Now With Added Alphabetization!: Reviews Of Recent Releases By Local Bands

Obligatory Disclaimer: Record reviews are a tricky business. It's one thing to enjoy music, but to, like, pick out what you like about it? That being said, if I review your thing and I didn't like something, don't feel too bad. My opinion doesn't matter all that much.

Another Mother's Milk - Milk Money - self-released - 22 songs - CD
Quick note: I've been told they're working on getting a download together as well, but right now it's just on CD. Onto the content. "Milk Money" is a good solid 50 minutes of trashy garage pop/rock. A couple songs, such as "Kirtland" and "My Own Scum," go into a folk kinda territory as well. And whatever you'd like to count "Robot Noises" as, kind of a, well, robotic stomp. Good male-female vocals as well. My favorites were the opener, "Little Cellar Girl," "That's When She Cursed Me" (which sort of reminded me of a loopier Stray Cats), the bluesy-ish "Bomb Shelter," and the crazy, stalker song "Follow You Home." Also includes their great track from the "Short Shorts Vol. 1" 7", "Drone." There were quite a lot of songs, but they were catchy and mostly short, so what's there to complain about there? 4/5

Vanilla Poppers - Demo '15 - Blow Blood Records/Saucepan Records - 6 songs - Cassette, download
Pretty good punk with female vocals. There's guitar, bass, drums, nothing mucking it up. There isn't any personnel listed, however, so it is possible that there are two guitars, two basses, etc. It's possible. Anyway. The songs are catchy, with great, driving riffs, and the vocals are great. A nice mix of obnoxious and entertaining. I liked it. My favorite track on it has gotta be the opener, "It's Love," which has a great groove to it and cool lyrics. Example: "I don't care, you're nothing, go die.”  I'm looking forward to hearing more from them, as the six short songs do go by rather quickly. But isn't that what they say, leave them wanting more? 4/5

Are you a local-ish band? Do you have a record out? Email vaguelythreatening@gmail.com or send it directly to Observer headquarters: Buzz Kompier, c/o The Lakewood Observer, 14900 Detroit Avenue, Suite 205, Lakewood, OH 44107.