The Surfaris -- Wipe Out

  Not exactly the best Surf Rock band, but nonetheless a essential group for the genre.  As an album, an entire record of mediocre instrumental Surf tracks with some god awful covers can be a hard pill to swallow.  Being vocaless and restrained to one style, there isn't much diversity to explore, although The Surfaris aren't the best example, maybe I'd be singing a different tune (he ..he) if this were one of the Del-Fi acts -- but I'm not so suck it up!  Funny footnote story, and I'm sure you have one very similar.  There was this kid in grade school, his claim to fame was he could play the drum bit from Wipe Out.  I remember the first time the whole class saw him in action, executing the drum solo just like the song, he became the school yard God .... well for about a week, until something else came up ....

Dave Clark Five -- Across Canada with the ...

  British Invaders the DC5 take on Canada for this release.  The 5 are crucial early 60's hit makers.  Their tunes are great, but are basically a Beatles ripoff with a little fuzz and sax.  My only real beef with this record is that the album sounds cheaply produced, there's an annoying airy tinniness to it that didn't make me Glad All Over.

Gen X -- Kiss Me Deadly

  The last of what was known as Billy Idol's Generation X, Kiss Me Deadly.  The record might not be a punk rock masterpiece, but as far as good ol' catchy rock 'n' roll numbers go this album is great, and it features a slew of classic punk guest guitarists.  I can't help but have some serious nostalgia listening to this record, visions of dancing my little brains out in punk clubs years ago in Montreal, it felt like, "Heaven Was Inside Us All!"

Gary Numan -- Telekon

  Numan's follow up to the Synth-Pop Classic The Pleasure Principle, Telekon is Tele-crap.  Beating the dead horse release, you get the feeling that Numan was far too into his bizarro futurist shtick, which gives him points for going full force, otherwise it's just creepy, like the baby faced cover.  Funny that it kinda sounds the same as his earlier releases, but there is something missing that made the others good and this one bad, maybe he just exhausted the idea to the point it didn't have life ... I don't know ... what I do know is that Telekon is Tele-gone!!

Buffalo Springfield -- S/T

  This album is a great rock 'n' roll artifact of Neil Young's humble beginnings, I personally don't care too much for Stephen Stills.  The record sounds like folky countrified garage rock, For What It's Worth this album is better in theory than in actuality .... but they do pick it up next time ... I guess I just Burned em'!

Bruce Springsteen -- Darkness On The Edge Of Town

  Darkness On The Edge Of Town is a very stylish classic rock record, Springsteen isn't breaking down any barriers here, but that's not really his shtick, just music for music's sake.  You can really hear where the Arcade Fire get their influence from Springsteen especially in the vocal style and song flow.  Take it from the boss, there's a Darkness On The Edge Of Town.

Leonard Cohen -- Songs Of Love And Hate

  Montreal's answer to Bobby D, Songs Of Love And Hate, recorded in Nashville by famous producer Bob Johnson.  Cohen's usual folk sounds has the addition of string arrangements on the record making the mood moodier.  His words seem to speak straight to the heart, poignant lyrics emulating feeling, spearheading itself to everyman.  Even the tunes that I'd consider bad, Diamonds in the Mine and Sing Another Song, Boys, have a pre-John Cooper Clarke quality to it.  I just wonder why they didn't put any effort for the cover, they didn't have an artist friend hanging around to pick up the slack, oh well f*uck it, let's sing a song for Last Year's Man ....  "Sincerely, L." Jerm-man!