Monday, April 27, 1998
Soundbites
Drill Team, "Hope and Dreams Explosion," (Reprise Records)
Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner. Entering the mainstream
music circuit, meet Drill Team, the L.A.-based alternative pop band
who has a successful first full-length album on their hands.
With the American alternative sound of Superdrag and the British
pop sound of Travis, the album is a mixture of a few different
styles. Lyrically we feel the alternative edge while the
instrumentation is very pop-y.
The opening song, "Hold You Down," starts with guitars and a
nice harmony, and is followed by "Peppermint" which starts
curiously like a Supergrass song. After "Peppermint" we have the
title track of the album, "Hope and Dream Explosion," which offers
vocal distortion at the beginning but flows nicely into a normally
mixed, moderately paced song. It is "Camptown Misery" however, that
really shines, thanks to smooth, emotional vocals, while other
tunes on the album are more instrument focused. But wait, that’s
not all. The last track of this 11-tune mix is a nice, slow-tempo
song with great use of guitar pedals and a really laid-back
feel.
The music on this album is stronger than the lyrics, so the next
album should be even better as the band develops. First Place to
this Drill Team. Danielle Myer A-
Wank, "Get A Grip On Yourself," (Maverick) Ahh, us crazy kids.
We’re always the cynics and always the first to make a crack at the
first simpleminded theme that comes to our heads. So let’s make a
really boring album and show off our psuedo-wisdom, shall we?
Sorry. Wank beat us to it. With one decent song, mainstream
listeners remain doomed to hear those feeble rhythms that taint the
image of Generation X with every limping beat.
In "Get A Grip On Yourself," Wank tries to pull off the same
playful sarcasm that is the trademark of such (real) bands as Blink
182. Instead, Wank only achieves two really good, if not really
generic, pop beats. You love it for tracks one through four, but
then you realize that every song after that is merely a small
deviation from those same two rhythms.
Already gracing the airwaves with its simplistic presence,
"Unforgiven" resides as the album’s best song. Catchy and cute,
heads start bopping to its sweetly pop-y and simplistic beats.
"Crime Pays" delivers the only other noteworthy exception to this
insipid album as decent drum patterns give it a hyper dose of
fun.
The rest of the album either makes pathetic attempts at being
inspirational ("Super Normal" boldly jumps onto cliche themes by
announcing "normal is inside of your head") or cynical.
Unfortunately, no song quite takes a firm position either way.
Whether whining like brats or attempting to be social savants,
the album remains lifeless and dull despite its efforts. You
guessed it, the album is (sorry, it must be said) a load of wank.
Michelle Zubiate C-
Steve Poltz, "One Left Shoe," (Mercury) Some artists can
construct a meaningful song around seemingly random lyrics with
ease. Steve Poltz is not one of them. Though he cites Bob Dylan as
one of his primary influences for his new album, "One Left Shoe,"
(and tries to sing in his raspy manner, too), Poltz can’t quite
master Dylan’s penchant for offbeat lyrics. While meant to invoke
emotion, his obscure references often fall flat.
Poltz is, however, an excellent composer. "One Left Shoe,"
Poltz’s solo debut album, contains smooth melodies and cleverly
layered tunes. Spending years honing his skills in the San
Diego-based band, the Rugburns, have paid off, as evidenced in the
acoustic "Look to the East" and "Forbidden Fruit." or in the
oddball, horn-driven "Krikor’s Waltz." His trademark sense of humor
surfaces in the catchy "Silver Lining" and "The Great Mystery."
Poltz shines best in "Impala," with Tom Petty keyboardist Benmont
Tench and longtime Poltz collaborator Jewel, who provides excellent
backing harmony. Combined with the background of mariachi-inflected
Mighty Mighty Bosstones horns, Poltz’s smooth croon finally gels,
making for an unusual, though pleasant blend of folk and 50s
do-wop. Brent Hopkins B
Goodie Mob, "Still Standing," (LaFace) For the past few years,
rap has seen the decline of artists that can truly string together
rhymes into a smooth, coherent pattern. While most of the hip-hop
nation has been battling it out in the West Coast-East Coast wars,
a group from Georgia has been scraping together a follow-up to
their previous outing, "Soul Food."
Arming themselves with dark, poetic lines and a hint of the
blues, Goodie Mob’s second album, "Still Standing," is a mixture of
raw tenacity and earnest song-writing. More importantly, though,
they have a firm hold on the ability to create original lyrics that
challenge societal norms. What makes this compilation unique is
that it is a gangsta’ rap album that does not place the blame for
the troubles in the ghetto on outside forces. It stresses that the
problems start from within and that every individual has to first
take a long look at themselves. There are no obvious mentions of
degrading comments toward the female gender, foul language, or
popping a bullet in someone’s skull. This is enormously
refreshing.
Unfortunately, this album is lyrically entertaining but suffers
from extreme highs and extreme lows. One minute there is the
sensational "Black Ice" (featuring Outkast) and then the next, the
confusing and irritating "The Damn." Also, the lack of memorable
tunes is completely shocking, if you consider the fact that this
album was produced by such renown experts as L.A. Reid and
Babyface. Still, the amazingly poignant and touching track of
"Beautiful Skin" is a redeeming masterpiece that praises each and
every woman for being special in her own way.
Taking a chance on this 15-cut album will not be an easy
decision. It takes a lot of patience to get through the wearisome
songs and enjoy the remarkable ones. But, even with the admirable
attempt to focus on lyrical messages, occasionally the
multi-instrumental background dulls one into utter slumber. It just
doesn’t have that same ol’ "goodie" funk. Teron Hide C+
DRILL TEAM
"Hope and Dreams Explosion"