Dave Short

Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run

Pulls you up, then brings you down, wanting to dance the whole time.

5/5

R.E.M — Up

Evokes a dream world, buried in drum machines and synths. Some may find the soporific quality off-putting. Not me.

5/5

George Harrison — Brainwashed

A fine going-away present, my favorite post-Beatles solo project.

4/5

Metallica — Death Magnetic

Sure, some tracks rock like Metallica of yore. But it sounds like shit and bores me to no end.

1/5

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

Kirby Krackle — s/t

Self-proclaimed music for geeks, but entirely too obvious song topics, and the music struggles in places.

2/5

Farewell — Isn't This Supposed to Be Fun!?

True to its title; you'll sing along, but it wades in far too much emo for power pop.

2/5

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