6X “Thunder Bomb” Daemon Records. A dozen different packs of firecrackers adorn this disc jacket and the CD inside packs the same explosive punch. Lara Kiang’s got that girl next door kind of voice. No not that one, the one on the other side, the one you thought was cute. The band rocks right through tunes about high school, attitude, mood swings, and love. All the while, they’re grooving like the B52s used to and wish they still could. With a “sis-boom-bah,” and a “hey hey hey,” 6X says “you’d better get out of the way.” Sounds like it could and should be corny, but these Georgia kids pull it off. Daemon po box 1207 Decatur, GA 30031. - Ment.

Betty Ford Falcons, Graceland, Seattle, 9/25/01 - Kind of like a cool version of an 80s rock band that supersedes its era by exploring and reprising the songs and sounds of punk, garage, grunge, and metal with shoutouts to artists which might include Billy Squire, Pixies, Sex Pistols, and Ozzy. Despite his Kid Rock flair for fashion, the lead singer belted out swell vocals somewhere between Bon Scot, Ian McKaye, and the masters of butt rock. - EAK

Barnyard Playboys, self-titled, Atomic Playboy Records - Great disc, better than most alt.country. The Playboys understand the way to blend rock with country - maybe not edgy or masterful as The Revenants but a close cousin. More honky-tonk than the Old 97s. This was their sound in ‘97, sounds as if they may be more hardcore now. A promising debut recording. - EAK

Question of Honor, “Canopic Jars”, Strange Hues - Illinois based trio that evolved from Michigan based hard-core group Skor. The sound on this disc lean more toward indie with a heavy rock bent. Unfortunately, the band did not shed the Ratt/Guns-N-Roses vocal style sophomoric lyrics celebrating S&M or bemoaning child abuse in songs that may be sincere but are unconvincing. Maybe there’s something to them - they have been well received by Midwest radio stations and appeared on a movie soundtrack. - EAK

I Against I, “Headcleaner”, Epitaph - Good clean old school punk with clarion peal of stellar lead vocals which stomps in mosh, bounces in ska, roars with swift guitar charges, and keeps time with punchy precise percussive pummeling. Measures up to a standard of quality musicianship and punk credibility I’ve come to expect from Epitaph. - EAK

Sturgeon General “Stout” Radical (circa ‘98) Smoky, booze-laden, late night ska - with a few surprises, like “She Knows My Name,” a story song in the tradition of story songs about scoring a hottie at the corner pub – before breakfast? I like it, even more cuz I know the band is from Utah! Wow. - Ment

Squirrels From Hell “The Sound and the Furry” Rodent Records. This one might be self-released, ya know? A sense of humor is sometimes hard to find, so “My Town” the first track on this disc about a community of 7,000 predominantly witness-relocation-type citizens, was welcome. But an idea is sometimes only as good as its execution and the music on the rodent record is nothing to write home about, even if the lyrics and spoken word segments are well written. Average at times, the beats never rise much above mediocre. po box 123 Hellsville NY 11802. - Ment.