SOUND CHECK.Seahorses/``Do It Yourself'' Mixing classic-rock nostalgia with modern-rock verve, Britain's Seahorses are a worthy sequel to the defunct Stone Roses, whose former guitarist, John Squire, is leader here. The 'horses' debut, ``Do It Yourself''(Geffen), is a fat-sounding, lively disc, complete with thick slabs of harmony, strong material and first-rate guitar playing. The album is already a top-five hit in England. Squire enlisted three younger unknowns for the band, but all play with a confident, hard edge, especially on Tony Visconti-produced standout tracks like ``Love Is the Law,'' ``I Want You to Know'' and ``Standing on Your Head.'' Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Michael Penn/``Resigned'' Five years between releases typically gives songwriters sufficient time to go beyond mere reflection toward career make-over. Not Michael Penn (brother of actor Sean). There's little difference between his third work, ``Resigned,'' and its predecessors, though the singer's spirits seem to have been slightly lifted from the bitter depression that laced 1992's ``Free-For-All.'' In fact, much of ``Resigned'' (57/Epic) comes close to equaling the perfect pop bliss of Penn's debut, ``March,'' despite the heavy reliance on Beatles motifs. The steady groove of ``Like Egypt Was'' is the worst offender, stealing its foundation from ``Taxman.'' But producer Brendan O'Brien Brendan O'Brien may refer to any of several people:
See also Cunning, Deceit, Humbuggery. Bunsby, Captain Jack trapped into marriage by landlady. [Br. Lit.: Dombey and Son] Camacho cheated of bride after lavish wedding preparations. [Span. Lit. and simply capturing a full, live sound. Three Stars ?13- Ben Wener Orange County Register Charlatans U.K./``Tellin' Stories'' The Charlatans U.K. - once known as the Manchester band whose every song resembled Deep Purple's ``Hush'' - have been through the kind of setbacks that would leave other groups in splinters: jail sentences, fatal car accidents and nervous breakdowns among them. Yet through it all comes ``Tellin' Stories'' (MCA MCA in full Music Corporation of America Entertainment conglomerate. It was founded in Chicago in 1924 by Jules Stein as a talent agency. In the 1960s it bought Decca Records and Universal Pictures, and today it produces films, music, and television shows. ), a forward-looking, sunny rock 'n' roll rock 'n' roll: see rock music. record that seems to suggest the power of positive thinking. Led by singer Tim Burgess Tim Burgess (born Timothy Allan Burgess on May 30 1967, in Salford, Lancashire, England) is the lead singer of British rock/indie act The Charlatans. He joined the Charlatans in 1989 and was signed, with the band, by Beggars Banquet Records in 1990. with help from keyboardist Martin Duffy, on loan from Primal Scream  The of this article or section may be compromised by "weasel words".You can help Wikipedia by removing weasel words. , the Charlatans have come up with some warm, catchy songs on this outing. Best track: the folky folk·y n. & adj. Variant of folkie. ``North Country Boy.'' Two Stars. ?13- Fred Shuster Huffamoose/``We've Been Had Again'' With its sturdy following along the East Coast, Philadelphia's Huffamoose is the closest thing modern-rock has gotten to the invention and pure musicianship of Steely Dan. ``We've Been Had Again'' (Interscope) opens with the sort of song its hard to get past - ``Wait,'' which could have jumped off ``The Royal Scam'' or another Steely classic. Song structures are 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. and unpredictable, while lyrics sometimes have a nasty edge. Adult rock at its finest. Four Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Ben Harper/``The Will to Live'' An unusually passionate songwriter and guitarist, Ben Harper Benjamin Chase "Ben" Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American musician. Biography Harper was born in Claremont, California, U.S. (in California's Pomona Valley). He began playing guitar as a child in Claremont. ties elements of rock, folk, blues and reggae into a neat package. Harper's third album, ``The Will to Live'' (Virgin), is a more electric effort than his previous two, but the spiritual feel of many of the songs comes through loud and clear. Two Stars ?13- Fred Shuster XTC/``Upsy Daisy Assortment'' XTC XTC See Ecstasy, MDMA. was one of the smartest British pop bands to emerge from the new wave and punk explosion of the late '70s. Always driven by clever hooks and witty playing, the band seemed slightly out of step with the times. ``Upsy Daisy Assortment'' (Geffen), a welcome 19-track compilation, is a pleasant reminder of how wonderful XTC was. Opening with ``Life Begins at the Hop "Life Begins at the Hop" is a single by XTC released in 1979. Their fifth single, it was the first indication of a change in their late-seventies sound from urgent post-punk to power pop. ,'' the disc moves through some of Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding's best-known songs, including ``Making Plans for Nigel'' and ``Senses Working Overtime "Senses Working Overtime" is a single by XTC released in 1982. It is at once the apogee of their early-eighties British popularity as well as their last gasp of mainstream success in their homeland. ,'' plus equally good obscurities. Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Bush Tetras/``Beauty Lies'' Among the best-known bands to come out of New York's Lower East Side in the early '80s, the Bush Tetras The Bush Tetras were a rock band from New York City, popular in the New York club scene in the early 1980s but never achieving much mainstream success. Their music, sometimes classified under Rare Beats, combined dance rhythms and dissonant rock-guitar riffs. pioneered the indie movement on the wings of a memorable new-wave dance club smash called ``Too Many Creeps.'' The Nona Hendryx-produced ``Beauty Lies'' (Tim Kerr) finds the band in top form, still turning out funky pop gems powered by Pat Place's slash-and-burn guitar, Cynthia Sley's vocals and a quirky rhythm section of Laura Kennedy and Dee Pop. Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Duke Robillard/``Dangerous Place'' Founder of Roomful of Blues Roomful of Blues is a horn-driven musical band that plays Jump blues. The group was formed in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1967 by guitarist Duke Robillard and pianist Al Copley. Since then, the band has been touring and recording tirelessly. , blues singer-guitarist Duke Robillard spent time with the Fabulous Thunderbirds before resuming a solo career. On ``Dangerous Place'' (Pointblank), Robillard and his crack band tackle Memphis shuffle, Chicago big-band jump blues and, best of all, the slow, gritty stuff. Surprisingly, given the material's retro feel, each of the dozen songs here are newly penned. Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Man Ray/``Casual Thinking'' Man Ray is from Seattle, but don't expect the usual metallic guitars and angst-ridden vocals. Sounding at times like '70s Bowie or Roxy Music, the quartet shows unusual dexterity and imagination, so nothing on ``Casual Thinking'' (Tim Kerr/Mercury) could be accused of shallow imitation. Man Ray (the late photographer's estate OK'd use of the name) has developed a distinctive style and sound with songs you'll want to come back to. Three Stars. ?13- Fred Shuster CAPTION(S): 8 Photos Photo: (1) After a five-year layoff, singer Michael Penn has released a new album, ``Resigned.'' (2--8) no caption (CD covers) |
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