Reviews

Finally getting around reviewing stuff for GR50 (not shown here)... We're listing fewer CDs than ever in the mag, yet it's difficult to come up with enough music we like to fill the usual space. What's with all the crap?

In the meantime, here's some summer listening that's been in my car shuffler but is too old to review:

Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound. The legendary Chicago trio cements its reputation as the best first-song-on-an-album writers ever. The precision, intensity, and bone-dry humor is best experienced live, but there's no letting down here.


The Jam - All Mod Cons (Deluxe Edition). The classic album sounds better than ever, and this version is remastered with 14 bonus tracks and a nice documentary by Don Letts featuring interviews with Paul, Rick, and Bruce. Import only, from Canada or the UK.


Tim Armstrong - A Poet's Life. How can you go wrong with the Strummer-esque voice from Rancid and the heavy and sweet rocksteady instruments of The Aggrolites? This is the perfect summer album, and there's also a bonus DVD with lo-fi, two-tone videos of every song.