SOUND CHECK : POP.George Michael/``Older'' If the mood on George Michael's new album weren't so heavy, the disc might just float away. Like the smooth Brit vocalist's previous studio effort, 1990's ``Listen Without Prejudice Without any loss or waiver of rights or privileges. When a lawsuit is dismissed, the court may enter a judgment against the plaintiff with or without prejudice. When a lawsuit is dismissed without prejudice , Vol. 1,'' the self-produced ``Older'' (DreamWorks/DGC) is golden pop - subtly soulful and self-consciously smart. But something is missing: the spunk. Thanks to airy, shuffling arrangements and wide, hushed synthesizers, ears will wander as Michael drifts through a series of brooding tracks. When things do get moving - on the hopping new single, ``Fastlove,'' for instance - Michael wields a warm, tugging sensuality. But lovely and delicate as Michael can croon croon v. crooned, croon·ing, croons v.intr. 1. To hum or sing softly. 2. To sing popular songs in a soft, sentimental manner. 3. Scots To roar or bellow. , too often the restraint is too much. Try not to sneeze sneeze, involuntary violent expiration of air through the nose and mouth. It results from stimulation of the nervous system in the nose, causing sudden contraction of the muscles of expiration. . Two Stars SOURCE: - Brian McCollum The Cure/``Wild Mood Swings'' ``Wild Mood Swings'' (Elektra/Fiction) is an appropriate title for the first studio album in four years from the Cure. The many faces of Minister of Mope Robert Smith Robert Smith, Bob Smith or Bobby Smith may refer to: Business
n. 1. (used with a sing. verb) a. Electromagnetic radiation produced by natural phenomena such as lightning. b. Radio interference produced by electromagnetic radiation. that hint at the group's earlier work. Lyrically, Smith offers more than the many aspects of sadness. On songs like ``Gone,'' he actually offers solutions (``You have to get up, get out and get gone!''). The problem with ``Mood Swings'' is that its variety sounds uninspired. By contrast, 1989's ``Disintegration'' better combined unpredictability and substance. Three Stars SOURCE: - Sara Sherr Pantera/``The Great Southern Trendkill'' If you're not 16 years old, male and boiling over with rage, a Pantera album can be a tough pill to swallow. Speed-metal songs about psychos living in an insane world are an acquired taste - sort of like fried squid or Liquid Drano. But approach it as if it were a cartoon and the Dallas quartet's fourth album, ``The Great Southern Trendkill'' (Eastwest), hits with the force of falling bricks. The key is to ignore Pantera's bummer bum·mer n. 1. Slang An adverse reaction to a hallucinogenic drug. 2. Slang One that depresses, frustrates, or disappoints: Getting stranded at the airport was a real bummer. of a story line - i.e., life stinks and then you slit your wrists - and proceed directly into its incredible wall of sound: Dimebag Darrell's death-funk guitar riffs are scarier than ``The Exorcist''; jackhammer drummer Vinnie Paul Vinnie Paul (Vincent Paul Abbott) (born on March 11, 1964), in Dallas, Texas, United States is a heavy metal drummer and producer most known for his work in Pantera and Damageplan. Paul also incorporates elements of progressive rock and swing into his drumming. and bassist Rex start, stop and change rhythms like a well-oiled jazz band; and lead yowler Philip Anselmo turns in the performance of his career, grunting like it's feeding time "Feeding Time" is the second sub-episode of Tom and Jerry Tales. Episode Summary Tom is working at a zoo run by Spike, who tells Tom not to feed the zoo animals. Jerry then starts to frame Tom for feeding them so he will get in trouble. at the lion house The Lion House was built in 1856 by Brigham Young in Salt Lake City, Utah to accommodate his family of approximately 27 women and 56 children. Truman O. Angell, Brigham Young's brother-in-law, who designed the Salt Lake City Temple was also involved in the design of this in ``War Nerve'' and forcing his larynx larynx (lâr`ĭngks), organ of voice in mammals. Commonly known as the voice box, the larynx is a tubular chamber about 2 in. (5 cm) high, consisting of walls of cartilage bound by ligaments and membranes, and moved by muscles. to squeal like a 757 in ``Drag the Waters.'' Like episodes of Looney Tunes or Popeye, the best cartoons never stray too far from the blueprint. Three Stars SOURCE: - Thor Christensen JAZZ Pharoah Sanders/``Message From Home'' The woolly, white-bearded saxophonist known as Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders (born October 13, 1940) is an American jazz saxophonist. Ornette Coleman once described him as "probably the best tenor player in the world."[1] has burst onto a major label. Anyone who knows his excellent recent work on Evidence Music will recognize the repeating chords, mystical incantations and soaring shrieks of the master, who can bay and bless with equal ability. Sanders often shows up on rappers' works, and he borrows their roiling street beats. Moments of great beauty abound. The CD (Verve) is top-heavy with keyboards - collaborator William Henderson is joined by Bernie Worrell and Jeff Bova - but the electronics don't prevent Sanders from sounding like himself. Four Stars SOURCE: - Karl Stark Joe Lovano/``Quartets'' This double CD (Blue Note) gives us two snapshots of saxophonist Joe Lovano taken at the height of his skills. The first CD, recorded live at the Village Vanguard in March 1994, positions Lovano with bassist Anthony Cox, drummer Billy Hart and trumpeter Tom Harrell. Without a pianist, this quartet provides infinite space for Lovano to exhale exhale /ex·hale/ (eks´hal) to breathe out. ex·hale v. 1. To breathe out. 2. To emit a gas, vapor, or odor. long breaths and wax unencumbered. The second CD, from January 1995, is more hard-blowing; Lovano fronts pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash. This sax man makes both occasions a party. Four Stars SOURCE: - Karl Stark Richie Beirach Trio/``Trust'' Richie Beirach is one of the most exciting pianists around. His trio, here with drummer Jack DeJohnette and bassist Dave Holland, runs to the free side, though it's also gorgeous-toned and full of surprising interplay on ``Trust'' (Evidence). Beirach and his collaborators are consistently able to draw forth moments of great beauty from these free settings. Four Stars SOURCE: - Karl Stark COUNTRY Kimmie Rhodes/``West Texas Heaven'' Until now, Kimmie Rhodes has been known mainly as a writer - her songs have been covered by such country heavyweights as Wynonna Judd and Trisha Yearwood. ``West Texas Heaven'' (Justice) is her domestic debut, and it's easy to see why revered fellow Texas tunesmiths such as Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Townes Van Zandt and Joe Ely were eager to lend their voices to the project. Rhodes is as talented a singer as she is a songwriter. Like Nanci Griffith and Iris DeMent de·ment tr.v. de·ment·ed, de·ment·ing, de·ments 1. To make (a person) insane. 2. To cause (a person) to lose intellectual capacity. , Rhodes travels a road between folk and country, and her voice possesses an almost angelic purity. The plaintive plain·tive adj. Expressing sorrow; mournful or melancholy. [Middle English plaintif, from Old French, aggrieved, lamenting, from plaint, complaint; see plaint. grace of her singing and the acoustic-based arrangements only enhance the heart-rending impact of such aching tales as ``Hard Promises to Keep'' and ``I Never Heard You Say,'' the plain-spoken profundity of ``Maybe We'll Just Disappear'' and ``Corner of the Bar,'' and the steady resolve of ``I'm Gonna Fly.'' And though Rhodes proves she doesn't have to cut loose to be compelling, on ``Home John'' she swings with such easygoing eas·y·go·ing also eas·y-go·ing adj. 1. a. Living without undue worry or concern; calm. b. Lax or negligent; careless. c. charm that you wish she had done so a bit more. Three Stars SOURCE: - Nick Cristiano CAPTION(S): 3 Photos Photo: (1) Pantera thunders forward on ``The Great South ern Trendkill'' with the talents of bassist Rex, left, singer Philip Anselmo, drummer Vinnie Paul and guitarist Dimebag Darrell. (2) George Michael returns to the album racks with his self-produced ``Older'' disc. (3) Affiliation with a major label doesn't diminish the power of Pharoah Sanders. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion