Around Hear Page 3

On Conversations With A Chamelion Pugs Atomz proves he has moved well beyond his days as a punchline-driven rapper. The chipmunk soul beats provided by Colin Response and others may not be innovative, but they surely set the stage for Pugs to paint verbal portraits of life in a complex city (“The Outlaw”) and equally complex relationships (“N Side”). This album works so well because Pugs is able to counterbalance these grown-up musings with just the right amount of his classic braggadocio. (www.myspace.com/ pugsleeatomz)
– Max Herman

With her slightly twanged and swallowed vowel vocals giving her an easy-listenin’ sound akin to a Midwest-raised Norah Jones, acoustic-guitar-playing singer-songwriter Rebecca Rego‘s Learning To Be Lonely is a highly polished six-song debut. While there’s no denying the talent, the unvaried tempo/timbre of the material lends a certain degree of sameness to each of the songs that undercuts the over all pleasantness. (www.rebeccarego.com)
– David C. Eldredge

On his sophomore full-length Ultramarine, singer-songwriter AJ Rosales tries to electrify his proven acoustic-based talents with results that sometimes sound lost in translation. Perhaps he and his songs are a touch too erudite to be ready to rock, ’cause the acoustic turns are really the most convincing and satisfying – especially so from the guitar-playing perspective. (www.ajrosales.com)
– David C. Eldredge

With lots of time changes and smart, intricately structured songs, Rubber Clown Car‘s Make The Noise is as interesting as the group’s name implies. While the wit and irreverence of “The Girl With Something Extra” and (ultimate narcissistic love song) “Vanity Affair” bring The Kinks to mind and the power chord reach of “The Big Swim” and others often favorably echo The Who, the trio just need their execution to match their ambition. (www.rubberclowncar.com)
– David C. Eldredge

With an astringent voice like a distant Nick Cave relative, Eric Schuurman creates a helter skelter universe on his self-titled release. “Nightsweats (Tongues Of Jakob)” is an incomprehensible mumble jumble, and “Monkey And The Button” might be the strangest children’s ditty ever. Between Schuurman’s musical interludes, a young boy disconcertingly recites a fairy tale only a stoned author could pen and man-made monkey calls flitter in the background. “Johnny Thirteen” takes a cue from the Pixies’ “Cactus,” but don’t expect to see the spoken-word “First Chapter Of Elizabeth” on the soundtrack album to the upcoming biopic starring Cate Blanchett. (www.ericschuurman.com)
– Janine Schaults

Local indie-rock four-piece The Setups explore their poppy side as well as their garage rock leanings on their latest four-song demo. The sound is a little loose but, considering the members’ ages (between 14 and 18), it can be forgiven. Vocalist Eric Urbanski’s pitch wavers more than it should, however, which detracts from the pop sound some of these tracks are going for. Hopefully, maturity will bring the band a greater degree of harmony. (www.myspace.com/thesetupsil)
– Mike O’Cull

Treble Damage‘s Psychotic Episode captures a surreal scene in Naperville: a dude named Twenty-Two (aka Fugitive), his piping-hot double neck, alt-rock session drummer Matt Walker (ex-Smashing Pumpkins), and glam-metal bassist Chip Z’nuff. As the genres of the past merge, so do the egos. The roundup champions Twenty-Two’s velvety baritone (think Chris Cornell), choosing unity over castoff anarchy. In a fair world, “On The Run” and “Set Me Free” would be active-rock hits. Though in typically airheaded Z’nuff fashion, they neglected to title the actual CD. (www.trebledamagerecords.com)
– Mike Meyer

After opening An Ethereal Oracle (Permanent) with a deranged, disposable bit of spoken-word nonsense, Warhammer 48K bear down and create an experimental, harrowing noise that’s fiery and discordant, yet unconventionally tuneful. The fiery edge of “Track #2” and the fuzzy drones of “Track #4” pay homage to Flying Saucer Attack’s eerie otherworldliness. “Track #6” finds Warh-ammer 48K smearing psychedelic washes over a seething metallic crush of stinging feedback and stoner riffs. (www.myspace.com/warhammer48k)
– Patrick Conlan

Regular WXRT listeners may have caught Welcome To Ashley‘s 2006 single “Thursday Afternoon,” though the band’s hoping to prove it wasn’t a fluke on The Catbird Seat EP. The title cut could easily chart a similar course, once again merging flavors of The Jesus And Mary Chain with Echo And The Bunnymen. “Wild Blue Yonder” dips back even deeper in the rock annals to recall vintage Clash with alien-era Bowie vocals, adding intrigue to an already appealing retro rock offering. (www.welcometoashley.com)
– Andy Argyrakis

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Category: Around Hear