Radio Active Cats

Radio Active Cats

Warner Bros.

Sounds an awful lot like Great White with a few more teeth. Solid playing, loud guitars and a touch of titillating teenage lyrics. With only two or three clunkers in the bunch they're sure to be a staple on hard rock radio. Almost enlivening. Check them out. (SC)

 

Pablo Honey

Radiohead

Capitol

You've probably already seen the video for the first single on MTV. If not, watch for a couple hours, 'cause you will. It, like the rest of the album, is a three guitar feedback attack. with mellow vocals that are sometimes buried in the mix. In other words, it ain't too bad. (CS)

 

Dynamite Monster Boogie Concert

Raging Slab

Def American

There's two types of boogie music. The U.K. version, practiced by Status Quo and the U. S. interpretation, perfected by such bands as, Black Oak Arkansas and Z.Z.Top. This bunch live in Pennsylvania and the scorching slide guitarist is a woman. Trust me on this one, it's hot. (BB)

 

Hot Diggity

Raw Youth

Giant

Infectious funk/folk/rock from a group of enthusiastic New Yorkers. If this doesn't have you jumping on the couch and flinging cats around the room, nothing will. Any band that cites KC and the Sunshine Band and The Clash as inspirations deserves a listen. Where's the catnip? (SC)

 

Something Peculiar

Julianna Raye

Reprise

She writes and sings. Jeff Lynne arranges and produces. (Does he ever take a vacation?) He also played most of the instruments, so you know what it sounds like. Is that bad? Nope. Will you play this more than once? Could it be a hit? Yeup. Sounds like he's done it again. (BB)

 

Seeking Shelter

Rebel Train

Eastwest

The trouble with this is that most of the songs seem the same. This is not the fault of producer Danny Kortchmar or guest drummer Stan Lynch. Guess it's just the way this band sounds. Typical guitar based rock and roll with a female lead vocalist and not much else. (SC)

 

Red House Painters

Red House Painters

4AD

If you find their music too depressing then maybe they're hitting too close to home. This isn't happy music by any means. It's honest, sad and quite lovely. At first listen it may be a bummer, but after you get through it a couple times it doesn't sound so bleak. (BB)

 

The Regulators

The Regulators

Polydor

The line-up is similar to the Outlaws. Three guitars, bass, drums and lotsa vocals. Riding on the hard edge of good, "southern music" with a nod towards early Doobie Brothers harmonies. One listen to this and it's easy to see, they mean what they play and play it very well. (SC)

 

More To Life

Linda Rhodes

MCA

Anyone who dares to do a credible remake of the disco classic,"Boogie Oogie Oogie" can't be all bad. Music for the present day dance floor. Get out the "disco ball," flashing lights and "get down" at home. Highly danceable 'black' pop for the masses. (SC)

 

The Blue Heart

Jeff Richman

Lipstick

A student of Pat Metheny and a sideman for T. Lavitz(of Dixie Dregs fame), Don Grusin and The Manhattan Transfer, guitarist Richman's fifth solo release is yet another wonderful guitar-based jazz/fusion albums. What really makes this disc unusual is the Macintosh compatible CD-ROM Lipstick catalog found on track one. (BB)

 

One

Riverside

Sire

The same kind of dreamy, impressionistic pop practiced by many bands these days. And like most of it, this will stick with you long after the music is over. Easy to listen to their sound is somewhere between REM and Ride. A layering of chiming electric guitars and flowing vocals. (SC)

 

RPLA

RPLA

Collision Arts/Giant

Debut from a band whose influences are the New York Dolls, Mott The Hoople, and The MC5. Their hard rock sound is lovingly culled from their esteemed "forefathers." There's a modern twist to the music but the vibes of twenty years ago are intact and in your face. Crank it. (CS)

 

Adam Rudolph's Moving Pictures

Adam Rudolph

Flying Fish

Downbeat magazine calls him, "a percussion wizard." Over the past few years he's worked with such artists as Don Cherry, Yusef Lateef, Herbie Hancock and Jon Hassel. This is the debut recording of his,"Moving Pictures Ensemble," which mixes cross-cultural improvision with traditional and contemporary instrumentation. Unusual and very listenable. (BB)

 

Box Of Visions

Tom Russell

Philo

Another major folk/rock songwriter looms on the horizon. One with a songwriting style recalls the wry observations of John Prine and Steve Goodman. Mixing elements of rock/pop/country and folk he weaves tales of heroes and anti-heroes with an inviting warmth that makes the characters of his songs come alive. (CS)

 

Hurricane Season

The Tom Russell Band

Philo

He's an outlaw mined from the same vein as Jerry Jeff Walker. One night, while diving a cab in New York, he picked up Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter who helped re-launch his career. This, his third release is a mixture of country, folk and roots-rock that easily satisfies. (SC)

 

(SC) Stephen Curtis

(BB) Stephen Curtis AKA Ben Bland

(CS) Stephen Curtis AKA Clive Sweeney

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