room for plenty of clever observations about the human condition. The music is refreshing as well. This can fit in the whole emo/indie category I guess, but that sells it short. Once again, I'll reference Pedro The Lion... simple drum beats, great melodies, and singer-songwriter flourishes here and there. But where these guys manage to really set themselves apart is in the guitar sound. The guitars here are stinking HUGE... loud and brash riffs move things from the sweater clad crowd to the more generalized modern rock arena. And the hooks... wow! These guys really know how to make quirky guitar hooks and build a whole song around them. I can't tell you just how awesome this album is, and how it comes across so much more heartfelt than most of today's mainstream or indie scene.
   Through all this incoherent babble, I'm trying to tell you that you seriously need to buy this. Not a bad song on here, you won't regret it.

1 comments about Strike.

1. As of this release Les Thugs became the longest band to be signed with Sub Pop- kinda like it flagship band (think about that fans of nirvana). Les Thugs are (were? are you guys still out there?) a french band that sing (mostly) in english. A second language band that had more energy and politics then most american bands. They formed back in the early 80's, but claimed they all knew each other and played together since the late 70's. They influenced an entire generation of french kids who would have otherwise never ben esposed to underground rock/hardcore/alternative whatever you want to call it-that music that wasn't being played on the radio back in the 80's and early 90's but came back in spades later. While Sub Pop is kinda off the map as a record company now, Les Thugs are M.I.A. too. This is the last disc that i know they put out almost 10 years ago. For a band this good it's criminal how unknown they are. They are almost entirely unknown outside the punk history scene. Wonder where they are today.

5 comments about Everybody Makes Mistakes.

1. This is one of the very best SF59 recordings along with Fashion Focus and Talking Voice v. Singing Voice. All SF59 recordings are at a minimum very good. Definitely one of my very favorite guitar bands going back to the mid 70's. Jason Martin knows what quality music sounds like and his recordings are a testiment to his critical ear. A sound that is uniquely SF59.



2. This is one of my favorite SF59 albums. Americana is probably my favorite, but this is a close second. SF59 fans all know exactly their favorite song frome each SF59 album and this gives fans some good ones to choose from. The best is probably Play the C Chord and No New Kind of Story. Those two songs alone make it worth it.



3. I own two Starflyer 59 albums right now: this one, and Gold. In comparison, Gold is definitely the better album, so if you don't have it, I'm gonna go ahead and recommend that first.
   
   Starflyer 59 began with a darker sound, "walls of feedback" if you wanna call it that. On this album (and judging by the reviews, also on Fashion Focus?) they show a more lighter, poppier sound. Sometimes they pull it off great, as shown by 'Play The C Chord'. This song probably warrants the purchase of the entire album on its own, it is just that good. The rest of the songs...meh. They have good qualities, but don't reach the same point as 'Play The C Chord' does.
   
   Other great songs are '20 Dollar Bills', 'My Name', 'No More Shows', and 'Going Places'. It was a good effort uhh I guess, but I still recommend their earlier stuff first before getting this album.



4. This is a great album. It does have a kinship with "Fashion Focus," but it also has a definite sound of its own. These are not leftover songs by any means.
   
   Note especially the influence from Gene Eugene which is heaviest during "My Name." Also note the song "Dethroned King," which at once hearkens back to the glory of "Gold," and looks forward to "Old." My goodness it's a good song.
   
   My only complaint about this album is the hidden track at the end of "Party." Sounds like my favorite band is channeling Kenny G. Ah well. Five stars anyway.



5. I first saw Sf59 at a Church in O.C. CA back in 95, back when their feedback noise made you say " what? what? after the shows. I'm glad to see that this band matured from psychedelic disortion to a more clean sound. "Everybody Makes Mistakes" combines styles of surf rock, 80's new wave with a hint of punk/alternative roots. Martin's voice is calm, melodic and laid back. Highly recommeded for U2 and 80's new wave listeners who love that 80's "twangy" sound. This album was well recorded, their all time best. Songs like " play the C chord and "No new kinda story" are rock perfections. Get it!

5 comments about You Should Be Living.

1. This is, in my opinion, a perfect indie rock album from start to finish. Each song is dark and dreary but at the same time artful and beautifully crafted not to mention distinguishable from the last as well as memorable. I can't speak for their other albums, but if you're into underground rock and you want to impress your friends with something to define what you listen to, this would definitely be the album! If you like this, also reccomended are bands like Anberlin, Cool Hand Luke, Sanctus Real, Starflyer 59, Pedro the Lion (except for Achilles Heel and probably anything after), Discover America (the lead singers new band), and Mae.



2. nothing good has ever come from tooth and nail records, besides joy electric and twothirtyeight...i dont even know why twothirtyeight decided to become a part of toothandnail, besides the total of maybe two times god is mentioned in their song writing...ok so basically tooth and nail records is a label which provides music for 13 year old religious girls whos parents wont let them listen to anything else. what the hell is emo... oh yea i know, definetly not this... to sum up this pointless paragraph, tooth and nail records sucks, and is for bible humpers, twothirtyeight should of never been on toothandnail, and oh yea, buy this cd, its good...and make sure you wear a tight western style button up when you do so, it just might complete the experience...



3. Don't get me wrong, I love this album. I love it a lot. I just like "Regulate the Chemicals" a little better. This is still a fantastic album, and I'd recommend it to just about anyone (ok, maybe not to someone wearing a Billy Ray Cyrus shirt).

   Twothirtyeight seems to have identified their sound on this album far more than their previous albums. Full of incredible and catchy guitar hooks and riffs, twothirtyeight found a sound that isn't quite comparable to anyone else. It is a very original album with elements of blues, jazz, and even country in the mix. The album seems to have lost the staight emo sound and moved to a much more interesting and unique flavor of indierock. The album is put together wonderfully, from the anthem "Modern Day Prayer" to the slow and dreary (and lyrically confusing) "The Bathroom is a Creepy Place for Pictures of your Friends," this album has set a new standard for Christian influenced emo/indierock and is an excellent choice for anyone. It is more accessible than "Regulate the Chemicals" and other previous albums, and it is far stronger lyrically. Chris Staples weaves his talent for songwriting beyond the spokes and straight into the hearts of his listeners.

   I do have a question about the album altogether though...is track number four a self-fulfilling prophecy? This is twothirtyeight's last album, they broke up in April of 2003, and "Romancing the Ghost" deals with the idea of the group's disbanding. Anyhow, if you aren't satisfied with "You Should be Living" and the twothirtyeight back-collection, there's still hope. Chris Staples (vocals/guitar) released a solo EP entitled Burned and Blistered and I'm pretty sure it's available over the twothirtyeight website. Tooth and Nail is also releasing what I'm guessing is a compilation of B-sides and fan favorites around Christmas entitled "Scrapbook." I'm looking forward to that, and maybe to some more of Chris Staples solo work (which, by the way, is fantastic).




4. Let me put some perspective on the table. This is twothirtyeight's last and final album. There are no more albums after this. Also, every one of their albums from start to finish has gotten increasingly better and twothirtyeight's style has been forged into an identity; a beautiful smart identity. On this cd, the bouncing clean guitar riffs have become all their own. This is one of my favorite albums. From start to finish, there isnt one song I would skip. The musicianship here is outstanding! Let me give you a song by song outline.

   1. Modern Day Prayer - The best song on the CD. Was released as first single. Very dark and utterly soul-searchingly beautiful. The lyrics on this song are my favorite, although all of twothirtyeight's lyrics are wonderful - *****

   2. Sticks Are Woven in the Spokes - A moderately paced song, easy going, fun to listen to. Great stuff. - ****

   3. Forty Hour Increments - The catchiest guitar hook ever. This song is brilliant from start to finish. This is a more upbeat song for twothirtyeight. This song is totally based off the guitar riffs. Spectacular. - *****

   4. Romancing the Ghost - I personally think they should have put this song last on the cd. It basically outlines how twothirtyeight is over and done with. The lyrics here are brilliant. This is my second favorite song on the cd. - *****

   5. That Sad and Holy Glow - Not particularly a hard song, but hard in regards to twothirtyeight's style. The lyrics here are very poetic. Reminds me of Paul Simon's lyrics. Its got a great bass line. Just so you know, if you are buying this cd for kids, this song does use the word "whore" as a metaphor. It's not raunchy though, and is used to make a point. I personally dont mind it at all. This is a great song. I love it. - *****

   6. Step into the light - The guitar here has a little bit of a country feel. A somewhat slower song, but one of the best. This is a song that would be best listened to while hanging out in the middle of the desert. It shows humans unwillingness to change, and God's forgiveness that gives us freedom. Brilliant. - *****

   7. Sad Semester - It's got an interesting Drum and Bass intro. This track has the funkiest beat of any song on the CD. One of my fav's. Good song to rock out to. The guitar riff really gets inside your head, and the vocals get the craziest they get here. The lyrics are great. Have some great references to the people you used to know in highschool. Gotta love it. - *****

   8. I Pretend to Choke - This song has a great beat to it. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Very inventive. This song has a lot of good change ups, with what ends up to be a sixties pop feel to it. Freakin Great. - *****

   9. Rhythm & Blues - If you do skip one song, make it this one. Dont get me wrong, I personally wouldnt skip any, and I love this song. But I feel I must warn you that this is very what the title says it is. It's the song with the most blues in it. Very sad and slow. I personally love this song, I think its spectacularly and sadly beautiful. Its got a great change up in the rhythm at the end of the song. So overall, my least favorite track on the Cd, but I love it. - ****

   10. Bathroom Is a Creepy Place for Pictures of Your Friends - Acoustic. Beautiful. Reminiscent of my childhood. At 2:49, I wish it was longer. Great slow closer. - *****

   Oh man I love this Album. Thanks to twothirtyeight for the years of great music and inspiration.




5. I was turned onto twothirtyeight when we started playing "The Sticks Are Woven In the Spokes" at the college radio station I work at (listen at kxul.com) and I must say that after hearing the song twice I was hooked on twothirtyeight. That song is definitely my favorite on the album the lyrics are great and the catchy hook had me singing along after the first listen. The album is also loaded with great songs like "Modern Day Prayer" and "That Sad and Holy Glow"(the loudest rocking song on the record). As many others have said, it isn't completely fair to group 238 as an "emo" group but that's the genre that I'm most reminded of upon hearing it. The musicianship here is outstanding in that it isn't too complex but is effective in blending different styles. It kind of makes me think of the The Get Up Kids "On A Wire" at some points. My only complaint here is that I wish the guys in 238 weren't so ambiguous about their Christianity. As can obviously be seen from Modern Day Prayer the guys place their faith in God, but He isn't mentioned much throughout the rest of the album. Not that the album's lyrics aren't great, it's just that I know they are capable of writing amazing Christian lyrics after hearing "You Made A Way For Moses" (a song I think every Christian could relate to at some point in their walk with Christ). Don't get me wrong, I love the record, after all "The Bathroom Is A Creepy Place For Pictures of Your Friends" changed my entire outlook on bathroom decor.

5 comments about Eight Teeth to Eat You.

1. 4 excellent Cursive songs, I've never heard the rest. Eastern Youth was fun in concert though.



2. I never really got into the Eastern Youth songs on this cd but I give it a five star rating for the cursive songs alone. These are some of the best songs in the Tim Kasher songbook, topped only by the Burst and Bloom ep.



3. absolutely the greatest split ever released. cursive and eastern youth at their best. some of the cursive tracks are easily the finest they've ever written, from any release.



4. I do not understand English. What cannot be understood Cursive therefore whether sing. (This review is lacked by

   using the Japanese-English automatic operation
   translation site. ).

   I think that the cause is in lyrics though gEastern Youth has the very unenviable-" etc. are written by the review

   which has already been published. I think that the people who had written the review published in Amazon[.com] felt

   the Eastern youth tedious because it does not understand Japanese lyrics.
   Yoshino of the Eastern youth uses an antique word for lyrics.
   Lyrics which use an antique word of the Eastern youth are criticized , saying that "Literature" etc.
   It is compared with the rock Group which says gelephant kashimashi" in respect of lyrics though the bytalk. Both

   lyrics are antique literary style.
   Please it does not care and read and look even at the translation because a very good lyrics.
   -----------
   I recommend the following band to the person to whom the interest to Japanese music was born by "8 Teeth to Eat You."

   Elephant Kashimashi , cyuu-burari , happy end , foul , yura yura teikoku , Carmen Maki&oz D




5. Okay, all I have to say is that Cursive is only a rather okay (not spectacular) band compared to Eastern Youth who are like perpetual GODS of music to me. Although all of their lyrics are in Japanese, Yoshino and co. play... well just GREAT music. I'm not good at describing or criticizing music, so just check out this page for their independent label ...

5 comments about Dandys Rule: OK.

1. What do you get if you cross Lou Reed and Blur: this album. The Dandys sound like a bunch of unapologetic junkies and their music has a sarcastic mellow feel to it. This combination works well. "Lou Weed" is a great parody, and a great song at that. "The Coffee and Tea Wrecks" is a classic. It is kind of stupid happy with a thick sound from a fuzzy bass line and layered vocals. Definately a fun album.



2. I bought Dandys Rule OK after I had owned ...The Dandy Warhols Come Down for about 5 months. Although I could not get over how good Come Down was, Dandys Rule OK is even better. Among all of the albums that I own, this is one of my favorites. Some of the best songs are "(Tony, This Song is Called) Lou Weed", "Nothin' To Do", "Dick", and the unbelievable epic "It's a Fast-Driving Rave-Up With the Dandy Warhols Sixteen Minutes".



3. This CD reflects the amazing Portland music scene and the Dandy Warhols talent. The Dandy Warhols continue to amaze me at each show I attend.



4. I had the "...come down" album and liked it OK, but I saw this one used for a buck fifty so what the he-he-heck, picked it up. I was surprised. I'm not sure what the label genealogy of this band is, but it's easy to understand why Capitol gave "...come down", the follow up, such a big media push. "...rule: OK!" rocks. Big, singeing guitar noise and production lace this surprisingly diverse record, rooting the band to a planet that you feel sure you can find your way back to as you trip across the sonic space they traverse. One very interesting thing is the baldness of it's borrowing: the band wears it's influences on it's bicep while neatly avoiding abject plagarism. From Lou Reed to REM to Spaceman 3 to Neil Young to Echo and the Bunnymen, even Ultra Vivid Scene, you wonder if the songwriter in this band wasn't sneaking into your room and listening to your record collection. It may be a little long, but chalk that up to youthful exuberence and a wide storehouse of material. Where the Warhols end up, nobody can say, but where they started from is pretty durn cool.



5. Imagine the Velvet Underground had turned into glam rockers. Thats sort of what you get with the Dandy Warhols debut CD. Fun, funny, swirling psychedelia. Check it out.