SoundArchive

O

6 - Volcanic
5 - Blistering
4 - Hot
3 - Smoldering
2 - Room Temp.
1 - Fizzled
0 - Extinguished

A: Multiple Listening
B: Deserves Another Spin
C: Once Should Suffice

This music archive is growing as you read...
where applicable, click image or title for pop-up review

OASIS - Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants (Sony)
It is very hard to judge the work by these guys without their personalities and public stupidity getting in the mix. The opening track does give one a false sense of a possible new direction with both the title (Fuckin’ In The Bushes) and the more tough, pounding attitude in the music with film style voice-overs in the background. But with the opening beat, acoustic strains and nasal moans of Go Let It Out, you know exactly where you’re at. Even the old
Beatles rip-offs are again present (crank pipe-organ sounds in track 2 and reverse mystical Indian sounds in the very next one too obvious, whether they keep doing these tricks on purpose or not). Same-old-same-old one might say once you’ve driven through this outing, expecting to possibly encounter a fresh new oasis, but simply finding it was a mirage that will only fool their already conquered fans. At least the production has some warm and spacious boundaries and Noel Gallagher’s vocals on Where Did It All Go Wrong is in fact much better than brother Liam’s. These two might well be a couple of tossers, but they did however send the UK music scene into a direction it needed at the time. But now what?
- PB
3 / B

FRANK OPPERMAN and PRIME TIME ATTRACTION - Serial Boyfriend
It's a while since Frank surpassed his typecast image of
Orkney Snork Nie's dof slapstick Ouboet. He's establishing himself as quite a musician. This album should, however not be lumped in the oft despised Adult Contemporary category, although fans of the genre will no doubt love this album. It has a bit more to it than that. There are some seriously catchy tunes like Just Wondering. As a whole it can stand side by side with contemporary-, acoustic-, even folk-rock bands without feeling inferior. Yet, Come Clean smells a bit like a Township/Country morphing with a light, bouncy attitude. Happy Birthday crushes in with some well placed distorted guitars in the chourus that wishing baby Jesus a happy 2000 year birthday(!) Michael Maxwell makes up the other part of the PTA while the rest of the musicians on this disc include the competent guitar of Anton Lamour and Barry Van Zyl (drums) and Concorde Nkabinde (bass) on the constant rhythm section. With most of the songs dealing with matters of the heart, at least Frank manages to avoid getting soppy on us. Sentimental Trash seems to take the piss out of soppiness, but he doesn't deny the fact that everyone is entitled to it now and again. Wendy Oldfield pops in for a "hello" while guest string strokers also giving Why some added passion. The general slow-to-medium pace doesn't get boring, though and I don't think Frank's almost Oasis vocal-style in parts will put too many people off. A friend attended the CD launch at the Bassline and said Frank really let's rip live and she found him quite sexy(!). So, if you're hesitant to get the CD, check out one of his shows and you might be convinced.
- PB
3 / C

ORGAZMATRACKS - Various Artists (Roadrunner/Gresham Records)
I take my hat off to Gresham for releasing Roadrunner product. It not only proves that the demand for this type of music is more apparent than most would admit, but that these bands don't just boil down to talentless noise (like our parents used to say). This tremendous compilation covers most of Roadrunner's biggest bands.
Sepultura rings in this disc with the Motorhead cover version Orgazmatron. Another two of their tracks pop up throughout the CD which includes the riotous Refuse/Resist. Powerful and to the point. A couple of Type O Negative's biggest hits are represented here that'll make the gals (and guys) happy: Christian Woman and My Girlfriend's Girlfriend slips and slides from your speakers- dark and mysterious. The potent Fear Factory's cyber-metal fusion scream at you with brilliant remixes of Self Immolation and Burn (taken from their re-mix albums Fear is the Mind Killer and Re-Manufacture respectively)- a crunching experience. With the legendary Frontline Assembly, KMFDM and Will added to the mix, we get a nice counter balance with this inclusion of hard dance tracks - that is if you're not one track minded or in case you can only handle extremity in small doses. And while we're on the subject, Machine Head crack out a couple of stompers which include their classic song, Old. Nailbomb, ex-Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera's side project of a few years back with Fudge Tunnel mastermind Alex Newport gets a slot - I actually prefer it to Sepultura in many ways ! Also included are Obituary, who happened to be one of the very first Death Metal bands of the late '80's. The last few years they've had rumoured disbandings etc.; I'm still not sure if they'd broken up or not ! What makes this package even more attractive is the bonus CD - yes to add to the 74 minute CD you get another one, gratis ! All this at a local CD price. On here you'll find an interesting mixture revealing a slightly different side to Roadrunner with 4 tracks: Life Of Agony, Junkie XL, some woman who's name I'll send through and Coal Chamber. The latter utilizes that Korn sound which seems to be sweeping the globe - that funky thumping buzzing sound. Life Of Agony's hard core roots seem to become more and more distant with each release, for beter or worse... The only disappointment is the track by Daniella’s Daze track which is such a blatant Alanis Morissette style it makes me wanna puke twice ! Oh, have I told you I dislike her before ?? All in all this is one hell of a great deal and also serves as a superb sampler for people who don't know many of these bands and want to delve into the heavier side of life - dive in right over here !
- PB
5 / A

ORGAZMATRACKS II - The Second Coming (David Gresham Records)
Gresham does it again, realizing there are people who like this kind of intense, yet poetic music. Lee again put together a great bunch of tracks ranging from metal and goth to other forms of hardcore or electronic strangeness. There are remixes of
Soulfly, Laibach, Nefilim, Front 242, Skinny Puppy and The Awakening while serious power is pelted out by Fear Factory, Slipknot and the majestic Samael. Type O Negative pops up twice with their doomy vampiric goth metal. Carl Orff fans (and others) will love Apotheosis’s utilisation of his composition. Other cool acts include Suspiria, 69 Eyes, Diary Of Dreams, Die Krupps, Pop Will Eat Itself, Cubanate and more. Just stop wondering and seek this fine collection out right now.
- PB
6 / A