jenna’s arrival – critty: when it began, i didn’t think i’d like it. who knew that by the end, i’d be a fan.
no children – something change in me: (should be ‘changed’?) don’t know about this one. it’s really everything that i’m against, sounds sort of like a bad mtv band at times, but again, by the end of the song, i like it.
reubens accomplice – this town: it’s okay.
the january taxi – girls with six strings: again, it’s just okay. i’m not really into this rock with emotions music.
paper airplane pilots – big disappointment: my favorite pap song. this song makes me want to sing it to some unsuspecting guy.
before braille – camera disain: (disdain?) sounds like track four to me.
the necronauts – a muse: f’ing awesome. everything I love in a song. good guitars and drums, bad vocals and a catchy chorus. love it.
olde style – guido’s revenge: prog rock mixed with surf pop mixed with some catchy guitar work. I like.
fifteen minutes fast – Minneapolis: i like the music and the lyrics, but the vocals are a bit irritating.
the format – one shot, two shots: I love this song. makes me want to bounce around and sing.
bullet train to moscow – reach out: too much yelling.
not quite bernadette – start to finish: don’t really like this.
post office – fondly: love it. hand claps!!
the dames – heads are gonna roll: i’m not normally a fan of yelling (see above), but it works for this song. i like it.
stereotyperider – you’re not safe with us: not a fan.
vandelay industries – roman candle: starts out okay, but is a bit too long.

artwork: A+. simple and fun.

content: B+. i feel like most of the bands sound the same. it's not a bad sound, but it's definitely not something i can take a whole cd of. the songs that i liked, i will definitely go back to in the future.

flow: A. no peaks and valleys here. pretty much maintained it's speed and energy throughout the whole disc.

overall: 3.5/5

good stuff. thanks for sending it to me!

1. Post Office – Fondly - good start. when it sounds like typical 2005-2006 emo or loses its focus (the feedback), i'm bored. otherwise, i'm rocking out.
2. Before Braille – Camera Disain - this is a bit... whine-influenced, but i do like the little stabs at hardcore.
3. Bullet Train to Moscow – Reach Out - this has a lot of elements that i like - the guitars, the vocals, drums, etc.
4. No Children – Somethings Change in Me - i like the guitar that's buried in the background on choruses, but nothing else about this song appeals to me anymore. although, it may have about twelve years ago.
5. Paper Airplane Pilots – Big Disappointment - i've actually never heard a recorded version of this song. it's good, but i think i prefer it live.
6. The January Taxi – Girls with Six Strings - i like the riffs at the beginning and i was liking it alright until it dies at about the 1-minute mark with a ten-second... whatever that's called. and when it picks up again, i'm just like, "you've shown your true colors already." it's short and that's always good for this type of music. (not because it's over sooner, but because punk songs aren't supposed to be 4-5 minutes.)
7. Stereotyperider – You’re Not Safe with Us - "it's so ve - ry or - di - nary!" yes. yes, it is. i kinda like that plain thing, though. there is no reason why this song should've been stretched out to 5+ minutes when nothing happens after 4.
8. The Dames – Heads are Gonna Roll - i can't imagine a situation in which someone told this girl that her voice should front a band. i like the music, but can't get into this song with those vocals taking over.
9. The Format – One Shot, Two Shots - well, this is a little change of pace. i like it.
10. Jenna’s Arrival – Critty - this isn't really my thing.
11. Fifteen Minutes Fast – Minneapolis - i'm pretty sure this is what the oldsters are calling "mall-punk" and it's not meant as a compliment.
12. The Necronauts – a muse - it sounds like these guys grew up listening to green day and fugazi. and that's a very good thing. this might be my favorite song yet.
13. Reubens Accomplice – This Town - there's too much of little substance happening here. and the last minute could've been chopped off.
14. Vandelay Industries – Roman Candle - guilty pleasure warning! yeah, it's all right. (edit: good band name, though.)
15. Olde Style – Guido’s Revenge - this is another change of pace, kinda reminds me of darediablo-lite. and no annoying vocals! hurrah!
16. Not Quite Bernadette – Start to Finish - i feel like i've heard this song two or three times on this mix already.

i liked 95% of the first song and thought i was in for a see-saw ride over the rest of the mix. i liked a song, didn't like a couple, then liked one or two, etc. it still flows pretty well, but most of this mix also sounds so similar i wouldn't be surprised if a third of these songs were by the same band. i used to listen to this music in high school and would've loved the mix then. and now it's just not my thing anymore. my tastes have moved away from what's highlighted here and i've stuck with only the best of these genres. and a lot of this is okay, but doesn't strike interest in me. what i did like, though, i liked a whole lot. (that'd be the necronauts, post office, and bullet train to moscow. and i'm sure i'll come around on a few others with more listens.)

funny....i have a format song on my mix as well...

actually this is a really good band. their full length is a really great melodic pop album.

as with my other reviews, please take with a grain of salt.

1. Before Braille – Camera Disain -** "reset your feelings" just struck me as funny
2. The Format – One Shot, Two Shots - *** like the way this one is going, upbeat
3. The Dames – Heads are Gonna Roll - not quite my thing, had to skip it
4. Vandelay Industries – Roman Candle - ** ok. sounds a lot like the emo/punk stuff i downloaded at mp3.com about 5 years ago. not a bad thing, just not something i can get into anymore.
5. Fifteen Minutes Fast – Minneapolis - ** same as above
6. Stereotyperider – You’re Not Safe with Us - **
7. Reubens Accomplice – This Town - ** not bad
8. Not Quite Bernadette – Start to Finish - ** see track 4 comments
9. Jenna’s Arrival – Critty - ** see track 4 comments
10. The January Taxi – Girls with Six Strings - ** i like the little break-down about halfway through
11. Bullet Train to Moscow – Reach Out - * energetic, just don't care the vocals
12. Paper Airplane Pilots – Big Disappointment - *** first time i actually heard PAP. nice change of pace on the mix. yeah, i like this.
13. The Necronauts – a muse - *** like this one too
14. Post Office – Fondly - *** i'm into this last third of the mix so far, good stuff here
15. Olde Style – Guido’s Revenge - ** funky guitars
16. No Children – Somethings Change in Me - ** and back to the punky stuff.

i kinda agree with z, most of this mix is stuff i would have liked a few years ago. i just don't really listen to it much anymore. there were a couple abrupt transitions, but overall flow was pretty smooth. i definitely liked the last third of this mix, and that format song. thanks for introducing me to some new bands.

edit: its intersting how you reordered each mix- did you do that for all the ones you sent out?

all the cds are the same, just in a different order. Most of the cds are drawn on with a sharpie, due to the lack of a printer to make cd labels.

my disc is like ten times more awesome than z's. and i'm not even kidding. i'm a big fan of original (aka "no printer handy") artwork.

which one did you get?

i am going to write my review in the next few days.....i liked pretty much everything except for a few tunes....

i think we have similar tastes

1. Something's Changed in Me - No Children -not my thang, but no doubt catchy... it conjures up images of mall kids. 2/5
2. Minneapolis - Fifteen Minutes Fast - this one reminds me of the last one... good, but seems to be geared towards the teenager set. 2/5
3. Guido's Revenge - Olde Style - is this a reference to the malt liquor? Interesting mix of genres. 3/5
4. Girls with Six Strings - the January Taxi - Nothing too memorable here. 2/5
5. This Town - Reuben's Accomplice - this is nice. 3/5
6. Camera Dis[d]ain - Before Braille - This kinda reminds me of Samiam... except I liked Samiam. 2/5
7. Critty - Jenna's Arrival - Started with promise, but then morphed into more of the same. I'm sensing I'm too old to appreciate this mix... 2/5
8. Fondly - Post Office - this is pretty good actually. I enjoy the guy and girl's voices together. 4/5
9. You're Not Safe with Us - Stereotyperider - Again, with the Samiam feel. Now that I think about it, I probably would have liked this in, say, 1996. 3/5
10. One Shot, Two Shots - The Format - this one seems different from the others. 4/5
11. Roman Candle - Vandelay Industries - Vandelay Industries as in George Costanza? Ha. Not too bad. 3/5
12. Start to Finish - Not Quite Bernadette - didn't move me. 2/5
13. Big Disappointment - Paper Airplane Pilots - Cute lyrics. 3/5
14. A Muse - The Necronauts - this one was quieter on the mix for whatever reason... I had to turn it up a bit to hear it well. 4/5
15. Heads are Gonna Roll - the Dames - this chick's voice reminds me of the gal (wife of one of the other members) in Nausea, except sweeter, ha ha. If you like this, I'd suggest Nausea. 3/5
16. Reach Out - Bullet Train to Moscow - This sounds like something my husband totally would have eaten up in the early 90s. A little screamo-ish. 2/5

Hate to sound like a dinosaur, but this one just wasn't my thing. I can totally appreciate it for what it is (simple power-pop geared for the teen set), but it didn't resonate with me. Good effort! 2.75/5

whoa. i never thought i'd see samiam mentioned on this board. i used to love them. maybe it was this mix that got me thinkin about them too. i might have to dig up some old cds when i get home!

samiam! i haven't thought about them in years. i didn't think of them during that mix, but they'd sure fit right in.

don't quote me on this...but i think samiam are in the studio recording a new album

yeah i was right

Samiam have announced the addition of bassist Jeremy Bergo, bringing the band back to their original five-piece status. The band continues to rehearse and write new material and are hoping to enter the studio in May, promising "we have tons of new songs...so be warned."

I listened to "Soar" a few days ago actually. My husband and I saw them play at some shithole in Portland about 5-6 years ago. Weird mix of people, and not a very good turnout, unfortunately.

aFreshStart4Me - The Working Class

1. Not Quite Bernadete - Start fo Finish. I'm generally not into this sort of thing, but I really don't mind this one. Aside from the weak emo vocals, the band sounds decent. I like some stuff that borders on emo-core like this, but it needs to be a little more warped. 3/5
2. Reubens Accomplice - This Town. This one's OK, too. A little generic a clichéd, but it doesn't bother me. 3/5
3. The Necronauts - A Muse. This one's a little worse for some reason. I think the vocals and lyrics make it a little harder ot take. 2/5
4. Fifteen Minutes Fast - Minneapolis. Same kind of thing, only the band here is doing even less for me musically. 1/5
5. No Children - Somethings Change in Me. Really don't like this. 1/5
6. Post Office - Fondly. Again, the vocals are probably the worst part, and the music really isn't my thing. Still not too bad, considering. 3/5
7. The Format - One Shot, Two Shots. Just has kind of a generic indie/alt-pop thing going on, and I'm getting much from it. 2/5
8. Vandalay Industries - Roman Candle. Not quite so generic, but still not doing it. 2/5
9. The January Taxi - Girls with Six Strings. No thanks. 1/5
10. The Dames - Heads Are Gonna Roll. Nah. 1/5
11. Jenna Arrival - Critty. Nothing special. Something about the main riff makes me think of Foo Fighters. 2/5
12. Bullet Train to Moscow - Reach Out. Closer to straight hardcore which really isn't my thing either. 2/5
13. Before Braille - Camera Disdain. For a second this sounded to me like Ben Folds fronting an emo band. 2/5
14. Stereotyperider - You're Not Safe With Us. Here's another track that's pretty decent instrumentally, but the vocals/lyrics are seriously holding it back. Oh the irony. Still: 3/5
15. Olde Style - Guido's Revenge. Nice title, but not very interesting as instrumental tracks go. 2/5
16. Paper Airplan Pilots - Big Disappointments. I haven't heard much from these guys, but, board band or not, this is probably my favorite track on the mix. I'm not crazy about the chorus, but it's a good tune for the most part. 3/5

Overall:
Flow - 3/5. Everything seems to fit together really well.
Surprises - 3/5. I'd pretty much written off this type of music, and while I'm not gonna rush out to pick any of it up, some of it isn't too bad. I think the only band I'd ever heard before on here was PAP.
Song Quality - 2/5

Final Score - 2.5/5

1. "Critty" - Jenna's Arrival
Not bad, but sounds just a little too much like late '90s alt-rock radio fodder.

2. "Camera Disdain" Before Braille
Better than the first track, though still in the same alt-rockish vein.

3. "Reach Out" - Bullet Train to Moscow
Interesting Vincent Price organ for an opening, but you lost me when Cookie Monster took the mike.

4. "Fondly" - Post Office
This is pretty good. I like the female harmonization, and there's some nice guitar work here. Of course, the handclaps are what really puts this over the top.

5. "This Town" - Reubens Accomplice
I've always been under the impression that Paul acted alone in that darkened theater. I guess you learn something new every day, huh? The singer's voice reminds me a little bit of Ben Gibbard. In fact, this whole song has kind of a Death Cab For Cutie feel, just with ocassionally louder guitars. I like it.

6. "Heads Are Gonna Roll" - The Dames
After overcoming some initial disappointment that this wasn't a cover of the Judas Priest hit, I came to appreciate this as fairly decent chick punk.

7. "Big Disappointment" - Paper Airplane Pilots
Is this from their new album? I still haven't picked that up yet, but I should, as I like their sound on this track even better than on their first album. I prefer it when their singer keeps things on an even keel. His voice isn't as good when he pushes it too much. Typically solid guitar work by Obner's own robotboy. Well done, Ryan. The intro and outro synth is a nice touch.

8. "A Muse" - The Necronauts
I like everything about this track, EXCEPT (yes, all caps) when the singer decides to try and get all Kurt Cobain during the chorus. You've got a good song here, man, no need to ape Nirvana.

9. "Roman Candle" - Vandelay Industries
Before even hearing one note of this, these guys get bonus points for the Seinfeld-friendly band name. There are parts of this song I really like, and parts I definitely don't like. I'm guessing I might like some of their other stuff better.

10. "Guido's Revenge" - Olde Style
This is WAYYYYYYYYYYYY too proggy for my liking. I actually like a lot of Jethro Tull, but this does not compare favorably. It's like Ian Anderson said, "Let's add a HARMONICA solo to our dozen flute solos!"

11. "Minneapolis" - Fifteen Minutes Fast
Kind of sounds like Actionslacks. Pretty good, for this type of thing.

12. "One Shot, Two Shots" - The Format
I like the acoustic strumming here, and pretty much all of the instrumentation throughout. Good vocals, too. What's not to like?

13. "Start to Finish" - Not Quite Bernadette
This one's just not really doing anything for me. Maybe if they WERE Bernadette...

14. "You're Not Safe With Us" - Stereotyperider
I would have really liked this when I was 16. It's very teen angsty. I'm not feelin' it at the doorstep of 40, though.

15. "Girls With Six Strings" - The January Taxi
Solid pop-punk, which really benefits from quality production. The vocals are very good, especially given the typical mediocrity of vocalists in this genre. A definitely thumbs-up.

16. "Some Things Change in Me" - No Children
Um...no. The drumming makes me want to stab out my eardrums with rusty ice picks.

Some real highs and lows scattered throughout on this mix. I think the good outweighs the not-so-good, though. Bonus points for highlighting so many artists with whom I was previously unfamiliar. All things considered, I'll give you a B- for this effort. Thanks, Mike! Stay safe in Iraq, man!!!