Wednesday, May 13, 1998
Soundbites
MUSIC
Clannad, "Landmarks" (Atlantic) The highly acclaimed music
group, Clannad, has released its 16th album, "Landmarks," a
relaxing, stimulating CD with many influences from their native
Ireland.
Throughout the 10 songs that make up the aptly-titled
"Landmarks," English and Gaelic vocals, various Irish musical
textures and culturally-relevant lyrics create an identity for this
enduring group. "Bridge of Tears," about a place in Ireland where
people went to say good-bye, reflects fragility and emotion in its
string-heavy music. "Of This Land," which explores the past and
future of the country, carries a touching, even sad mood within the
song. And "Loch Na Calli" recalls a lake in Clannad’s hometown of
Donegal with somberness and seriousness.
Not all the songs carry the weight of those previously
mentioned. "Autumn Leaves Are Falling" and "A Mhuirnin O" feel
lighter, even more festive. Clannad, whose sound is often mistaken
for Enya, plays a different kind of Gaelic music. Rather than the
New Age-like qualities that Enya and "Titanic" composer James
Horner have popularized, Clannad focuses on many styles of
traditional Irish and American pop music.
Saxophones and guitars highlight "Autumn Leaves Are Falling,"
for instance. Those looking for ambient soundscapes may want to
look elsewhere; Clannad focuses on polished songwriting and crisp
melodies. It’s reassuring to know they haven’t chased the trend of
the ambient Irish music (i.e. "Celtic Moods") and given up what
they do best. Mike Prevatt B+
Various Artists, "Bulworth: The Soundtrack" (Interscope) The
state of the hip-hop art is well documented on the 14 new tracks
designated for the "Bulworth" soundtrack. The sound is slow, dark
and spare – a far cry from Parliament-happy G-funk era of a few
summers ago. The album’s lead single, "Zoom," pairing of Dr. Dre
and LL Cool J, is a good indicator of things to come. The track
features a smoldering beat and hard, gruff rhymes. Choice new cuts
from Ice Cube, B Real and Public Enemy follow in the same vein.
The two exceptions to this new beat both ride on samples so
blatant that one almost wants to ask "How could they?" The first of
these, "Freak Out" by Nutta Butta, swipes Chic’s chorus from "Le
Freak," but gets by – thanks to low key, sinewy rhyming. The
second, "Ghetto Superstar" by Pras Michel et al borrows the
bassline from "Islands in the Stream," and is already a well
deserved radio hit.
Perhaps inspired by "Bulworth" the movie, several songs here
talk about "issues." But whereas the Warren Beatty film is clever
and well-conceived, "Bulworth" tracks "They Talk About It While We
Live It," "How Come" and "Eve of Destruction," by Method Man,
Canibus and Eve respectively, aren’t. Michael Gillette B+
John Wesley Harding, "Awake" (Zero Hour) "John Wesley Harding
was a friend to the poor." Bob Dylan may sing about an outlaw in
his classic ballad, but his lyric still rings true in other
instances. British singer and songwriter John Wesley Harding is a
friend as well – but a friend to music aficionados. Often listed as
a folk singer, JWH (as he is known among fans) definitely covers
the folk angle, but also comes across in many different forms on
"Awake," his sixth album and Zero Hour label debut.
Beginning with the radio jingle "Good Morning (I Just Woke Up),"
JWH shows that a lot of diverse music lies in his bag of tricks.
The opening cut’s intentionally corny pop soon gives way to the
creepy trip-hop number, "Your Ghost (Don’t Scare Me No More),"
which could double as the score for a late ’80s Nintendo adventure
game. Harding seems to have trouble staying in one genre for long,
next trying lightly funked rock on "Window Seat," an epic of sorts
about a child born on an airplane, grows up in mid-flight, then
dies once he passes through the metal detector after landing.
JWH makes interesting use of unusual instruments, evidenced in
the cigarette lighter and burning matches that make up the
introductory drumbeat to "Burn," and the use of a quiet exhale and
telephone chime as the hook for "You’re Looking At Me." This
unconventional approach to songwriting imbue "Awake" with a
distinctly different flavor.
Ironically enough, Harding and his band, the Gangsta Folk, seem
weakest on their supposed forte: folk songs. "Poor Heart" sounds
like it could have been a failed Simon and Garfunkel outtake, and
"You So&So" is pleasant, but unremarkable. When it ventures
into unexplored places, the band shines, but when it sticks to
traditional folk, the songs become a bit monotonous. Luckily, the
majority of "Awake" is adventuresome and avoids the musical
doldrums. Brent Hopkins B+
Randy Travis, "You and You Alone" (Dreamworks) After years of
being one of the more self-contained units in country music, Randy
Travis has pulled out all the stops for his first release with the
Dreamworks label. In an effort to regain the popularity he enjoyed
in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Travis enlisted two producers,
some big-name guest stars and numerous Nashville songsmiths to
create an album that substitutes polished professionalism for the
back-porch simplicity that made his famous.
Even with the mostly uninspiring material of "You and You
Alone," Travis’ voice still carries more emotional resonance than
hat acts like Clay Walker and Tim McGraw. On the title track, Vince
Gill adds harmony to Travis’ world-weary drawl to replicate the
high, lonesome sound of the bluegrass music they both grew up with.
"Stranger In My Mirror" adds a needed dose of up-tempo Western
swing while "Out of My Bones" proves he can still sing ballads with
the best of them.
However, the rest of the album alternates between overwrought
love songs and bland country-rock that doesn’t do justice to either
category. Songs like "The Hole" and "I Did My Part" combine cliched
sentiments with accompaniment by studio pros who make the songs
indistinguishable from any other song you hear on country
radio.
Ten years ago, Travis became part of a movement that looked to
save mainstream country music. With "You and You Alone," he’s
helping to perpetuate its continual decline. Adam Tolbert C