SOUND CHECK.BLUR: ``Think Tank'' (Virgin) - Three stars King Kong-size creative differences led to the sudden departure of Blur's longtime guitarist Graham Coxon Graham Coxon (born Graham Leslie Coxon on 12 March 1969, in Rinteln, West Germany) is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter. He is best known as the guitarist in the rock band Blur. early on in the recording process. But singer and resident pinup pin·up n. 1. a. A picture, especially of a sexually attractive person, that is displayed on a wall. b. A person considered a suitable model for such a picture. 2. Damon Albarn Damon Albarn, (IPA: ['dɛɪmən 'ɔːɫbɑːn]) (born March 23, 1968 in Leytonstone, London), is an English singer-songwriter who gained fame as the lead singer of rock band Blur. , mastermind of the hugely successful splinter project Gorillaz and the apparent cause of the rift, pressed on. Taking control, Albarn and the remaining twosome packed up their gear and headed to Morocco, where they recorded this 13-track set of world music-inspired Britpop (plus the hidden ``White Noise''). Standouts include the Fatboy Slim-produced ``Crazy Beat'' and the subdued ``Ambulance,'' with ghostly echoes of Philly soul. ``Out of Time'' is reminiscent of late-'60s/early-'70s blue-eyed soul Blue-eyed soul (also known as white soul) is a term used to describe R&B or soul music performed by white artists. The term is a misnomer, in that the artists don't all have blue eyes. , while ``Brothers and Sisters'' indulges the listener in George Clinton-esque atomic funk laced with hip-hop beats and narcotic narcotic, any of a number of substances that have a depressant effect on the nervous system. The chief narcotic drugs are opium, its constituents morphine and codeine, and the morphine derivative heroin. See also drug addiction and drug abuse. lyrics. - Sandra Barrera GREG TROOPER: ``Floating'' (Sugar Hill) 1/2 A pleasing balance of acoustic folk forms and classic, electrified pop idioms makes this earthy singer-songwriter's latest (in stores Tuesday) an ever-changing delight. Trooper doesn't quite have the vocal chops to put across blue-eyed soul but otherwise injects just the right emotional nuance into rock novelties, Cajun one-nighters, Irish ballads and many others. The title track is a masterpiece, a nostalgic ode to nature that naturally evolves into a harrowing country death song. - Bob Strauss MARCUS MILLER This article is about the jazz musician. For the German football goalkeeper, see Markus Miller. Marcus Miller (born June 14, 1959 in New York) is a grammy award-winning jazz musician, composer and producer, perhaps best known as a bass guitarist with Miles : ``The Ozell Tapes: The Official Bootleg'' (Telarc) - Three and one half stars Miller released a hit-and-miss live album six years ago, but this electrifying e·lec·tri·fy tr.v. e·lec·tri·fied, e·lec·tri·fy·ing, e·lec·tri·fies 1. To produce electric charge on or in (a conductor). 2. a. two-disc set more than makes up for it and stands as an absolutely essential set for longtime fans. Playing bass, clarinet, soprano sax and keyboards, Miller leads a top-flight, groove-heavy band through two sets that highlight every aspect of his illustrious career. Miller`s association with Miles Davis Noun 1. Miles Davis - United States jazz musician; noted for his trumpet style (1926-1991) Miles Dewey Davis Jr., Davis is noted with a funky ``So What'' and a lovely ``I Loves You Porgy'' and, on the second disc, a 20-minute medley of Miller/Davis' '80s tunes ``Hannibal,'' ``Tutu'' and ``Amandla.'' Elsewhere, vocalist Lalah Hathaway guests, turning in fine vocals on several covers, including ``Killing Me Softly.'' The album takes its title from the fact that these recordings come straight from the soundboard without any remixing. None is needed or wanted. This is pure Miller, pure delight. - Glenn Whipp ALBERT KING: ``Talkin' Blues'' (Thirsty Ear) - Three and one half stars Featuring selected moments of an inauspicious in·aus·pi·cious adj. Not favorable; not auspicious. in  aus·pi club set in the winter of 1978, this posthumous release is infused with the humility, dignity and resourcefulness of the hard-driving blues King. Backed by a tight horn section reminiscent of his Stax Records heyday a decade earlier, King displays the distinctive attack that inspired Eric Clapton and a generation of blues-rockers. He also surprises with a silky-voiced reading of the ballad ``The Very Thought of You,'' and a rocked-up arrangement of his signature tune ``I'll Play the Blues for You.'' The album includes 5- to 12-minute versions of seven songs, plus brief interview snippets that, unfortunately, shed little light on the left-handed guitar man. - Rick Mortensen SKATALITES: ``From Paris With Love'' (World Village) - Three and one half stars In its pure form, ska was a uniquely Jamaican, wonderfully deranged de·range tr.v. de·ranged, de·rang·ing, de·rang·es 1. To disturb the order or arrangement of. 2. To upset the normal condition or functioning of. 3. To disturb mentally; make insane. mix of calypso Calypso, in Greek mythology Calypso (kəlĭp`sō), nymph, daughter of Atlas, in Homer's Odyssey. She lived on the island of Ogygia and there entertained Odysseus for seven years. , Afro-Cuban jazz and r&b; the Skatalites, which first recorded four decades ago, were the tightest of the lot. But while the double-timing ensemble's output has been spotty in recent years, this unexpectedly superb, mostly instrumental effort comes deliriously close to capturing the spirit of those brilliant '60s sessions. Here, the group, featuring five original members, continues the ska tradition of reworking movie themes with a razor-sharp ``From Russia With Love.'' New knockout drops ``Lester's Mood'' and ``Glory to the Sound'' work well next to fresh remakes of ``African Beat'' and the perennial ``Guns of Navarone.'' Up-full indeed. - Fred Shuster CAPTION(S): 6 photos Photo: (1) BLUR (2 -- 6) no caption (CD covers) |
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