JEFFREY MORGAN’S MEDIA BLACKOUT #481.91!

Towers Of London – Blood Sweat & Towers (TVT) :: If this were 1976, these sleazoids would be on Neil Bogart’s Casablanca label right next to Angel.

Kultur Shock – We Came To Take Your Jobs Away (Koolarrow) :: Y’gotta love a satirical standup ethnic rock opera about immigrants flooding across the border into America to steal your job. Uh, you do have a job for them to steal, don’t you?

Zebrahead – Broadcast To The World (Icon) :: The rage of Rage Against the Machine meets the power of Powerman 5000.

Vaeda – State Of Nature (PlayTyme) :: With Korn a desiccated husk, along comes Vaeda to pick up the slacker with their sympathetic bagpipeless brand of heavy histrionic angst rock.

Fu*k*d Up – Hidden World (Jade Tree) :: Don’t let the dainty Alphonse Mucha inspired artwork fool you because this is vulgar screamo inspired in part by the Who, Ramones, Clash, and Stranglers.

Mad Tea Party – Big Top Soda Pop (WT) :: Two gals and a guy dish out a merry menu of kazoos, side whistles and ukuleles in one big, friendly fun-fest of oddball originals, plus a wonky cover of Melanie’s “Brand New Key” that puts everything into blurry focus.

House Of Heroes – Say No More (Mono Vs Stereo) :: Finally, a classy album cover that’s strikingly exquisite! But Bryan Ferry always made sure that a Roxy Music album sounded as good on the inside as it looked on the outside.

Towers Of London – Blood Sweat & Towers (TVT) :: And if this were 1977, they’d be in the delete bin right next to Starz.

SIZZLING PLATTER OF THE WEEK: System And Station – Here Is Now (Latest Flame) :: Now here is a record that’s so refreshingly professional it’ll make you realize how truly amateurish most indie releases are. Well arranged and emotionally engaging, System And Station’s eclectically adventurous brand of melodic music has more than enough of what it takes to get them noticed today while they carve out a niche in tomorrow’s pop pantheon. Good job, lads. Carry on.

Be seeing you!