American Alternative music reviews

I have owned three copies of this album, dating back to my junior year in high school (1988). The Tarbabies were a raw white-boy punk/funk trio from Wisconsin who should have become stars along with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their pocket is DEEP - they have a great feel, but they also aren't afraid to turn up the heat and blast away with the best of them. The lyrics are kinda warped, too, alternating between curious, hilarious, and inspired. "I went out lookin' for true love/Turned around and I had three of 'em" - "Joyride" Totally groovy.

True is that i've never heard anything before about this band and also i've never listen to any of the other records that they have until now. This is a very good record if you like punk alternative underground bands, I can think of Sonic youth and butthole surfers to get an idea, but i think that the record speaks for itself. The guitars are very powerful, fast and catchy and the voice is sometimes distorted in very wacky ways like Gibby from Surfers does. Bottomline is, you'll get an excellent record and you won't be dissapointed.

Hot Animal Machine, Rollins post Black Flag, a very hardcore vibe. Harcore...Yes, light hearted as well. Hardcore songs such as the original version of Ghost Rider, and funny songs like Driveby Shooting and I have Come to Kill You. All the songs are very well thought out and will catch your attention intantaneously.

You can't go wrong with Biafra's fantastic sense of humor, especially in conjunction with his ever-scathing political commentary.
This is a highly listenable and entertaining set of cds, which is not to undermine their importance. They are challenging and thought-provoking, addressing contemporary social and political issues, and weave together a perfect blend of satire and seriousness.

Jello Biafra pontificates on a number of issues that I personally find important: the need for teenagers and young adults to have free access to entertainment, music and media of their choice; the banality and anti-aestheticism of "mainstream suburbia" and the suit-and-tie, Christmas-shopping, pro-sports mentality fed to us in the media (that's how their corporate sponsors make money after all).

But here Biafra is much more concerned with the economics playing behind the scenes. Rather than "whine" about Tipper Gore, the PMRC and their efforts to deny people under a certain age certain types of albums (and movies, video games, possibly even live concerts), here Biafra goes into a much more powerful threat to freedom and democracy: corporate power and the DE FACTO censorship and authoritarianism it brings. You could best think of this album as a rebuttal to conservative economist Milton Friedman's book CAPITALISM AND FREEDOM.

This album was recorded in late 1997/early 1998, the era of anti-gang paranoia, the Newt Gingrich regime, NAFTA, drug wars, welfare reform, and Wall Street uber-alles. Biafra clearly points out President Clinton's repeated concessions to the conservative right, not just the Wall Street right but also cultural reactionaries (one of which would have been first lady had the Supreme Court not handed the 2000 pres election to Bush). This frustration over pro-corporate, pro-suburbia, anti-marijuana, anti-musical freedom "liberal" Democrats was certainly at least part of the fuel behind Ralph Nader's 2000 campaign.

Biafra points out, very honestly, that the corporate media deliberately blames society's problems on everything except the real cause (how screwed up our economic system is (this is a verbatim quote)), which not only unnecessarily scapegoats innocent people like Marilyn Manson and divides the nation among race and culture lines, but assures that the real problems will never be solved.

Of course, to inspire the people for social change, he also gives examples of how Russians and Eastern Europeans overthrew their communist-by-name-only regimes and set up democracies run, in some cases, by rock musicians! Granted, neocapitalist fervor has been pushed too hard on the ex-"communist" countries, but the basic idea of a mass of people overthrowing a corrupt and elitist political regime is definitely something that a democratic socialist like myself can wholeheartedly support!

After listening to this album you too will be inspired to renounce the capitalist economic ideology and dream of the day when America will experience a general strike. Even if you don't agree with Biafra's (or my) quasi-socialist philosophy of wealth, work and property, you will be forced to admit that America is going down the tubes and that "It's the economic system, [...]"

If you didn't get the summary and for some reason actually took it literally, then you've probably never listenned to the Dead Kennedys. Well, ex-Kennedy lead singer Jello Biafra has taken his razor blade-like social awareness and criticism to spoken word. You won't believe what you learn, and worst of all you'll never be able to pledge allegiance again(OH NO!!). Buy this. Yeah, yeah. I know that's all you hear every evening as you vegetate in front of the new opiate of the masses, i mean television, but this might actually wake you up. Besides, if you've found your way to this review than you must have some interest in Biafra or the Dead Kennedys. If you just stumbled upon this as a poor innocent good citizen, well, good. You need this. It's like Viagra for the brain. Arm the homeless!

I was at this show. It was amazing. you havent lived until you've seen moe. live. It was intense. BUY NOW!!!! Please.

I have Warts 2 and Warts 3, but I think this one tops them both. The sound quality is great and so are the performances. I love the set list. And the show closes with an 11 minute version of Godzilla that recalls Blue Oyster Cult while still being unmistakenly Moe. I highly recommend this CD!

I agree with everything the previous reviewer said--heck, he's the reason I sought out this particular one. It's the second "Instant Live" set I've bought. Both are great. I think from now on, when I see one in the store, I'm just grabbing it. You probably should, too.

If you are a fan of the Warts & All series then you will not be disappointed with this release. As a fan of moe., I have found the Warts & All releases to be good (with some quibbles about the sound quality of Vol. 1), but this is better than any of the three in that series.

Now to the disc itself:

1. The Rebubula opener is worth the price of the set alone. 25 minutes of exploration that never gets stale. I have had this disc in my car player for about a week and have a hard time getting past this segment. I think I am driving my wife insane!

2. Not Coming Down unfolds out of Rebubula and the band keeps on cranking. Played well and a little funky.

3. Wormwood segues out of Not Coming Down and allows the crowd to catch their collective breath. By this time I am sure they need it. It would have been great to be at this show.

4. The band keeps on rolling with no pause as Wormwood segues into She Sends Me. Great tune and played well here.

The band finally stops to recover. The rest of the set and the second set are well played and flow very well and you will enjoy every second of it, but they once again fly off the map with Tambourine and Recreational Chemistry.

Pick this release up if you even remotely are a fan of moe. You will find yourself coming back to it time and again.

Even professed non-lovers of instrumental music will find their feet tappin' and their minds hummin' when The Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet take the stage (or the stereo!) Never has music been this much FUN. Ever!

If you already know Cowboy Mouth then I'll say that this album is "core" Cowboy Mouth. If you don't know Cowboy Mouth then go to CowboyMouth.com and find out where you can go see a show! Cowboy Mouth is an EXCELLENT live band and 'It Means Escape' is their best non-live collection of true-to-type Cowboy Mouth tunes. Cowboy Mouth can best be described as "hard-folk-rock" with a bit of Cajun and Irish influence. Beyond that it's too hard to describe (I've been trying to for 10 years).

If you're new to CM then you should check out their newest disc, 'Easy'. It's a great collection of songs and is more radio-friendly then the other CM albums. 'Escape', however, is a little more "raw" and better encapsulates the feel and sound of a CM concert.

The first track, "Why Ya Wanna Do Me?", is a quick, fun, pounding romp to get you set up for the uplifting driving-rocker "Man On The Run" (one of my favorite CM tunes). A wee bit of Irish flavor pops up in "Looked Like A Woman" (performed in the style of a funny tale sung with exchanged chorus lines); later you get more overt Irish treatment with the traditional-sounding songs "Hitchhiker" and "Irish Boy" (all written by rhythm guitarist Paul Sanchez).

The best version of the ever-present CM track "How Do You Tell Someone?" appears on 'Escape'. This song is the most infectious-sounding Cowboy Mouth creation and appears remade on more CM albums than any other song. Track four, "Here I Sit In Prison", is a rockin' country-song-flavored sing-along favorite that is rarely left out of a CM concert playlist. "My Little Blue One", "Jenny Marie", and "Angel With A Broken Wing" are enjoyable tracks that help flesh out the "core" of Cowboy Mouth's signature sound.

This album is great but is ten times more enjoyable after you've seen Cowboy Mouth perform live. I highly recommend the combination of album/live performance. Barring that, pick up a copy of 'It Means Escape' AND a copy of 'Easy' to get a feel of what this band is about.

Turn off the lights. Sit or lay, it doesn't matter. Close your eyes and play this cd. Improv free jazz, it's an expirimental piece and it's simply fantastic. This is for the open-minded. Not like any Sonic Youth cd either, so you've been warned. Other than that however, buy it.