for “Brian Wilson” the band has included the full-length live version from Rock Spectacle. -Joel MEGGS Album: This Is Numerology Artist: North of America Label: Progeria Records Dance Floor The first thing that occured to me when i put this cd on was that North of America are no longer really an indie- rock band, they are in fact a math rock band. Or at the very least, a very mathy indie rock band. If you have no idea what math rock is, then throw this cd on and pay attention to everything that makes it sound unlike indie rock; that’s the math coming through. All that aside, this is a good album, per- haps a great album. As per usual, the lyrics are terribly abstract and basical- ly meaningless (and based, i have been told, around whatever words happen to sound good, regardless of whether or not they link up into any sense-making pattern), but at least they’re not bad. Because a lot of bands these days have terrible, terrible, crap- tacular lyrics (Bryan Adams, for instance). Hm. I guess that’s all i have to say about this. Maybe if you’ve never heard North of America, you might want to start with something earlier, like “These Songs Are Cursed”, which is a little more acces- sible, but still, listen to this shit. (www.progeriarecords.com) -Jonah CAMPBELL Album: Rocksteady Artist: No Doubt Label: Interscope Didn’t No Doubt used to be more of a rock band? Didn’t they have a gui- tarist on Tragic Kingdom? Yeah, I’m sure they did. But he’s gone. And what’s left is a dance group. Fresh from her successes with Eve and Moby, Gwen Stefani obviously decid- ed to chart a different course, and her backup band, knowing that without Gwen they were nothing, came along for the ride. Rocksteady isn’t a bad album, but it sure isn’t great. Maybe your biggest clue as to where this record is on the musical map is the appearance of Prince on one of “Waiting Room.” But what’s strange about his appearance is that he’s cred- ited in the liner notes as that crazy symbol he gave up two years ago! What’s up with that? Maybe he didn’t want his name on such an unimagina- tive song. And your second clue is that the first single off the album is “Hey Baby,” the nauseatingly repetitious and lyrically vapid song that Gwen “no doubt” believes will break her band in the clubs. Remember such thoughtful songs as “Just a Girl” and “A Simple Kind of Life”? Well don’t look for them on this album, they ain’t here. In fact, I don’t know why they bothered to include the lyrics at all. This album is good for vacuuming your house to. -Joel MEGGS _ Show: Supercar Location: Brennan’s Pub Date: December 31, 2001 A short crawl away from the Arts Guild where many “moshes” used to be held, the bar formerly known as the Island Rock Café was haunted by the punk rock ghosts of Charlottetown music scene’s past. Supercar was briefly reanimated during Port Citizen’s New Year’s show at Brennan’s. Their music served as a Flux Capacitor taking everyone back six or seven years ago. It was just like the old days. Except that guy with his face done up like “The Crow” wasn’t there. And neither was Watchmaker or a metal band from Halifax. Gary Larter wasn’t there for his song either. And instead of people wearing flannel or goth makeup, everyone was dolled up in fancy suits and dresses for some peculiar reason. And there were plates with crackers, vegetables, and dip too. If you closed your eyes, ignored the fact that it was Brennan’s, and let the crowd push and elbow you while Andrew, Brodie, Pete, and John per- fectly recreated the youthful magic and punk rock exuberance that once made them every Charlottetown teenager’s favourite local band, you could have imagined that tomorrow was going to be 1996 and not 2002. But then when it was all over, you could open your eyes, grab some crackers, and enjoy Port Citizen. -Stephan MACLEOD Come and celebrate with Alexander Keiths. ee ae iu thursday, jan 10 feet eee RP iglemir an ii) 4 sunday, jan 13 brite n e sil! tuesday, jan 15 Myron’s: Greg Doucette Baba’s Lounge: Small Dark Movie Myron’s: Big City Olde Dublin Pub: Fortune’s Hand Baba’s Lounge: Solomon Dean The Barn: Lending Jane/Windom Earle Brennan’s: Eyes for Telescopes Melons: Monkey Dust Myron’s: Joey Kitson Olde Dublin Pub: Fortune’s Hand Baba’s Lounge: Nathan Wiley/Birdhouse Melons: Solomon Dean Myron’s: Big City Olde Dublin Pub: Fortune’s Hand Sunday Night Live at the Chaplaincy Centre Get a jump on your studies, slacker. Baba’s Lounge: Itchy & Scratchy Those who like it. like it a lot. Three, three toppmag piseas