CD reviewS: Indie, revival rock seeting the tone for '04

Ear candy

Ratings
4 stars = cop it
3 stars = play it
2 stars = ok it
1 star = drop it

 

Bad Boys "10th Anniversary...The Hits"
****

Bad Boy records is at it again with its "10 Anniversary...The Hits." The newest CD from Bad Boy Entertainment features several hits from all its artists from Christopher Wallace a.k.a. Biggie Smalls to R&B artist Carl Thomas.

The Notorious B.I.G. helped put the East Coast back on the hip hop map during the mid '90s with his ill rhymes and smooth delivery. Three of Biggie's songs including "Hypnotize" and "Big Poppa" are in the CD. The classic "Juicy," however, is not, which is somewhat disappointing.

Craig Mack, another early Bad Boy artist whose "Flava in Ya Ear" joint helped resurrect East Coast hip-hop, is also found on the CD only this time his song is a remix featuring the Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes and Rampage.

Black Rob's "Whoa" gives the CD that hard core song it needs. The Junior Mafia is represented with Mase's "Feels So Good," the only one of his songs on the CD.

Bad Boy owner P. Diddy, is on several tracks, which is nothing new to Bad Boy fans. One of the better tracks on the CD is Thomas' "I Wish."

"10th Anniversary...The Hits" is just that. Of course there are several great Bad Boy songs that are not on the CD but over all it is a nice collection of a decade of Bad Boy hits.

- Daniel Frias

 

Ben Kweller
"On My Way"
****

The 2004 release "On My Way," by Ben Kweller consists of 11 tracks full of folksy charm and catchy melodies with quirky lyrics, reminiscent of early albums by The Verve, only more light-hearted.

Listeners who appreciate Dylanesque, up front voice quality with an acoustic guitar and maybe a few notes on the piano will appreciate Kweller's simplistic romantic concepts and pure-hearted ideals.

Violent Femmes fans may find some familiar ground with Kweller, with more of the sound but lacking in the abrasive charm of the '80s renegades.

Few of the tracks have enough energy for people who need drive behind their tunes, but if you're in for a relaxing afternoon with friends and some lazy sunshine, Kweller delivers on that vibe.

-Monica Pardee

 

Taylor Sorensen
**

"The Overflow" With introspective tracks like "Fly Away" and "Upside" Taylor Sorensen's album "The Overflow" is balanced against the more spiritual tracks "Girl" and "Gloria 34."

A nice album for music connoisseurs who fancy a soft, melodic approach to life, love and spirituality. Peaceful ballads coupled with the lighter side of down-to-earth hymns may give some listeners the yawns, but for people looking for an accessible route to their own insight may find something here they like.

The style is mainstream, and Sorensen's voice is pleasant enough, but lacks any original sound. This could be any number of artists' album, and could be many popular singers.
The album lacks any edge, or new approach to the archetypal ideas it rehashes. If the listener can remember the lyrics it's because they've been written so many times before.

Another Sunday afternoon snoozer for people who like that sort of thing, in need of some energy to complement the basic requirements.

- Monica Pardee

 

Carina Round
"The Disconnection"
****

If you thought the angry girl rock phase of the '90s was long gone, brace yourself: it's alive and well in the form of Carina Round and her sophomore effort, "The Disconnection."

The British songstress certainly isn't doing anything new. She picks up where the awe-inspiring and now-retired Fiona Apple left off, from the slightly unhinged vibrato to the bluesy piano, to the bitter lyrics. But damn, is it good. The raw emotion in her voice in the track "Lacuna" sucks you in, while the rhythmic strumming of "Paris" leaves you begging for more.
Round's seamless integration of Gwen Stefani's syrupy-sweet croon and Bjork's angry cry put you on edge while hitting a sweet spot at the same time. Maybe, at the end of the day, being compared to some of the greatest female artists of our generation isn't such a bad rap.

- Mandy Wright

 

Panurge
"Throw Down The Reins"
**

Panurge sounds like something that has a lot of curry and causes indigestion. However, it's not. No, Panurge is a band that hails from Vancouver, BC that mixes calming acoustic guitar tinged rock with drum effects, some of strings (probably synthesized), and soft lyrics, all of which equal something that's interesting but ultimately fairly dull.

You get the feeling that the effort is there. "Throw Down The Reins" is a decent attempt at an "electronica" based soft rock album. The band is going for something different, which on it's own, is commendable. A little bit of electronica can definently help break up the monotony of an average song, but here even the drum machines are dull. There is no edge to this music and you keep waiting for an explosion of sound but after about the third song you just give up. The band seems to be going for sound effects instead of substance.

Just check out "La Petite Citrouille," a song which is just a mixture of dozens of different effects and no instruments.

- Brian Spiegel

 

Sugarcult,
"Palm Trees and Power Lines"
****

The first time I saw Sugarcult play live, guitarist Marko 72 was so excited to hear I'd bought their album he subjected me to a sweaty, leather jacket-clad hug. With more than 300,000 copies of their first album, "Start Static," sold to date, the band probably isn't giving out free hugs with every sale anymore, but that doesn't mean they can't still make you feel warm and squishy.

Sugarcult exists somewhere in the gray area between punk and rock, but still manages to produce a distinctive sound. In other words, this is what Lit would sound like if they still had talent. Their latest album, "Palm Trees and Power Lines," is darker and more mature than their freshman effort; even slower tracks like "Crying" and "Over" are more melancholy reflections than lovesick ballads.

Lead singer Tim Pagnotta's raspy voice and affinity for the emo scream adds a refreshing dash of bitterness to the catchier tunes. "Memory" is probably the track most representative of Sugarcult's sound, and if you dig this one, the acoustic version will rock your world.

- Mandy Wright

 

The Cooper Temple Clause,
"Kick Up The Fire, And Let The Flames Break Loose"
**

"Kick Up The Fire..." is a solid release by Britain's The Cooper Temple Clause. Like most big British Bands nowadays the band is huge in Britain but mostly unheard of here in the states. And like most British bands the album is musically solid but not exactly the most exciting thing you've ever heard. "Kick Up the Fire..." is a mix of distorted guitars, solitary pianos, drum effects and harmonized vocals, which combine to make something that you're almost sure you've heard before.

And you have heard it before. You've heard it in Muse, you've heard it in early Radiohead and you've even heard it in Orbital. The mood is airy, the music is droll and the pace is light. The only real shot of adrenaline is on "Promises Promises," a seemingly out of place barrage of crunching guitars, grinding effects and even a little screaming. The song seems out of place, but since it's there you should just enjoy it.

- Brian Spiegel

 

The Damnwells
"Bastards of The Beat"
*

When you open the cover of The Damnwells' "Bastards of The Beat" you see a picture where the four band members are looking in different directions. Each one not necessarily looking too deep in thought, but rather looking rather stoically at something which seems almost everyday like a small fenderbender or an arguing couple.

If the band meant to do it or not, the picture is a good analogy for "Bastards of The Beat." The album is rather mundane, everyday and safe feeling. The band has a Southern soft rock vibe with almost no edge. It's like the band wanted to make the safest album it possibly could sound wise. The Damnwells' only PG-13 edge is their first song, eloquently titled "A-holes." But even that song is boringly obvious with such mundane lines as "Everyone grew up and turned into a-holes/you don't have to show up giving me hassle."

"Sleepsinger," begins to feel so tedious after a while that you're begging for the next song to start. And then you finally get to that song and you have to begin the process all over again with "The Sound."
This album is simply, Nickelback-lite.

- Brian Spiegel