Shotgun CD reviews are short reviews on CDs that you can usually pick up for $10 or less. For further explanation, check the FAQ

William Shatner - Has Been (rock): When I picked up this album, I expected it to be a giant joke like Shatner’s Transformed Man. Man, was I wrong. From the first track, “Common People”, this album is awesome. Ben Folds co-wrote and produced this album to be very catchy, but it ends up being a very naked picture of an aging Shatner. Sometimes the tracks have heavy themes like a father trying to unsuccessfully reconnect with a child after years away, while other tracks like “You’ll have Time” make the subject of death light and amusing. Despite the album’s eclectic mix of styles and guest appearances (Joe Jackson, Henry Rollins), there is no denying that there is a smooth and definite flow to it. It’s a strange mix of seriousness and schtick, but there is an underlying thread of honesty that keeps me listening to it over and over again. A

Nebula - Apollo (stoner): Nebula has been a staple of stoner rock since its founders split off from Fu Manchu over a decade ago. Even though they’re considered a cornerstone of stoner rock, I’ve never been able to appreciate them because they’ve traditionally centered around the noodly, never-ending solo end of stoner rock. While I’m perfectly capable of forgiving the distinct lack of super-low end bass that one typically expects from a stoner band, I’ve never been one to put up with a band consistently throwing their noodles in my face. When I picked this one up on the super cheap, my only intention was using it to supplement my trading on Lala.com. Maybe I’ve relaxed my rules on what stoner rock is and isn’t, but I certainly didn’t dislike this record as much as I expected to. It’s not what I’d consider meaty, fuzzy stoner rock, but I will concede that this is a sold rock release that exceeded my expectations and earned a spot in my collection. C+

It Dies Today - The Caitiff Choir (metal): Sometimes this disc is typical juggidy jah jah metalcore and I’m fine with it. Other times, they throw in singing that is so aggravatingly girly that it makes me want to punch a hole in the wall. I’ve forgiven bad singing in other albums because the music was just that good, but this is not one of those albums. Every single time that I start to get into a song, some wussy singer shows up and ruins it for me. The singing sounds so much like a teenage girl that I find myself frowning like a constipated old man eating lemons. I can’t forgive it, and my finger just can’t get to the skip button fast enough. I never listen to this album and if I wasn’t so unhappy with Lala these days, I would’ve shipped it out the door. D

Boris - Pink (doom): When I first heard samples from this album, I didn’t think that Boris was conforming to the minimalist vocals and sludgy guitars of their previous albums, so I’m not afraid to say that I really wasn’t impressed. I’m used to Boris as a band that drones the listener into the basement with repetitive 15 minute tracks played at a snail’s pace. Pink is a pretty large departure in terms of track length, style, and tempo for what I thought Boris was. The album starts off oddly with a song that sounds like Nick Drake filtered through doom and then breaks into stoner rock for a few tracks. Then, it slips back into a doom/stoner blend for a single track before diving right back into stoner rock. The disc closes with an eighteen minute stoner/doom anthem that completely devolves into drone by the nine minute mark. While not the best stoner rock I’ve ever heard, it’s certainly respectable, and it has grown on me. While it’s not as perfect as their doom masterpiece, Akuma No Uta, it’s an interesting trip into stoner rock as filtered through a Japanese doom metal band. C+

NOFX - Wolves in Wolves Clothing (punk): This is the latest release from the San Francisco punk veterans who have been playing their brand of clever, tight, socially conscious punk for nearly 25 years. Unlike some of the bands that started with them, I don’t find that I need to make any excuses for NOFX’s current music because they have yet to degrade into a caricature of their younger selves. Even though most of the band has to be approaching 40 by now, the music is still as tight, fast, and clever as it ever was. You’ll take my word for it when you find yourself unconsciously singing along to a love song like “I’m diving in a pool of puke / I’m fly fishing in a stream of puss / that’s how I feel when something separates us”. You can’t write a better punk love song than that. A-

Agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments…

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