Hits and Misses

Canine

-----3.5 stars-----

If you miss real rock - music in the tradition of the early-to-mid '90s - Canine may be what you're looking for. Don't expect a monotonous 53-minute set of hard rock, though. Treacherous Turn One pleasantly surprises the listener with a variety of moods while sticking to the somewhat undernourished genre of real modern rock. From the understated guitar and emphasized vocals on tracks like "Four Seconds" and "Livin'" to the catchy electric chords and crashing drums on "Devil's Pride" and "Beginning of the End," Canine evokes a little classic grunge a la Soundgarden, while slipping in some slightly funky bass. Don't think it's another fusion band, though. These guys are here to rock. Best of all, guitarist Daniel Bernal is a Tufts graduate, and Canine plays plenty of Boston gigs. The band will be at the Middle East this Friday to celebrate the release of Treacherous Turn One - and it's a record worth celebrating.

- Drew Shelton

Heidi Saperstein

-----1.5 stars----

To be a singer-songwriter, you must both sing and write songs, and if you're a little inconsistent on either end, you're not likely to pull it off. The odd thing is, Heidi Saperstein doesn't have a bad voice, her songwriting is good, and yet the record is painful. When Saperstein gets backup on the choruses, she sounds great - cool, passionate, competent. The songs themselves are excellently balanced - they alternately build up and then release tension and emotion. Saperstein's voice, however, is shrill and unpleasant on most of the verses, including the opening lines of the album. If you listen to the words, you'll be impressed with Saperstein's obvious ability, and if you can skip the verses and just hear the choruses, you'll be impressed with her performance there, too. Unfortunately, you're not likely to do either.

- Drew Shelton

Rustic Overtones

-----5 stars-----

Rustic Overtones are stellar not only because they are fresh and upbeat in the most innovative ways possible, but especially because they somehow manage to cover all the bases. The musicians are hip-hop and jam influenced enough to be an ultimate party band. But they also produce songs like "Love Underground," which stands out with its bold guitars and scrumptiously infectious basslines. Add a dosage of reggae and ska, complete with one of the most impressive horn sections out there and vocalists who run the comparison gamut from a melodic Dicky Barrett to a raspy Brad Nowell, and what you have is Viva Nueva - quite possibly one of the best albums this year. Rustic Overtones are a native New England band and superstars in their home state of Maine, but they won't be a small-town favorite for long. Catch a local show (they'll be in New Hampshire and Rhode Island in early May) before Rustic explodes onto the national scene.

- Sheryl Gordon