Beastie Boys
Paul’s Boutique
1989 Capitol Records

Grade: A

http://www.beastieboys.com

This is by far some of the best work ever by The Dust Brothers and the Beastie Boys. I get to converse with people about music on a daily basis and I am truly surprised at how unnoticed or forgotten about that this release is. The Beastie Boys, put out one of the best albums of all time when they released this gem. It is one of the best hip-hop; rock or rap records ever recorded and cannot or will not ever be duplicated. Classic tracks like “Hey Ladies”, “Egg Man”, “High Plains Drifter”, “Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun”, and “Shake Your Rump” are truly highlights of this bands career. If you are into Licensed to Ill, or To the 5 Boroughs then you need to get your hands on Paul’s Boutique because it isn’t one of the best Beastie Boys records. It IS the best Beastie Boys record. And that’s the “Sound of Science”.

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Send e-mail with contact information to theaudionut@nutzworld.net to be considered for The Underground Spotlight.

To obtain a copy of the CDs found in The Underground Spotlight please contact the band/artist via their web pages unless otherwise noted.

Deadworks

Methods of Life

2005 Unsigned

Grade: A

http://www.deadworksthewebsite.com

http://www.myspace.com/deadworks

This is a very interesting effort by this group! Imagine mixing Pink Floyd, …and you will know us by the trail of dead, and Breaking Benjamin into a musical endeavor and you might come up with something like Deadworks. This release is all over the place when it comes to style. The vocals are blended well within the vast array of audible delights. “Worm of the Dust”, “It Passes”, and “The Call” are all intriguing tracks on this nine-song disc. I might even have to go out on a limb here and say that Deadworks is one of the most creative unknown bands that I have heard in a while. Fans of Stavesacre, Team Sleep, The Mars Volta and the other above mentioned bands should take the time to see what the methods of life are with Deadworks.

Note: You can read an interview with Justin from Deadworks in Issue 10   

Tommy Coma

4-song demo

2005 Unsigned

Grade: A

http://www.tommycoma.com

http://www.myspace.com/tommycoma

Tommy Coma starts the assault at the first moment of “Set Ablaze” and this demo continues to hold you captive until the final note of “Tied Down” has died. There is an exceptional mix of harmony, melody and brutality here. Do those three words go together? Well they do when describing this release, that’s for sure. The band has a knack for mixing fast riffs ala Slayer and Machine Head into a fury of rock-solid grooves reminiscent of Prong or White Zombie. Fans of Carcass, Obituary, Living Sacrifice and any of the other bands mentioned, will succumb to the ways of the coma here. I for one am looking forward to hearing more from this band in the future. If you like ‘take no prisoners’ types of hard and heavy music then you should slip into Tommy Coma. Be sure to visit the bands web site to get information on how to get a free copy of this CD. (For a limited time I believe…Tell them The Audio Nut sent you!)

Jonathan Clay

Whole New Me

2005 Unsigned

Grade: A

http://www.jonathanclay.com

College student and Texas native, Jonathan Clay, has released his debut disc, Whole New Me; where he delivers some incredibly sincere and heartfelt songs. This seven-song disc starts off with the track, “A Little Time”, but Clay wastes no time in greeting his fans and listeners with premium songwriting, embedded with soulful vocals and genuinely graceful guitar playing. I have a feeling that ladies are falling in love wherever this guy brings out his guitar and voice. “Wish”, “Shadow”, and “Reality” are also fantastic songs on this release. Fans of artists like John Mayer, Maroon 5, and Jack Johnson will truly embrace Jonathan Clay. Last issue I displayed my dislike for the new Jason Mraz CD, and I honestly think that Mraz and others of his mediocre styling should forfeit recording contracts and money to Jonathan Clay…because he truly has the potential to go places with his talents; when and if the right people hear his work.

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A Compromise In Taste
Or
Why Dylan's "Desire" Makes My Ears Tingle With Delight

By Col. Lump

Recently while composing lyrics for a new batch of original material for my garage band, I developed a serious case of writer's block that couldn't be cured by the usual tried and true methods. I decided a casual spin of a Bob Dylan album might get the creative juices, (and serious feelings of incompetence) flowing. Nothing like the 'ol wordmiester to inspire. I passed over the obvious choices, no Bringin' It All Back Home or John Wesley Harding this time. Instead I chose 1976's Desire.

It must be said that I haven't listened to this selection in more than 14 years. You see, compared to most of Dylan’s pre-1976 output, I never cared very much for Desire. Oh, there are a few gems contained. “One More Cup of Coffee”, “Black Diamond Bay”, and one of my favorite all-time Dylan songs, “Isis” find Mr. Zimmerman playing up his most comfortable and successful role, that of the storyteller. But the stinkers like the phony calypso of “Mozambique” and the unnecessary length and fluff of the (by 1976) mandatory protest song “Hurricane” weigh the good stuff down.

At least that’s what I used to think.

In 2005 I find Desire an above average album. Hell, I will even go so far as to say it’s damn good.  And it has nothing to do with nostalgia. It’s not because I haven’t heard Desire in over a decade. It’s because “The Dukes of Hazzard” is coming to a theater near you this summer.  It’s due to the same reasons Peter Brady AND Jerry Hall have good steady gigs with VH1. It’s why I can’t listen to Jet without thinking of Cheap Trick.

It’s because everything that is new is just a rehash of everything that is old.

The situation is so dire that bad classic rock albums now sound good. I catch myself pumping my fist whenever I hear “Blue Collar Man” by Styx. And I’ve had enough!

I want to be turned onto some fresh new sounds. I want to feel that it’s all passed me by. I want to be an old washed up fart. I’ve earned the right. I want to be OFFENDED! Somebody offend me please!

So, if you have to listen to Desire, try not to put it into today’s perspective.  Or at least first give Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited a spin.

Next week I give a glowing review to that classic American piece of cinematography: The Monkee’s Head!

Col. Lump is the cranky drummer for the god-awful Richard’s Nixon
Visit their website at http://www.richardsnixon.moonfruit.com

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Lakota

Q. Who are you and what do you do in the band?
A. My name is Carlos and I play bass in the band.

Q. How did you decide on the name Lakota?
A. Our old drummer came up with it. We struggled trying to find a name that wouldn't pigeonhole us. It's a Native American word meaning "allies" or "brotherhood" so it fit.

Q. Your CD "Hope for the Haunted" is due out in September. Is there anything you'd like to tell us about the recording process or CD in general?
A. It was produced and engineered by Jamie Woolford who was in The Stereo and currently fronting the band Let Go. We made it at his Panic Button studio in Tempe, AZ. We demoed all the songs here in NYC and sent him MP3's. Luckily for us, he liked what he heard and agreed to work with us! We will definitely work with him again.

Q. You guys have been playing on the road a lot this year. Do you have any funny or interesting ‘stories from the road' that you'd like share with us?
A. For a band at our level, there are a lot of shows where we have played to no more than the bartender and the door person. I wish I could tell you that we were having keg parties with the Foo Fighters on the road but we aren't there...yet. But don't get me wrong, we love hitting the road and the tours we did with Sunday Driver and Further Seems Forever were a lot of fun!

Q. If you could be anyone in world history, beside yourself, who would you, be? Why?
A. I know I'm probably supposed to say someone like Abe Lincoln or something but I'm gonna go with Paul McCartney or John Lennon. You are talking about guys with blue-collar backgrounds who struck a nerve in people with music. They provoked and inspired.

Q. What are you listening to in your car/home stereo?
A. I'm loving the Let Go right now! It's super catchy and ballsy at the same time! Other than that, I've been playing Counting Crows, Ride and Idlewild.

Q. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about Lakota?
A. I just encourage everyone to let me know what you think of our album when it comes out. I love to hear the feedback even if it's bad. We will be on the road in the fall so I hope to meet a lot of you out there!

http://www.myspace.com/lakota

http://www.purevolume.com/lakota (for free downloads of Lakota)

F.P. ToZ

Q. Who are you and what do you do in the band?
A. B- I'm Buzz, the singer.
J- I'm Jonesy the guitar player.
R- Me Reg Magoo. Me Beat drums.
P-I'm Phil McAughk, Bassist @ your cervix.

Q. How did you decide on F.P. ToZ as the name of the band?
A. B- Hmmm, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.
P-Let's just say it popped out at us one day. Get your eyes checked (wink wink)

Q. What would you say is your favorite song on Housebreaking Oui Oui Pads?
A. J-Apocalypse.
R- Flooded
P- I'm not sure I can say. It wouldn't be fair to the other songs, I like them all.
B- Apocalypse

Q. Who would you say is one of your biggest musical and non-musical influences in your life?
A. B- I love music. Music is my influence. Non-musical Danielle and Kelly
J-My biggest musical influence is Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine. I totally reinvented my concept of guitar after hearing Loveless. Non- musically-Vodka or Jaeger.
P-I guess that would have to say Hendrix &...oh...Clint Eastwood
R-My biggest musical influence is Mr. John Bonham (Bonzo). And my biggest non-influences are $h*tty drummers who think they can play.

Q. What are some of your goals for the band?
A. B- To have our music to have an impact on people
J- To tour and tour and tour. And make killer albums.
P-Being able to quit our day jobs would be nice.
R- To be the best-d@mned drummer for this band.
J- Realistic goals were to break into the NYC scene and make an amazing album. We did all that, so we just want to reach everyone we can and take this band even farther tan any of us ever could have dreamed.

Q. If you could be anyone in world history beside yourself, who would you be? Why?
A. J- Moses. He was a bada$$ Godd@mm*t! Turning Staffs into snakes, parting seas and crashing them in on people, climbing a mountain to talk to a burning bush, and climb back down with God's laws, only to smash them. Total Bada$$!
P-Julius Caesar, he got to rule most of the known world & bag Cleopatra. Vini Vidi Vici MUTHAF***AH! I don't think I'd wanna get stabbed a bunch of times though.

Q. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about F.P. ToZ?
A. B- If people like rock music, they should give us a listen. We are the type of band that people dig more as they listen to us more.
J- A lot of our fan base wasn't into us at first, but playing the scene with bands like Stark, Banana Fish Zero, and all the others over and over again won more people over with each show. Repetition is key!
B-But then again, a lot of people like us right from the get go.
P- http://www.cdbaby.com/fptoz... take us home w/you.
B-working with people who click makes it easy to write music. Working with these guys is so much fun. Spending a week with each other on the road was the ultimate test of endurance. And deodorant.
J- And we didn't kill each other.
R- No other music sounds like our music. And not one of our songs sounds like the first one. Like bands today.
J- We are one of the most intense live bands you'll ever see. So see us!

http://www.myspace.com/fptoz

Note: Be sure to check out a review for the F.P. ToZ CD by viewing Issue 14

TakeDown

Q. Who are you and what do you do in the band?
A. JS (Jaclyn Sipple). Lead Vocals.

RM (Ray Merckx) Drums/Vocals.

NM (Norm Merckx) Lead Guitar.

AS (Andrew Sipple) Bass/Vocals

Q. How did you decide on the name Takedown?
A. Band: We started off with several name choices, and after a few months of deliberating, and figuring out which names were taken, we decided that Takedown was the name for us. It suited our music style.

Q. What can we expect from the band by years end?
A. RM: We hope by the end of the year, to have completed our first album.

AS: We also plan to return to the gigging scene.

NM: We're looking forward to getting back in Ear Studio with our producer Ron.

JS: Yeah what they said.

Q. Who would you say is one of your biggest influences both musically and non-musical?
A. RM: Sevendust has been a major influence musically.

JS: Our families, and each other.

Q. If you could be anyone in world history, beside yourself, who would you, be? Why?
A. RM: John Hanncock, 'cause it says handcock REALLY BIG!

JS: Janis Joplin, for the innovation in her music.

AS: Gengus Khan, 'cause William Shatner would yell at me KHHHAAANNNNN!!!!!!

NM: Hugh Hefner, 'cause...DUH! No brainer!

Q. What are you listening to in your car/home stereo?
A. NM: Dark New Day.

RM: Dark New Day.

JS: Black Eyed Peas.

AS: some techno junk

Q. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about Take Down?
A. Band: We will keep working hard for our fans, and continue to produce music that is meaningful to us. We hope that our fans can relate to the songs within there own lives. Most bands with the chemistry we have would have broken up, since we are a band consisting of a husband and wife (AS/JS) and two brothers (RM/NM). We have been together as a band since 2003, however we've been friends for over a decade.

We'd like to thank Audio Nut for interviewing us, and all of our friends and family members for there unbelievable support these last few months, its been more then we could ever imagine. God Bless!

http://www.takedownband.com
http://www.myspace.com/takedownrocks
 

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1.About a Burning Fire by Blindside
2.Absolution by Muse - Reviewed in Issue 1
3.Summer of Darkness by Demon Hunter - Reviewed in Issue 1
4.This Type of Thing (Could Do Us In) by Chevelle - Reviewed in Issue 3
5.Deja Entendu by Brand New - Reviewed in Issue 1