Lawrence.com

The Mountain Goats

"We Shall All Be Healed: (4AD, 2004)

B

Folk purists are sure to be displeased by "We Shall All Be Healed," especially if they be avid fans of front man John Darnielle's lo-fi rhapsodies. To the average listener unfamiliar with the Mountain Goats -- one of the most prolific independent outfits to rise from the underground -- they will prove to be highly literate, with acoustic-heavy melodies beneath their left-field, confessional lyrics. "We Shall..." preaches of desperation, addiction and poverty of everyday life in a delivery that is refreshing and relaxing. Though we've heard better (such as last year's four-star Tallahassee), I'll still be content to sit back with this record on repeat until the Goats' next release. This album is good, just not great.

Nick Ray

Cultural Coitus, midnight-2 Wednesdays

Lipstick Pickups

12" (Radio Beat Records)

A-

Like a Valley-Girl slap in the face of the Go-Go's, the Lipstick Pickups are a sunny-skied pop punk journey in the vein of Cub or, say, a Beverly Hills-esque version of early Donnas. In this short 15 minute EP, eight roller-skate punk tunes (and 4 alternate versions) serve as anti-girl scout anthems fit for you and your 9-year-old sister. At times, though, the beat-on-the-bratty vocals are too snotty or leave you stumped as to what they're actually singing about.

Chris Knudsen

New music rotation, 2-4am Fridays

L.A. Carnival

"Would Like To Pose A Question"

(Now Again, 2004)

B+

Let's say you're walking down the street one day in Omaha, down on your luck. A pay phone or a Coke machine materializes out of thin air, and even though that little coin return slot is funky and grimy, you slip a finger in to check. There's not only some loose change floating around, but there's also a silver dollar chillin' in there with a buffalo nickel. We're talking rarified gems here. The sun breaks through the stratosphere, you start doing a two step down the sidewalk, etc.

This pretty accurately describes the powerful pleasure of listening to L.A. Carnival, Omaha's OGs of the funk persuasion.

From the lazy-bass street-corner lean of "Flyin'" through the sax-y Latin workout "Ron's Tune," your body moves like Ronald Miller in "Can't Buy Me Love." These fellas play with intense joy, bolstered by the drumming of Lester Abrams, which is absolutely nails.

Not to say that the disc is all grooves and no grit. The lyrics by the multiracial Carnival -- who are very aware and reflective of the social climate of the 60's -- regret the stifling, unprogressive Midwest. Still, the album serves as proof of something that any Midwesterner already knows: fertile soil produces fertile product.

Phil Torpey

Breakfast For Beatlovers, 9-noon Tuesdays

Matthew Dear

"Leave Luck to Heaven" (Spectral Records, 2003)

B+

The first LP release for Ghostly International's "Spectral" label, Matthew Dear's "Leave Luck to Heaven" is an extremely poppy micro-house adventure.

While the term "micro house" may conjure up thoughts of very clinical and minimal production,

"Leave Luck..." takes a very different approach, intertwining gentle ambience and pop like melodies and vocals to give the album an almost soulful feel.

Tracks like "The Crush" and "Dog Days" show Dear's unique ability to create dance tracks that are not only rigidly precise and technical, but also playful and funky.

Kyle Garrison

Courtesy Flush, 6-7pm Fridays

Oneida

"Secret Wars" (Jagjaguar, 2004)

C

A self-proclaimed "essential part of the psychedelic experience," Oneida lives up to this statement in a couple ways. Like Yes, they lump together blocky, difficult hooks that would normally not be caught dead together into ten to twelve minute epics. And like Pink Floyd, they tend to take one theme or riff and jam on that for several minutes under layers of feedback and organ grind.

Though the three-piece Oneida have some good instrumentation and rhythmical ideas (ending up with a quasi-Quasi sound, plus the long songs and minus the poppy hooks), "Secret Wars" is not as captivating as it could be. Several songs jam on one riff for four minutes and aren't so hot. Very few bands get away with that, and they only do when the hook is really damn good (Teenage Fanclub, Led Zeppelin). It's pretty obvious Oneida love what they do -- but the listener has to like it as well.

Cameron Hawk

New music rotation, 4-6am Sundays

The HorrorPops

"Hell Yeah" (Hell Cat / Epitaph, 2004)

B

For all the girls with Tsunami Bomb and Distillers posters on their walls, here is another group to pin-up. The HorrorPops are a side-project from Kim Nekroman of Nekromantix and features a female vocalist of three parts Gwen Stefani and one part Debbie Harry. This debut full-length is essentially just like Nekromantix, well-rounded psychobilly for you to slamdance at this year's Warped Tour. Some of the songs come off pretty dumb, but the adventurous nature of the songs is forgiving enough.

Chris Knudsen

New music rotation, 2-4am Fridays

Savath & Savalas

Apropa't (Warp, 2004)

B

Scott Heron (a.k.a. Prefuse 73) brushes off his Savath & Savalas moniker to filter Spanish (specifically Catalan) folk songs through psychedelia and ambience to arrive at a result that seems to update the sound of '70s Brazilian pop. These are folks songs, though, and Heron only hints at the digital cut-cut-cut and paste sample style that usually takes the forefront in his Prefuse work. Deemphasizing electronic production cultivates an organic feel on "Apropa't" than on Heron's previous work, which complements the ethereal vocal harmonies (a la Pet Sounds and the Cocteau Twins) and the acoustic guitar.

Jeff Edmonds

New music rotation

Lambchop

"Aw C'mon" (Merge, 2004)

A-

The Nashville-residing artist, Kurt Wagner, departs from his normally elaborate backing orchestra of 13 musicians to simplify. Lambchop's "Aw C'mon" is borderline epic lounge music, founded on mysterious grandeur, comforting depth, and country influences.

Lyrically, Wagner boasts his honesty and wisdom throughout the album, with vocals sounding like a well-arranged bass line with a hint of country grit. But there's nothing country about "Aw C'mon" -- Wagner could very well be the lost member of the Rat Pack. The accompanying pianos, violins, keyboards, and occasional backup singers are soothing and rich. Lambchop is ideal highway music for a long, solo drive or a boring summer night on the porch. In the end, Wagner holds on to mystery, giving "Aw C'mon" time and place amongst modern harmony.

Steve Walter

New music rotation, 10-midnight Mondays

Pete Rock

"Hip Hop Underground Soul Classics"

(Barely Breakin Even Records, 2003)

B

Yet another super-mega-hella-fresh release from Rock Luva and BBE Records! This double-disc release boasts 29 previously unreleased tracks -- all of which are quality -- from legendary producer Pete Rock, the original Soul Brotha No. 1. From the beginning of the album, listeners may feel like they've been whisked back to the early '90s. "Center of Attention" (disc 1) seems to be the more energetic of the two discs, featuring Ini as the primary emcee, along with P. Rock. Guest appearances come from Q-Tip and Large Professor, who both offer exceptional rhymes on one of the nicest tracks on the album, "To Each His Own." Disc 2, "The Original Baby Pa", features Deda as the primary emcee with Pete Rock droppin' ill verses here and there. The music on both CDs is well produced using smooth instrumentation, rough drum patterns, and heavy samples -- each song has its own sound. Bottom line...this album is fresh!

B. Ill Clinton

Hip Hop Hype!!! 9-midnight Saturdays

Olivia Tremor Control

"Dusk at Cubist Castle"

(Cloud, 2004)

A

Olivia Tremor Control, as with all other Elephant 6 bands, has always seemed to exist in a world similar to Fantasia -- at turns playful, experimental and fantastical. 1996's Dusk at Cubist Castle (music to "an unrealized film script") reeks of these elements, pulling in the pop perfection of both a certain Californian recluse/genius and four Liverpudlian lads, filtering it through tape hisses and other mad science, and anchoring it with a familiar cast of contributors billed as the Elephant 6 Orchestra.

A damn fine soundtrack it would have made too, although principal songwriters Will Cullen Hart and Bill Doss would have been hard pressed to find a reel companion to the album. Split basically into three movements, Dusk ends as well as it begins, with the bizarre 10-track "Green Typewriters" sequence reconciling a more upbeat first third with the last third and the exquisite closer "NYC -25."

Although most of the E6 collective have since gone on to drop off the face of the Earth (I'm talkin' to you, Mangum) or put forth work that seems childish in the face of their previous efforts, albums like this will stand as eternal proof of the beautiful cocoon that was the E6 world. "What do you do when it's gone?" laments the particular protagonist of "No Growing (Exegesis)." What, indeed.

Phil Torpey

Breakfast for Beatlovers, 9-Noon, Tuesdays

Vicious Vicious

"Blood & Clover" (Twentyseven Records)

B

The Minneapolis band Vicious Vicious began making waves. This began with their 2002 nomination from the Minnesota Music Academy for best rock recording, and most recently with the DJs and listeners of KJHK. Vicious Vicious is a four-piece band, headed by frontman Erik Appelwick. "Blood and Clover" was recorded entirely on four track, the four track of "Christopher McGuire's Dentist" to be exact. Through their choice of recording, Vicious Vicious has a lo-fi, gritty sound. While this has the potential to become alienating, Appelwick avoids this completely through his witty, catchy tunes, and introspective lyrics. This is an album that has become a staple of my music collection, and if you are into certain "quirky" bands like The Flaming Lips or Ween, you will appreciate Vicious Vicious.

Casey Boyer

Breakfast for Beatlovers, 9-Noon Mondays

The Zeros

"Don't Push Me Around"

(Bomp!, 2004 repressing)

C-

If you are a completest of all early 1970's punk material, this review doesn't apply much to you since you have already bought this nice re-mastered 180 gram pressing. The quality sounds excellent but too bad, the material isn't that great. The Zeros are one of those first southern California punk bands that played with X and the Germs and all that and are often known as "the Mexican Ramones." Their sound is exactly just that except without the Ramones' energy and none of their songs are particularly worthy but they aren't awful, either. If you haven't heard of these guys before, there is a reason because they are one of the first punk bands to start a branch of punk known as "med-io-core."

Chris Knudsen

New music rotation, 2-4am Fridays