 |
|
|
Archive:
|
|
CD
Reviews
|
| ALTUS Altus Self-produced This obviously home made CD somehow charms beyond its actual components. For the most part, it is vocals half-sung, half-spoken over basic guitar, bass and drums, although the bass and drums are mixed so low it often sounds like just vocals and electric guitar. After the first couple of songs, it seems the format will wear out its welcome. There a sameness and a thinness challenging the ear. But Alltus mixes it up, doing quite a bit with the few tools at hand. They move from rock to rap to reggae to folk and back to (harder) rock, finding ways to effectively play each style with their limited resources. They push their format to its limits, and manage to keep things, for the most part, interesting. This is a primitive recording which manages to find some depth. G. Murray Thomas |
| JOHN
BENNETT Rugburn Vagabond Records Rugburn presents radical politics through stream-of-consciousness spoken word, over mild hip-hop beats. John Bennett's primary theme, expressed chillingly on the second cut, "Choosing," is the oppression of society vs. the ability of the individual to resist it. Although much of Rugburn is bleak, Bennett is an optimist; he does believe that the individual can stand up to the oppression and maintain his or her individuality, although it does take constant effort. The pieces ("shards" as Bennett calls them) on this disc are true poetry, in that they take sharp, specific images and events, and use them to illustrate larger issues. For example, various pieces explore the death of Jim Croce, the tale of a high school stud, or a suicide attempt for the universal truths within. The musical backing, by Seed Verb and Nervous, from the rap group Log Hog, is expressive but unobtrusive, heightening the effect of Bennett's words without ever overwhelming them. This CD does demand close listening, but it will reward that with intense insights into the human condition. G. Murray Thomas |
 |
| BIG
ASS TRUCK Who Let You In Here? Peabody Records Big Ass Truck's music is a potpourri of funk, rock, soul, and samples. They come from Memphis, and Stax artists must have been heroes, since "Who Let You In Here?" shows that they know how to groove. A slice of heavy funk, "The Neco" revisits the "Superfly" era. A cool collage is created from loops, dialogue, and keyboards. Soundgarden and hip-hop? The fusion is clever and seamless on "Fading Fast Fad". With a hook that James Brown would love, "Portuguese Man O'War" is a prime example of Big Ass's funk-metal schizophrenia. Big Ass Truck's genre confusion is our gain. Bill Lopez |
| BLUE
DOGS Letter from Round O Black River Records Letters From Round O starts out sounding like pretty generic alt-country, that borderland of country styles played with rock'n'roll spirit. Fun, but nothing special. However, as the CD progresses, Blue Dogs push themselves, both in their songwriting and their playing. By cut 5, "What I Want", they're getting Little Feat style dirty funky, and then they're exploring power ballads ("Rainbows Over My Blues") and Delta blues ("Pay the Man"), and finding new excitement in each. The musical highlight is "Skyline Dream", a gently rocking piece with swelling emotional music.However, it is one of those tunes where the music implies an import not carried by the lyrics. Which may be the essence of Letters from Round O. This is good time music, played with a tightness and energy, but nothing much is really being said. G. Murray Thomas |
| BUSH The Science of Things Trauma Records Critics hate Bush and fans love them. Who are record exec's going to listen to, a bunch of bitter rocker wanna-be's or fans willing to buy 15 million albums? Sure Bush is derivative, so were the Beatles in the beginning. Not as hardcore or Seattle-esque as Sixteen Stone or as pop as Razorblade Suitcase this album is more melodic and refined. With The Science of Things, Bush seems poised to jump on a personal style. Rossdale's voice is still sexy and raspy, but his lyrics are coming closer to his native English without losing any of the desperation and passion. And Pulsford's bold, heavy guitar sounds still drive the listener through the bleak landscape of Rossdaleland with the skill of an Indy driver. For hardcore fans of the band unwilling to let the group grow as musicians, this album may be a little bit of a disappointment. However, for those fans that are in love with the band as a living entity, this could be the start of a beautiful relationship. Carlye Archibeque |
|
| COCTEAU
TWINS BBC Sessions double CD Rykodisc Records The ethereal and imaginative beauty of the early Cocteau Twins was such a marvel back in the early 1980's that despite the baffling lyrical wonders of Elizabeth Frazier's vocal inflections, they still managed to chart and chart and chart in the good 'ol merry UK charts. What was it about the band that mezmorized the masses? Was it Ms. Frazier's approach or was it the sonic and delicious landscapes of Robin Guthrie's arcane and fluid guitar sounds? All the classics are here and as vivid sounding as they were back in the day: "Wax And Wane," "Garlands," "Feathers-Oar-Blades, " "Dear Heart," "Hazel,""My Hue And Cry" and much more...thirty tracks in all, people. Recorded by the BBC, some of these tracks are taken from The John Peel Show, Kid Jensen, Saturday Night Live, Mark Radcliff and Robert Elms and they don't sound dated at all. Hopefully, this compilation will attract many more listeners to their surrealist musings. The waves of the future are all in one package. Carlos "Cake" Nunez |
| ANGELA
DAVIS The Prison Industrial Complex Alternative Tentacles Records Recorded in 1997 when Davis was lecturing at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, this 54 minute CD is a beautiful example of why Davis was and is feared by the political right. Her smooth, unhurried delivery coupled with an unbroken chain of logic take the idea that prisons are weapons against the poor and undesirable out of the realm of conspiracy theory and into the light of common sense. However, Davis does not just lecture about the problem, she also offers solutions. To her, activism is thinking critically about the problems in the world around you and then taking action for positive change. Lecturing to the group of students at Colorado College, she convinces them, and us, that while there is a problem, there is also a solution. Highly recommended. Carlye Archibeque |
| THE
FIRESIGN THEATRE Boom Dot Bust CD Rhino Records The unescapable genius and satirical world outlook of Firesign Theatre (Phil Austin, Peter Bergman, David Ossman & Phil Proctor) has been ongoing since the late 1960's. Cut and paste bands such as Negativeland have used these boys as an influence and their past albums are sought after collector's items. Boom Dot Bust (their second Rhino release) is a twenty-two track concept album about the rise and fall of the fictional town of Billsville (could be a take on our beloved present president prehaps?) and its inhabitants. Brilliant fake commercials (ie; "Boom Dot Bust" & "Doom Bot Dust") are included along with quite humorous television and motion picture commentaries,musical segments and a nifty CD booklet. Laughs a-plenty, I say! It's a take on the white-trash, racist and ignorant culture that we are all a part of. Check out their website (www.firesigntheatre.com) for more info on future releases by this innovative group. Carlos "Cake" Nunez |
|
| THE
FLESH EATERS ALBUM Ashes Of Time Rhino Records A kiss draws blood, and there's a knife at someone's throat. Disturbing images to be sure, but in the Flesh Eaters' world, love and violence are never far apart. While he may have smoothed off some of the rough edges in his music, leader Chris D. hasn't gotten soft. He has remained true to his artistic impulses. We should be glad, since Ashes Of Time is full of gritty, unadorned rock `n' roll. Desperation drives the pounding "Double Snake Bourbon," as love's losers have nothing but memories and chemicals to dull the pain in their hearts. The music is shot full of blues and Stones-y hard rock, but on songs such as the moody "Nobody Lives Forever," and "Black-And-Blue Bird," the feeling is closer to the roots rock of the Divine Horseman. These tracks, and the driving Mellencampesque stomp of "Mourning Becomes You," feature sterling work from Jeff Sullivan on electric violin. Leave it to the Flesh Eaters to set a song of love, betrayal and murder to music that makes me want to get up and dance. Julie Christensen was with D. in the Horseman and she guests on six songs, along with Erika Wear and Juanita Myers, she capably compliments Chris D.'s rough, soulful baritone. Wear and Myers have returned to the band after having been in previous lineups. The churning garage blues of "House Amid The Thickets" is full of black humor as a junkyard angel overwhelms a wanna-be Casanova: "Then she starts going back out to bars/before too long/she wrecks all her cars." Unlike some albums that only pretend to rock, Ashes Of Time is a prime example of the real thing. Bill Lopez |
| GAP
BAND The Best of the Gap Band 20th Century Masters the Millenium Collection Mercury Records I am such a sucker for greatest hits compilations. Doubtless, I am their target market, a member of the older music-buying public, trying to snarf up as many of my pop music memories as possible and realizing to my horror that these memories now span four decades. I have a sizeable memory for pop hits, enough that I can recall (and wish to own) all the secondary and minor hits that a two or three-hit band might have scattered over five or six albums that I have no interest in purchasing separately. How to grab all that gusto without blowing a fortune on the overpriced CD medium? The greatest hits compilation takes up an embarrassing proportion of my music collection. It's hard to imagine that groups like The Gap Band and Parliament were branded too raunchy for a lot of Top 40 stations, but that was indeed the case--even at the height of the Sexual Revolution and even in a major urban market like L.A. Thanks to Disco Saturday night on KBIG, I've become reacquainted with the music I heard at school dances and--rarely--on my piece-of-shit AM radio that came with me to college. Twenty years after the fact, I've developed a keen affection for the true, gritty funk I missed when Parliament, Kool and the Gang, Rick James, and the Brothers Gap kept dance music raw and real. Native Oklahomans, the three Wilson Brothers (Ronnie, Charlie, Robert), were protegés of landsman Leon Russell ("Lady Blue," anyone? "Tightwire"?) and Willie Nelson (that would explain their cherry red satin cowboy duds on the CD insert). The Wilsons pared down from a mid-'70s ensemble of 14 to an exclusively fraternal trio to become The Gap Band. With the steady production saavy of Lonnie Simmons, they staked out their own distinctive dance floor territory--urban cowboy funk. On THE BEST OF THE GAP BAND, their eclectic tracks encompass everything from the zesty chart licks of Earth Wind and Fire on "I Don't Believe You Wanna Get Up And Dance (Ooops!)" to ZZ Top-style axe-work on "Party Train" to the Parliament/Ohio Players-infused nastiness on "Humpin'" to the Raydio-smooth "Yearning For Your Love." The selections range from 1979 to 1983 and represent a respectable sampling of the many different directions in which dance music was being pulled before Euro- and world-flavored '80s dance singles kicked into high gear. The big hits--"Party Train," "Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)," and the infectious "You Dropped A Bomb On Me"--hold up effortlessly. It's still bold, energetic, aggressively masculine music that deserves better artwork on the CD proper than GAP BAND printed on a generic, opaque semi-circle that looks like someone burned the CDs in his garage. All in all, a must for disco, funk, dance, and soul lovers alike, not to mention those who had an FM-deprived late adolescence. Amélie Frank |
|
| THE
JESUS LIZARD Bang CD Touch & Go Records The Jesus Lizard was one of indie rockdom's most amazing spectacles. The spit and sweat shine of David Yow, Duane Denison, David Sims and Mac McNeilly were the geniuses behind this band from Chicago, Illinois. David Yow's almost undecipherable lyrics and distorted vocals in addition to the blockbuster slam/bam of Duane Denison's axework and David Sims plodding and danceable bass poodlings pitched out just perfectly in a Zeppelin-ized way with Mac McNeilly's powerhard drumming (later to be replaced by James Kimball [ex-Laughing Hyenas, Mule] and Brendan Murphy). Their almost ten year evolution is spotlighted on this fantastic twenty cut compilation of singles, b-sides, outtakes, demos and live cuts. Cuts include "Chrome" (two song medley of Chrome covers), the Dicks' cover of "Wheelchair Epidemic," "Gladiator," "Mouth Breather," "Fly On The Wall" and "Anna" (which features Santiago Durango (ex-Big Black) on vocals. An excellent way to start the year 2000 out with and a good way to get the blood flowing. Beautiful beyond understanding! Carlos "Cake" Nunez |
| MUDHONEY March To Fuzz double CD Sub Pop Records What can one say of the band that started a revolution in the late 1980's? Yes, Mudhoney were equal parts punk/garage/hard rock and were the masters of the re-revolution of the seven-inch single back in 1988 with the release of the immortal "Touch Me I'm Sick" which spanned dozens of bands. Mark Arm (guitar, vocals), Steve Turner (guitar), Matt Lukin (bass) and Dan Peters (drums) were the first of the Sub Pop group of bands (after Soundgarden) to restart the revolution originally started by beautiful Detroit, Michigan's MC5 back in the late 1960's. They had the energy, vision and music to do it. On hiatus after the "retirement" of esteemed bassist Matt Lukin, the band decided to release a compilation of the best shit that they've done. The compilation spans 1988 to the sessions of last years' Reprise released Tomorrow Hit Today album. Cuts include: "Touch Me I'm Sick," "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More," "You Got It," "If I Think," "This Gift" and tons more--fifty two blazing cuts in all! It's a good record to kick back and breathe in the dirty air to. And maybe you should take those bongs out that you put in storage some years back! Heh! Carlos "Cake" Nunez |
|
| OINGO
BOINGO Anthology Hip-O Records In October of 1995 Oingo Boingo played their last Halloween show and I spent two weeks salary to be in the pit of the Universal Ampitheatre to see it. Thus ended the career of one of the longest running punk/alternative bands in Los Angeles history. Now all that is left is the occasional compilation release and the hope and fear of a reunion tour. If this new Anthology from Hip-O records (aka Universal Music) is any indication of the quality of compilations that are coming, I am a very happy Boingo fan indeed. Beautiful Boingoesque artwork graces the paper fold out CD case containing two CD s worth of music from the beginning, "Ain't This the Life" (from the 10") up to the last song of their career "Goodbye, Goodbye" preformed live at Universal as their last encore. Also included are info stocked liner notes about the band and a history of each album release up to the bitter end, and for the most part the origin of each track is listed for the anal Boingo fan. The song picks are good with the usual crowd pleasers: Only a Lad, Little Girls, etc., as well as some hardcore fan stuff like "Piggies", "Sweat" and "No Spill Blood". My only complaint is the inclusion of the ballad "Mary" from the Boingo album (Danny, why?), but every canned good is allowed a certain amount of bug parts. Ultimately, this is a must have for hardcore fans and a great starter CD for anyone who has heard that that Elfman guy used to have a band. Carlye Archibeque |
| OTHERSTARPEOPLE
Diamonds In The Belly Of The Dog A&M Records I don't know if they are poised for stardom, but judging by the groovy sounds they laid down, "Diamonds In The Belly Of The Dog" by OtherStarPeople has hit written all over it. The album is full of tunes that will insinuate themselves into your memory and once they do, you won't want to forget them. When they first conceived the band, guitarists Xander Smith and Jennifer Finch thought they would base their sound on dance and electronics. Joined by bassist Junko Ito, and drummer Todd Philips, they took a different course, fusing glam, metal, and new wave into their own frothy, fun brand of pop. A siren guitar hook opens the slippery rocker "Drip". It's a tale of drug use, but the clever wordplay never approaches drug cliches. It's followed by the Sweet-styled glam slam of "I Could Never Be Wrong". Both songs are given considerable bite by the tough rhythm work of Finch. Subtle strings, pulsing keyboards and an easy, loping melody color the Beatlesque "The Half Of You I Love". "Ocean Way Sunday" is a breezy number that conjures up memories of lazy days by the shore. Finch, who now goes by the name of Precious, and Smith blend their voices beautifully. The two of them handle most of the lead vocals with assistance from Ito and various friends. If the keys and synths remind you of the Cars, you're not mistaken. Greg Hawkes is featured throughout. There's another Cars connection on the album. It was produced by Roy Thomas Baker, who also produced Queen. He gives the songs sheen and breadth, while making sure that they aren't lost in artifice. You'll definitely want to be best friends with this "Diamond". The OtherStarPeople have created a stirring debut. Bill Lopez |
| RELISH Relish Amerige Records Just when I thought that the indie scene had played itself out, the self-titled debut from Relish breathes life into a tired genre. The Orange County trio's music is unnerving and enthralling. Insistent chords accent the melody, and tension builds in the aptly named "Uncomfortable Silence". The icy mood is shattered by the fury of guitarists Laurita Guaico and Michele Walker. The surging powerpop of "Flesh and Kings" boasts spirited vocals, and agile drumming from Lynnae Hitchcock. "Born Again" is a rousing punk hoedown that uses barbed humor to satirize empty beliefs. Relish has crafted a sparkling debut. Bill Lopez |
| R-E-S-P-E-C-T A Century of Women in Music Rhino Records Rhino's slogan is "we collect records so you don't have to", and boy does that ring true with this fabulous collection. Music aside for a moment, the box portion of the box set is to die for. Burgundy velvet with original art work by Christine Haberstock on the front panel, the outside only hints at the marvels inside. Eight Haberstock postcards lie in wait along with a perfect bound liner notes giving an extensive history in words and pictures of women's music by women authors and journalists. Then there's the five discs of music. Each disc in this five disc set coves an era of women's music. The first disc, Broadway, has songs from Ma Rainey, Fanny Brice, Marion Harris and a dozen other women I never hear of before but am glad to have had the chance to hear now. Torch, Twang and Swing on disc two gets jiggy with Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne and Mahalia Jackson to name a few. Third is Shoop-Shoop & Mowtown and has the Chantels, Shirelles and Martha and the Vandellas singing the usual fare, but also adds Betty Wright's Clean Up Woman and Nina Simone's To Be Young Gifted and Black for flavor. Disc four leads us into more familiar territory with Rock to Electric Shock. Again there are the usual hits, but there are also some of the more political songs of the 70's written and sung by women that have been overlooked like Joan Baez's Diamonds & Rust and Loretta Lynn's The Pill. The final disc, Hip-Hop, Pop and Passion brings us into the current era with songs by Salt-n-Pepa, Patti Smith Kate Bush to name a few. Stylistically this is the most schizophrenic of the CD's, but maybe that's just a reflection of the freedom musical expression is given today. Political as well as personal you can't help noticing the difference in the world between when Fanny Brice sang My Man in 1922 and k.d. lang sang Constant Craving in 1992. This is a monumental box set, musically packed and aesthetically pleasing. I highly recommend it. Carlye Archibeque |
| BREE
SHARP Cheap and Evil Girl Trauma Records I was glad to see that Bree Sharp wrote all of her own songs on this disc. My immediate impression -- from the slick pop sound, the standard sultry good looks of the cover, and titles like "Cheap and Evil Girl" -- was that this must be some Svengali packaged pop sensation. Once I realized that Sharp was her own Svengali, I took the time to listen closer, and I'm glad I did. Sharp turns out to be a sharp (sorry) songwriter. Her lyrics twist cleverly; I'm more than willing to forgive the corniness of her crush song "David Duchovny" just for the line "why don't you love me/ Debrief and debug me?" Plus, she rhymes "T'n'A" with "DNA" ("Guttermouth"), a perfect rhyme. Her tunes are melodic and catchy. There are more than a few songs here which I found myself singing all day long. If I have a problem with the disc, it is a feeling that, in certain cases, Sharp is stillposing. I can tell that songs like "Guttermouth" and "Cheap and Evil Girl" do not reflect her true personality. Titling the album "Cheap and Evil Girl" only compounds the problem. Other tunes, such as "Fallen" and "Not Your Girl", reveal a deeper insight which could be explored more. Posing is still posing, even if you choose your own poses. Inside many of these pop songs I hear the sound of an introspective woman alone with a guitar, examining the lives around her. I would recommend Sharp pursue that woman, herself, a bit more, and leave the posing to the teen queens. G. Murray Thomas |
| SLEATER-KINNEY
All Hands On The Bad One Kill Rock Stars It's not easy when the critics love you, so it would be natural for Sleater-Kinney to stumble, but there are no missteps on ALL HANDS ON THE BAD ONE The band continues to explore and redefine their sound. Excitement is plentiful but they temper the power chords with pop flourishes. Guitarists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein are aided by the vocal debut of drummer Janet Weiss. Her harmonies add a silky layer to the imaginative, conversational dynamics of Tucker and Brownstein. Tucker's Lydon-meets-Belinda Carlisle vibrato is complimented by Brownstein's lilting delivery, as their character studies in psychic distress unfold with wit and passion. "The Ballad of a Ladyman" sounds like a lost gem from the sixties, as do the melancholy "Leave You Behind" and the sprightly "You're No Rock n' Roll Fun". "Ballad" bemoans vanity, while "Leave" laments love as it fades away. "Rock" puts musician snobs in their place: "You're no rock n'roll fun/like a piece of art/that no one can touch." Tucker's voice is a dazzling instrument, as it swoops and soars between Brownstein's slashing guitar lines on "Male Model". She envisions a new rock and roll order: "You don't own the situation, honey/You don't own the stage/We're here to join the conversation." Are they the great hope for rock? I don't know. I am certain that they know how to make great music. Bill Lopez |
| SONIC
YOUTH Goodbye 20th Century double CD SYR Records As much of a masterpiece as Daydream Nation (1988; Enigma Records) was to critics and fans alike, Goodbye 20th Century clocks in with thirteen tracks of non-catchy experimental kindness (not including a video track that just WOULDN'T play on my fricken PC!). Featuring William Winant, Jim O'Rourke, Takehisa Kosugi, Christian Wolff, Christian Marclay, Wharton Tiers and the Moore/Gordon lovechild - Coco Hayley Gordon Moore - Sonic Youth have crossed the boundaries of the uncharted experimental world of musical reality. With tracks such as Christian Wolff's 1969 wonder "Edges" to the arcane energies of John Cage's 1991 opus, "Six," the Youth is as wild and bizarre as they've ever sounded. Who would have thought that this fearsome foursome would ever cover either a Steve Reich track (1968's "Pendulum Music") and a Yoko Ono track (1961's "Voice Piece For Soprano") on the same album? Is the band being just pretty and pretentious or have they evolved into something that the human species dare not even attempt to question? Fret not, dear music fan! This album is the missing link between the first Sonic Youth album and Metal Machine Music. Carlos "Cake" Nunez |
| STONE
TEMPLE PILOTS No. 4 Atlantic All of Scott Weiland's drug use hasn't been a total waste. It seems that somewhere along the long strange trip he got to meet Jim Morrison. STP's sound has always harkened back to the acit rock of the late 60's and early 70's but on No.4, they have managed to capture the sound of the Doors if thay had lived to be a 90's rock band. Morrison is especially present on "I Got You" and "Atlanta." In the later I would swear that Weiland found the lost journals of Morrison and stole from the dead. All this withstanding, while No.4 does not have the sharp edge of Purple or Core, it is still a strong album and worth the listening time. Jane Hinde |
| VIOLENT
FEMMES Viva Wisconsin Beyond Records Live albums can be sleep-inducing experiences, with rote set lists and perfunctory performances. Leave it to the Violent Femmes to create a memorable documentation that avoids sounding like a cash in. Viva Wisconsin captures guitarist Gordon Gano, bassist Brian Ritchie and drummer Guy Hoffman in a spirited performance; their musicianship and instrumental versatility are impressive. The trio's spare acoustic style is colored and shaded unobtrusively by musical pals the Horns of Dilemma. Many hits and favorites are here, but they also perform several lesser-known tunes. Such a strategy could backfire, but the Femmes never let up. Recorded in '98 during a brief Wisconsin tour, these hometown guys leave the fans happy with rousing versions of "Prove My Love," "Country Death Song," and "Blister in the Sun." Gano's tortured whine is as affecting as ever, especially on the sinister blues of "Confessions," and the sadly beautiful "Good Feeling." Time hasn't mellowed them, as tense, spiteful takes on "Ugly," "Gimme The Car," and "Don't Talk About My Music" prove. The latter song was co-penned by Ritchie; his stellar bass playing and bitter vocal make the song a surprise highlight. The Violent Femmes may have been marking time when this was recorded, but Viva Wisconsin is one live album that definitely succeeds on its own terms. Bill Lopez |
|
ANDY
WHITE |
 |