by Daniel V. Garcia
Daily Lobo
If you are suffering an existential crisis because you cannot decide what local band to see, fear not, Rock Outside the Box Vol. 2 has you covered.
A couple of years ago, a compilation of different New Mexico bands was put together by Nate Smith, guitarist for Feels Like Sunday. The moniker of the CD was Rock Outside the Box and was on the local label Socyermom Records. The folks in production have gotten together for a second round of aural fun, and have continued the theme of two by making this compilation a double album.
Featured in this set are several bands from around the state that can be safely categorized as having an emo/indie/punky/heavy sound, with a few exceptions. While this has helped maintain the consistency of the release, it has most definitely not provided an overview of all the best bands New Mexico has to offer.
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That being said, the album possesses some standout songs such as the brilliantly sour track by Old Beans called "Republican Girls," which can also be downloaded from their Web site. The song is a stellar example of satirical writing done right.
The Hollis Wake's "Fight Song" features the strongest lead and harmony vocals on the set, as the band members nail their very polished counterpoints.
Jenny Gamble helps to mellow things out with her song, "Your Name in Lights."
The bands on the album were all recorded in the same studio under the auspices of Leonard Apodaca, the main man at Socyermom Records, who created a previous compilation of Socyermom artists called Ouch! The result is a consistent and polished sound that reflects the high production values that were employed in the manufacturing of this project. The artwork of the large CD pullout - and in addition to being beautifully laid out - provides lots of pictures and contact information for the different bands.
For those new to the New Mexico indie music scene, this CD is a must-have. A final caveat before you buy: Do not expect to hear much music outside of the above description, and especially do not make the mistake of thinking other bands or types of music were not good enough to get on this compilation. The finest examples of New Mexico's traditional, reggae, hip-hop, jam and jazz music are absent from this compendium, but they can be found by keeping your ear to the ground.
