Kick Pick Number 19: The Highballs Montezuma's Revenge by Marian

The Highballs Montezuma's Revenge hasn't left our CD player in a week. Actually, we took it out momentarily to slip in some Sly and the Family Stone . I mention this only because the two bands are so similar in spirit and coolness. Quintessential Party Bands! Of course, The Highballs are a Mexican party band -- at least as Mexican as a bunch of guys from Vancouver can get. They've got their brass section, guitar, bass, drums, banjo, and funny little hats (are they called pezes?) -- a full-on Mexican wall of sound accented with broken Spanish banter, sung in perfect rock and roll rhythm. Those of you that have seen The Highballs live know what I mean, but to really get the wit and grandiose hilarity of the lyrics, you've got to buy the album. Some of my favourite moments on the disc are Guaco's Cheech-like comments (especially in "Grasshopper"), the desperation in Puerco's voice in "Monkey" (as he tries to get rid of the monkey), the rap in "Lavas Las Dientes", and the myriad of groovy melodies that jump out of each instrument all over the place. Man, these guys are good. When you buy Montezuma's Revenge by "los hombres jovennes que no es testicularos tienen mas bajado", you are bringing the whole party home. Simply, slip the disc into your player, and prop the cover up on your mantle. You too can have a fiesta in your living room!

Kick Pick Number 18: The Champions – The Gentlemen by Donnie
One of Vancouver’s best new upcoming acts is The Champions. Mark and Eric are two gifted songwriters playing slackeresque rock ala Pavement or Beck when he wants to sound country. Songs like “Bonejumping” and “Siddarta” have such laid-back lyrics and deadpan delivery, that they’re both funny and charming. There is also a political side to the band as well. “Natural Consequence” has one of the best social revolution commentaries ever put to song: “It’s a natural consequence/ Of a society/ That fails to put production in the hands of the worker.” The stand-out track on the CD is the pop gem “Stop the Crime.” Originally Eric’s brother wrote this when was just six years old! Eric and his older brother later polished it into the track you hear on the CD. This cut is definitely Top 40 single material and the production is first class. The CD contains over twenty tracks ranging in time from just a few seconds to over three minutes. The CD was recorded in a 24-hour session but you wouldn’t know it from listening. These are great songs and good players, having a lot of fun making their own brand of underground music. Overall, I get the feeling there must be some of Lou Reed’s influence in this as well. It’s nice to know there’s going to be another awesome duo / band in Vancouver.  Check out their websites: pseud.org and markof the beats.ca

Kick Pick Number 17: Cooterfinger - Three Chords and a Grudge by Marian and Donnie
Cooterfinger returns with Three Chords and a Grudge. The title of this five-song EP says it all. From the three menacing ChordSkulls on the CD label to the dark and fuzzy guitar and spite-spitting vocals on the tracks, this EP has attitude. The F-you attitude and dark undertones aren’t the bang your head against the wall kind, though; they’re the drink and dance and raise a little hell kind. The songs are rock and roll boppers, really, and the skulls are actually very cute. Everybody will love “Rehab Twist”. The manic, psychotic call and response vocals create a tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. This guy’s jonesin’ bad; is he gonna get his hit? When he/we are doing the Rehab Twist in the chorus, though, all tension and mania melts away, and all that’s left is classic rock and roll. The final song on the EP, the title track, is one funny slice of indie-band life. James Richard Oliver sings: “I’m gonna let this Stratocaster draw the poison out / Put it on record, girl / Send if off to press / Gonna sell three hundred copies / Give away the rest”. You said it, buddy! James Richard Oliver has obviously been through some bad voodoo – you know with the grudge and all – but good rock and roll has always been about survival. And, if Darwin was right about “survival of the fittest”, then Cooterfinger should be at the head of the pack.

Kick Pick Number 16: James Richard Oliver - Rocket to Nashville / Cooterfinger - Smells Like Rock 'N' Roll by Donnie and Marian
When we first put on the Cooterfinger EP, we thought we were hearing the Jesus and Mary Chain of the new millennium. Raw and rhythmic instrumentation, clever hooks, and real rock 'n' roll attitude. Then as we listened to the rest of the tracks, we realized this stuff was more like Chuck Berry. Simply put, you ain't gonna find better music than this in the past, present, or future. As we played it more and more, we started to get the sense that the last thirty years of popular music were all just a bad dream. We're waking up to some lost decade after Chuck Berry's heyday, and the new guy on the scene's getting everyone all riled up: dancin', hootin', hollerin', feelin' good and feelin' loose. James Richard Oliver is rock and roll's child. Do you know what we mean by that? Do you get it? James Richard Oliver is rock and roll's child. Come on everybody; wake up and reck-a-nize. This guy has talent. He runs his own label, plays his own music, and even does his own artwork. And the song writing. The songs on these two EPs are some of the best ever written. For example, "It's Not Funny Anymore" is a cute song about an older relative who constantly teases you throughout your life, and "She's A Burnout" is a hilarious take on a relationship gone sour. "It's Rock and Roll" is an honest look at the musician's life and what playing rock and roll is really about. That's the kinda stuff we can relate to. Both of these EPs have gotten more than enough spins at our place. How's about you taking a spin on the Cooterfinger Rock 'N' Roll Ride? Available at CD Baby.

Kick Pick Number 15: Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles - Live on MuchMusic by Marian

    I just watched Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles on MuchMusic’s Canada Day "Intimate and Interactive" Special, and I gotta say, “Hallelujah! ‘There IS a breath of air tonight!’” I have to admit I was less than enthusiastic about the idea of watching this program Donnie had taped, but was I in for a surprise! Right from the get-go, it becomes obvious this show is going to be something special. The band starts in with this melodic, chanty, hip-hop vocal hook that is completely original and hypnotically catchy. But it doesn’t let up; I’m edge-of-my-seat mesmerized the whole show. Downie and the band take risks with songwriting and performance -- risks that might sound cacophonic or unpolished to an industry, mass-market kind of an ear, but to a music lover's ear these sounds are like living art; they are so inventive and inspiring.

    Gord Downie has always been considered a master of words, but a master of songs? Yes, it is true: he’s brilliant. It is always a challenge for a songwriter to match words to melody and rhythm. I feel the musical hook should provide the thematic spark for the song, the impetus. Trying to wrap clumsy words around the melodic feel is always a challenge. Gord Downie does this with ease. I just love his explanation, “You get the melody, and you can hum it, and then you can hum it, and you can hum it, and hum it and hum it – at least that’s my new strategy – and then you get lyrics that really fit that melody, and be painstaking and really wait for them and all that.” This is how it’s done! Songs sometimes need painstaking crafting. Music and lyrics are like puzzle pieces, that have to be jiggled around a lot before they’ll fit properly. Downie has become a master of this. The Country of Miracles wriggle their way nicely into this songsmith's puzzle too: experimenting  with multiple vocals, horn sections, sound effects, instrument swapping, and Gord Downie on lead guitar!?!? They are making the art of music so much better. They are stretching the boundaries, and they seem to be having a lot of fun doing it.

    But Downie takes the whole act of songwriting to yet another level. I can hardly believe it, but he not only matches meaning to melody, but he also adds the visual componet: the video. Yes, that dinosaur of a medium that relies on sex and Attention Deficit Disorder is somehow wrangled into something magical. Downie’s videos, “The Chancellor” (Coke Machine Glow 2001) and “Pascal’s Submarine” (Battle of the Nudes 2003) are breathtaking. The visuals actually move with the rhythms and melodies in the song. In “The Chancellor”, Downie glides over a lake with his arm draped around the neck of his ride: the gigantic plastic swan. It sounds cheesy, I know, but I’ve never seen anything so graceful or beautiful. Cottonwood floats around in the sky above the water, and camera movements are slow and precise. Then there’s “Pascal’s Submarine”. The song’s narrative comes to life under the skillful direction of Trailer Park Boys’ Mike Clattenburg. Donnie says I’m obsessed with this guy, and I don’t disagree. “Pascal’s Submarine” has Clattenburg’s trademark heart and style. The energy, movement, drama, colour, symmetry, excitement, emotion … Videos simply don’t get any better than this. Songs don’t get better than this. It’s almost exhilarating to find Canadian art with such raw integrity.

    I think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised by this “solo” endeavour – I was. First of all, it’s not really a solo deal. The Country of Miracles add an indespensibly cool indie vibe to Downie’s pretty rhythms and melodies. Secondly, Gord Downie is evolving the craft of songwriting. Finally, there’s nothing contrived about Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles – there’s just an overwhelming sincerity that makes you:
· smile
· rush out and buy both albums
· listen to them madly all summer long
· party at the picture perfect Stanley Park performance on August 31st

Yep, it just doesn’t get any better than this...

Kick Pick Number 14: The Psychic Cowboy - Under the Influence by Donnie

Most people wouldn't know good music if it came up and slapped them in the face. Nickelback always was and always shall be one of the crappiest bands to ever come out of Vancouver. The Be Good Tanyas are another example of the truly shitty-ass lame music that Vancouver represents. But it doesn't have to be that way. Artists like The Psychic Cowboy are proof that it shouldn't be that way. When I first heard Under the Influence I was blown away by not only the songwriting, the producing, the musicianship, the honest singing, etc...but it was the humour that really made my jaw drop. These are some of the funniest songs I've ever heard. Songs like "Tinkles the Incontinent Clown", "Drunk Love", and "Queen of the Rodeo" make you howl with laughter. A songwriter who can do that is truly a genius in my mind. It's not even the slightest stretch that some of these songs could have been on The Beach Boys' Smile, The Beatles' White Album or The Velvet Underground's Loaded. I was quite green with envy when I heard them. I thought: "Now, how come I can't write songs that witty?" Not only that, but the second track on the album,"Trailer Park Heaven", has earned the honor of being inducted into my Hundred Plays Club.That means I listened to the song over a hundred times in the first two days I had it. I once heard Carnie Wilson say that her dad would listen to "Be My Baby" by Phil Spector and the Ronettes sometimes 250 times a day, as if it was outrageous. That's not outrageous, really great music just makes you want to hear it over and over again. That's the kind of music the Psychic Cowboy makes. If you are in Vancouver, you can check out the Psychic Cowboy, with his other band LOTUS, at the Cottage Bistro every Wednesday night. You can pick up a copy of Under the Influence there for twelve bucks, and you can even get him to sign it! I did! For more information be sure to check out his website: www.psychiccowboy.com

Kick Pick Number 13: Reproducible Trailer Park Boys Party Invitation by Marian
(scroll down for first review posted)

                                            FEATURING:
                                                                   Julian’s Bacardi & Coke
                                                                   Ricky and Ray’s Blues Music
                                                                   Bubble’s Bubbles
                                                                   Ricky & Julian’s BC Bud

Reproducible invitation brought to you by www.kickintheeyemusic.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kick Pick Number 11: Boney M. Christmas Show by Donnie
Last week we were treated to an awesome Christmas spectacle. No, it didn't have children leaping around in angel outfits and there was no light show to mention. It was just four great singers and an hour and half of great songs. I never realized how many big hits Boney M. have. Frank Farian is a helluvalot more talented than I thought. Writer, producer (remember Milli Vanilli -that was him), singer and showman? During the first set he plucked out his chest hair to give as a holiday gift. At the end of the show, he invited the crowd on-stage to boogie away the last few moments with him. To top it off, he asked everyone to visit his "coffee" shop in Amsterdam for a "coffee" on the house. The set consisted of all the hits (Brown Girl in the Ring, Rasputin, Nightflight to Venus, River of Babylon, etc) followed by a mini Christmas set. The songs from the Christmas album were the definite highlights of the night. I must mention that I've never been to a concert where the group sang to taped backing tracks. But instead of a bunch of goofs prancing across the stage, running around a set, and changing costumes, Boney M. was just cool. Controlled and smooth like a classic 60's vocal group. More Temptations than TLC. To be honest, the night was kind of a blur. But I do know that we have never done as much dancin'! Don't miss the Boney M. Christmas Show if it's coming to your town, you'll be sorry you did.

Kick Pick Number 12: George and Marguerite - Over the Years/Just Another Day by Donnie

It's great being in an indie band. You get exposed to so many acts that you'd normally never hear of. Case in point: George and Marguerite. Based in Copake, NY, the duo transcends the term "indie artist" -- "classic artist" is more like it. Having come into possession of two recently released LPs, I am convinced these two should be huge mega-stars. If you are fan of the Eagles, Crosby,Stills&Nash, or any great 70s country, you will know what I mean. Every song is full of hooks, perfect instrumentation, and, of course, awesome singing. It's a shame there isn't more appreciation for the truly good music being produced out there. If there was, everybody would have already heard of George and Marguerite. The first album I listened to, Over the Years, had a really strong country-rock flavour. The lead guitar work has bite, and makes the track really rock along. Some of the standout numbers include "Just A Running", "This Time", "Made for Each Other", and "This Ain't Your Home No More". The latter song is so good we are thinking of learning it and adding it to our live set. The second LP, Over the Years, reveals a softer side of the group, and exposes their folk influences. The first track on the album, "Just Another Day", could easily be mistaken for a classic Crosby,Stills&Nash single. The second track, "She's Got a Cold, Cold Heart", is also superb, but I could go on forever about this song or that. The point is: people are missing out on some really great music because of certain industry practices. Don't be one of those people. Check out George and Marguerite at www.soundclick.com/bands/georgeandmargeurite.htm

Or -- purchase the American Styles Vol 1 compilation available from CDReview Network. George and Marguerite are on it, and so is Kick in the Eye!

Kick Pick Number 11: Better Off Dead -- Girl With A Job! by Marian

Donnie's sister put it best when she called to let us know how much she liked the CD we'd lent her: "I've listened to it every day -- ten times a day -- since you've given it to me... and everytime I hear "Sleepin' on the Sofa", I have to rewind it and play it twice". Better of Dead's CD, Girl With A Job, just gets better with each listen. VD King (guitar and voice), Don Kenny (guitar), Tim Cassidy (harp), Arthur Zo (upright bass), and Bob Masucci (drums) play a kind of blues drenched swing music that oozes coolness and wit. I, for one, think it's cool to start with swing rhtythms, classic blues riffs and structures, and then flawlessly blend-in original melodic and rhythmic hooks, unique sectional movements, and witty, well-syncopated vocals. I remember saying at their NXNE show in Toronto, "Wow! This kinda sounds like "Hot Rod Lincoln", or "Bo Diddley" or .... But wait -- they'll make it their own." Sure enough, "She got a Voodoo doll...", and Better Off Dead are swinging to their own beat -- and so's the crowd! Favourite tracks? I couldn't say. Really! Seventeen tightly structured masterpieces -- way too many to list. I will tell ya this though: After listening to "BBQ", I'll be puttin' away my classic (and I mean classic: Otis Redding, James Brown, Fats Domino... ) BBQ Blues compilation, I'll be sliding on Better Off Dead, and I'll be heading to the nearest dollar store for some "funky bibs".

Listen to a few tracks and buy a copy of Girl With A Job! at CD Baby, or just go right to the Better Off Dead website: http://www.betteroffdead.com

Kick Pick Number 10: Trailer Park Boys (Sundays 9:00pm PST Showtime Ch.39) by Marian

As soon as someone makes an "I love trailer park boys" shirt, I'll be the first in line to buy one. This show equals my all-time fav: Get A Life, and it's Canadian! The show revolves around the denizens of a Canadian trailer-park. There's Julian: the de facto leader, who always gets the boys out of a sticky situation. Note his sober disposition and constant companion: the tumbler glass of rum and coke. There's Ricky who curses the fact that he's stupid and therefore too stupid to do anything about it. He's always mixing words up and screwing up, and he knows it. It sadly hilarious to see him beat himself up all the time. Ricky is not all-stupid, though. He can outsmart cops without batting an eye, and he has good taste: he listens to blues music, buys the "expensive kind" of chicken fingers, and treats his date to a romantic meal: "sweeten power chicken things". Then there's Bubbles. The early shows focussed mostly on Ricky and Julian, but Bubbles is quickly becoming the centre of attention. He is definately a cult favourite. Bubbles is a nerdy guy with thick bottle cap glasses. On first glance, you may think Bubbles is "crazy", but it doesn't take long to realise that Bubbles is "the sharpest guy in the park". He doesn't have any ememies, he'll party down with the best of them, and he's extremely loyal. He'll do anything for the only family he's got: Ricky and Julian. The boys are the best of friends, so they fight and fuck around all the time. No matter how serious the situation, though, no matter how intense the fights, by show's end, the boys realise that they're always there for one another. Ricky, the big loveable dope that he is, ends nearly every show giving a round of hugs and exclaiming "I love you guys" with tears in his eyes. For viewers, endings provide sweet, sentimental relief from the pain of laughing too hard for too long. I end every show, just like Ricky, saying "I love you guys" with tears (of laughter) in my eyes.

PS: The Canadian trailer park accents'll drive you crazy! (In a good way.)

Kick Pick Number 9: Solarbaby - Another Sidewalk's Bloody Dream by Donnie

More great stuff from Marq DeSouza and his gang. The album has at least three possible singles on it and a 10 minute plus epic. The best cut is the lead off track "Born Again and Buried Alive." A superb song with a glam rock (i.e. T-Rex, Mott the Hoople, Ronson-era Bowie, not that eighties metal crap) production. Not only does it have some amazing time changes but Marq's guitar work is exceptional. Other standout tracks include the first single "Benzedream", "I am Tragedy", and "Just can't Keep from Crying". The last song on the album is "Keep your Gunpowder Dry." Coming in at over ten minutes, this track tells the story of some whacked out Freemen living out their own "last stand at the Alamo". Marq's story telling abilities really shine on this cut. The overall level of the production on this LP is top notch. The liner notes credit John Shepp with Marq DeSouza as the producers. I think the work Mr. Shepp has done with Gob and Matthew Good is the worst crap imaginable; so, I'm going to have to give Marq most of the credit. The album cover also deserves special mention. Going through all the items pictured on the insert is like trying to decipher a Van Eyke painting. I know there's symbolism there, and its fun to figure it out. Marq has gone for a more consistent musical theme on Another Sidewalk's Bloody Dream as opposed to his very diverse Temporary Redemption (see review below). There is a bitterness to the lyrics, and a harsher tone in the music. This doesn't mean it's hard rock. The Rolling Stones comparisons the album is getting are apt. The differences between Temporary Redemption and Another Sidewalk's Bloody Dream are similar to the differences found between the Beatles and the Stones. In the mid-Sixties, a music critic wrote that when the Rolling Stones came into the room it was like somebody had just flipped open a switchblade. Listening to Another Sidewalk's Bloody Dream is Marq flipping open a switchblade on your CD player.

You can order a copy through Marq's website: www.marqdesouza.comwww.marqdesouza.com

Kick Pick Number 7: Marq DeSouza - Temporary Redemption by Donnie
So far this year I can honestly say I've only heard two number one singles. Now, what i call a number one single and what ends up on the charts are totally different things. For starters, what I call a number one single doesn't have to be a current release. What makes a number one to me is a song that you have to play over and over again right after you hear it. I remember as a kid buying 45's because it was great to be able to own a copy of something that gave you a little pick-me-up every time you heard it. "Last Night" by the Strokes was my number one single until recently displaced by local boy Marq DeSouza's song "Dirty Limericks." The song is from the LP Temporary Redemption which is an amazing piece of work for a solo artist. Marq performs like a prodigy: writing, singing, producing, playing all the instruments, etc. The whole album sounds awesome considering its humble 4-track origins. Tracks like "Killing You" and "Whatever Happened in Heaven?" rival the best Matthew Sweet cuts and "Raze the Living Dead" is already a classic blues song in our household. That could also be because I'm a huge fan of the Living Dead trilogy. (Hey does anybody know if the next one is going to get made or not? It sounds cool with the Living Dead occupying the cities like the poor and homeless...demanding basic human rights and stuff...sounds hilarious!). The song "Razorburn" is a wicked acoustic number that breaks up the rock sound and has some really cool licks. I could imagine Ian Anderson doing that song. My only complaint with the album -- and it's the same complaint I have with every new album that comes out -- is that there are too many tracks on it. If it had only been pared down a little, it would be a classic LP in the same league as Let it Bleed or Tonight's the Night or Guitartown. Nine or ten tracks are plenty to listen to in a single sitting and make for an overall higher quality product. Marq has got over ten classic songs on here, and what is even more amazing is that these are just the leftovers from his Solarbaby LP Another Sidewalk's Bloody Dream. Soon as I pick up a copy of that I'm going to post a review, but I can't believe anything on it could be better that "Dirty Limericks." I must have listened to that cut at least a hundred times since i got the CD! You can pick up a copy at Vancouver's Virgin Megastore or go to one of his shows around town. Next one is March 10th at the Main and then again March 20th at the Marine Club. See ya there!

P.S. From Marian:
Donny didn't even mention one of my all-time favourite songs! Marq's "If I Promise You..." is a classic old-tyme waltz, dressed up in some sexy, snarly lyrics. Donnie sometimes promises me dancing, too. Seems the only music we can dance to around town is Marq's -- too much listening music in Vancouver these days. If you're into dancing and having a good time, come out to see Kick in the Eye or Solarbaby.www.marqdesouza.com

Kick Pick Number 6: Blood on the Saddle CITR 101.9 FM Cable ( Sundays 3pm-5pm ) by Marian

Whenever I'm not at a Sunday jam, I'm listening to this kickass country radio program. Listening to Blood on the Saddle is better than stuffing my CD player with my own old country CDs and hitting random. The host, Jeff, plays everything I want to hear, and he makes great recommendations! Now, I can't simply buy every ol'CD I want willy-nilly, I have to stagger my purchases, but the next two on my list are albums he's suggested: Lefty Frizzell Sings the Songs of Jimmie Rodgers and Merle Haggard Roots Vol.1. Since I don't have these albums yet, I decided to call in a request from the Lefty CD. Jeff was thrilled, he said Lefty was his favourite, and played two tracks. He followed these two songs with two off the Merle CD. I hadn't asked for these, it just seems that Jeff has an acute sense for what music lovers -- as opposed to what music consumers -- want to hear. Then he played Stompin' Tom's "Big Joe Mufferaw". Did you know that the American lumberjack legend, Paul Bunyan, is based off our Canadian home boy, Big Joe, or as the French call him Bon Jean? Get it? Bon Jean / Bun-yan. Anyway, Stompin Tom makes a good case for this in his book Stompin' Tom and the Connors Tone . Next up: Stompin Tom's "Gumboot Cloggeroo." Did I hear host Jeff say that this is one of his favourite Stompin Tom songs? Wow! This guy's right on! We've been covering that track for a couple of years now. Jeff proceeded to play Buck Owens, John Prine, Nancy Griffith, and local Linda McCray among many others. Jeff claims the show hosts the best of old and new country, but it's the old country that gets me dancing for most of his show. (Dancing, literally. Really, old country ROCKS!) What put the icing on the cake for me, though, was the last track. It's the very same song Kick in the Eye is learning at this moment -- in fact, I'd written my notes for this review on the lyric sheet. The song?  "If you've Got the Money, I've Got the Time". The great thing is -  you don't need money to make time for this program. Check it out every Sunday from 3pm to 5pm on CITR101.9 FM.

Kick Pick Number 5: American Movie - Special Edition DVD by Marian

This is a heart-warmingly, hilarious documentation of an indie filmmaker's trials and tribulations. As an impoverished, struggling artist myself, I can completely relate to main character Mark Borchardt's plight, and am thoroughly inspired by his indomnible spirit. During the film, Mark tries to fulfil his dream and create a full length film called Northwestern. Ultimately, he fails and has to save face by making the thirty minute gem: Coven. This special addition DVD allows viewers to watch the atmospheric, black and white Coven. This is a treat. The shots are very artsy and eerie. It's nice to see a Mark Borchardt project come to fruition. People, including Mark, should be aware that Mark's inability to complete his American Dream is by no fault of his own. Okay, he drinks a bit, but this is not the problem. The problem is lack of do-re-mi. Woody Guthrie sang about it in the forties and it holds true today; if you don't have it, "you better stay right where you are". It's so hard to do anything -- especially anything artistic -- without money.  Indie artists need their products and promotion to be a full frontal assault. How do you do this with little money? Mark Borchardt and Kick in the Eye continue to struggle with this dilemma. We will not, however, heed Woody's advice and stay where we are. We know we've got the goods, so we will never give up. We will continue to create real art and try to turn others on to it. Thank you Mark for your "never say die" attitude. Thank you filmmakers Chris Smith and Sarah Price for making this movie. Thank you Mark's friends and family for being so committed, helpful, adorable, and entertaining. Viewers cannot help but love Mark's mom, his uncle Bill, and his druggie-rehab, musician friend Mike Shank. In conclusion, splurge on this special addition DVD. Features like the director and cast commentary, and the deleted scenes -- especially the Burger King monologue -- are alone worth the price of admission.

Kick Pick Number 4: Sloan - Pretty Together by Donnie

I'm going to cut to the quick of it. Sloan's Pretty Together is pretty awful. There's only a few good things to say about the LP so I'll get that over with first. Sloan are staying with that mid sixties rock sound and that just suits me fine. They are one of only a handful of artists that can and do recreate that sound authentically, so I'm happy they're not straying too far. Other good things hmmm uhhhh....well, there are two good tracks: the single "If it Feels Good Do It" and, a song that would have fit fine on either Smeared or Twice Removed, "It's in Your Eyes". The only good tracks seem to be mainly Patrick Pentland's songs which was the case with Between the Bridges. This is where I have to get into the negative. I have no idea where Chris Murphy lost his song writing talent but it's gone, long gone. On Navy Blues his star shone bright but its just faded to nothing. If the only one of them that can write songs anymore is Patrick, then why are those other goofs contributing all that crap? Doesn't anyone they know tell them how badly their songs suck? I could never understand why bands force fans to pay for filler. Cover someone else's material for chrissakes. I'd be way happier paying for an LP with a few good originals and some kick ass covers. Sloan's other crime is to write these terrible rip offs of other artists. Not only are the songs bad, but they all sounds like someone else. "Are you Giving me Back my Love?" reminds me of Split Enz and "The Life of A Working Girl" is Morrisey if I've ever heard it. There are cheesy sections all over the place where you can say you've heard that somewhere before. After Between the Bridges I wasn't sure if I was going to ever buy a collection of new Sloan material again. Pretty Together is the nail in the coffin for me. Alan McGee, ex-Creation label mogul, said that he was going to be handling the European release of Pretty Together because he was impressed with what he had heard of the LP. No wonder Creation went belly-up. This album's gonna flop. Final judgement? This album is NOT RECOMMENDED.

Kick Pick Number 3: Cake - Motorcade of Generosity by Marian

I realise that Comfort Eagle is the new Cake CD and maybe you were expecting a review of that album – which I was going to do – but as I am listening to the first Cake CD, Motorcade of Generosity, I am thinking that it is so great, I just have to review it. We have recently finished mixing our EP, and I have production on my mind, so I can’t help but admire the genius of the production on this album. Each and every song contains so many catchy segments; and yet, each good part occupies its own space in the mix, coming to the forefront at just the right time. Every song has distinct and country-tinged lead guitar work and a riffy, rock and roll rhythm. Listen to that infectiously snaky percussion as it wraps itself around a solid drum and bass section. Then, there’s the trumpet. I haven’t heard such catchy and well-integrated rock and roll trumpet since Sly and the Family Stone. The vocals are very cool: good, colloquial syncopation, and sexy, trademark yells – a sign of real rock and roll! Finally, the lyrics are witty, funny, and poetic. There are so many good tracks its impossible to pick a favourite one or two or even three! “I Bombed Korea”, “Mr. Mastadon Farm”, “You Part the Waters”, “Pentagram”, “Jesus Wrote a Blank Check”, “Rock ‘N’ Roll Lifestyle” … I love them all, and you will too! Check it out.

Kick Pick Number 2: Ramones - Rocket to Russia by Donnie

Recently released as a remastered special edition, Rocket to Russia remains not only a classic LP but is still one of the most influential albums of all time. Generations of young indie bands carry its mark. In the 1980s while America lapped up leftover disco schlop, young cool British bands were taking what they had learned from the Ramones and continued on in the garage rock tradition of the 1960's. The resulting wave of British rock bands were met with the same indifference the Ramones had suffered just a few years before but nevertheless great rock and roll music was made. The fact that corporate radio was unwilling to participate didn't stop hundreds and thousands of young kids from buying imported records and forming punk and indie bands across the nation. For these kids these were real songs, this was rock and roll music. Maybe it was the overly distored guitar sounds, or the "sounds like a basement demo" recording , or Joey's unique unintelligible mumble, whatever it was, America turned its back on Rocket to Russia. Tracks like "Cretin Hop" or "Rockaway Beach" are still great at a party and "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" remains an awesome pop single regardless of its chart position. Start to finish its 35 minutes of straight-up great rock and roll music and an essential part of any music collection. Take advantage of this newly remasted edition. It comes with 5 bonus tracks including the original single mix of "Sheena" (complete with Phil Spector sleigh bells!!) and extensive liner notes. Why take a chance on so much crap when there's a gem waiting at your local CD store just waiting to blow your socks off?

Kick Pick Number 1: Kid Rock - American Badass by Donnie

Rock/rap fusion has struck again. Kid Rock has got a huge hit, America has another fist-pounding arena anthem, and the Undertaker has new entrance music. So maybe you don't normally dig Kid's juvenile ramblings and maybe endless Metallica loops aren't your thing either. But the slick production works like a charm. The track oozes fun and if Kid Rock has got a little too much attitude for you, remember it's all tongue-in-cheek. Kid and his crew employ most of the usual hip-hop tricks, serving up generous samples of rock classics, and proving their master of all things old and new. The CD/LP that the single's taken from is called The History of Rock and during Kid's slick syncopated rapping he drops mention of his most influential bands: Lynyrd Skynryd, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, The Clash...Hey...The Clash...weren't they called the only rock and roll band that really mattered? Yeah, that's right, they were. So Kid proves he knows his stuff. Did he take his lessons seriously? Check it out, you can hear he did.