Jealous Sound
EP
Better Looking Records
Davis, CA's Knapsack were a band that never got the acclaim they deserved. After three criminally underrated records on Alias, second guitarist Sergie left to concentrate on his main band, Samiam, and singer Blair was left adrift. He's regrouped with the Jealous Sound and it's a pretty logical progression from the last Knapsack record, This Conversation Is Ending, Starting Right Now. More of a layered feel to the production, but there a still a whole bunch of hooks. I bet they're great live. Ten bucks says that they'll be signed to Vagrant by Summertime.

The Good Life
Novena on a Nocturne
Better Looking Records
Despite the overwrought title, this is a great record, although hardly a reflection of the positivity it's band's name suggests. This is the exceedingly melancholic side project from Cursive's Tim Kasher and is a serious bummer record with a heavy hangover vibe to it. Starkly beautiful, but not the record to contemplate your past failures too.

LIVE STUFF

The Juliana Theory
Brownies
12/3/00
The Juliana Theory have a pretty great song on a three way split with Jonah's one line drawing and the Grey AM and that's what brought me out on a crappy Sunday night. The Theory have a lot of guys in the band including the unfortunate presence of my least favorite eventuality in today's: the guy who just sings. Boy can that get tiresome, and pretty quickly, especially when said "frontman" feels the need to be really irritatingly dramatic. Truth be told, he plays a little bit of guitar, and at least two of the other guys in the band sing too, and pretty well at that, so if you get past the affectation, they are a pretty good live band. The kids seem to like them, and they have some pretty good crossover songs in the vein of Saves The Day and Midtown. Not sure this is a band with legs, but they do a pretty good job for what they do.

Versus with Portastatic & Mascott
Kyber Pass, Philadelphia PA
12/1/00
with Rainer Maria & Mascott
Bowery Ballroom
12/9/00
Versus, like Yo La Tengo, is a band that I've seen a ridiculous number of times without being an especially big fan. I always want to say their shows are great, and they are rarely bad, but never really leave me with anything memorable. And still I see them twice in a little bit over a week. I must confess that it was Portastatic that brought me to Philly. I'm a sucker for the Superchunk and all it's side projects and despite their really silly new EP of Brazilian covers, the Portastatic always provide an interesting look at the stuff that doesn't make it on to a Chunk record. In a lot of ways, Portastatic are better in an opening spot, as it keeps things from degenerating into the noisy, free improv that Mac can all too often get sidetracked into. Backed with an impromptu group of acoustic bass, guitar and keys, they stole the show, although you'd be hard pressed to find any acrimony. Mascott hail from New York and were spawned from the ashes of Juicy and Small Factory. These are two ladies with great songs. They can feel pretty good about having gone out a good band that went out on an up note, unlike a lot of tired caricatures haunting the touring circuit. They will be missed.

The Good Life
The Mendoza Line
Mercury Lounge
12/10/00
In the last year, I have become obsessed with Omaha, Nebraska's Cursive. Their Domestica record is one of the year's best. "Loosely" based on singer Tim Kasher's now defunct marriage, it raged with righteous post-breakup anger. The Good Life is Kasher's more acoustic side project, reflecting more ennui than angst. With an odd backing of keyboards, accordion and percussion, Kasher and The Good Life purged themselves of melancholy, at times approaching the energy of the mighty American Music Club. Kasher is no Mark Eitzel, but this was a respectable performance from someone with a true voice. I believe the Mendoza Line are locals, or at least hope so, as if they had to drive after the show they would have been a true menace. To say that the Mendoza Line were drunk and that their set was shaky would be a minor understatement. They, too, are compared to AMC, but save for the amazing steel guitar playing, they are a pale simulation. They were endearingly ramshackle, with a pretty decent Elf Power cover towards the end of the set, but should really lay off the sauce when it's time to play a gig.

Slobberbone
Drive By Truckers
Brownies
12/15/00
Do I really have to say more good things about Slobberbone? The boys from Denton have an amazing new record called Everything You Though Was Right Was Wrong Today and they will kick your ass live. Alabama's Drive By Truckers opened up and did a pretty good job of kicking ass their own self. I've heard about them forever, but never made it out early enough to see them. Frankly, I planned to miss them that night, too, but they are a hell of a great band. I wouldn't want any of them to date my sister, but they've got great songs in the Bottle Rockets/Lynyrd Skynyrd school of things. Not too much appreciation for that kind of thing in this day and age, but both bands are touring hard despite the odds. Let's hope it's not all in vain.

Figgs
Radio 4
Jed Parish
Brownies
12/16/00
I am a staunch fan of the Mercury Lounge, but since they opened the Bowery Ballroom, I've been spending most of my time at Brownies. Shows like this are the reason why. This show was a nice holiday package of three of the best bands in the Northeast. Radio 4 are the new kids on the block, but everyone involved has played around forever in the local hardcore/punk scene. In keeping with their name, they are playing more Jam/Gang Of Four stuff and are doing it well. The Figgs are more from the Kinks end of things and continue to show that they are the best rock band in New York. And there's always a twist in the holiday season. This year it was drummer Pete Hayes singing lead on Do The Bounce while erstwhile Figg Guy Lyons played drums. Not a bad topper to your holiday Figgy pudding. Opener Jed Parish joined the boys on percussion for the end of the Figgs set; his set featured Gravel Pit tunes and new solo songs that he's offering for free on his website. The boys certainly are prolific, so buy their new stuff and catch all of them on tour in the Spring.