reviews:
Walt Mink: El Producto
Weezer: Weezer
Weezer: Pinkerton
Will Haven: El Diablo
Will Haven: Will Haven

Walt Mink: El Producto I guess my musical mind is just defective. I'll admit that this is a good album. What I can't understand is what all the fuss is over. Yes, it's done well. Yes, it's good. Will I be putting it on everyday? No. There's nothing special going on here, it's just a good pop-rock album, nothing more, nothing less. Walt Mink can be blamed for ushering in a new wave of really shitty poppy-punk music, but otherwise, they've made no missteps. If you like rock with traces of pop and punk laced throughout, go and pick up this album. Otherwise, don't. One word of advice though: Don't believe the hype. It's just a record. A better than average record, yes, but still just a record.

Weezer: Weezer First off, I don't wanna hear anybody going "Oh man, Weezer, they suck!" On what grounds do you rule Weezer to "suck?" Is it because they're happy and optimistic around all that other gloomy music that came out around the same time? Is it because their guitars were cranked to nine and created a lush wall of sound with simple chords? Is it because this record came out in 1994, yet you still have the melodies from at least one of those singles stuck in your head even now? Call it geek rock, call it annyoing, call it whatever you want. This is the one album that anyone can own to put on just to feel good for awhile. "Buddy Holly," the lead single and a damn good song, is the weakest effort on this album when stacked up against the incessant pop hooks on non-single tracks like "No One Else" and "In the Garage." This album has a rush to it that others don't; this is happy music made for and by (hopefully) happy people. And there is nothing anyone could ever say that would make me want to ever part with this album. The guitars aren't so much played as detonated, the bass thumps along with the drums, the goofy-yet-you-know-there's-a-deeper-meaning words kick in, and musical bliss ensues. Sure, you could be angry and pessimistic, but why would you want to when you have an album this fun and enjoyable?

Weezer: Pinkerton Yeah! Weezer rules the world, or should in my opinion. I feel bad saying this, but I think, I think, I think I like this better than the self titled. Please don't shoot me! I'm tired of sex and I'm gonna getchoo because there is no other one and you say why bother? Because I'm going across the sea to live the good life in el scorcho. I passed the pink triangle and I think I'm falling for you and now I'll fly away like a butterfly and finish this review. And just what is it about Weezer that is so darn appealing? I can't pinpoint that now, probably never will. Maybe it's just that four perfect musicians got together and started a band. Maybe it's just that perfected guitar sound or those nice vocals or just those pretty songs. Just get this album. This band is so much for than Buddy Holly or a damn sweater.

Will Haven: El Diablo Starting off with a trippy intro, the bass and drums cut in. Get ready, for Will Haven is about to take off. This band seems to flourish on the climax idea. Most of their songs live off of it. They get progressively heavier, faster with more anxiety ridden vocals from the singer, until they burst and die. It happens on every song on this album. The first track, "Stick Up Kid" is a song of being cared and hunted, with the lyric "You stare at me with cross haired eyes" erupting from Grady's chords. Good shit. "I've Seen My Fate", track two on the album, is my favorite, along with "June". They present all that is right to me in this weird hybrid type of metal. What the Deftones have done on Around the Fur with mixing melody with absolute heavinesss and metal sounds is what these guys do on this album with a bass-heavy, rim-shot laden sound where the guitars reflect off the singing. The singing is the most intriguing part - it's yelling, but he does it so well.

Will Haven: WHVN This CD has no singing melody at all. I am sorry. Grady Avenell has the best yell/scream in heavy music today. The start to "If She Could Speak" shows that. "Slopeski" is an almost instrumental song with some of the coolest guitar I've heard in a while. "Subtitles" and "Muse" are also very cool. Will Haven has a sound like mixing the Deftones with a little Earth Crisis and at times some Far. Take of that what you will.