by Mark E. Waterbury

Terry Bozzio and Billy Sheehan - Nine Short Films
Magna Carta - MA-9062-2
The dream tandem of bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Terry Bozzio meld their talents in the CD "Nine Short Films", but there is more here than just the expected and stunning displays of their tools of the trade. Terry also gives us a gritty vocal performance, a bit spoken wordish, but working to great effect with the music that has bits of jazz, funk, progressive rock and psychedelia interwoven with a hard hitting rock and roll vibe. Billy and Terry both flesh out the sounds with various guitars, keyboard and synth overdubs providing glimpses that there are still untapped areas of their prodigious talent pools. The best aspect is the songs are actually meant to be songs, not just ego-massaging bombastic instrumental explosions. You can still be in awe, but you can rock out to the music as well. URL: www.magnacarta.net E-mail: magcart@aol.com

Sarah Fimm - A Perfect Dream
SF12232012
A sweet but sultry voice slips delectably from the speakers, carrying a touch of poignant toughness and street smarts that lets you into the world of New York City's Sarah Fimm. Think Tori Amos with a touch of Bjork and Louise Post and you have a base, but Sarah's own perceptive personality and darkly luscious vocal timbre gives the music its own indelible stamp. Eerily melodic piano melodies merge with a tasty balance of drums, guitar and a touch of electronic programming slyly toying with an ambient Nine Inch Nails vibe. The opener "Be Like Water" is deliciously Tori-influenced and blends easily into the mainstream music fold. "Virus" reminds us of how we all share a commonality of some sort of dysfunctionality. Listen to the mellow but throbbing heat of "Wrong Side Up", the breathlessly moody ballad "Alien Boys" and the twisted alt jazz of "Spit Trap Ghetto" to get an idea of some of Sarah's diverse songwriting eccentricities. The provocative musical orgasm "Lioness" is laced with electronic embellishments and African-tinged percussion. This CD will have you already enthralled by the time you reach the title track, with the opening dialogue of a street person named Dale followed by Sarah's bittersweet vocal homage. The talent, intelligence, honesty and intensity of this music no doubt emanates from deep within Sarah's soul, painting a musical portrait that is both dark and lovely with a mysterious touch. URL: www.sarahfimm.com Email: sarah@sarahfimm.com

The Kudabins - Kudashudawuda
Plan Z Records - Plan Z 6328
The lead/title track from this foursome from Queens, New York starts like it's going to be a mellow, acoustic effort, before exploding into a bizarre but well-crafted hybrid of raucous punk, prog rock and fiery funk. You feel a bit of "Apostrophe" era Zappa, the Dead Kennedys and Axe here. Then you hit "Lazy Guy..." and you think more of Jimmy Buffet, and "Gatekeeper" has a fairly metal drive. So is there any real thread here? Yes...in the ballsy vocals, the staccato rhythms and versatile twin guitar attack. A band that really "kud" be hot due to their free-for-all approach to this album. URL: www.kudabins.com E-mail: kbs@kudabins.com

John Austin - Busted at the Pearly Gates
Serious Hip Productions
A sort of wandering musician who has traveled around the country, John Austin could be comfortable in his namesake city, with his heartland take on pop rock and a voice in the direction of Tom Petty with his own personal intonations. The overwhelming vibe here is heavy folk-driven rock with enough melodic hooks to be happily enjoyable, particularly in tracks like "Your Generation," "These Things Take Time" and the gutsy "I Don't Know You." Some solid ballads, country fueled songs, a bit of Latin influences and well-crafted lyrics are all pluses on this, his fifth album. URL: www.officialjohnaustin.com E-mail: johncitizen@juno.com

James Durst - Elements of Surprise
World Wind - WW14
James Durst is a prolific singer/songwriter that leans more towards folk, and is unique from many of his peers by mixing various stylings into his music as well as taking more instrumentation chances. Lead track "Happen This Way" has a slight European jazz flavor and a killer acoustic guitar solo. This is followed by the bluegrass ditty "What If...?" the Latin tinged "Pre-Minstrel Syndrome" and the snappy island tune "Have A Friend." With lyrics running the gamut of heart-tugging to humorous and everything in between sung with an emotive but well controlled vocal timbre, James proves to be a serious and enjoyable talent. URL: www.jamesdurst.com E-mail: jamesdurst@aol.com

Ritual Space Travel Agency - In: Ratbelly vs. Gorgotron!
Bandaloop Records - 009
In spite of the name of this band, they are not some spacy psychedelic band, but more a rock-fueled jazz band that owes a bit to Zappa, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Joe Jackson's "Jumpin' Jive" album. This is music with a huge sound, augmented by gut bucket sax, crunchy guitars, thundering but funky rhythms and hard-edged soul fueled vocals. The songs have a solid vibe both in structure and instrumentation, and the lyrics tend towards disturbed humor, but that adds even more spice to an already fiery mix. URL: www.ritualspace.com E-mail: info@bandalooprecords.com

Tony Rooney - Back To Life
Chakra IV Productions
The solid grooves on the title track to the debut album by Tony Rooney is a fine example of unpretentious rock and roll with folk influences joined with touches of both modern alt and retro Beatle-esque feelings. The snappy feel and lively vocals augment music that is hard not to enjoy. "My Hero" heralds a string of tracks with more passionate, balladic feelings to them, equally well-crafted, then you hear "Mother," a dramatic song with soaring guitar work. Very well done music that should be a hit with the AAA crowd. URL: www.tonyrooney.com E-mail: lorrie@tonyrooney.com

David Ralston - 3rd Album
Ajima Inc.
American guitarist/singer David Ralston now resides in Japan and is one of the rising stars of music in the land of the rising sun. This third album shows why as it is brimming with David's rock and roll blues slant with heavy doses of Southern rock. When you hear David's chops you think of boys like Gary Rossington and Dickey Betts, along with a guy named Clapton. The songs have enough thought put into their crafting to stay away from the often too homogenized side of blues rock, and David's truly soulful bluesman's voice gives a serious jolt to the songs. A guy with a lot of talent who should be popular no matter which side of the International Date Line he resides on. URL: www.virtualokinawa.com/ralston/cd E-mail: ken@rinken.gr.jp

Exus - Heaven and Hell Society
Exus is the brainchild of the British trance band Terra Firma and the Brazilian outfit Saint. With a tenacious assault of electronic music and drum and bass weaved with unique instrumentations, robotic vocals and various international flavorings, the music seethes with an unbridled intensity. Imagine Kraftwerk and Frankie Goes to Hollywood listening to Prodigy while on an acid trip and you get a feel for the music. But they put a serious amount of life and thought into computer age music, breaking the usual cold and calculated electronica mold to intense effect. URL: www.terraferma.co.uk E-mail: Exus1777@aol.com

Unisex Salon - Self titled EP
This three song EP from New York quintet Unisex Saloon is a wild glimpse at a band with a knack for writing brash music with subtly hooky qualities. The male/female vocal interplay makes one think a bit of the B-52's, while the music leans a bit more towards Social D and even No Doubt with a nice pop edge to it. The tongue in cheek lyrics are another plus, and the more people that get their hands on this tasty morsel, the greater the chances that we can hear a full CD of twisted fun somewhere down the line. E-mail: RKelley283@aol.com :->