The Crap Stack: Livan, CIAM, Teenage Bottlerocket

Posted on Sep 25th 2009 3:30PM by Rob Smy
Comments

Here at Spinner, we receive more CDs than we can possibly listen to. Sadly, many of them, whether good or bad, get consigned to The Crap Stack, where they languish until they're eventually carted off to become shiny silver landfill somewhere. However, in our version of Musical Lotto, we've decided to rescue -- completely at random -- three discs from the pile and give them a proper and fair reviewing. Will the chosen CD be crap-tastic -- or just plain crap? Let's find out, shall we?

Livan: 'Many Happy Returns' (single): This tune starts out promisingly enough, sounding somewhat like Placebo or Nine Inch Nails with some meaty and insistent drums, jabbering keys and a mile-wide power chord. The problem is that it's really just that one monster guitar chord throughout -- it quickly becomes mind-numbing -- and there's not much the other instruments can do to help when it's been placed front and center.

On the plus side, we're rather amused by the inarguable likeness of Livan's vocals to those of Peter Griffin (of 'Family Guy' fame), in particular when the latter gave his memorable rendition of the Trashmen's 'Surfin Bird.' If you're looking for music of the type Livan seems to be emulating, we'd steer you in the direction of those bands we mentioned earlier, Placebo and Nine Inch Nails, fellas who do what they do best with two or more chords at their disposal.

CIAM: 'Anonymous' (album): It's hard to imagine fans of Eno or sonic giants Elbow would struggle to get into this London-based five piece's layered alt-rock sound. Atmospheric opener 'Here I Am' intersperses gently clanging chimes with buzzing electrical interference before a hefty rhythm section and suitably deity-like vocals weigh in with convincing effect.

Of the 12 tracks that make up 'Anonymous,' the stand-out is the mammoth 'The Call,' with its Led Zep drum fills, Radiohead synths and Simple Minds bass line. With these familiar-sounding components and the apocalyptic lyrical content, it's easy to imagine this song performed to an arena illuminated by held-aloft lighters. Overall, what CIAM are doing with 'Anonymous' isn't particularly original, but it's well-delivered and packaged in such a way that the album will grow on the listener with further airplay.

Teenage Bottlerocket: 'They Came From the Shadows' (album): This Laramie, Wyo. pop-punk four-piece fires up a (ahem) rocket-fueled 14-track blast-a-thon that clocks in at a brake-screeching 32 minutes. With four LPs and a stack of EPs to their name, Teenage Bottlerocket don't offer any surprises to the pop-punk aficionado -- and they aren't trying to.

Our favorite cuts include the fast, furious cautionary school tale, 'Fatso Goes Nutzoid,' and salute-to-the-undead title track, which isn't that scary and actually makes for a decent singalong. As the foursome would have it -- in short -- if you like your punk served up wicked-fast and water-tight, then this album delivers the goods.