SOUND CHECK.THE STREETS: ``A Grand Don't Come for Free'' (Vice/Atlantic) - Three and one half stars Not since the Gang of Four's punk-meets-dub manifesto in 1979 has there been such a convincing dispatch from the Brit working class as rapper-producer Mike Skinner's Streets. While it turned out that the Gang were actually university educated pseudo-Marxists with a taste for Bolivian marching powder, penthouse suites and young models (for all we know, Skinner is an heir to Rupert Murdoch), the power of the art wasn't diminished. Skinner's topic is mundane daily life - work, home, pub, TV, bed - with nights and weekends a blurry series of missed connections and cell-phone dead zones, set to a cleverly orchestrated soundscape sound·scape n. An atmosphere or environment created by or with sound: the raucous soundscape of a city street; a play with a haunting soundscape. of blips, beeps and hip-hop beats. ``A Grand Don't Come for Free,'' the Streets' second emission, is an ambitious and weirdly uplifting effort whose 11 tracks touch on missing cash, fractured romance, and a broken TV and mobile phone. Skinner raps - converses is more like it - in a stoned drawl drawl v. drawled, drawl·ing, drawls v.intr. To speak with lengthened or drawn-out vowels. v.tr. that transcends nationality. Appearing June 12 at the Wiltern. - Fred Shuster JAMIE CALLUM CALLUM Combined Analog Locked-Loop Universal Modulator : ``Twentysomething'' (Verve) - Three stars He looks a little like Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is a prolific American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Raised by his mother and grandmother, Adams dropped out of school at age 16 and performed with several local bands before moving to Raleigh and (and shares his chops and cockiness), sounds more than a little like Billy Joel and, because he's jazz-based and peppers his debut album with some well-known standards, there's the inevitable comparison to Harry Connick Harry Connick is the name of:
Cole Albert Porter, Porter (``I Get a Kick Out of You'') and Radiohead (``High and Dry'') with equal aplomb a·plomb n. Self-confident assurance; poise. See Synonyms at confidence. [French, from Old French a plomb, perpendicularly : a, according to (from Latin ad-; see deserves props, and the witty originals (some of which were written by his brother Ben) are funny and quite relatable. We can always use a new piano man. - Glenn Whipp J.J. CALE CALE Center for Asian Legal Exchange CALE C-Based Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian : ``To Tulsa and Back'' (Sanctuary) - Three stars On his first studio album in eight years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time composer of such rock classics as ``Cocaine'' and ``After Midnight'' takes us on another excursion into his unique space of relaxed sonic intensity. Paradoxical, I know, but those who've heard Cale know what I mean. There are expected odes to undemanding women and coolly rhythmic blues, but also a new wrinkle or two (on a recording Cale proudly proclaims featured no musician under the age of 60), in the form of political statements. Like most Cale tunes, they're smart and to the point, but none too urgent. Now that's the way to send a message. In stores Tuesday. - Bob Strauss KARRIN ALLYSON Karrin Allyson is a Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist for Concord Records. External links
A series of distinct and inventive albums, relentless touring and one of the best voices in jazz should've made Allyson better-known. After efforts dedicated to John Coltrane and the blues, Allyson now sets her sights on the standards she grew up with - and that means Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens and Carly Simon. Allyson's alto confidently brings forth Mitchell's soaring melodies, which are a natural for jazz treatment, on ``All I Want'' and ``Help Me.'' Other winners include Stevens' ``Wild World'' and the gorgeous ``The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,'' with wonderful solos by longtime bandmate Danny Embrey on guitar and Allyson herself on piano. And Gil Goldstein's arrangements walk the difficult line between jazz and pop much better than expected. Out Tuesday. - Steven Rosenberg KATIE MELUA: ``Call Off the Search'' (Dramatico/Universal) - Three stars She's not always as quiet as say, Norah Jones. But Melua, born 19 years ago in the Soviet state of Georgia, seems to handle these 12 arrangements - two of which she wrote - with all the grace of America's sweetheart even when she's steeped in the rollicking rol·lick·ing adj. Carefree and high-spirited; boisterous: a rollicking celebration. rol ``Crawling Up a Hill.'' Especially nice is her version of Randy Newman's ``I Think It's Going to Rain Today,'' as well as the torchy torch·y adj. torch·i·er, torch·i·est Of, relating to, or typical of a torch song or torch singer. title track and the song ``The Closest Thing to Crazy,'' both of which were written by Mike Batt. He produced Melua's debut, which has gone platinum and achieved chart-topping success in the UK since its release four months ago. On Tuesday, the album arrives in the U.S. Melua will be appearing June 10 at the Roxy. - Sandra Barrera CAPTION(S): 6 photos Photo: (1) no caption (THE STREETS) (2 -- 6) no caption (CD covers) |
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