White Noise
What's New On CD
Ska'd For Life
Various (Universal/BMG)
Ska'd For Life is a sampler of four songs from four up and coming bands, Dance Hall Crashers, Goldfinger, Sublime and Reel Big Fish. And with songs titles like Lost Again, This Lonely Place, Doin' Time and Sell Out, you might expect these to be fairly cynical songs. And they are, but only as far as the lyrics go. The music, with the exception of Sublime's Doin' Time, is the sort of music that says 'get up on the dance floor and party'. And even Doin' Time wouldn't be out of place on the dance floor, it's just that its soulful hip hop vocals, flute undertones and slow scratching are a sharp contrast to the dance inducing reggae beats and fast guitar on the other songs. Reel Big Fish's Sell Out, for example, is a 90s Walkin' On Sunshine with better brass, some cool grunge guitar and a strong reggae influence. Dance Hall Crashers also have 80s roots and a solid 90s guitar, but use their lead singer's powerful vocals to great effect in Lost Again. And to prove that Ska goes beyond reggae and guitar, Goldfinger add some Indian undertones at the beginning of This Lonely Place and throw in some vocal harmonies worthy of Ben Folds Five at the end. If you like music that will make you happy in many different ways go out and find this one.
If a theme song was required for a new James Bond movie, this would be alikely contender. It is reminiscent of all the classic Bond themes, withquiet verses describing the hero, building to a crescendo in the chorus. Ofcourse there is none of the heavy brass associated with Bond themes in this song, but this tribute to a hero works just as well with Space's electric undertones, Brit Pop guitars and haunting strings and vocals. Of course this probably wouldn't make it as a Bond theme, Bond may be an avenging angel, but a kick-arse angel? Only in the nicest possible way. But that is hardly the point - this is a good song and it's similarity to a Bond theme works only in its favour.
Always a radio favourite, Blur have this time delivered a double A-side, featuring a new song, On Your Own and an old song Popscene. In On Your Own they combine their Brit Pop vocals and cynicism with some great rock guitar and a funky electric back beat, in typical Blur style. And while On Your Own may not have the mass appeal of Song Number Two, with its joyous chorus of Woo Hoos, it is certainly a song worthy of Song Number Two's acclaim. In the chorus Blur create a richness of sound more akin to Opera or Musicals, than indie music, with lead singer, Damon Albarn, leading the rest of the band in like a soloist leading a choir. The result is fantastic. Popscene, recorded in 1992, has a raw almost 80s feel, with its extravagent keyboards and pacey drums. Obviously an early indication of what Blur could do, it seems to have been included as the second A side, purely for interest's sake. Compared to Popscene, On Your Own says 'look at us now!'.
Karma Police is essentially a diatribe against bad lovers, corporate polluters and other
spreaders of bad karma. And it has been popular on the radio not only for speaking out
against these people, but for the hope that they will be brought to justice. Sad and
almost inspirational, Karma Police is a classic style ballad in every sense, brought to
life with soulful singing from lead singer Thom Yorke and reinforced with a strong piano
and percussion base. One to hold your ciggie lighter in the air for, if you see them live.
Afro-Cuban All Stars: A Toda Cuba Le Gusta
(World Circuit WCD 047).The Title of this album translates, as "All of Cuba Loves It" is a homage that Cuba still pays to its legendary Cuban Jazz stars and music that was a tradition in the 1940s and ‘50s. Some of the major jazz giants in that era are reunited in this album showing that the best of Cuban music is still alive and vibrant. The album’s 10 songs run through a range of styles that only took 6 days and nights to record. The sound is acoustic but the atmosphere is electric. Full of energy and exuberance this album leaves much of the modern pop music for dead.
Both albums were recorded in Havana by musicians who would be considered hard up by our standards. The clear music, precise sound and excellent quality recording show that these musicians live for music-far different from the unimaginative uniformity of bands that grace Western recording studios. Each CD is attractively packaged with a booklet made of sturdy paper so it won’t full apart in your hands and is packed with colour and black and white photos. If you want something different in your music these CDs could be your answer.
Huffamoose.
Huffamoose, a group comprised of Boyer University students and formed in the spring of 1993. They have only been in existence for a couple of years and they have already signed a major recording and publishing contract with Interscope Records and Interscope Music of Los Angeles, went on a successful national tour, played all the local night spots in Philadelphia to standing room crowds, and was invited and played on the main stage at Woodstock. Craig Elkins, guitar/vocals, Kevin Hanson, guitar, Jim Stager, bass (BM '90), and Erik Johnson, drums combine elements of jazz, rock, pop and folk to create a unique sound that "comes alive as Huffamoose. Anyone who has had the pleasure of hearing this band in a live setting will surely defend the assertion that the live Huffamoose experience is not one to be missed." The group was invited to play at Woodstock after winning the local and national portions of a contest sponsored by Philadelphia radio station WDRE and Pepsi-Cola Co.
Most of you are probably saying 'Sister who?' right about now. That's okay. They're just the latest of many Southern Rock/Folk-ish fan friendly bands to make their national debut. I hate to say this, but yes, if you like Hootie, you should like Sister Hazel. But they're by no means a clone. They've been touring forever with other up-and-coming bands like Big White Undies, Cravin' Melon and Memory Dean, all of whom are starting to get plenty of attention. As for the album, it's actually a souped-up version of their last Indie release. I've heard them both and the result is a nicely-polished product. Thousands of fans throughout the Southeast are already singing along with the first single, 'All for You'. These guys really sing and play with the enthusiastic and even happy feel that people are seeking as an alternative to darker artists like Alanis Morissette and Silverchair. Their lyrics are honest, simple, even catchy... The musical side is very good too. The feautured player is the young guitarist Ryan Newell. He pays homage to his slide guitar influences (see Allmans, Freddy Jones Band, Clapton, Harrison) throughout. It's also quite obvious how much time the band puts into their arrangements with the punch of the rhythm section and made to order mix of acoustic and electric guitar . Without furthur ado, go check these guys out at http://www.sisterhazel.com .
The Buena Vista Social Club.
The players and singers of the 'son de Cuba' have nurtured this very refined and deeply funky music in an atmosphere sealed off from the fall out of a hyper-organised and noisy world. In the time of about a hundred and fifty years, they have developed a beautiful ensemble concept that works like greased lightning. This album is blessed with some of the finest musicians in Cuba today - their dedication to the music and rapport with each other is unique in my experience. Working on this project was a joy and a great privilege.
This music is alive in Cuba, not some remnant in a museum that we stumbled into. I felt that I had trained all my life for this and yet making this record was not what I expected in the 1990s. Music is a treasure hunt. You dig and dig and sometimes you find something. In Cuba the music flows like a river. It takes care of you and rebuilds you from the inside out.
Talk About You
I Believe In Aliens
I Believe In Aliens may not be the catchiest band name, but they make it up for it with their very catchy new single "Talk About You". Reminiscent of the boppier No Doubt or Jill Soubule songs, "Talk About You" will get you in the mood for a party with its toe-tapping, soft rock/grunge beats. Having said that, this is very much a first single, but I Believe In Aliens should, like a good red, improve with age. The B side, In My Heart is also boppy and great fun. Definitely worth a listen.
Always On My Mind
Rani
Always On My Mind is a great new alterno-dance tune, by Rani Kahmal (daughter of Kahmal). The version familiar to JJJ listeners, Always On My Mind (Lord's Garden remix), is wonderfully relaxing, with its trance beats and mystic overtones. For those who prefer something a bit more mainstream, try the straight version, which combines a soft dance beat with string undertones. It's vaguely reminiscent of Whitney Houston's recent singles, but don't let that put you off. Rani is fabulous and Always On My Mind should be a big hit.