Dahlak, Dual Consciousness, Dahlak promises “something fresh, something new, something that can make you move,” but he’s only half there. Boasting about women, drugs, money, and fame are the domain of, well, the famous, and that’s precisely who Dahlak looks to undermine with legitimately deep cuts like “The Club” and “All Niggas.” (iLL-Literacy Productions)
Maldroid, Nevermind, Maldroid’s second, Nirvana-baiting EP features two songs done two different ways: “You Can Have It All,” one of the Oakland outfit’s earliest songs, and “He Said, She Said,” the video for which put Maldroid on the map. Both appear in their original rock formats and, with some help from Zion-I’s Amp-Live, as enjoyable electronic remixes. (Fuzz)
James Anthony, Better Late Than Never, Most DIY solo singer-songwriters convert their thoughts into songs with only a guitar. James Anthony, aka Oakland’s Jim Allio, opted to follow his idols into the realm of trip-hop and electronica by crafting an ethereal, if raw, document of personal expression. (25th Ave. Records)
Girl Band, Girl Band, No surprises here: Girl Band is an all-female punk-rock band with a simple, fast, time-tested sound that blends outrageousness with a modicum of sex appeal. “London Dungeon” does the Misfits proud and “Sammy Hagar” kicks the man while he’s down, but best of all, singer Shelley Cardiff almost sounds like the Distillers’ Brody Dalle. (self-released)
