SOUND CHECK.Byline: - Fred Shuster Soundtrack/``City of Angels'' The soundtrack to this just-opened romantic fantasy Romantic fantasy can be considered a sub-genre of fantasy or of romance. Some critics have described romantic fantasy as the intersection between fantasy and romance. In a work of romantic fantasy, the plot deals with the development of a romantic relationship between the starring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan is already a big seller. Along with adventurous new material from Alanis Morissette (``Uninvited'') and Peter Gabriel (``I Grieve''), the disc offers music from U2, Paula Cole, Goo Goo Dolls and Sarah McLachlan, plus timeless blues from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Most interesting, though, are composer Gabriel Yared's Celtic-inspired orchestral pieces that close the record. Two and One Half Stars Various/``Rock and Roll Doctor: A Tribute to Lowell George'' Tribute records are rarely worth the effort. This collection of top-notch interpretations of tunes by Little Feat's much-missed singer-songwriter is the exception. It's obvious from sizzling siz·zle intr.v. siz·zled, siz·zling, siz·zles 1. To make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat. 2. To seethe with anger or indignation. 3. tracks like Bonnie Raitt's reading of ``Cold, Cold, Cold'' and Taj Mahal's ``Feets Don't Fail Me Now'' that the project was put together with affection. Standouts include J.D. Souther's low-key ``Roll Um Easy,'' Randy Newman and Valerie Carter's ``Sailin' Shoes,'' and Allen Toussaint and Leo Leo, in astronomy Leo [Lat.,=the lion], northern constellation lying S of Ursa Major and on the ecliptic (apparent path of the sun through the heavens) between Cancer and Virgo; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Nocentelli's ``Two Trains.'' Lowell's daughter, Inara George, wraps things up with a touching near-lullaby version of ``Trouble,'' with backing from Ry Cooder and Van Dyke Parks Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, and actor. His work spans six decades, and he has worked with luminaries from Grace Kelley to the Beach Boys and the Byrds. . Three Stars - Fred Shuster Eva Cassidy/``Songbird'' Shy and lacking any pretensions to stardom, award-winning jazz-pop chanteuse chan·teuse n. A woman singer, especially a nightclub singer. [French, feminine of chanteur, singer, from chanter, to sing; see chant.] Cassidy packed clubs in her native Washington, D.C., thanks to an almost mysteriously low-key but 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" delivery. The gorgeous ``Songbird'' compilation, due Tuesday from North Hollywood's Blix Street Records, collects winning material from Cassidy's three albums. The disc is a genuine discovery, albeit much too late. Cassidy, on the verge On the Verge (or The Geography of Yearning) is a play written by Eric Overmyer. It makes extensive use of esoteric language and pop culture references from the late nineteenth century to 1955. of a national breakthrough, died of cancer 18 months ago at age 33. Three Stars - Fred Shuster Wank/``Get a Grip on Yourself'' Zooming out of obscurity on the strength of pop-punk fave fave Informal n. One that is preferred above others or likely to win; a favorite. adj. Favorite. [Short for favorite.] ``Forgiven,'' which was unearthed Unearthed is the name of a Triple J project to find and "dig up" (hence the name) hidden talent in regional Australia. Unearthed has had three incarnations - they first visited each region of Australia where Triple J had a transmitter - 41 regions in all. recently by KROQ, this Orange County outfit delivers the goods on a debut album packed with crisply played crunching rockers. Four-part harmony and close attention to melody suggests there's more at work here than locker-room humor. Two Stars - Fred Shuster Jerry Cantrell/``Boggy Depot'' When T.S. Eliot wrote that April is the cruelest month, he probably wasn't thinking of record company release schedules. It fits, though, especially when you consider the tepid solo effort from Cantrell, guitarist with doomed Seattle rockers Alice in Chains. Basically, Cantrell doesn't sing very well, has little memorable material aside from radio's ``Cut You In,'' and just isn't a very distinctive guitar player. Sorry old chum, but ``Boggy Depot'' should be packaged with Scott Weiland's album and sold as a boggy twofer. One Star - Fred Shuster Bernard Butler/``People Move On'' The long-awaited album from ex-Suede guitarist Butler offers a pleasant set of string-laden love ballads, vaguely Neil Youngish rockers and a couple of genuine knockouts. Singing and playing all the instruments except drums and violin, Butler is best on the album's most original tracks, ``Autograph'' and ``Stay.'' Although ``People Move On'' won't start any fires, it's lovely listening nonetheless. Due Tuesday. Two and One Half Stars - Fred Shuster Brother Cane/``Wishpool'' Like Matchbox 20, Days of the New and Creed, Alabama's Brother Cane is going for that grittier-than-Hootie sound rock radio is so enamored en·am·or tr.v. en·am·ored, en·am·or·ing, en·am·ors To inspire with love; captivate: was enamored of the beautiful dancer; were enamored with the charming island. of these days. While ``Wishpool'' has some good material, and the quartet can clearly play, the disc's standout cut, ``I Lie in the Bed I Make,'' towers above the rest. Two and One Half Stars - Fred Shuster Gang Starr/``Moment of Truth'' Of all the comeback titles released this past year, here's the only one that plays like a soundtrack and manifesto for hip-hop today and in the new millennium. The first project from DJ Premier and Guru in four years, the album solidifies their stature as one of the coolest underground duos out. Even as production and lyrical styles have changed dramatically since the group's last effort, Premier's production work continues to be light-years ahead of anything else on the airwaves. Lyrically, Guru has stepped up his game, drop-kicking the hype of the industry in favor of enlightened and reality-based vocals. Three Stars - Billboard Harvey Danger/``Flagpole Sitta'' (single) A smash at modern-rock radio, where ``Flagpole Sitta'' is among the most added tracks of the week, this loony novelty tune boasts an instantly catchy chorus and completely cracked verse that has the singer being sent to the hospital, where he ends up an amputee am·pu·tee n. A person who has had one or more limbs removed by amputation. . The Seattle combo's nutso sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour has appeal, but whether Harvey Danger can pull off an entire album remains to be seen. Two and One Half Stars - Fred Shuster Tammy Wynette/``Stand By Your Man'' (single) Anyone who knows anything about country music will immediately recognize this 1968 song as one of country's best-loved classics. Even before Wynette died Monday, the label had decided to work this as a new single. It's a great number, sung by one of the most emotion-laden voices ever to perform country music. Given a chance, listeners will probably fall in love with it all over again. If so, it could open up some interesting doors. After all, the movie industry is re-releasing 20-year-old films (``Grease'' and ``Star Wars'') and seeing them become box-office hits all over again. Why can't a country tune enjoy new life 30 years later? Four Stars - Billboard Redd Volkaert/``Telewacker'' Redd Volkaert is a member of one of the elite ensembles of country music - Merle merle a pattern of coat color pigmentation with dark, irregular blotches on a lighter background. Seen in some Collies and Welsh corgis. In shorthaired dogs, e.g. Great Danes and Dachshunds, the similar pattern is called dapple. Haggard's Strangers. One listen to this debut, and it's easy to see why Hag recruited the Canadian guitarist last year. Volkaert's style echoes the blend of honky-tonk simplicity and 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. sophistication so·phis·ti·cate v. so·phis·ti·cat·ed, so·phis·ti·cat·ing, so·phis·ti·cates v.tr. 1. To cause to become less natural, especially to make less naive and more worldly. 2. that is a hallmark of Merle's music. His singing voice is a serviceable baritone, but it's when he's wielding his Telecaster on such original instrumentals as the tempo-shifting ``Telewacker,'' the Bakersfield nod ``The Buck Stops Here,'' and the moody, sax-kissed ``Redd, White and Blue'' that he really cuts his own figure. Three Stars - Nick Cristiano Philadelphia Inquirer Natalie Umbruglia/``Left in the Middle'' RCA See RCA connector and video/TV history. isn't stupid. The label knows that if it made Natalie Umbruglia's brilliant hit ``Torn'' commercially available as a single you'd never shell out for her full LP. So they didn't. Our loss. After all, we're dealing with an album by a star known mainly as an actress and model, who didn't write the single. Her full album presents a fairly generic spin through trendy styles of the minute. Umbruglia does own a stronger voice than you might think. Her high, light instrument sounds most like fellow Australian Angie Hart of Frente. At least it's effective in the single, which boasts an expansive melody and an acoustically astounding a·stound tr.v. a·stound·ed, a·stound·ing, a·stounds To astonish and bewilder. See Synonyms at surprise. [From Middle English astoned, past participle of astonen, guitar line, making it the most engaging fresh-faced pop song since Lisa Loeb's ``Stay.'' If you're flush, buy the whole record for the one gem. Otherwise, wait a few months until Umbruglia's career cools and the album skids into the cut-out bins. One and One Half 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. CAPTION(S): 7 Photos Photo: (1) The ``Rock and Roll Doctor: A Tribute to Lowell George'' collection honors the late singer-songwriter, shown in the foreground with Little Feat. (2--7) no caption (CD covers) |
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