JEFFREY MORGAN’S MEDIA BLACKOUT #694.415.16!

The Slackers – Close My Eyes (Hellcat) :: Closed my ears instead.

Loque – So Long (Lava) :: Low key, see ya.

Stroke 9 – All In (Records, Man!) :: Stupid band name. Smart rock album.

No Warning – Suffer, Survive (Machine Shop) :: Fair warning: delete, delight.

The Aeffect – Secrets and Lies (Hitchhiker) :: Gosh, I miss the Human League.

7 Seconds – Take It Back, Take It On, Take It Over! (Side One Dummy) :: Ramones meet Badfinger and carry on bopping till tomorrow.

Court And Spark – Witch Season (Absolutely Kosher) :: The credits list 25 musicians who crafted this smart set of acoustic-based harmonious pop music, including the name of the guy who did the hand claps. Too bad they forgot to name any of the singers.

Kelly Clarkson – Breakaway (RCA) :: If legendary record producer Clive Davis honestly thinks that this puerile pap is what passes for a good female vocalist these days, then he oughtta have his head read.

Janis Joplin – Pearl (Columbia) :: With her dowdy looks and coarse voice, you just know she’d never get signed by fuddy-duddy Davis today.

Moody Bluegrass – A Nashville Tribute To The Moody Blues (Rounder) :: Finally, a banjo and fiddle version of “Nights In White Satin.”

The Trews – House Of Ill Fame (Epic) :: One of 2003’s unmitigated pop masterpieces is back on the racks with a bonus disc of new live tracks including their seismic extrapolation of “Hey Jude.”

SIZZLING PLATTER OF THE WEEK: Mark Dignam – Box Heart Man (Times Beach) :: Irish folk singer Dignam starts off his record with a classic George Harrison “Blue Jay Way” drone before abruptly shifting gears down into some of the strongest and most heartfelt pickin’ and singin’ I’ve heard in quite a while.

Be seeing you!