SOUND CHECK.Maxwell/``MTV MTV in full Music Television U.S. cable television network, established in 1980 to present videos of musicians and singers performing new rock music. MTV won a wide following among rock-music fans worldwide and greatly affected the popular-music business. Unplugged'' Nuevo-soul star Maxwell keeps the romance coming on this slick seven-track souvenir of his MTV recital in May. Backed by a tight, semi-acoustic band, plus harmony singers, Maxwell calls upon the ghost of Marvin Gaye on warm standouts such as ``The Hush'' suite and Kate Bush's ``This Woman's Work.'' Less welcome is a cover of Trent Reznor's downright silly ``Closer'' in which our one-named hero wants to ``love you like an animal.'' Monkey, hippo or tree frog? Two Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Patsy Cline/``Live at the Cimarron Ballroom'' Here's raw, unvarnished Patsy, minus strings, Nashville cats, echo and all the other familiar elements of her hits. This 1961 set cut at a Tulsa ballroom captures Cline's first performance since her near-fatal car wreck the previous month. Patsy's in fine form, giving her all to ``A Poor Man's Roses'' and ``I Fall to Pieces,'' slinging fast, funny comebacks to the crowd, bantering with her musicians, delivering unexpected pop covers such as ``Shake, Rattle and Roll,'' and proving why she's still considered the greatest female country singer of 'em all. Three and One Half Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Kula Kula can refer to: Geographic locations
Tabla-rockers Kula Shakur offer six new recordings, including a retooled version of the MTV and club hit ``Govinda,'' the previously unreleased acoustic ballad ``Dance in Your Shadow'' and the band's first British hit, ``Troubled Mind.'' Kula's '60s-inspired sound has its supporters, and this limited-edition E.P. should fill in the blanks until a new studio recording or local gig rolls around. Two and One Half Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Lamb/``Lamb'' Manchester trip-hop duo Lamb draw upon jazz, soundtracks, hip-hop drums and spacey spac·ey adj. Slang Variant of spacy. Adj. 1. spacey - stupefied by (or as if by) some narcotic drug spaced-out, spacy unconventional - not conventional or conformist; "unconventional life styles" atmospherics at·mos·pher·ics n. 1. (used with a sing. verb) a. Electromagnetic radiation produced by natural phenomena such as lightning. b. Radio interference produced by electromagnetic radiation. to produce what they call ``future be-bop.'' To sum up: the heart of Portishead and the soul of a drum machine. While ``Lamb'' drags in places, the group manages to come up with some new and inviting melodies, especially on opening track ``Lusty'' and the eerie ``Cotton Wool.'' Two Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Luna/``Pup Tent'' On alt-rock minimalists Luna's fourth album, the foursome rustles up more energy and pop songcraft than previous releases would lead listeners to expect. Singer-guitarist-lyricist Dean Wareham has his limitations, evident on the title track's cliched cli·chéd also cliched adj. Having become stale or commonplace through overuse; hackneyed: "In the States, it might seem a little clichéd; in Paris, it seems fresh and original" use of voice-obscuring studio effects, but the band bounces back strong with moody guitar-driven standouts like ``Bobby Peru'' and ``Whispers.'' Two and One Half Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Stevie Ray Vaughan Stephen "Stevie" Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990), born in Dallas, Texas, was an American blues guitarist. His broad appeal, combination of unbelievable speed, precision, energy, passion and emotion and constant expansion of his Blues style into Funk, Jazz, and Double Trouble/``Live at Carnegie Hall'' For a band that honed its chops in funky bars, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble sound surprisingly comfortable in New York's posh Carnegie Hall. Recorded in late '84 as the late Texas singer-guitarist's career was skyrocketing, the show was a major production complete with guest stars (Jimmie Vaughan, Dr. John, Angela Strehli), a horn section, a new stage set and mariachi-style velvet suits. In addition to hits such as ``Cold Shot'' and ``Pride and Joy,'' the set included blues gems such as Albert Collins' ``Collins Shuffle,'' Albert King's ``C.O.D.'' and Guitar Slim's ``Letter to My Girlfriend.'' Four Stars ?13- Thor Christensen Dallas Morning News Soundtrack/``187'' The soundtrack to ``187'' is all about sophisticated cool, with the influence of Tricky and Massive Attack hanging heavy. Galliano's like-minded ``Slack Hands'' deserves to be a hit and Everything But the Girl's ``Flipside'' is a catchy leftover. Prodigy rears its head on a remix of Method Man's ``Release Yo' Self,'' while David Darling's ``November'' and DJ Shadow's ``Stem'' provide the only semblance of traditional film scoring. But much like the ``Spawn'' disc, the second half of ``187'' plays like one long mix. It doesn't enthrall for its entirety, but neither does it bore completely. Two Stars ?13- Ben Wener Orange County Register Joe/``All That I Am'' From the album's 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. six-minute opening track, ``All the Things (Your Man Won't Do),'' young r&b phenom Joe delivers unwavering passion. Powerful vocals and lush arrangements highlight this project by the fertile singer-writer-producer. Steady, melody-driven compositions provide a riveting stage for a young artist whose vocal discipline is mature beyond his years. By combining youthful enthusiasm with classically crafted songs, the set transcends the trendy in favor of timelessness. The artist tastefully avoids excessive vocal gymnastics, giving the material a sophisticated appeal. Highlights range from the reverent rev·er·ent adj. Marked by, feeling, or expressing reverence. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin rever ``How Soon'' to the syncopated syn·co·pate tr.v. syn·co·pat·ed, syn·co·pat·ing, syn·co·pates 1. Grammar To shorten (a word) by syncope. 2. Music To modify (rhythm) by syncopation. ``Sanctified sanc·ti·fy tr.v. sanc·ti·fied, sanc·ti·fy·ing, sanc·ti·fies 1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate. 2. To make holy; purify. 3. Girl (Can't Fight This Feeling).'' Three Stars ?13- Billboard Sarah McLachlan/``Surfacing'' For the first time in her career, Sarah McLachlan doesn't have much to say, although she does have a way of packing a haunting wallop into trite lyrics. But too much of her fifth album seems formless form·less adj. 1. Having no definite form; shapeless. See Synonyms at shapeless. 2. Lacking order. 3. Having no material existence. and uninspired. Perhaps blame should fall on producer Pierre Marchand, whose usually spot-on instincts for atmosphere and subtlety fail him here. The busy strings that undercut ``Angel'' or the cluttered languidness of ``I Love You,'' for instance, taint taint an unpleasant odor and flavor in a human foodstuff of animal origin. Caused by the ingestion of the substance, commonly a plant such as Hexham scent, or while in storage, e.g. milk stored with pineapples, or as a result of animal metabolism, e.g. boar taint. otherwise wrenching songs. It's lamentable la·men·ta·ble adj. Inspiring or deserving of lament or regret; deplorable or pitiable. See Synonyms at pathetic. lam  en·ta·bly adv. when the most powerful, emotionally gripping song on a Sarah McLachlan album comes via an instrumental - in this case, the out-of-tune piano and swooning swoon intr.v. swooned, swoon·ing, swoons 1. To faint. 2. To be overwhelmed by ecstatic joy. n. 1. A fainting spell; syncope. See Synonyms at blackout. 2. saw of the closing ``Last Dance.'' Two Stars ?13- Ben Wener Soundtrack/``Star Maps'' Built around both rock cult favorites and up-and-coming rock en Espanol firebrands Firebrands is the name of an emerging rock band based in Singapore. The group has been performing and recording a blend of Hard Rock, Funk, Rap and Electronica since early 2005. , ``Star Maps'' inhabits a universe where English and Spanish are interchangeable. Appropriately, the music catches this cultural flash point, veering from the Cypress Hill-esque rap of Mexico's ``Comprendes Mendes'' and the rough 'n' tumble ska of King Chango's ``Don't Drop Your Pants'' to the jazzy jazz·y adj. jazz·i·er, jazz·i·est 1. Resembling jazz in form or nature; rhythmical. 2. Slang Showy; flashy: a jazzy car. pop of Aterciopelados' ``Chica Dificil'' and the moody rock of Big Star's ``Take Care.'' In a season of sound-alike soundtracks, this one truly stands out. Three Stars ?13- Cary Darling Orange County Register CAPTION(S): 7 Photos Photo: (1) ``Live at the Cimarron Ballroom'' chronicles Patsy Cline in fine form at a 1961 concert. (2--7) no caption (CD covers) |
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