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CD SPINS by Staff BLURThink Tank (EMI Records)
Once the tabloid rivals of the crazy brothers Gallagher from
Oasis, Blur could put out an album of polka favorites and their fans
would declare it sheer genius even before it was released!
Their latest effort – Think Tank – seems a
haphazard attempt at trying to get “soulful” and the result is a
sloppy mess of trite and mid tempo “experiments.”
Trying to emulate the once fresh sound of the ‘80s band The
Style Council, Think Tank is lost in their shadow.
“Ambulance” starts
off promising with a hip-hop beat and an electronica groove, but looses
steam right away with odd vocals that don’t have the oomph to carry
off the soul it requires to get it out of the muck.
A weird Donald Duck sample chanting “Crazy
Beat” leads us into a rip off of Sid Vicious’ take on “I
Wanna Be Your Dog.” Though
trying to recapture Blur’s infectious “Song
2,” this track simply
wears out the listener as they try to figure out where they have heard
this song before!
The only redeeming song on the CD is “Brothers
and Sisters.” This is
a groovy, R&B tune with a great gospel choir belting out the chorus.
“Moroccan
Peoples Revolutionary Bowls Club” has potential to be fun, but they muck
up the works with odd little splashes of what seems to be whimsy but
comes off of like “playing around in the studio with neat little
gadgets!”
Disappointment, mouth agape and dumbstruck, Think Tank could spell the end of the Blur boys....
No... wait a minute... they can do no wrong (in the UK) so their
fans will forgive them. To my fellow yanks on these shores, I advise
–– don’t waste your time! – Jon Rice VARIOUS ARTISTSHarmonica Blues Orgy (Random Chance Records) I like guitar-fueled
blues just fine, thank you. Give
me the big, fat sound of Little Johnny’s Gibson ES-335 or Tommy
Castro’s smooth, crisp tone from his Fender Stratocaster any night of
the week. Little Johnny once
told me that he thought that the saxophone was the sexiest instrument
alive, and a good horn section can sure get me to jump and shout.
While these instruments take center stage in many blues bands,
there’s no denying that the harmonica occupies a very special place in
the blues. Harmonica Blues Orgy is a celebration of
Chicago blues, featuring Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Martin Lang,
Little Arthur Duncan, and Alec “Easy Baby” Randle on 16 cuts that
smoke and sizzle. While Willie “Big
Eyes” Smith is better known as Muddy Waters’ drummer, his first
instrument was the harmonica and his chops on the harmonica are first
class. Martin Lang is a
newcomer, but as a harp player in his early 30’s, he’ll carry the
harp torch to new generations of blues fans. Little Arthur Duncan
has Chicago’s West Side in his blood, and his sessions captured at
Famous Dave’s are a treat. Alec “Easy Baby”
Randle makes the harmonica tell the story, and I can’t give higher
praise than that. Fans of blues
harmonica should pick up Harmonica Blues Orgy, an incredible release
featuring four fine harp players. – Eric Steiner DOYLE BRAMHALL
Fitchburb Street (Indie) Okay... let’s get
this out of the way first. Doyle Bramhall is not only a legend around
the Dallas and Austin areas, but was a huge influence on a fellow Texan
by the name of Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Doyle’s first release since 1994’s Birdnest
On The Ground takes us back to his roots and his love of early
Chicago electric blues and the horn-inspired soul of the Memphis-based
Stax & Hi Records.
This is mostly a cover project, as Doyle whips up great tributes
to Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Reed. Bramhall also pays
homage to Jimi & The Band Of Gypsies with a revved up version of “Them
Changes.”
Doyle’s voice really shines throughout this collection, but
never more than on cuts like “I’d Rather Be Blind, Crippled And Crazy,” and the old Motown
ballad, “That’s How Strong My
Love Is.”
One other special treat is hearing about Doyle’s recovery from
drugs and alcohol in the very poignant “Life
By The Drop.” Many
may be familiar with the song, as Stevie Ray’s version was released
after his tragic death in 1990.
This CD is one of my favorites of the year thus far, especially
since it has been a rather weak couple of years for blues releases.
This set is raw, gritty and so funky you can smell it. Highly
recommended!
– Brian Pearson
THE FLYING OTHER BROTHERS
52 Weeks High (Indie)
The CD features
appearances by the legendary Pete Sears, finger style great Jorma
Kaukenon and guitarist G.E.Smith. The project is produced by another
music legend, Mr. Jack Cassidy of Hot Tuna/Airplane fame.
The angle behind this recording is that a
group of full time middle-aged business men/weekend musicians have
successfully formed a band and produced a “glorious new CD, featuring
eleven original tracks that go a long way toward reclaiming the communal
celebration that once revolved around amplified instruments, open ended
improvisation, and a willingness to go wherever the music leads.”
That critique would lead one to believe that something really
magical is taking place here.
While the production is indeed first class, the marketing
approach for this CD is more creative then the actual music.
The only high point for me was the CD’s first track. The intro
is powerful, the twin guitars are singing and the groove is deep.
Lyrically the project as a whole is thin. Vocally the project is weak.
I congratulate anyone who has the drive and motivation to
organize and fund an independent music project. 52
Week High just isn’t a very good one.
– Eric Lambert THE EXPLOITED
F*ck The System (Spitfire)
Aaahhhhhh.
This is The Exploited’s first album in seven years.
They should have hung it up a long time ago.
It does not get much more hardcore punk then this, but it also
cannot get any less creative, original nor devoid of talent. With the fourth track
consisting of a total of nine words not sung but screeched over and over
for two and a half minutes with the same riff and beat over and over,
with the exception of a sad solo, I was literally given a head ache.
No joke. I guess that if you
like old school metal punk that is way outdated, then you may find
something to like here, but I consider myself pretty tolerant when it
comes to music, but this is just plain awful.
The Exploited have the
right attitude, but the wrong style.
When your bread gets moldy you throw it away. The Exploited and their style has been in a warm dark area
for 23 years now. Its time
for them to be thrown away.
– Nathan Bright FLASHLIGHT BROWN
My Degeneration (Hollywood)
When it comes to
“punk” music, Flashlight Brown’s Hollywood debut, My Degeneration, is like a
swift kick in powder punk’s gonads.
With hilarious lyrics
based on true events and inner feelings, leather vocals, and catchy
enough guitars to lure in powder punk lovers, Flashlight Brown is sure
to string in fans from all areas of the “punk” world. They have the street
credit and attitude that would make punk forefathers proud.
The fact that they were living day to day on engine block cooked
food, to their “if that offends you, so be it” attitude that is ever
present in their songs, should show die hard punk fans that this is no
prefabricated wishy-washy band. Yet their is something
about this group that will not fail to draw in those Blink 182 and
Simple Plan fans like moths to a flame.
It may be the fact that Flashlight Brown is really four geeks who
sing about dungeons and dragons and gender issues while growing up.
With the musical
emphasis ranging from fast super punk on “I’ll
Only Make You Cry” to the melody laden “Patricia,”
Flashlight Brown shows their Canadian counterparts what real punk should
be about. What is one of the
most impressive attributes of this album is the band’s ability to
catch the raw energy of their live performances.
The album started as
two song sampler of sorts and ultimately developed into their first full
length release. After surviving
through more years of hard times the most would care to admit,
Flashlight Brown has put out something great and worthy of praise. Listen to it.
– Nathan Bright JIMMY BUFFET
Meet Me In Margaritaville (MCA) With each new summer
comes dreams of having a stable of Victoria Secret models showcase the
new summer attire for me in my basement; and that the Cubs will not only
win their Division but move forward to something called The World
Series. Since those two things
won’t happen, one thing I can always count on is a new CD and tour by
summer concert favorite, Jimmy Buffett.
Once again the king of
Trop-Rock comes through for us, with a nice slice of music spread out
over 2 discs and clocked in at 38 total tracks. Sure this is a career
spanning package, but it is not the standard greatest hits, anthologies
and “Best
Of...” material. Buffett mixes up the
compilation by throwing in a few new cuts, some live cuts and even goes
back into the studio and re-cuts a few classics with brand new
arrangements.
Certain moments stand out on the disc naturally, such as
Buffett’s cover of “Everybody’s
Talking.” Lyrically
the song has always been a classic and the Coral Reefers add a jazzy
bossa nova feel to it. Jimmy also does justice to the somewhat obscure
Beach Boys cut, “Sail On
Sailor.” Funny thing is, I told
Jimmy a few years ago he needed to add that to his live show. Thumbing
through the liner notes I didn’t see any mention of my name saying... “Thanks
Brian!” For early J.B. fans,
he includes some stuff from back when he was strumming his six-string
and playing folk clubs in Chicago and Key West. There’s plenty of
post-“Margaritaville”
stuff here too, but it’s the nine new cuts that really make the CD a
fine addition to your summer listening. Fins Up!
Look for Jimmy’s annual tour to hit the Tweeter Center in
Tinley Park on August 21st & 23rd.
– Brian Pearson BUDDY JEWELL
Buddy Jewell (Sony)
There’s not much “rock” mixed in with his stuff, which is a
change of pace from the mainstream country I have heard for the past
eight years.
The CD opens up with what I term as “novelty” songs.
A funny little ditty that is much like Toby Keith’s “How
Do You Like Me Now?,” a hook-heavy song designed to snag the
listener.
Jewell should trust his talent and leave that stuff for the
amateurs. “Help
Pour Out the Rain” is a wonderful tune about a child’s curiosity
about Heaven. This song is
touching and sweet without going overboard and it certainly struck a
chord with me.
A heartbreaker comes through in “One
in a Row” with it’s sorrowful survivor story of break-up.
He gives a musical nod to the Irish folk with “O’Reilly
Luck,” sounding at times like Steve Earle.
Great pick-up break moves this song from becoming monotonous.
My favorite track is “Can
Get By” with it’s fantastic Fender Telecaster guitar sound
hammering out the intro. A real mover, this song has the potential for a radio hit for
sure. Buddy
Jewell injects real honesty into his country music and writes about
family values and love of God without
sounding preachy or insincere. I
hate to think he needed a show as cheesy as “Nashville
Star” to get discovered, but I am very glad he did. – Jon Rice ANNIE LENNOX
Bare (J-Records)
Her latest release
–– Bare
–– is a collection of slow, maudlin and painful ballads that
features Lennox’s amazing vocal instrument.
However, there is a sameness and an “I've heard this all
before” feel to the CD. “Pavement
Cracks” is the second track on the CD and it’s the first one
that caught my attention. It
features her standard haunting intro and then the song picks up with a
pace reminiscent of man tracks off of her 1995 Medusa.
Many of the songs here
have a certain Euro-electronia to them that has certainly worn out
it’s welcome. “Wonderful”
is smoky, sultry and very Aretha Franklin, then all of a sudden the song
bursts into an R&B romp. The most
powerful track on the CD is “Loneliness”
with it’s wall of sound wash. Lennox’s
voice has an affinity for soul and on this song she lets it all hang
out. “Twisted”
starts out sounding like the Beatles’
“Lucy on the Sky with
Diamonds” before changing into a bluesy tale about, yep, you
guessed it – another failed relationship.
The CD ends with an
out of place “Oh God
(prayer).” It’s
sung simply behind a wall of synthesizer.
This is the song that pushes the envelope and is hands down my
favorite on the CD, for the way it captures a tortured soul asking the
same questions we all ask in private. Lennox’s Bare is a
safe, conventional, adult contemporary effort.
Nothing more. Sadly
we have come to expect much more from this gifted and talented artist,
which is why this collection disappoints. – Jon Rice
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52 Week High
The Exploited’s
latest album on Spitfire Records, F*ck
The System, starts out with about forty-five seconds of pathetic
screaming. That incessant screaming would be my best reaction to this
album.
Whatever you do,
don’t call these guys punk.
Buddy Jewell was the
winner from the “American
Idol” rip-off show, “Nashville
Star” and has a style that reminds me of the country music of days
gone by (Mac Davis, Jim Stafford, Glen Campbell) with a tight and
unobtrusive demeanor. 
After all of the
“diva” hype and heavy exposure Annie Lennox has had since her hey
day with Eurhythmics, she can’t seem to break out of the trap she made
for herself.