Swollen Members

“Heavy” (Battle Axe)

Compare to: Dilated Peoples, Arsonists, D12

Hip hop heads with their ears to the underground know Swollen Members for its careful articulation and torture chamber themes. After working hard in the underground for so long, it was only a matter of time before MCs Mad Child and Prevail discovered the secret to making a fast buck. And it didn’t have anything to do with rapping well. In fact, their knack for spitting history lessons and painting gruesome pictures straight out of Dungeons & Dragons probably led to the change heard in “Heavy.”

Most fans of hip hop probably aren’t comic book nerds or D&D addicts. Alienation of this is the most likely reason for Swollen Members’ bandwagon jump.

Mad Child, formerly reputed as a fine mix between angry gangsta and bookworm, now confesses his true motives with, “I was just broke before/ Life’s better when you’re rich.”

The group was never known for its repetitive hooks because its strength rested in the verses. On “Heavy,” listeners are treated to innovative choruses like, “Pump, pump, pump, pump it up/ But don’t turn us down/ New shit/ Swollen/ A new sheriff’s in town.” Yes, they actually build a song around that.

Swollen Members has buried the horror-core rhymes it was best at, opting for a drunken pimp image that sells. Listeners will no longer hear Mad Child rapping about medieval knights and comic book characters with his trademark intricate enunciation.

The best thing about Swollen’s new CD is probably the badass album art, courtesy of Todd McFarlane. A very appropriate artist to depict the Swollen Members of the past, but the new album won’t sit well with followers of McFarlane, Mad Child or Prevail.

— Andrew Mabe

Most Precious Blood

“Our Lady of Annihilation” (Trustkill)

Compare to: Closer than Kin, From Ashes Rise

Although the album was almost delayed until early next year due to friction over the album cover — which depicts the Virgin Mary with a bomb strapped to her chest — Most Precious Blood has managed to defeat censorship and its album.

While there is nothing ground-breaking on the album, it offers a dose of hardcore that should please fans of their previous release. Much like on their 2001 debut, “Nothing in Vain,” Most Precious Blood continues to write stripped-down hardcore songs that are short and fast.

Unlike bands who play heavy metal-influenced hardcore or metalcore, Most Precious Blood embraces its punk rock roots, playing hardcore reminiscent of Cro-Mags or Sick of It All.

Some melodic parts found their way onto the record, but they’re few and far between. Most songs capture the anger and intensity of hardcore before bands began blending metal and hardcore together.

Adding ex-One King Down member Rob Fusco, who replaces Tom Sheehan on vocals, helps capture the raw element of the music. His screams have a punk rock quality that shines on songs like “Collusionist.”

The album seems like it would translate well live. Mixed with the abrasive music are a good deal of sing-along parts in songs like “The Great Red Shift” and “It Runs in the Blood.”

Overall, there is nothing new or breathtaking on this record, but it wasn’t designed to be either. The members of Most Precious Blood know their strengths how to make a good, honest and fun hardcore record. And that is exactly what they have done.

— Dante Sacomani

R.E.M

“In Time: The Best of R.E.M.” (Warner)

Compare to: The Replacements, Guided by Voices, Richard Thompson

Praise for R.E.M. happened a long time ago. But the praise continues, as there are always new listeners. A best-of album that covers a canon like R.E.M is bound to leave some favorites off, but the result is a wonderful introduction or recollection.

The album is 17 songs long and has more than just the band’s best songs — there is a book discussing each song included.

It is the booklet that makes this compilation special beyond a reprise of radio and critically acclaimed singles.

The short, charming paragraphs about each song give insight to where the band was mentally and emotionally when the song was written, and what made it special. It’s nice to see a band that actually likes its hits as much as the fans do.

Peter Buck’s writing here is alive with honesty and relevance. He writes about the songs like they were little movies or pictures. The moment was then and there, but the song and memory live on.

The album opens with “Man on the Moon,” which Pete buck calls the quintessential R.E.M. song.

“The Great Beyond,” “Orange Crush,” and “Stand” are all included. “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth” has a story involving Dan Rather which some may have caught on VH1.

All the songs are classics except “Bad Day,” which gives a taste of the new album.

In the sleeve notes, Pete Buck recalls beginning the song in 1986 and finishing it in 2003. “And the sad thing is nothing much has changed since then,” he says.

Later along in the packed CD comes the song “Everybody Hurts.”

It’s definitely a favorite R.E.M. tune, and the solace that can be found in it is given quite mystically to open-hearted listeners. Buck has a valuable sentiment about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and high school attached to the song.

Those who loved R.E.M. when they were younger can relive the music again. But for any aspiring music lover, this album is a great start.

— Kyle Schmidt

The Offspring

“Splinter” (Columbia)

Compare to: VAST, Bad Religion, Rancid

With the days ’til Santa’s midnight ride growing ever closer, the Offspring has decided to give teenagers another hot item to beg for. The band is also giving the wary guardians of these young rockheads something to be thankful for — a song about the consequences of drinking.

In this song, “The Worst Hangover Ever,” Dexter Holland rants and raves about paying the price for having fun and acting stupid on a stereotypical drunken night.

The tone is one of blatant sarcastic encouragement toward not drinking. In fact, the whole album feels like it has a hidden sarcasm to it.

While listening closely to “The Worst Hangover Ever,” the listener’s reaction is that the song really doesn’t sound like it was that bad.

Instead of yelling into the microphone with so much rage, Holland sounds like he’s looking back on the experience and having a good laugh from it.

“Hit It,” the album’s adolescent sex anthem, rings true to its title.

The message is basically “See hot person from opposite gender.

Hit on hot person from opposite gender. Engage in questionable acts with hot person from opposite gender.”

This song might make the listener feel a tad sleazy or perhaps “sexually overzealous,” depending on his or her personality.

If you ask Mommy and Daddy for this album for Christmas, make sure to disassemble the listening stations at every music retail store within an hour of your house so they can’t partake in the Hit It Experience.

If any musically challenged adults find out, there will be much brouhaha and Tipper Gore’s undeniably communist Parents’ Music Resource Center will screw yet another batch of talented musicians out of enjoying their swelling but well-deserved holiday paychecks.

Don’t let it happen.

Don’t let the music industry’s worst enemy, Tipper Gore, ruin Dexter Holland’s Christmas — or anyone’s Christmas, for that matter.

— Dan Hopper