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Artist:	"PLANKEYE"
Title:	"THE ONE AND ONLY"
Label:	BEC Records
Available:	Most Major Music Stores
Reviewed By:	Bill Holmes
Rating:

The Orange County, California area has always been associated with hardcore punk, and more recently, a ska revivalist sound. While "Plankeye" has many elements of both in their music, their focus is more centered on the melodic hooks and rhythm of punk, softened (and bettered) by a vocalist who sings rather than screams. Good move for "Plankeye!" On this, their fourth album, "Plankeye" lets the bass and drums set the driving tone, often propelling the songs in a double-time beat. The opener, "Some Day," starts out like a "Gin Blossoms" tune, with the harp licks cutting across the rhythm guitar, but then quickly settles in to harder territory. There are varied tempos throughout the record, from jet-quick to pensive, which keeps the journey fresh all the way through. Scott Silletta's vocals ride herd over a tight band sound, abetted by recent addition Ryan Dennee on rhythm guitar. Lyrically you have your usual themes. Songs like "Face Down" and "Let's Try Again Tomorrow" detail screwing up at love, looking for second chances, and falling down and getting up again. Upon further listening, however, I realized that many of the songs concerned themes of religion and spirituality. Rather than overt pandering (which, although it thrills the choir, usually alienates the rest of the world), "Plankeye's" clever wordplay could easily apply to a relationship with a lover as it could to one with God. Consider these lines: "I really hope to see you there/ We'll reminisce when we're upstairs..." Tour veterans, "Plankeye" reportedly sold over seventy thousand copies of their previous release "Commonwealth," a respectable number that many name artists don't hit. With that kind of a fan base, and the pop sensibilities at the core of "The One And Only," this could be the one that breaks them to a much wider audience.

Artist:	"JOAN JETT And The Blackhearts"
Title:	"FIT TO BE TIED: Great Hits"
Label:	Mercury
Available:	Any Major Music Store
Reviewed By:	Jill Williams
Rating:

"Joan Jett" has been one of the biggest influences for women in rock music. Not only did she prove it could be done, but she took it to a new level and has been an inspiration for many. She came, seemingly out of nowhere, with the incredible hit "I Love Rock N Roll." While this may not have been her first hit, it's certainly the one that had the most impact. From there she went on to greatness. Her trademark black hair is now blonde but she still has the attitude and the voice. She was inspired by the likes of "Suzy Quatro" and the "Sex Pistols." Those who have been inspired by her, are bands like "Nine Inch Nails" and "Lilith Fair." She's collaborated with many outstanding bands and toured with an incredible amount of stunning stars. This is one lady who's managed to make it to the top in a time when girls in rock were shunned, and made the best of her time in the spotlight. This CD is not only a testimony to her greatness, but also an enhanced, interactive blast. When you put the CD in a CD Rom Drive, a screen comes up with pictures and general fun things to watch. It may not be the most elaborate set-up but it is pretty cool. You can also hook up to the "Joan Jett" website from the CD. The site is super. Lots of things to check out there including videos, news, and just about anything else you'd want to know. Now, to get to the most important thing, the music. I always wonder the best way to go about reviewing a greatest hits type album. Most people will know the songs already. If you aren't familiar with the artist, we know that this is usually the best way to get a glimpse of why they're popular. So, the question becomes, what is there left to say? Well, I'll attempt to lead you through the best reasons to pick this album up. It starts out with Joan's very first hit, "Bad Reputation." This is a very punky and danceable song. Fun on a round spinning thing. If this song doesn't get you pumped, nothing will. It's fun and fresh, even more than 15 years later. Next we have "Light of Day," which has to be one of the better songs of one of the biggest movie flops. Though this foray into acting with Micheal J. Fox was well intentioned, it didn't do well with the audiences. Fortunately, the song does a much better job of producing the desired effect. "Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah)" has always been a favorite of mine, and hearing it on this system as opposed to the lousy boom box I had when it was popular makes it even better. Nobody had ever heard of CDs back then, so this digitally rematered version is bound to be super. Loud and fun, if a bit repetitive, this is still a song that can get you rockin'. Of course you can't forget the ever popular "I Love Rock N' Roll," which set the world on it's ear. MTV surely helped put this song on the map, as it was one of the first videos shown on the channel. I can still see it in my head. In fact, it's entirely possible that Joan Jett is the whole reason I started getting heavily into rock music. I would sing this song for hours on end and it's no different hearing it now. Still makes me wanna sing. "Victim Of Circumstance" has taken on a bit of a new meaning since I've grown older and read more about Joan's struggles trying to make it as one of the very few female rock stars out there. It now has become pretty obvious that not only was she talking about the daily struggle we all may face, but in some way mirrors her problems in the music industry. This has brought an interesting new reason for me to appreciate the song, if I hadn't before. There are a few covers on the album. The first is "Everyday People" originally done by "Sly and the Family Stone." This is a great rendition of an older tune just begging to be punked up a little. Next is "Crimson And Clover" originally from "Tommy James and the Shondells." This is another big favorite of mine. It just has more oomph to it than the original did, though I love both. And finally, the biggest surprise on the album, "Love is All Around" from the "Mary Tyler Moore Show." This is definitely a different version of the song than you probably ever expected to hear. Very bouncy, it was used for an ESPN promo featuring women's basketball. A joy to listen to if only for a smile. Missing from on this CD from Joan's series of covers are "Woolly Bully" and "Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap)." In my opinion, it was probably best to leave these off. Despite how popular they may have been, they were not especially well done. I was glad to see them not included in this compilation. "Little Liar" is a live version that doesn't sound too much like a live version. It's a lovely song that the audience had enough respect not to scream. Live versions are never my favorite of the bunch, but this one is terrific. I hadn't heard the song before so it was great to hear it here. A little softer than the norm, this is one that shows her range a bit more than the majority of the tracks on the album. There are tons of other good songs on this album. They still hold up regardless of how long it's been. Not only are they as good, or better than we remember them, but they break the bounds of time. Most could easily be as popular today as they were when they came out. These are, for the most part, the best songs she's put out. If not that, certainly the best mix of songs from all of her albums. If you have any thoughts about picking this up, just do it, don't think about it anymore. If anything, you'll find that you appreciate this more now than you did when these songs were popular.

Artist:	"GOVERNMENT MULE"
Title:	"DOS"
Label:	Capricorn
Available:	Any Major Music Store
Reviewed By:	Jill Williams
Rating:

The names might not be familiar to everyone, but their former band surely is. Warren Haynes and Allen Woody were the guitarist and bassist for "The Allman Brothers Band." They left last spring to form thier own group, "Government Mule." Matt Abts joined them as their drummer and is a wonderful addition to the band. They had been playing separately for a while and released their first album back in '95, but decided finally that it was time to leave "Allman Brothers" and do some real work on "Goverment Mule." You'll definitely find this album different from their previous work. It's got a harder, rockier, and slightly alternative edge to it that not only sounds different from "Allman," but also different from most bands doing similar things. There are influences from nearly ever musical genre here. The first song is "Blind Man in the Dark." Now, I was expecting some blues rock, but I was in for a surprise with this first song. The distorted vocals and hard edge sounded more like heavy metal and alternative with a soulful backdrop. I didn't especially care for the song, but it certainly told me that I was not going to consistantly get what I expected from this album. Next is line is "Thorazine Shuffle" which is a little more like I thought I'd hear. This is a really nice, bluesy tune that reminds me, in part, of "Bad Company." This is not one of the more original songs on the album, but it is very good. If you enjoy blues, you can't help but love the song. Then we have an instrumental entitled "Thelonius Beck," which was influenced by Thelonius Monk and Jeff Beck. It's quite easy to listen to. A decending melody throughout the piece is well done, if a bit tedious after some time. Enjoyable, but perhaps a little on the long side. "Towering Fool" is a soft and lovely tune, perhaps the best on the album. The sorrow is expressed in this music in a way I can't recall ever hearing before. It almost makes you want to cry even without the lyrics. I could listen to this one forever, assuming I could take being depressed for that long. We have another instrumental next called "Birth Of The Mule." This is much better than the previous one and has a bouncy feel to it, while still being mostly steeped in R&B. Again, this is a long song, but has much more variety than "Thelonius Beck" and is a lot more fun to listen to. This is the sort of music I wish I'd heard at the last blues club I went to. "She Said, She Said" has some wonderful background vocals. It simply and beautifully demonstrates the difference between the sexes when comunication comes into play. This is another favorite. It's a bit more upbeat than some of the other songs and done exceptionally. Give me a CD single with this and "Towering Fool" and I'll be in heaven. When "Raven Black Night" begins, it has a hispanic, romantic feel to it. As the singing begins, I'm not sure whether to be disappointed that the music is being covered up by the voice or to be thrilled by the lyrics. This album is just full of terrific songs, this one being among the most interesting and lovely. Yet another demonstration of their capacity for variety. I have to admit, I love blues in small doses. I wasn't sure that an enire album could hold my attention. I'm the sort who listens to a song or two every now and again but doesn't really get into the catagory as a whole. This album has changed my mind. Those of you who are really into the genre will appreciate it even more. Don't miss this one. There are a few misses, but many more hits. The first song didn't hold my interest at all, so I was concerned, but after that initial hump, there's nothing but super songs with a few good, but average, ones thrown in. Pick it up and check it out. You'll be glad you did. For more by "Government Mule," check out the review of "Hound Dog Taylor: A Tribute" in the R&B/Soul/Urban section. The track on that album is called "Gonna Send You Back To Georgia," and if it's anything like the work they've done here, it's well worth taking a look at.