Luster / Besides and Other Rarities
Album: Besides and Other Rarities   Collection:General
Artist:Luster   Added:Mar 2004
Label:Independent  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2004-08-16 Pull Date: 2004-10-17
Week Ending: Oct 17 Oct 3 Sep 12 Sep 5 Aug 22
Airplays: 1 1 1 1 2

Recent Airplay
1. Mar 17, 2006: dogs and ponies
R.Crumb and Bukowski
4. Oct 02, 2004: music that doesn't hurt dogs and ponies
R.Crumb and Bukowski
2. Oct 05, 2005: Epic Distruction
R.Crumb and Bukowski
5. Sep 11, 2004: music that doesn't hurt
Mary Cheney
3. Oct 13, 2004: The Dog and Pony Show
1000 Flowers
6. Aug 30, 2004: music that doesn't hurt
R.Crumb and Bukowski

Album Review
Alex
Reviewed 2004-08-02
Artist: Luster
Album: Besides and Other Rarities
Label: Self release

S.F. power/pop/punk trio Jen Daunt (guitar/vocals) Kate Howser
(bass/vocals) and Ted Koterwas(drums/vocals). This band rocks hard!
Jen Daunt plays the guitar ferociously, but with a good ear for color
and good technique. Ted Koterwas's drumming is thick but precise.
Most lyrics are sung by either Jen Daunt or Kate Howser (can't tell
which) with a clear but powerful voice. Aside from occasionally weak
agit-prop lyrics, this is a great CD. Recommend tracks 3, 4, 5 and 8,
a ridiculous screed against nerdly misogyny.

1) 120 bpm Grinding guitar, pounding drums, female vocals
2) 144 bpm. Tightly coiled guitar solo intro. Yelled vocals,
alternates loud/soft. "Mary Cheney", but lyrics are not up to the
clever concept.
3) 132 bpm. Good use of lyrical clichés.. Choppy guitar, alternating
with expansive chorus.
4) 124 bpm. Noisy, alternating with soaring chorus. Lyrics about bad
jokes, ODing on something. Cool.
5) 116 bpm. Ambiguous lyrics about departing child or lover. Noisy,
distorted guitar conveys emotional turbulence under remote lyrics.
6) 120 bpm Distorted guitar, warped vocals.
7) 138 bpm. Shouted intro, quiet middle. Obscure lyrics.
8) 120 bpm. Sing-song screed against R. Crumb, Bukoski, Polanski.
Noise guitar solo.
9) 60/120 Contemplative, depressive lyrics. 2.15 crunchy guitar
solo, 2.56 much louder, noisier.
10) News babel intro. Political song about enemy combatants.
Unfortunately, not effective as agit-prop.
11) 120 bpm. Guitar solo, female vocals. Cool manic depressive
lyrics. Driving rhythm.
12) 150 bpm. Condensed lyrics: "We broke up and I don't like you."
Pleasing, off-kilter guitar solo.

Alex D.

Track Listing
1. Dirty White Gown   7. Way of the Gun
2. Mary Cheney   8. R.Crumb and Bukowski
3. 1000 Flowers   9. A Lot Like Every Day
4. Two Jokes   10. Don't Fight
5. Seven   11. I'll Get It Anyway
6. I'll Get It Anyway   12. I Don't Think Anything of Yo