This review courtesy of Rocktropolis Allstar News at http://www.allstarmag.com Check it out, it's cool!: allstar rating: 7

Various Artists

Flyin' Traps

(Hollywood)

"The Gay '90s"

This collection, compiled by Redd Kross drummer Brian Reitzell, features 15 tracks by some of the most important drummers of the "alternative" rock world. Yet it's not a drumming album per se, considering only two tracks are actual drum solos (and oddly enough, one of those two solos is performed by J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr guitar fame). Still, Flyin' Traps is almost entirely instrumental -- and the drumming is obviously the centerpiece -- but the performances are essentially song- oriented. A few tracks are dead giveaways to the band a particular drummer resides in: Steven Drozd (Flaming Lips), Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails), and Dale Crover (Melvins) all perform tracks that sound like their respective bands. That's not necessarily a weakness -- Drozd's psychedelic "Headphones Theme from Seemingly Infinity" is actually one of the standouts, along with the rhythmically intense "The Gay '90s" by Josh Freese (of Paul Westerberg and Slider fame). It may be for special tastes, but at least it's nice to see the guys in the back moving to the forefront for a change.

-Mike Malinin