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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 27, 2008

TOM GABEL:
HEART BURNS
(SIRE) **½

The sounds are different but the anger remains the same on Against Me! front man Tom Gabel's seven-song solo EP.

Gabel is a passionate lyricist with a knack for catchy melodies. But "Heart Burns" suggests a strong symbiotic link between Gabel and his band. The robotic backing of opening track "Random Hearts" brings to mind what an excellent cut it could be with Against Me! kicking it into high gear.

"Heart Burns" works best with the slower, acoustic-based "Conceptual Paths" and "Harsh Realms," where the band isn't so much missed. "Anna Is a Stool Pigeon," the story of a snitch infiltrating an anarchist group, is the EP's most provocative and intriguing lyric.

Download this: "Anna Is a Stool Pigeon"

Curtis Ross

TOBY KEITH:
THAT DON'T MAKE ME A BAD GUY
(SHOW DOG NASHVILLE) *

When the hallucinations come - and they always come these days when your brain tries to digest a formulaic Toby Keith album - it's easy to imagine a factory assembly line somewhere in Nashville that pumps out his music in automotive fashion.

In one corner of the factory, the honky-tonk lyrics are attached to the frame. In another corner, allusions to being a rowdy, lusty bad-boy are painted on. Verses and choruses are bolted onto pop culture catch-phrases. A song about Mexico is added to the cruise-control package, along with a broken-hearted power-ballad.

In the end, you wind up with a vehicle that might get you down the road for a while but will leave you with buyer's remorse.

Download this: "She Never Cried in Front of Me"

Jeff Houck

COMMON MARKET:
TOBACCO ROAD
(HYENA) ***

These Northwest coasties are blazing up the hip-hop trail. The duo is made up of Seattle's Sabzi and RA Scion. These guys have been doing their thing as a unit since 2005 and have shared the stage with KRS-One, Zion I and Ghostface Killah.

"Tobacco Road" is classic, socially conscious rap. These young men are lyrical and spiritual, and constantly question the world around them, from free will to love. Tracks such as the self-discovery tales of "40 Acres" and "Nothin' at All" are personable songs.

The sound is free-ranging and organic and emanates a chill and introspective vibe. It's intelligent, homegrown, fish-fed music that distinctively reps the Northwest coast.

It's a solid national debut, with few missteps, and most definitely worth copping.

Download this: "Nina Sing"

Sarah Hoye

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