Shades of Shades Apart!

Long Since Forgotten - The Theft (www.redeyeusa.com)

Dang! If Long Since Forgotten doesn't remind me of Shades Apart (SA said they're sill together and may have an album out this year). Roughly sweet vocals over a powerhouse bass/drums/guitar combination. Quite a barrage from the garage!

LSF chugs along enthusiastically, awash in guitars (Jeff French, Josh Coy), and a sweeping rhythm section (Cales Coy- bass, Steve Stockin- drums). The atmospherically powerful and catchy "Hot House" is bound together with simple chord riffs providing a wide range of melodies, without any pointless grandstanding. There's a lot of drive and precision in these songs. The invocation of hard rock, and punk is subtle enough not to be obnoxious, but there's also plenty of room for innovation. In these times of pop punk bands that pretty much all sound the same, it makes perfect sense for Long Since Forgotten to add a little 70's revisionism. They are fully anointed as heirs to the post-Zepplin hard rock universe. In song after song, the band conveys their own distinctive blend of conviction and hard work. The album is every bit as consistent as it is compelling. - Phil Rainone

King Django - Roots and Culture (wwwstubbornrecords.com)
King Django has taken a unique, and vivid step in rediscovering his roots in ska and reggae. With members of The Stubborn All-Stars, Skinnerbox, The Toasters, The Slackers, and The New York Ska Jazz Ensemble, they trek out into uncharted areas of the genre-splicing traditional ska and reggae with traditional Hebrew folk. And it works! The mix lies heavily on reggae, but the other genres are definitely present. This blend isn't exactly new as I came across an instrumental surf rock album by The Neptunes a few years ago, with a cool cover of "Havea Nagela." On Roots and Culture they sing in Hebrew, so you're pretty much not going to understand the lyrics, but the music and vibe of the album comes through clear as a bell!

The approach here is more relevant than conservative, but the priority is that the concepts of both cultures are are that far apart. After all is said and done, what it comes down to is that a good time is guaranteed for all! Last year Me First & the Gimme Gimmies put out an album they recored at a Bar Mitzvah. I'm just wondering if the two bands would cosider a tour? Coolest song in the World This Week - "Ska Mitzvah." Yeah, I can see them at the Bat & Bar Mitzvah's now. They get the kid up on the chair and wham, the DJ cranks this one up, and the place goes nuts! - Phil Rainone