Whenever a CD is recorded in support of a noble cause -- whether it's universal health insurance in the United States, combating illiteracy in developing countries, or reducing domestic violence -- some reviewers are reluctant to offer an honest critique of the music itself. Understandably, they have a hard time saying anything negative about someone who is, for example, doing a lot to help poor children in Somalia. But in the case of N.E.D., one can both support their cause and their music with a straight face, because this 2009 release is quite solid. The cause that N.E.D. (a band consisting of six board-certified oncologists) are devoting themselves to is raising awareness of gynecologic cancer (that is, cancers of the female reproductive organs, such as ovarian or uterine cancer), and most of their music is best described as folk-rock/adult alternative with a somewhat psychedelic edge. The exception is "False Pretenses," a hard-rocking alternative rock/post-grunge tune along the lines of
the Foo Fighters or
Incubus. But a softer folk-rock/adult alternative approach prevails on reflective material such as "Waiting on Time," "Life Force," "She Sings to Me," and "Third Person Reality." Even if one heard this 21-minute EP without knowing what cause N.E.D. (whose name stands for No Evidence of Disease) are supporting, the songs would still be enjoyable. The disc's liner notes offer a lot of valuable info on gynecologic cancer, including paragraphs describing the importance of screening and early detection (although tragically, screening and early detection can be an uphill battle in the United States, where poor and middle-class women are at the mercy of what is easily the most misogynist, the most classist, the most corrupt, and the most viciously racist health insurance system in the developed world -- and unless major health insurance reform becomes a reality in the U.S., thousands of American women will continue to die needlessly). But again, one who listens to this EP never feels like the quality of the music is taking a back seat to the importance of the cause. N.E.D.'s music is consistently pleasing on this EP. ~ Alex Henderson