Monday, April 6, 1998
Soundbites
Black Grape, "Stupid Stupid Stupid" (Radioactive)
Much like this lively outfit’s 1995 debut album, "It’s Great
When You’re Straight (Yeah)," Black Grape threw one hell of a party
and managed to record it for our enjoyment. "Stupid Stupid Stupid"
takes irresistible rhythms and catchy rock melodies and blends them
with loops and acid-house sounds. There must have been some serious
smokin’ goin’ on in that studio, because psychedelica and swirling
pop weave in and out of the record.
The ringmaster of this drugged-out circus is Shaun Ryder, who
found fame with the Happy Mondays, one of the co-founders of the
rave scene that has dominated Anglo-youth culture in England. Many
of those acid house and rave music styles have carried over with
Black Grape but in a smarter, more warped way. This new Black Grape
album also sounds more polished than the Mondays or even the last
Black Grape album, thanks to producer Dabby Saber. Lots of
electronic blips and computerized rhythms permeate "Stupid Stupid
Stupid," with band members Paul "Kermit" Leveridge and Carl
"Psycho" McCarthy adding their special touches through the 10
tracks.
Before commentary of this highly danceable album can be made,
special attention must be given to the hysterical soundbites
offered in "Get Higher," the first track on the album. There’s
something painfully funny about the altered soundbites of former
President Ronald Reagan, as the Gipper admits he and his wife Nancy
smoke marijuana regularly. As for the song itself, like most of the
album, rockin’ guitars and more digestable electronica highlight
the festive mood.
The slow, swaggering "Lonely" sounds like a Rolling Stones
revival. The quirky, slinky "Words" and "Spotlight" are reminiscent
of countrymates Space. The incredibly catchy, bouncy "Dadi Waz a
Badi" takes the gospel, electronic acid-house elements of A3 and
combines it with a Primal Scream-like groove. "Marbles," with its
own brass section, represents the best of disjointed dance rock, as
does the heavily computerized "Squeaky," But the latter’s lyrics
are hardly impressive: "I want to get cheeky with you/ I want to
get squeaky inside you … ooh, she’s skanky!" In fact, most of the
album throws out silly psuedo raps but after awhile they just sort
of blend with the good-time music.
This is one album for your next party. Forget the Chemical
Brothers and Prodigy for the moment and liven up the party with
Black Grape. Hallucinogenics not included. Mike Prevatt B+
Various Artists, "City of Angels" (Warner Sunset/ Reprise)
Anyone looking for a mellow compilation featuring big name
musicians should check out this soundtrack for "City of Angels,"
inspired by Wim Wenders’ beautifully poetic film, "Wings of
Desire." This 14 track provides variety without compromising the
themes of life, death and love featured in the movie.
U2 opens the album with an altered version of "If God Will Send
His Angels," a soaring masterpiece that highlighted their 1997
"Pop" album. Alanis Morissette offers her first bit of post-"Jagged
Little Pill" material with "Uninvited," a symphonic Goth-fest so
creepy you’d swear you bought a Tim Burton-era "Batman" soundtrack,
but with sky-reaching vocals that give the song character and
power. Peter Gabriel’s "I Grieve" is low key but manages to evoke a
bit of feeling here and there. Paula Cole lightens things up with
"Feelin’ Love" and Sarah McLachlan’s ballad "Angel" sounds like it
could have come from her "Surfacing" album.
The blues play a big part in "City of Angels," the best
contribution being "Further Up on the Road," a classic from Eric
Clapton. Jimi Hendrix’s "Red House" and John Lee Hooker’s "Mama,
You Got a Daughter" round out the smoky-bar-tinged jams in typical
blues fashion. And composer Gabriel Yared throws in his
instrumentals that make up perhaps the most moving pieces of the
album, taking bits of Ennio Morricone and John Williams without
sacrificing his own sound. Despite the weird range of styles
represented, "City of Angels" stands out as a stirring soundtrack
with talent and craftsmanship. Mike Prevatt B+
Van Halen, Van Halen 3 (Warner Bros.)
Van Halen 3 marks the third incarnation of a band that has been
continuously producing multi-platinum rock ‘n’ roll albums for the
past 20 years. All of the band members have remained the same
except for the lead singers. Former Extreme frontman Gary Cherone
has taken over the reigns from Sammy Hagar for this new
collection.
The Van Halen brothers, Eddie on guitar and Alex on percussion,
are clearly the primary creative force in this band, and the
material on this collection continues their beautiful blend of
melodic, anthemic, rock ‘n’ roll. However, Cherone’s vocals do not
appear to have the emotional or musical range that Hagar brought to
the music. Like the first Van Halen lead singer, David Lee Roth,
Cherone at first listen seems to be more of a screamer than a
singer, and this distracts somewhat from the music.
However, just because Cherone doesn’t sing as nicely as Hagar
doesn’t mean that this isn’t a worthwhile album. The songs are
solid, and the guitar and keyboard instrumentals are brilliant as
always. Eddie even takes over on lead vocals for this first time on
any Van Halen album on the closing track, "How Many Say I."
The album marks a clear change in course from a band that
clearly likes to mix things up every 11 years or so. Jeff Hilger
B+
China Drum, "Self Made Maniac (Mantra Recordings)
Alternative music has made its way over the Atlantic and is
seeping into English recording studios. This British punk and
alternative band has decided to emulate the American alternative
sound and has joined the ranks with fellow British act Bush in
making an album purely to appeal to American alternative fans.
The 12 tracks are repetitive and essentially one big wall of
sound, with few varying melodies and lyrics that can’t even be
listened to seriously because the instrumentation is so
overwhelmingly intense. For the alternative sound that they were
shooting for, this album fits the mold perfectly and does not offer
any surprises nor does it take any musical liberties to
revolutionize the sound of alternative rock as we know it. If
you’re a Bush, Offspring or Bad Religion fan, you might like China
Drum as they are almost an exact replica of those bands. Danielle
Myer D