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New Releases

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Artist:	SWEET DIESEL
Title:	"WRONGVILLE"
Label:	Velvet Records
Reviewed By:	Jill Williams
Rating:

Hard work and dedication pay off for "Sweet Diesel." These four friends started the band in '93 because they were into similar types of music and were bored. They like to think of themselves more as a loud rock band than a punk band, and both elements are apparent on this album. With Nick Heller on drums, Zach Kurland on bass, Nat Murray and Ben Smith on guitar and vocals, they've toured with such bands as "Unsane," "The Misfits," and "Orange 9MM." "Wrongville" is not only the title of this album and a name of the last song, but a euphamism for their bad touring experiences. There's little wrong with this cd, however. The songs remind me of a nice Green Day/Nirvana/Sex Pistols mix. Sometimes I think there must be something wrong with me because I so rarely enjoy an album's first song. This one is no exception. "Salvage The Chapters" is a little annoying. The vocals and music are well done, but boring. Then "Work So Hard" comes off much better with some fun music and some neat switches in tone. Gives me a much brighter outlook for what's coming. "Shot Of Some Will" is frantic and has a hardcore feel and makes you wanna slam all over the dance floor. Reminds me a lot of my high school days when I listened to almost nothing but hardcore. "I Know Who You Ain't" is a sad song with a fast and rough backdrop of music. Ben Smith lost a friend in a random act of violence and this song is about that. He says "I remember seeing someone on the subway who I thought was him, but I realized that it wasn't. Sometimes I forget that he's gone." I think a lot of us can relate to this in some form or another if we've lost a loved one. "California in Ruins" marks a slide away from the punk a little bit, and more into the rock side. It's a great mix of both. Starting out sounding just like any popular rock song, the song switches to something a little more underground sounding. The song I can most relate to is "The Big E." This is a commentary on the benefits of paranoia. Bad things only happen when you least expect them, so if you're always expecting something bad, you're more prepared when they do happen, if they happen at all. I feel a little more in tune with these guys after hearing this song, being a paranoid person from way back. I'm not exactly sure what "Unconstable" is saying, but the slow and weary vocals and music make this one of my favorites on the album. I love the fast stuff, but this has something extra. This album is filled with songs that have good messages to go along with the good music. The only bad thing is that it's nearly impossible to understand what they're saying most of the time. There are some songs I would love to know just what they're about, but I have no idea. "Unconstable" is one of those songs. An interesting and thought provoking song is "Mark." It's about living with a mental illness in the family and the stigma attatched to it. The pace is frenzied, but thankfully the words are pretty clear. This is a fun and sad song which covers the life of one who's placed in the difficult situation in a very streamlined way. Wrapping it up is the title song, "Wrongville." This is a great song that would seem at home on the "Natural Born Killers" soundtrack, both in feel and due to the title. And it would even be a little better than a lot of the songs on that soundtrack. The guitar is especially exciting with some 80's metal flashbacks taking over the end. While this isn't one of the best cds I've listened to, it is one of the better ones. Another reviewer said "'Sweet Diesel' packs more into a 2:50 track than most bands can muster in a CD." I don't think I could have said it better. If you enjoy listening to the loud stuff, grab this and have some fun.

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