Dead Boys - Young, Loud & Snotty (1977)

*First pressing on CD.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Punk Rock
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© 1977-1992 Sire Records
AllMusic Review by Ned Raggett
Fellow Cleveland types Pere Ubu may have won the artistic kudos for their adventurous, surprising work, but if the goal was just to rock and rock again, the Dead Boys had them totally trumped. As both title phrase and capsule description, Young, Loud & Snotty accurately defines the predominating aesthetic so well that one could just leave it at that, but there's a lot more going on here than on the face of it. With perhaps surprising great production from demi-famous '70s rocket Genya Ravan, the five-some found something sonically smack in-between the US garage/punk heritage of the past and the more modern thrashings from overseas. Bators sneers, gobs, gasps, and whines with the best of them, but he knows his rock history, as does his bandmates. Zero and Chrome aren't guitar virtuosos, but they do know what makes a song great and aren't afraid to concentrate on that, while the Magnum/Blitz rhythm section keeps things moving as it does. In some ways songs like "All This and More" and "I Need Lunch" simply emerge from an alternate '50s, with admittedly much more feedback and stereo sound. Stone cold rock classic "Sonic Reducer" starts things off -- amusingly -- with all sorts of phased drums and other fripperies that later generations wouldn't consider punk at all. That said, it's still blunt, brilliantly sung by Bators and kicks out the jams with messy energy. Other all-time greats include the perfect bored-and-needing-kicks anthem "Ain't Nothin' to Do" and the thoroughly wrong "Caught With the Meat In Your Mouth." There's even a rock oldie -- a cover of "Hey Little Girl" live onstage at spiritual home CBGB's. And why not? With great punk rock and great rock, Young, Loud and Snotty still packs a punch.

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Dead Boys - We Have Come For Your Children (1978)

*First pressing on CD.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Punk Rock
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© 1978-1999 Sire Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
Coming off one of punk rock's early classic albums, 1977's raw and rough Young Loud & Snotty, you'd think the Dead Boys would have followed the same winning formula on their sophomore release. But as We Have Come for Your Children proves, the album didn't come close to matching the fury of their debut. The reasons for this fumble can be attributed to a few things, but chiefly, it was a poor producer choice (ex-Mountain bassist Felix Pappalardi, who really had no business producing a punk band, and obviously wanted to tame the group). That said, Children isn't a complete atrocity, however -- much of the material is strong, and it would have benefited greatly from a grittier production (there was talk of having ex-Stooges guitarist James Williamson produce the album at the time, which would have probably improved the end result). Still, this is the Dead Boys album that contains one of their greatest all-time tracks, "Ain't It Fun," a "live fast, die young" tale that is quite eerie coming from now-deceased singer Stiv Bators (and was later covered by Guns N' Roses). Elsewhere, you can't help but wonder how much better such promising tracks as "(I Don't Wanna Be No) Catholic Boy" and "Flame Thrower Love" would have turned out in the hands of another producer. Since the Dead Boys' discography is short, fans should definitely try to hunt down a copy of We Have Come for Your Children (as of 2005, the CD version is only available as an import); just don't expect the same knockout punch that Young Loud & Snotty generates.

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Dead Boys - Still Snotty: Young Loud & Snotty At 40 (2017)

*This is a re-recording of the original 1977 release (Young, Loud & Snotty) Contains 9 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Punk Rock
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© 2017 Plowboy Records
Review by Tim Stegall for Magnet Magazine.com
1973 American punk rock was either the Rolling Stones in hell (Iggy And The Stooges circa Raw Power) or in a lower gutter than they inhabited (New York Dolls). Cleveland’s Dead Boys combined both approaches, leaned more toward the Stooges, then spliced in slapstick humor and the more stripped-down variant of American hard rock. For hell-raising guitarist Cheetah Chrome to reteam with drummer Johnny Blitz and some ringers to recut their classic Sire debut, including a singer from a Dead Boys tribute act standing in for the iconic Stiv Bators, may seem at first like the Sex Pistols touring with Gary Oldman on bass. But Still Snotty, while not a replacement for the original, works remarkably well if you consider the 1977 LP was intended as a demo. The brutality and energy are all intact, but with more studio polish, and singer Jake Hout remarkably re-creates Bators’ post-Alice Cooper snarl.

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Ill Niño - Revolution Revolución (2002 Special Edition)

*Special edition Digipak reissue released in 2002 by Roadrunner Records. Contains 5 bonus tracks and 2 music videos (not included) Contains 18 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.
Language: English, Spanish (Español)
Genre: Nü-Metal, Alternative Metal
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© 2001-2002 Roadrunner Records
AllMusic Review by Brian O'Neill
Contradictions that confound expectations of Ill Niño pop up throughout the band's debut disc. The gruesome cover and politically charged song titles imply a harder-than-thou thrash-fest that never materializes, as the band is one of the most sonorous of their ilk. At the same time, the Spanish surnames and band moniker implies gimmickry, but Ill Niño ain't a Puya; the Spanish lyrics and Latin flavor enhances without becoming overwrought. At times, Revolution Revolucíon seems almost too sedate, and it does fall into some of the usual rap-metal trappings in spite of itself, but overall this is an excellent debut for fans who lean more to the cerebral side of modern metallic endeavors.

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Ill Niño - Confession (2003)

Country: U.S.A.
Language: English. Spanish (Español)
Genre: Nü-Metal, Alternative Metal
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© 2003 Roadrunner Records
Review by Allmusic.com

It's perhaps logical that this latest exercise in combining swaying Latin rhythms and full-on heavy metal would come from the swamps of New Jersey-certain parts of the state have long been fertile territory for metal in its hydra-headed manifestations. CONFESSION, Ill Nino's sophomore album, builds and improves upon the band's integration of the two musical forms in a tour de force of titanium-throated vocals, hairpin rhythms, and speaker-shredding guitars.
The Latin influence manifests itself in percussive shadings and a melodicism on tracks such as "Lifeless-Life" and "Unframed" that push the band beyond stock metal riffing. The music even bears a certain lilt-not a word usually associated with the foundation-shaking bass and breakneck drumming of the genre-that sets Ill Nino apart from most of its Jersey-based contemporaries and more than a few national acts to boot. Though the combination of Hispanic culture and metal isn't new, Ill Nino certainly displays enough confidence and natural-born swagger on CONFESSION to make it seem that way.

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Ill Niño - One Nation Underground (2005)

Country: U.S.A.
Language: English, Spanish (Español)
Genre: Alternative Metal, Latin Metal
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© 2005 Roadrunner Records
AllMusic Review by David Jeffries
You could call Latin metal outfit Ill Niño a cross between Soulfly and Linkin Park, leaning a little more toward the Park. It's a very 2005 combination, one you could consider contrived even, but there's enough genuine and inspired moments on their third album to not write them off as wannabes, enough to even cheer them on and hope they let their inner Ill Niño out a little more next time. They've got hooks and tension building down just right and while they lyrically border on bland, there's some Santana-styled breaks and the bouncing between the English and Spanish language keeping things interesting. "What You Deserve" is for the Linkin Park fans, "This Is War" for the Soulfly crowd, but more mystical, winding numbers like "De la Vida" and "My Pleasant Torture" are much richer, worth returning to, and uniquely Ill Niño. The second half of the album is definitely looser and more rewarding, with intricate songs that take repeat listens to untangle. It makes the predictable plays for the Park crowd all the more frustrating, but even the everyday cathartic music for "the kids" is graced by a few spicy twists along with Scrap 60's great grit-meets-slick production. An everyday album from which you can make an excellent EP.

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Ill Niño - Enigma (2008)

Country: U.S.A.
Language: English, Spanish (Español)
Genre: Alternative Metal, Latin Metal
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© 2008 Cement Shoes Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Thurston
Following on the heels of an appropriately eclectic EP of covers, Ill Nino’s 2008 effort ENIGMA offers more of the quintet’s quirky brand of melodically driving thrash. On its Cement Garden debut (fourth full-length overall) the New Jersey metal act sounds like Sepultura channeled through Faith No More, suddenly shifting languages or time signatures for a deliriously unpredictable ride. ENIGMA opens simply enough, summoning images of early Metallica on tracks like “The Alibi of Tyrants” and “Pieces of the Sun.” However, the record swiftly becomes gleefully unhinged and by “Guerilla Carnival,” the band is even interpolating INXS. When paired with the album’s graver lyrics, the effect is unsettling.

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Trust Company - The Lonely Position of Neutral (2002) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Metal

Label Number: 0694933122IN02

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☠: Selected by Lass

© 2002 Geffen Records
AllMusic Review by Jason D. Taylor
Trust Company's major-label debut is a rather standard affair that meshes melody with aggressive vocal screams like many other acts that have sprouted since Linkin Park and Papa Roach scored big in 2000. Despite the simplistic formulas present here, these young men have patched together a sound that is catchy and eager for additional spins. Songs like "Downfall" and "Hover" capitalize in large ways on the nu-metal trend, and are extremely memorable tracks. Occasionally Trust Company slides in melodies that border on the ever-popular punk-pop genre, which helps distance the group from many of its peers. Unfortunately, while The Lonely Position of Neutral has a wealth of strong tracks, it is quite apparent that the group's similarities to Linkin Park may hurt its long-term success, as many may find the band nothing more than the expected carbon copy of other, more successful acts. This is a shame, because those willing to give this album a chance will find one of the most infectious alternative metal albums of 2002.

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Trust Company - True Parallels (2005)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Metal

Style: B0004332-12

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© 2005 Geffen Records
AllMusic Review by John D. Luerssen
With True Parallels, commercial hard rockers Trust Company do little to undo the anonymity the band brought forth on its 2002 debut The Lonely Position of Neutral. Sure, "Stronger" is an energetic, riff-laden high-production number, but the group might as well be Hoobastank or Papa Roach, as it does little to carve its own mainstream identity. Produced by big-name heavy rock knob-twiddlers Howard Benson and Don Gilmore, melodic noise like "The War Is Over," and loud faceless crunch rock like "Fold" and "Surfacing" may keep the cash registers ringing at Sam Goody, but it's still steeped in mediocrity.

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Trust Company - Dreaming In Black & White (2011)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Metal

Label Number: EOM-CD-2335

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© 2011 EONe Music
AllMusic Review by William Ruhlmann
It was probably inevitable that Trust Company would re-form after their 2005 breakup, given that both of the band's albums had reached the Top 50, suggesting that the musicians were leaving money on the table by splitting. So, six years later, singer/guitarist Kevin Palmer, guitarist James Fukai, and drummer Jason Singleton are back, now with new bassist Wes Cobb, picking up where they left off. That was playing "alternative metal," which in their case means music with metal arrangements for the guitars and drums, but with melodic vocals by Palmer, not an enraged heavy metal howl. In their heyday, Trust Company didn't reach their potential in competition with such peers as System of a Down, Disturbed, and Staind, but that potential remains here, as the band aims at a middle ground that may bring in more mainstream rock fans without alienating metalheads. So, the aggression is there in the music, but above it, Palmer sings earnestly, if through a diffuse sound filter, encouraging his listeners and providing singalong parts. "Tonight, you're not alone," he concludes on "Don't Say Goodbye," the closer, which might serve as the re-formed band's new theme song.

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Trik Turner - Trik Turner (2002) ☠

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Nü-Metal

Label Number: 07863-68073-2

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☠: Selected by Lass

© 2002 RCA/BMG Records
AllMusic Review by Bradley Torreano
Like any genre of music, rap rock has its obvious conventions and cliches. Trik Turner does an excellent job of utilizing every little one of those cliches on their eponymous debut album. David Bowers and Doug Moore are the two vocalists for the group, and they have the requisite Fred Durst/Everlast style of singing and rapping down pat. They name drop famous rappers ("New York Groove",) they sing Sugar Ray-style jams about their family ("Friends & Family",) they cover a classic hip hop anthem ("Black Sheep",) they sing Staind-style ballads about being depressed ("Not Like You",) they even include the father hating anthem "Temptation." The only trend they seem to avoid is featuring a guest rapper, but Limp Bizkit waited until their second album to do that, so they have some leeway. Despite the fact that the album is ridiculously predictable, it's also a good distillation of the various metal trends that have occurred around the turn of the century. The music might be second rate, but it's still catchy, and this is better than most of the faceless rap metal that has haunted the scene. Think of this band as the rap rock version of Firehouse; they might have come along late in the game, but they understand what works and what doesn't.

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Adema - Unstable (2003)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Metal

Label Number: 07822-14696-2

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© 2003 Artista Records
AllMusic Review by Brian O'Neill
By the time Adema released its debut in 2001, nu-metal was already beginning to become a cliché -- you had the guy with the dreds, the guy with the tattoos, the bald guy. By the time Unstable came out in 2003, the backlash was even more palpable and pronounced. The band's debut was hardly groundbreaking, but you could hear that there was a chance that the guys could expand upon those initial ideas and possibly gain some originality. Sadly, all it takes is one listen to Unstable to realize that Adema was satisfied to stick to the formula. The entire disc comes off as safe as mother's milk, catering to the most banal of radio programmers whose idea of taking a risk is playing System of a Down during the daylight hours, and to the least discriminating fans. What passes for poignant heartfelt balladry, such as "Promises," which ironically complains about excuses being "all played out," seems calculated instead of sincere. When the band does kick things up a notch, on the funk-riffing "Stressin'" or lead track, "Co-Dependent," it seems more a vehicle to display rock star moves on-stage than any concrete cathartic calisthenics. With a chance to make a unique statement, Adema stays pat, and the result of the lateral move is actually several steps back.

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Adema - Adema (2001)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Metal, Nü-Metal

Label Number: 07822-14696-2

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© 2001 Artista Records
AllMusic Review by JT Griffith
Adema's self-titled debut CD on Arista is a solid modern rock album similar to Staind's Break the Cycle, Korn's Issues, Tool's Aenima, or Limp Bizkit's Significant Other. The album is not terribly challenging or revolutionary but manages to remind the listener of other hard acts without sounding derivative. That is a major success in the overpopulated genre Adema inhabits. "Giving In" was the first single released to radio and was a good choice. The highly melodic song (and "Close Friends") should be popular with fans of Staind's "It's Been a While" and Linkin Park's "One Step Closer." Some songs like "Freaking Out" have surprisingly confessional lyrics. "The Way You Like it" is a simple call to individualism that will likely connect with the band's target demographic group. Such a song rings true from a band that doesn't simply sound like their producer's previous efforts. If their debut is any indication, Adema may be a well-known force on the alternative rock scene.

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Adema - Planets (2005)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Metal

Label Number: MOSH292CD

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© 2005 Earache Records
AllMusic Review by James Christopher Monger
For a region so rich in sunshine and skin, Southern California is filled with angry young men. When Adema unleashed its brutal but melodic brand of alternative metal in 2001, fans of Staind, Korn, and Tool rose to the occasion, buying enough copies of the self-titled debut to see it achieve gold status. By 2004, lead singer Mark Chavez -- he's the younger half-brother of Korn's Jonathan Davis -- had left the group, a move that split fans in half. New vocalist Luke Caraccioli is more subdued than Chavez. Utilizing a fluid croon that dutifully conveys emotional resonance but shies away from the screams and explosive outbursts that defined the band's previous work, Caraccioli further cements the band's trek from beefy nu-metal doomsayers to angst-filled, mid-tempo, Evanescence-esque (say that five times in a row) radio rockers. While killer riffs and tight melodic choruses do occur ("Shoot the Arrows" and "Enter the Cage"), the bloated, 16-track run time of Planets renders the good stuff less effective.

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Adema - Kill The Headlights (2007)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Metal

Label Number: 60037-2

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© 2007 Immortal Records
Review by Sven Hansen for Melodic.net
The first time I heard of Adema, it was only because Jonathan Davis (Korn) half-brother was a guitarist in the band - and I assumed they only received label interest because of this fact. But their self titled debut album was rather good, and received a fair amount of radio play. That was the last I heard of them...
Their latest offering ´Kill the Headlights´ see the band lineup significantly different to the original quartet. New vocalist Bobby Reeves has a good ´rock´ voice, with catchy, memorable hooks - and album opener ´Cold and Jaded´ is a good showcase for this and what the band has to offer. This album definitely sits better in the ´rock´ genre as opposed to the ´nu-metal´corner they were stuck in previously. ´Open Till Midnight´ features some nice bass fills with a grooving drum-beat - while ´Days Go By´ see Adema slow down a gear for mid-tempo tune with some good production work. However I feel the vocals are a bit nasal, and could be more pronounced in the mix. Strangely, good lyrics are never mentioned (or rarely found) in rock/metal acts, but their are some glimpses of magic in ´Kill the Headlights´ tracks, particularly ´All these Years´ has an interesting approach. Nothing on this album really stands out, but it somehow does keep your attention. Another diverse track ´What doesn´t Kill Us’ moves through a couple of genres and keeps one wondering ´what’s next?´ All in all, a good hard rock album - but unfortunately nothing to really grab the listener.
Possibly with more stability in their line-up the future will be brighter for Adema

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Las Jilguerillas - Mexicanísimo: Las Jilguerillas (2008)

*Esta compilación contiene las grabaciones/versiones originales con audio remasterizado. Contiene 15 pistas en total. Una foto del disco está incluida en el archivo.

Country: Mexico
Language: Spanish (Español)
Genre: Ranchera
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© 2008 Sony Music Entertainment US Latin
*No professional reviews available for this release.

tags: las jilguerillas, mexicanisimo las jilguerillas, mexicanisimo, 2008, flac,

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Aarón Y Su Grupo Ilusión - 20 Éxitos Sonideros (1997)

*Una foto del disco está incluida en el archivo.

Country: Mexico
Language: Spanish (Español)
Genre: Cumbia

Label Number: CDA-207
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© 1997 Discos & Cassettes Atotonilco S.A. De C.V.
*No professional reviews available for this release.

tags: aaron y su grupo ilusion, illusion, 20 exitos sonideros, 1997, flac,

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Jodeci - Forever My Lady (1991)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: R&B

Label Number: MCAD-10198

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© 1991 MCA Records
AllMusic Review by Ron Wynn
A pair of brother acts combined forces to form Jodeci, a singing group with one foot in the future and the other squarely in the past. Dalvin and Devante Swing DeGrate teamed with JoJo and K-Ci Hailey for a debut album that mixed vintage soul singing with new jack production and bravado. But it wasn't the hip-hop-flavored songs that earned them popularity; instead, urban contemporary audiences embraced the love tunes "Come and Talk to Me" and the title track, signaling the beginnings of a move away from new jack swing that became a full-fledged retreat.

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Monica - Miss Thang (1995) ☠

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 75444 37006 2
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© 1995 Rowdy Records
AllMusic Review by Craig Lytle
Monica had signed to Arista's Rowdy imprint several years prior to this release, so she had ample time to ensure her debut would be nothing short of successful. The album focuses on hip-hop and contemporary urban cuts, including a pair of R&B chart-toppers. The first is "Don't Take It Personal," also a massive pop hit, propelled by a heavy bottom bass with Monica's indelible vocals ringing as she embraces an introspective lyric. The second, "Before You Walk Out of My Life," is a bittersweet lyric with unwavering vocals. "Like This and Like That" has that pocket beat; the song's flow is dictated by Monica's vocal chorus and an animated rap by Mr. Malik. Monica gives her own rendition on several numbers; while they all are plausible, the blues number "Let's Straighten It Out" is the most engaging, as she shares vocal duties with Usher. In spite of her youthful age, Monica conveys a surprisingly mature sound.

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Des'ree - Supernatural (1998)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: R&B
Label Number: BK 69508
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© 1998 550 Music
AllMusic Review by Michael Gallucci
On her third album of adult R&B, new age princess Des'ree offers up more musical self-help tips and self-esteem makeovers for the chronically lovesick and spiritually downhearted. And while there's nothing as peacefully sublime as "You Gotta Be" (from 1994's I Ain't Movin') on Supernatural, the listen is a soothing one. Credit Brit Des'ree herself for this; her voice -- a reassuring tool that envelops everything around it -- has never been better. Working her softened tones around the mostly forgettable material (many of the songs try to rewrite "You Gotta Be" by essentially sticking with the same formula of making sophisticated urban soul), she creates a melodic new-age tone (complete with a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire") that may not stick with you a lifetime, but it sure feels like the most tranquil place on earth for its 50 minutes.

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Los Traileros Del Norte - Te Sigo Amando (1997)

*Una foto del disco está incluida en el archivo

Country: Mexico
Language: Spanish (Español)
Genre: Norteña
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©© 1997 FonoVisa Inc.
*No professional reviews available for this release.

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Taproot - Gift (2000) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Metal, Nü-Metal

Label Number: 83354-2

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© 2000 Atlanitc/Velvet Hammer Music
AllMusic Review by Brian Musich
In a time when Michigan exploded as a hotbed of electronica and white-boy hip-hop innovation, Ann Arbor's Taproot emerged to restore Michigan to the riff-laden, rock & roll glory of the Ted Nugent '70s. Having built a heavy underground following through its live performances, early self-released albums, and website, Taproot stepped into the national spotlight with a debut bound to please 16 and 17 year olds everywhere. In rock & roll, timing is everything. Taproot's timing is both a blessing and a curse. Dropping in a time when rap-rock is all the rage, as it sells albums like mad, garners instant publicity from MTV, and packs stadiums in a new generation of concert festivals, Taproot is guaranteed media exposure and a large built-in fan base. That means sales. Unfortunately, Taproot's Gift is a late arrival to this party. Following the success and popularity of Korn, Limp Bizkit, Static-X, System of a Down, and Slipknot just to name a few, Taproot suffers by comparisons. There are just too few surprises on Gift. You don't want to compare Taproot to those other bands, but because of the timing of its release, it's impossible not to. It's all here: heavy riffs, distorted rapping vocals, "life sucks" lyrics, and angry growling. Lead vocalist Stephen Richards, while having an adequate range, seems to try his hardest to imitate Jonathan Davis of Korn. These guys seem serious about their music, which is refreshing. There are no gimmicks like clown masks or fake b-boy posing. This guys are just about hard rock & roll, and they do excel as musicians. Unfortunately, overall, Gift lacks personality, making the album a decent but disposable and unmemorable listen. A legion of 16 and 17 year olds will put this album on, crank it up, bang their heads, and pound away their frustrations. That's what this music is for and always has been. Taproot will have its loyal following of disillusioned wannabe rebels and pack arenas for years. If they had dropped Gift two years earlier, Taproot would be pioneers. Instead, they are adequate followers.

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Taproot - Blue-Sky Research (2005) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Metal, Alternative Rock

Label Number: 83720-2

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© 2005 Atlantic/Velvet Hammer Music
AllMusic Review by Johnny Loftus
Taproot branch out on Blue-Sky Research, collaborating with some notable outside songwriters and tweaking the nu-metal bludgeon of their first two records for a more melodic sound. There are still gloomy hard hitters here. "Facepeeler" and "Nightmare" feature unwieldy roaring and bleak sheets of distortion that frame atmospheric stretches, making the quartet sound like ambitious but samey Deftones followers. But then there's "Violent Seas," a glimmeringly insistent modern rocker co-written with Billy Corgan. It still broods, and breaks into anxious choruses. But it's also many times more accessible than any of Taproot's previous work. Corgan also co-writes "Promise" and the rousing "Lost in the Woods," while Jonah Matranga of Far, Onelindrawing, and Gratitude helps out on "Calling." The assistance is a plus for Taproot. The songs still deal with bitter stuff like loneliness, obsession, and hearts being ripped from inside chests, and all the bellowing, brooding, and thick chording gets a little formulaic. But even without the hired guns Blue-Sky Research is the most dynamic Taproot album yet (the self-penned "So Eager" proves that), and the album's heightened textures and less predictable turns successfully updates the band's sound. By easing up on the plodding drudgery and letting Stephen Richards sing in a voice that sounds more like his own, Taproot start to suggest moody but readily accessible post-grunge acts like Breaking Benjamin or Three Days Grace instead of the tired nu-metal past.

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