Wednesday, February 4, 1998
Soundbites
MUSIC:
clara thomas, "clara thomas" (Mercury) The back of the album
cover explains the group’s decision to record "the old-fashioned,
analog way" rather pretentiously declaring "the album’s atmosphere
runs counter to the tendency of modern, digitally recorded pop
records that sound squeaky clean." It was bound to happen sooner or
later … retro-tech cool.
With the exception of a couple of super-scratchy spoken intros
(someone yelling a muffled "Answer the phone!" for instance), there
is little in the actual recording quality that can be distinguished
by the un-trained ear. But the Swedish/Danish trio (Clara
Lieberath, Thomas Li and Kasper Soederlund, who apparently doesn’t
earn recognition in the group’s name) doesn’t need a gimmick.
Lieberath’s lilting vocals mix nicely with catchy rock beats that
make her more Fiona Apple-strong than Jewel-whiny.
Songs like "The Girl with the Strawberry Lips" and "You Were
Never Wrong" make good sing-along road trip anthems, a la Sheryl
Crow’s "Every Day is a Winding Road," while the whispery "Talking
to Myself" evokes foggy mornings kept at bay by a good cup of
coffee. With creatively image-provoking lyrics ("Life is not a
pillow fight, empty hours late at night), "Little Cup" is a howling
exploration of the power of memory. And, thanks to clara thomas’
absorbing, if not 100-percent unique melodies and instrumentation,
the debut group has a good chance of being remembered. Cheryl Klein
B+
Pearl Jam, "Yield" (Epic) Pearl Jam have released four prior
albums, with the last one, "No Code" flopping commercially. The
tracks on "No Code," while personal, were either too intense or too
mellow. On "Yield" the loss of fan support seems to have made the
band approach this record with a determination to make each track
sound more like a well-formed song instead of a hard-rock jam or a
long, drawn-out opus.
Each song on "Yield" is more forceful than anything on "No Code"
thanks to the urgency Pearl Jam puts into their music, proving
they’re not going to roll right into adult contemporary willingly.
Also, "Yield" shows off Pearl Jam in a comfortable moment, with the
angst all but a memory.
The highlights of "Yield" include the first single, "Given To
Fly," and "Wishlist," both of which carry the same signature guitar
effects that made "Yellow Ledbetter" such a tremendous hit.
In the opening track, "Brain of J," Pearl Jam shows off rock in
proud form with a groove somewhere between "Animal" (from "Vs.")
and "Spin the Black Circle" (from "Vitalogy"). "Faithful" is more
of the solid Pearl Jam sound that resonates, but with more ease and
fluidity of any previous song the band has ever written. "Do the
Evolution" finds the band with a church choir in one part and
dueling guitar lines throughout the rest to create a party
vibe.
For those anticipating captivating, slower songs, there is the
touching, soft "Low Light," highlighted by strong guitar work from
guitarists Stone Gossard and McCready. Jack Irons’ drumming comes
across as being much stronger, with the rest of the band bringing
out his strengths instead of just jamming with him (as they did on
"No Code").
Overall, "Yield" is probably the band’s best work since "Vs."
and certainly better than "No Code." Eddie Vedder sounds like he’s
finally having fun, singing more about his adult life than his
troubled childhood. As evidenced in the last track, "All Those
Yesterdays," he sings "It’s no crime to escape," giving us the
impression he has followed his own words and left that past behind.
Michael Nazarinia A+
Stereophonics, "Word Gets Around" (V2) Let’s welcome the next
British hype, shall we? Over in the U.K., this small town band from
South Wales has already scored a hit with "Word Gets Around," a
12-track gem that throws pop-rockers at you left and right.
Stereophonics combines various influences in their gritty,
power-pop sound that has hints of the Kinks, the Jam and the
Replacements in it. The lyrics, written by frontman Kelly Jones,
look at life and people rather poetically in the village he and his
mates live in, not unlike such lyricists as Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker or
even Blur’s Damon Albarn. While some of the rhymes seemed forced,
there’s a quirk factor present that could even draw Beck
comparisons ("you can hear them in the school yard, in the scrap
yard, chip shop, phone box, in the pool hall, at the shoe
stall").
While it’s hard to imagine that this will lead KROQ programming
messiah Kevin Weatherly to throw Stereophonics in "heavy rotation,"
he should at least consider giving attention to the album’s
lead-off track, "A Thousand Trees." In all it’s Britpop-esque
glory, the triumphant, catchy piece will surely win a few fans, as
might the bouncy, Seahorses-like "More Life in a Tramps’ Vest" or
the pulsating, Sheryl Crow-meets-The Jam song, "Not Up To You."
Like their Welsh contemporaries, 60 Ft. Dolls, Stereophonics’
songs are short, sweet and full of social musings that go a bit
deeper than your usual pop fare. There’s room for improvement here
and there, but for a debut group with heart in their voices and
melody in their guitars, Stereophonics provides upbeat tunes
suitable for any environment. Mike Prevatt B+
Mono "Formica Blues" (Mercury) As the year starts to get
underway, labels are already promoting their new artists as the
next big things of 1998. Surely to be included in the mix of
would-be radio favorites and potential blockbusters is Mono, a
U.K.-based outfit emerging into the scene with their debut album,
"Formica Blues."
Mono includes singer Siobhan De Mare and producer-arranger
Martin Virgo, who has involved himself with such talent as Bjork
and Massive Attack. They combine elements of electronic pop,
ambient textures and retro melodies to create a hypnotic, light
sound that sounds slightly trip-hop-ish and spacey. It’s got a
pulse, but we’ve heard it before.
Their better offerings include "Life in Mono," a track popular
for its inclusion on the "Great Expectations" soundtrack, and
"Playboys," a throbbing yet sleepy number that brings together
influences like Depeche Mode, the Orb and Enigma. They also explore
the softer, more adult-contemporary side of music with "Slimcea
Girl" and "High Life," whose chorus sounds ripped off from Petula
Clark’s "Downtown" (a hit in the ’60s).
"Formica Blues" has relaxing qualities to it that makes for good
homework or resting music. Those in search of a more atmospheric
sound should find Mono to their liking, as long as you can get
beyond the mediocrity. Mike Prevatt B-
Mark Knopfler "Music From the Motion Picture ‘Wag the Dog’"
(Mercury) It seems that former Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler
hasn’t lost his touch. This mainly instrumental soundtrack for the
movie, "Wag the Dog" displays his virtuoso guitar skills, and in
many different styles. Whether acoustically ("In the Heartland"),
using a bluegrass sound ("Drooling National") or mimicking that
classic surf-guitar style ("An American Hero"), Knopfler finds the
right emotion with every pluck and chord.
The lead-off song, sharing the movie’s title and including
vocals, has that bluesy, Bonnie Raitt-feel to it, yet sounds too
stale for the signature song for any movie. Actually, most of the
music here strays from the catchy, fresh pop of most soundtracks,
and is hardly the sweeping score like that of, say "Titanic" or
"Amistad." "Wag the Dog" and Knopfler should appeal to those who
appreciate good guitar playing, though. Mike Prevatt B-