Shawn Donohue

Wolf Eyes: Human Animal

One needs to know before listening that Wolf Eyes' Human Animal isn’t remotely close to your leather clad teased hair metal from days of lore, this is the psychopathic soundscape that hides in the heads of serial killers spilled out onto CD. A director could take this disk, and literally use the whole thing in order as a musical score to create a cringe inducing fright fest.

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Primus: Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY, 11/9/06

When Primus played, they were tight, if not as powerful or spacious as in past outings, but with the ambivalence or possible anger being displayed from one of the quirkiest front men in the business, I think it is safe too say that it was an off night for the group who ironically usually just Sucks!

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CMJ Music Fest: Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY 11.1.06

CMJ (NYC’s annual music fest) came in like a lion, roared like a lion and left like – yup, you got it – a lion. The whirlwind of fantastic jams set the foundation for the Wednesday night show at Bowery Ballroom. Chock Full O’ Bands that are in various stages of their journey on a streetcar named fame, there was a bevy of talent packing the house for seven hours of music. While tag wearing hipsters skedaddled about the city, your faithful narrator got a spot on the ballroom floor and has a review of each of these acts presented here, because all are worthy of praise and your attention:

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Golem!: Fresh Off Boat

If Golem! would have let their raven hair down and stomped around the studio a bit more, Fresh Off Boat could have risen above kitsch.

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Jet : Irving Plaza, New York, NY 9/29/2006

While some in the audience soaked it up as simple giddy fun, others were clearly annoyed by Jet's lack of showmanship and overall mediocre playing. All classic rock clichés came out, as did a few lighters during “Look What You’ve Done.”

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The Who : Madison Square Garden, NY, NY 9/18/2006

New and old (well, except for the crowd who were just old), the two Who’s rocked the worlds most famous arena with a collection of “oldies,” but primarily relied on the rather younger songs. After putting out a “mini-opera” back in July, Townshend and Daltrey have begun to march forward, with plans to release a new album in the next month, offering the bands first serious output since 1982.

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Bob Dylan: Modern Times

Welcome to Bob Dylan’s Modern Times, which sounds about as “modern” as a Model T Ford. The legend's new album has become his first #1 record since 1976’s Desire, to which Modern Times is a kindred spirit; both follow career defining albums which critics hailed as “The Re-birth of Dylan.”

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