Choice Cuts: April 2003

by Perry Farrell, at times shaded by Wayne Coyne. Unlike so many of their brethren, though, Hello Defective never lets their songs needlessly or purposelessly sprawl; even the lengthy, brooding album closer ("Brave Birds") doesn't overstay its welcome. At times, singer/guitarist Kirby sounds like he could be fronting a psyche-pop band from the Sixties, but he and fellow songwriter Armitage met in a very modern, heartwarming indie-rock fashion (bonding over a Mercury Rev T-shirt). With albums of this ilk, sometimes even the good ones are lacking in fullness, so I was pleasantly surprised by how accomplished Kill Us Now is. When they bring their A-game-and probably 4 of the album's 9 songs qualify as such-Hello Defective can stand comfortably amongst the psyche-pop elite.

Highlight Tracks: "An Idiot's Brainstorm" and "Plastic Hearts"

For More Info: Jump over http://www.hellodefective.com

Artist: MIKE LONGO TRIO

Album: Live - The Detroit International Jazz Festival

The Scoop: A reverent tribute to some of jazz's all-time greats, including Dizzy Gillespie, for whom Mike Longo served as pianist and musical director for nine years. In some ways, it's hard to go wrong with selections like "Trane's Blues" and "A Night in Tunisia." The hard part, after all (classic composition), has already been done. But instead of trying to needlessly embellish or interpret, Longo, bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Ray Mosca handle the numbers with loving care. The result is an album that's ripe for enjoyment by jazz lovers and newcomers alike. It's noteworthy that Longo has followed in Gillespie's tracks in forming his own label (Gillespie had DG Records); the common thread is producer Dave Usher.

Highlight Tracks: "Fiesta Mojo" and "Rhythm-A-Ning"

For More Info: Jump over to http://www.jazzbeat.com

Artist: HOUSTON MARCHMAN & THE CONTRABAND

Album: Desperate Man

The Scoop: Everybody knows that everything is oh-so-big in Texas, and my contempt for the state is of a comparable size. To its credit, however, the state that gave us President Bush and oversized belt buckles also has a fairly unassailable music scene. Houston Marchman (they name their own children after their cities, for crying out loud) has a talent that transcends state boundaries and evokes Americana giants like Van Zandt or Earle. His grizzly voice never sacrifices tunefulness, and the stories he tells-while filled with characters out of country music's equivalent of Central Casting (sweet senoritas, fallen angels)-crackle with detail and honesty. The tender paternity of "Hold Fast" recalls tales like

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