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SHOWCASE CHICAGO Sept. 95:

„Relentless punk/funk that will not let you up for air. CDP‘s three song demo comes off classically raw, hard and fast. „Fear“ offers plenty of punk power with melodic vocals that hook you like a fish. „My Girl‘s Buffalo“ stampedes in, reminiscent of early Chili Peppers with red hot wit. „When No Ones Looking“ is just as powerful and hook ridden as the first two songs. CPD makes a lot of impressive noise for a three piece.“

Richard Milne of WXRT:

„CHARLIE‘S PIPE DREAM is a Goo Goo Dolls approach to a Red Hot Chili Peppers approach.“

Illinois Entertainer, Nov. 95:

„CHARLIE‘S PIPE DREAM‘s three song demo is „Fear“, an interesting rocker helped out by two strong male voices singing together anthem-like, with the word „fear“ landing the good beat. „My Girl‘s Buffalo“ has that..funk thing that hangs totally on the bassline. „When No One‘s Looking“ has a nice „wakka-wakka“ sound effect. Possible potential here.“

The Free Fest 95 program guide:

„The brothers Sanzeri, Nick and Joe, have paid their dues. Before instigating Charlie‘s Pipe Dream, they together run Buckwild. And Maelstrom. And, if I remember correctly, one other band. In their current roles, Nick is lead singer and plays bass, and Joe is guitarist, backup singer, and production guru. Matt Friscia is „the new guy.“ He plays drums. He is out of control, but he somehow manages to keep absolutely perfect time. Aside form being positively kickass, his drumming is clearly approached form an intelligently artistic determination. The band, in their own words, plays „powerful, energy filled tunes with catchy repeating parts.“ I concur, but prefer WXRT‘s Richard Milne‘s „the Chili Peppers‘ approach to the Goo Goo Dolls.“ The band lives in the Roselle area, where they (lucky bastards) have their own 16 track studio. If you want to check them out live, be at the Cue Club August 24. If you require a more durable souvenir of their set, check them out on this year‘s FreeFest compilation CD („My Girl‘s a Buffalo“). When your poor souls crave even more, get CPD‘s 9 song Primateen Mist.“

ORB Confidential:

„There are two things that make for a great release - plenty of talent and a hot recording. While Charlie‘s Pipe Dream has plenty of the former, Primateen Mist lacks the latter. Still, CPD must be one amazing band because even though this four track recording leaves a lot to be desired, their musical talents manage to shine through. With an experimental, up-beat, jam quality to them, as heard on Chance To Get Away, CPD are a worthy listen…just not on this cassette. A good producer could probably put them over the top.“ - by N. Casino

Rayolux #3:

„Man! Hope you like guitar! Sure, CPD is actually a trio, but you kind of lose sight of that once stringman Joe Sanzeri serves up a heapin‘ helpin‘ of wailin‘ ax. Which is good since this family affair from suburban Bloomingdale doesn't exactly offer standout vocals. Well, that‘s okay cuz the music‘s the hook here. Hmm. Imagine a tricked-up Stone Temple Pilots without the big bottom sound, but with a dash of Veruca Salt. Yeah. This collection isn‘t really a breath of fresh air musically. But hey, I‘ll admit it. The energy and frenetic pace on most of the cuts kind of took my breath away. I turned Primateen Mist inside out and when I was done, I never found the band‘s self-assigned punky/funky flavor. What I did find was rather aggressive, wild-eyed, heads-up rock with a distant wannabe punk aftertaste…and a lof of guitar.“

tab MAGAZINE vol. 4, issue 2:

„Charlie‘s Pipe Dream is another of your typical twisted rock music that combines punk, funk and a little grunge. The sampler is a good taste of this band. It‘s power driven with lots of hooks. The band packs in a lot of emotion with a flare of the Red Hot Chili Peppers burning around the edges." - mr. bill

the BEAT vol. 3, no. 31-32, Dec./Jan. 1995-96:

"The final band to be reviewed in 1995 is Charlie's Pipe Dream with their three song cassette EP (an advance of their forthcoming full length effort). Funk N' punk! Kick fu**in' ass! This is a band that I predict we will watch break out on a national scale one day soon. Extremely tight musically and vocally, this sampling is produced to flawless perfection. What is virtually unbelievable is that these songs were recorded, mixed and produced entirely on a Tascam 488. This talented trio have created some of the coolest music to emanate from my stereo. I can't wait to get my hands on the full-length release. Hurry up guys! This tape is nearly worn out! If you're looking for funky, hard-driving and above all else, intelligent and well-crafted music, this tape is the one to get! My Grade: A+"

Showcase Reviews - August, 1997:

To truly appreciate the intensity of Charlie's Pipe Dream (hereafter referred to as CPD - sorry guys, but your name is just to damn long to retype), you must see them perform live. I have seen them on a number of occasions  and have always left completely blown away. Singer/Bassist Nick Sanzeri is a phenomenal player who graces the stage with a bizarre and very animated charisma. His brother Joe, who plays guitar, is equally impressive and plays with all the fervor of a hyperactive 2-year-old on a 24-hour sugar buzz.
I could only hope, as I removed the plastic wrapping off the jewel case, that the same intensity they brandish live could be captured on Bike Around The Lake, their second release. Not to my surprise, CPD has managed to do it. I do have one complaint albeit a small one, and that has to do with the production work. It's a little bit under par with what you'll normally hear these days in a CD - with digital equipment and all - but this doesn't take anything  away from the enjoyment that you're bound to experience while listening to it. In plain English, this CD rocks.
Primarily a CD filled with punk rock songs. CPD do throw in a few surprises to mix things up a bit. "Put It In Your Hands" for instance, strays away from the late-70's early-80's punk tone and go for a more contemporary, pop-rock melody. It's a great tune and I would venture to say that it's one of more radio friendly songs. "Fear" goes back to those punk rock roots and screams of groups like Black Flagg, Flipper, and the Minute Men. A grungy tune, but powerful nonetheless. The title track, "Bike Around The Lake", is another little surprise and a gem of a song. It's a wild combination of (yep, you guessed it) old school punk and hardcore funk. If you read thee lyrics prior to hearing the song you might think it was a nice, mellow, friendly kind of contented ballad. That's far from the truth (simply insert your own antonyms and you'll get the picture). The music is loud, funky and just plain cool.
Definitely but Bike Ride Around The Lake on your CDs-To-Buy-List and you won't be sorry. In fact, [...] order a copy right now from Fire-tone Records." - Mark Bruno

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