RECOGNIZE

BENGA
NEWSTEP
Melodic & electronic, like a nu version of 808 State. Sort of. Maybe not quite that melodic. "Zombie Jig". "Dubstep Dreams".

HOOBASTANK
EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF
I've always hated this band despite never hearing them. No band called Hoobastank could be worth a god damn, I don't care who they get to do what. My premonitions were correct, this is indeed worthless pop poop rock. And can I just register a general complaint while I'm here about military imagery in rock songs? The ole hup two three four kind of thing? Because it's bogus & it makes my skin crawl.

MESRINE
JACK IS DEAD
50 song grindcore, um, concept album? About serial killers and... the Simpsons? The longest track is still under three minutes. Sound quality ranges from clean to disgusting! As well it should. "Andrew Cunanan"...."Apu".... "Skinner pt 2".

MOTORJESUS
DEATHRIDER
Melodic Euro power metal pop rock. The choruses sound like Nickelback.

KERRANG PRESENTS
REMASTER OF PUPPETS
Full length tribute album by 'today's hottest metal artists'. Machine Head tunes down, so their "Battery" intro already sounds different. Otherwise, yeah. It is what it is. Hm, covering an entire album, what a concept. I've never heard of Mendeed or Fightstar, but the rest are what passes for household names in the world of metal these days. Dude, Bullet For My Valentine's whiny singer sounds like a fucking tool. Chimaira (original band name there, well done)'s dude takes the opposite approach - tuneless death metal screeching - & sounds just as toolish. Funeral For A Friend too, with "Damage, Inc". Meh.

PAUL SIMON
SURPRISE
Good god, it sounds like Sonic Youth at the beginning. That's weird. Did I cue up the wrong thing? The highest compliment I can pay this is to say that it doesn't sound like Paul Simon. I've never been down with the little man. Though I was confused when Chevy Chase was in that one video, because he was still funny & hadn't turned into a puppet of elective cosmetic surgery yet. I might even listen to "How Can You Live in the Northeast" again. "Everything About it is a Love Song" goes drum & bass, yes, ten years too late. Better late than never, I suppose. Not bad for a fossil. Or, I've just lost my fucking mind.

SONIC YOUTH
RATHER RIPPED
I lost track of these guys after 'Goo', so I don't know what else to say beyond it sounds like Sonic Youth. Opener "Reena" is a clean-tone exploration. Upbeat & sorta jangly. But still moody & unique. "Incinerate" has clean guitars too. Is that how they do it now? Nice. "Sleepin Around" - there's the scuzz. Is Kim Gordon singing more? Cool album. I don't know what I expected, but this shit is cool.