Bite Me! CD Reviews S - Z

Shiner Massive – Shiner Massive/Soundsytem (Slash/Bigmassive) ½ / ¼

Billed as companion CD’s to each other, Shiner Massive attemps to take social commentary to the people a la Black Eyed Peas…with mixed results.  Sounding like the missing links between Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, and System of a Down, the self-titled Shiner Massive CD is a mix of rock, rap, and the occasional Middle Eastern sound mixed with a healthy dose of outrage.  Contrasting completely, the Soundsystem CD is a cooler mix of R&B featuring mostly female songstresses singing original and cover songs like “Rapture” and “Ghosttown”.  Both CD’s also feature a DVD with their live shows on it.  They’re both OK CD’s, but I think the more collective Soundsystem stands out much more than their self-titled, which is sounding dated as nu-metal dies a slow, painful death.  –J

Space Cadet - Greatest Hits (Satellite/Trauma Records)  

I know the pop/rock outfit Space Cadet may find themselves witty by calling their first record Greatest Hits, but that shit's been done before many times.  Very tired joke.  Whether it's on a full album or a variation done in a song (most notably on the Raspberries' "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)"), it's been done to death.  I won't hold it against them, though, as they've come up with 14 worthy poppy & edgy nuggets that makes them a worthy successor to bands like the Raspberries.  I worried that 2 references to their chart worthiness in the first 2 songs would make this a one-joke album, but thankfully that didn't hold thru.  Instead, the band bounced thru catchy songs of love, life, California, Jackie Chan and just about every nice little harmonic pop-rock hook that you'd want if you are into bands like The Figgs.  The final cover of the Cars' "Let's Go" is a bit of a misfire in an otherwise enjoyable debut disc.  -Repojay

Static X – Shadow Zone (Warner Bros.) 3/4

It took a few listens, but Shadow Zone grew on me.  After about the third spin I was able to appreciate the band’s depth and newfound maturity.  Shadow Zone kicks off with “Destroy All”- a track that calls to mind the glory days of Ministry.  The songs on this disc deliver more melody than the band’s standard fare; however, there are still plenty of crushing riffs and pummeling beats to be found.  The rhythms are still rigid and brutal, but this time there are more spacious textures to balance them out.  Loyal fans will dig the rapid staccato crunch of “Monster” and the infectious “Otsegolectric”.  Wayne utilizes his voice a lot more on Shadow Zone, which is good.  However, he does sound a bit like Jon Davis on “The Only” and a little like Layne Staley on the haunting “So”.  Fans probably didn’t expect to hear something like the Alice In Chains inspired “Invincible;” however, it is a solid piece that will win their approval.  There are a few flaws but, overall, Shadow Zone is an audible feast.  -NIN

T.M. Stevens – Shocka Zooloo (United One Records/Mazur PR) 3/4

T.M. Stevens is a bass player.  He’s not just any bass player, but a proficient one who calls his solo music “Heavy Metal Funk”; mixing R&B, rock, and classic Isley Brothers type songs.  I daresay after listening to Shocka Zooloo (his first US release after four in Japan) as bass players go, it’s him, Les Claypool and few others in the same small wading pool.  However, as a songwriter, Les blows him out of the water.  T.M. Stevens strengths are definitely his playing, getting some great players with him, and his arrangement skills.  If you are looking for something original, interesting and different and are a bass geek, Shocka Zooloo will fit the bill.  -J

Story Of The Year - Page Avenue (Maverick)

As soon as I heard the opening track on this CD I knew that this was going to be my fave of the bunch I get to review this month because if there were another band that blasted into my head like this, then I would be one happy bunny.  And, rarely am I that lucky.  Ok, let’s get it straight out, as there is no getting away from it.  Yes, this band sounds like The Used, who incidentally I love.  In fact, if you were to hand me this CD and tell me it’s new stuff from Bert and his crew, I don’t think I’d even question it.  The odd thing is that my cynical brain isn’t screaming plagiarism!  I guess it’s just because I think this album is so good that I’ll forgive them.  As I look at the sleeve I see it was produced by the guy that produced The Used (John Feldmann), so that makes things clearer.  Anyway, let’s judge Page Avenue on its own merits - the music.  Any number of the tracks on this album could well be smashes, as they all possess monster hookiness and great songwriting. The individual members all sound great, but special mention has to go to the sterling drum work of Josh Wills, who just sounds phenomenal especially on the aforementioned first song, “And The Hero Will Drown”.  The single, “Until The Day I Die,” is the second track and it is so damn catchy, and the next song buries itself into your gray matter the same way, as does the next and the next and the next…. There is more than a passing resemblance to AFI on “In the shadows,” especially with its sing along chorus, but without that certain squeakiness that Mr. Havok possesses.  The writing is generally very good for typical emo fare and it suits the music and everything feels very cohesive.  On the song “Dive Right In,” vocalist Dan Marsala cries “And I know I’m buried too far down to feel the warmth from the sun again”.  The line reminds me of an Anne Rice book I read once, and I visualize the vampire Lestat himself.  Elsewhere, there’s lots of talk of broken relationships and tattered friendships.  Simply put, this album has seriously affected me.  I cannot stop singing the songs in my head, and this is only after a few listens.  It’s crazy I tell you.  Recently, Story Of The Year were in town with Bert’s bunch, but I didn’t got out of work early enough to see them.  (Though I did catch S.T.U.N, who once again blew my damned head off.  Go buy Evolution of Energy and don’t thank me, but buy me a jack and coke if you see me out and about!)  I really cannot see how this band can fail.  In Page Avenue they have one hell of a record in which to make their mark.  And now that The Used are on a sabbatical the kids will be looking elsewhere for their fill.  Story Of The Year - their time is now!  -Glen 

Street Dogs - Savin Hill (Crosscheck Records) 1/2

Nothing like regurgitated punk rock that can't even begin to approximate any beginnings of originality.  Street Dogs are basically a labor movement version of the Dropkick Murphys, right down to the Boston working class upbringing.  It's as if that band decided to forego the Irish drinking songs and instead get serious about the problems of the working class.  Admirable, but you can't take them seriously.  When the beginning of "Declaration" sounds like a direct rip-off of The Bouncing Souls' "Gone", it just gets even worse.  The band will surely only preach to those Boston working class punks who feel they are changing the world while the only people hearing them is their miserably small punk clique.  -Repojay

The Suicide Machines - A Match and Some Gasoline (Side One Dummy) 1/2

The Suicide Machines are deadly.  Politically juiced, the Suicide Machines burst out of the speakers with one pointed opinion after another.  Raging out against government, police, oil mongers, and capitalism each song is approached with in-your-face hard-core bludgeoning or cuddly, bouncy ska rock rhythms.  However, not a word is wasted.  Each and every line has a point.  Lyrics range from “Your silence equals your death” to “Bow down to the invisible government, fuck that they’re capitalist scum”.  Each of the fourteen lines in “One More Time” is more depressing than the previous.  Lead singer Jason Navarro literally sounds like he’s about to pull the trigger in “Seized Up” when he roars, “I’m going to burn it down” over and over.  The Suicide Machines bounce of the speakers and into your soul.  This is definitely not an album for Republicans. -Brendan McMahon

Supagroup (Foodchain Records)

Supagroup is super fly.  These New Orleans party animals embrace all things rock.  So, for those about the rock SupaGroup salutes you.  Brothers Chris and Benji Lee lead the charge with cock-rock of a new order.  They don’t do anything new, anything, they just make old sounds so welcome with their “Party on, Wayne” attitude.  “Woulda Been Nice” swaggers with Paul Stanley-like yeah-yeahs across verses of 1970’s middle-American rock and roll.  In “What’s Your Problem,” they begin by announcing, “ Hello Everybody.  We’re Supagroup from New Orleans, Louisiana and we’re here to kick Your ASS!”  That pretty much sums it up.  Stand clear, as Supagroup is capable of bruising your booty.   -Brendan McMahon

Superjoint Ritual - A Lethal Dose Of American Hatred (Sanctuary Records)

Wow, well our pal Phil Anselmo from Pantera really has a lot of depression to get out.  His lyrics, which ostensibly is getting out his hatred for America, seems to be more about just being bored and down.  Songs tell users to "kill yourself" about as often as R&B albums tell their audience to make love to them.  Phil's evident growl will no doubt appeal to his loyal legions, but the songs are so lyrically trite that it just seems way too fake.  Even the ever-present marijuana leaf found on many Pantera items is present here, but bears no relation on any music on the album.  The band itself is hard, crunching, and solid, but with such vapid depressed white-boy angst at the front, who can hear it?  -Repojay

Trivium - Embers to Inferno (Lifeforce)

A hard lesson in Medieval thought translated through a modern metal composition that redefines gothic fusion.  Barely out of high school, this Florida trio managed to catch the attention of a small German label with their Dungeons and Dragons mentality and cutting edge approach.  Short and sweet, Embers to Inferno is one of the best metal debuts I’ve heard so far this year.  -Colin Bowel

Various – BikerBoyz Soundtrack (Dreamworks)

Okay, if I’m going to purchase a soundtrack from a second rate motorcycle film, it needs to accomplish two things. 1) make me think of motorcycles or the movie or 2) have a hit song on it.  Now, according to my sources, the best song in the film is not on this soundtrack.  Sounds like a bit of a fan rip-off to me.  Then there are a few songs with those loooong intros.  Hate that.  But the overall feel and some good tracks save the soundtrack from being total trash – the Crystal Method remix of POD’s “Boom”, “Renegade” by JR Ewng which has a total biker/rap feel to it that I liked, “Kalifornia” by Mos Def with it’s air of desperation yet cynicism, the poppy R&B “Tru Rider” from Mowett & Loon, and the title track brings it home by Slick Boyz featuring Mr. Murder.  This soundtrack is better than the film.  -J

Various – Jawbreaker Tribute: Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault (Dying Wish Records)

Every scene has their "cred" band.  You know the type: band that holds on to their indie credible roots to the bitter end, never achieve big success, but are beloved by a small cult of worshippers who insist had they only been given the chance they would've been huge.  I'm sure this is what drove several current punk "cred" acts such as Face to Face and Nerf Herder to participate in this tribute to the punk "cred" act from a decade ago, Jawbreaker.  The problem is, much like these bands, the talent was debatable and the songwriting didn't fare much better.  So we basically get a bunch of tracks mostly from no names that aren't terribly good mainly because the song wasn't very good to begin with.  When The Effect come in with a synth version of "Boxcar", you know it's time to stop wasting your time.  -Repojay

Various: MTV2 Headbanger’s Ball (RoadRunner) 1/4

Back when MTV was cool, I used to watch Headbanger’s Ball religiously.  Since MTV2 is not an option for most, this two-disc set is a fine substitute because it features some of metal’s big stars and underground heroes.  Disc 1 focuses mainly on mainstream acts, while disc 2 dishes up the best from the depths of the metal underworld.  Slip this in to your stereo and enjoy the extreme element of surprise that lies around every corner.  Forty metalicious tracks for one low price provides hours of headbanging pleasure.  Welcome back Headbanger’s Ball.  It’s time to educate a new generation of metal heads.  -NIN

Various: Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Album (Bulletproof/Nitrus/DRT Records)

As with most soundtracks, there’s some pretty good shit on this disc and a few stinkers as well.  Fortunately, the good outweighs the bad.  If you like your metal meaty, heavy, and sick this brutally fierce compilation delivers.  Standouts include Pantera, Soil, Static X, Seether, Shadow’s Fall, Lamb of God, and Fear Factory, to name a few.   -NIN

Various - Trampoline Records Greatest Hits Volume II (Trampoline Records)

When Trampoline Records Greatest Hits Volume II arrived on my desk the question to my co-editor that begged to be asked was, “Do you really want a compilation album reviewed or is this an early Christmas present to your laziest writer?”  Well the answer was both as she said, “Why not?  You might find some gems on there.”  It turns out she was right.  The magic starts immediately with the beautiful roots music of Kip Boardman on the lead-off track “Bottom Line”.  The six-piece St. Louis rock outfit Nadine delivers perhaps the best of the bunch with the passionate and melodic “A Different Kind of Heartache”.  “Blue Eyes” by The Few bursts with rock and roll energy.  The more well-known artists include Liz Phair, Pete Yorn (also producer and co-founder of Trampoline) The Wallflowers and the musical debut of actress Minnie Driver.  Dan Wilson, lead singer of alternative rock band Semisonic, delivers the beautiful “All Kinds”.  On the other side of the spectrum we have lyrics like, “Jerk-offs one and all.  They’re the ones who should be on the wall.  They’re the ones who didn’t bring a ball to the game.  You’re friends are so lame.  Please forgive me if I’m not the same.”  These are the opening lines of Philadelphia native Buva’s “Daydream”, which is proof that this album is about songWRITERS.  Flotilla adds “This Years Clown” to the mix, while Fleshpot supplies “God’s Country Girl”.  In “About A Girl”, Chris Stills’ voice winks at Marshall Crenshaw.  Co-executive producer Pete Yorn offers the Junior Kimbrough proclamation “I Feel Good Again”.  The Freemasons of Nashville share the same No Depression influence as Wilco and Uncle Tupelo before them.  Michael Miller shares the contemplative “Lover I Know”.  The Wallflowers cover Julian Lennon’s 1984 “Too Late for Goodbyes”.  Seven years after his American Recordings debut Jonny Polonsky performs the passionate Pete Yorn sounding “Even the Oxen”.  Morello is not Tom from Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave but Malcolm Cross, drummer of Minibar, and this Brit brings the blue-grass “Turnaround”.  Waz’ “Wait Another Sunday”, sounds like a six-year sidekick to Pete Yorn and nicely done I might say.  The album closes with co-executive producer Marc “Doc” Dauer’s Jukebox Junkie project and the song “Raised by Rock N Roll”.  This beautiful introspective song wraps up a great Christmas gift.  Thanks to my co-editor Nikki and all the beautiful people at Bite Me.  Give the gift of great music and check out the full-length releases by all of the artists on this collection.  Read more at trampolinerecords.com. -Brendan McMahon

What The? 1/2

I saw this CD in Amoeba Records last week for a buck and, personally, after hearing it I’d rather buy a “big and tasty” burger from the evil Mpire than spend it on this.  Sorry, but this is really horrible.  Believe me, the ½ star rating was generous.  -Glen

Wheat - Per Second, Per Second, Per Second...Every Second (Aware/Columbia)

Wheat’s new Per Second, Per Second, Per Second...Every Second is a majestic masterpiece.  This Boston-based three-piece comes from the same school of sophisticated rock-pop as Crowded House, Aztec Camera, the Godfather of sophisticated rock-pop Elvis Costello, and to a smaller extent The Waterboys.  Witness their opening track, which is possibly the best song released this millennium -- “I Met A Girl”.  Its symphonic pull takes the listener to heaven and back.  Some listeners may choose to hit rewind and just stay in heaven.  It’s the audible equivalent of that visceral feeling of meeting someone for the very first time and being speechless in their presence.  Other stand-out tracks include: “These Are Things,” “Life Still Applies,” “Can’t Wash it Off,” and “The Beginner” with its line of, “I’m breathing in the longest spring of my life.”  In “Closer to Mercury” Wheat wears its romantic heart on its sleeve in lines like, “There was a time I felt the morning sun rose up for you...You’ll never find another love like my love.”  Go to your local record store now and demand they stock the new Wheat album, Per Second, Per Second, Per Second...Every Second.  Then go back on Saturday and pick it up to make your weekend right.  Read more at wheatmusic.com, awarerecords.com and columbiarecords.com.  (Note to our readers: Brendan heard a song by Wheat while on a plane to Ireland. When he returned home he immediately went out and bought the album. He loved the band so much that he wanted to turn our readers on to them. – BM) -Brendan McMahon