Another eclectic lot of music for the column this week, and unlike last week none of it made me suffer too badly. In all, it's a good selection of stuff for their respective genres.

CD Reviews

The Explicits: The Explicits

This is punk the way it's supposed to be... nasty, brutal, and short. This owes far more to Motorhead than it does to the Southern California of Green Day and their wannabe followers. There are no ballads on here. From the starting kick of "Indestructible" to the glorious cynicism of "Hollywood," this is metal tinged punk done well and true. Great stuff when you are in that kind of mood, and just because it's punk doesn't mean the players on here don't have the nous to play it right.

Blues Company: Hot and Ready to Serve

This is eleven tracks of great live blues, with only one sort of stinker in the lot. However, the stinker is forgotten when the band does a great mix of "Hideaway" and the "Peter Gunn Theme." This is blues played properly, well and true. However, it's that sort of blues that rather than keeping you in your seat mopping gets you up on your feet for a bit of dance, and there is humour about as well. The track "Hollywood" is a stomper about an email invite to play tunes in Hollywood. It's a great track with a cracking chorus.

It's the first time I can remember "email" being a part of the chorus to any tune. This is just great stuff that puts a daft smile on your face. It grows on you with each listen as well. If you like a bit of upbeat blues, you will love this stuff. Playing needless to say is first rate. Oh yeah, and the are German.

The Bangkok Five: We Love What Kills Us

A touch of Zodiac Mindwarp mixed with a bit of Foo Fighters is the first thing that comes to mind. Touch of sleaze, a touch of glam and a whole bunch of attitude. From the opener of title track to "Outline of Us" you just get pure quality rock on here. They are rather good live I understand and I am not the slightest bit shocked. Oh there is a touch of the Gothy attitude of HIM floating round too.