Wednesday, January 15, 1997Jamiroquai "Traveling Without Moving"
(Work) These guys are officially heralded as the premier British
club sensation and are definitely worth their salt. In fact,
they’re worth their weight in platinum, or even better. They take
the best musical elements of Solid Gold and combine it with an
ambient backdrop, framing "Traveling Without Moving" in hip club
scene danceability.
This directly translates into popularity in the United Kingdom,
but will it work for them in the United States? It all depends on
the exposure these guys get. With tracks like the beautifully rich
love song "Cosmic Girl" capable of topping the dance charts,
Jamiroquai might have the right ingredients in the same way that
Ace of Base did a few years back with the selling of 14 million
copies of their album. Since those guys were a flash in the pan,
the comparison will hopefully end there  with the hope this
album gets the attention so often showered upon the above mentioned
Ace of Bases of the world.
If there was ever a band that had emotional power to show off,
mixed in with a keen sense of blending different genres like
reggae, Latin and jungle beats on the same album, Jamiroquai’s
"Traveling Without Walking" would be it. Lead singer Jason Kay has
the sweetest soul voice since Stevie Wonder. The bass-line grooves
take you smoothly to places that actually compel you to feel the
vibe and just run with it.
Some tracks like "Didjital Vibrations" show off the perfect
slow-dance number you could see in a ’70s disco, but with the ’90s
production flourishes that make this club music seem vital and
fresh. Another gem, "Virtual Insanity," is a smart and extremely
catchy diatribe about our society’s apparent love of using
technology to transform nature into something useless and degraded.
"Use the Force" is an aptly titled self-affirmation song that
lyrically should be incorporated as the new Jedi mantra. The music
is reminiscent of a "Starsky and Hutch" episode with a space-vibe
touch.
The bottom line of all this is that the lyrics, the vocals and
the vibe have an almost universal appeal by their easy
approachability. The fact is that Jamiroquai’s lyrics are just as
thought-provoking and emotional as their music is entrancing. If
you’re not convinced, the intelligent display of Jamiroquai’s jazz
influence should convert you. Here’s the test; if you respect
Stevie Wonder, check this out. Michael Nazarinia A
SparkleHorse "Vivadixie-submarinetransmissionplot" (Slowriver)
Sweet and tranquil, SparkleHorse dribbles out delicate melodies
that bring to mind the slower tracks on a Velvet Underground album.
An acoustic guitar patiently draws out chords beneath the lead
singer’s distant voice. Yet, the slight unattachment evident
between the vocal tune and accompanying harmony actually produce
the sense that the singer is screaming from somewhere inside of his
body, so close to the mike that the background music drops away,
even though in reality the reverse recording technique must be
true.
As this effect relaxes the body into a sedated form with a
steady beat and intoxicates the mind with a soothing tone, you
become transfixed by every utterance of the guru-like lead singer
and his lyrics. For example, in the track "Heart of Darkness," he
moans, "There’s one thing we still got, that’s one last dance in
this parking lot," and then coos what sounds like "I’m kind of
hard." Yet, in the next stanza he adds, as though an afterthought,
"of darkness" and it becomes clear that what he really had said was
"I’ve got a heart," but the way he leaves it produces sexual and
emotional ambiguity, representative of most sexual endeavors
altogether.
Is his desire purely a drive for sex? Is it the need to fill an
emotional pit? Or is it the yearning he feels to shred someone else
apart through both a physical and mental means while continuing to
feed his lust for self-abasement? Who knows, it could be all
three.
Even on a less cerebral level, there remains no doubt that
SparkleHorse knows how to sink it in. An album which calls to be
purchased in record form, due to its raw and heartfelt flavor,
"Vivadixiesubmarinetransmiss-ionplot" strips down the artificial
exterior and glossy sheen found coating what most bands substitute
for soul. It speaks both to the mind and body, entreating in
earnest to be heard and felt and enjoyed as a reliable companion.
It will keep up its end of the bargain if only given the chance.
Vanessa VanderZanden A
Various Artists "Compilation" (RCA/BMG) When five unrelated
bands come together on an album for what seems to be purely a
record label’s drive to sample their wares, the resulting
disjointed sound can only be expected. Although each song holds its
own against the rest, the album plays like a flip through the FM
dial on a sunny Saturday, as each station cuts to commercial
directly after playing the creme de la creme of their current
rotation.
The compilation starts off with Skold’s sharp and grating piece,
"Neverland," the darkest track on the album. The lyrics, "Say hello
to Nevermore … Hold your breath and let your conscience go," make
incisive tears through the heavily synthesized beats. Yet, just as
the anti-corporate tendrils of youthful disillusionment grab the
eardrums and make off with the psyche, Republica’s poppy
sing-a-long tune, "Ready to Go" jumps in, straight off of the
airwaves at KROQ, a station whose "World Famous"-ness would seem to
make it a likely candidate for "anti-christ of the decade" in the
eyes of Skold.
And, if the first two songs appear to be odd bedfellows, there
can be no explanation lucid enough to justify the inclusion of the
third and most drastically different track, "Tres Delinquentes," an
offering from the hip-hop/ rap group, Delinquent Habits. Its
sterile beat serves as a steady background to trumpeting mariachi
samples, Spanish lyrics, and the call to "Get Funky." Later, Robert
Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise slips in the sentimental notes of the
song, "Once Upon A Time," a nostalgic throwback to the
half-coherent, smokey vocal languishings of Sam Cook and Marvin
Gay. Despite this piece’s soothing charm, it just doesn’t fit
between Babe the Blue Ox’s unmemorable alterna-rock shlock, "Stand
By Your Man," and Skold’s skillfully self-degrading, hard-edge
techno-stained track, "Anything."
This album would make a great gift for anyone who owns about 10
CDs and enjoys listening to "uh, you know, everything," but doesn’t
hold water for people who take music somewhat seriously. Vanessa
VanderZanden C+
Nightnoise "The White Horse Sessions" (Windham Hill) What is it
about Irish music that makes you perky and relaxed all at once? Not
an annoying kind of perky  Barney singing a tune or Mariah
Carey flitting about in too-tight $2,000 jeans  the kind of
perky that makes you do your roommate’s dishes or talk to your pet
(or plant) in a high, twittering voice.
Whatever it is, this mostly instrumental album’s got it in
spades. Its whistles, flutes, fiddles and lilting melodies make you
want to jump into an Irish Spring commercial and kiss all of the
freckled redheads. It’s "Riverdance" on Dexatrim  all the
rhythm and harmonies with none of the clogging. However, the
occasional piano, vocals and acoustic guitar add some substance and
keep the songs from floating off into space. Some piano even
borders on jazz, which completely alters the songs’ moods. Other
songs slow the tempo a bit and take a breather from the playful
exchange of instruments.
The entire album was recorded live over a period of a few days,
and it sounds like it  spontaneous and light-hearted, with
audience applause punctuating each tune. Yes, they’re "tunes." How
could they not be with names like "Jig of Sorts" and "The Cricket’s
Wicket"?
It’s never too early to find that perfect background music to
your late-night study evenings. This one works quite nicely for the
stress-free days of second and third week. Save Beethoven and Rage
Against the Machine for mid-terms and those finals in classes
you’ve yet to go to. Kristin Fiore B
Soundbites runs Mondays and Wednesdays.
Jamiroquai "Traveling Without Moving"