DistillersSing Sing Death HouseHellcat/EpitaphI’m willing to bet that if Brody Armstrong weren’t married to Tim “Rancid” Armstrong, she wouldn’t last past this disc. Where their self-titled debut was a (somewhat) finely crafted album that had the occasional keen point and cool riff, this disc sounds like it’s the warmed-up leftovers. Lyrics are laughable at best with their hip hop-ish “I’m so street/I’ve lived the hard life” bantering, and the entire affair reeks of some larger hand directing things so that the missus gets her way and hubby still gets laid. Ho hum.Rating:VOperation MakeoutFirst BaseMintIs it just me, or is the cover art totally disgusting? Maybe it speaks more to my fear of human contact, but the closeup of intertwining tongues has me gagging while I make out with my girlfriend. The singer’s voice kind of reminds me of the girl from X, except she doesn’t seem as slutty. These aren’t great songs, but somehow I doubt that’s the point. The record radiates a joy for playing and the knowledge that everyone in the band holds a day job. It’s a real fun time. Rating: VVVNoel NickolHaymarket RiotBloodshot EyesThickOne of the most uniquely heavy bands to come out of the hardcore woodwork in years, Haymarket Riot feature a brilliant blend of hardcore sensibility and heaviness with the eclectic disarray of emo. Imagine if At The Drive-In were a smidgen heavier and a lot more apt to the leanings of Golden Lake Diner or Sixty Stories. Thankfully, this mixture works incredibly well, providing rock-solid riffs that intertwine with a resident introspective vibe and plenty of aggressive tendencies. Rating: VVVVKeith Carman
