Judging from the artist roster of Ohio’s Glazed Records, you can tell that this CD from Alta May isn’t going to be complete crap. I mean, hell, they have Rocket From the Crypt and the New Bomb Turks. That means their label mates can’t be too bad, right? For the first time in a long time, let me answer that question with a resounding, “Hell yeah!”

Amidst the piles of crap I’ve been getting recently comes this one gleaming diamond. FINALLY! A band I’ve never heard of that I really like. Oh, how do you boys rock? Let me count the ways.

Firstly, let’s start off by saying that Alta May are not power-pop, alterna-rockers. Screw all that. This band just flat out rocks. I like the rock. Much. Now, I could name off all the bands that the trio used to play with but who the hell cares to be honest?

From the opening of the title track, “We As In Us,” I knew I was in for a treat. Alta May is a bit early Nirvana (think Pre-Teen Spirit Radio Sell Out Nirvana), a bit old school garage rock and a whole lot of rock and roll. I’m not too fond of the third track on the disc, “Crown Yourself,” which is a bit too whiney rock ballad for my taste, but then move straight through that onto track four, “Slip,” which has a Supersuckers style guitar to it that will make your head spin.

Vocally there’s a bit of Chris Cornell in singer Marcus Pina’s voice, but not so annoying as Soundgarden was to me. Vocals are traded off between bassist Pina and guitarist Erik Roper, which gives this band some variety. Drummer Garrett Shavlik picks up the backing vocals, making this threesome one that uses all of its abilities for the most rock. Personally I think I like the songs that Pina sings lead on better, but that’s a personal preference, and not at all to say that Roper isn’t vocally talented as well, as proven on “Modern Day Greyhound.”

If you are sick of the same old same old, as I am, you may want to check out Alta May as a welcome alternative. There is just too much rock on this CD to describe. It’s something you have to experience. --The taNk gYrl


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