Review Round Up #61

Two Sheds have a light, rustic sound perfect for drinks at sunset on the front porch or easy nighttime car rides through country backwoods. In the driver's seat is singer Caitlin Gutenberger, cooing gently over drifting strains of acoustic guitar. Unassuming to a fault, the lazy pace comes across as a lack of ambition. It's no surprise that the best track on this EP is "WTF,"� the only time Two Sheds rise above a flatline-inducing pace.

Sounds Like: Laid-back, soulful folk

Key Tracks: "WTF?"�

B-

You certainly can't accuse Victor Bravo of overcomplicating their sound. "Sky Full of Messages"� is seven songs worth of straightforward, raucous punk rock. Collin Daniels revels in belching out the same handful of lyrics per song, while blaring through noisy guitar chords. It sounds as if it was recorded in a basement in about three hours tops, but that's just how Victor Bravo likes it. And if you're into loud, dirty music, you might too.

Sounds Like: Skuzzy garage rock

Key Tracks: "Make the Escape"�

C+

Even though all ten artists featured on this comp are from Nashville, don't expect any gun toting, dog and truck lovin' country music. Singer/songwriter pop-rock is the theme here, inflected with Music City flavor. Most of these songs are the overly earnest, plaintive odes to lovers that are tailor made for shows on the CW. The quality is fairly good across the board, though these artists are full of the wide-eyed optimism of musician that have yet to see their dreams ground into dust by the music industry.

Sounds Like: Indie rock by way of Nashville

Key Tracks: "Pony (Go On),"� "All of the Things"�

B

Apparently, ten years of face lifts, reality shows, and sex tapes haven't catastrophically hampered the Crüe's ability to rawk. While this certainly isn't "Dr. Feelgood,"� it is the sharpest Mötley has been in a long, long time. "The Saints of Los Angeles"� is pure cock-rock: sleazy, arrogant, and loud. The main flaw, though, isn't lack of focus, talent, or determination; it's that there aren't any of the truly anthemic, memorable songs that Mötley Crüe built their name on.

Sounds Like: Exactly what you’d expect a modern Crüe album to sound like

Key Tracks: "Saints of Los Angeles,"� "Welcome to the Machine"�

B+

"New Arrivals: Volume 3"� is part of the continuing effort of singer/songwriter Rachel Sage to shed light on unknown artists, while at the same time giving all of the proceeds to charity. Giving to a good cause is easier when the music doesn't suck, so Sage wisely picked an array of solid tracks. There are nineteen of them, so getting some stinkers in there is inevitable, but you won't need to hit the skip button too many times while exploring this diverse group of indie acts.

Sounds Like: Indie music of all stripes

Key Tracks: "Know When to Walk Away,"� "Nighttime in the City"�

B