Hits and Misses

Dilated Peoples

Expansion Team

4/5

Layered, lyrical hip-hop with fresh beats. Dilated Peoples have a distinct, precise mix of DJ sensibility and primetime rapping skills, and Expansion Team only makes their mark that much greater. Dilated makes use of sophisticated beats, near-melodic record scratching, and a constant flow of lyrics that passes the vocals smoothly from man to man. More so than on Dilated's previous major label release, The Platform, this album brings the DJ talent to the forefront, and the influence is evident throughout. Songs mix together and scratches take the place of some vocal jogs, but the "battle rhymes" are intact and strong as ever. The sound recalls a live concert, with performers trying to outdo each other with fast, complex, unexpected rhymes. The Platform picked up a lot of word-of-mouth fans, and with some luck Expansion Team should get more people in on the game - these aren't party beats, but it's a smooth, cool record from start to finish.

- Drew Shelton

The Pills

3.5/5

Garage-bred Boston power pop. Pop their album in your CD player, and you'll be surprised at The Pills' continuity and utterly solid songwriting. While the band is still categorized as a 'local' act, their "Spork" was recently featured in a episode of Dawson's Creek. And "Spork" is a perfectly representation of The Pills's sound: fuzzy, grungy, garage-y. It's pure rock 'n roll, replete with multi-layered vocal harmonies, solid-but-jumpy beats, and brilliant use of instrumental counterpoint. On "Crawlin' Outta My Skin" the band's shrieks and shouts, as well as its instrumentation, recall the "Twist"-era Beatles. The Pills are also capable of serving up a fuzzier, garage rock sound - as on "Pop Goes Mandy" and "Thumb/Star." No matter how they experiment, their music remains fast-paced without ever bordering on punk and uplifting without ever becoming repetitive. Catch The Pills Friday night at TT The Bear's with Quickfix and The Red Telephone.

- Rob Bellinger