SOUND CHECK : POP.Michelle Shocked/``Kind-Hearted Woman'' Michelle Shocked's advice on her first commercial release since an acrimonious split with her former record label is simple: ``When you play it, play it LOUD.'' Who's to argue? ``Kind-Hearted Woman'' (Private Music) is quiet only on its surface. Cradling these raw, rough-hewn portrait songs in your basic rock format (Hothouse hothouse: see greenhouse. Flowers guitarist Fiachna O'Braonain and bassist Peter O'Toole Noun 1. Peter O'Toole - British actor (born in Ireland in 1932) O'Toole, Peter Seamus O'Toole Emerald Isle, Hibernia, Ireland - an island comprising the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland , plus Cedric Anderson on drums) enhances the album's simplicity, but it goes much deeper than that. Shocked's impressive, from-the-heart vocals are richly layered. But while her hauntingly beautiful delivery is sometimes reserved, it is mostly marked by the ebullience of a woman on the edge. You want to crank up the volume just to make sure you don't miss anything. Fans might be familiar with this material, which Shocked self-recorded and sold at concerts to raise money during her battle with Mercury, but they might not recognize a lot of it now. Producer Bones Howe (Tom Waits) didn't smooth the edges. If anything, he made the material rougher and more spare. From the ghostly twang of album-opener ``Stillborn'' to the uplifting ``No Sign of Rain,'' this disc is deeply moving and quietly jubilant. ``Kind-Hearted Woman'' is as sure-footed as anything Shocked has ever done. Four Stars SOURCE: - Elizabeth M. Cosin The Heads/``No Talking Just Head'' Anyone expecting the return of the Tom Tom Club The Tom Tom Club is a New Wave band founded in 1980 by spouses and Talking Heads alumni Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz. Biography Although originally established as a side project, the Tom Tom Club enjoyed early success with hits such as "Genius of Love" and "Wordy on this album by three ex-members of the Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American rock band that formed in the early 1970s and was based out of New York City. The group consisted of David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison. can forget it. Which is unfortunate because Tina Weymouth Martina Michèle Weymouth (born on November 22, 1950 in Coronado, California), known simply as Tina Weymouth, is a American musician, best known as a founding member of the influential New Wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club (co-founded with Talking , Chris Frantz Chris Frantz (born Charlton Christopher Frantz, May 8, 1951 in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, United States) was the drummer for both the Talking Heads and the Tom Tom Club. Career He graduated from Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. and Jerry Harrison Jerry Harrison (born Jeremiah Griffin Harrison, 21 February 1949, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was the keyboardist and guitarist for the influential New Wave group, Talking Heads. He was also an original member of The Modern Lovers. still share a feel for lighter-than-air melodies and delightful reggae-tinged grooves. In fact, the best bits on the disappointing ``No Talking Just Head'' (Radioactive/MCA) recall those Tom Tom efforts. ``Damage I've Done,'' sung by ex-Concrete Blonde chanteuse chan·teuse n. A woman singer, especially a nightclub singer. [French, feminine of chanteur, singer, from chanter, to sing; see chant.] Johnette Napolitano, is the standout here. Other cuts, like ``The King Is Gone'' and the title track, boast interesting guitar work but little else to distinguish them. Part of what hurts ``No Talking'' is the use of a different singer - Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (January 22 1960 – November 22 1997) was the original lead singer of the Australian rock band INXS. Biography Early life and career , Maria McKee, Shaun Ryder, Gordon Gano and so on - for each song. Smartly, Napolitano is handling all vocals for the Heads in concert. One Star SOURCE: - Fred Shuster Warren Zevon/``I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology)'' There's more to Warren Zevon than ``Werewolves of London.'' For those who always liked that ultra-catchy tune but couldn't find anything else of Zevon's on the radio, ``I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology)'' (Rhino) does an excellent job capturing the lyricist lyr·i·cist n. A writer of song lyrics. Also called lyrist. Noun 1. lyricist - a person who writes the words for songs lyrist extraordinaire's 20-year career. Zevon honed his musical chops in Los Angeles during the heyday of the Eagles and Jackson Browne, but often got lost in the shuffle. However, his material from those years - ``Excitable excitable /ex·ci·ta·ble/ (ek-sit´ah-b'l) irritable (1). ex·cit·a·ble adj. 1. Capable of reacting to a stimulus. Used of a tissue, cell, or cell membrane. 2. Boy,'' ``Lawyers, Guns and Money,'' ``Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner'' - was on par with anything else that might have been more commercially successful. Among the best aspects of this two-disc, 44-song package is its 50-page booklet. Here, Zevon describes the story behind his often bizarre tunes and is pictured with some of his close friends (Hunter S. Thompson for one, which figures considering Zevon's worldview world·view n. In both senses also called Weltanschauung. 1. The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. 2. A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group. ). The lyrics are included to boot. If you've been a closet Zevonaholic through the years, this is an excellent way to tie his catalog together. Three Stars SOURCE: - Stuart Levine r&b Curtis Mayfield/``New World Order'' Curtis Mayfield could sing the Togo's menu and still come up with one of the best r&b albums of the year. Luckily, you won't find any references to sub sandwiches on ``New World Order'' (Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) .), Mayfield's first platter since the 1990 accident that left him paralyzed par·a·lyze tr.v. par·a·lyzed, par·a·lyz·ing, par·a·lyz·es 1. To affect with paralysis; cause to be paralytic. 2. To make unable to move or act: paralyzed by fear. from the neck down. Produced with help from hip-hop team Organized Noize, this mostly wonderful disc makes only a few bad turns, such as the already dated rap on ``Just a Little Bit of Love.'' However, the majority of these 13 songs represent tip-top modern soul. And the gorgeous title track gets our vote as the new national anthem. Three Stars SOURCE: - Fred Shuster Van Morrison/``Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison'' Mose Allison disciples Van Morrison, Georgie Fame and Ben Sidran gather for a loose, swinging session in honor of the urbane bop-based pianist and singer. Allison himself drops by for some unison singing with Morrison on the sardonic ``I Don't Want Much'' and the ballad ``Perfect Moment,'' but the nicest moment is the gospel-fueled ``Benediction benediction [Lat.,=blessing], solemn blessing usually administered in the name of God by a priest or a minister. The temple worship at Jerusalem had fixed forms of benedictions, and Christians have always given them an important place in ceremony, especially at the ,'' in which Morrison, Sidran and Fame trade off. ``Tell Me Something'' (Verve) isn't a typical Morrison album, since he takes the solo lead on just four out of the 13 tracks. But regardless of who's at the mike, you'll appreciate the great songs, fine r&b singing and sturdy rhythm section. Three Stars SOURCE: - Fred Shuster jazz Jimmy Scott/``Heaven'' Now enjoying a resurgence, this 70-year-old crooner has one of the most haunting, ethereal voices you'll hear, the result of a hormonal deficiency. ``Heaven'' (Warner Bros.), Jimmy Scott's third album for the label, lives up to its title track - the singer's starkly beautiful version of the Talking Heads song where ``heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.'' Other wonders include the traditionals ``Just as I Am'' and ``Wayfarin' Stranger,'' plus Bob Dylan's bluesy ``When He Returns.'' A piano trio provides the spare backup. Scott does the rest. Four Stars SOURCE: - Fred Shuster CAPTION(S): 6 Photos Photo: (1) Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, former members of the Talking Heads, lead a side project titled ``No Talking Just Head'' by the Heads. David Sprague/Daily News (2--6) no caption (CD covers) |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion