Post Mortem Anthem

Bluetip's curtain call is entitled Post Mortem Anthem and features five songs from comps and whatnot and five previously unreleased songs. The amazing thing with this release is how much the material sounds like a band who really could've made it big. The production is tight and the sound is catchy in that radio-friendly alterna-rock manner. That doesn't mean Bluetip is a bunch of brainless morons, though. Their music has intelligence in a D.C.-influenced way, but they're not afraid to use the hooks, either. The layout on the album is magnificent, of course, since the well-respected Jason Farrell (guitar/vocals) did it. Speaking of Farrell, his vocals are tough on many of the songs and come across in a way that matches the fierceness of the guitar riffs he pummels out. However, occasionally they come across as butch feminine vocals, which may surprise some listeners. It shouldn't be surprising that the one song this sticks out on, "52 Girls," is a B-52's song. Post Mortem Anthem seems to be a strong release to go out on and while it may not seem to have the complexity or obscure creativity that many Dischord acts display, that doesn't take away from the fact that this is a solid rock album.