SOUND CHECK.Babyface/``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'' Now reportedly about to begin collaborating with Bruce Springsteen, producer and hitmaker Kenneth ``Babyface'' Edmonds offers a languid and enjoyable soundtrack to his current cable TV special. The album wins with a nicely melodic ``Change the World,'' featuring Eric Clapton, and a relaxed version of ``Exhale exhale /ex·hale/ (eks´hal) to breathe out. ex·hale v. 1. To breathe out. 2. To emit a gas, vapor, or odor. (Shoop Shoop).'' Three Stars ?13- Fred Shuster Garth Brooks/``Sevens'' After all the anticipation, Garth Brooks has finally delivered a pretty good album, one that embraces traditional country themes of drinking, suicide, trucks, hell-raising, divorce, infidelity, street-corner religion and self-determination. There is a nagging certainty that most of these 14 songs were chosen because they lend themselves so well to a live show - especially one of Brooks' intensity - and you can already envision the sing-alongs to ``Two Pina Coladas'' and ``Do What You Gotta Do,'' for example. Still, as an album it tracks very well, and there are surprises. ``Fit For a King,'' in particular, is the quiet, oddly moving tale of a ragged street-corner preacher. The album ends with a moody World War I evocation, ``Belleau Wood Belleau Wood (bĕl`ō, bĕlō`), forested area in Aisne dept., N France, E of Château-Thierry. The scene of a victory over the Germans after hard fighting (June 6–25, 1918), involving chiefly U.S. .'' And Brooks veers into pop with the music-hall strains of ``When There's No One Around.'' This is not ``No Fences,'' but nothing ever likely will be. Three Stars ?13- Billboard Various/``Tibetan Freedom Concert'' The multidisc, multiartist live album to benefit the chic cause of the day is a problematic genre unto itself. And like mega fund-raisers before it - the Concert for Bangladesh, the just-out-on-CD ``No Nukes'' - ``Tibetan Freedom Concert'' is a mixed bag. Spearheaded with good intentions by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, ``Tibetan Freedom'' includes two CDs from concerts held in June in 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 and a bonus disc with five songs plus ``enhanced'' CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). content from another concert held in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden a year earlier. Alt-rock heroes such as Beck, Pavement and Jon Spencer (whose ``Blues Explosion Blues Explosion (formerly The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and sometimes abbreviated JSBX) is a New York based band, made up of members Jon Spencer (vocals, guitar), Judah Bauer (guitar, vocals) and Russell Simins (drums). Man'' is a hoot) and heroines like Bjork and Alanis Morissette (who debuts the preachy preach·y adj. preach·i·er, preach·i·est Inclined or given to tedious and excessive moralizing; didactic. preach new ``Wake Up'') are on call for the Dalai Lama Dalai Lama (dä`lī lä`mə) [Tibetan,=oceanic teacher], title of the leader of Tibetan Buddhism. Believed like his predecessors to be the incarnation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, 1935–, . Also present are rappers KRS-One, A Tribe Called Quest A Tribe Called Quest is a critically acclaimed and highly-influential American hip-hop group, formed in 1988. The group is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip (Kamal Fareed), rapper Phife Dawg (Malik Taylor), and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. and Biz Markie Biz Markie (born Marcel Hall April 8, 1964 in Harlem, New York) is a rapper and DJ, best known for humorous singles such as "Just a Friend". He has been labeled The Clown Prince of Hip-Hop. (whose take on Hendrix's rendition of the ``Star Spangled span·gle n. 1. A small, often circular piece of sparkling metal or plastic sewn especially on garments for decoration. 2. A small sparkling object, drop, or spot: spangles of sunlight. Banner'' is a highlight) and alt-rock icons U2 (a humdrum ``One''), Patti Smith (a stirring ``About a Boy'') and Michael Stipe John Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960 in Decatur, Georgia) is the lead singer of the American rock band R.E.M. Stipe has become well-known (and occasionally parodied) for the "mumbling" style of his early career and for his complex, surreal lyrics, as well as his social and and Mike Mills
Michael Edward Mills (born December 17, 1958 in Orange County, California) is the bass player of the band R.E.M. of R.E.M. (a superb ``Electrolite''). Two and One Half Stars ?13- Dan DeLuca Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia Inquirer Morning newspaper, long one of the most influential dailies in the eastern U.S. Founded in 1847 as the Pennsylvania Inquirer, it took its present name c. 1860. It was a strong supporter of the Union in the American Civil War. Paul Simon/``Songs From the Capeman'' ``Capeman'' rolls out the tale of Puerto Rican-born, New York-raised Salvador Agron, a key figure in a high-profile Manhattan murder case of 1959. As a pop album, it sits snug somewhere between 1986's classic ``Graceland'' and 1990's less compelling ``The Rhythm of the Saints.'' The songs are cleverly shaped without stumbling down the convoluted tangents that spotted ``Saints'' and Simon's 1991 live album. It's a crisp blend of infectious island grooves, sparse and sparkling acoustic instrumentation and worthy melodies, with lead vocals handled by Simon and Broadway show stars Ruben Blades, Marc Anthony and Ednita Nazario. Three Stars ?13- Brian McCollum Detroit Free Press The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep". Some still refer to it locally as "The Friendly" -- a slogan from an ad campaign in the '70s. Rakim/``The 18th Letter/The Book of Life'' Calling music ``dated'' is no insult in the case of Rakim's comeback album. This first record in four years by one of hip-hop's earliest and greatest innovators is jolting, if only because of what it lacks. The New York old-schooler did the right thing by not trying to adapt his style to the often-shallow '90s hip-hop sound. There is none of the pseudo-gangsta pose or the hollow celebrations of conspicuous consumption here. All Rakim does is what he has always done - produced lyrically challenging poetics rooted heavily in old-school cadence and Islamic mysticism. On this two-disc set, only the first record has new material. ``When I'm Flowin' '' and ``It's Been a Long Time'' bring back stylistic memories, and Rakim's tongue-twisting, thought-provoking ``The Mystery (Who Is God?)'' brings up theological debates that still go unresolved. Three Stars ?13- Kevin L. Carter Philadelphia Inquirer Various/``Mark & Brian: You Had to Be There!'' This double-disc collection from KLOS-FM's (95.5) morning team includes 19 in-studio cuts touching on everything from INXS INXS In Excess (band) INXS Internet Exchange Service , Better Than Ezra  The of this article or section may be compromised by "peacock terms".You can help Wikipedia by removing peacock terms. and Toad the Wet Sprocket Toad the Wet Sprocket is an American folk rock band consisting of singer Glen Phillips, guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning, and drummer Randy Guss. Early career to Tom Jones, Kenny Loggins and Mel Torme. The down side is that ``You Had to Be There!'' spends its first disc on the radio team's comedy bits, not all of which are memorable, and many of which give truth to the collection's title. Still, there's Boz Scaggs doing a hushed, acoustic ``Low Down'' - can't argue with that. Two and One Half Stars ?13- Ben Wener Orange County Register Metallica/``Re-Load'' Like U2's ``Zooropa'' and Soundgarden's ``Down on the Upside,'' Metallica's ``Re-Load'' is at once darker, more immediate and more rough-edged than its predecessor - a spontaneous afterthought to a well-crafted masterpiece. Featuring such trenchant cuts as first single ``The Memory Remains'' and ``The Unforgiven II,'' ``Re-Load'' is a loud, aggressive document of a band that is too busy writing and recording to reflect on its own success. Other highlights include ``Bad Seed'' and ``Fuel.'' Metallica's flirtation with hard-edged modern rock fans continues with this album, boding bod·ing n. An omen or foreboding, especially of evil. Noun 1. boding - a feeling of evil to come; "a steadily escalating sense of foreboding"; "the lawyer had a presentiment that the judge would dismiss the case" well for its long-term success. Three Stars ?13- Billboard Erykah Badu/``Live'' Badu's new album seems less concerned with artistry than it does with selling records. Released just eight months after she put out her multimillion-selling debut, the live disc is a clear-cut case of striking while your iron is red-hot - and, of course, while the Christmas-buying frenzy is in full swing. Like most concert albums, it's a hit-and-miss effort that will appeal more to diehard fans who've seen her live than to the casual listener. Badu can be a superb vocalist, and tunes such as ``Other Side of the Game'' show her maturing into a master improviser as she scat-sings into gospel, jazz and soul. But she sounds shaky on other tunes - wandering off key in ``On & On'' and garbling garbling, v in herbal medicine, to separate the useable part of the plant from any irrelevant matter, including dirt or other plant parts. the phrasing in her version of Chaka Khan's ``Stay.'' Two and One Half Stars ?13- Thor Christensen Dallas Morning News Janis Ian/``Hunger'' Thirty-two years after Ian, then 15, made her name with her controversial ``Society's Child,'' the folk singer is still singing out proudly about relationships, the needy and the world in general. Time hasn't worn her soft voice, and her melodies on this, her umpteenth album, still captivate. Three Stars ?13- Howard Cohen cohen or kohen (Hebrew: “priest”) Jewish priest descended from Zadok (a descendant of Aaron), priest at the First Temple of Jerusalem. The biblical priesthood was hereditary and male. Miami Herald Bush/``Deconstructed'' Exactly who's going to buy this collection of dance remixes of songs from the British rock band Bush isn't exactly clear. Fans of the star remixers here (Goldie, Tricky) probably consider themselves too cool to purchase an album by heartthrob Gavin Rossdale and the boys, while Bush fans, used to the band's muscular and melodic second-generation grunge-pop, won't find much of that here. However, once all preconceptions are put aside, ``Reconstructed'' is a strong, though hardly revolutionary blending of dance and rock sensibilities. The best moments are those where the songs are the most radically revised, such as Derek DeLarge's propulsive take on ``Everything Zen'' or Goldie's jungle recasting of ``Swallowed.'' Ultimately, though, ``Reconstructed'' comes off like a place holder for the band until it gets around to recording its next album. What might be more interesting is to see the band incorporate some of these production techniques into new songs. Two and One Half Stars ?13- Cary Darling Orange County Register Dave Matthews Band/``Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95'' On ``Red Rocks,'' the Dave Matthews Band, which has grown from regional curiosity to reliable arena draw in less than five years, comes across as an incredibly precise ensemble - one minute veering into a delicate jazz-like conversation, the next churning out a Southern-rock pulse underpinned by funk backbeats. Much of this versatility can be credited to Carter Beauford, who cements his reputation as rock's most interesting live drummer with delicate and yet thrilling fills throughout ``Ants Marching,'' ``Live in Our Graves,'' ``Two Step'' and others. Three Stars ?13 - Tom Moon Philadelphia Inquirer Soundtrack/``Music From and Inspired by `The Jackal' '' Even if mainstream America hasn't taken to electronica, mainstream movies have. But where most movies use the music as a special effect, it actually is used to score the edgy cat-and-mouse games in this spy thriller. The film's director, Michael Caton-Jones, personally selected the music, proving he has excellent, eclectic - and English - tastes: Contributors include Brit standard-bearers Massive Attack, Black Grape and Goldie, and there are electro-remixes of cuts by British pop artists Charlatans UK and the unclassifiably fine Primal Scream. Three Stars CAPTION(S): 3 Photos Photo: (1) Kenneth ``Babyface'' Edmonds' has an ``MTV Unplugged'' disc to accompany his cable special. (2--3) no caption (CD covers) |
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