Capture the Flag – Start From Scratch (CD)

I had to stop myself and actually ignore the fact that Capture the Flag was on Go Kart Records. Even with a relatively embarrassing promo sheet that dropped tons of names of bands that had absolutely no ties aurally to CtF (like Bad Religion, Dag Nasty, Descendents), Capture the Flag still makes a very good fusion of post-hardcore and pop-punk. Heavily drawing from some of the better metal from the eighties (such as Iron Maiden, Dio, and Helloween), Capture the Flag decides to mix influences wit

NEW ON THE SCENE: JOSH X-AN-TUS!
R&B newcomer Josh X-an-tus is wowing audiences across the nation with his new single, “First Time,” from his highly anticipated debut album, Can I Live. The classically trained pianist already has a major buzz about him thanks to his single, “Let’s Ride,” with rapper Jadakiss. The hood love anthem was featured as one of the top ten favorite videos on MTV. X-an-tus is now slowing it down with a beautiful ballad about the blossoming of young love and making love for the first time, wh

Music Review: Sounds of Machines by Zigmat
Hi all! From the first strains of Monica Rodriguez’ voice on Sounds of Machines , Zigmat defies categorization. Is it electronic? Jazz? Soul? Rock? Dance? Somehow the duo of Rodriguez and bassist Stephen Yonkin manage to pull them all off in spectacular fashion. The duo performed at this year’s SXSW in March with guitarist Santiago Munoz and drummer Dan Duggins. From all reports, the crowd dug them. And that seems to be the case wherever they perform, from the Mercury Lounge, Joe’s Pub

Casket Architects – Dance On The Death Nerve (CD)
I don’t know, for some reason I thought that Casket Architects were going to play a style of music that was not related to the hard rock meets punk blend that first assaults listeners during their opening track to “Dance on the Death Nerve”, “Turbine Vaccine”. Throwing in a shrill guitar line and a blend of elements from Bad Religion to Avenged Sevenfold to the Refused, Casket Architects are a band that wow listeners quickly on this disc. The band’s theme (“Casket Architecture”) is much more nua

Capricorns – Ruder Forms Survive (CD)
I guess I do not understand the theme behind titling the songs in the way they do on “Ruder Forms Survive”. Each of the seven tracks has a date and then a title; I understand some of the dates’ significances, but am not sure about all of them (1946 instead of 1945)? However, the tracks all have a lot to do with each other, and these ties are made even more noticeable with the fact that Capricorns’ compositions are largely instrumental on “Ruder Forms Survive”.The very interesting thing about “Ru

LIL WAYNE’S TRIBUTE TO KOBE BRYANT…NO HOMO!
Rapper/ESPN blogger Lil Wayne released a new song on Wednesday honoring No. 24 of the NBA Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers. The song talks about his dominance on the court. Speaking of, will Lakers beat the Magic tonight? The team will play against their opponent in Orlando tonight. Although the Magic has been struggling these past two games, my prediction is that they will win tonight being on their own court…What do you think? Listen to “Kobe Bryant” here:

Elvis Costello - Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (Hear Music)
Hardly a day goes by that we hear about another performer leaving their chosen career trajectory and taking a swing at country music.Some of these travelers deeply feel the need to honor the history, the tradition, of the genre. They also bring something new and interesting to the sound. Then there are the carpetbaggers. The ones who’s career have a justly stalled and are looking to find a new audience in a genre they mistakenly see as an easy get. They carry with them the foul stench of mediocr