Quick Hits
(Email to a Friend)

Because we love our devoted brigade of PR flaks with all our hearts (and any other parts of our bodies that they'll let us expose) - and because they send us so much free shizit now that it has become virtually impossible to review and interview every band - we've fallen back on the character trait that landed us at this third-rate publishing house to begin with: laziness.

Each month, Quick Hits will give you several bits of data to help your all-important purchase decision: a photo of the band or album cover to stoke your fantasies; a spot review -- so we feel like we actually did something; a thumbs up or thumbs down buying guide -- so we can exert our mighty market power, and an MP3 or WMA sample -- so you can tell us to go screw and decide if you like the bands yourself.

Moonlight Towers	Like You Were Never There			Spinster Records
	If you like your rock & roll with a side of pico de gallo, Austin's Moonlight Towers brings a generous helping of Southwestern stylee. (Think The Refreshments, Gin Blossoms, etc.) You won't find tremendous diversity on Like You Were Never There, but that may not be a bad thing. If you like "Never The Same Again," you'll probably dig the whole dilio.		Never The Same Again	Nov. 1st
Mikki James	Guess What			Xemu Records
	Less studio-sounding than The Strokes, and just plain less weird than Jack White and the White Stripes, Mikki James are probably most akin to the Dead 60s. They bring the lo-fi in bushels, and indeed Mikki James (the bassist/vocalist from which the band takes its name) used to play for NYC's Shetland Pony, whose lineup also included Matt Romano (Strokes drummer) and Ryan Gentles (Strokes manager). Guess What has very few dead spots, and even the 5-minute-long "Heaven's Crush" doesn't damper the raw energy.		Down	Sep. 20th
The Dials	Flex Time			Latest Flame
	The energy and syrupy power pop you hear from The Dials debut full-length, Flex Time, belies the troubles the band has endured this summer. The label's press release announces the death of Doug Meis, the band's drummer, who was killed by a suicidal motorist in lunch-hour traffic in a Chicago suburb. What it doesn't announce is that the band's lead vocalist, Rebecca Crawford, lost her husband John Glick in the same crash. Given this enormous tragedy, it feels almost wrong to listen to Flex Time and it's irrepressibly upbeat melodies that fall somewhere between the Go Go's and Sleater Kinney on the musical spectrum. We sincerely hope the remaining members can cope with the loss and someday resume making songs for happier times.		Dead Beat	November 1st

Want more free music and reviews? Check last month's Quick Hits here!