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When you loaded this page, I was listening to:

Courtesy of Kung Tunes

	Dick Dale - Better Shred Than Dead - 110:04 - 1997
	Dick Dale is "The King of The Surf Guitar", and rightly so, this guy can really tear up a guitar. One neat thing in the booklet of this 2 CD compilation, is a picture chart of various stages of pick decomposition in relation to minutes of play: after 3 minutes the pick is toast. Dale has been, and is still, playing the same general style of music since the late 50's, which generally is one of two things: bitchin ass surf/spy music with a Mediterranean influence, or lame-o 50's rock-n-roll. The surf stuff, which is in the majority, is generally fast paced instrumental masterpieces. He is the one who did the song you associate with Pulp Fiction. Reminds me of The Edge playing on 78. (that means fast for you youngsters out there)

	Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables - 33:00 - 1980
	This CD is possibly one of the most frantic half hours you will ever spend. The Dead Kennedys, as well as a few other SF area bands, didn't necessarily redefine punk, but they damn sure honed it to a razor edge. More or less pointless posturing by the likes of the Sex Pistols gave way to sharp biting social and political criticisms, and with Jello, you can hear every word - sing-a-longs were never meant to be like this. But what really set the DK's apart is their music, unlike many bands, every instrument can be heard, and is doing something interesting. Musically superior, blistering fast, PC, deviant, and fun - not to be forgotten.

	Dead Kennedys - Plastic Surgery Disasters/In God We Trust - 56:53 - 1985
	This disc has the two best Dead Kennedys albums on one! Plastic Surgery Disasters was the DKs at their peak. Although the music is not as primal as prior releases, it is still intense and more sophisticated. So too are the lyrics, this was when Jello was making bitting social commentary about things that were/are poignant, and not being funny or annoying with his constant preaching/babbling that he's prone to do. IGWT is a straight up, balls out, hard core rocker. Lyrics fly out at you at lightning speed, and challenge you to keep up.

	Dead Orchestra - Sounds Like Time Taste - 55:44 - 1993
	From the very second you hit the play button Dead Orchestra nails it. Yeah, so this band has one of the worst titles, names, and cover art of all time but, when it comes to music, they don't fuck around. I saw them open for the Mentors in front of a crowd of about 19. Nevertheless, they played balls out. I was so impressed that I bought their CD, and I'm really glad I did, because it has become one of my favorites. They bring to mind an older style of hardcore that you don't really hear much any more. They remind me a little of the Crumbsuckers because they put a lot of attention to the song structure. (Their also a little like Biohazard) Similar to the Crumbsuckers, each song is different and there are a pretty good number of time signature shifts in each song, which is money in the bank as far as I'm concerned.

	Death - Individual Thought Patterns - 40:05 - 1993
	There's something about this band that just doesn't click. If you listen to their music seconds at a time, most of the parts sound pretty good, but as a whole it just doesn't jive. Part of the problem is the vocals, it's a kind of constant screaming that just doesn't sound so hot. Also, I don't care for the guitar all that much, it tends to be a little too 80's, and or just pointlessly flittering around. Now, what I do like are the drums, which are loaded with extremely fast double bass patterns. And, what impresses me most is the bassist. He uses a style of playing that is associated with modern jazz, and I have never heard it used in a band like this. They finally do slow down a notch for their last song which is by far the best track.

	Deee Lite - World Clique - 48:26 - 1990
	The thing that initially attracted me to Deee Lite, aside from the funky and quirky little single that brought Bootsy back into the light, was their "sampladelic" mastery. There are a rare few who can accomplish true and appropriate use of samples, and unfortunately, this art is fading away due to the fact that everyone wants a chunk of change for their often long since dead songs. These songs are happy, fun songs that don't prompt you to think about anything but having a good time. Some tracks remind me of Sesame Street.

	Deee Lite - Dewdrops in the Garden - 67:58 - 1994
	I don't dance, I don't club, but this CD could make a dead man tap his foot. Lady Miss Kier has a beautiful voice, Dmitry, Ani, & Towa Tei are fucking genius. I really enjoyed their previous releases, but (like Bjork's CDs) this one is so much better, it almost makes the ones before unlistenable. Each song flows into the next and it's all good. Dee Lite will move you and make you happy to be alive. I'm even willing to overlook the dead air on the CD. This is one of my favorite CDs and I definitely recommend it even if you're not really into this type of music.

	Deee Lite - Sampladelic Relics & Dancefloor Oddities - 69:52 - 1996 (90-96)
	There I go again, after having fallen into such a euphoric trance off the last album, I thought re-mixes and oddities couldn't be anything but good. But like Telegraph by Bjork and just about any Depeche Mode remix, what ends up happening is they have taken unbelievable songs that you love and have stripped out most of the elements that gave the song it's character, and replaced those parts with more mindless thumping and repetition of key phrases. The only track that I am especially attracted to is a jungle version of "Call Me".

	Def Jef - Just a Poet With Soul - 51:23 - 1989
	Not a lot to say about this one. The Dust Bro's serve up a few good beats, but there's mostly wasted on Def Jef's vocal stylings, that closely resemble Kool Moe Dee or Gerardo. Mostly it's about boasting with a little bit of afrocentricism thrown in to serve the flavor of the month, which at the time was the Africa medallions. There's a Last Poets quote, which I guess is worth something, but he says it like his own and not a sample, so I guess he loses credit. This CD is like lunch, it will get you through the day, but you won't tell your friends about it.

	Deftones - around the fur - 74:02 -26=48- 1997
	Hmm wet cleavage, not Van Halen, but you've got my attention so far. Now, how do I pigeonhole these guys? You might say that they're a popular, alternative metal band, because they play reasonably hard, but they whine and sing too much to be extreme. Kind of a Beastie Boys, suburban street kid vibe, with a bit of credibility. Max from Sepultura helps a little, so they've got the right connections. Their sound is sometimes reminiscent of a cross pollination of Smashing Pumpkins with Jesus Lizard. If there's one thing that pisses me off, it's track padding and this things got 30 minutes worth. What the fuck?!

	Deicide - Once Upon The Cross - 28:14 - 1995
	"Hey man, it that Satan rock? Well, turn it up!" While most parents worry about their kids succumbing to the dark side via glam rockers like Manson, what they fail to realize is that funny eye make-up does not the devil make. Yep, it don't get much more Hell bound than this, unless you count black metal, which I find too silly to be evil. At least this music has malicious intent. Like most of these types of bands, I think these guys take themselves a little too seriously but, they don't mess around when it comes to rockin. It's nothing you haven't heard before, (a little similar to Napalm Death) but it's still pretty good. This stuff isn't all that great for the long haul, but you just can't beat it when you've got to get a fix of pure hard, fast-n-evil, with no filler or power ballads.

	Depeche Mode - Music For the Masses - 62:46 - 1987
	In the 80's I was constantly searching for good quality synthesizer bands. Depeche Mode perhaps represents the head of the class. Not only in technology, but also in song writing and lyrical ability. Music For the Masses was just that, everyone bought this one. DM's general reception seems to be rather transient: like a wave, they usually splash down big and gently wain away rarely leaving a lasting impression. However, through time DM have constantly grown and become more sophisticated. Properly utilizing technology, this CD is fully digital, but I usually drown that out with my tortured mono sing-a-longs.

	Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion - 47:32 - 1994
	The gospel content of this CD evoked such a strong negative reaction in me, that I never was able to embrace this CD. There are however, some very good songs on this CD, as well as a few very bad ones. DM always showed a constant and remarkable growth from album to album, but this CD may have signaled a need for sabbatical. Unfortunately, Gahan with his untold millions, got caught up in drugs. I hope all comes out well because DM are a truly great band.

	Devo - Hardcore Devo Vol. 1 - 43:08 - 1990 (77)
	Being a huge Devo fan, naturally I was pretty thrilled that RYKO released this set. It was well worth the wait, if for no other reason but the first track, "Mechanical Man." This is a collection of their rare B sides and album worthy tracks that never made it, all wrapped up in a cool fold out cover. Over time, my perception of Devo had become slightly tainted, with their last few releases, but this was a refreshing revitalization of the band I once loved so dearly. "She didn't know I was a midget, yeah, that's hot, that's hot!" "Your dying under daddy's cap smeg head"

	Devo - Hardcore Devo Vol. 2 - 67:18 - 1991 (74-77)
	Joy! RYKO digs even deeper into the spud sack and pulls out some real stinkers. I had read about these songs for years, and had only found but a mere handful of the myriad of bootlegs that revealed Devo's pre-wax days. Now it's available in all the glory that analog to digital conversions can muster. This is weird, raw, whacked out stuff. The music is primitive, yet technologically advanced and the lyrics often center around bizarre and generally wacky pornographic imagery. I love this stuff!

	Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo - 44:01 - 1994 (79)
	In Devo's day, classic rock gods ruled the day, while punk rock was nipping at their heels, adding fuel to a smoldering fire. But Devo wasn't having any part of all that - what conventions they didn't cast away completely, they modified to suit their needs. For instance, songs in that era were usually rather lenghty, and would always fade out. Not Devo, their songs stop like a semi hitting a concrete abutment.

	Devo - Duty Now For The Future - 44:01 - 1994 (79)
	There was something strange and out of place about this second release by Devo that I never could really put my finger on. It seems somehow darker, but I'm not sure how. Some of their most rockin material came from this CD as they somewhat stepped out of the digital realm momentarily, and in some ways this contributes to the staying power of this CD. Probably the most exceptional merchandise/marketing/gimmick groups ever, the album cover had a perforated square around their picture so you could use it as a postcard. Like most Devo albums, this one is spastic, anthemic, and a must have. Duty now for the past!

	Devo - Duty Now For The Future/New Traditionalists - 75:40 - 1993 (79/81)
	Now this is what I call value, two great albums on one CD, plus you even get to see the over seas versions of the covers. Since I've already written about DNFTF, lets jump ahead to New Traditionalists, shall we. New Traditioinaists was the album that consecrated my undying love for Devo. This album was amazing, the future, in high tech keyboards and plastic pomp hair. Songs that drip with cynicism, like "Love Without Anger", "Beautiful World" and "Going Under" (as heard on Miami Vice) are songs I will always love. There was a cool die cut picture disc that heralded this album's arrival. Don't even get me started on the videos.

	Devo - Oh No! It's Devo/Freedom Of Choice - 72:52 - 1993 (80/82)
	It's really hard for me to play favorites when it comes to Devo, because they have had a different sound on almost every CD, and I have dearly loved them all. But, having said that, I do think that these two albums particularly had the biggest effect on me personally. Freedom. was my first, and Oh No! was the peak of my Devo induced nirvana. I will never forget seeing the video for "FoC." playing during the credits of Entertainment Tonight - from that 10 seconds or so would blossom a nearly life long addiction to all things Devo. It's kind of difficult for me to describe music that has become a part of my bloodstream, so suffice it to say that Devo was anything but a one hit wonder.

	Devo - Oh No! It's Devo - 61:16 - 1995 (82/84)
	Without question, this is my favorite Devo CD, and that may just be for personal reasons, but maybe not. It was an excruciatingly painful wait for this to be released (including the month that I was not allowed to open it because I bought it when I wasn't supposed too), but when I finally got to hear it, it paid off in spades. Every Devo CD has a distinctly different sound and style, but all of them share common threads: technology, humor, and of course spuds. I just get filled with warm fuzzies every time I hear this CD. Also included are the "Here To Go" and "Peek-a-Boo" remixes, but more importantly the track "Find Out" from Dr. Detroit.

	Devo - Shout - 41:01 - 1996 (84)
	I've always had a special place in my heart for Devo, which is why I was absolutely ecstatic to find they finally released this on CD. On this release Devo's achieved a smooth symbiotic relationship with their machines, whereas in the past it was more of a juxtaposition. Had they stopped here, they would have left behind a flawless legacy. Infinite Zero, the label responsible for re-releasing many of these beloved albums, do a nice job of presenting these CDs with inclusion of inner sleeves, lyrics, bonus tracks, and sometimes really nice text to boot. (Thanks for the extra effort you guys)

	Devo - Total Devo - 50:11 - 1988
	Total Devo totally sucks. After a lengthy hiatus, Devo re-emerges (sans original drummer) reeking of pop schmaltz. I guess Rod "The Man" Rooter finally got to our loveable spuds, and raped them of their creative souls. Or perhaps it was merely the natural force of de-evolution taking it's course, as we would see one last even more gruesome effort from our boys before they would eventually come to a halt. This was, however, probably one of the first "multi-media" CD's ever released, as it included "13 digital cartoons" in a format that lasted for about a month. Also, they do a certain type of sampling, or re-working of old bits from their past, which is kind of cool, but all and all, the over the top pop feel of this CD makes me sick at my stomach.

	Devo - Smoothnoodlemaps - 34:28 - 1990
	Euwe, what's that smell? Did I step on something? Oh, it's this CD. What happened? It's like waking up one morning and discovering the love of your life has grown fat, old and ugly. In true de-evolutionary form, Devo has regressed from one of the great innovators to a really crappy band with no purpose. Alan bailed out and was replaced by ex-Sparks drummer, who can blame him, this thing blows. Restless has adopted and re-issued this CD, but I don't know why, this one should have been aborted. Sorry spuds, you always hurt the ones you love.

	Devo - Post Post-Modern Man - 35:04 - 1990
	This CD contains 7 different versions of a pretty lame song off of Devo's worst CD (see above). If not for the fact that I either got it for free, or for a buck there wouldn't be any point. The only saving grace is the last two songs are techno versions that are really unlike anything Devo has done, and utilize a really great Kraftwerk sample.

	Devo - Greatest Misses - 46:46 - 1990 (77-82)
	This collection is a little top heavy with songs off of "Duty Now for the Future", which is OK because it was a great album, but why not just buy that one. Warner Brothers has had a long history of mismanagement of Devo, and this companion disc is just another attempt to cash in a day late and a dollar short. Once everybody else started to re-release their old stuff, somebody in accounting took notice and authorized some pressings. These are all top notch songs, but just go buy the real CD's they came off of, you will be much happier.

	Devo - Hot Potatoes: The Best of Devo - 62:35 - 1993
	Hardly any band would have been more poised for the transition to CD's, but alas, big media suppressed them. Curiously, the last few years have brought us an outpouring of various releases in various forms & compilations. This particular incarnation is pretty darn good. There is a excellent cross section of Devo's work that stops just short of "Shout". There's even a cool remix of "Whip It" thrown in. Any one who is curious about Devo should check this out then explore further.

	Devo - Adventures of the Smart Patrol - 35:49 - 1996
	I told myself I wouldn't buy this, but partly because it was at the flea market, and partially because of the code that's imprinted in my cerebral cortex, i got it. First off, some of these songs aren't even Devo, but that's OK because they aren't too bad. Secondly, if you didn't already know, this is the soundtrack to the CD rom game of the same name, which any Devotee should have. I think this was intended as a Cliff Notes to introduce a new generation to Devo, because it is mostly a brief crash course overview of Devo's past. There is a reworking of the song "U Got Me Bugged" that has an updated vocal track, and I like the theme song.

	Devo - Pioneers Who Got Scalped - The Anthology - 165:07 - 2000
	I held off buying this as long as I could, because I thought if I had to listen to Jocko Homo on yet another compilation, I would explode. Alas, being the marketing savy force that is Devo, coupled with my undying love, I finally had to break down and get it. I must say I'm glad I did, because this appropriately titled 2 disc set, with 3-D flicker cover and booklet included, is a treasure for both Devotees and curious onlookers alike. Because almost every Devo CD has such a different sound, trying to squeeze an accurate but abridged representation of Devo's history has always been a challenge that's never been quite fullfilled, until now. Spread out over 2 jam packed disc, PWGS lays out a nice cross sampling that is also peppered with enough rarities to put a smile on hardcore spuds as well.

	Compilation - We Are Not Devo - 38:27 - 1997
	In yet another display of my undying love for Devo, I saw this tribute CD with covers from a bunch of nobodies, and I had to have it. There are a few bands you've heard of, like SNFU who kick off the CD with a scorching rendition of "Uncontrollable Urge", and the Voodoo Glow Skulls chime in with a delightfully upbeat "Time Out For Fun". The covers are mostly straight up, and a tad more up-tempo than the originals, and a few are wacky interpretations like one of my favorites "Love Without Anger" which is kind of a Mexican Ska version. The best thing about this CD is that it breathes new life into these great songs, and for a fraction of a second I remember what it was like when I heard them for the first time.

	Disassociate - Controlled Power - 48:40 - 1996
	Disassociate brings to mind the 80's style of New York hardcore that I grew up on, but with a more aggressive style and Napalm Death vocals. Although there's a lot I like about this band and/or CD it has one major flaw: a lack of focus. If you were to weed out all the dicking around and little sonic excursions, you would have a really good, albeit very short CD. A new producer could do wonders for these boys. The highlight and driving force behind this band is the drummer, who incidentally is no longer with the band. There is also a massive waste of space, er um I mean, a bonus track that is about 22 minutes worth of the worst recorded worst sounding crap ever presented live. (although you can hear Cornholio)

	Dismember - Massive Killing Capacity - 37:58 - 1995
	I swear, these guys sound so much like Entombed that I had to recheck the liner notes about 5 times to confirm that it wasn't. If somebody played this for me, I would never believe it was not them. The vocals are nearly identical, the low crunchy melodic guitar sound which almost defines Entombed is a perfect match, and their song structures are strikingly similar. What more do you need? Maybe it has something to do with their geographical point of origin, you know those crazy Sweed's, they know a thing or two about rockin'. MKC lacks a bit of fire, but otherwise pretty good stuff.

	The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy - Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury - 66:26 - 1992
	The Disposable Heroes, bla bla consist of two guys who have been knocking around semi-obscurity for a while now. Michael Franti, who was involved with the industrial/avant garde/punk band The Beatnigs, recruited Mark Pistel of the politically minded Consolidated, all in hopes of beating their socially conscious views into you via a rapish conduit. For the most part they succeed, but for me, occasionally the preaching gets kind of tiresome like KRS-One. I think it helps to have a jester like Flava Flave to offset your doctrines sometimes. The most "popular" song was a less harsh reworking of The Beatnigs' "Television, The Drug of the Nation."

	Divine Styler Featuring The Scheme Team- Word Power - 54:17 - 1989
	Some artist just seem to pop up out of nowhere, and then plummet right back there, leaving you to wonder why someone put so much money into them. Such is the case of The Divine Styler, all I know is that Ice-T co-produced this fully digital recording. At the time, this was a pretty decent disc, but now I'm not so impressed. The highlights are some pretty cool beats and loops, one of the coolest of which, plugs along getting you into the grove, then breaks into the cantena song from Star Wars. There is a lot of hooky tracks on this, as well as some strange and unusual lyrics. It's just not all that interesting to me anymore.

	Divine Styler - Spiral Walls Containing Autumns of Light - 68:58 - 1992
	This is hands down THE worst, most annoying CD I have ever heard. I bought this for $1 at the flea market, and I want my money back! Gone is the Scheme Team, and so to is the originality and good beats. What remains, is truly boring crap that's like listening to some music major with a minor in sociology, fucking around in the campus studio stoned and bored because he doesn't have many friends, all the while rambling about life, love and the pursuit of nothing. I can't even imagine the engineer sticking around to hear this crap. What a waste of 70 minutes.

	Doors - The Best of The Doors - 89:06 - 1985
	Due to every stoner I ever knew in high school, and about half the drunken frat boy population liking the Doors, I never gave them a chance. It took movies like Apocalyps Now to finally get me into the right state of mind to accept them. And I think it's important to get that historical perspective that puts the music into context and adds to the depth and tone of the lyrics. Songs like "The End" just blow me away. The thing that I enjoy most about the Doors is the darker nature of many of their songs. Morrison's delivery of his lyrics is quite powerful. "music is your only friend, until the end" nary a truer sentiment spoken.

	Doug E. Fresh - The worlds Greatest Entertainer - 48:14 - 1988
	This CD is so dated and unimportant, it probably shouldn't even be in here, but that's no reason to break tradition. The first song is really good and the last song is good, but what's in between, is strictly mediocre. There's nothing noteworthy or innovative from one of the second generation old schoolers. Any of these could have gotten air play, but there just generally dull. You will note, in the liner notes, an early sighting of Eric Saddler & Hank Shocklee. The biggest behind the scenes force in rap music.

	Down - Nola - 56:38 - 1995
	After getting over the disappointment of my expectations of this powerful super group's collaboration, I've come to realize that this is one good, heavy, laid back CD. Containing members from COC, Pantera, Eye Hate God, and Crowbar, Down takes the slowest of each of these bands and adds them together with the majority of the style leaning toward COC. Not a good CD for blasting about the city, but a good putter about the house CD.

	Dread Zeppelin - Un Led Ed - 43:39 - 1990
	Dread Zeppelin is a concept band like no other. At this point, although they have since evolved in different directions, the concept was as such: a Led Zeppelin cover band, done with reggae treatments, with an Elvis impersonator doing vocals. 7 years ago, this was funny as shit, and today I still get a chuckle. Their interpretations of classics like "Immigrant Song", "Heartbreaker", and "Black Dog" will have you hurting from laughter. Also, it tends to hold up in time due in part to the backbone of the original material, but also, they take their foolishness seriously and it works.

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