SOUND CHECK.Metallica/``Garage Inc.'' (Elektra) This collection of '70s covers allows Metallica singer James Hetfield to find more emotion in his voice than he has managed in his own songs. The take on Lynyrd Skynyrd's ``Tuesday's Gone'' connects him to the blues, while Thin Lizzy's ``Whiskey in the Jar'' nudges him toward the drunken wit of Celtic rock. But the set is largely geared toward fun. On that level, it delivers. Better, the group hasn't wholly turned its back on the lesser-known bands they met on the way up. The 27-song set offers fresh covers of material from acts like Discharge, the Misfits and Mercyful Fate. The package even includes the original ``Garage Revisited'' EP, which Elektra yanked off the market in '89. Three stars - Jim Farber New York Daily News New York Daily News Morning daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson and his cousin Robert McCormick as a subsidiary of the Tribune Co. of Chicago. The first successful tabloid-format newspaper in the U.S. Soundtrack/``Psycho: Music From and Inspired by the Motion Picture'' (Geffen) ``Psycho'' comes packed with gems: a suitably spooky Howie B. tune, ``Once Is Not Enough,'' featuring voice samples from the new Norman Bates, Vince Vaughan; an even more unnerving un·nerve tr.v. un·nerved, un·nerv·ing, un·nerves 1. To deprive of fortitude, strength, or firmness of purpose. 2. To make nervous or upset. Mono track, ``Madhouse,'' that builds on Bernard Hermann's famous screeching strings theme; raucous death-rock from Rob Zombie and Girls Against Boys Girls Against Boys are an indie rock/post-hardcore band, originally forming in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and currently based in New York City. The group began as a side project of Eli Janney and Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty. ; an amusing (if not convincingly unsettling un·set·tle v. un·set·tled, un·set·tling, un·set·tles v.tr. 1. To displace from a settled condition; disrupt. 2. To make uneasy; disturb. v.intr. ) cover of Talking Heads' ``Psycho Killer'' from James Hall; and new grooves from the underrated Lamb and Lionrock. Three stars - Ben Wener Orange County Register M.O.T./``19.99'' (Messiah/Sire) Borscht-belt humor has been applied to hip-hop before, but rarely with the acerbic wit and musical panache employed by the Los Angeles-based music-industry insiders called Members of the Tribe. On ``19.99,'' Ice Berg and Dr. Dreidle throw down terse and topical musings on anti-Semitism (``Psychosemitic''), the Jewish Mafia (``Kosher Nostra'') and the annoying problems of MSG MSG: see glutamic acid. (``Emmes G''). The musical accompaniments fall on the soft side of the rap spectrum, and several tracks are more Spice Girls-style pop than hip-hop. But the wordplay - from the liner notes by Meshugge Knight to the virtues of a Lincoln Town Car The Lincoln Town Car is a rear wheel drive full-size luxury sedan and serves as the flagship of Ford's Lincoln luxury car division. Often referred to as a traditional American luxury sedan, the Town Car features a V8 engine, rear wheel drive, very generous exterior and interior (``big black sofa on four wheels'') to the chant that underpins ``Double Dutch Lunch'' (``throw your hams in the air like you just don't care'') - celebrates the quirky nuances of both cultures without trashing either. Two and one half stars - Tom Moon Philadelphia Inquirer Nico/``The Classic Years'' (Chronicles) You'd think a European beauty with the requisite '60s blond hair, blue eyes, full lips and high cheekbones - not to mention musical collaborations with emerging icons Jimmy Page, Lou Reed and Jackson Browne - would be too good to be true. She was. Nico had the whole package except an ability to sing, which tends to be career poison for a singer. The fact is, had she not looked the way she did - think a wispier, gloomier Claudia Schiffer - her musical career would never have gotten off the ground, much less lasted through half a dozen failed albums. Still, there must be somebody who likes this kind of stuff - she's legendary, you know. One star - Rick Shefchik St. Paul Pioneer Press
The St. Paul Pioneer Press is a newspaper based in St. Paul, Minnesota, primarily serving the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Spiritualized/``Live at the Royal Albert Hall'' (Arista arista (ä·riˑ·st ) In the '80s, Spiritualized Spiritualized is an English rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Jason Pierce (who often goes by the alias J. Spaceman) after the demise of his previous outfit, space-rockers Spacemen 3. main man Jason Pierce nodded off in one-chord guitar trances with Spaceman 3. In the '90s, Pierce emerged from the ashes of that band's burnout Burnout Depletion of a tax shelter's benefits. In the context of mortgage backed securities it refers to the percentage of the pool that has prepaid their mortgage. to raise the stakes of psychedelic rock music to towering heights, a process fully realized on last year's ``Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please help Wikipedia by adding references. See the for details. This article has been tagged since September 2007. .'' Accompanied by strings, horns and a gospel choir, ``Albert Hall'' captures the sprawling, purple-mountain majesty of the band's live performances. Four stars - Jonathan Valania Philadelphia Inquirer P.M. Dawn/``Dearest Christian, I'm So Very Sorry for Bringing You Here. Love, Dad'' (Gee Street/V2) On the fourth album from ethereal trip-hop mainstays P.M. Dawn, singer Prince Be, inspired by the birth of his first child, lists an extensive inventory of things that are wrong - starting with his own shortcomings, then branching out to the craven coldheartedness of the world. The singing is soulful. He has a gentle, earnest voice and the ability to make otherwise corny phrases seem righteous. But while the sumptuous tracks exude ex·ude v. To ooze or pass gradually out of a body structure or tissue. a low-key, contemplative soul as well, ``Dearest Christian'' drones on like an overwrought apologia ap·o·lo·gi·a n. A formal defense or justification. See Synonyms at apology. [Latin, apology; see apology. . Two stars - Tom Moon Eddy (The Chief) Clearwater/``Cool Blues Walk'' (Bullseye An established reference point from which the position of an object can be referenced. See also reference point. Blues) Give a lot of credit to guitarist-producer Duke Robillard and his band, a superb outfit that can swing and strut, get lowdown low·down n. Slang The whole truth: gave us the lowdown on what happened at the party. lowdown low (inf) n he gave me the lowdown on it → and even be a little funky. Clearwater makes the most of this sterling support. He contributes eight strong originals among the 11 tracks and sings with gritty, open-hearted intensity, from the horn-fueled boasts of the title track and ``Bad Mamma Jamma'' to the uncommon gentleness of ``I Love You'' and the slow-blues anguish of ``Stranded.'' Even a countrified coun·tri·fied also coun·try·fied adj. 1. Resembling or having the characteristics of country life; rural. 2. Lacking sophistication. tune, ``Nashville Road,'' rings with an emotional truth that fits right in. ``I play the blues for a living, but I live to sing these blues,'' Clearwater asserts on the final cut. You can hear that conviction in every note. Four stars - Nick Cristiano Philadelphia Inquirer Oscar Peterson and Benny Green/``Oscar and Benny'' (Telarc) Peterson appears here with his trio and a young version of himself, pianist Benny Green, for a romp. Green displays a good feel for a bluesy riff, and Peterson joins him for an outing that is both collegial and competitive. Peterson still likes to test his bandmates. Fortunately, Green, Peterson's longtime bassist Ray Brown and drummer Gregory Hutchinson are up to the challenge. Rooted in '50s swing, this CD has a slightly dated feel, but it comes from a reliable vineyard. Three and one half stars - Karl Stark Philadelphia Inquirer Cat Power/``Moon Pix'' (Matador) Cat Power is the name of the band, but it's basically singer-guitarist Chan Marshall, a folkie folk·ie also folk·y n. pl. folk·ies 1. A folk singer or musician. 2. One who is an enthusiast of folk music. adj. type whose heart lies in the realm of rock. She's previously released a trio of discs and singles that have had their various moments; but on Moon Pix, it feels like she's finally brought it all together. She's like a young, female Neil Young - not only in the way she crosses genres but also in the way that she is a one-of-a-kind artist. Songs such as ``Metal Heart'' and ``He Turns Down'' are basic and evocative but also have a sense of authority that makes the listener stop and contemplate their simplicity. The first song, ``American Flag,'' has a slide guitar and whispering sound effects that give it a fabulously laconic quality. Three stars - Teresa Gubbins Dallas Morning News CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Music-industry insiders Members of the Tribe meld Judaism and hip-hop on such tunes as ``Psychosemitic,'' ``Kosher Nostra'' and ``Emmes G.'' |
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