MUSIC BOX |
Josh Bell |
Pearl Jam (4 stars)
Lost Dogs
Pearl Jam has put out seven studio albums in the past 12 years and released over 70 live albums, instant "bootlegs" from its last two concert tours. They're one of the most prolific bands in rock, and Lost Dogs collects 30 B-sides and rarities not on any of their studio releases, including 11 previously unreleased tracks.
Unlike many odds and sods collections, Lost Dogs is a meaty release, and none of these songs are filler material. There are some frivolous tunes and songs sung by bassist Jeff Ament, guitarist Stone Gossard and former drummer Jack Irons, but nothing on here would have been out of place on one of the band's official releases.
Songs like live favorite "Yellow Ledbetter," the bluesy "Down" and the sweet, simple "U" are as good as anything else the band has put to tape, and there's even one massive hit (their cover of "Last Kiss") among the misfits. As an introduction to Pearl Jam, you're better off with their debut, Ten, or the underrated Yield, but for fans, this is a standout collection from a great American rock band.
Josh Bell
Gov't Mule (4.5 stars)
The Deepest End
Since the death of original Gov't Mule bassist Allen Woody in August 2000, the remaining band members, guitarist-singer Warren Haynes, drummer Matt Abts and keyboardist Danny Louis, have continued to tour and record a series of concerts with the help of their friends. The series, starting with The Deep End Vols. I and II and ending with their latest, The Deepest End, was performed as tribute to Woody.
Like its first two Deep End efforts, Gov't Mule's latest is packed with guest appearances from some of the greatest bassists around, including Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Dave Schools, Mike Gordon and Jason Newsted, as well as Bela Fleck on banjo and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's horn section. Even more impressive is the energy level that everyone managed to uphold during the marathon six-hour concert, recorded May 3.
The 34-song set list, broken up over two CDs and a DVD, includes a good mix of Gov't Mule favorites (2002 Jammys Song of the Year "Soulshine" with Schools, and Grammy nominated "Sco-Mule" with Wooten), rarities (a stellar performance of "Greasy Granny Gophers Gravy" with Claypool) and excellent covers. The talent within Gov't Mule alone tells you this is going to be a good album, but the range of styles and sounds resulting from the guest musicians makes this a must-listen for rock and jam-band fans.
Maria Phelan
G-Unit (2.5 stars)
Beg For Mercy
These days, it's rap-industry credo: Talented, chart-topping rapper (TCTR) gets a record deal for less-talented homies whose debut effort, though liberally spliced with offerings from TCTR, is generally underwhelming and fails to capture the buzz surrounding TCTR. It happened with Eminem and D-12, and with Nelly and St. Lunatics.
And so it is with G-Unit's Beg for Mercy. Positioned to surf the wave that is 50 Cent, the CD ultimately sinks, 50's cachet unable to overcome the sex-money-murder homogeneity, that has become much of commercial hip-hop.
An ode to firearms, "My Buddy" is simply Tupac's "Me and My Girlfriend," "Groupie Love" a riff on Tupac's gigolo-ish "I Get Around," and "Smile" reminiscent of Tupac's inner loverboy, as heard on "Keep Your Head Up." Where Tupac offered commentary on his struggle over loving thy enemies, "Footprints" gives no dialogue on the paradox, making it seem OK to gun down rivals. Perfectly encapsulating what's wrong with the CD is "I'm So Hood": Meant to reaffirm their thuggishness—"We're tough because, well, we say so"—it comes across as a plea for street validation.
Damon Hodge