No record label is perfect, and The End Records is no exception. For every AGALLOCH, GREEN CARNATION, CRISIS and WINDS, there's a band that sticks out like a sore, gangrene-infected thumb - in this case, Chicago's TUB RING. The sad thing is that these guys do have some pretty good ideas but absolutely deplorable delivery. The lead singer, much like the guy from PANIC! AT THE DISCO, is going for some sort of carnival ringmaster persona, meaning that anyone who wants to slap a camel clutch on the PATD guy as much as I do is going to find this disc agonizing. The band's lyrics are actually quite clever and thoughtful, but when they're delivered in such an annoying rapid-fire style, nobody can (or will want to) understand them. Musically, they try and incorporate multiple influences, samples and instruments like piano and violin, mixing Latin ("No One Wants to Play") and jazz ("Glass Companion") with their punk rock. This all sounds well and good, until each song has the feeling of building up to something big and just not delivering, which gets pretty tiresome after a while. And when things do build up, like "Get Help (NOW!)", its sounds like little more than noise. Remember kids, balance is the key.

TUB RING is yet another prime example that "weird" doesn't necessarily mean "good". If these guys could concentrate on writing decent songs and, of course, get a new singer, they could be onto something. Since I'm feeling generous, I'll give them one point for effort and one more point for the nifty artwork on the inside of their booklet, but that's it.

- Cardona

OFFICIAL SITE: www.tubring.com

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