Conner - "The White Cube"
Underground Sounds Records

Much has been made of Conner and their "sound" as it compares to the Strokes. We're gooing to ignore all that hype and rumor-mongering and simply focus on their second album, The White Cube, on its own.

Really, it's a good album. Granted, the band isn't breaking any new ground. They're not treading the same ground broken by Television and the Velvet Underground, as others have previously stated, however. Yes, the jangly guitar sound, fuzzed vocals, and especially the all-analog recording process cause The White Cube to sound as if it had been made in the late `70s. Really, Conner recalls not so much the aforementioned New York punk gods, as the Clash during their more sedate moments.

The problem is that the album only rarely produces songs that lock into your head's personal stereo. "Easy" has a bass line that borders on hip-twitchingly addictive, but it's an exception, rather than the rule. "On the Ground" is a by-the-numbers white boy blues stomper that typifies Conner's sound on The White Cube- while capable, it simply reminds you of another band that you've heard before.