SOUND CHECK.Beth Orton/``Central Reservation'' (Arista arista (ä·riˑ·st ) From her 1993 association with techno producer William Orbit to work with the Chemical Brothers through her own 1997 solo debut, ``Trailer Park,'' husky-voiced neo-folk diva Orton has maintained a certain mystique. Now with the release of her sophomore full-length effort, which offers an intriguing blend of acoustic and underground elements, Orton is poised for a breakthrough. While her voice remains upfront, and the sometimes ambient background textures are enticing, it's Orton's songwriting that reveals the most growth, especially on such standouts as the smoky leadoff track, ``Stolen Car'' (featuring 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. ), ``Sweetest Decline'' and the gorgeous ``Stars All Seem to Weep.'' The adventurous title song, incidentally, is offered here in its original form and remixed by Everything But the Girl's Ben Watt Ben Watt (born London, 6 Dec, 1962) is a UK musician, DJ, and music producer, best known as one half of the duo Everything but the Girl. Recording
- Fred Shuster Silverchair/``Neon Ballroom'' (Epic) These once-underage Australian grunge grunge - /gruhnj/ 1. That which is grungy, or that which makes it so. 2. [Cambridge] Code which is inaccessible due to changes in other parts of the program. The preferred term in North America is dead code. merchants have somehow turned into a rather straightforward rock act. String arrangements and political rants from frontman front·man n. 1. also front man A man who serves as a nominal leader but who lacks real authority. 2. Music A leading singer with a group. Daniel Johns Daniel Paul Johns (born April 22, 1979) is an Australian vocalist, composer, guitarist, and pianist, best known as frontman of the rock band Silverchair. Career Growing up in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, he, Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou formed their band at the show the group has matured, while sturdy tunes like ``Black Tangled Heart'' suggest Silverchair has a few more minutes left on the clock. In one of the oddest collaborations of the year, ``Shine'' pianist David Helfgott contributes to ``Emotion Sickness.'' two stars - F.S. Jeff Beck/``Who Else?'' (Epic) All Jeff Beck fans want out of life is either an all-blues album or another ``Blow by Blow.'' For his part, Beck refuses to look backward Verb 1. look backward - look towards one's back; "don't look back while you walk" look back look - perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards; "She looked over the expanse of land"; "Look at your child!"; "Look--a deer in the backyard!" , and the techno rhythms the guitar great uses here seem dated and rather thin. For his first collection of original music in a decade, the imaginative guitarist was clearly inspired by the likes of Prodigy, but even that once forward-thinking outfit has gathered dust. Still, the outlandish and humorous sounds Beck manages to wrangle from his Stratocaster, especially on standout tracks ``Mama Said'' and ``Brush With the Blues,'' place this effort among Beck's best. Three stars - F.S. Jerry Reed/``Pickin' '' (Southern Tracks) Nashville's versatile studio hotshot and sometime actor Reed shows why he's in such demand with this guitar-heavy solo disc. Playing electric, acoustic and rhythm guitar When a guitar is used to provide rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment for a singer or for other instruments in an ensemble, it is referred to as rhythm guitar. The rhythm guitar is commonly used to provide a rhythmic complement for the lead guitar, although the actual instruments , Reed, deploying an unusual clawhammer picking style, is joined by Kenny Malone on drums and Jerry Douglas on dobro for a good-natured collection of skillful skill·ful adj. 1. Possessing or exercising skill; expert. See Synonyms at proficient. 2. Characterized by, exhibiting, or requiring skill. country tunes that never wears out its welcome. Three stars - F.S. Hadda Brooks/``I've Got News for You'' (Pointblank) Blues-singing pianist Brooks has been making music for 80 years. While her torch-song delivery is rooted in big band, her boogie-woogie piano is steeped in jump blues and r&b. This double-disc compilation offers refreshing material from the singer's '40s and '50s heyday, along with a recent duet with Brooks fanatic and local rocker Carla Bozulich. Three stars - F.S. Hank Crawford and Jimmy McGriff/``Crunch Time'' (Milestone) Since they first joined forces in 1986, saxophonist Crawford and Hammond organist McGriff have explored their chemistry on a string of soul-jazz outings. For their fifth Milestone release, the pair stay with their winning formula of swing, funk, blues and gospel elements. Backed by r&b greats, including drummer Bernard Purdie and guitarist Cornell Dupree, the kindred spirits go at it on such marvels as ``Bow Legs,'' ``Don't Deceive Me (Please Don't Go)'' and ``What's Goin' On'' with sanctified sanc·ti·fy tr.v. sanc·ti·fied, sanc·ti·fy·ing, sanc·ti·fies 1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate. 2. To make holy; purify. 3. gusto. Three stars - F.S. Michel Petrucciani/``Solo Live'' (Dreyfus) At the time of his death last January, Petrucciani, one of the last of the great romantic jazz pianists, was readying this album documenting his 1997 solo tour of Europe. The freedom and creativity afforded by the solo format allows us to appreciate Petrucciani's genius in undiluted form. Here, along with such fine originals as ``Looking Up'' and ``Brazilian Like,'' the pianist pays tribute to heroes like Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Three stars - F.S. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr./``The Summit'' (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. ) We've read the books, watched the TV specials and endured the mediocre cable movie. Now, finally, we have the first album that documents an evening of Rat Pack fun.The album was taped by Sinatra's engineers during a 16-date stint at a mobster's nightclub just outside of Chicago. Martin, Sinatra and Davis sing a few songs on their own and then get together for impressions, medleys and jokes, most of which wouldn't past muster in these politically correct politically correct Politically sensitive adjective Referring to language reflecting awareness and sensitivity to another person's physical, mental, cultural, or other disadvantages or deviations from a norm; a person is not mentally retarded, but times. The mood is light; the camaraderie tight. If you're a fan, you'll love it and won't mind paying the extra money that this disc costs. (It's only available on 24-karat gold compact disc.) The curious may just want to content themselves with the occasional documentary clip. Three stars - Glenn Whipp Sleater-Kinney/``The Hot Rock'' (Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in Olympia, Washington, United States, though it will be moving some of its operations to New York City and Portland, Oregon in 2007. ) Indie-rockers Sleater-Kinney's fourth album does not deliver quite the unmitigated un·mit·i·gat·ed adj. 1. Not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity; unrelieved: unmitigated suffering. 2. gale force of 1996's urgent ``Call the Doctor'' or 1997's pogo-provoking ``Dig Me Out.'' But that's just because songwriters Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein are working their ``Hot Rock'' - the title comes from a 1972 Robert Redford diamond-heist movie - with more melancholy and subtlety these days. And as they stretch out on the hypnotic ``Don't Talk Like'' and blue-swoon ``The Size of Our Love,'' the album grows more powerful with repeated listens. Three and a half stars - Dan DeLuca Philadelphia Inquirer CAPTION(S): 9 photos Photo: (1 -- 8) no caption (CD covers) (9) no caption (Jeff Beck) |
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