Sound Bites

Chili Peppers cool off on new album

It's taken eight long years, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers have finally released a follow-up to 1991's smash album BloodSugarSexMagik. Oh wait, some things did happen in the meantime. Guitarist John Frusciante quit, to be replaced by a string of unsuccessful guitarists, most notably Dave Navarro, with whom they toured and recorded 1995's Jane's Addiction-esque One Hot Minute. The band has repeatedly broken up and reformed, and personal problems abounded.
Yet apparently none of that matters now. Frusciante has rejoined the band, and they're as funky, mischievous, and aroused as usual. Californication returns to the jambalaya of funk, rock, and rap with a touch of introspection that Magik solidified.
Sure, Anthony Kiedis' songwriting has continued to mature, following the success of "Under The Bridge" and One Hot Minute's unsung highlight "Transcending." Several songs on this album, notably "Otherside" and "Savior," deal with mortality, love and friendship, and Kiedis continues to throw more melody into his vocals.
Yet a good part of Californication consists of songs that could have been lifted from 1986's Uplift Mofo Party Planwithout showing a stitch. Songs like "Get On Top" and "Purple Stain" are filled with embarrassingly immature lyrics that would make Trey Parker and Matt Stone cringe: Come with me 'cause I'm an asskiller / You're ill but I'm iller? And Kiedis was never the world's greatest rapper, but "Around the World" gives fuel to the argument against white hip-hop.
Kiedis and the Peppers seem torn between wanting to party all the time or sit in a corner and pontificate, unsure whether to use the pen or theŠ well, anyway. They work best when they ride an unhurried groove, as in the hit single "Scar Tissue." Frusciante's vocal and guitar harmonies complement Kiedis with a rich lethargy, creating the perfect summer song. And bassist Flea and drummer Chad Smith don't skimp for a minute on the funky backbeats.
The title track indicates that some of Navarro's love of spiraling epics must have rubbed off a bit, but otherwise this is the core RHCP: expertly played funk-rock that shows stretch marks from its growing pains. The Chili Peppers are getting closer to making that complete, cohesive album they have in them somewhere. But right now they're like Peter Pan fighting with Captain Hook, and the clock is ticking away.
- Josh Chesler | Staff Writer
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Frog prince

Kansas City's Frogpond has leapt from the turmoil of a personnel shakeup to Safe Ride Home, an impressive follow-up to its 1996 Art Alexakis-produced debut, Count To Ten. Singer-guitarist Heidi Phillips has penned 13 new tunes that, while perhaps less exciting than their predecessors, are a step forward in quality.
Listeners hoping for spectacular bass lines or insightful lyrics may want to turn to another band, but Phillips' unmistakable hoarse, worn-sounding voice is what sets Frogpond apart. Carried smoothly, her vocals coexist well with a variety of song styles, including rockers like "Whatever" (featuring ex-Veruca Salt singer Louise Post) and quiet numbers like "Sleep." New drummer Billy Joe Johnson's style is a notable improvement, as compared to the same drum fill used by previous drummer Megan Hamilton in every song on Count To Ten, and nicely complements melodic standouts like "I Did," "Victim of a Victim" and "22."
While the stripped-down "Empty Room" could pass for an outtake from an early Jewel coffeehouse session, most of Safe Ride Home is Phillips guiding nicely written pop-rock songs with unfaltering vocals - imagine Nelson from The Simpsons with a good voice. The ill-advised string arrangements accompanying a couple of the slower songs drag the album slightly, but fans of good pop-rock may want to make the plunge into Frogpond.
- Mark Carpowich | Staff Writer
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A smash success?
Smash Mouth tries too hard to avoid the sophomore slump on Astrolounge, the follow-up to its 1997 multi-platinum surprise Fush You Mang and ends up like so many other bands - with a mediocre album that lacks the cohesiveness and charm of the original.
Smash Mouth jettisons the pop-punk sound of its debut for a more '60s flavor. Retro flourishes abound on Astrolounge, ranging from nifty Jetsons-like sound effects to campy keyboards and xylophones. The San Jose quartet falls into the trap of trying to follow up the success of "Walkin' On the Sun" by mimicking it with almost every song on Astrolounge.
That's not to say the album is a total loss. The lyrics are as witty as the ones that made Fush You Mang so entertaining, and there is the occasional stand-out track. "Radio" is a tongue-in-cheek poke at a band that has one hit song and then fades away. The reggae "Road Man" tells the whimsical tale of an unlucky roadie crushed by his beloved sound system.
But the problem with Astrolounge is that, for every good song, there are several clunkers like "Stoned" or "Can't Get Enough of You Baby," a horrendous cover of Question Mark and the Mysterians' classic that was already released more than a year ago (on the "Can't Hardly Wait" soundtrack). Why Smash Mouth tacked this better-off-forgotten song on the end of Astrolounge is a question probably only its accountants can answer.
Chalk up another victim to the sophomore jinx. Astrolounge is far less entertaining than it should be.
- Mike Dutra | Staff Writer
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Teen spirit

Revolution Action! Western Decay! Death of a President!
These are song titles from 60 Second Wipeout, proof that Atari Teenage Riot is back, louder and harder than ever! And the band likes exclamation points!
Atari Teenage Riot, fronted by the always-pissed-off-at-the-world Alec Empire, is infamous for its über-loud thrash noise with political undertones. 60 Second Wipeout, the follow-up to ATR's U.S. debut, Burn, Berlin, Burn!, is chock full of powerful anarchist anthems set to beautifully noisy electronic sounds. When it comes to hardcore techno, no one else can come close to ATR.
Atari Teenage Riot doesn't just want to bring notice to the wrongs of society - it wants to destroy society altogether. This "Atari No-culture" attitude is especially present in "Anarchy 999." Calling for the destruction of America in 1999, "Anarchy 999" is a powerhouse of political sentiment, with lines like: Everybody is talking like it's too late!!!!!!!! / Fuck you and fuck your state!!!! / I'm going to take it all on me / Destroy the USA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Even if one can't take ATR seriously, listening to the mad ravings of Empire and female screamer Hanin Elias is a pure adrenaline rush. Be warned, though: this is heavy stuff that breaks almost every rule in songwriting. Then again, since when does ATR care about rules?
- Ian Young | Staff Writer