Mainstay Could Be Main Event In Live Appearances

Mainstay “Mainstay” - Self-released tape

In the liner notes of Mainstay’s second tape release, the band thanks its friend Jawbreaker. Like Jawbreaker (primed to be “the next big thing”), Mainstay produces smoothly sung and gritty sounding punk rock with enormous pop sensibilities and soaring harmonies.

All eight songs on this tape are outstanding.

Mainstay’s music is a rapid departure from two of the members’ prior bands, mainly because of the quartet’s easy accessibility. Singer/guitarist Kevin Mainstay played for the emocore unit Milltown and the brash punk group Tree Swing.

Drummer/vocalist Joe Mainstay formerly fronted the straight-ahead, in-your-face punk band the Rizzos.

Mainstay is one of the town’s most promising bands as this release attests. Hopefully, the band will start playing live more often.

Jack Salad “Live” - Self-released tape

Jack Salad’s live, seven-song tape was captured last December. In other words, the groove-rock band has hopefully outgrown this recording. “Live” sounds like it was taken right off the sound-board and doesn’t seem to be mixed. Because of the production, the songs seem to have lost the hooks they might have once had. Ultimately, the poor recording bogs the songs down.

Don’t get me wrong, this band has talent and all four players are quite good. But Jack Salad could certainly benefit by recording in a studio next time.

Cotton Mouth “Cotton Mouth” - Self-released tape

As indicated by the heavy metal band’s self-titled release, Cotton Mouth tries to do too much at once. Sometimes it works to the band’s advantage and sometimes it doesn’t. “Align,” which is out of alignment, is a good example of when it doesn’t work.

The vocals are fired out by Jason McKinney like a rapid-fire machine gun. Yet the band is stuck in a mid-tempo grind. The result is rather clumsy. It seems appropriate the song was misspelled on the tape.

With a little fermenting, the tape’s fourth song, “Chaotosphere,” will one day be a excellent song. Like the psycho-thrash band Mr. Bungle, Cotton Mouth whips in-and-out of genres during this blast and pulls off some totally unpredictable progressions.

For now, “Chaotosphere” is a good song that hints at better things to come.

The Rizzos “Things To Do And Make” - (Nervous Wreckords)

Unfortunately, the Rizzos broke up well before its time. Fortunately, the band recorded this album for fans to remember the punk band by.

“Things To Do And Make” is an outstanding release, especially for a debut. The 11 songs here are both fun and funny.

And although the band resorts to the typical three or four chord punk conventions, it does it so swiftly and so tightly, you don’t really care. Top cuts include the sarcastic “Suicide Hotline,” the smoking “High Speed Mo-Ped Rally” and the hook-a-rific “She’s So Scary.”

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