Bits, Bytes
Urban Hymns
(Virgin Records)
In a year in music where
band reunions of biblical proportions took place, it is only fitting that
the Verve reunite for a new album. For those of you who are not familiar
with the Verve, it is one of the most important British bands this decade.
Playing a sonic rock tinged with psychedelia, their debut album in 1993,
A Storm in Heaven, was a critical success. Along with Suede and
Blur, they were at the forefront of a wave of new British rock bands that
followed the Stone Roses around the early `90s. They released another album
before breaking up in 1995.For a band whose best
material is strong, Urban Hymns is a big disappointment. The big
reason is that the album isn't a rocker, it's a droner. The Verve seem
intent on capturing every single human experience in melodrama. Lost in
this attempt is what made their music so good. There are elements of their
early self -- Nick McCabe still unleashes a massive guitar now and then,
and there are still a lot of psychedelic elements, but it's just that there
is no "oomph" anywhere. Songs like "Bittersweet Symphony" and "Catching the
Butterfly" sound good, but they also seem empty. Their second album,
Northern Soul, was not as powerful as their debut, and
Urban Hymns seems to continue that trend. The Verve are welcomed
back, but it's just not the same. B--- Joseph Boo / Staff Writer
Tenderloin
(Time Bomb)
At times, the group recalls
the Butthole Surfers, especially on tracks like "Leather Jesus"; but at
others, it sounds like a heavier ZZ Top, in that it effortlessly
integrates rhythm and blues with hard rock. Harmonica riffs abound here,
but mesh well with the distorted guitars that occasionally are reminiscent
of Soundgarden. The only downside to this CD is that the first track, "So
Cold," simply outshines the rest of the record. "So Cold" shows that,
though very good, when it wants to be, the band can be even hotter. B+
-- Clay Marshall / Staff Writer
Brendan Lynch
(Mercury Records)
A lot of people will
probably dismiss Brendan Lynch as Glen Ballard's next pet project. Who can
blame them? After all, Ballard is responsible for unleashing Wilson
Phillips and Alanis Morissette on us. The hardest thing for anyone is not
to dismiss Lynch before listening to his debut album. Remember this,
though: Lynch was not responsible for "Hold On" or the damned verse, "Isn't
It Ironic?" Unlike Ballard's previous artists, it was Lynch who wrote most
of his own songs.Lynch attempts to be the
singer/songwriter who observes life with a satiric and critical eye, and it
brings mixed results. There is some wit in his lyrics, and he is unafraid
to take on all things sacred (evident when he calls Kurt Cobain a "deadbeat
with a gun"). He also tries to be critical about the world without being
preachy. What results is a half-developed concept that sounds too
pretentious and under-pretentious at the same time. He reaches a balance,
but it seems wrong. Most of the songs are average, but they shimmer with
slick production by Ballard. Lynch sounds his best in "Ride," a song that
is nothing but sexual metaphors set to a bouncy song. C+ -- Joseph Boo / Staff Writer
Carousel
(Dreamworks Records)
For some odd reason, this
album is reminiscent of Radiohead during its "Pablo Honey" days. It's not
the way Subcircus sounds, which is more reminiscent of the Verve, but the
stage it is at right now. Subcircus is a British rock band trying to find
its own sound and concept. Everything is not quite together, but there is
something here to pique a modicum of interest.The album opens up with
"Shelley's on the Telephone," a nice little rocker. After that song, the
album drones on. The music is lush and melodic, but all the songs have a
sameness and repetition to them. The only exception is "Gravity Girl &
Analogue," a slightly bouncy and funny number. Coupled with the music is
singer/lyricist Peter Bradley Jr.'s somewhat obtuse and melodramatic
lyrics. Bradley spins nonsensical tales into revelations. The lyrics might
seem difficult to understand, but they ring with a lot of emotion, which
makes them effective. There are many interesting ingredients. If you can
excuse a lame cooking metaphor, all Subcircus needs is a little more
cooking before it can seem appetizing. B--- Joseph Boo / Staff Writer
The Sundays
Static & Silence
(Geffen Records)
Of all the British pop
bands from the early `90s, it is the Sundays who have had the most lasting
power. Most people probably remember their first album, Reading,
Writing, and Arithmetic, as well as the song "Wild Horses," which is
featured in a Budweiser advertisement. The Sundays have gained a sizable
core group of fans with their first two albums, featuring Harriet Wheeler's
chartreuse voice and David Gavurin's slightly discordant guitar wrapped
around light airy songs.Their third album,
Static and Silence, provides the same goods that made them popular.
The opening song, "Summertime," is a bouncy track that would fit into most
radio stations. The album becomes even lighter after that, and just pretty
much floats away. There are other memorable tracks like "She," but all the
songs are fluffy in both music and lyrics. This is not an album with a lot
of substance; instead, it provides inconsequential but pleasant background
music. This isn't a bad thing -- people can always use more pleasantry in
their lives. It just doesn't amount to much. Fans should be more than
satisfied with this new album, and that's pretty much all that matters at
the end. B- -- Joseph Boo / Staff Writer
New City of Sin
(Bloodshot Records)
This isn't your mother's
country music.With the genre of country
music slowly making a transformation from the twangy ballads of artists
like Hank Williams and Willie Nelson to the brash rock `n' roll style of
Johnny Cash and Travis Tritt, country music is picking up fans across the
nation.The second release from
Grievous Angels is a great example of the transformation at its crossroads,
mixing the old-style twang with a modern high-octane,
electric-guitar-driven style of country that you expect to hear on country
stations today.It hits you from the
group's very first song, "Full Moon Show," which makes you want to get up
and two-step from the first guitar chord. But what the album lacks -- on
more of a positive note -- are warm-hearted ballads that every artist seems
to want to perform on every one of their albums. The closest Grievous
Angels come to that is the banjo-driven song "Can You Hear Me," in which a
person returns from the dead to warn others not to make the same mistakes
twice.Fans of this more upbeat,
rock `n' roll-driven country will enjoy "New City of Sin" for its extensive
use of electric guitars and fast-paced songs that will drive listeners to
dance in their seats. But if you are looking for a weepy ballad to sing to
a significant other, pass this one on by. B -- Jason Spencer / Staff Writer
Falling Into Infinity
(EastWest)
78:19 is the first thing a
casual listener would observe about Falling Into Infinity, the
running time on the fourth full-length disc from Dream Theater -- a
testament to how much of its amazing music is jam-packed onto this one
single CD. (This is a band that released a 55-minute "EP" in 1995.) A
gifted rock band that actually knows more than three chords, it fits into
the progressive rock vein, a hybrid of Pink Floyd and Rush, but with a much
more fresh and contemporary vibe.Produced by Kevin Shirley
(Aerosmith), the album ably showcases the impressive abilities that have
earned the band a lofty reputation worldwide. The 11-track record features
a variety of sounds, from the heavy first single "Burning My Soul" to the
lush ballad "Anna Lee."In addition to being
immensely musically talented, the band also creates striking, sometimes
cutting lyrics that vary dramatically from track to track. The optimistic
winds of change described in "New Millennium" contrast with the vivid
suffering portrayed in "Lines In The Sand," a track which features backing
vocals from King's X singer Doug Pinnick. But one of the sharpest moments
comes on "Just Let Me Breathe": A daily dose of eMpTyV / will flush your
mind right down the drain / Shannon Hoon and Kurt Cobain / make yourself a
household name.Dream Theater possesses a
remarkable amount of musical proficiency, but what makes it so distinctive
is its ability to gel as a band and create memorable music. The group has
created an album that the listener must do more than simply hear --
Falling Into Infinity is something that one must instead experience.
A-- Clay Marshall / Staff Writer
Pushing the Salmanilla Envelope
(Polygram)
Having received MTV airplay
for the track "High," Jimmie's Chicken Shack is a portrayal of
contradiction. While apparently musically well-versed, when the last note
of its album is finished, the band comes off as juvenile. Some of its music is
compelling, featuring bits of Collective Soul-like guitar sounds with a
hint of STP thrown in. Also, vocalist Jimi Haha has an intriguing voice, as
he moves from smooth and laid-back vibes into punkish sneers with relative
ease. Equally impressive are the wide and diverse musical styles present.
For instance, some tracks are melody-driven, but others have a street
vibe.The primary factors that
detract from the disc lie within the lyrics. Lacking much depth (milk
them chickens / and pluck them cows / we're the ones that gonna f--- you
now, goes "Milk"), the band also has a tendency to annoyingly repeat
verses and choruses. One wonders if it simply couldn't come up with more
lyrical diversity and is instead just weakly filling out the song. Also,
the amount of profanity here is unnecessary -- it's not that the words are
offensive, but they're so excessive that they sound gimmicky. The Shack
still needs some renovations. B--- Clay Marshall / Staff Writer