HAVEN JAMES
Rusty's Waltz
(Self-released)

You can't blame the fans that walk up to Jen Powelson and say, "Hi, Haven." But Haven James, a moniker that seems more fitting for a stripper or porn star, is in fact the name of Powelson's band. Powelson does deal in fantasy though, and here she leads Haven James through a strong set of self-penned (or co-written) tunes with lyrics that tend to look at the bright side. With a commanding voice that recalls Tracy Chapman, Powelson doesn't just hope for the best on relationship songs like "Alright Tonight" and "The Beautiful"---she avers that things are definitely going to work out. Even when she's dressing down a lying lover ("Pinocchio") she sees a little light, "I've learned my lesson!" Powelson accompanies herself on acoustic guitar throughout this effort and these songs sound good "quiet" but this material is just begging to rock out, something that's hinted at when Powelson is joined by second guitarist Bob Hermes for the ominous-sounding "Might Be Lonely." Preview and Purchase This CD Online

JJCNV
Part Fink
Statutory

Yes, JJCNV stands for Janis Joplin Crap'n'Vomit. For our purposes here, let's forget that, or at least not try to explain it. I also won't try to explain why the CD comes in a DVD box. Okay I will explain that. It differentiates the package from everything else in the "local" section. Same with the cover graphic which dares to expose---wait for it---a pile of potatoes. And it doesn't take long for this eight-song effort to start pulling your leg. Part Fink opens with "Evel Knieval," a Cali-punk-lite tribute to the late daredevil that shows that this trio can play it straight if they want to. But get to track two and things change; "Hamsterdam" creates a cutesy play on words by tweaking the vocal on the short song to sound like its being sung by Alvin the Chipmunk on helium. "Deli Mmmeat" takes lyrical inspiration from Weird Al. "Burst!!" features bee-buzz guitar and lyrics comprised mostly of "Na na na" and repetitions of the title word. "Adam Baum" (that's another pun; get it?) uses the tweaked vocal thing again, this time a little less hamster-ish. Sounds pretty weird, huh? Some will say genius and some will say "are you kidding?" Crap or vomit. Actually there's a ton of creativity here and after a few listens you'll be able to appreciate the fun of Part Fink beyond the novelties. Preview and Purchase This CD Online

MEAT PUPPETS
Rise to Your Knees
Anodyne

Not long ago it looked like there would never be another Meat Puppets album. Cris Kirkwood was in prison, his brother Curt was making a solo record (2005's Snow on Little Dog Records) and drummer Derrick Bostrom was disinterested. But Cris is now out of the joint (and free of the long-term drug problem that caused the band to fall apart in the first place) and re-teamed with his brother and Bostrom's replacement, Ted Marcus. Rise to Your Knees is, like every Meat Puppets album, stunning. Kurt Cobain made no secret of the fact that the Pups were a major influence on his work with Nirvana and it's impossible to listen to the Rise to Your Knees opener "Fly like the Wind" and not see and hear the ghost of that band. Curt Kirkwood's guitar playing is stellar throughout whether he's filling with stoner chords, riding a psychedelic bottle rocket or laying back for a radio-ready sing-along like "Enemy Love Song." The Meat Puppets were noted for changing their style from album to album over the course of many releases; there's a little of each era here punctuated with occasional jaw-droppers like "Tiny Kingdom." Welcome back guys. Preview and Purchase This CD Online

CRUSHED
My Machine
No Relief

Contrary to their name, the kind of hard rock that Crushed plays is not of the pummeling sort. This is sharp-edge stuff; guitars slashing while the rhythm section pokes like a stiletto thirsty for first blood. And while most of the fourteen original songs on My Machine have a post-grunge feel to them, there are some older ideas involved here too. "Hovering," for example, borrows liberally from Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold;" enough so that you'll hear the connection but not enough to be a complete bastardization. And while the riff on the song looks back to 1975, lead singer Mark Lauer flash-forwards a decade to channel Axl Rose. Not so coincidentally, My Machine is produced by Mike Clink, the guy who produced Appetite for Destruction for Guns N'Roses. This effort displays very strong musicianship but it seems that Crushed is just missing with the hooks---a little tightening up in the songwriting department and their competition will be, well, crushed. Preview and Purchase This CD Online

THE MORNING KENNEDY WAS SHOT
Pictures of Things worth Looking At
(Self-released)

If you go to this band's MySpace page you'll see that they describe their music as "dub/surf/club." I don't know if they're kidding or if they just have an understandably hard time describing their stuff, which doesn't fit into any of those categories. "The Desert," for example, sounds like a mash-up of dino-rockers Steppenwolf and British gospel-mopers Spiritualized. "Time of Night" can't help but be compared to the funky side of Pink Floyd. The specialty here seems to be the creation of dreamscapes, the kind that are wonderfully lucid but still uncontrollable. The only problem is that this E.P. holds only five songs so the fantasy ends right when you're getting comfy with it; a full-length release would be most welcome. Preview and Purchase This CD Online

BLANCHE DAVIDIAN
Orange Sunshine
Exquisite Swine/Vodka Tonic Media

Blanche Davidian is perhaps the best of the hard rocking bizarro groups ever to come out of Arizona (unless you count the Beans, who moved to San Francisco and changed their name to the Tubes.) The requisites of a rock'n'roll lifestyle litter Orange Sunshine like highway-side Bud bottles; there's plenty of sex ("Rod Swallows," "Brimstone Jannie") drugs ("Robotussin EX," a cover of Warrior Soul's "Let's Get Wasted") and other assorted debaucheries like "Queef Action" and "Hale-Bopp Panty Raid." Lead singer Jamie Monistat VII delivers every song with the manic urgency of a man on the way to the free clinic, which he is after a parking-lot quickie with "Chlamydia Schiffer." The constant buzz of guitar from Mike Hawk (say it wit' a Boston accent and see what happens…) and Nikki Seven keeps things moving and concise solos are taken on "Blanched Magic" where Monistat lyrically skewers everyone from Lennon/McCartney to the Strawberry Alarm Clock. Orange Sunshine never lets up and it never lets down either; doubtful that the underground will be hogging Blanche Davidian for much longer.Preview and Purchase This CD Online

JIMMY EAT WORLD
Chase This Light
Interscope

There are lots of Arizona-based emo bands these days and every single one of them owes a debt of gratitude to Jimmy Eat World; the quartet has been leading the way for a dozen years now. The band's long-time success probably stems from the fact that their material has always been appealing to an audience that goes beyond love-struck teens and Chase This Light is packed with songs that demonstrate that particular talent. The album leads off with the rocking "Big Casino" wherein the song's character wakes up one day and realizes that he's frittered away a lifetime waiting for something big to happen instead of working for it. The commentary certainly isn't autobiographical but hopefully the message will strike a chord with J.E.W.'s youthful fan base. Singers Jim Adkins and Tom Linton are at their absolute best with "Carry You," a soaring vocal showcase that will no doubt in retrospect be the song that this album is remembered for. Preview and Purchase This CD Online

A couple of quick shout-outs:

Kudos to ANIMAL COLLECTIVE who left their east coast digs to come out to the desert and record their Strawberry Jam album at Tucson's Wavelab Studios. For this Hot in the City bestows upon the band the dubious status of honorary Zonie-dom. Tucson was referred to as "the weird capital of the world" in the old movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and with that description still appropriate we couldn't think of a better place for Animal Collective to have squished up their delightfully skewed Strawberry Jam. Thanks guys, and we'll see you back for your next effort which we sincerely hope you'll call Prickly Pear Jelly.

AMYGDALA is a metal quintet from Glendale that has yet to put out a commercially available CD but they have some good material and a release is expected soon. In the meantime, head over to their MySpace page and get familiar with four thundering tunes---push that volume slider all the way to the right!