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Bourgeoisie Paper Jam
Caleb's Cafe CD
PMG Records, Box 312897, Detroit, MI 48231-2897
www.prejippie.com
The disc starts out with a the voice of a sweetly tortured
soul on "Why Me?" The song is a nice musical mix of
bongos and acoustic guitar. In fact, the whole disc is acoustically-
based, but not in that you've-heard-one-you've-heard-them-all
kinda way.
"Rings" is a whimsical reggae-flavored tune about
commitment. There are several fanciful tunes on this disc ("Teach
Me to Swim," "Tell It Like It Is," and "Seashells
on the Pavement"), which mixes up the disc nicely (esp.
given that it's all acoustic).
"Tomorrow is Yesterday" sounds like a Ben Harper
rip-off, but works well anyway.
The title track "Caleb's Cafe" reminds me of one
of Bruce Hornsby's infectious refrain-turned-song ditties. What's
absolutely brilliant about it is the snippet of "The Crying
Game" dialogue that spans the break in the song. It complements
the underlying guitar groove and makes me actually feel like
I'm in a cafe!
The disc wraps up with "Is That Life Good?" which
marks the return of the tortured soul in the opening track. A
nice ender that includes the killer line, "Tell me why you
ignore the way you feel inside/When you know that you've been
a whore everytime you swallow your pride." In fact, this
song is this disc's answer to "What the Fuck" on the
Cecelia's Soul Food album by the same group. This
track just shows that lead singer/chief songwriter Sticky Ricky
is still struggling with those same issues. And just like "What
the Fuck," this track's got killer lyrics. Its bridge says
"How come your soul's not satisfied with what you are/No
matter how much they tell you you're great, you just don't feel
like a star."
I highly recommend this album—not just because it's their
latest, but because it shows musical growth over the past six
years. Besides, the lyrics and themes are grabbers, and the passion
in Sticky Ricky's voice will keep you coming back to listen again
and again. [5] |
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Bourgeoisie Paper Jam
Sins of the Fathers CD
PMG Records, Box 312897, Detroit, MI 48231-2897
www.prejippie.com
"Strung Out on You" is a nice way to kick-off an
album! It's full of pep and has got a helluva bass and guitar
riff going. It's power rock with all the pretension stripped
away.
"Who Do You Want Me to Be?" reminds me of White
Town's single ("Your Woman") that was such a hit back
about a year ago. It's Sticky Ricky singing falsetto about how
bad he's being treated by his love thing and about how much he
wants to stay. In one of the verses, he pleads "Any other
guy speak the same old lines/They claim they'll do things that
I do/So, baby, tell me why if they're not worth your time/You
take them home to bed with you?" Ooo, baby, baby! He wouldn't
have to beg ME like that!
Oh, my God! This "Life Begins" song is my jam! It's
a slow, spooky-sounding song, written in the voice of a "Heaven's
Gate" member (you remember those folks who offed themselves
to join the Hail Bop comet?). I had to listen to it about 20
times, ‘cause its so eery and the lyrics are so fucking
deep! Part of the second verse goes "They walk in/And the
spirit rushes underneath their skin/Can't comprehend why he died/And
why we follow him." I'm tripping on how much this song gets
to me. My next favorite line is the refrain "Fantasy is
fact defined/What makes your God truer than mine."
"Take It All Away" has a killer bassline and, again,
the lyrics are great! It's about bill collectors calling the
house. But it's to a funk beat! I've never heard anything quite
like this, and at the rate that music seems to be digressing,
I probably never will!
And, finally, "Stupid Fuck" is a perverse little
song in a Cameo kinda way that talks about Sticky Ricky's attraction
to someone from the wrong side of the fucking road! Funky bassline,
and yet a little quirky. Cool. Double cool. [5] |
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Various Artists
Welcome to Woop Woop (soundtrack)
Universal
A zany soundtrack to what appears to be a zany Australian
film. ‘Features a kit and caboodle of Rodgers and Hammerstein
songs, as well as a remake of "I Got You Babe" (performed
by Merril Bainbridge and Shaggy) and an original by Cake ("Perhaps,
Perhaps, Perhaps"). The disc includes an okey dokey version
of the high school graduation classic "You'll Never Walk
Alone" (done by house-singing sensation Robin S). All and
all, a light and nifty snack of a record for those days when
you "feel like a nut." [3] |
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Method 51
PC Music, 711 8th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
A hardcore rock sort of thing with a rap vocal atop. Not rattling
my chains. [1] |
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Drain S.T.H.
Horror Wrestling cass.
Mercury, 825 Eighth Ave, NY, NY 10019
Another hardcore grunge-type group with no distinguishing
guitar riffs, lyrical themes, or vocals to speak of. [2] |
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Grinspoon
Licker Bottle Cozy CD
Universal Records, 1755 B'way, NY, NY 10019
The guitar sound is cool—nice and heavy—but the
raps-a-lot vocals leave a lot to be desired. Yeah, they've kinda
got that Nirvana-meets-Beastie Boys thing happening, which didn't
particularly turn me on, but didn't turn me off either. [3] |
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Buddy Guy
Heavy Love CD
Silvertone, 137-139 W 25th St, NY, NY 10001
Guy blueses it up with the likes of Jonny Lang on the principal
single, "Midnight Train." What else can I say? It's
the blues. If I were in the mood for the blues, I'd pull this
album out. [3] |
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dc Talk
Supernatural CD
Virgin, 338 N Foothill Rd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Christian popsters are at it again. I can hear strains of
Duran Duran, U2, Howard Jones, and George Michael. Particularly
appealing is "Consume Me," which is still God-based
in its message, but passionate as it explores the intimacy of
the relationship. I wasn't as impressed with the Foo Fighters-esque
single "My Friend (So Long)."
Actually, the album is probably just a tad more 80's than
I'm willing to embrace wholeheartedly. Don't get me wrong; I
loved the 80's, but that era is over and I prefer music that
experiments with the sonic possibilities of the time we're in.
[4] |
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Smashing Pumpkins
Adore CD
Virgin
Well, I won't waste your time stockpiling accolades for the
great single, "Ava Adore"—I'll just leave it at
this, it's a wonderful song that lives up to its reputation.
The next stellar song on this roundup is "Crestfallen,"
which is broody and dark like I like ‘em. The only gem on
this collection is "Pug"; it's just twisted enough
to suit my taste. The rest of the album, I think, requires a
certain frame of mind to enjoy—and maybe even several hundred
listenings—to get into. [4] |
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Parlor James
Old Dreams CD
Sire, 2034 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90404
These folks sound like the DiVinyls taking a turn for the
worse. The chick has a weak and wimpy voice. The melodies are
drony and the songs lack anything worth writing home about. This
is supposed to be their first full-length album—I'm hoping
it'll also be their last! [1] |
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Circle of Dust
Disengage CD
Flying Tart Records, 1227 16th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212
No wonder I like this dude—he did some programming for
Klank—and we all know how much I like Klank! I mean, this
CD has got it all—ambient soundscapes, a little bit of techno,
a little bit of rock, interesting vocal melodies, harmonies,
subversive lyrical themes, and to top it all off, he's even got
a glam image—sure, it's a Marilyn Manson kinda look, but
it works better with his face, so who am I to complain? This
record just goes to show that music can reinvent itself for the
90's. [5] |
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The Dingees
Armageddon Massive CD
BEC Recordings, 810 3rd Ave #140-20, Seattle, WA 98104
Can you say Green Day meets the Mighty Mighty Bosstones? Well,
you've summed up this group's sound without bothering to waste
the battery juice in your CD player. [1] |
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Training for Utopia
Plastic Soul Impalement CD
Tooth & Nail, Box 12898, Seattle, WA 98111
Hard, hard, hard. With a few transistorized monologues intended
to distract, I think. All hard ain't good. [1] |
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Brother Cane
Wishpool CD
Virgin
Sounds like Alice in Chains' bastard cousin. Without the gripping
grunge attitude. Not out of tune or out of time, but a lack of
commitment can be just as bad. [2] |
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The Fool
Big Trouble in the Mystery House of Joy CD
95 Linwood Circle, Princeton, NJ 08540
Some kinda mix between the Dave Matthews Band and the Red
Hot Chili Peppers. Not bad. Whimsical and a little funky here
and there. I'm really digging the slide-styled guitar solo of
"You Lose." I'm also digging how they vary the vocal
style from song to song—some are done in falsetto and some
aren't. And, by God, these guys know what a hook is and aren't
afraid to use it from time to time. [4] |
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Lenny Kravitz
5 CD
Virgin
Alright now! Finally, Lenny has done an album worth shouting
from the mountaintops about! He's got melodies, harmonies, hooks
AND he's in tune! Besides, he explores a variety of genres,
including his trademark rock sound, as well as funk and electronica.
My favs are "I Belong to You," "Thinking of You,"
"It's Your Life," "Straight Cold Player,"
and what I think has become my all-time Lenny jam, "Fly
Away"! This is, by far, his best! [5] |
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Full on the Mouth
Collide CD
Pioneer Music Group, Box 682163, Franklin, TN 37068
90's rock. A little grungy; a little electronica. Not tons
of heart. From Flint, Michigan—which probably accounts for
my generous rating. [3] |
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Sister Soleil
Soularium CD
Universal
Yeah, I guess I can comfortably compare her to a quirky mix
of Tori Amos and Sinead O'Connor. I could even throw in a little
Neneh Cherry—due to her rap foray on the song "AOL."
Generally, I was digging this disc—even the white-chick-does-rap
thing—though I didn't care much for the CD's opener "Feel
My Love." (That track was far to ethereal for no discernable
purpose.) This much-touted artist explores a variety of genres,
including techno ("Hit Me") and a strange big band-type
thing on "Liar." Basically, it's a decent project.
Worth a few listens. [4] |
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Varnaline
Sweet Life CD
Zero Hour, 14 W 23rd St, NY, NY 10010
"Stomp rock/paint peel pop"; that's one way to describe
this band. At least, according to its press kit. The lead vocalist
wobbles in and out of tune, the songs are excessively drab and
the musicianship is lackluster. Not "sweet" enough
for me. Not my cup of tea and I'm not even sure who's cup they'd
be . . . [1] |
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Psychotica
Espina CD
Zero Hour
The lead singer dude is upset because folks have been comparing
him to Marilyn Manson, but with an opener like "Ding Dong
Dead," what else would he expect?! It sounds like a Manson-esque
theme and the song itself is right up that alley! The follow-up,
"Bleeding," however, was a little harder, 80's style
rocker that wouldn't fit as well with the Manson comparison.
Yeah, and although many of the clips that accompanied the
disc say that the band is gay, there isn't much in the presentation
of their image that would suggest many differences between them
and Manson. They do a decent cover of the disco jam "MacArthur
Park" and they aren't fundamentally bad—just not terribly
original in their approach or their music. Because I'm a sucker
for guys in drag, I'll give them an extra point just for that.
[3] |
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The Fiendz
Cole CD
Black Pumpkin, Box 4377, River Edge, NJ 07661
This band is so damn bland! I'd just as soon jump off the
top of a building as be subjected to an entire album of worn
out songs sung by a tired-ass vocalist!! [1] |
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Newsboys
Step Up to the Microphone CD
Star Song/Virgin
Another Christian rock group. Their not bad, actually. Of
course, it would seem that I'd be naturally predisposed NOT to
like them, but they've got that modern rock sound—complete
with loops and hooky keyboard lines—and they seem sincere
about their message—which, in case you didn't know, goes
a long way with me. Though I don't agree with their message,
I did enjoy the way they chose to present it. "Entertaining
Angels" is a hooky ditty (ala Crowded House), while the
first track "Woo Hoo" is more in the line of Detroit's
own Charm Farm. This time, I'm not shooting the messenger just
‘cuz I don't like the message . . . [4] |
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Cracker
Gentleman's Blues CD
Virgin
Cracker fan that I am, I was pleasantly surprised to get a
copy of their latest in my box. Yep, they're back with their
low-country-sounding kinda rock that I love so much, complete
with twanging guitars and those back-to-basics vocals. "Star"
is my jam and follows the concept of the album, which is supposed
to be about what it's like to be in a band. —It's funny
that Cracker gets to get away with doing the kind of down-to-earth
music—basic guitar and vocals songs—that would drive
me nuts if anybody else did it. Okay, I take that back, I
love it when Everclear does it too, but anybody else even tries
and I'm ready to rip them a new asshole.
Whew! Was that a rant enough? I'm digging the bluesy guitar
riff in "Waiting on You Girl" and dug the concept of
"Wild One," which David Lowery says is about his 4
year old niece having a temper tantrum.
Bravo! I couldn't ask for much more from a band than for them
to do songs that mean something to them, which will, in turn,
spark some passion in me. [5] |
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Three Finger Cowboy
Kissed CD
Daemon, Box 1207, Decatur, GA 30031
Well, call me stupid, but I was thoroughly confused by this
band's bio. First, it tells a cute and clever little story about
how they got the name Three Finger Cowboy . . . in 1956! Then,
it goes on to say that they've been around for forty years, but
still have this youthful sound. That's not the confusing part.
The confusing part is that they've included a photo and none
of them look fifty years old!! Unless they came out of the womb
gigging, they'd have to be at least fifty now if they started
in 1956!!
—Anyway, besides all that, they're more or less a generic
band with those little-girl brand vocals atop. Other than the
tale about how they got their name, I wasn't impressed. [2] |
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The Hunger
Cinematic Superthug CD
Universal
The grunge thing is getting a bit tired. Not because I don't
still dig Soundgarden, but instead because not everybody does
it with the passion that it demands. In fact, that's where The
Hunger comes in. Sonically, they're wonderful—great production,
they hit the right notes, etc, etc. However, when it comes to
whether or not they're doing stuff that pours from their soul,
they just don't have it. Like I said, grunge demands it. Each
song sounds like some exercise in commercialism and that rubs
me the wrong way. Actually, their last album seemed a tad more
"them" than this one. [1] |
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Gomez
Bring It On CD
Virgin
An Eddie Vedder sound-alike on lead vocals with what almost
seems pots and pans instrumentation behind him. Yeah, I guess
it's unique, but since I thrive on melody, harmony and an occasional
arrangement, I can't wholeheartedly recommend this English band's
disc. They get a point just for being different than most, but
I'm minusing tons simply because I couldn't dig anything on this
CD. [2] |
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Mr. Scott
The Last Minute cass.
Modern Tribe, 21700 Greenfield, Ste 219, Oak Park, MI 48237
Well, this cassette is gangsta rap. There's bragging and talk
of how tough times are on top of the requisite samples, scratches
and vocal and musical patches. The thing is that I've heard it
all before and I've heard it done better (ala Tupac, Ice Cube
or The Brat). Mr. Scott doesn't add anything new to this "overexposed"
genre, nor does he move me with his delivery or with the inventiveness
of the underlying track. I can't honestly recommend it—though,
of course, nowadays there isn't much rap that I'd recommend.
[1] |
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Amaze Me CD
Z Records, 717 S Mill Ave, Ste 104, Tempe, AZ 85281
Swedish rockers. The first track, "God's Gift to Women,"
sounds like a David Lee Roth-headed Van Halen effort. I like
"You Say You Never Cry" (the second track) better.
It's a straight-up rock dealy-bob with some satiny hard rock
harmonies (think Def Leppard) and a nice, strong hook. I found
that this was pretty typical of the rest of the album. And though
the 90's are almost over, I can still appreciate well-done 80's
rock. [3] |
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Furslide
Adventure CD
Virgin
Chick-fronted three-piece band. Debut record. Trying to uncover
a modern rock sound that moves. Didn't move me. Trying to be
"deep." Trying to damn hard! Too dark and twisty for
me—well, in a way that doesn't do anything for me. So sue
me. [2] |
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Latex Generation
Boysrock CD
One Foot, Box 30666, Long Beach, CA 90853
Sounds like Green Day all dressed up in a cardboard box. Yeah,
their CD cover design looks like pieces of a big, brown cardboard
box. But kinda like an unassembled cardboard box, their sound
fell flat with me. [1] |
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Whale
All Disco Dance Must End in Broken Bones CD
Virgin
Another sonic amalgamation group. That means that they combine
modern rock guitars, Gen X lyrical themes and nonchalant vocal
delivery atop song samplets and breakbeats. Everyone's trying
to dig up on something new for this genre, I think. Most have
not been successful, except for Garbage.
"Deliver the Juice," this disc's second track, is
as close to the Garbage blueprint as I've heard and, I hate to
say it, it was one of this band's most successful attempts at
dazzling me. They didn't have as much success with the rest of
the album. Most of the tracks are shapeless vocal lines over
sparsely arranged instrumentation. And when the lead singer chick
decided to add dissonance to the equation (on "Losing Ctrl"),
I had to cut them loose! Not bad; just not great either. [3] |
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Sometimes Seven
Static From the Blender . . . CD
Kid Cadmium, Box 96, Dyer, IN 46311
Damn! The lead singer is consistently out of tune! Fuck!!
This is driving me nuts! I would compare them to Green Day, but
for God sakes, the lead singer from Green Day tries to hit the
right note at least once in a fucking blue moon! I couldn't get
past the third song on the disc. Oh, well . . . [1] |
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James Iha
Let It Come Down
Virgin
This very "organic" album reminds me of classic
Simon and Garfunkel; you know, something slow and simple that
relies on an appreciation of the austerity of the song structure
rather than clever arrangements, strong vocals or intertwining
melodies. Yeah, and this disc also has a country bent to it too.
It's the earthiness of the guitar sound that requires the country
comparison. "Sound of Love" is probably best representative
of the album's sound. All in all, the CD isn't bad, but it's
a stretch to be able to get into his sound—well, at least
it was for me—and so the rating I gave it reflects that.
[3] |
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The Simons
The Months of the Moon CD
548 Skodborg Dr, Eaton, OH 43520
I'm getting a mix between Sting, Howard Jones and Duran Duran.
Though not a bad mix, the sound is very 80's, which isn't as
rewarding as if they'd tried something different, updated, fresh.
"Is This London" does throw another Simon and Garfunkel
reference at me—very ethereal.
Just when I was really ready to start yawning, the 4-song
disc was over. Thank heavens! They're not bad—and as
a demo group, they're actually pretty good—but I'm always
looking for something hooky and exciting, and this disc just
didn't qualify. [3] |
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Third Harmonic Distortion
Morphius, Box 13474, Baltimore, MD 21203
Loud rock group with a cool name. They've even got some cool
names for some of their songs ("Last Song From a Sinking
Ship," "Damn the Wrinkly Rug," and "The Debriefing").
However, I wasn't as impressed with their sound, which they compare
to Fugazi and Superchunk. And I guess those are apropos comparisons.
But I'm not fans of either of those groups and, therefore, tended
not to enjoy this band much either. Look at it this way, at least
they get an extra point for the cool names . . . [2] |
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The Rumors
Pacific CD
Cellar Records, 116 N Peoria Ave, Dixon, IL 61021
Compare them to The Bodeans and REM and you've got a pretty
accurate description of their sound. I'm still waiting for the
clever and memorable hooks characteristic of both these groups
to kick in. They've got the other parts, but not the strong,
lusty melodies. Can't recommend them unless you really prefer
not to be entertained. [2] |
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Two Man Advantage
Drafted CD
Royalty Records, 176 Madison Ave, 4th Fl, NY, NY 10016
This band's theme is "punk rock, beer, and hockey."
Good thing for them, I guess. Though, they've got a strong sound,
and are probably pretty good at what they do, because they are
so far out of my league, I can't even evaluate this disc. I'm
not perfectly balanced, you know; nor did I think I was supposed
to be . . . [1] |
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Nation of Fear
Everything Beautiful Rusts CD
DiMar Productions, Box 451632, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33345
They attribute much of their success to Marilyn Manson—perhaps
partially because Olivia Newton Bundy of MM plays with them.
But I don't really dig MM too much. In fact, I dug these guys'
tracks more. They've got the glam, plus the pulsating synth riffs
and interesting arrangements. Of course, I could always do without
some of the raps-a-lot lead vocals, but since the package as
a whole was groovy, I didn't let the leads turn me off. [3] |
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The Artist Formerly Known as
Prince
New Power Soul CD
NPG Records
I am probably one of the few people, who without hearing a
song on the CD, still go out and buy any CD The Artist Formerly
Known As Prince (TAFKAP) releases. I don't know, maybe I just
have fond memories of albums like Dirty Mind, Parade,
and Sign O the Times. Hell, I even have a soft spot for
Chaos and Disorder.
However, since Sign O Times, TAFKAP's work has diminished
in quality and innovation. It seems like the popularity of rap
really took him by surprise and he has devoted too much time
on his records in the 90s trying to find a place within that
genre. One piece of advice: TAFKAP you are not RAPPER!!! GIVE
IT UP! Enough about the past, now let's explore
his latest offering.
New Power Soul is another futile attempt by TAFKAP
to fit in. The single "The One" has a nice bass line,
but the lyrics are typical of 90s mainstream R&B. In two
words, they are "very materialist." The rest of the
CD is full of awful attempts to woo the R&B market. The high
points are the beat in "Mad Sex," as stated earlier,
the bass line in "The One" and the best song is the
hidden track "Why did I Waste My Kisses."
Records like this have become too common place for an artist
of TAFKAP's caliber and freedom. It seems as though he tries
to conform more now than he did prior to his "Emancipation"
from Warner Brothers. Now, the latest rumor is that he is interested
in having some of the most popular R&B producers produce
him. How cliche! If this is what happens when artists are completely
free to do what they want, I understand why they sign record
deals. Why be broke when you can do the same thing and get paid
for it?! Maybe one day I'll wise up and realize the man just
doesn't make records worth buying anymore. [1]
Review done by special guest reviewer, Malcolm Y |
