Usually the way that the critiquing world works is the unknown (or relatively unknown) band submits their demo and the reviewer will give it a go when the opportunity presents itself, all in the hopes that the aforementioned review will generate listener interest in the band causing them to become über famous, maybe win a Grammy, and get a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame; however, with Juke Kartel, I actively sought out their music by contacting the band and took the initiative on a fine Sunday afternoon to write this review for your reading pleasure. This bodes very well for the Australian lads...

First off, I might as well get it out of the way now that Juke Kartel's vocalist, Toby Rand, is one of the top contenders on CBS's Rockstar: Supernova vying for the lead singer position of this "supergroup" that will consist of: Tommy Lee, Jason Newsted, Gilby Clark, and hey, maybe Toby. As a result of the fame begotten from this reality show, the craze of Rockstar: SN and Toby's mass appeal onstage has consequently opened the door to a plethora of new Juke fans that are "all aboard the Rand Wagon" (which admittedly includes yours truly). Ok, now back to JK.

Juke Kartel (Welsh for 'music group'- those clever guys!) is a sexy blend of heavy underlying bass and drums, loud rhythmic guitars, and distinguishing vocals that range from mellifluous harmonies to emphatic screaming that would make the almighty Mike Patton proud. Christ, I love it already! Did I mention that the guys are pretty hot too? It's easy to see how this relatively little known phenomenon is quickly becoming an enigmatic music force that is taking the indie world by storm...all the way from across the pond. Wow, well done. Well done indeed. Usually, Australia is known for their beer (Fosters. Australian for beer- do they really drink that?), football (Aussie Aussie Aussie, oi oi oi!), and Hollywood exports, you know, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, and Hugh Jackman, that sorta thing. But look out indie fanatics, JK is quickly becoming the hot musical export that the world over will be raving about. Just remember, my little squirrels, that you read it here first.

Juke Kartel's tracks are an amalgamation of contrasting melodies, driving guitars, and solid bass that resonates and definitely brings the rock. It's great music for getting pumped up for a night on the town or to play really, really loud on your iPod while riding the subway in the morning on your way to work with the lofty hopes of pissing off the groggy passengers next to you so they'll move and you can get their seat, or maybe that's just my morning aspiration. My personal favorite (in case you were wondering), Throw It Away, is an upbeat, anthem-ic track with fast guitar riffs and steady drum beats keeping pace with interjecting cuts of Toby's biting vocals, a mixture that has music fans of all genres bobbin their heads to the rhythmic selection. "I just don't need it, chemical dreaming, throwin' it all away." You love it, roight?

Intrigued yet? Hel-loooo, you should be, but don't just take my word as the gospel truth, your next question should be, "Well, Haleemon, where can one obtain this fine blend of music that you speak so highly of?" Alas, my fellow HIN readers, by logging onto JK's MySpace Music page, you can listen to the following tracks: Throw It Away, My Baby, Save Me, and Firesign. And for the nominal price of $1.98, you can download Firesign and Save Me on iTunes and listen to them on repeat 'til your wee heart's content. In NYC, you can't even get a decent cappuccino for that price, although maybe a toasted bagel with cream cheese...and a crappy cup of java, but I digress.

So, for all of you Aussiephiles out there (no, I didn't make that up), check out these lads to get your fix. They're super hot and the music is rockin, so hound these gents for their album release as you definitely don't want to miss out on this band!

Juke Kartel are:
Toby Rand - Vocals
Todd Burman - Guitars
Dale Winters - Guitars, Vocals
Tommy Kende - Bass, Vocals
Eddie Murphy - Drums (yeah, yeah, yeah not THE Eddie Murphy but stay tuned because he may just BE the next... Eddie Murphy!)
http://www.myspace.com/jukekartel http://www.jukekartel.com/_/news.php