The scene is Brooklyn, NY. The time is present day (okay, 2001. This release came out last year, but I just found it for review). And the music is by... Hey! Who the heck are these guys? From Arena Rock Recording Co. comes this compilation of both unknown and well-known Brooklyn bands. And what better cause could there be but donating all the proceeds to the Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition? Arena Rock has introduced us to some superior rock bands in the past, and Brooklyn has a history of being the birthplace for impressive rock. And the results are astonishing. This is, quite simply, the best 2-CD multiple band compilation I have ever heard.
Arena Rock
The established acts show off their strengths: They Might Be Giants bring a great rock record to the table, complete with quirky lyrics; Grand Mal is at their heavy-psychedelic best; Nada Surf donate a fantastic acoustic track with well-blended harmonies; and Elk City come off like Concrete Blonde with a fuzz bass. It's pretty impressive just taking the home team donations into consideration. And what about the little-heard from visitors? They hold their own, and, in some places, could teach the veterans a move or two. The Seconds come out of the gate ready to tear out your throat, with a punky Cure sound; Blasco try to break your heart with a very film noir, Giant Sand-like sound; Stereobate successfully combine Mogwai with Thurston Moore without sounding lame; and then recent Arena Rock signing The Mink Lungs want to groove you with their lo-fi slacker sound. Overall, the variety of sounds and abundance of bands make for a very disjointed but aurally pleasing mix. A great introduction to some great new bands, a worthy cause, and two CDs for one low price. Christmas can come a little early for you, too, this year. - 
- Weeds of Eden - "Radiate"
- Scout - "It's All Made Up"
- Elk City - "Three Ears"
- Stereobate - "False Porno Alarm (Surgery Mix)"
Read More
