It's time to get personal

WJHU released this compilation of Baltimore bands in 2003. Radio station staff listened to more than 40 tracks before choosing these, and the finished product is a little disjointed. Some of the songs are great but unoriginal; some of the songs are original but not too great. Many of the groups could use a little recording know-how. Here is our inexperienced, but entirely unbiased, layman's take (no hate-mail please -- it's just an opinion):1. Adam Lareau - Going Places, Doing Things

The overall feel is John Mayer meets Coldplay, but faster and without the infectiousness of either. The lead vocalist sounds a little like Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz.

2. The Springfields -- Drinkin' Song

The track is like Green Day's "Dookie" album, only longer ... it's a tad repetitive. But this is one of the best tracks on the compilation. The drums are excellent, and the backup vocals are, too.

3. June Decision -- Outside

June Decision needs to make a decision with this one. The intro sets you up for heavy metal, but the voice of the lead singer doesn't quite fit. The sound is pretty tight, even if the band sounds a bit like every other angry white boy band.

4. The Chris and Joylene Show -- Don't Run Away

We dig the range and morphing style of the female lead singer. Definitely an original sound, but five minutes into it, we're falling asleep. At three and a half minutes, this song would have been great.

5. Double Dagger -- Punk Rock VS. Swiss Modernism

This band illustrates that you don't have to know how to sing to get your songs recorded on a college radio compilation CD. "Nuf said.

6. Atta Stratta -- Touch/Touch/Twitch

Definitely twitchy, and a little bit trippy, if not scary and disturbing. We're not really sure how to describe it -- you'll have to listen for yourself. Not exactly music you can sing or dance to, but quite original.

7. Misamerica -- That Time of the Month

Sounds a tad like early Foo Fighters. These guys certainly have a professional sound, and the vocals are surprisingly good. One of the best songs on this compilation.

8. Karmella's Game -- Coming, Going, Leaving

If the point was to transport the listener to the bubble-gum type music of the '80s, the group succeeded.

This track has not-so-hot lyrics, but a clean sound, and the background synthesizers help to drown out the lead singer.

9. Revenge Is -- Snakestorm

The bass and lead guitar are quite good, and the song has a typical, fast punk sound. These guys are clearly good musicians, if the song is perhaps a bit unoriginal.

10. Roma Delenda Est -- All Points West

This track's gotta hurt the lead singer's throat as much as it hurts our ears.

11. Gary Epstein & The LPs -- Stumbling

A Third Eye Blind feel, with lead vocals similar to Jacob Dylan of The Wallflowers.

12. Long Live Death -- Summer

Finally a slower track: mellow, folksy ... but then, a bit depressing, too. If we could hear what the singer was saying, we'd probably be crying.

13. Samadhi -- Beyond Diversity

Your typical hard-core screaming. The guitar has some really sexy licks, though.

14. M. Muniak -- re: Sildenafil Citrate Inventory Blowout!

Imagine, if you will, a techno Riverdance. That pretty much describes this interesting mix of synthesized sound.

15. Charlie Porter -- Pyrite

In the same category as track 14, this is definitely poor-man's techno. With the addition of a guy speaking in foreign dialect throughout the song. And did we catch a clip of Ernie, from Bert and Ernie? Now that takes balls.

The lyrics are pretty hard to make out, and we have no idea what genre this falls under -- you'll have to hear it for yourself.

16. A. Savage -- Beach Ball

This is a little nuts, but we could honestly picture a beach ball bouncing back and forth. At a carnival, flying across the sky, into the oblivion.

It was a little comforting, but kind of in a one-time, I'm listening to this because I'm reviewing it, kind of way.

17. The Hypocrites -- In Secret

One of the best tracks on the CD. The overall feel is similar to Vertical Horizon.

The lead singer has great pipes, the mellow alternative song is well put together. Nothing to complain about.

18. Army of Pirates -- Maybe

If you could turn the volume down on the lead guitar, it could be a great track instead of a decent track. Think Wallflowers-type genre, but with a twist.