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The Damn Personals - driver/driver Steady beats and a power-pop/rock flavor power this debut from the new kings of Boston pop. Definitely starting from the Joe Jackson/Elvis Costello school of melody (I think the DP's were in the same graduating class as Australian band You Am I), but infusing a bit of edge that adds up to a whole lot of excitement for the listener. The drums pound, the bass lines infect, and the guitar lines wind and to no surprise...(pow!) the listener's hooked. (Big Wheel) - Feeding Frenzy With just drums, guitar, and keyboards, you would almost expect this band NOT to rock, but instead they pull off the most fun instrumental record since the days of Don Caballero. Not fun in a "Miss, I had fun getting naked with you too" kind of way, but in a "So you got to take a hit every time a Spinal Tap drummer blows up" kind of way. The keyboards are tasteful, adequately taking the place of the absent bass. Bad-ass guitar lines and superb drumming that fans of AC/DC, Black Sabbath, and Queens of the Stone Age will enjoy. Definitely one of the more interesting bands to come out the cluttered New York scene recently. (Southern Records)	The Dismemberment Plan - The Ice of Boston EP The title track is pop brilliance, now two ways about it, and the ace boardwork of Chad Clark of Smart Went Crazy (and J. Robbins on the others) is as crisp as the ice that they speak of. "The First Anniversary of Your Last Phone Call" is both funky and spacey with some of their best lyrics, while "Just Like You" is a perfect blend of trance-y synth work (new toys, boys?) and crazy breakdowns. The closer is a demo of "Spider in the Snow" is one of their most straight-forward tunes, save the swirly chorus. I actually like the increasing presence of the keyboards in their vocabulary. (Gotnoscope Records) Donots - Amplify the Good Times It's absolutely criminal that these guys have not found a U.S. home for this record yet. These German guys have melody running through their veins. About ten times more catchy than whatever you're listening to now and a hundred times smarter than New Found Glory or Blink 182. These guys should be filling clubs and dropping jaws everywhere. Track this down now. Dropsonic - Belle review on AllMusic.com
Dead End Cruisers - Deep Six Holiday (TKO Records) The Strike - Shots Heard 'Round the World (Victory) The fact that these two bands are huge fans of The Clash is indisputable and glaring to any listener. There. I said it. I feel much better. (And no, I don't think I'm the first person to point this out.) Both of the bands are well-schooled in Joe Strummer and Mick Jones school of melody and dynamics. While The Dead End Cruisers pick up on that punk rock energy (which carries over in their live shows), The Strike have opted to go for a poppier route, at least as far is the music is concerned. I do like the presence of the female vocals and the trumpet in The Strike, elements The Clash rarely incorporated. Lyrically, The Cruisers opt for the loser-in-the-gutter persona in most of their songs. The Strike, on the other hand, has filled both the packaging and the lyrics with socialist and communist imagery. I do wish that some of The Strike songs sounded a bit tougher to coincide with the heavy ideas they're trying to put forth and that The Cruisers' lyrics were a bit more thoughtful, but I have a feeling both bands are in for the long haul so maybe my wishes will come true.	Drowningman - Still Loves You EP The keepers of the flame of hardcore in Vermont return with yet another vicious dose of barbed wire riffs and guerrilla warfare vocals. The EP is similar to their other EP, the masterful How They Light Cigarettes in Prison than to, in that the vocals feature a greater mixture of singing and screaming than on their last album, the brutal Rock and Roll Killing Machine. Which is to say that this should prompt the immediate attention of both hardcore, metal, and punk fans. (Equal Vision) John Dugan - D!1 EP John was always one of my favorite drummers, a blend of excitement on stage with a deft touch and some interesting ideas. After Chisel ended, I knew that John was doing some work with the Heartworms and I was ecstatic when I heard they he was releasing a solo single. "City Star" is just great, a pop song with Motown ("Just My Imagination"-style) undertones. "False Accords" is a decent-enough 2 chord pop song. "Where We Used to Meet" is really nice... slower, with keyboards that will likely make you think of a less manic Sea and Cake, and I love the line "Is this just the way I am? Unsatisfied all the time." Welcome back to the table, Mr. Dugan, a well-played hand indeed. (Her Magic Field)
The Delgados - Peloton One of the best Scottish bands going, their album Domestiques was one of the brighter pop moments of 1997 for me. This time out, the guitars aren't quite as fast and singer Emma Pollack steps up to the plate with a far greater presence. This album is not as bouncy as the Domestiques singles, but a nice, although sometimes cloudy, country ride. (Beggar's Banquet) Desaparecidos - Read Music/Speak Spanish Desaparecidos is the new band fronted by Conor Oberst, who has gotten much acclaim for his introspective pop songs as Bright Eyes. But back before Bright Eyes, Oberst was a rocker, fronting Commander Venus who released one terrific rock record on the fledgling Saddle Creek Records (then called Lumberjack Records). Desaparecidos defy all expectations by making a record that rocks, yet actually has the chutzpah to say something significant about modern society. With some of the most intelligent lyrics around, Desaparecidos tackle the problems of being a "good provider," of not being a sheep, urbanization, consumerism, over-zealous patriotism, and the corruption of American liberty. Sound like heady stuff? Somehow Oberst and his pals have found a way to make these songs palatable by wrapping the statements up in guitar and synthesizer-driven rock that recalls At the Drive In, Archers of Loaf, Lifter Puller, and even fellow Nebraskans Cursive. These songs are also saved from the crime of being "preachy" by Oberst's wit, sarcastic at times, but overwhelmingly optimistic. The songs are so well written that they are absolutely compelling. (Saddle Creek)	Duochrome - Tactical Knives Missing Eric's Trip and thinking Elevator to Hell are pure bollocks?? Wish Pavement still wrote songs like those on Slanted and Enchanted? This might be your band. It's not exactly mine. I like the lyrics, which I think, are pretty intelligent, but I have a really low tolerance for singers who don't sing in key. Like I said, it's not my bag, but I think it's a strong enough start that if you like the above-mentioned bands, you should take a chance on these kids. (Vital Cog) Dwindle - Days Away I have no problem with simple songs. Buddy Holly wrote simple songs. So did The Jesus & Mary Chain- a couple of chords, a bit of fuzz, and plenty of volume. It's tough to get into simple songs, however, which don't really build up to anything at all. Their plan on this album was to feature a more subtle and developed style on this album. '"Developed'" could be fine, but what is not fine is when a band loses sight of that great ability to create anticipation for the listener. Dwindle's previous efforts had that. This one does not. The songs just kind of ramble along ('"exit wound'"); even when they break out the distortion pedals, the difference in volume and tone is minimal. They do show a bit of fierceness ('"time's not stopping'") or catchy songwriting ('"all that remains'") that also demonstrate how good these guys are as musicians and how could they can be, but this thing lacks energy. Too subtle. (Guilt Ridden Pop)
Dirtbombs - Ultraglide in Black Hyped-up soul tunes. Party record of 2001. Dinner, 1933 - s/t 7'" Many weaker reviewers would have shied away from this one because of the cajillion things going on in these 5 songs. Not I. Instead, I will give you a sampling of the sounds I heard before my record player conjured up a couple demons who stole this from me for their own pleasure: lightning-speed guitars with some metally parts thrown in for good measure, horns, vocals that sound like my car starting up in the time right before the fan belt deposited itself somewhere around Concord, MA. (Boxcar Records)
The Dining Room Set - s/t I'm not sure how this landed at my door. My mail carrier said that someone humming "The Theme from Shaft" dropped it off. These Los Angeles-based fellows have composed an album full of songs with pop-power-a-plenty. Every song sounds like a cover (of Elvis Costello, a fast Marvin Gaye tune, or The Jackson Five) to me, is that a good thing? I don't know, but this is damn fun and infinitely more interesting than the current crop of bands aping Pet Sounds. (Groth Recordings) Dishes - s/t I've been holding onto this forever...I think the verdict's still out as to whether I can recommend to anyone beside the fan of the poppy garage rock. I'm still undecided, but I'll tell you this - some of the songs are darn catchy. I love the music and they have some great hooks. My only hesitation is that the vocals of Sarah Stauskauskas fall into little ruts within the songs where it just sounds like too much of the same. I'm looking forward to the next release from these Chicago kids, though. PS I love the cover art comic by Jessica Abel.
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