Published November 06, 2003. Ludacris Chicken N Beer (Universal) Ludacris is not exactly an intimidating MC (see DMX, Method Man, 50 Cent), but he makes up for it with his big-mouth boasting and lightning-fast flow. And with a record called Chicken N Beer, how low do your expectations have to be? Ludacris may be a […]
Reviews
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Various
Published October 23, 2003. Various Just Because I’m a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton (Sugar Hill) It’s easy to be scared off by a disc that boasts Dolly Parton covers by both Melissa Etheridge and Me’Shell N’Degeocello. Yet as a tribute to the 35th anniversary of Dolly’s first solo outing, Just Because I’m a […]
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Yy
Published October 09, 2003. Yy Hold the Fort Down (Peanuts & Corn) Manitoba’s premiere hip-hop label continues to deliver generally excellent material that occasionally suffers from the rare failing of being a little too consistent. By now the formula is etched in stone: well-crafted sample-based beats play host to earnest rhymes balancing everyday working-class life […]
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Smash Mouth
Published September 04, 2003. Smash Mouth Get the Picture (Interscope) Smash Mouth takes a knowledge of punk-rock dynamics to concoct still peppy, less angry music. Elements of surf and ska skate in and out, with amiably forceful vocals from Steve Har-well. A Neil Diamond song, “You Are My Number One,” is given the UB40 treatment […]
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Kitchens & Bathrooms
Published August 07, 2003. Kitchens & Bathrooms Vehicles Beyond (Sonic Unyon) For its third release, Hamilton’s math-rock trio Kitchens & Bathrooms steps down a notch or two on the feedback meter without compromising the dynamic strength for which it has become known. Like Slint or June of 44, K&B build complexity that burns with the […]
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The Ladies
The LadiesThey Mean Us (Temporary Residence)Pinback is a band that’s never quite as breathtaking as it should be. But over three albums, especially 2004’s superb Summer in Abandon, the band has surely found its steadfast following. For some reason other bands of similar ilk (Death Cab, for one) have enjoyed much greater attention. Maybe someday […]
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Josh Rouse
Josh RouseSubtítulo(Bedroom Classics/Nettwerk)Josh Rouse loves to toil under themes, big banners to wave. His first record, 1998’s Dressed up Like Nebraska, conjured the American Midwest mindset. In 2003 he delivered 1972, a full ode to the time and sweet, sensitive style of songwriting. Following his divorce record, Nashville, is the new Subtítulo. The overarching idea […]
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The Cardigans
The CardigansSuper Extra Gravity(Stockholm)This album continues the sultry, melodic and melancholic mood The Cardigans first explored on Gran Turismo. No band strikes the musical and lyrical balance between broken down and brilliant like this quartet. “Little Black Cloud” epitomizes how they walk the line between beauty and despair. Many of these songs—including “Godspell,” “Drip Drop […]
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Tool
Tool10,000 Days(Zomba)Patience is a virtue, so be prepared to buckle yourself in for one hell of a ride, five years coming. Tool has never been one to take the route of convention, a band that prefers to give credit to its audience by sonically challenging it at every turn, and 10,000 Days is no different. […]
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Various Artists
Various ArtistsThe Kings of Jazz (BBE)The Kings series is less definitive than its name might imply. Still, each arbitrary assortment has unearthed some beauties. Veteran jazz fans may find The Present, compiled by Jazzanova, a techy mellow soup of less interest than the sweaty brilliance on The History (Gilles Peterson). From the titles, you might […]
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Danny Michel
Danny MichelValhalla(Maple)There’s really nothing new under Danny Michel’s sun on Valhalla, but then, why mess with a good thing? The guy’s got plenty of ideas. On the first three tracks alone he goes from wee-hours acoustic ballad (“It’s Not the End of the World”) to a peppy country-and-westernized tune (“White Lightning”) to a radio-ready pop […]
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The Black Angels
The Black AngelsPassover(Light in the Attic)The psychedelic pop revival of the last several years has offered up some great music. Much like the original 1960s genre, the tunes today divide up into two camps: the dark and the light. By virtue of the name alone, The Black Angels belong in the former category. Passover is […]