Dave Short

Joey Ramone — Don't Worry About Me

Too many cover songs, but he does them so well. I can't help but feel sad listening to this.

3/5

Bouncing Souls — Hopeless Romantic

A few awesome songs, a couple throwaways, but high-energy punk rock through and through.

3/5

Zolof The Rock and Roll Destroyer — Schematics

The best kind of power pop, which happens to be fronted by a woman. Catchy as hell.

3/5

The Queers — Beyond the Valley...

There's a right way and a wrong way to do snotty punk; the wrong way dominates this record.

1/5

The Lillingtons — The Too Late Show

Enjoyable, but the aliens/zombies/spies motifs feel a little worn out.

2/5

I Against I — Headcleaner

Moments of poppy brilliance leavened with stretches of too-generic punk.

2/5

Ben Folds Presents — University A Capella!

Good idea, OK execution. Many groups try to recreate piano via voice. Some standouts.

3/5

The Parasites — Solitary

A fine pop-punk outing. Nothing really sticks in your head, but nevertheless it's a pleasant listen.

3/5

Tracy Chapman — s/t

These songs from a nobody about being a nobody but not liking it made her a somebody. Urgent, tender, real.

5/5

Green Day — Dookie

The vocals sound too faux-British, but the tunes are decent. Standouts are the tracks that weren't hits.

3/5