We Are Scientists and Kings of Leon
Nokia Theater, LA
October 15, 2008

Ah, the woes of the lesser bands on the bill. They suffer through the milling crowds of someone else’s fans, watching scores of people chit chat aimlessly, not really interested in what they have to say. Fans are selfish- they come only to see those that they know, anyone else is just background music. Poor Stills, not even I attended their performance. We Are Scientists nearly shared their fate- under appreciated by a theater barely half full of uninterested Kings …

Toolroom Knights: A Journey Through The World’s Finest House Music
Various- Mixed by Mark Knight
Toolroom Records
7/10
London Mixmaster and Toolroom Records label head, Mark Knight released an international version of a stunning two-disc set in September. The Ministry of Sound resident takes center stage with the fourth album in the label’s compilation series that officially released in May 2008.
The world-renowned DJ collaborates with other turntable aficionados from around the world and this compilation truly is a fantastic voyage through every fascinating aspect of a musical culture. From start to finish, …

Rise Against
Appeal To Reason
DGC/Interscope Records
8/10

Oh, my. It seems Rise Against has fallen into a rut. A sonically delicious rut, but a rut none the less. It’s my same complaint as I have for Bad Religion: everything sounds the same. It doesn’t sound bad, it just sounds the same. Appeal to Reason has the same globally conscious lyrics and thrashing guitars as Sufferer and the Witness, complete with recycled CD packaging and biodegradable veggie inks. It doesn’t exhibit any growth, though.
Tim McIlrath’s voice is just as piercing, Zach Blair’s guitars …

Choke
Fox Searchlight
8/10
I’d like to start out by saying, fuck all you people who go to movies and say, “The book was better.” I don’t read many books…ok, I mean any books. You’re not going to somehow convince me to read it by saying it was better than the movie. I want to see a movie- I like the visuals, the sounds, the interpretation of one man’s thoughts portrayed through someone else’s mind.
That being said, this movie was excellent. It didn’t bank on big name actors or insane visual effects that …

Dylan Trees
Charlie Horse
Motherwest Records
7/10

The soft voice of British singer-songwriter Jeremy Simon feels just like a warm summer breeze on a lazy Sunday afternoon. How fitting for this Los Angeles artist based in Venice to have a sound fit for the beach. Before busting out the Coronas and lime however, the music of Dylan Trees offers much more than just the right mood. They pay tribute to a classic 1960s musical genre known as psychedelic folk-rock in their new EP release, “Charlie Horse.”
The cool, calm and collected sound of the …