Praises & Blazes

Praises & Blazes

by Kristen Spielkamp

The Roofies
(self titled)
Roofie Recordings

Mike, Jason & Bingo: The Roofies

In a recent episode of Beverly Hills 90210, we all learned the danger of Roofies, the date- rape drug. But carelessly mocking the important lessons taught by the 90210 gang, The Roofies have cast off all social responsibility and blatantly taken the drug name as their own.
Starting off with one of the more amusing band names in recent months, adding some clever musicianship and a flair for the flamboyant, The Roofies are definitely on the right track.

The Roofies, it seems, have taken lessons from the masters. Just listen to any track on the new six song release to uncover bits of Queen and The Archies, or maybe hints of Slade and The Partridge Family. Without a doubt, The Roofies are ready for the spotlight.

Not surprising from a band featuring former Celebrity Skin (the band, not the magazine, for those unfamiliar) guitarist, Jason Shapiro. And like the infamous Celebrity Skin, The Roofies have concocted a soon to be trademark musical potion. It's sticky-sweet pop with regular doses of campy keyboards and catchy, hook-laden choruses. There's also plenty of big, glam rock guitars and melodramatic vocals. The Roofies, it seems, have taken lessons from the masters. Just listen to any track on the new six song release to uncover bits of Queen and The Archies, or maybe hints of Slade and The Partridge Family. Without a doubt, The Roofies are ready for the spotlight. The Roofies Homepage .

Lizard Music
Dear Champ
World Domination Recordings
They're called the Coen Brothers of pop. And much like the Coen Brothers, you're not always certain exactly where NJ's Lizard Music is about to take you. Luckily, the music on Dear Champ is intriguing enough to keep you around for the ride.Dear Champ, Lizard Music's latest effort is 14 songs (plus a hidden 15th track) of sometimes puzzling, sometimes bizarre but always strangely catchy pop.

In fact, just about everything this band does is a bit confusing. They hail from Redbank, but their sound has nothing in common with the Jersey Shore scene. In the past, the band employed master producer Steve Albini. On this release, Lizard Music choose to work with The Henry Hudson High School Horns.

To complicate things even further, everything here sounds strangely familiar. Like something you know you've heard some where before. But then, just when you think you've figured it out, the song meanders off course and takes a direction all its own. "Variations on a Hallucination" begins as a perfectly crafted Beatles song and disintegrates into a noisy, sonic drone. Bits of early Elvis Costello come through on "Hate You Too", only to be constantly interrupted by smarmy high-pitched vocals.

Throughout Dear Champ, frequent nods to 70's A.M. radio stars like Wings and Bread are matched with a darker, twisted influence from the realm of Zappa. And maybe it's all the piano, but listen to "Sketchy Angel" and you'll even hear touches of Barry Manilow.

Welcome To Woop Woop
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Universal Records
Known for their work on "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" and "Backbeat" respectively, director Stephan Elliot and producer Finola Dwyer have combined forces for a new adventure comedy, Welcome To Woop Woop. The film is a dark comedy documenting life in the remote town of Woop Woop, Australia, a twisted place where the town's cinema and radio station are prevented from playing anything except Rodgers & Hammerstein.

Chumbawamba contributes the album's best track "Time Bomb". Nothing like their current hit, the song borrows lyrics from Stephen Stills and keyboard tricks from a slew of New Wave synth-pop heroes. The result is a perfect theme song for the current 80's revival.

It's no surprise then that five of the ten selections found on the resulting soundtrack are classic Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes. Remixed and revamped by a variety of current chart-toppers, the classic songs take on a surprisingly modern feel. Reel Big Fish deliver a hyper-active, ska influenced version of "There Is Nothin' Like A Dame". Club legend Junior Vasquez lends his talents to "You'll Never Walk Alone" performed by Robin S and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" by Peggy Wood. Within seconds he's turned the two traditional Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes into dance tracks certain to be a hit with every aerobics instructor in town. Other selections include "Bali Ha'i" and Poe's version of "I Cain't Say No".

Departing from the R&H theme, the album's first single resurrects "I Got You Babe" with the unlikely paring of Merril Bainbridge and Shaggy. Together the duo give the Sonny & Cher duet an updated reggae groove, marred only by Bainbridge's too candy-coated vocals.

Chumbawamba contributes the album's best track "Time Bomb". Nothing like their current hit, the song borrows lyrics from Stephen Stills and keyboard tricks from a slew of New Wave synth-pop heroes. The result is a perfect theme song for the current 80's revival.

Rounding out the selections, Cake offers a loungy "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps", the eels are typically hypnotic with their contribution, "Dog's Life" and the always fabulous Boy George contributes "Welcome to Your Life (Woop, Woop)"

Muckafurgason
Tossing A Friend
(Deep Elm Records)
After several 7-inches on Edelstein Records, Muckafurgason have recently joined the Deep Elm roster. Working with producer John Kimbrough, the trio of Andy, Chris and John have just released their first full length album entitled Tossing A Friend. Over the album's 14 tracks, the band ventures into nearly every musical genre imaginable. The tracks range from mock country to pseudo hip-hop with everything in between.

There's not much point in trying to showcase your diversity and varied musical background unless you're actually proficient in each of the styles.

On "Spanish Fly", the band tries their hand at goofball pop with a South-of-the-Border flair. A Pistols-esque parody cleverly titled "Punk Rock", is packed with all the dreaded piss and spit punk cliches while "Crying" and "Sweethearts" are painful attempts at twangy country tunes. Throw in a nod to current indie sensibility with the cringe inducing ode to an Atari game of the band's youth, "Atari" and you should have the idea.

There's not much point in trying to showcase your diversity and varied musical background unless you're actually proficient in each of the styles.According to their bio, "You'll either like Muckafurgason, or you'll kind of like Muckafurgason." Sadly, I can think of a third option ...

Plus, I've never liked wacky rock that much, and Muckafurgason strikes me as some sort of joke frat-rock. Except the rock just isn't very good, and the jokes aren't very funny. My guess is that this would go over big with the same crowd that digs The Refreshments and The Presidents of the USA. So unless you've just polished off a keg of Coors Lite with your frat brothers, this is one disk to avoid.

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