Monday, February 22, 1999
Sound Bites
Far Too Jones, "Picture Postcard Walls" (Mammoth)
"Banal" is the music vocabulary word of the day. Commonly
referring to things that are boring, insipid, etc., it accurately
paints the portrait of all those bands that the music industry
force-feeds us today. Far Too Jones? A listen to its new release,
"Picture Postcard Walls," reveals that it is no exception.
As a band that wishes it was Matchbox 20, the overly generic
modern rock band from North Carolina leaves cries for excitement
among the blandness of decent, yet uninspiring, tunes.
The melodies leave something to be desired. You can feel a
stretch for some uplifting ballads of pride and power. False alarm
– the emotion loses its grip among overdone guitar hooks and
lifeless vocals.
Sometimes, catchiness begs for some attention. "Nameless" and
"Close To You" both have good intentions, but you just can’t feel
the love.
A little Brian Adams, the lyrics far from move anyone. Each song
sounds like the last. Too many guitars and vocals, and not enough
beats characterize an album in desperate need of mature songwriting
and unique themes.
The material isn’t bad if you don’t feel like being blown away
with originality. Sometimes boring is good for background music
while you study. Or you can just lie down and take a nap.
Michelle Zubiate
Rating: 3
The Black Crowes, "By Your Side" (Sony)
After the commercial failures of their last two albums, it’s not
surprising that the Crowes decided to return to a more streamlined
rock sound for "By Your Side." Despite its poor sales, "Amorica"
and "Three Snakes And One Charm" contain many of the band’s best
and most original songs. On those records, the band managed to
assert its own musical voice and escape the Faces/Stones retro tags
that have dogged it from the start. Ultimately, "By Your Side"
sounds like a step backward for a band that had been steadily
progressing.
Chris Robinson’s flamboyant count-off at the start of the album
foreshadows its reliance on rock cliches and recycled riffs. These
cliches are most apparent in Robinson’s lyrics and in his
swaggering delivery. Throughout the album, he punctuates lyrics by
adding typical rock filler such as "Alright baby!" and "Gonna have
a good time!"
Soon the Crowes will be accused of imitating itself as well as
the Faces and Stones. The title track is either a limp rewrite of
the Stones’ "Tumbling Dice" or a slower, less catchy retread of its
own "Jealous Again." "Welcome To The Goodtimes" opens with a riff
that echoes the band’s biggest hit, "She Talks To Angels," and then
proceeds to bury itself with overwrought horn arrangements and
lagging tempos.
In fact, the whole middle section of the album falls into a
pattern of mid-tempo tediousness. The plodding beats and guitar
wankery of "HorseHead" and "Heavy" prove once again that the Crowes
should forget about trying to be funky and just rock.
There are moments when it does just that and those are the most
rewarding on the album. "Go Faster" matches its title with a
relentless four on the floor beat and guitarist Rich Robinson’s
stuttering riffs. Rich also shines on the first single, "Kickin’ My
Heart Around." His fluent slide work manages to drive the song
rhythmically and provide its melodic appeal.
And on the album closing, "Virtue And Vice," dramatic time
shifts combine with his speedy, chromatic riffing to create enough
melody musically to overshadow Chris’ ravaged vocals.
What’s most disappointing about "By Your Side" is that its
return to rock basics isn’t matched with enough pop accessibility
to win back those fans who only bought their first album. At the
same time, those fans who stuck with the band through its last
three albums will be disappointed in the utter lack of creativity
and musical growth displayed on this album. It seems fitting,
though, for a band that has had trouble finding its identity in a
decade where straight rock ‘n’ roll groups have become almost
extinct.
Adam Tolbert
Rating : 4
Robyn Hitchcock, "Storefront Hitchcock" (Warner Bros.)
Oasis on Prozac.
There’s no better way to describe the blend of Robyn Hitchcock’s
edgy vocals and happy-go-lucky, campfire tunes. "Storefront
Hitchcock" is the soundtrack to the Jonathon Demme live performance
feature film by the same name.
Amidst the predominately acoustic, folky songs are intercalary
spoken musings on everything from love to religion to the molecules
that make up human beings. While many of the songs seem to be trite
and even silly, there are often deeper-rooted meanings to be
discovered, such as his fear of commitment in the cute "I Something
You."
Unfortunately, some of the songs tend to be repetitive as they
drone on for as long as six minutes, especially the songs with only
acoustic guitar and vocal, but the few tracks with other
instruments add needed spice.
The Jimi Hendrix classic, "The Wind Cries Mary," is the
highlight of the album, with understated vocals and Hitchcock’s own
quirky twist, nearly whispering at the most intense moments and an
added harmonica solo.
"Storefront Hitchcock" is definitely worth a listen, and then
another one to really figure out what he’s getting at. There are
many hidden treats that should provide for amusing listening.
Andrea Dingman
Rating: 8
Wes Cunningham, "12 Ways to Win People To Your Way Of Thinking"
(Warner Bros.)
Listening to "12 Ways to Win People To Your Way Of Thinking" is
much like station-surfing. Each of the songs has a different
character of its own, from hard rock to rap, and no theme lasts too
long. The first effort by the Texan singer-songwriter, "12 Ways"
may not win listeners with each track, but hits the mark with quite
a few of them.
Cunningham doesn’t possess the most technically flawless of
vocal styles, but he does have an appealing raw emotion to his
singing. The ethereal "Magazines" is the best example of
Cunningham’s vocal talents, as he wearily sighs over acoustic
guitar. This stripped-down tune is only one small aspect of his
talents as a writer, though. With a wide range of instruments, from
whistles to flugelhorns to support him, Cunningham draws from a
wide pool of genres. He can handle New Orleans-esque funk rock on
"America the Beautiful," emo and blues on "Playing with Fire," and
breezy pop with "So It Goes." By mixing his styles, he avoids
monotony and keeps "12 Ways" feeling fresh.
Not all the songs are remarkable, such as the more
straightforward rock tunes, evidenced in "Bad Way," or "Win Some,
Lose Some." Cunningham sounds like he’s aiming for the sound of
Cracker’s David Lowery, but misses the mark and comes across
strained and uncomfortable.
Luckily, these missteps don’t last too long, making "12 Ways"
enjoyable in the long run.
Brent Hopkins
Rating: 7
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