Likewise, most likely, the Linus Pauling Quartet's Immortal Chinese Classics Music (Worship Guitars Records), which, it should be noted, comes equipped with the best cover art and liner notes (by Charalambides' Tom Carter) of any local release in memory. The Worship Guitars label is a good example of truth in advertising (unlike Shake and Jack's Jalapeno label), and strummers Ramon Medina and Clinton Heider put their instruments through a ringer of everything from chiming, dreamy Brit pop ("Larry's Song") to the Sabbath-esque guitar-cock duels of "Linus Theme" (still my fave local rock song). "Hamburger Girl" is awfully pretty, and disc leader "Narimasu Heights" is terminally annoying, but there's lots of worthy middle ground, and just when you think the noodling is about to go too far, there's a blast of punk frenzy like "Drop It" to bring it home again. Buy a dozen -- it's too cool not to become a collector's items (****).
-- Brad Tyer
***** Olds
**** Chevy
*** Ford
** Chrysler
* Plymouth
