Cypress Hill “Skull and Bones” Columbia Records
Leave it to Cypress Hill to get blunted and keep its rhymes
sharp. The South Central L.A. rap group is back with its fifth
studio album, “Skull and Bones,” a double-disc set that
marries the Hill’s pot-purveying antics with rap-rock thrash.
Much to the relief of hip-hop purists, DJ Muggs and company
segregate styles, keeping the rap tunes on the Skull disc while
rock explorations are relegated to the Bones disc. It’s a
clever concept, but one that may be more deleterious to
“Skull and Bones” than anything else. The Skull disc
resonates well with fans accustomed to Cypress Hill’s ominous
rap anthems. If the Hill was characterized by its dark imagery
before, DJ Muggs has moved into pitch-black territory. Many of the
tracks, including the new single “(Rap) Superstar”
incorporate gothic elements such as church bells and a symphony
orchestra. With the Skull disc, Cypress Hill doesn’t take a
new musical direction in as much as it develops a familiar one.
Sen-Dog’s bellowing delivery once again proves he’s
still the meanest thing to come out of Cuba since Scarface.
Likewise, B-Real is just as chilling on “Cuban Necktie”
when he gets gritty in his gleeful sing-song voice. The Skull disc
serves up two classics in “(Rap) Superstar” and the
aptly titled “Certified Bomb,” but the Bones disc is a
toke off Cypress Hill’s best stuff. “Valley of
Chrome” feels deceptively like higher-end Skull material
until the chorus hits ““ then it’s unmistakably one of
the best rap-rock songs you’ll never see or hear on MTV.
“(Rock) Superstar,” the redux of “(Rap)
Superstar,” also chugs along as a bass-heavy rocker that
takes on a feel entirely different from its hip-hop counterpart. In
addition, “Get Out of My Head” employs the skills of
Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares, and Brad Wilk of Rage Against
the Machine contributes to “Can’t Get the Best of
Me.” The central fault of “Skull and Bones,” and
it’s a serious one, is the fact that the fat could have been
trimmed off the Skull disc and replaced with the metal of the Bones
disc, making for a much sleeker, integrated album. The last thing
the hip-hop group needs is another double-disc set, and more
importantly, it makes you wonder which green matters more to
Cypress Hill: the marijuana or the money? Anthony Camara Rating:
7
AC/DC “Stiff Upper Lip” Elektra Records
AC/DC is back in blah, with their signature bluesy sound still
intact, in its latest album “Stiff Upper Lip.” It has
one wishing for the good old days of “Back in Black”
and “Who Made Who” ““ the good old days when
“You Shook Me All Night Long” would hit the airwaves
and drive everyone wild. This is definitely not one of
AC/DC’s best creations but it still serves up Brian
Johnson’s usual screeching vocals, Angus Young’s’
electrifying riffs and that classic rock sound that screams,
“Never say die.” “Stiff Upper Lip” may not
be one of their greatest albums, but it does remain true to the
history and musical style of the band. AC/DC definitely knows what
good rock “˜n’ roll is about, and stuck to what it knew
best. Throughout the ’70s and ’80s they were leaders of
the rock pack, but times have changed. People reminiscing about the
straight metal sound that ran rampant in the ’80s will find
this album, with songs such as “House of Jazz” and the
title track, to be the perfect medicine. It won’t be one of
the greatest specimens of the ’80s rock era, but it beats
having to break out “Money Talks” for the 500th time
since the metal dry spell hit. AC/DC has been a leading force in
the music industry for two decades, and like that old pair of baby
shoes, its time for them to be bronzed (and placed on the
mantlepiece) as a constant reminder of the greatness in rock that
once was. It is ironic that they themselves feature a bronzed
figure of Angus Young in his signature school boy uniform on the
cover. The band says it best when Johnson screeches,
“Can’t stop rock “˜n’ roll!” Rock
fiends everywhere will answer back with a collective, “Hell,
yeah!” that will hopefully put quality rock back on the
charts. Aphrodite Manousos Rating: 5
Various Artists “The Best Blues Album in the World …
Ever!” Virgin Records
Giving an album a title this bold takes a lot of guts.
Surprisingly enough, it does a decent job of living up to its
rather dumb moniker … for the most part. With 36 tracks filling
the two discs, there’s an awful lot of material to enjoy.
B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf all turn up, along
with a slew of other artists, both established and unknown. Since
Virgin is pulling only from its own roster of talent, there are
some notable omissions. What “best” blues album would
really be complete without Robert Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaughan,
Willie Dixon or Little Walter? Then again, the blues is more about
music than name-dropping, so the names who didn’t make the
cut aren’t missed that much. The energy and grit packed into
the rest of the tracks more than makes up for anyone who Virgin
didn’t include on this otherwise stellar compilation. Newly
minted fans and old-guard purists alike will enjoy the blazing
guitar licks of Duke Robillard’s “Don’t Get Me
Shook Up” and Albert Collins’ icily precise
“Frosty.” Those in the mood for something a little more
laid back should instead look to the lower-geared material, like JJ
Cale’s “Low Down” or Larry McCray’s
“Me and My Baby.” Though the album needs about 20 more
discs to fully live up to its name, it does a good job of working
with its limitations. It serves as a good entrance into the blues
world, but not as an accurate survey of the genre as a whole. Brent
Hopkins Rating: 7
Built to Spill “Live” Warner Bros. Records
There have never been many rock stars to come from Boise, Idaho.
And Built to Spill, an Idaho-based trio, isn’t going to
change that. After all, Doug Martsch is the guy who left Seattle
just when Seattle was going national and the same guy who insisted
on playing lengthy, ravished guitar solos as guitar solos went
totally out of style. But because Martsch never aspired to be in
style, his music has never gone out of style. With his unorthodox
views and peerless minimalism, he may end up becoming a very
influential and eclectic musician. Built to Spill’s
“Live” is a first-ever in-concert release recorded
during its U.S. tour last year. The album keeps its offbeat
melodies tight and crank out a wall of glorious guitar noise of a
live show. The songs are soft and willful, altogether as fragile as
Martsch’s melodic squealing voice while still generally
adhering to the traditional rock arrangement. When words no longer
suffice, Martsch throws in discordant, demonic howls and jerky
changes of rhythm. Often straying from the standard
verse-chorus-verse formula allows Martsch generous space to give
flight to his sublime conceptions both musically and lyrically.
“I Would Hurt a Fly” does need time and a little
contemplation to absorb its intricate virility while “The
Plan” and “Randy Described Eternity” require less
analysis and a little more volume. Some songs need to be clipped by
a few minutes, however, so it can take less time getting in,
grasping his empathetic point, and getting out. The final product
sings with the kind of special expressionism heard only once in a
great while in alternative rock. Its music can take some getting
used to, but once you become acclimated, its penetrating style
carries an emotional weight. Not for all ears, Built to
Spill’s latest still demands a listen and will likely reward
those who possess adventurous dispositions.
Judy Pak Rating: 8