ClickHerefor John Doe's Music reviews.

11/4-Click on the above link to read John Doe's reviews. Also check out my article in the Nicholls Worth about Garage Rock.ClickHere for Redman's look at the Garage Rock phenomenom.

I've been buying a lot of new music lately of note. Anti Flag, Blackalicious, and Mr. Lif are a few of the bands/artists I have purchased lately. I'll talk more in depth about them later. Until then RIP Jam Master Jay.

11/13-Nostalgia it ain't what it used to be. Take a look back at my picks for early 2002. In the category of what was I thinking I picked the overhyped Vines in my top 5. After 2 listens to their disc I realized they were only as good as the media made them. Needless to say I haven't listened to them since. To view the top 5 click Here.

9/29-I'm back from a long hiatus and ready to tell you about some more of the best new music releases of the year.

Interpol/Turn on the Bright Lights-There are two sharply dressed bands these days drawing a lot of buzz in the Big Apple. That's where the comparisons between Interpol and the Strokes cease to exist. This fourpiece act has an 80's verve to it and has been getting numerous comparisons to new wave icons Joy Division. The comparisons are deserved though on Turn on the Bright Lights as Interpol puts to rest the notion that they are just a tribute band to the aforementioned Joy Division. Singer/guitarist Paul Banks has a suave, almost commanding voice. This goes well with the upbeat nature of the majority of the songs here. Songs such as Obstacle 1, PDA, and Say Hello to the Angels are good examples of this not too fast not too slow tempo. It is not an upbeat song that is the centerpiece of this great disc though. NYC (New York Cares) is a haunting look at the seedier side of life in New York City. Banks' heavy voice is on display here as he sings with conviction The subway is a porno/The pavements they are a mess/I know you've supported me a long time/Somehow I'm not impressed. This is without a doubt one of the best releases this year and yet another superb band to come off of Matador records (Pavement, Mogwai,etc.). Reviewed by Redman 9/29.

Desaparecidos-Read Music/Speak Spanish-When I first heard Bright Eyes lead singer Conor Oberst�s new band I was surprised. I did not expect the Indie king of pain�s new band to be as emotionally charged and politically conscious as it was. Yet that�s what Oberst has delivered with this strong debut. The album mixes a loud and extremely raw sound with Oberst�s unique vocals (can be described as sounding like he�s dying). While there are many reasons to gripe politically these days, Oberst and crew keep most of the criticism to their native Omaha. That said it is no surprise the best track on this nine track disc is entitled Greater Omaha. It definitely recalls Fugazi in message and ATD-I�s kinetic song One Armed Scissor in pure energy. Oberst bellows in Greater Omaha, Out west there moving dirt/To make a greater Omaha/Another franchise sold so there are more/Restaurants per capita. Some people would downplay these lyrics as the work of a negative person trying to find the negative in everything. But Oberst�s too the point lyrics are what really make Read Music/Speak Spanish special. Rest assured Read Music/Speak Spanish is just not one good song. Man and Wife, the Latter (Damaged Goods) is a song that oozes youthful exuberance. Oberst�s lyrics on this song are as cool as ice. Oberst opens the song with, I�m growing out my hair like it was when I was single/It was longer than I�d known you/I had no money then/I had no worries then at all. Other standout tracks include The Happiest Place on Earth, actually anything but, and Survival of the Fittest/It�s a Jungle Out There. Any fan of indie rock should pick up a copy of Read Music/Speak Spanish. It is fresh and smart and it just happens to be one of the best releases of the year. Reviewed by Redman on 9/30.

French Kicks-One Time Bells-When it rains it pours. This ancient proverb applies to many things including music. In the early 90�s,when grunge was king, there were a plethora of bands of the like trying to ride the coattails of others. Now with the success of the Strokes and other garage bands, it seems like everyone, everywhere (New York, Detroit, Sweden) is jumping on the bandwagon much like they did with grunge. The French Kicks hail from the New York scene which has already produced some great bands (Strokes, Interpol, Liars, etc.). Now it can�t be said that the French Kicks just began playing (their first EP entitled Young Lawyer was released in 2000), but it can be said that they are in some ways basking in the other bands glow. Two of the best songs on the disc (Crying Just for Show and Trying Whining) have distinct Strokes influences. They are really good songs but are just not original. The rest of the songs mix influences from 80�s New Wave to 60�s Soul. When You Heard You is a dirty sounding song that will have you wanting to bust a move like it was 1973. It really is the best case the French Kicks present for being their own band. The rest of the songs are really good except for one misstep. Close to Modern is the French Kicks deepest foray into soul. It sees lead singer/drummer Nick Stumpf break into a falsetto during the chorus, which doesn�t connect with the rest of the song or album for that matter. One Time Bells is a solid album, despite a few minor problems, and in the end the French Kicks do create their own unique niche in the garage scene. If you like garage rock, you should give this less heralded band a listen.

I am a huge fan of music. My favorite genre is alternative rock. I like pretty much all forms of rock except death metal and the ultra crappy rap metal.

My collection of Cd's spans from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Led Zeppelin:The Early Days to today's leading peformers Tool, Weezer, and Incubus to non mainstream acts such as At the Drive-in, Further Seems Forever, and Chevelle.

Some of my favorite Cd's from this year are Tool's epic Lateralus,Weezer's fantastic Green Album and Thursday's awesome Full Collapse. These Cd's were all great but my favorite Cd of 200l was the Strokes' Is This It.

John Doe has assumed the role of editor and writer on this portion of the website. Redman is off working on other things. Anyways check out John Doe's reviews which cover mainly non mainstream rock artists. Also check out my link to Cd Now to hear clips of the artists he has reviewed.

3/28 This is Redman. The band links portion has been updated. Click on the link to go check out many of today's leading music acts. Also check out the music links for some of my favorite music related links. That's all for now.

4/16 Hello this is Redman again. It has been awhile. Well the reason for this has been there has not been any CD's of note to come at lately. Mars Volta released their debut album on April the 2nd. If you are wondering who they are,they are Cedric Bixler(lead singer) and Omar Rodriguez of the now defunct emo powerhouse At the Drive-In playing with a few newcomers. While I haven't heard whether the CD is good, with these two members of ATDI involved it could be awesome. Silverchair's latest Diorama comes out April 23. The Aussies have not put out original music in some time so hopefully this won't be a letdown. Weezer's latest Maladroit comes out in May. Hopefully that will be cool. If you are looking for a cool CD to listen too from 2002 check out Clinic's Walking With Thee. It has a kind of Radiohead vibe to it which is groovy.

4/17 It's me Redman again. One band I forgot to mention yesterday was Sparta. They are also comprised of a few members of ATDI. There 4 song debut EP Austere came out in late March. In a word it is awesome. Also another good CD to check out is Starsailor's Love is Here. Check out John Doe's review of this one. Until we meet again.

4/22 As many of you've heard Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley was found dead in his home Friday. What a shame it is that one of the most talented vocalists of the 90's had a heroin addiction he just couldn't kick. In their prime, AIC was one of the top grunge artists of the early 90's with hit songs like Rooster, Would?, and Man in the Box. In recent years, there had been speculation that AIC would record a new studio album but that is over now that Staley has succumbed to his addiction.

4/29 This is Redman. It has been exactly one week since I last appeared on the site. This weekend I made my monthly visit to Best Buy. While there I picked up copies of Sparta's Austere and Episode II: The Attack of the Clones Soundtrack. Sparta's EP as I have said before is very good. Hopefully this talented emo band will release a full length album soon. The new Star Wars is considerably darker than the Phantom Menace. Conductor John Williams rises to the monumental challenge of creating another great Star Wars soundtrack. The lush Love Theme and the heartpounding Zam the Assassin and the Chase through Coruscant are highlights of this stellar disc.

5/24 Redman is back. I have been on a long hiatus since I finished school May 10. I have bought two new Cd's since then. These Cd's are Weezer's exceptional Maladroit and Saves the Day's super Stay What You Are. Weezer's latest release is my favorite music release so far this year. It combines crunchy guitar riffs with great vocals provided by Rivers Coumo. The highlights of the Cd are the first single Dope Nose and Slave. Saves the Day is a up and coming emo band that combines meaningful lyrics with youthful energy. The Cd, which was released in 2001, kicks off with the awesome At Your Funeral. Finally, John Doe is on vacation in France right now and will not return till June 4th. Here's wishing him an enjoyable trip and safe return.