Wednesday, November 18, 1998
Soundbites
Block, "Timing Is Everything"
Jamie Block doesn’t write catchy songs. If you listen to his
album once, you’ll most likely forget it; none of the 13 tracks
grab hold of you and ingrain themselves into your mind. The second
or third time the album finds its way onto your stereo, however,
you’ll start to realize something  that this Block guy’s a
pretty good songwriter. His music may not infect you on first
contact, but it has a way of growing on you.
A singer and songwriter hailing from Chapel Hill, North
Carolina, the same town that spawned both Ben Folds Five and
Squirrel Nut Zippers, Block brings both a low-key growl and nifty
rhythm guitar skills to "Timing Is Everything." It’s not exactly
straightforward rock ‘n’ roll, or straightforward anything, but it
is good stuff.
Block has found a way to write humorous songs without falling
into the pit of novelty music. His lyrics can be cryptic, but with
titles such as "I Call Her Vicious," and "The Pink House Must
Burn," it’s hard to take the material too seriously. This isn’t
cornball comedy, though, it’s good music with a witty edge. We’re
not talking timeless comedy here either, but it is a lot smarter
than most stuff you’ll find out there on the airwaves. Musically,
it’s hard to pigeonhole Block; he tries punchy lounge on "Catch A
Falling Star," folk on "I-95," and "Sick Of Life" and schmaltz rock
on "I Used to Manage PM Dawn." Each has a different feel, but one
of the most impressive tricks Block employs is a full array of
sound effects, fading in and out on both stereo tracks, which gives
the tunes a rich, complete feeling.
Block may confuse you, and he won’t leave a lasting impression
until you listen carefully, but "Timing Is Everything" is a clever
album.
Brent Hopkins
Trance Atlantic Air Waves, "The Energy of Sound"
Looking for some pleasant, interesting trance? Do not buy this
album. The debut of Trance Atlantic Air Waves  a duo with
Enigma’s Michael Cretu and multi-instrumentalist Jens Gad (who is
featured on Enigma 3) is a flagrant move to cash in on
unsuspecting, potential trance buyers.
Sure, the idea of crossing Enigma with more beat-driven music
might sound pretty cool, but this is about as dull and lifeless a
collection of remixed music as possible on the market today.
If you’re not in the mood for thinking (or dancing) but need
some tunes to veg out to while waiting for dawn on a school night,
this could be the album for you.
A novel but failed experiment is the oversimplified remix of
"Axel F.," better known as the theme song to "Beverly Hills Cop."
Cutting out most of the synthesizer wizardry that gives the
original composition the genius it is, Cretu and Gad opt for
repeating the one main keyboard riff over and over. They add in
some cheesy distorted guitar samples that sound like any of your
favorite ’80s hair bands, an overused beat, some meaningless vocal
samples, and voila! Â elevator music for a new generation.
Other tracks that follow the same line include a remix of
Vangelis’ "Pulstar," a Miami Vice theme song ("Crockett’s Theme")
and Alan Parson’s "Lucifer."
There is the occasional moment of electronica studio sorcery
that sounds cool with headphones or large quantities of Class I
substances, but why bother when bands such as the Future Sound of
London or Orbital can take you so much further?
Well, there really is no reason to bother. If you’re looking for
real trance, save your dollar. There are much more inventive
artists out there that do the same thing a whole lot better.
Cyrus McNally
The Eels, "Electro-Shock Blues"
You already feel broken on a cold, miserable day on a wretched
campus. And there is no future bright enough for you glowing on the
horizon. Everyone you know has killed themselves or seems dedicated
to getting there sometime soon.
Now. Now it is time to appreciate the Eels’ latest work,
"Electro-Shock Blues."
Haunting lyrics about death and emotional numbness all tumble
toward something that holds the promise of being at least
livable.
Line after line of gut-wrenching heartache are propelled by
sterile chords. Beats ring with no soul or purpose  to
question what role a soul plays anyway.
Feel low? They’ll take you lower, to a nightmare of flat, jaded
deprivation.
"Going to the funeral now and feeling I could scream/ Everything
goes away/ Driving down the highway through the perfect sunny
dream/ A perfect day for perfect pain," singer and songwriter E
heaves wearily in "Going to Your Funeral Part I."
From here, the tale unfolds  every song becoming slightly
more uplifting and emotionally stable like a Downward Spiral in
reverse. And it’s not an over-stated affair. It stays sweet and
sincere, through insanity and its counterpart.
"Springfield’s looking pretty dusty today/ I see their dreams
coming undone/ The view from inside ward nine affords this much/ A
town teeming with the unloved/ Close the window and lock it so it’s
good and tight."
But restitution does arrive. Relief from this perilous descent
into inner-oblivion emerges like a long lost companion. The joints
are rusty, but they still can move.
Baby steps. Maybe a warm breeze will caress the hungry skin, and
that will be enough. For now.
"See this watch she gave me?/ Well it still ticks away/ The days
I’m claiming back for me," E effortlessly floats the words to "The
Medication Is Wearing Off."
Vanessa VanderZanden
U2, "The Best of 1980-1990/ The B-Sides"
Hallelujah! A savior has risen to trample all infidels within
the music realm. Ironically, one of the finest albums to arrive
this year is a collection of old songs and assorted B-sides. But
this is not some ordinary greatest hits compilation, rather it’s
the anthology of a group that has survived while thousands have
fallen: U2.
Taking the best tracks from albums previous to "Achtung Baby,"
the band from Ireland proves time and time again its ability to
combine undeniable lyrical prowess with lasting memorable melodies.
Whether it’s a gentle ballad or melancholic mix, U2 rarely misses
its mark and remains the envy of all one-hit wonders.
Hopefully, by now the general population has heard the likes of
the inspiring "Pride (In the Name of Love)" or the immortal "With
Or Without You," because it is the inclusion of the B-Sides that
makes this already terrific product even better.
If you were lucky enough to purchase the album in its first and
second week of release, then the bonus disc was a welcome
addition.
Not surprisingly, many of the songs are moderately raw, but they
are, nonetheless, very easy listening on the ears. The most
noteworthy choices being the upbeat "Dancing Barefoot" or the
remake of the Righteous Brothers’ "Unchained Melody."
"The Best of 1980-1990" arguably contains not just the best
songs from U2, but includes some of the most noteworthy tracks of
the decade.
For those unwilling to risk buying an entire CD, take a chance
on this album. This is the closest thing to a sure bet in life
 at least musically.
Teron Hide
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