Gemini consist of identical twins Tommy and Tony Perrone whose strapping good looks could have easily landed them parts in any day-time soap opera. After a quick listen to Long Time Coming, however, one recognizes that their larger talent lies in the ability to spawn flawless harmonies that drift atop of elegantly sophisticated pop songs. If you're interested in some head-banging rock & roll, Gemini are definitely the wrong place to look. The songs -- most of which were self penned by the brothers -- are smooth, salient pieces of work that might remind you of Paul Weller at his lightest, or better yet Seals & Crofts, if your memory harks back that far. Tommy and Tony, who play all instruments on the CD, have produced other rock and jazz artists and on this release they use these well-honed skills to create a polished and beautiful collection of songs. If there are any complaints to be had, it's that the mix never really lets go. That is, I yearn to hear the lead guitar come in a few decibels louder when it breaks in during the solo. Picky, picky, picky, right? Long Time Coming can be purchased at the band's Web site, Tower Records on 66th and Broadway, or Sam Goody on 42nd and Second Avenue in New York City.

Static 13's latest CD, Fear Is Your Friend, follows on the heels of a pretty good showing from the band's debut release, eye won't fool i, which enjoyed airplay on hundreds of college and independent stations, and climbed to No. 1 on four of the stations. The New York-based band's sound falls somewhere between alternative and heavy metal, if one feels inclined to pigeon hole it. (If you're really looking for a lazy description, grunge might do.) There's smatterings of humor and angst woven into this well-delivered brand of hard-edged rock and roll. Singer Ari David (who lists Robert Plant, Chris Cornell and Steve Perry as influences) employs a raspy, sometimes guttural style of vocals that is appealing in texture and cadence. The songs stray from your standard fare of rock & roll by applying innovative effects such as layered vocals, on "Breathe It Slow," and timbre changes, on "Give Your Love" (which, by the way, is a live recording, showing that the band's talents exte nd beyond the confines of the recording studio). On the new CD, Static 13 takes a crack at the John Kaye/R. Moreve classic, "Magic Carpet Ride," and pull off a well-done, if not knock-out, rendition of what's got to be a pretty tough act to follow from original performers Steppenwolf. Check the band's Web site for information on ordering the CD.

Wow. New Orleans-based Tiny Town combines the well-crafted talents of four seasoned musicians, each of whom boasts a long list of credentials. Bassist Johnny Ray Allen, percussionist Kenneth Blevins, vocalist/lead guitarist Tommy Malone, and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Pat McLaughlin create a delicious blend of blues, jazz, and funk rock. Melodic harmonies waft over spicy grooves. Influences such as The Band, Little Feat, Los Lobos, and the Allman Brothers can be heard, but by no means are Tiny Town's tunes unoriginal. Rather, their self-titled debut is a mixture of innovative recipes, cooked up by all four men and bursting with flavor. I'll actually listen to this one again. Pick up the cd for a taste of their delectable gumbo.

What does it mean to win Musician Magazine's 1997 Best Unsigned Band Competition? Not surprisingly, it means, in 1998, you're no longer unsigned. And rightfully so, I'm happy to say. New York's homegrown outfit Market features the ethereal yet sultry vocals of Peggy Jameson backed by keyboardist Adam King, DJ Jimmy Connelly, and sound engineer Phil Painson (whose credits include Sonic Youth and Public Enemy). Together they form pleasant trip-hop-like electronic sounds that are light on beat and heavy on allure due to Jameson's entrancing vocals. I envision their catchy upbeat music being piped in at prominent fashion shows while runway models strut their stuff -- particularly the single "M6." Unlike many techno bands, however, whose work is confined to studio cuts for only our ears to behold, Market have been performing live in New York's downtown clubs for three years. Each of the members DJ individually around town, but they perform together as Market every two weeks at Baby Jupiter as well as at many other clubs in New York City. Catch them live if you can and check out their single "M6" which can be purchased at record stores in NYC. The debut CD will be out in January '99.

Here's more proof that competitions mean something after all. Straight from Austin Texas, the Live Music Capital of the World, come Pushmonkey, a four-man band who, in both '97 and '98, won the "Best Hard Rock Band" award at the industry's ever-growing South By Southwest Music Festival. They have since -- of course -- been signed to Arista and are set to release their self-titled debut CD, a powerful collection of vibrant pop tunes, on September 15. If nothing else, the single "Caught My Mind," which has already been #1 on radio-station play lists, should serve the band (and Arista) well. The four musicians -- who met at the University of Texas -- have opened for Kiss in Texas, headlined major venues throughout the southwest, and already sold over 10,000 CDs. The best description of this energy-filled pop rock band I can offer is that they sound somewhat like Pearl Jam minus some grunge.

Turn the clock back a couple of decades to the days of peace-love-and-understanding and you have the sounds of Magic Love Fountain. By employing the simpler recording style of the sixties and seventies, Magic Love Fountain manage to separate themselves from the troves of off-the-shelf modern-rock bands. It's a refreshing sound compared to today's louder, faster, harder world of factory-churned-out rock. The four-year-old California-based trio strives to write songs with psychedelic, universal themes rather than with the angst-ridden, decadent focus of many modern rock artists. The concept is nice. The band's music, however, is mediocre at best, lacking the catchy hooks and melodies that are required when high-tech chicanery is stripped away.