Zrazy “Come Out Everybody” Two Irish chicks and the legendary rock impresario Kim Fowley produce a model of musical diversity that recalls vintage Eurythmics, especially in the soulful vocals of Maria Walsh. She sounds as good singing “Beautiful Boy” and “Kissing” as Annie Lennox did belting out “Here Comes the Rain” back in the ’80s. Techno, torch, Irish folk and a clear lefty touch to the lyrics make “Come Out” a stylishly mixed bag indeed. As the girls say, “Selling Levi’s jeans, listening to Lou Reed, at sixteen I couldn’t ask for more.” Neither could I.
Empirion “Advanced Technology” Speaking of dance, if you’re curious about techno, try this and hear what all the fuss is about. Actual melodies, enormously high BPMs, clever samples (except some annoying spoken snippets), and, bless ’em even the occasional electric guitar. More than danceable, Empirion is unstoppable.
Natasha Atlas “Diaspora” – A diva indeed. Fans of Khaled, Dissidenten or Rai music in general will already be hip to Ms. Atlas’ brand of Egyptian rock, but the rest of us could do no better than discover the Middle East on her terms. She wails in Arabic while her band, Transglobal Underground ,lays down a hefty groove that’s even hotter for its live instrumentation as if Prince’s New Power Generation were jamming with Les Voix Bulgaires. Danceable but entrancing, bass-heavy funk is interwoven with Maghreb melodies and her overwhelming voice. East meets West at last; too bad the Gaza Strip can’t be settled so successfully.
Al Stewart “Between the Wars” After years of living down his late ’70s pop stardom, Al Stewart goes back to his forte historical ballads and produces his best album since “Year of the Cat” as a result. Stewart mines ragtime, gyspy jazz and blues to recreate the musical continuum of Europe during its long hush between the two world wars. No pop songs, not even a drummer. Just the sort of witty vignettes that made earlier Al records like “Past Present and Future” and “Modern Times” such a joy.
Bell “A Clear Sense of Beauty” Just when it’s cool to say that Seattle rock is pass?, Vanessa Veselka comes along with an off-key dose of alt-rock that proves the city’s scene is still vital. Veselka has a pedigree of experience in European post-punk bands that sets her group, Bell, apart, and she wears her influences on her sleeve. Elastica, The Pixies, and The Breeders echo through tunes like “Loose & Unsubdued” and “Attempted Pop Song #1.” The rest of the time, Bell walks a line between noisy pop and a heavier sound that recalls ’70s bitch-rockers like 1994 or Patti Smith, especially on the psychedelic free-for-all “Drained.” Like Patti, in fact, Vanessa is too literate for her own good, and Bell’s sharp punch and sharper lyrics will probably go unheard. Don’t let that happen.
The Orb “Orblivion” The Orb has long been hyped as the intellectual stars of the acid house movement, and its new disc certainly affirms its studio smarts, if not its dance credentials. A cunning record, with samples and subtle electronics blended into a moody throb. But the beat never quite kicks in, and the excerpt from “Naked” spoils what groove there is. I still prefer old Can and Kraftwerk albums.
Sparkler “Wicker Park” The gem of the rock ‘n’ roll bunch. Sparkler’s look is mid-’60s Kinks, right down to velvet jackets and Flying Vs, while its sound successfully blends Nirvana-style grunge with the more serious, introspective Replacements/Paul Westerberg stuff. Rick Parker can write it all: lyrical ballads, spunky rock, even a genuine rock anthem in “What Are You Waiting For?” The band was in San Diego a few weeks back. If you missed the show, settle that karmic debt by getting the album.
Rusted Root “Remember” Rusted Root blends The Doors, Jefferson Airplan e and “Blues For Allah”-era Grateful Dead into an eclectic, yet entirely tasty brew. On cuts like “Sister Contine,” “Voodoo” and “Who Do You Tell It to,” tablas groove over bottlenecks and grungy electric guitars, Michael Glabicki and Liz Berlin wail like they’ve lost their guru, and the band takes its musical duties quite seriously. Neo-hippies can do more than make pilgrimages to Pere Lachaise, it seems.
Gary Numan “Premier Hits” If you want to discover the missing link between ’80s New Romanticism and the original British Punk Generation, look no further than Mr. Numan, “Premier Hits” collects his biggest singles from the ’78-83 period, when Gary was a far bigger star than his detractors would like to admit. The other facets of his Bowiesque synth-pop are well documented here, from the faux-punk of “Bombers” to the Prince-influenced dance beats of “We Take Mystery to Bed.” Some lesser-known singles with Dramatis and Paul Gardiner are included, though the truly big hits aren’t left off either: “Are Friends Electric,” “This Wreckage” and “Cars” show up, as does the single least likely to earn a pop star airplay, “I Die:You Die.” Gary’s moodiness and big mouth helped sink his career ship, but when playing this excellent compilation, you wonder why it hasn’t been refloated. But then, they couldn’t raise the Titanic either.
reviews by Gareth Davies-Morris
