SOUND CHECK.RADIOHEAD/``Kid A'' (Capitol) Rolling Stone rolling stone Noun a restless or wandering person calls it a ``space-rock opera.'' Spin says it's a ``post-rock masterpiece.'' Billboard finds it ``truly groundbreaking.'' Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated is the largest weekly American sports magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. It has over 3 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men, 19% of the adult males in the country. is still waiting for a review copy. However you label it, Radiohead's much-anticipated fourth album tears up the guitar-rock blueprint, confounds expectations and perversely challenges listeners to find treasure beneath the sonic murk murk also mirk n. Partial or total darkness; gloom. adj. Archaic Partially or totally dark; gloomy. [Middle English mirke, from Old Norse myrkr . And treasure there is, although it may take a good half-dozen spins to make out its shadow. At first, ``Kid A'' appears disjointed, shallow, unfocused un·fo·cused also un·fo·cussed adj. 1. Not brought into focus: an unfocused lens. 2. and anti-climactic. Where the Brit quintet's previous effort, ``OK Computer,'' often followed along conventional prog-rock lines, this one seems to make a left turn and then leave Earth entirely, taking its cues from early electronic music efforts and Brain Eno's wordless, computer-generated ambient-music series. But the experimental ``Kid A'' has a heart, despite Thom Yorke's sometimes unintelligible UNINTELLIGIBLE. That which cannot be understood. 2. When a law, a contract, or will, is unintelligible, it has no effect whatever. Vide Construction, and the authorities there referred to. vocals and the band's otherworldly instrumental sounds and textures. Repeat listenings reveal the subtle programmed rhythms lurking in the jarring ``The National Anthem'' and the ironically titled opener ``Everything in Its Right Place,'' in which nothing is in its right place. There are slightly more familiar moments, too. ``How to Disappear Completely'' wouldn't sound too out of place on radio, while the opaque instrumental ``Treefingers'' is almost a lullaby, albeit one that was programmed by androids. Today, though, ``Kid A'' suggests how pop music will sound in the future. Three and one half stars - Fred Shuster 98 DEGREES/``Revelation'' (Universal) 98 Degrees' newie might end up being the hottest thing in the racks since Britney Spears did it again - at least, as far as teen girls are concerned. The pouty foursome's third disc is a kind of concept album, a mix of their signature ballads and upbeat numbers touching on the various stages of new love. And we do mean touching. Consider the opening track and single, ``Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche),'' which finds muscle-bound mus·cle·bound also mus·cle-bound adj. 1. Having inelastic, overdeveloped muscles, usually as the result of excessive exercise. 2. a. Hindered by or as if by overdeveloped muscles. b. man-boys Nick and Drew Lachey Andrew "Drew" John Lachey (born August 8, 1976 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American singer and actor, best known as a member of 98 Degrees, the winner of the second season of Dancing with the Stars, and the younger brother of Nick Lachey. , Jeff Timmons Jeffrey Brandon Timmons (born April 30, 1973 in Canton, Ohio) was the founding member of the pop group 98 Degrees, which sold over 10 million records and charted eight top 40 singles. He has since worked as a solo artist. and Justin Jeffre Justin Jeffre (b. February 25 1973, Mount Clemens, Michigan) is a member of the multi-platinum group 98 Degrees. Biography After attending St. Vivian's elementary school until the fifth grade, Justin Jeffre found his passion in high school. harmonizing over Latin rhythms for a chance to, gulp, ``give you the time of your life.'' The temperature rises halfway through, when a sensual senorita begins murmuring in Spanish. ``Revelation'' finds tender moments, too, as in the reflective ``Yesterday's Letter.'' But it's really dance-pop items like the hip-hop soul of ``He'll Never Be ... (What I Used to Be to You)'' and the funky ``Dizzy'' that carry the day. Three stars - Sandra Barrera AMY A`my´ n. 1. A friend. RIGBY/``The Sugar Tree'' (Koch) A stellar singer-songwriter who balances her romantic frustrations with mature wit and confessional folkiness with a shrewd pop sensibility, Rigby knows just when to tickle while setting up her emotional sucker punches. With Beatles-esque bounce here and moves from the Neil Young playbook there, she introduces us to a variety of noncommittal males (``Try and try but you just won't give, I wish you didn't know where I live'' she laments, characteristically, on ``You Get to Me''). But her scuffed angel's voice leaves the impression that this smart, passionate woman is just as angry at herself as at anyone else over the whole sex/love disconnect thing. Songs such as ``Rode Hard'' and ``Cynically Yours'' deliver on their suggestive titles' promise, but even at her rawest, Rigby is much too insightful an artist to ever quite be rude. Four stars - Bob Strauss RAY BROWN/``Some of My Best Friends Some of My Best Friends is a short-lived comedy shown on CBS from February 28 until April 11, 2001. The series starred Jason Bateman as Warren, a gay writer living in Greenwich Village, at 36 Christopher Street, and Danny Nucci as Frankie, his straight roommate. Are ... the Trumpet Players'' (Telarc) The venerable bassist Brown continues to make beautiful music, some 54 years after debuting with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie Noun 1. Dizzy Gillespie - United States jazz trumpeter and exponent of bebop (1917-1993) Gillespie, John Birks Gillespie . This is the fourth entry in Brown's ``Some of My Best Friends Are'' series, following recordings with singers, pianists and sax players. The assembled talent is impressive: Roy Hargrove, Jon Faddis, James Morrison, Terence Blanchard, Nicolas Payton and Clark Terry each play with Brown's trio on two songs. Highlights include Payton's fiery take on Joe Henderson's ``The Kicker'' and Faddis' soulful version of the Milt Jackson standard ``Bags Groove.'' But the real find is Morrison, a little-known Australian whose lyrical gifts deserve to be heard as a headliner. As usual, Brown guides each song with his steady, supple playing. Three and one half stars - Glenn Whipp GREEN DAY/``Warning'' (Reprise re·prise n. 1. Music a. A repetition of a phrase or verse. b. A return to an original theme. 2. A recurrence or resumption of an action. tr.v. ) It had to happen. Pioneering snotty punks Green Day are taking themselves seriously. The Bay Area trio's sixth album is the sound of an aging skate-punk clinging to his glory days. Gone is singer Billie Joe Armstrong's self-deprecating humor, trademark pop-punk guitars and the wide-eyed melodies that propelled 1994's ``Dookie'' into 10 million homes. The hook-filled ``Waiting'' is the one track that stands out on this mostly tired set. Two stars - F.S. CAPTION(S): 8 photos Photo: (1 -- 5) no caption (Radiohead group) (6 -- 8) no caption (CD covers) |
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