J Church
"Prophylaxis" CD (Allied)
I missed riding the J Church streetcar while in SF so I can't tell you what, if anything, it has to do with the band. Don't let this lack of insight stop you from picking up this poppy album of melodic Bay Area punk, practically a musical genre unto itself these days. Like other pop-punk, some of these sublime riffs, especially on "I Can't Be Nice To You," remind the listener why punk exists. Now if they would only cover "I Want You To Want Me."
"Palestine" CD (Honey Bear)
I first heard J Church around the time of "Prophylaxis" and "Quetzalcoatl"; I kept up with the band for several albums and then we parted ways because the songs didn't seem to mean as much to me anymore. They were catchy but I just lost my appreciation for the band somewhere along the way. As far as "Palestine" goes, it reminds me of what could have happened if Bob Mould had reverted to music reminiscent "New Day Rising" or "Flip Your Wig" for his first solo effort. The songs have hooks and they're relatively catchy, but the effort just seems like more of the same. If you're a J Church fan, you will likely already own this. If you aren't, there's no reason to start here (try "The Precession Of Simulacra" as a different entry point).