Jan. 31 - Feb. 7, 2001
Quick Cuts
Jersey Talk

NEW COMP DISCS AN A&R DREAM VARIOUS ARTISTS/Artist Amplification Compilation Vol. 1& 2 (CD18/CD19)

Loaded with radio-worthy potential hits, the 37 great to-brilliant tracks selected for the first CD comps produced by Andy Gesner’s Artist Amplification organization add up to absolutely essential collections of the woefully underappreciated Jersey “sound.” Of a much higher caliber, content, quality and catchiness than the sap, pap and “used-ta-be “ crap currently being pumped out by the Zs, Qs, Xs and Ks littering the FM dial, outstanding pop songs such as Longwave’s yearning “Best Kept Secret”; Evelyn Forever’s soaring “Good To Be Alive”; the quirky strum of Mike Tichy’s “Dr. Said”; the ultra-infectious AM-Radio groove of The Loaded Poets, “Giant” and its sly Judas Priest segue; or Dangaru’s unstoppable garage-rock journey to the center of “Swingset” deserve your attention far more than the likes of ‘N Sync’s, Creed’s or Lenny Kravitz’s latest retread. Additional reasons to hope both discs do what Gesner wants ‘em to do (fall into the hands of a few smart A&R folks, a dozen or so savvy FM PDs, a few lazy radio jocks and a couple-hundred-thousand fans) include the Television-meets-Feelies Twist of Dewey’s Defeat; Cropduster’s very smart “Milk Man”; the Bettie Serveet/Pizzicato pulse of The Swimmies’ “I want to be your Jefferson Airplane”; the irresistible Squeeze-pop jangle of Billy’s “Pocket Change”; and Space Tag’s just plain huge “Flying”.

Unforgettable contributions from the Moths, Everlounge, Birdy, Brown, The Rosemary Pure, Tris McCall, Walker, Bastards of Melody, Red Radio Flyer, Overlap, Nebulous Thoughts, Spredhaus, Speed Dial, Dira, Awake Asleep, Kid With Man Head and Enemies of The Oyster help drive home one very obvious point-New Jersey and pop music are, as the saying goes, perfect together. Each disc clocks in at 73:26. (E-mail: artistampmail@aol.com or write to Artist Amplification, 2 Draeger Pl., South River, NJ 08882) - Al Muzer