Rising out of the bay area (and LA) with his crew the Living Legends, the Grouch is so obviously simple and real to life, yet so complex and introspective that you’ll learn about yourself through his lessons and aphorisms. The latest album by the Grouch, Making Perfect Sense marks the fifth full-length release in this epic series of the guidebook to life. Thankfully, his style is ever changing, so that both beats and raps are never stale or overly reminiscent of past releases. On this latest, Grouch is honest as ever in songs such as “Simple Man”, in which he proclaims: “My graffiti looks like shit, I dress how I dress and can’t dance a lick … I’m just a simple man, I like pretty things, I like dope things.” The songs ends with a sample relic, Don’t you be just something on the shelf, just always be yourself. Although, the album has definite strong points, it is not as consistent as past releases. It is the first album released by the Grouch where I can’t say that every song is off the hook. Some other highlights include, “Trust Yourself”, “Zip It” and “Too Much On It.” Appearances are made on the albums by fellow Living Legends crew members such as PSC and BFAP from the Mystik Journeymen, Eligh, Aseop and Scarub. Abstract Rude and another living legend, Aceyalone, also make appearances on the album. Although all of Grouch’s music should given a once over at the very least, this album is solid and definitely represents a good entry point into the mind of this social genius.- Joel H
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Herbert Stepping off to Eden Fueled Up Records Although I think we agreed Mass was the Concussion CD of the month, I’d have to say the new Herbert is a close second. The new Herbert is so good; I have a hard time believing my ears. There is no band in the world that sounds like Herbert. Although their sound doesn’t seem to be completely original, obviously influenced by early metal and the Occult, they have somehow found a space in music that doesn’t exist in the 90’s, oh wait, we’re in the 00’s. Best new band of the Millennium. Herbert. All I’m saying is that Herbert keeps it real. Why get all techno or Hip Hop, when everyone knows the best music is Ozzy, Sabbath and Maiden. Herbert take the best of the old and bring in their own sounds, beliefs, myths, dreams, psychosis and derangement into the mix to come up with the Masterpiece: “Stepping off to Eden”. The new Herbert is better than the new Fu Manchu, if you need a reference point. But stand-alone, Herbert could lead the new Medieval revolution without using any of their magical powers to coerce you to walk with them in the Devil’s Garden. - JH Huntingtons s/t Tooth and Nail Hey, this is fabulous, it’s the Ramones. I mean it’s a band that loves the Ramones, well that okay I guess. But it really makes record reviews hard, because that’s all I can think of when I listen to this band. I could say “Wow, these guys would make a great Ramones cover ,band” or “If any of the Ramones died these guys could be like second string band
members”. I don’t know. I heard that the lead singer of the Ramones is gay, is that true, that bothers me. If anyone knows if that’s true, write Concussion. Oh ya and buy this for the Ramones lovers in your family. LC In The Red s/t Self Produced This tape came encased in an impressive looking sheet metal case with In The Red stenciled onto the case, quite an original packaging scheme indeed. I threw in the tape right away and these guys don’t give you a chance to get prepared for their brutal deliverance. They just dig right in with a scalpel and wrench at your guts with their gritty hardcore. This is one of the cleanest (non-muffled) sounding hardcore tapes I’ve heard in a long time. I appreciate how you can hear each instrument and the sound doesn’t get melded into one grinding muffle. The vocals are in your face and violent in sound, although I can’t make out the words. Oh wait, there’s lyrics included: “...Reside yourself in all your wants (as if that kills the pain), rewrite all your wrongs right in time to get them all redone, repeat again tomorrow (forget that it’s the same), what you believe is what you borrow (not what your saying)”. Fuck, the first song on the second side is so good. I can’t describe it (except to say its maniacal guitar lashings) but it wants me to loose all control. There’s a few emo sections and soothing interludes that caress you right back into the brutal madness. They make you think
everything is going to be alright, that you’ve made it through to the safety zone, you’re free, but then you just get dragged right back in. This is way better than all the stuff I got with the fancy promo pack and the glossy prints. Arhh, my ear just started to hurt. Get it if you can find it, or tape it off me. (In The Red, PO Box 11046, POX, OR 97211) - JH The Judas Factor Kiss Suicide Revelation At the deepest depth of the ocean lies a beast and i’s name is the Judas Factor. These guys are so deep that I can’t understand what their lyrics mean, but I’m an idiot so you should try them out for yourself. I guess this would be classified as “hardcore” but there are some melodic parts of Kiss Suicide that might make you second guess yourself. This CD offers 6 tracks of ever changing guitar mayhem. If you know what’s good for you, which you don’t, get this CD, sucka. – LC King Rubby The Garden of Eden The next time I go on a road trip through space I will definitely bring my King Rubby album, or a road trip anywhere else for that matter. The Garden of Eden provokes a travel-istic need within me. In fact, the music itself is a road trip: it’s straight forward and then meanders, accelerates and stops, climbs up and then down, and if you can relate, gets stuck in the mud and slowly digs itself out. If you’ve seen The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, possibly think of The Garden of Eden as a more psychedelic and modern soundtrack.