January 22, 2025

Militia - Militia (Promo CD) (1998)

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*Promotional CD not intended for consumer sale. 
Contains the album in its entirety. 
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: 329 111 003 2

© 1998 Red Ant Entertainment
Militia's eponymous debut album is a skillful fusion of hardcore East Coast hip-hop and funky West Coast gangsta rap that manages to be distinctive. From time to time, they fall back on both lyrical and musical clichés, but that happens only occasionally. More frequently, the Bay Area crew pulls everything together. The members of the crew come from all areas of the country, which helps give Militia an integrated sound. There's no stereotyping here -- there's West Coast funk, East Coast skills, and Southern grooves. The innovation of the best moments makes the whole thing worthwhile.

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 tags: militia, militia album, promo, 1998, flac,
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Necro & Ill Bill - Street Villains Vol. 2 (2005)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: PLR0038

© 2005 Psycho+Logical-Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release. 

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 tags: necro and ill bill, street villains, vol 2, volume, 2005, flac,
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January 18, 2025

Starflyer 59 - Leave Here a Stranger (2001) ☠

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock, Dream Pop
Label Number: TND1199

☠: Selected by Lass
© 2001 Tooth & Nail Records
Starflyer 59's dreamy, introverted pop seems to channel the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Nick Drake as much as the English shoegazer groups of the early '90s to which they're usually compared. Curiously recorded and mixed in mono, Leave Here a Stranger is an atmospheric collection of beautifully languid melodies and lyrics that repeatedly use music as a metaphor for life. Mood, not variety, is the name of the game here, and the album plays like one long song, but for the right moment, Leave Here a Stranger is perfect.

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Razorlight - Up All Night (2004)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: B0003362-02

© 2004 Universal Records
There must be a healthy middle when it comes to capturing the essence of Brit-pop. Something in between the impenetrable swagger of Liam and Noel Gallagher and the vacuous and hollow bravado of Jet that can both pay homage to big riffs and bad attitude, yet still maintain a unique personality, which is what made the rock gods of yesteryear so endearing. Razorlight mastermind, lead singer/guitarist Johnny Borrell wants so desperately to be the next Joe Strummer or Lou Reed, and for what Razorlight's first album lacks in identity, it gathers momentum on effort and sheer will. It's the same, albeit slightly worse, garage rock revival record that's been all too common in the early 2000s, but quick, aggressive tracks such as "Vice," "Rip It Up," "Golden Touch" and "Stumble and Fall" are undeniably catchy and Borrell himself is largely responsible for playing them as if he really were the next Freddie Mercury. He wails and passionately groans over some horribly vapid vocals, "hey girl/get on the dancefloor/rip it up, yeah/that's what it's there for" (on "Rip It Up") but even a bad cover version of your favorite Strokes-type song can still appeal to the less cynical part of your brain. Even John Cornfield and Borrell's production seems like a shoddy attempt to re-create the frontman's favorite records note for note. His desire to add a layer of grime by muddying up the louder moments (such as on "Don't Go Back to Dalston," which starts off quietly before careening into a bloated call and response conclusion) doesn't remove the feeling that the entire recording process was extremely sterile. At this stage, Borrell lacks the confidence to move beyond his idols, and his energetic music remains a game of spot the influence.

 tags: razorlight, up all night, 2004, flac,
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Razorlight - Razorlight (2006)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: B0007215-02

© 2006 Vertigo/Universal Motown
Picking up where they left off with 2004's platinum-selling Up All Night, London's Razorlight pack a solid alt rock punch on their self-titled sophomore effort. Johnny Borrell (vocals/guitar) Björn Åquen (guitar), Carl Dalemo (bass), and Andy Burrows (drums) join producer Chris E. Thomas (the Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music) for these tracks, and together they've turned Razorlight's party rock sound into something more playful and sharp. Razorlight will no longer tolerate being lumped in with the likes of the Kaiser Chiefs, Snow Patrol, and Keane, for the ambitious quartet combines elements of '60s pop, Motown, and Brit-pop for an overall clean performance. Vibrant harmonies, bright, lively musicianship and Borrell's Neil Finn-like vocals carry the weight of Razorlight, and songs such as "Hold On," "In the Morning," and "Pop Song 2006" highlight Razorlight's youthful, carefree presence. What makes Razorlight a personable band is that they find the balance between sincerity and seriousness. They make honest indie rock for those looking for a solid, good song. There's no frills, no fancy production, just the purity of these songs. That combination, however, might be a bit monotonous for those looking for their next fix of Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand.

 tags: razorlight, razorlight album, 2006, flac,
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Razorlight - Slipway Fires (2008)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: B0012705-02

© 2008 Mercury/Vertigo
Slipway Fires is Razorlight's most mainstream release to date, an album that downplays the band's garage-rock past for something akin to Snow Patrol's adult-approved pop. Theatrical harmonies and hooks demonstrate the band's growth -- they're no longer ripping off the Strokes, having left the swaggering sounds of Up All Night far behind -- but growth is the very problem with Slipway Fires, whose mature, polished tones might as well have been recorded by middle-aged AOR vets rather than Clash-loving twentysomethings. This is an album of earnest piano ballads and well-scrubbed rock, an album that sports song titles like "North London Trash" but sounds as dirty as early-'80s Fleetwood Mac. At times, the earnest posturing gives way to something like "Tabloid Lover," a fun, shamelessly trashy romp that takes its cues from the Bangles. Another highlight, "Burberry Blue Eyes," calls to mind the Feeling's bouncy power pop, but while such a song would sound appropriate on the Feeling's next release, it's hard to reconcile the fact that Razorlight -- a band that previously sang about bar-filled evenings and hung-over mornings -- have now traded in their street-smart denim for songs about luxury clothing chains. Enjoying Slipway Fires requires a suspension of disbelief, a conscious separation between the band's past and the (somewhat ludicrous) present. Of course, not looking at the outlandishly serious cover art -- in which frontman Johnny Borrell attacks the camera with a smoldering glare, an unbuttoned dress shirt, and a seemingly un-ironic pearl necklace -- may also help.

 tags: razorlight, slipway fires, 2008, flac,
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January 14, 2025

The Charlatans - Who We Touch (Deluxe Edition) (2010)

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*Contains a second disc with 13 bonus tracks. 
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: COOKCD527X

© 2010 Frinck Recordings
No other pre-Oasis band embraced trad-rock like the Charlatans -- and to be fair, they did it exceedingly well, translating their baggy beats to a cool, swaggering rock & roll shuffle that paid off great dividends over the course of the next 15 years. By the end of the 2000s, they had become the rarest of things, a reliable rock band that seldom disappointed but the flip side of that is that they rarely surprised, either. Who We Touch is where that all changes. On this 2010 album, the Charlatans recapture their sense of adventure, something that is immediately apparent once the album kicks off with the neo-shoegaze swirl of “Love Is Ending,” simultaneously the loudest and lightest they’ve been in years. “Love Is Ending” ushers in a rush of sound, the textures taking precedent over groove but not at the expense of the songs, which remain smoothly assured. The Charlatans channel much of their energy into the sound of the album, shifting palates for each song, letting the softer moments revel in delicate textures, having the trippier moments stretch out on elastic loops of samples and keyboards, all the louder moments resulting in a cool wall of sound, not a repurposed swagger. It’s recognizably the Charlatans -- it’s hard to disguise Tim Burgess’s laconic drawl or the light psychedelic pull of his melodies -- but they’re unexpectedly abandoning their dad-rock handbook and taking risks, winding with their freshest, best album since they traded the Happy Mondays for the Rolling Stones.

 tags: the charlatans, who we touch, deluxe edition, 2010, flac,
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The Charlatans - Modern Nature (2015)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 538014142

© 2015 BMG
The Charlatans are no strangers to loss. Keyboardist Rob Collins died during the recording of their 1997 masterwork Tellin' Stories, and 17 years later they lost founding member Jon Brookes to brain cancer. His absence hangs over 2015's Modern Nature, the first record the band has made since Brookes' diagnosis in 2010, but the Charlatans aren't the sort to dwell in darkness. Tim Burgess alludes to the drummer's presence on the album's opening "Talking in Tones" but Modern Nature soon settles into a nicely worn soulful groove, a sound that suggests the group gains strength through the therapy of playing music. Happily, this emphasis on soul gives Modern Nature a different character than Who We Touch, the nifty 2010 LP where they dabbled in different sounds while retaining a solid song foundation. Due to its soulful undercurrents, this feels more unified than Who We Touch and also contemplative, a record designed not for the black depth of night but the sepia tones of twilight. Much of this haziness derives from the shimmering production, a sound that's mellow without succumbing to laziness. It's a nice fit for cleverly retrofitted '70s soul grooves like "Tall Grass," but it also suits the handful of songs like "Come Home Baby" and "So Oh" that echo the Charlatans' early Madchester swirl. By incorporating these offhand allusions to the past while being firmly planted in a mature present, Modern Nature showcases a band whose members are aware of where they've been and grateful for what they have.

 tags: the charlatans, modern nature, 2015, flac,
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The Charlatans - Different Days (2017)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 538279092

© 2017 BMG
As a title, Different Days certainly suggests the Charlatans have pushed themselves into a new era. In a sense, they were forced to change. After mourning founding drummer Jon Brookes on 2015's Modern Nature, the group has moved into a different phase with Brookes replacement Pete Salisbury, formerly of the Verve. Anchored by Salisbury, the Charlatans aren't quite as traditionally minded as they used to be and they embrace a new fluidity not only in their rhythms -- which are sometimes enhanced by drum programming -- but their attitude toward collaborations. Former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr plays on three songs, Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe plays on a couple of tracks, and Paul Weller co-wrote the closing "Spinning Out." What's interesting is that none of these spotlights are flashy -- the guitars don't call attention to themselves, Weller's piano adds color but it doesn't provide the foundation for "Spinning Out" -- yet the presence of the additional musicians is instrumental in the variety of Different Days. True, this variety is rather subtle, partially due to the doggedly low-key production, but underneath its simmering shimmer Different Days offers spins on classic pop, electronic soul, and late-night chill. Perhaps it's quiet exploration, but the Charlatans embrace the elastic possibilities of new avenues here, and the results are rewarding.

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The Kartel - Players Only Live Once (2025 Reissue)

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*This is a digital store download purchased from Bandcamp. 
Originally released in 1997 by Brandon Records.
It was reissued in 2025 by 90's Tapes as a Digital Download.
Contains 13 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: None

© 1997-2025 90's Tapes
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

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 tags: the kartel, players only live once, 1999, 2025
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January 05, 2025

Seam - Kernel: E.P. (1993)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: TG112CD

© 1993 Touch & Go
Seam can always be thanked for patterning some of the indie rock sounds that dominated independent music in the '90s, and the Kernel EP delivers on this as much as one would expect; in addition to the title track and "Sweetpea," the record also features an alternate version of "Shame," and a cover of Breaking Circus' "Driving the Dynamite Truck." This probably makes it most interesting to Seam completists; the EP is obviously not an essential addition, given Seam's album work.

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Cathy Dennis - Into The Skyline (1992)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop, R&B
Label Number: 314 513 935-2

© 1992 Polydor
Cathy Dennis' charming, girlish voice was first introduced on D-Mob's bouncy 1989 smash "C'mon and Get My Love." Her debut album, Move to This, released in 1990, was a collection of lightweight but catchy dance-pop containing no less than four Top Ten hits, including the D-Mob tune and the number two smash "All Night Long (Touch Me)." It seemed Cathy Dennis' star would continue to rise with her 1992 follow-up, Into the Skyline. Unfortunately, Into the Skyline attempted to re-create the sound of its predecessor with a weaker set of material. Despite the presence of D-Mob's Dancin' Danny D and superproducer Shep Pettibone (Pet Shop Boys, Madonna), the album flopped and yielded no major hits.

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Cathy Dennis - Am I The Kinda Girl? (1996) ☠

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*Japanese pressing. 
Contains 13 tracks total.

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: POCP-7180

☠: Selected by Lass
© 1996 Polydor Records
After scoring no less than four American Top 10 hits from her debut album, Move to This, British singer Cathy Dennis followed up with a fine second album, Into the Skyline, which unfortunately fell into the dreaded "sophomore slump" category, perhaps because it treaded similar musical waters as her debut. As a result, her third and best album never saw a release in the United States. Am I the Kinda Girl was released during the peak of the 1990s grunge era, resulting in an album much more earthy and melancholy than her two previous dance-oriented records. This album, in fact, could very well be classified as a rock/pop album with no real dance cuts. "Am I the kinda girl that could be your boyfriend?" is the question she asks on the album's title track, and that sets the lyrical tone for the album. The lyrics are ripe with drug references and sexual innuendoes (without resorting to foul language), yet the songs possess a definite feeling of sadness. The ballads resonate with a 1960s sound, and the results are beautiful. "When Dreams Turn to Dust," "Stupid Fool." and "The Date" are among the album's best songs, and they are sung so earnestly they almost sound tearful. She also provides a great cover of the Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset." The upbeat songs, namely "Homing the Rocket" and "That Is Why You Love Me" are no less engaging. This is a solid, sincerely delivered album that unfortunately never received the exposure it was due.

 tags: cathy davis, am I the kinda girl, kind of, 1996, flac,
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Judas Priest - Invincible Shield (2024)

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

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label Number: 19658851642

© 2024 Epic
More than 50 years into their heavy metal legacy, Judas Priest are still screaming at full power on their 19th studio full-length Invincible Shield. The album, their first studio effort of its kind since 2018's Firepower, is again produced by the band's touring guitarist Andy Sneap, and its 14 songs stretch out at over just an hour-long runtime. The album charges out of the gate with the dumbfounding riffery of "Panic Attack." The song touches on all the now-signature elements of Priest's sound, with dizzying harmonic guitar solos, a relentlessly pushy beat, and layers of Rob Halford's vocals, part winking metal theater, part authentic menace. The majority of the album sticks to thrash levels of speed and force, though the band switches gears to fantastical midtempo lurking on the epic "Crown of Horns" and the chugging "Trial by Fire." There's an unexpected acoustic breakdown in "Giants in the Sky" and some bluesy swaggering on the chunky "Fight of Your Life," but by and large Invincible Shield finds Judas Priest delivering a tightly wound and immaculately polished rendering of everything fans have come to expect from them over the last half a century. While at this point there's some unavoidable self-awareness to their craft, it does nothing to take away from the exhilarating fun and lawless excitement of the album. Invincible Shield simply reminds us that this particular kind of excitement is synonymous with Judas Priest.

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