So last week’s review column wasn’t too exciting. Well, we’ve spiced it up a little bit and even came up with a cool name. Enjoy!

Superdrag

Regretfully Yours

If you haven’t heard Superdrag’s first single, “Sucked Out,” don’t worry, you will. The tune has all the ingredients of a hit track plus a chorus so catchy you’ll be trying to match the screeching vocals of Superdrag frontman John Davis.

In addition to “Sucked Out,” Regretfully Yours features 12 complete happy-go-lucky rock ‘n’ roll tracks. The Knoxville foursome blend pop vocals with punk rhythm, creating a Tripping Daisy meets R.E.M. sound.

As Superdrag’s first full length record, the musicianship of the band is surprisingly tight. Davis does a spectacular job in changing his vocal approach from song to song, striking comparisons to Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore and Green Day’s Billy Joe. Superdrag lyrics don’t get too complicated, but what do you expect, they’re Southerners.

Superdrag shouldn’t have any problems avoiding the dozens of retro pop/punk bands popping up everywhere with just a catchy one-hit-wonder to show for themselves. Superdrag has the talent to hold through the summer and a cool name to go along with it.

The Cure

Wild Mood Swings

Is it me, or does Robert Smith seem to be becoming more and more like Dennis Rodman? Or is it the other way around? After all, they both dress up like women for fun and consider suicide an answer to a rough day at work.

Well, maybe if you’re a Rodman fan you’ll like this record, but I doubt it.

Like all Cure albums, Wild Mood Swings is alarmingly depressing. Smith sings on his usual subjects of love (or lack there of) and confusion. “Gone!,” gives Smith’s explanation of depression, floating with lyrics like “So you know how it is, wake up feeling gray. Nothing more to think about and nothing more to say.”

Wild Mood Swings’ first single, “The 13th,” features a full brass section, unfamiliar to the usual Cure sound. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work.

Few artists are gifted with Smith’s lyrical talents, but over a decade of the same sounding Cure is too much. If you enjoy eccentric bi-sexuals in drag, stick with Rodman, at least he has somewhat of a future.

Various Artists

I Shot Andy Warhol Soundtrack

I Shot Andy Warhol (the movie) may not be competing with the summer’s box office smashes, but I’d put the record up to any of this summer’s soundtracks.

The album features a collection of tracks from the Warhol/Valerie Solanas era recorded by some of today’s best acts. Two of the record’s hot spot are Jewel’s remake of the Donovan classic “Sunshine Superman” and R.E.M.’s cover of “Love Is All Around.” Bettie Serveert and Wilco cover Bob Dylan and Neil Young, respectively.

The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Do You Believe In Magic” as well as MC5’s punk classic “Kick Out The Jams” are added to the line-up to complete just enough blend of originals.

The dark mood of the album reflects the Andy Warhol story perfectly, a job credited to producer Randall Poster, who also did the Kids soundtrack. I Shot Andy Warhol is simple and relaxing, a perfect combo for summer tunes.

If the movie is as good as the soundtrack, it may be worth seeing. (One interesting note: three of the bands on the soundtrack played in Ames in this past year—R.E.M., Wilco and Yo La Tengo) Just another reason to pick up the disc.

Corey Moss is a freshman in journalism from Urbandale, Iowa.