Dave Chamberlain

Records are released in two bursts: one during spring to anticipate the summer music season, and another in fall to anticipate the Christmas buying season.

So that means that with the official onset of summer, the spring record explosion has come to an end. After a dismal first three months of the year, spring yielded a huge run of records--here are four that have, through chance or circumstance, escaped coverage.

C.aarme, self-titled, (Epitaph Records)

I have no idea how to pronounce this band from Sweden's name, even less so thanks to the cover art being artistically fragmented. But moving forward, this is the best punk rock to come out in five years. Crossing a low-end and almost lo-fi guitar sound with lots of speed, jerky three-chord progressions and high-pitched vocals, this is about as far away as you can get from the Guttermouth "punk" that the kids like so much. Melody? Fuck that. Sing-along choruses? Fuck that too. Instead, you get minute-long songs with one riff and a monotone explosion, slackstick titles like "What's the Problem Mussolini" and "Gasmask," and tracks that throb and explode out of the speakers. No comparisons to old-guard hardcore, garage-punk or kiddie-crap apply--C.aarme sounds as unique as angry music gets. To the fans of rowdy music out there, know that this gets my highest recommendation.

The Thermals, "Fuckin A" (Sub Pop)

There just aren't enough good things to say about The Thermals. Good-natured pop music played with the reckless abandon of the Ramones, this three-piece's second record isn't near as good as last year's "More Parts Per Million," but that doesn't matter--high-energy rock rarely works this well. Sometimes it's as if lead singer Hutch Harris sings to an entirely different song, spreading a unique wail out over unheard bars and rhythms, and yet it still works. Each track is a little burst of rock 'n' roll energy, played super fast, but not so dangerously as to detract anyone who dislikes the rock's dark side. Songs sound happy, whether they really are or not, and there's a snappy, happy undercurrent to every riff, chorus and fill. Harris' lyrics take a somewhat bitter route at times, but the absolute frenzy of guitar and drums he sings over allows you to either absorb the pill or ignore it. So far my favorite record this year, hands down.

Beta Band, "Heroes to Zeroes" (Astralwerks)

Fellow Scots Franz Ferdinand are gathering the lion's share of the press, but that is wholly undeserved considering what Beta Band has achieved on its third record. Never has a range of instrumentation, genre, organic and inorganic been so seamlessly blended--"Easy" bops along acoustically while blending circus effects, "Outside" integrates thirty years of British pop music, from the psychedelic years to Blur to Radiohead, and "Space" amps up the rhythmic structure before backing off into acid land. "Heroes to Zeroes" is like five records wrapped into one, aggressively mellow with no power outages.

DJ Shadow, "Live" and "In Tune and On Time" (Geffen)

An entire record full of instrumental hip-hop can be, admittedly, a tough sell. But DJ Shadow does it as well as any, and this lengthy live effort (recorded in London) proves it. (The "In Tune and On Time" part of the package is a live DVD.) Drifting tracks pulled together with Shadow's trademark, ultra-chill bass/snare combo, "Live" shows just how well hip-hop can work on stage. Through the twenty-plus tracks, Shadow scratches on occasion, introduces snippets of vocals and rhymes, kicks into runs of drum 'n' bass and buries even the most sorcerous dub masters with stoner-jacking echoes and effects; all of it works perfectly in the exact order Shadow presents it. To pull any bit of this record out of context runs contrary to why "Live" works--the continuity of this vibe bears repeating.

And some previously written about that appear on the short list of 2004's best: The Streets' "A Grand Don't Come for Free," The Like Young "So Serious," The Ponys "Laced with Romance," Dieselboy's "Dungeon Masters Guide," Lair of the Minotaur's self-titled, Dangermouse and Jemini's "Ghetto Pop Life."

Sad news:

We were grieved to learn about the passing of Fran Oprey, one of Delilah's longest serving bartenders/waitresses, last weekend. In case you were unaware, to work for Mike Miller is to become part of his family; our deepest condolences go out to all of her families.

(2004-06-22)

Also by Dave Chamberlain

Tip of the Week
Perhaps one of the most anticipated records this year, The Streets' (aka Mike Skinner's) "A Grand Don't Come for Free" doesn't disappoint
(2004-06-16)

Raw Material
Once upon a time, I called MoBfest, also known as the Music Over Business Festival, the "best music festival in Chicago"
(2004-06-16)

Tip of the Week
Pound for pound, one of the best bills of the summer
(2004-06-09)

Raw Material
Suffrajett lead singer Simi and guitar player Jason Chasko exude the kind of rock-star aura that's not found often in Chicago
(2004-06-09)

Double team
(2004-06-02)

Raw Material
(2004-06-02)

Raw Material
(2004-05-25)

Summer Music 2004
(2004-05-25)

Tip of the Week
(2004-05-18)

Raw Material
(2004-05-18)

Tip of the Week
(2004-05-12)

Raw Material
(2004-05-12)

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