Brilliant and charming. This rocks, 77 punk style. Gang vocals, roughened up melodies, and tough guy hoarse vocals are the perfect ingredients to create a rousing good time. God, I miss those days a lot more when I hear stuff like this. From Syracuse, NY these lads sound like punter's straight of the boat from the UK. Rank 5/5

If the Psychedelic Furs and the Clash had intimate relations, and said activity resulted in offspring, this would be their glorious infant. Heartbreak is infectious, with its ringing, driving guitars and its insistent sing-a-long chorus. Love it. Rank 5/5

Close your eyes for this one. Never has a band's name and it's song's title been so aptly chosen. This song is a guitar textured work of genius. Calls to mind 80's shoegazer groups, but I can't remember songs from bands like Pale Saints or My Bloody Valentine this emotionally compelling or memorable. Rank 5/5

 this is noplace $5.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Moody and bit on the darker end of the pop spectrum. Strong vocals carry memorable melody, distortion rich guitar adds rough textures and raw emotional strength to the song's overall strong impact. Rank 4/5

 Pretty Accident $12.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Viva la france! A great pop song from Paris's Villa M. So what if I can't understand a word. Music transcends language, didn't you know that? Strummed guitar and a fun bass line get your toes tapping. A french Violent Femmes, perhaps? Rank 4/5

 LOIN D ICI $5.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

A peppy guitar intro leads into Villa M's homage to the eighties new wave. Another gem of a song whose quick pace and upbeat rhythm make it emminently enjoyable. Nice guitar picking and joyous strumming will make this song difficult to forget. Sung in french.Rank 5/5

 LOIN D ICI $5.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Combining a jaunty french folk guitar lick and equally spirited vocals, this is another charmer from Villa M. This talent french group knows how to build a nice tempo shift and then switch gears mid song to slow things down before picking it up again for the chorus. Brilliant effort. Rank 5/5

 LOIN D ICI $5.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Slightly more muscluar tune, feels like a Skids song. This track has a great lumbering bassline and spoken word bridges. It has a little english thrown in if you listen closely enough. A nice change of pace for Villa Medicis (what the group actually calls themselves). Slightly forlorn vocals are delivered in a Joe Stummer/Mick Jones manner. The guitar lead wrapps itself around a chunky rhythm guitar for a nice cure like texture. Rank 4/5.

 LOIN D ICI $5.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Picking up the pace once again, and this time led with a different vocalist (don't know which one) the Villa M build a solid groove. Asense of urgency is introduced by dense guitar and subtle basslines. A nicely layered vocal arrangement evokes the ganged vocals of early 77 punk. Features a nice outro guitar lead. Rank 3/5

 LOIN D ICI $5.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Sheer joy. That's the best I can do to describe my mood on my first listen of this Detroit based band. Vocalist Melissa has the pipes to shine clearly above the band's well written, layered tunes. The sound is professional beyond belief. Guitar driven pop in the neighborhood of Darling Buds/Garbage/Curve. A textured song that erupts in to a swirling funk/techno/rock climax. Refreshing. Rank 5/5.

 deathgirl.com $8.00 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Long live deathgirl.com! This is a smashing, good time fun song. From the chunky opening chords to Melissa's over dub vocals, this is tune catapults the band into a league of their own! I was so depressed when the darling buds broke up, but with deathgirl.com, i just don't give a damn anymore. Rank 5/5

 deathgirl.com $8.00 Listen to more songs from this CD!

A stomping pop rocker, with a electronica groove garanteed to get your ass shaking. More fun and games from deathgirl.com. A gary numan keyboard fill here and there make a nicely layered sound. Rank 4/5

 deathgirl.com $8.00 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Sexy and hard as hell. The band that brought you the great song, Seether, are back with a tune that will hit your pelvis like a jackhammer. As always, Veruca Salt excell at creating hard driving ryhthms and combining them with a smidgen of pop to create a truly monsterous tune. The juxtaposition of the sweet girls vocals over the guitar heavy riffage works every time. Rank 5/5

Led by a vocalist that sounds similar to Ian from the Cult, this group knows how to deliver a solid pop rock classic. The 2 minute pop song was perfected in the 70's and E*lux show that it is comfortable playing in that mode. Guitars chime and buzz like some of the 80's guitar pop idols (The Church, and again The Cult). Rank 4/5

 The Benefit of the Pout EP $5.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!
 Pretty Accident $12.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Guitars of course and beautiful girl vocals. Strong brit/stone roses melodic structure. Blast through you mind and sticks in there like nuclear honey. It will keep you sweet and glowing for at least an hour. Rank 5/5

A driving rocker with a slight psychedlic vibe, this is great song from the Martinis. A good contrast to their track "Free"'s whisminess, this track echoes some of the Pixies influences guitarist Santiago would naturally bring to his musical creations. Rank 3/5

 Fast Forward $6.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

An excellent version of an equally excellent tune, Free first appeared on the soundtrack of Empire Records. The vocals are memorable and the fey melody will play itself over and over in you head. Linda Ann Mallari has a beautiful voice that combines perfectly with the lyrics and poignant mood of the song. The Martinis feature ex-Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago. Incidentally, the Empire Records soundtrack is wonderful, a brilliant collection of pop songs that you will find irresistable. Rank 5/5

 The Martinis/Self Titled $9.99 Listen to more songs from this CD!

Another great pop song, this one revisits the mid 80's for a trip to the Brit Blonde Invasion (The Primitives, Darling Buds, Katydids, Transvision Vamp). Courtney Criswell's voice soars (a good reason to see them live in their Virginia Beach, VA clubs). With an airiness that carries your senses into her world, It is easy to get lost in her voice. The band keeps pace with a laid back guitar break and a slow tempo back beat delivered with a lot of heart. This band loves music and it shows in the melodies and the intensity of their performance. Rank: 5/5

A haunting and dreaming pop creation. A song you swear you heard before, but can't quite place. Fronted by female vocalist, Courtney Criswell, and backed by a tighly knit group of musicians, Lucky Town evokes a sound that recalls a blend of The Sunday's acoustic driven strummers, Sarah McLachlan's introspective compositions and a twist of extra bouncy pop. Ranks: 5/5

Ever try to see whom compares themselves to whom? I just tried that with Big Country, one of my all time favorite 80's bands. Amidst the dreck and wasted hard drive space on MP3.com, I came up this sparkling jewel of a tune. The Dissidents do the Big Country thing with a reverent nod and give it a nice dressing up. Big Country was always about guitars, and these Maryland lads have definitely succeeded in recreating one of the most distinctive guitars sounds in the biz. Aside from all that, this is a well written song. Passionate vocals share space with ringing, chiming guitars. Hook laden and catchy. Rank 5/5

A gradual build up (led by drums) reaches its stride as the rest of the band fills in the gaps with a buzzy guitar, and pop melodies. Add in some fancy drum kit flurishes a tiny smidge of guitar feedback for an edgy pop feel. Vocalist Des de Leon has a nice range and characterizes this 60's like pop song with a sweet, dare i say it!, effervescence. Not really but i just mean to say that her vocals are clear, light and full of sparkle. Please it is a long nite and I running out of music critic-speak terms. I just think they're fun. A good song with plenty of playback value. Rank 5/5

Getting Back into the girl/brit pop thing, The Arrogants bring you back to those days of bleach and wonder. Melodies tossed in amidst a frenzy of buzzing guitars and stiff backed drumming. Fun for all. Rank 4/5

This german band takes a lot of scottish influences (think Skids and Big Country) and uses them to write wonderful songs like this one. This is shimmering rock instrumental that will echo for a long time in you mind. Rank 5/5