Listen up.

The Passive Agressives, Reloaded

Liquid, almost twangy female vocals front this rough and ready dry-punk outfit. The contrast catches the ear; the funky, hard rock song constructions and Raggedy-Ann-in-the-gutter grit retain it.

"Evil Clown Song" sounds exactly like you'd think, while "Sweet Lisa" is a dark offspring of Heart's "Magic Man." I enjoyed the nearly tuneless "Casino" too. Lead singer Keren Gaiser's back-and-forths with the other musicians' shouted male vocals are fun, and guitarist Jose Santiago lays down bluesy licks over the rhythm section's punked-out pounding.

Altogether the musicianship on this five-song EP is fabulous, and the production is clever, up front, and crystal clear - I really enjoyed the sound of the CD even when I wasn't paying attention to the vocals. This is a highly promising young band. Hear and buy.

Down the Line, For All You Break

Down the Line is a warm, friendly, acoustic rock band with a soothing sound you can also bop your head to. They take a bit from the Allman Brothers' sound in "Midnight Rider," add vocal harmonies from flower-power era pop and CSNY and Jackson Browne and especially bands like America and the Guess Who, and stir it up with modern musical precision and construction. High points often come courtesy of the band's excellent four-part harmonies, especially in the rockers like "Slip On Through." But the lead vocals could use more oomph, and ultimately the CD feels rather bland, with unexceptional lyrics and tame hooks.

A couple of tracks that rise above that feel are "She Wears the Sun," where the band takes more musical chances and ends up with something that stands out, and the soul-flavored "I Can't Break Away," with its Freddie Mercury-inspired vocals and sha-la-la harmonies. The guys in Down the Line have talent and taste, but I'd like to see them hit a few more shots cross-court.