SOUND CHECK.Mariah Carey/``Butterfly'' Pop diva Mariah Carey's latest opus shows her continuing to mature in her songcraft, her vocal delivery, and her overall musical approach. An album that images Carey as adult-oriented vocalist, sex symbol and occasional rhythm/hip-hop stylist, ``Butterfly'' features the talents of such red-hot producers as Sean ``Puffy'' Combs, Poke and Tone of Trackmasters, longtime collaborator Walter Afanasieff, David Morales and Carey herself. Among the highlights are lead single ``Honey,'' which is made to order for rhythm-oriented top-40 outlets and has wide crossover potential beyond that base; the title track ballad, a romantic ode to independence; and other ballads, including ``Fourth of July Fourth of July, Independence Day, or July Fourth, U.S. holiday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Celebration of it began during the American Revolution. ,'' ``Babydoll'' and ``Whenever You Call.'' A milestone record for one of the most successful and visible artists of the '90s. Three and One Half Stars ?13- Billboard Trisha Yearwood/``Songbook: A Collection of Hits'' This greatest-hits collection is notable for Yearwood's heavily anticipated duet with Garth Brooks. ``In Another's Eyes'' is a bittersweet bittersweet, name for two unrelated plants, belonging to different families, both fall-fruiting woody vines sometimes cultivated for their decorative scarlet berries. song that underscores the guilt and betrayal inherent in an illicit affair. Brooks and Yearwood, a vocal pairing that has clicked in previous instances when one or the other singing background harmony, more than do the theme justice. Yearwood also shines on another original song, ``Perfect Love,'' an uplifting, uptempo tune that does justice to its title. Less convincing is the sappy sentiment of ``How Do I Live,'' the third original on the collection, from the soundtrack for the film ``Con-Air.'' The rest is a portrait of a successful career at its prime. Three Stars ?13- Gene Harbrecht Orange County Register Coolio/``My Soul'' You know him as a rapper, but Coolio's real talent is balancing on high wires. He spends his third album, ``My Soul,'' walking on a thin rope between gangsta rap gang·sta rap also gangster rap n. A style of rap music associated with urban street gangs and characterized by violent, tough-talking, often misogynistic lyrics. and socially conscious anti-gangsta rap. While he falters at times, he never falls. At his best, Coolio emerges as a hip-hop news commentator - a la Public Enemy's Chuck D Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), better known by his stage name Chuck D, is an American rapper, composer, actor, author, radio personality and producer. Chuck was born in Roosevelt, Long Island, New York, U.S. . - instead of just another blustery blus·ter v. blus·tered, blus·ter·ing, blus·ters v.intr. 1. To blow in loud, violent gusts, as the wind during a storm. 2. a. To speak in a loudly arrogant or bullying manner. participant like Snoop Doggy Dogg or the late Tupac Shakur. The L.A.-raised rapper (alias Artis Ivey) doesn't shy from painting detailed portraits of inner-city thug life. ``Nature of the Business'' - a rewrite of Glenn Frey's ``Smuggler's Blues'' - is every bit as gritty as an episode of ``Homicide.'' But he wisely steers clear of the ultraviolent cliches that dominate gangsta rap. If rap doesn't work out for him, Coolio might consider a job on ``Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Mister Rogers' Neighborhood or Mister Rogers is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood .'' Three Stars. ?13- Thor Christensen Dallas Morning News Sonny Rollins/``The Complete Sonny Rollins Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7 1930 in New York City) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Rollins' long, prolific career began at the age of 11, and he was playing with piano legend Thelonious Monk before reaching the age of 20. RCA See RCA connector and video/TV history. Victor Recordings'' In the period between March 1957 and March 1958, tenor saxophonist Noun 1. tenor saxophonist - a musician who plays the tenor saxophone tenorist saxist, saxophonist - a musician who plays the saxophone Sonny Rollins recorded three of the most brilliant trio records in jazz history: ``Way Out West,'' ``A Night at the Village Vanguard'' and ``Freedom Suite.'' A year later, Rollins was deep into a self-imposed woodshed/reflection period, during which he avoided clubs and recording studios for the acoustic openness of New York's Williamsburg Bridge. When he emerged in 1962, it was with a new label, a new clarity of tone and a new quartet that included guitarist Jim Hall, who made invaluable contributions to ``The Bridge,'' the first - and best - of the six albums Rollins was to record for RCA. The albums, which have been retitled more times than a classic Corvette corvette, small warship, classed between a frigate and a sloop-of-war. Corvettes usually were flush-decked and carried fewer than 28 guns. They were widely employed in escorting convoys and attacking merchant ships during the great naval wars of the late 18th and , have finally been reinstated to their original forms in this handsome, slipcased and well-annotated six-CD collection. It adds rare alternates and outtakes, and makes a convincing case that even Rollins' unsuccessful experiments, such as the avant-garde encounter with trumpeter Don Cherry on ``Our Man in Jazz'' or the overly respectful teaming with Coleman Hawkins on ``Sonny Meets Hawk,'' are more interesting than most of what passes as classic jazz. Four Stars ?13- Terry Lawson Knight-Ridder Tribune News Wire Talk Show/``Talk Show'' You won't hear it on your speakers, but undoubtedly there's a big sigh of relief wedged somewhere in the mix on ``Talk Show.'' After two years of enduring vocalist Scott Weiland's fickle work ethic - which was fueled in part by his infernal heroin addiction - the functioning members of Stone Temple Pilots Stone Temple Pilots (abbreviated STP) was a popular Grammy Award-winning American hard rock band in the 1990s and early 2000s, consisting of Scott Weiland (vocals), brothers Robert (bass guitar, vocals) and Dean DeLeo (guitar), and Eric Kretz (drums, percussion). decided to skirt the soap operas and get back to making music full time. Talk Show features STPers Robert DeLeo (bass), Dean DeLeo (guitar) and Eric Kretz (drums), along with vocalist Dave Coutts, a virtual unknown from the Long Beach band Ten Inch Men. ``Talk Show'' is ultimately too loose and goosey to serve as a solid next step on the creative staircase the band had built with Weiland's hearty rock vocals and off-kilter lyrics. But as a hunk of middle-lane rock 'n' roll rock 'n' roll: see rock music. , it does just fine. Three Stars ?13- Brian McCollum Knight-Ridder Tribune News Wire Christopher Rouse/``Symphony No. 2,'' ``Flute Concerto,'' ``Phaethon.'' The record industry has been good to Christopher Rouse of late. Yo-Yo Ma recorded his Cello Concerto for Sony, RCA has issued a new disc featuring his Trombone trombone [Ital.,=large trumpet], brass wind musical instrument of cylindrical bore, twice bent on itself, having a sliding section that lengthens or shortens it and thus regulates the pitch. The descendant of the sackbut, it was developed in the 15th cent. Concerto, and Telarc has added this compelling survey with Christoph Eschenbach conducting the Houston Symphony. A postmodernist, Rouse makes use of quotations and rock-inspired percussion and volume levels, though recent scores such as the ``Symphony No. 2'' and ``Flute Concerto'' suggest Shostakovich with an American accent: relentless energy and intermittent irony tempered by genuine streaks of lyricism lyr·i·cism n. 1. a. The character or quality of subjectivity and sensuality of expression, especially in the arts. b. The quality or state of being melodious; melodiousness. 2. . Three Stars ?13- Mark Stryker Knight-Ridder Tribune News Wire CAPTION(S): 3 Photos Photo: (1) Trisha Yearwood's greatest-hits collection features a duet with Garth Brooks. (2) Coolio's new album walks a thin line between gangsta Noun 1. gangsta - (Black English) a member of a youth gang AAVE, African American English, African American Vernacular English, Black English, Black English Vernacular, Black Vernacular, Black Vernacular English, Ebonics - a nonstandard form of American English and anti-gangsta rap. (3) Middle-lane rock 'n' roll fills Talk Show's new offering. |
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