MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL reviews - Earthmen and Strangers / Mac Blackout / Poppets

Got the new issue of MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL today. I was really happy with all 3 reviews they put in for the last batch of lp's we put out.

Mac Blackout - The Western Blue LP - The second solo release fr AC BLACKOUT is a less angry, more listener-friendly journey into the music of the FUNCTIONAL BLACKOUTS / DAILY VOID songwriter. There are some BLANKDOGGIN' / REATARD sounds going on in these snippets of brainstorming, but noone came mistake BLACKOUT's brand of on-the-verge crazy. The style ranges poppy to strangely upbeat to weird, noisy, purposefully out-of-tune and back again, but as we've become accustomed to in other projects, the vocals are a reverbed, sinister juxtaposition to any happy here. At times the demented takes you for a loop, but strangely it's extremely accessible. (AL)

Earthmen and Strangers - self titled LP - I love when bands bridge the gap between punk and indie without losing or getting lost in any of the above genre's charm. These Arizona boys come off as a lost treasure on flying nun records whilst taking in some of its neighbor's (RADIO BIRDMAN and the SCIENTISTS) hook-driven pull. I'd almost put my imaginary house on it these boys rock the CLEAN and the VERLAINES every second day whilst blasting the WIPERS in between. Not a single duffer; every track becoming an instant new fad, sounding old in the warmest sort of way, a beautiful tonic to the worst Monday bluesI've ever had. Now I'm off to spread the word: We have found this year's best record. (SD)

Poppets - UTMARKEN 12" - Eight tracks of squeaky, lo-fi new wave-inspired punk rock. It's brief, it's catchy, it's got the hooks, the charm, and the dancefloor-filler appeal. DIGITAL LEATHER without the digital, hints of BOBBY UBANGI with a heavy helping of the nerds-without-diplomas polish of NODZZZ (SD)


Still got copies of all 3 records available. Less then 100 of the first pressing of Earthmen and Strangers left. Still have a handful of mailorder versions of the Mac Blackout and Poppets records left. visit www.fdhmusic.com to order any of these.