There are a lot of great bands out there floating under the vox populi radar, and they're not getting airplay, and they're not getting a major deal, and they're not getting on the soundtrack to Scream 16. They're not on TRL, they don't dance in pyramid wedge formations and their manager isn't some fat loser from Orlando named Lou. But dammit, they are making great music, and they deserve to be heard. So how do you find them, when there are thousands and thousands of bands all over that fifth dimension we call cyberspace?

Welcome to The MP3 Files.

Our agent will comb through the nooks and crannies of the Internet, turn over rocks, wade through bombastic "sounds like" claims and bring you back dossiers on some truly worthwhile artists who deserve your attention. If you like what you read, you'll be able to follow the link to the band's site (or at the very least, an established site like MP3.com) where you can use your ears as well as your eyes. Most of the bands will have product available at reasonable prices, and you just might find some artists who worm their way into your "favorites" pile. When possible, we'll attach a direct link to an artist website, but when in doubt, travel to MP3.com and search by the artist's name. Artists profiled in The MP3 Files have willingly made their product available for download in the hope that you'll like what you hear, and if so, you'll act accordingly. Many acts also provide their product at a deep discount at sites like CD BABY or sell directly from their website.

Okay, Mulders and Scullys, here we go again....

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Case File 026: Popmafia - New York City, NY ( http://www.thepopmafia.com)

Let me get this straight...three of the five guys are named O'Donnell, O'Brien and O'Connor, and the band is called Popmafia? Ahh, never mind, doesn't matter, because their CD Down At The Astoria flat out kicks ass. They've got a skintight hard rock sound down pat, and the production sends it out crisp, clear and loud. Steve O'Donnell's vocals are strong throughout, ballsy without lapsing into screaming, and bassist Paul Conway and drummer Steve Selezniov are locked into a groove that won't quit. If Blink 182 covered "She Comes" or "Just Go Away," we'd all be dancing to the killer hooks. Good songs about sex, love and rock and roll; from the temperate "Believe In Me" to the fiery "Automatic" and the clever "Taintshaker."

Too many wannabe bands try to combine modern rock with a surf-punk edge and fall flat on their faces; Popmafia never forgets the melody and that good musicianship doesn't mean overkill. Guitarists Matt O'Brien and Steve O'Connor leave no doubt that they're monsters, but they do it by driving the rhythm and then diving in for clean crisp solos. "Prizefighter" is a good example; as the band slides into double-time, O'Connor rips notes like a boxer nailing his opponent with a flurry of jabs. Hell, make that uppercuts, it's too good for jabs. I'd love to see these guys open for The Dictators because an audience like that would get it in spades.

Case File 027: UHF - Portland, OR ( http://www.uhfweb.net)

Wow! Not only a band who obviously find their roots in classic British bands like The Pretty Things, Kinks and The Who, but a concept album to boot! That was a tough enough chore to attempt when they were in fashion, but to slip out a record like this in the days of preening teenybopper wedge dancers and pretentious wank rockers takes big balls. The Everyman storyline in Lottery - growing up in innocence and struggling as "money changes everything" - is right out of Ray Davies' scrapbook. But UHF put in a lot of hard work to create something original in the spirit of the above-mentioned artists. (And if they just wanted to mimic the past, they could have - I've heard their cover of a Pretty Things track and it's massive!)

And let's not punish the quality of the individual songs by insinuating that they only work within the concept. Although Jeremy and Jordan Leff's vocals on "Best Friends" sound eerily like Daltrey and Townshend melting together at the microphone during Tommy, it's a great song regardless. Ditto the majestic "Whatever The Weather," whose lyrics could fit in anywhere from Village Green Preservation Society to Soap Opera. What impressed me most was the diverse instrumentation and song structure throughout the record; slap on the headphones and savor the sonic touches that embellish almost every track. With Jeff Nelson (guitars and bass) and drummer Matt Johnson, the Leff brothers have nailed a very ambitious target. I can't wait to hear what they try next.

Case File 028: The Wes Hollywood Show - Chicago, IL ( http://www.solidaction.com)

Set the wayback machine back to 1977, Sherman, for The Wes Hollywood Show is waiting there for you. Remember when rock and roll was fun? Before shogazing? Before angst? Skinny tie pop rules again with these guys on their second CD, The Girls Are Never Ending. It's wall to wall bouncy, power pop harmony, jangly guitar glory. The opening track, "She's Gonna Let You Go," calls to mind the Romantics and early Elvis Costello, while the following track sounds more like The Knack and...uh...early Elvis Costello. That's no insult - Wes isn't trying to ape the man, but he does sound a little like him, although crossed with a good dose of Lennon. In other words, the boy can sing!

The rest of the band are no slouches either. Mark Talent (lead guitar), Patrick Thornbury (bass) and Jason Styx (drums...wait...a drummer named Styx?) are energetic, especially on killer tracks like the Ramones-ish (well, okay, and Costello-ish) "H Bomb." No doubt you'll be playing this record over and over again, dancing to "Goodtime Girl," "Little Miracle" and "Weston-Super-Mare." And even though you'll go grab This Year's Model afterwards, you'd be just as likely to pull "Turning Japanese" and "What I Like About You" out of the rack. And there's something wrong with that? I'm not the first CD staffer to urge you to fire this one up and enjoy it at full volume.

Case File 029: Welsh Rabbit - Eugene, OR ( http://www.luckyjimrecords.com)

I must admit when I heard the first few notes of "Where You Are," I would have bet the farm that the singer would launch into "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," but it was merely a tip of the cap to the Fabs (as is the closing vocal harmony). West 11th Love Letter is a low-frills EP collection of some basic tracks laid down in vocalist/guitarist Nick Levine's basement. The sound is good, but more impressive is the charm of the songs; they're amazingly strong for a first recorded document. Somehow "Do You Want To Dance" juggles the indie cred of early REM with the hypnotic guitar work of The Edge in his prime. "My Summer Girl" and "Tonight" both have great hooks and show that the band can handle midtempo as well as power pop. Bassist Kyle Chilla, drummer Ian Campbell and keyboard player Rolf Nordhausen form a tight quarter with Levine. Overall the lead vocals are pretty good, although the harmonies are stronger; the guitars go for the jangle over the flash. For the first five tracks, anyway.

Nothing prepared me for the closing song, though. "Rollin'" is a ten-minute track that doesn't waste a second. Somehow the pop path veers off into Neil Young meets Radiohead territory, and it works. Haunting, pulsating guitar work drives the song as the melody gains steam and the vocals build into a crescendo, tagging a minor chord to reset the mood. I know that most of their songs are now a little shorter and sharper, but this is one that I hope they keep playing at full length - it's a stirringly emotional piece of music that few bands outside of Built To Spill can pull off well.

Case File 030: The Cartoon Factory - Greenville, SC ( http://www.thecartoonfactoryband.com)

Although the name might connote animated characters (or Jim Carrey's short-lived sitcom debut), this quartet is a high-energy power-pop band that sets its sights on harmony and melody. You can't be taking things too seriously when you have a track called "Monkey Girl" lead off your record. Factor in a band that has two Bay City Rollers fans paired up with two guys leaning more towards classic rock, and the combinations can get pretty interesting. For example, the melody of "Tongue Tied" sounds like The Cars taking a stab at Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him?." "Deaf Dumb And Blind" starts out like Eric Carmen's "Hey Deanie" before sliding into the infectious chorus. Only the closer "I Live For You" falls flat here, a disappointing arena thud-rock entry.

The band is tight - David Swift's guitar and Louis Sijon's power drumming are solid, and the harmonies are spot on. Bassist Chip Anderson and guitarist/vocalist Chuck Chapman (the aforementioned Rollers fans) are also fans of the arena-sized power pop of Cheap Trick and KISS. However, the production of the self-titled disc muzzles the bombast and goes for a crisp and clear sound; power chords are there, but glass isn't shattering. "Hopeless" is a very catchy song that opens with a classic guitar riff that deserves to shake the house. But I'd rather have catchy songs than catchy production any day - I'll bet that "Without You" and "Whirlwind" rock the house live. Keep an eye on these guys.


The MP3 Files, Bill Holmes' occasional column for COSMIK DEBRIS, will bring more exciting, deserving artists to your desktop! If you have some suggestions for overlooked artists who deserve some attention, drop Bill a note at bholmes_fm@msn.com. Even a good detective appreciates a solid lead now and then!

(C) 2001 - Bill Holmes