RATING:
5 = Excellent. One of the best songs this year! I'll rave about it and crave for it.
4 = Good stuff. I'll get it on CD and put it on REPEAT.
3 = Average. I'll tape it off the radio and consider buying it on CD.
2 = Tolerable. I'll listen to it on radio and probably will get sick of it in no time.
1 = CRAP. I'll turn the radio off as soon as I hear it. Already on my shitlist.

N E W - R E L E A S E S

Tonic "You Wanted More"
Rating: 4
Tonic's back with another great track, ready for rock radio. Unlike the Goo Goo Dolls, Tonic (who have also experienced major success on mainstream pop radio), they retain their heavy sound. "You Wanted More" is more in the vein of "Casual Affair" than "If You Could Only See". Which means that Tonic really knows how to rock. This single has pop potential, but more importantly it should be a record that rock radio should spin. Great hook, cool sound and the vocals are just superb. If stations are going to not play this just because "If You Could Only See" was a huge pop hit, they're missing out because this is as rock as it gets.

Susan Tedeschi "Rock Me Right"
Rating: 4.5
Just an amazing track by a vocalist that's sizzling with talent. Yes, literally. They don't make them like this anymore. Susan Tedeschi is a blues goddess. The guitar work is pretty laid back but most importantly, it creates a great blues bar kind of vibe. At the same time it brings focus to Susan's highlight: her voice. It's amazing. True emotion, she just belts out those notes. Forget your Mariah Carey / Celine Dion crap. This is the real McCoy. Interestingly, it is this more uptempo blues track that leaves you in awe of Susan's voice, not its predecessor balladish single "It Hurt So Bad". Susan truly knows how to rock, so she naturally commands anyone else to rock her right.

Collective Soul "No More, No Less"
Rating: 4
Collective Soul's latest is definitely a surprise. This is not your typical Collective Soul hooky guitar track, which we know they are best for. Their latest, "Heavy", just spent 15 weeks at number one on Billboard's rock chart. "No More, No Less" is very mellow and the only real guitar you'll hear stands out in the solo at the bridge. The song operates more on texture and different sounds, something Ed Roland admitted to working on on the latest album. The hook is strong, but laid back. Rock programmers will be skeptical about this single but the fact that its airplay is decent, Collective Soul looks like its plan to push the boundaries of rock radio is going to work.

Megadeth "Crush Em"
Rating: 4
Megadeth are still rocking after the longest time. It's very difficult being a metal band, because once you've mellowed down, even the littlest bit, you put your fan base at stake. Megadeth has commanded a huge following after all these years and is definitely living up to its latest album's name, Risk. The first single off of this album is "Crush Em", a great uptempo track, following in the vein of previous album's tracks like "Trust", "Almost Honest" and "A Secret Place". This track is hooky and is distinctly Megadeth, from the vibe down to Dave Mustaine. Forget Limp Bizkit or Kid Rock. It's nice to hear some REAL metal on rock radio again.

A - S E C O N D - L O O K

Sponge "Live Here Without You"
Rating: 4.5
It's so generic that it's perfect. And it's upsetting that this great single never got much airplay. The solo is just fantastic and the hook will just grab you and ensconch itself in your head for hours. It's an upsetting thing that many singles are not getting the attention they deserve. Check Fuel's latest for the same problem.

Previous Reviews
Def Leppard, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alice In Chains, The Offspring, Sammy Hagar.