SCANNING THE NEW MUSIC: I subscribe to the CMJ New Music Monthly (magazine), complete with their famous sampler disc. Although I haven't written a record review in a couple years, I thought it'd be fun to do the bloggish thing -- go track by track through it, with off-the-cuff comments. Maybe there'll be some gems in here.

So, here's my rapid-fire take on the CMJ New Music disc from Issue 111, April 2003.

1. The Mooney Suzuki, "In a Young Man's Mind" Electric Sweat (Columbia)
Bar-rock rave-up that sounds like an early, caffeinated, American Kinks. Fine for a quick listen, but not gonna make my all-time fave list. In a word: forgettable.

2. The Raveonettes, "Attack of the Ghost Riders" Whip It On (Columbia)
More throwback-rock; Guided by Voices meet Roky Erickson. A big slab of Who Cares, in my book.

3. Longwave, "Tidal Wave," The Strangest Things (RCA)
Very carefully enunciated mood-rock, draped in bland earnestness. Oh, wait, the chorus sorta distorts. This is a punkier version of that band, uh, with the gay singer, Southern...crap, I always forget their name...they had that one big song...Judybats!

4. White Light Motorcade, "It's Happening" Thank You, Goodnight! (Octone)
The friggin' Strokes have somehow convinced all these other bands -- or maybe all these record execs -- that this grunged-out garage thing is back. Well maybe it is, but not for me. Boring.

5. Blue Man Group, "Up to the Roof" (Featuring Tracy Bonham) The Complex (Lava)
Ummm, this is a single by a play. I mean, c'mon. No. Ugh. It's awful. Pat Benatar with Synsonics drums.

6. Cursive, "A Gentleman Caller" The Ugly Organ (Saddle Creek)
Dissonant patchwork of yelling and noise. RIYL shit on a stick.

7. Pacifier, "Bullitproof" Pacifier (Arista)
Okay, at least this is music. I don't think I like it, but at least I don't hate it. Actually, I'm sure: I don't like it. Split Enz meets Rick Springfield, in a bad way.

8. Soulive, "El Ron" Soulive (Blue Note)
I'm not into this kind of jam-rock. Not for me.

9. Dwele, "Find a Way" Subject (Virgin)
Very simple R&B groove, pleasant, not remarkable. I can't imagine anyone getting too worked up over this.

10. Vic Chestnutt, "Girl's Say" Silver Lake (New West)
There are things I like about Vic Chestnutt -- and whoever produced this song has him sounding great -- but this is not much more than throwaway. That this is my favorite song so far on the disc is not saying much.


Okay, so I'm not liking any of this stuff too much. Man. I had such good intentions. I'll take a break, then be back with the next (and last) ten tracks later today or early tomorrow. I hope they get better.