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The Lexington Scene
By Steve Nall

Hello Louisville and welcome back to the Lexington Scene. I've been pretty busy just living lately, so I haven't been able to get out to the clubs like I would have liked. Therefore, I will only be bringing you bands this month. We're going to stay with "the rock" this month and I want to introduce you to four great bands: The Absolutes, Slapjack, Wisdom and Anika Minor.

The Absolutes (www.theablsolutes.com) are exactly what their website claims: "100% rock-n-roll," laying down bluesy riffs occasionally combined with a little R.E.M.-styled "jangly" guitar work as well. Songs like "Downblasted" show more of their bluesy side, while "Got Me Down" brings out the bands softer side with accented by a nice dual solo section. If you're into good solid rock with a tinge of the blues, The Absolutes are the band for you.

Slapjack (www.slapjack.net) is a fairly new band on the scene, only being together since November 2002. They describe their sound as "alternative/modern rock," but I'd say they lean more towards the "alternative" than "modern rock" format. The songs that are downloadable from their website sometimes ride the fence between the modern ("Drama Queen") and more 70's inspired licks ("Nothing Left"). I haven't had the opportunity to catch Slapjack live, but if the songs on their website are any indication, this band knows how to catch your ear with some pretty good hooks and hopefully will be around for a long time.

The next band, Wisdom (www.musicexe.com), I don't know much about. Their songs are right smack in the middle of the modern rock vein that is happening on radio right now, so they seem to be on the right track. You can download tracks from their website and songs like "Blame" and "Under The Down" really show the band at their best with solid tunes and catchy vocal hooks that stay with you.

The last band I want to tell you about is Anika Minor (www.anikaminor.com). These guys have been playing their mixture of funk and modern rock since 2000. Everyone in this band is great at what they do and the songs showcase every member. Songs like "Retrograde" and "Priced To Own" lay down some serious bass and drums with the guitars moving from bright and clean to thick and nasty without ever losing the funk that is the core sound of the band. Anika Minor is definitely a band to see when you get the chance.

That's about it for this month. There's a new live club in town called "The Dame" and I'll be giving you the lowdown all about it next time, as well as bringing you more of the great bands Lexington has to offer.