Monday, January 12, 1998
Soundbites
Led Zeppelin, "BBC Sessions" (Atlantic) In the spirit of the
Beatles’ 1994 double album, "Live at the BBC," Led Zeppelin’s "BBC
Sessions" gathers over 20 tracks recorded live on the British
Broadcasting Corporation during the height of the band’s
popularity. Despite having every reason to be seen skeptically as
just another way to milk money out of their song catalog, "BBC
Sessions" is actually a refreshing, enjoyable two-disc set that
contains unique live versions of such hits as "Communication
Breakdown" (all three of them) and the seminal guitar epic,
"Stairway to Heaven."
Many of the songs on here are actually extended jam sessions,
such as the "Whole Lotta Love" medley and the nearly 19-minute
version of "Dazed and Confused," which meanders and cranks on quite
nicely. A few songs, such as "Dazed," "You Shook Me" and "I Can’t
Quit You Baby," appear twice, though no two versions are the same.
The big ones are also represented, like the wailing "Immigrant
Song," the ballad "Thank You" and the hard-driving "Black Dog."
This collection is a must for any Zeppelin fan, as well as rock
fans who appreciate a good live band. Minus crowd noise, these live
performances are just one more testament to the notion that Led
Zeppelin is one of the all-time greats. Mike Prevatt B+
Sixteen Deluxe, "Emits of Showers of Sparks" (Warner Bros.) Oh
man, another group with a girl lead singer that sounds both punky
and poppy. But don’t dismiss them as the next Elastica wannabe
(like the British outfit, Kenicke). After a few years of serving
time on college radio, this Austin, Texas-based band is ready to
invade alt-rock stations all over and break the ska-pop monotony of
1997 with their psychadelic yet spunky sound.
The fresh new faces of Sixteen Deluxe borrow mainly from loud
bands like Sonic Youth, Catherine Wheel, X and My Bloody Valentine,
but without the really long, drawn-out distortion riffs or
dementia-tinged droning. Most of these upbeat, almost perky pop
gems immediately make you think of Elastica, but they’ve thrown in
different guitar effects here and there, kind of like what
Everclear did on it’s most recent album. Blips and sparks blurt out
of the stereo every now and then, giving these tight pop songs some
character.
Standout tracks range from the Hole-like "Burning Leaves" and
"Large Animal Clinic" to the more Jesus and Mary Chain-ish "Let it
Go" and "Lullaby." Lead singer Carrie Clark’s voice is the perfect
Courtney Love-Chrisse Hynde (the Pretenders) hybrid, allowing for
more emotion than rage or gloom. 1998 has found its first bright
newcomer. Mike Prevatt A-
John Mellencamp, "The Best That I Could Do" (Mercury) Released
during a slew of greatest-hits packages (Enya, Elvis Costello, the
Psychadelic Furs, Sinead O’Connor, etc), the artist formerly known
as John Cougar surely will not see multi-platinum sales figures for
his newly available compilation anytime soon, but for old
Mellencamp fans, this is a must have. Featuring the hits from
1978-1988, this gives us rock ‘n’ roll’s most famous farm boy at
his best. The massive radio and MTV tracks are here, like the
tender "Jack and Diane" and straight-up rock ditty "Hurts So Good."
Other unforgettable classics include "Small Town" and "R.O.C.K. in
the U.S.A.," as well as lesser-known hits like "Cherry Bomb" and
"Paper in Fire." The disc also includes interesting biographical
liner-notes and the obligatory "new"
to-get-the-fans-to-buy-the-greatest-hits-album-even-though-they-own-everything
song "Without Expression," which is just another down-home boy
song. Any casual Mellencamp fan should dig this (do note that his
1994 Van Morrison-cover, "Wild Night," with Michelle N’degecello is
not here), and ’80s fans should find this surely reminiscent
retrospective pretty fun to listen to. Mike Prevatt B
Various Artists, "Good Will Hunting" (Capitol) Not much of this
acoustic-guitar, soft-rock-dominated score seems befitting of this
Gen X flick, but somehow the laid back soundtrack provided by
singer and songwriter Elliott Smith, composer Danny Elfman and
others fits the aura of the movie well. Most of these songs are
heavy on the heartfelt, tender side, almost passing that schmaltz
tolerance boundary. Yet these kinds of tracks, rather than a
soundtrack filled with college-rock nobodies, go together nicely
with the powerful, soul-searching drama.
Most of the songs on their own are just above mediocre, but all
together the common thread in the music flows and soothes. The main
contributor (with six songs) is Smith, and with his acoustic styles
and quiet vocal approaches, he cannot escape the Simon and
Garfunkel comparisons.
The real winner here is composer and ex-Oingo Boingo frontman
Danny Elfman’s orchestrations. He opens the album with Smith’s
vocals on "Between the Bars" and closes it stunningly with the
tearjerker, "Weepy Donuts." The music of "Good Will Hunting" sounds
very indie, and at times kinda monotonous, but manages to hit the
heart somehow. Mike Prevatt B
Juliana Hatfield, "Please Do Not Disturb" (Bar/None) Keeping her
most loyal fans happy, Hatfield returns to her typical college-rock
guitar styles with this EP, "Please Do Not Disturb." In 1993, this
sort of style was boring (save the sweetness of "Spin the Bottle,"
from the soundtrack to "Reality Bites") and it certainly puts the
listener to sleep now.
Completely uninspiring and with no major musical range
whatsoever, this thankfully brief affair is six songs of soft-core
grunge drivel. It beings with the Veruca Salt ripoff, "Sellout,"
which does fine as far as choruses go, but the rest just drags.
Then Hatfield jumps to the boring softie, "Trying Not To Think
About It," and the awkward, orchestration-backed "As If Your Life
Depended On It." Then the record abruptly breaks out into the
dissonant "Give Me Some of That." "Get Off," not a Prince/Artist
cover, smells like post-Nirvana grunge that even Candlebox could
eclipse.
Hatfield puts us out of our misery with "The Edge of Nowhere,"
which you can take or leave in all its marginality. "Please Do Not
Disturb" will disappoint those who know Hatfield to be the
indie-music darling, and perhaps her fans, too. Mike Prevatt D+
LED ZEPPELIN
"BBC Sessions"