SOUND CHECK.Various/``Club Verboten'' This four-CD box set compiling artists associated with gay culture from the '20s through the '70s is a fascinating idea that falls a bit short. The 63-track collection rounds up the usual suspects - Marlene Dietrich, Joel Grey Joel Grey (born April 11, 1932) is an American stage and screen actor. Biography Career Grey originated the role of the Master of Ceremonies in the Broadway musical Cabaret in 1966 for which he won the Tony Award. , Mae West, Judy Garland, Jim Bailey For the football player of the same name see Jim Bailey (football player). James Hopkins "Jim" Bailey (b. December 16 1934, Strawberry Plains, Tennessee) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Cincinnati Redlegs during the 1959 (as Barbra Streisand Noun 1. Barbra Streisand - United States singer and actress (born in 1942) Barbra Joan Streisand, Streisand ), Lou Reed Lou Reed, born Lewis Allen Reed[1] March 2, 1942, is an American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. Reed first found prominence as the guitarist and principal singer-songwriter of The Velvet Underground (1965-1973). , Sister Sledge Sister Sledge is an American musical group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 1972 and consisting of four singers, all of whom are sisters: Kim, Debbie, Joni, and Kathy Sledge. , Peter Allen, Sylvester - and that's the problem. Probably because of licensing difficulties, ``Club Verboten'' (DCC (1) (Direct Cable Connection) A Windows 95/98 feature that allows PCs to be cabled together for data transfer. DCC actually sets up a network connection between the two machines. Compact Classics) misses out on David Bowie, Queen, Motown, Roxy Music, Elton John, the Kinks and the Stones, not to mention disco divas Madonna, Evelyn King and Alicia Bridges. The smartest part of the package is the focus on classical composers Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saens, Copland and Cage. Still, ``Verboten'' (which comes with a 96-page booklet) makes for an enjoyable listen all the way through. Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Carlinhos Brown/``Alfagamabetizado'' There have been rumblings in the world music community to the effect that the most adventurous melding of cultures is a thing of the past. To anyone who subscribes to that theory, we have one word: ``Alfagamabetizado'' (Metro Blue), the exciting new disc from Brazilian arranger-singer-guitarist Carlinhos Brown. Brown was a force behind Sergio Mendes' 1993 Grammy Award winner, ``Brasileiro.'' Here, with Wally Badarou and Arto Lindsay producing, Brown synthesizes Brazilian, funk, African and downtown New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of art-rock elements for eye-widening results. Four Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Abra Moore/``Strangest Places'' As onetime lead singer for Poi Dog Pondering Poi Dog Pondering is a band based in Chicago, Illinois. It was formed in the mid-1980s and revolves around the music of lead singer-songwriter Frank Orrall. History Poi Dog Pondering began in 1985 in Orrall's native Hawaii. , Austin's Abra Moore used to refer to herself as a ``folk hippie chick.'' No longer. Now cast in the same light as alt-rockers Liz Phair and Ani DiFranco, Moore's major label debut, ``Strangest Places'' (Arista arista (ä·riˑ·st Austin), is an intriguing collection of self-penned material ranging from 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" to soft focus. As radio play builds for the album's lead-off cut, ``Four Leaf Clover,'' Moore is off to a promising start. Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Various/``Romeo & Juliet Vol. 2'' While lacking the firepower of the multimillion-selling first soundtrack volume from Baz Luhrmann's lively ``Romeo & Juliet,'' this sequel is equally enjoyable as it seeks to retell re·tell tr.v. re·told , re·tell·ing, re·tells 1. To relate or tell again or in a different form. 2. To count again. Verb 1. the story of the doomed young lovers using both dialogue and music. Designed as a continuous piece, ``Romeo & Juliet Vol. 2'' (Capitol) contains such highlights as an instrumental version of Radiohead's ``Talk Show Host,'' a ballroom-style reading of the '70s disco hit ``Young Hearts Run Free'' and Quindon Tarver's angelic ``When Doves Cry,'' a memorable moment from the film. Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Sloan/``One Chord to Another'' Canadian pop-rock quartet Sloan's new effort opens with the shrieks of a crowd lifted from a summer show the band headlined, and then it's straight into one of the most hook-filled, hard-charging little discs you'll hear this year. Taking a cue from the Kinks and other Britpop groups of the '60s, Sloan crams a memorable hook, a harmony-fueled chorus and a clever bridge into nearly every one of the dozen guitar-driven tunes on display here. ``One Chord to Another'' (The Enclave) is the perfect antidote to the pre-summertime blues. Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Beth Orton/``Trailer Park'' Sweet-voiced British singer-songwriter Beth Orton created a fuss in the London music press last year with her haunting debut, ``Trailer Park.'' Nobody was expecting Orton's heavenly voice and introspective in·tro·spect intr.v. in·tro·spect·ed, in·tro·spect·ing, in·tro·spects To engage in introspection. [Latin intr lyrics mixed with up-to-the-minute hip-hop, acid-jazz and even classical elements. As the album proves, the combination resonates. ``Trailer Park'' (Dedicated), boasting standouts like the instantly likable ``She Cries Your Name'' and the eerie ``Tangent,'' is the sort of album fans will be discovering for months to come. Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Meredith Brooks/``Blurring the Edges'' Oh, to be young, female, attractive and moderately talented. Even this reviewer would get signed to a major label during the industry's crazed search for the next Alanis. Alt-rock radio listeners are familiar with Meredith Brooks, thanks to the oft-played hit ``Bitch.'' But is there more to this angry Gen-X rock chick than one terrific song? Judging by Brooks' debut, ``Blurring the Edges'' (Capitol), she's got a crack studio band and knows how to arrange her generally sturdy songs for maximum punch and profit. Truth be told, we can't find much difference between Morissette and Brooks after all. Two Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Indigo Girls/``Shaming of the Sun'' Shying away from the 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. image, the Indigo Girls wade into the pop-rock mainstream with their latest album. ``Shaming of the Sun'' (Epic) kicks off with the terrific ``Shame on You,'' an upbeat rocker with Steve Earle on harmonica harmonica. 1 The simplest of the musical instruments employing free reeds, known also as the mouth organ or French harp. It was probably invented in 1829 by Friedrich Buschmann of Berlin, who called his instrument the Mundäoline. and strong vocals. Despite the harder sound, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers provide typically pristine harmony throughout these dozen songs. Except for the occasional misfire, this collection should satisfy both the longtime fan and any Indigo first-timers out there. Three Stars ?13 - Stuart Levine CAPTION(S): 8 Photos Photo: (1) Brazilian arranger-singer-guitarist Carlinhos Brown mixes the music of his native land with funk, New York art rock and other sounds on ``Alfagamabetizado.'' (2--8) no caption (CD covers) |
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