JEFFREY MORGAN’S MEDIA BLACKOUT #486.103!

The Mooney Suzuki – The Maximum Black EP (V2) :: This reissue of 1999’s The Black EP by one of rock’s most engagingly raucous primitive agit-pop garage bands is freshly adorned with five primo bonus outtake nuggets. Now if only they’d record a new one.

Scott Solter – Canonic (Hometapes) :: SWM into “machines, grease, razor, tape” seeks atonal audience for disjointed distortion disc. Serious replies only.

That Handsome Devil – That Handsome Devil (Stardust) :: This sleazy funkified jazzbo lounge album sounds as if Jeremy “Swimmin’ in Wimmin” Page struck a crossroads deal with Mojo Nixon—and then reneged.

Mae Shi – Rapider Than Horsepower (SAF) :: What if Kurt Cobain’s brain had been recorded at that exact moment?

Patrick Porter – Die Wandaland LP (Grey Day) :: The joyous and buoyant “Bond Funeral Home” is a very good start, but the rest of this smart airy acoustic early Bowiesque pop album is just begging for a Mick Ronson to come along and plug some much needed electricity into the proceedings.

Yanni – Yanni Live! The Concert Event! (Image) :: Perfect for making the dishes or washing the bed, this glossy live in Las Vegas cross between Jean Michel Jarre and Mike Oldfield will appeal to the closet new age syntho symphomaniac art-rock addict in you.

Totimoshi – Ladrón (Crucial Blast) :: Led Jappelin (sic) heaviness produced by woman-hater Page Hamilton (very sic)—but try not to hold that against them.

The Mooney Suzuki – Have Mercy (V2) :: I love it when a band takes my advice. You’ll love it that they did.

Kasabian – Empire (RCA) :: 48 crash on Highway 61.

SIZZLING PLATTER OF THE WEEK: Sloan – Never Hear The End Of It (Murder) :: Thirty songs, all blended into one big mind-bending Beatlesque block of nonstop pop that’s almost as good as the originals—and “almost” is about as good as you’re gonna get these days, bub.

The Beatles – Love (Capitol) :: Like I said.

Be seeing you!