Wednesday, October 22, 1997
Soundbites
Patti Smith "Peace and Noise" (Arista) After last year’s
haunting "Gone Again," Smith’s first album in eight years, the
legendary musical poet returns with another album that perhaps
tells us she misses making music.
"Peace and Noise" is a poetic, moving record that explores
America’s past, present and future. Smith sings and speaks her
moving prose to gritty yet undistorted guitars that are reminiscent
of her 1975 groundbreaking album "Horses." Her poetic background
manifests itself in many ways on the record, from her spoken word
delivery on the ten-and-a-half minute epic on "Memento Mori" to her
musical treatment of Allen Ginsberg’s "Footnote to Howl" called
"Spell."
Her words take aim at pressing issues America has dealt with and
is still trying to come to grips with. "1959" looks at a nation and
world at a crossroads ("Listen to my story / got two sides to tell
/ one of fallen glory / one of vanity").
She even includes Chinese-Tibet relations in "1959," which has
been a hot topic within the music scene. "Momento Mori" is a Jim
Morrison-like rant on the Vietnam War, improvised in the studio and
captured on record with both clarity and rawness.
Her treatment of today’s issues are perhaps even more striking.
"Death Singing" looks at a musician suffering with AIDS. "Last
Call" approaches the mass suicides of the Heaven’s Gate cult, with
help of R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe. And "Whirl Away" looks at the
apathy and political disinterest of the youth today ("I come a
calling / passively stationed / active patrol sliding in high moon
like some reluctant sheriff / not want to get involved in it
all").
The only radio-friendly song on the album may be the
socially-conscious "Don’t Say Nothing," which hopes to get people
to do something that matters. In saying such things, it seems that
Patti Smith has done her part, and has done it rather eloquently.
Mike Prevatt A-
Brian McKnight "Anytime" (Mercury) Think lazy rainy Sunday, cool
and cloudy, slow and bittersweet, and there you have Brian
McKnight’s newest album "Anytime."
With almost a full dozen of the tracks incorporating McKnight’s
moody muted melodies, each song fades into the next, resembling the
brooding mix you made the night after you broke up with your
significant other.
With tracks like "Anytime" which asks "why we can’t remember why
we fell apart," the bluesy beats of "Show Me The Way Back To Your
Heart," which reminisces about "nights that were never cold," and
the swirling ballad "Til’ I Get Over You," Mcknight creates
homogenous vocals that are just the right temperature for a
relaxing bath on a Friday night when the best thing to do is to be
left alone.
While a couple of the tracks like "Hold Me" and "Jam Knock" pick
up enough catchy drum shakes to get your head bobbing or foot
tapping, the majority of the album is best left as background music
for studying, relaxing, or staring at the wall hoping for the
hopeless return of a lost love … so take your pick. Nerissa Pacio
B-
The Wannadies "The Wannadies" (Indolent) Seattle. Manchester.
Silver Lake. Sweden? Who would have thought that this unassuming
Scandinavian country would be the birthplace of some of the most
entertaining pop groups in alternative music today?
Bands like Salt and the Cardigans have enjoyed wide-ranged
success on American radio while bands such as Komeda and the
Wannadies have developed their own small, cult followings.
Even though they are less successful than some of their Swedish
counterparts, the Wannadies have been around since 1989, directly
influencing bands like the Cardigans. Faster-paced and more
guitar-driven than their Scandinavian brothers and sisters, the
Wannadies’ new album is a delightful myriad of kitsch and
high-camp. Full of mirth and glee, the Wannadies sure know how to
inundate the listener with a smorgasbord of toe-tapping hooks.
The album first strikes a chord with the cheerful "Might Be
Stars," an optimistically titled tune which plays on every
teenager’s fantasy to one day become a rock star ("Chances are we
might be stars and live forever / Chances are we might be stars
beloved forever").
The self-affirming "Because" is a catchy little ditty that could
be well served as a theme song for spoiled adolescents ("I shake
and spin / I am the king / because because and all because").
Elastica-like riffs accompany the song "Friends" as big-haired
vocalist Par Wiksten sings, "I want to you know that I could break
you motorbike, the one you like."
Other highlights on the album include "Hit" and the deeply
melodic "You and Me Song," which can also be found on the "Romeo
and Juliet" soundtrack. Incidentally, this earnestly romantic tune
was overshadowed by the Cardigans’ "Lovefool" on the
soundtrack.
Though the album gets a grade-A boost from their invigorating
hooks, the Wannadies don’t know when too much becomes too little.
After awhile, the Wannadies’ catchy choruses and nonsensical lyrics
get tiresome as the album reaches its conclusion. The first half of
the album however, is sheer splendor, proving that the Swedish sure
know how to manufacture their pop. Tristan Thai B+
Tanya Donelly "Lovesongs for Underdogs" (Reprise) Once the
clever vocalist of the bitingly sharp band, Belly, Tanya Donelly
now attempts to go solo as a soft and sugary pop singer. However,
her debut album, "Lovesongs for Underdogs" lacks the slick-vixen
pull which lingered in her melodic voice on previous Belly
works.
The pieces, such as "Landspeed Song" only dabble in mediocre
lyrics, like "I’ve sunk a lot into this venture / I expect returns"
matched to light, simplistic guitar riffs that don’t begin to
scratch the surface. She comes off sounding like a middle-aged
ex-light opera star who plays the local circuit of coffee houses
and bars, and of course the occasional wedding when the option
presents itself.
The songs lack substance and never quite take flight into any
ethereal plane that powdery music, which this album strives to
offer, can sometimes lead to. Vanessa Vander Zanden C
PATTI SMITH
"Peace and Noise"