SOUND CHECK.MARY J. BLIGE: ``Love & Life'' (Geffen/Universal) - one and one half stars Considering the low standards of hip-hop-tainted r&b, Blige is one of the giants. Her new album dredges up every cliche of this genre and while she's a limited vocalist and equally pedestrian 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 , there are elements here that might be appealing for as much as two full weeks after the flush of the initial purchase wears off. Blige's new hair style, for example, is a winner. And the giant gold hoop earrings and highly excellent animal pelt pelt the undressed, raw skin of a wild animal with the fur in place. If from a sheep or goat there is a short growth of wool or mohair on the skin. she wraps around herself on page 14 of the fashion spread CD booklet is another standout. (Good thing PETA Quadrillion (10 to the 15th power). See space/time. doesn't program radio stations.) The music? Like Mariah, Shania and Mya: pink chablis for the SUV. ``Love & Life'' finds Blige reunited with P. Diddy (who produced her 1992 debut disc) and the results seem slightly more subtle than we're used to from the media manipulator. Calling forth cameos from 50 Cent, Eve, Jay-Z and Method Man, the record hits peaks of a sort on ``Love at 1st Sight,'' the lush ``Don't Go'' and, best of all, the Dr. Dre-produced ``No Today,'' tracks destined des·tine tr.v. des·tined, des·tin·ing, des·tines 1. To determine beforehand; preordain: a foolish scheme destined to fail; a film destined to become a classic. 2. for the dance floor. - Fred Shuster STELLA CHIWESHE: ``Talking Mbira mbira or thumb piano African musical instrument consisting of a set of tuned metal or bamboo tongues attached to a board or resonator. The tongues are depressed and released with the thumbs and fingers to produce melodies and song accompaniments. : Spirits of Liberation'' (Piranha piranha: see characin. piranha or caribe Any of several species of deep-bodied, carnivorous fishes in the genus Serrasalmus (family Characidae), abundant in rivers of eastern and central South America and noted for voracity. ) - three stars Chiweshe is the queen of mbira, the lyrical Zimbabwean instrument known as thumb piano - and playing with thumbs never sounded so beautiful. But don't let the tender tones fool you; this music is both complex and powerful. Like Zimbabwe's great band leader Thomas Mapfumo, who uses electric guitars to mimic the mbira, Chiweshe sings in her native Shona about politics and spiritual yearning. The standouts ``Ndabaiwa (I Survived)'' and ``Musandifungise (Don't Remind Me)'' may sound sad but they definitely convey defiance. - Phillip Zonkel WARREN ZEVON: ``The Wind'' (Artemis) - three and one half stars Zevon's graceful, sardonic swan song comes roughly a year after he first learned he had terminal lung cancer and was given three months to live (though gravely ill, he's still alive). Highlights include a couple of punchy punch·y adj. punch·i·er, punch·i·est 1. Characterized by vigor or drive: "He speaks in short, punchy sentences, using plain, populist words that excite" rockers, ``Disorder in the House'' and ``Rub Me Raw''; a wry, terribly on-point cover of Bob Dylan's ``Knockin' on Heaven's Door''; and some poignant ballads, the best of which is the heartfelt ``Keep Me in Your Heart,'' which closes the record and was the last song Zevon recorded. There's only one dud, the generic party tune ``Rest of the Night.'' All-star support comes from Bruce Springsteen, Ry Cooder, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty and T Bone Burnett, who sensibly keep the focus on Zevon. You try making an album after you were already supposed to be dead. - David Kronke PO' GIRL: ``Po' Girl'' (Hightone) - four stars This side project from Canadian roots wonderwomen Trish Klein (of the Be Good Tanyas) and Allison Russell (Fear of Drinking) is an alternately jazzy and folksy folk·sy adj. folk·si·er, folk·si·est Informal 1. Simple and unpretentious in behavior. 2. Characterized by informality and affability: a friendly, folksy town. 3. , old-timey-sounding affair. It's also one of the prettiest albums about depression ever made. Dead accurate titles like ``Bad Luck Day Baby,'' ``Bleak St.'' and ``Cold Hungry Blues'' are put over with lots of light, lively pickin' and the ethereal harmonies that have become a trademark of the Tanyas' sound. For live fun with poverty, addiction and spousal abuse, check out Po' Girl on Thursday for a free set at Amoeba amoeba: see ameba. amoeba One-celled protozoan that can form temporary extensions of cytoplasm (pseudopodia) in order to move about. Some amoebas are found on the bottom of freshwater streams and ponds. and Sept. 5 at the Knitting Factory Hollywood. - Bob Strauss SOUNDTRACK: ``Underworld: Music From the Motion Picture'' (Lakeshore) - four stars Alternative rock gets star billing on this soundtrack to Sony Pictures' ``Underworld,'' an otherworldly take on ``Romeo & Juliet'' with werewolves and vampires. The album opens with ``Awakening,'' the deliciously dark anthem by the Damning Well, a supergroup made up of Wes Borland (formerly of Limp Bizkit), Filter's Richard Patrick, A Perfect Circle's Josh Freese and Nine Inch Nails' Danny Lohner, who also produces the 19-track set. Lohner's collaboration with Maynard James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle fame on the sacrilegious sac·ri·le·gious adj. 1. Grossly irreverent toward what is or is held to be sacred. 2. Having committed sacrilege. sac ``Rev 22:20'' is fearless. Other standouts include Milla Jovovich's spacy spac·y or spac·ey adj. spac·i·er, spac·i·est Slang 1. Stupefied or disoriented from or as if from drug use. 2. Eccentric; offbeat. Adj. 1. ``Rocket Collecting,'' David Bowie's strange ``Bring Me the Disco King.'' - Sandra Barrera CAPTION(S): 6 photos Photo: (1) no caption (Mary J. Blige) Lester Cohen/WireImage.com (2 -- 6) no caption (CD covers) |
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