Limp Bizkit
Results May Vary
This disc isn't nearly as bad as many reviews claim. But that don't make it good. Mostly, Results May Vary is just boring, covering the same ground as the old shit—Fred's mad at chicks and still bitter about high school—just with a different guitar player.
Distillers
Coral Fang
Brody Dalle may no longer be married to Tim Armstrong, but she still sings like him—and about him. Yet, her thick, throaty voice with a little gruff catch in the back also recalls fellow singer/groupie extraordinaire Courtney Love. Like Hole's Live Through This, Coral Fang presents punk rage and pain for those with hearts mutilated by love.
Guided By Voices
Human Amusements at Hourly Rates
Like the writings of Joyce Carol Oates, Guided By Voices are so prolific that it's hard to know where the novice should start. This compilation, with 32 tracks crammed onto a single disc, provides the perfect overview of Robert Pollard's twisted world of lo-fi, indie, booze rock.
Brian Setzer
Nitro Burnin' Funny Daddy
Even if both groups like fun and stupid music, entertaining the BMW set isn't as cool as kickin' it with the Harley crowd. So the former Stray Cats guitarist has had a hard time getting respect for his solo career of mixing roots, rockabilly, swing and blues. Unlike some past efforts—which sounded contrived and derivative—this release is filled with diversity, energy and joy. Still, even at his best, Setzer will always be Mike Ness for the ruling elite.
Richard Abowitz
Paul Westerberg
Come Feel Me Tremble
We came, we listened, we didn't tremble ourselves. Trendless guitar rock, witty lyrics. This sounds exactly like a Paul Westerberg album.
Scott Dickensheets