I wish radio were in a better Rut.

I've been all over the commercial rock radio lately because it has creeped back into my life through no choice of my own. If you changed exactly nothing about it, sent it back to 1997 in a time machine and played it for anybody, they wouldn't know the difference.

Anyway, they play the same bands every day. In some cases they're playing a band every two or three hours, and in most cases it's the same four or five songs every day. This is where a band like Middle Class Rut comes in.

They're not changing the game much, but they're not the same stuff that's been on radio for years. It's perfect for who I expect the genious's at Clear Channel (Hello, 93Rock, can you hear me?) think listens to the station. That's based on the fact that they take no risks and play stuff that any hard rock fan can deal with, Creed notwithstanding.

You can hear the influence of Jane's Addiction pretty clearly, and they namecheck Fugazi, Refused, Radiohead and Rage Against the Machine - so they've got good taste without a doubt too.

They're a solid modern rock two-piece that sound like they've got five guys head-banging in unison to well-arranged power chords. The sort of band that once got picked up by the big local radio station and largely shunned by the alternative college station that loved all five of the above-named bands but would probably only admit to liking two of them, three at the most. I mention the college station part because though they were shunned publicly, this record would be in every one of those DJs cars.

I don't know what NME meant when they called this band "Exhilarating, like running naked through a bee storm." That doesn't sound exhilarating at all. This band, however, would sound good with a pitcher at a smallish club where they'd be really loud. That would be exhilarating. I would want to be sitting at a table drinking that beer though. Can you tell I used to be a critic? Is that a dick thing to say?

I hope all this adds up to a good review, because I would kill to hear these guys on the radio. This is a good, relatively straight-forward loud rock band that has been paying attention to what worked in the 90s. If I had an mp3 of "Tied Up," New Low," or "All Walks of Life" I'd probably link at least one of them here but I'm sure you're clicking hand can find the link a few words from here.

They're also touring with Social Distortion, which is hopefully still worth something. Dates are on their MySpace.

Great name. Greater band.

I think the newly discovered band that most has me excited for the week is Bipolar Bear. Of course, I got depressed a few minutes later. But it didn't last long...

Alright, bad bipolar joke out of the way, this is some scuzzy punk rock shit and hot damn am I in love. From the first note, this is when I go "yeah! I should quit my job and bang on pots and pans for money!" Then I come to my senses and realize I am nowhere near as good as these guys.

I was gonna save a few words for the mix-zip-tape tomorrow but have been downloading stuff and this just has me all fired up and ready to go. (I was watching the Obama interview series earlier too. What, you think punk rock don't mix with politics?)

Be aware - this is messy punk. There are no melodies. There are vocals, but I have no idea what they're saying. Bipolar Bear makes me hold my ears in awe and I want to shake uncontrollably to whatever it is they're playing. With 30 seconds left in "Calypso Vacation" I started punching holes in the wall, in rhythm with my nodding head and tapping toe.

You may scoff at me or think I'm being ironic for declaring such support for Bipolar Bear. That's fine, but if you ever loved Pussy Galore or Bikini Kill, you know where I'm coming from on this one.

Their latest album, Harlem Pripyat, is out now on Mexican Summer.

Bipolar Bear on MySpace
Bipolar Bear on Hype Machine