SOUND: Fefe on Track

Kelis works it; Vol. 1 great Newman introduction










MUSIC BOX


MUSIC BOX



Hannah Marcus


Desert Farmers

First track sounds like wind chimes, like the music my last masseuse played. Next: Some sad, slow guitar strums and depressing "storm brewing" lyrics. Next: Sad noises. Next: Sad, slow noises. Next: It's just such a sad world; such a sad, cruel, mean, sad, slow, painstakingly miserably slow, barely breathing depressing sad sad world.



Lamb


Between Darkness and Wonder

Starts off spacey. Has a techno-new-age, swimming-in-a-giant-synthesizer feel, like getting stoned at the planetarium laser light show (or, so I've heard). The lead female vocals are kind of interesting—soft and smoky on a bed of electro- drug trip. But by the sixth super-synthesized track, my brain itches.



The Lost Patrol


Songs About Running Away

Is that a clarinet? In a road-weary tune with guitars and an unplugged-sounding rock singer? It is. And it works. It's jazzy music topped by the raw vocals of Dennis Lyxzen. Next, he takes off into a simple guitars-'n'-vocals lament. Then, suddenly, an upbeat duet with vocalist Lisa Miskovsky. I'll keep this CD—it's dry, earnest, varied and likable.



Frank Jordan


Milk the Thrills

Thick electric guitar, thick rhythm, rock-jazz-fusion. The vocals wail in the top layer of the sound, lost. If I liked it, it'd be as background music—something to play when silence is loud. But as it turns out, interesting though it is, it jacked up my anxiety and made silence seem very nice.




Stacy Willis



Dwele


Subject

There's something refreshing about neo-soul, the largely undefinable music genre whose torch-bearers include Musiq Soulchild, Indie.Arie and Jill Scott. It's as if the ghosts of soul music past—Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye—have been reincarnated with hipster appeal. Handed the baton, newcomer Dwele runs through 16 tracks of jazzy, intellectual love songs. Not recommended if you like your soul music "bootylicious."



They Walk Among Us


Mathematics, Art in Progress

If this is the future of Brit-pop, then this quintet out of Wales could win lots of fans across the pond. Theirs is a simple, yet refined sound, benefiting from some decent writing. Altogether, fans of understated garage band-esqe rock will find this album wholesome and fulfilling. Kind of like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.



Galactic


Ruckus

Galactic is that rarest of musical species: a jazz-funk band (so say the media clippings). And its fourth album is that rarest of works: jazzfunkhoptwangsoulronica. (Yeah, it's a word. So says me). Rare is the time you'll hear the anarchy of a Public Enemy riff, the twang of a harmonica or futuristic electronica put to jazz sensibilities. Is it a stretch to call it musical gumbo? No it's not.




Damon Hodge


FEFE DOBSON (3 stars)


FEFE DOBSON


Thanks to people like Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch and Pink, female pop singers are now able to rock out, play the guitar and write (or co-write) their own songs and still get on TRL and top-40 radio. Canadian teen singer-songwriter FeFe Dobson embraces all those possibilities on her self-titled debut, a mix of Avril-style "punk," sassy pop and adult contemporary balladry. Though Dobson lacks the pure punch of Pink or singular vision of Branch or Vanessa Carlton, she turns in a lively album with several wonderfully catchy radio-ready tunes, including "Kiss Me Fool" and lead single "Take Me Away."


From the rowdy pop-punk of "Stupid Little Love Song" to the piano-driven "8 X 10" to the guest appearance by Tone-Loc (!) on "Rock It Till You Drop It," Dobson is a little all over the place, throwing styles at the wall to see what sticks. But she's on the right track, venting her anger at an absentee father on "Unforgiven" and delivering cheeky rebuffs to boys on "Bye Bye Boyfriend" and "Give It Up." Avril better look out.




Josh Bell



Kelis (3.5 stars)


Tasty


Having abandoned the Sun Ra hair that once got her more attention than her music, Kelis returns as a very earthy diva with a feminist slant. But don't think Helen Reddy; Kelis delivers her female empowerment message with plenty of ass-shaking and lots of help from the other side, including guys like the Neptunes, Nas and Andre 3000.


Yet, Kelis is never overshadowed by her illustrious collaborators as she ably handles soul, pop and R&B. The hit single "Milkshake" distills Kelis' raucous sleaze and pop charm to perfection. Even if the metaphor isn't clear as to what "her milkshake" is exactly, Kelis' message still comes through just fine. Other standout tracks include "Trick Me," "Stick Up" and "Sugar Honey Iced Tea." If only all commercial music were as compelling and fun as Tasty.




Richard Abowitz



Randy Newman (4 stars)


The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1


The world knows Randy Newman for his film scores and, perhaps, for the novelty hit, "Short People." But to certain cognoscenti, Newman is one of the great American songwriters.


The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1, featuring just Newman on piano, singing songs from throughout his career, is the perfect introduction for the uninitiated, while still allowing Newman to tease out new meanings from old material to reward the faithful. Of course, as Newman specializes in songs of bigotry, despair and shame, all dressed up in layers of irony at times so subtle as to be almost undetectable, The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1 will not bring a mainstream audience to his twisted visions. It probably won't even earn enough for there to be a Volume 2. Not that Newman, judging from his songs, expects much better from the world. Few of the redneck, violent, ill-tempered and occasionally genocidal characters you meet in Newman's songs are the sort who would listen to an arty, difficult and thoughtful songwriter. Don't be like them.




Richard Abowitz

  • Get More Stories from Thu, Jan 1, 2004
Top of Story