American Alternative music reviews

From the very first time James' lyrics kick in until the last fading shimmer of Bobby's guitar, Blueland's "American Doubt" shows itself to be one of the finest rock albums of the 1990's.... the smooth slick pop face sits atop a deep, rich treasure of lyrical mastery and musical genius. The boys in Blueland are, sadly, no longer together, but their rock lives on.. If you thought matchbox 20 or Third Eye Blind are the sound of 90's San Francisco Pop, you obviously have never heard Blueland!

Music has come around full circle. A note to every other band in the world: Quit doing what you are doing and pick this record up. Lisa Marr has proven time and time again that she is a true original. Wonderful musician with talent unheard of. I love her work (see also cub, Buck and The Beards).

Now stop reading this and order it NOW!

I was fortunate enough to be at the Record release show for American Jitters when the Lisa Marr Experiment played at Taix French Restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, Sept '03, and to be one of the first to pick up this great album that night. A wonderful supplement to 4AM, their first album, American Jitters is a slightly more mature offering, with all of the bands proven talent and more. The songs are deeper, richer, more complex, and convey greater personal insight. I would say Lisa Marr has conquered her American Jitters indubitably. She told me herself that she thought I would like the new album. After hearing the band play it at the show I knew she was right. But after listening to it numerous times since then, I'd have to say I don't just like it, I love it! Do yourself a favor and get this CD!

Its hard to believe their second CD is better than the first, but the songs and music kick ass and with some experience, M1 is back better than ever. Check out the remake with Kid Rock. Murder 1 looks like they have hit the hard core music scene and will be there for a while. They seem to be getting better with each release and their shows are a must see. I caught them in Michigan and they were really aggressive. I love them. Some hard lyrics on this CD and some great music to go along with it. Watch out for this band.

This, my friends, is THE rockabilly comp to own. No question about it. Brad Merritt and Joel Kellum have done what I thought was impossible...to bring some of the freshest and best of American (and some overseas) rockabilly together on one powerful disc. Some of the featured bands include my pals The Hillbilly Hellcats, High Noon, The Hooligans, and The Rattled Roosters. Some of the other bands seem to have been around a while, but I still haven't seen live. There is a fantastic cover of "Wildest Dreams" by Lena Marie (of El Vez fame) & The Hey You Playboys. As an extra added bonus prize you get a neat-o 24 page booklet in this CD jewel with info on most of the bands. - Jackie Rocket, Editor, Billygirl True Stories P.S. Brad Merritt, will you please send me an e-mail.....

awesome sound and excellent energy, you can't help but sing along and dance with these songs.

honestly, as a huge aware fan, i have been waiting for this forever....perhaps one of the few cds (or greatest hits) where i could have picked out every song...eleanor (shannon worrell and dave matthews) is one of the greatest songs, along with vineyard (jackopierce), window (guster), john mayer, verticle horizon...it could be the soundtrack of the last 7 years of my life. aware records is my most trusted source of new music and it's cool to have a cd like this come out and see how these once unknown bands have now become the fabric of modern music society

From the late 80's the only copy of this I ever even saw was the one official tape release version I got of this. I've cherished it always. Since then it's finally been reissued on CD with a bunch of extra trax. According to the booklet 60 or so songs were recorded and only 30 some were originally released with 10 or so added on the reissue. If you don't know HJ, well, this band is definitely like no other. If you do, you know what I'm talkin' about.

Jad Fair is almost always the lead vocalist. They typically have git, maybe 2, drums, bass and you never know if they'll have a sax or some other horn and maybe something else like the rare keyboard (I don't know about that). What I do know is that it's clear they've decided to not play by the standard musical rules, punk or radio. It's a cacophony, that is, dissonance which is at the heart of their music. All the instruments are goin' along in the same general path, but not in your sweet, known format. They're each like jazz improvisors, 'cept it ain't jazz. And they go all out, often.

It appears, after listening to, I believe, every single HJ LP/CD ever made and a few 7"s and comp tracks, that Jad Fair is a prolific song writer. To me, virtually all his solo or with a partner releases are indulgent and from only mildly satisfying to raw indulgence and barely listenable. But most HJ releases are at least lovely, often touching, he typically has love lyrics, tho not in the usual presentation. And this LP/CD (along with Music to Strip By, Charmed Life and Sing No Evil) are their most accessable and just plain enjoyable. They take you on such a journey, here's the thing: most music, even the greatest stuff out there, I have to lay off if for a few months or even years. I couldn't listen to the BEATLES for like 10 years cuz I had the songs wired. I just don't get off musically on hearing the same exact version of a song over and over again. I need a break. It's the reason I like outtakes/demos/live versions/and even quality covers. But HJ (and PERE UBU for the same reason) are so disjointed, so unexpected, so unpredictable in their music that I rarely have to turn away from them, or, at least, let's say I am able to listen to them more consistently over the last 2 decades than just about anyone else (TOM WAITS' 70's material gets in there for me, along with some of the hours of outtakes/demos/live material by JIMI HENDRIX but, obviously, that's a different story).

There's no converting anyone to this music. Particularly as the vocals are, as with PERE UBU and the UNDERTONES, quite, uh, out there, different. I believe you either dig them or you don't. And if you never get into the particular sound of that vocalist, you ain't never gonna like the band. I'm glad I like Jad's vocals cuz the music is incredible. My only complaint of them is that there's not enough songs with sax in 'em. To me, this is one of the finest LPs/CDs of all time, top 5 for certain. chrisbct@hotmail.com

This album has plenty of great bands and singers. Anyone who likes acoustic/folk rock should check this one out. It has all the greatest from dispatch to cary pierce (from Jackopierce) to king konga to virginia coalition to OAR. These are all really great bands. Look for their individual music, almost every song on their albums are awesome.

This one is way too poppy and bland. The songs kind of sound like television commercial jingles. Anyway, Six Going on Seven is a great emo/indie band highlighted by "Self-made Mess" and "Heartbreak's got Backbeat" (Why is this not on Amazon?). Both are highly recommended. If you are more in TV jingles and/or recent Jimmy Eat World, stick with this one.

i absolutely love this CD. i heard some of it on a demo and it was amazing, so i went right out and got the full CD. the songs are really catchy and it's great for any kind of mood. its hard to label it. i'd say its probably indie rock. this is for anyone who likes stuff like, jimmy eat world or jets to brazil.