October 21-27, 2004

music

Home Records

Music by people who have complained about SEPTA.

Reactionary/rock

Malachi 5
Smash Politricks
(self-released)

With its heart and indignation in the right place (but its skills, sadly, loping a little behind), Philly poli-punk project Malachi 5 wages a war of words on the far right with this five-song EP. Take track one, for instance, "Stop the C.R.A.P." (you know, "Conservative Republicans Against Progress"). You might dig the funky bass line and the over-active guitar licks, and, 'round these parts, you're bound to agree with Malachi Joseph's blunt rants about the unfair distribution of wealth in our country. He doesn't hate all Republicans, just the really righty-tighty ones. But, um, did he have to use an approximation of old-school, sing-songy rap? And, while the message will feed your head, the verses ("The C.R.A.P. are bitch-slapped by the elite / Who have rigged our taxes to see / The wealthy controlling the economy") and the chorus ("Stop the C.R.A.P.! / Vote for change!") don't make you want to boogie. The band's nonpartisan stance is admirable, but its approach leans more right-brain than left; Smash Politricks just wants you to shake your head, not your ass.--Patrick Rapa

Rock/pop/eh

Brothers Past
statEPolice
(self-released)

They're sometimes cliched (How many times can you say "I never felt so alive" in one song?) and a little corny (See how they hid "EP" in the name of their EP?). But Brothers Past is also kinda catchy and a little daring. The Philly four-piece likes to pimp its straight-up rock 'n' roll chassis with grand keyboard hooks and surprising electronic swirls. The experiment is uneven, but props for trying. Singer Tom Hamilton graduated from the Billy Corgan School For Troubled Frontmen and Junior Year Poets, but the griping and scowling works like a charm on "Too Late To Call." His crooning and moaning fits the lyrics about second-guessing and the tense, mood-shifting rock. Still, that's only one intriguing track out of the five on, shudder, statEPolice.--P.R.

Brothers Past plays with the Low Life, Fri., Oct. 22, 9 p.m., $10-$12, TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011.

Torist rock

Anj
Coin and a Half Girls
(self-released)

Andrea Granieri has undoubtedly been listening to her Tori Amos records. With a soaring, often tremulous soprano voice, impressive piano-playing skills and diary-like lyrics about love, twisted friendships, and general life angst, this 22-year-old South Jersey native has built a steady fan base through relentless coffeehouse gigging. This, her self-produced debut effort, is a 14-song (12, if you don't count the mostly spoken-word opening and closing tracks) collection of often-wistful original material set only to Granieri's dramatic voice and piano. As much a poet as a singer -- with all that that implies, both positive and negative -- Granieri specializes in potent, estrogen-laden ballads that only occasionally veer into a self-consciousness that reveals her youth. When she truly nails it -- like on the heartfelt paean to her music, "Ivory," or the tango-ish ballad "Former Stranger" -- Granieri's impressive skills as a songwriter and musician soar past any minor missteps. An noteworthy debut.--Nicole Pensiero

Available at www.anjmusic.net.

bipolar pop

Swivel Chairs/Audible
Sidetrack Stars
(Face Down)

On this split CD, local group Audible shares space with New York's Swivel Chairs. Audible's gentle, gracefully constructed pop songs might surprise fans of singer-guitarist Mike Kennedy's drumming in Lefty's Deceiver, where he propels that group with leaping, limber beats like a disciplined Animal (the Muppet, that is). Don't forget, though, that Kennedy also played in chamber-pop collective Matt Pond PA for several years. On the Sidetrack Stars tracks, he's joined by keyboardist Mary Garito, Lefty's bassist Kristine Muller and another Pond alumnus, guitarist Jim Kehoe, all of whom also add vocal support. (They've since added drummer Steve Cawley to the fold.) The group casts a gorgeous early-morning spell on the likes of "Suffering Bastard" and "Sound Makes a Circle," all hushed vocals, well-thought-out guitars and subtle electronics. However, the bands have decided to alternate tracks on the CD -- Audible on evens, Swivel Chairs on odds. As the latter band occasionally offers a slightly more brazen pop tune or two, the mood occasionally gets disrupted. Still, it's a relatively small quibble, as both bands offer stellar songs. Audible will be fashioning a more uninterrupted mood soon enough, when their full-length is released by Polyvinyl next February.--Michael Pelusi

Jingle/Jangle Jammy Jam

Human TelevisionAll Songs Written By: Human Television
(Gigantic Music)

City of tough love, say hello to Human Television, the brightest brand of indie rock Philly has seen in at least a few months. The four-piece flew in from Florida, claiming a good-day-sunshine vibe and this swift set (seven songs in 17 minutes! whoa!) as its baggage. If you're searching for a reference point aside from loaded adjectives, look no further than The Wedding Present. Forget who they were? So did we. But here's the scoop on the sound: amps set to "jangle," peppy tempos and compact pop hooks. This simplistic structure would grow tiresome if it weren't spliced with fuzz-toned guitars, overlapping vocals and woefully-detached New Order detours. About that New Order influence. It's what sets the group apart, a wink to the '80s that doesn't involve synthesizers, tight trousers or any form of irony. Hopefully they'll return to this regularly scheduled program with a full-length soon enough.--Andrew Parks