Reviews

Engineer

Magic of the Marketplace Jealous Moon CD

Four great songs that are fine in both execution and melody. I think this band would be okay with me drawing a LEATHERFACE comparison, and if you’re good with a LEATHERFACE similarity, and a likeness to LEATHERFACE inasmuch as that songs contain emotive personal songs as do LEATHERFACE, and wherein personal journey through LEATHERFACE-styled songs are those in which you find your soul being pulled, then this is a near-perfect four-song EP that is akin to the better mid-tempo LEATHERFACE songs. You could grab it right now if you’d like to.

Magic of the Marketplace The Spectators are Leaving CD

This has to be the worst album cover I have seen all year. My god, what were they thinking? It truly baffled me when I started the record, and I was greeted with some throaty gravel vocals and melodic pop punk. “When the Story Ends” sounds like a more safe and polished LARS FREDERIKSEN AND THE BASTARDS B-side. You could also make comparisons to LEATHERFACE or even OFF WITH THEIR HEADS, although they don’t quite have the songwriting chops of the latter. If you’re a fan of any of those bands, you will feel right at home with this. I kind of hate it, but can’t deny there’s a fanbase out there aching for this kind of shit.

Middle-Aged Queers Theatre of Shame CD

I guess this might be the feel-good, laugh-steady queer punk album of the year, unless there’s another one. These are catchy songs, not unlike PANSY DIVISION or some DIESEL QUEENS tunes. Among the laughs and fun-time-party-guy stuff, the MIDDLE-AGED QUEERS pepper in some lyrically heavy songs, exemplified by the tunes “Big Sisters” and “Nobody Wants.” I initially was ready to toss this into the WEIRD AL punk category, but MIDDLE-AGED QUEERS have more than that to offer. Look, WEIRD AL punk is a fine place to be, I like a lot of it, but all I’m saying is that MIDDLE-AGED QUEERS have more than just songs funny about slumber parties, kinks, and anal beads. And just in time for Xmas, the MIDDLE-AGED QUEERS have a fully stocked online merch presence!