LITHIUM
- Zennon Supertroopers (Independant Release / Out To Lunch)
Finally
the boys are back with a new release and the bulky 17 tracks should keep those
who were getting impatient pretty satisfied. The overall feel of this CD is far
more laid back but also more matured (NOT in the stinky cheese sense). Heartfelt
and powerful songs abound with some pretty moving emotional vocals like you'll
find on Innocence, but most of the time the calm will erupt with some crunchy
bits. The old Lithium flavour is still there. Simon and Paul (rhythm section)
are restrained but their presence is very constant, letting loose at the end with
Green Scooter. Dave's vocals are great as per usual while his guitar along
with that of Ian's deliver the punches and strokes in equal measures. Two self
recorded tracks, On Air (a metronome & piano interlude) and Dear Neighbour
(a distorted noize patch) are set apart from the good recording of the rest of
the songs and serves it purpous well. They punch in a bit of humour as well as
some wacky strangeness. Always welcome. You'll find slow groove tracks, up beat
numbers and in general some fine songwriting with unforgettable songs. Lithium
still remains one of Cape Town's best hard rock exports and it's about time everybody
knew that. [ After they broke up, members went on to projects like Blackmilk
and Gimp ]
- PB
5 / A LIMP
BIZKIT - Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water
I was really
looking forward to this album. Unfortunately Mr Durst’s rambling, grumping, moaning
and bitching about how everyone’s looking down on him, talking shit about or just
generally out to get him, is a tedium I wasn’t prepared for. The paranoia seems
even more pronounced than before they hit the jackpot. The “fuck everything” opening
track has been done - by Uncle Vinnie and Insane Clown Posse to
name a few. Still, you can never have too little Anarchy. Take A Look Around,
the MI:2 song is here and even with overplaying is still a great track.
The music takes the same course (filled with FX-laden dreamy & crunching guitars)
although Terry Date’s production is chunky and booming, many pieces of the puzzle
glowing more than others in this recipe. Many a guest artist adds to their very
popular brand of hard music like DMX, Method Man & Redman. It will
please the already convinced and maybe win some new recruits. Even though this
is far from what hard music is capable of, it’s still an alternative I guess I’d
rather have my kids get into than the blasphemous N*Sync… But, whether
you think Limp Bizkit is genius or hype, you have to grin at the lewd referral
in the album title, and laugh out loud when someone doesn’t get it.
-
PB
4 / B
LIMP BIZKIT - Chocolate Starfish And The Hotdog Flavored
Water (Universal)
From mediocrity to chart topping superstars. It’s hard
pleasing everyone. Whether it’s in a small sweaty club with a couple of hundred
kids (your name not known beyond state borders) or from the stage giving a buffoon-tinged
acceptance speech from an M-TV ceremony (watched by millions). Limp Bizkit
have been on both these platforms and whether it’s true or not, they still believe
they’re real, fighting the fight and doing it for the music. Be it as it may,
this album is pretty huge, but perhaps a little monotonous in many varied ways
(like simplistic crunching chords or vocal ramblings bordering on serious insecurity).
As leaders in a trend of hard music, there is too much responsibility heaped on
them…but the cash can smooth over that strain, though. Their tunes dripping power
can get damn catchy - but we better be careful, because if it gets too popular
it morphs into that genre we know, called…Pop. And that’s what eventually happens
to bubbles…and big heads.
- PB
4 / B LITTLE
NICKY - Motion Picture Soundtrack
Adam Sandler is no stranger to the
infantile, dumb-ass, bad taste comedy. Nothing wrong with that, though. In this
his latest ridiculous outing, the soundtrack gets a fine kick in the pants with
some cracking, top notch crunching bands assembled for the film’s audio space.
You get the lavish P.O.D., marvelously distressed Deftones, drifting
& accomplished Incubus, the self-explanatory Disturbed, the lighter Filter,
a booming Powerman 5000, scintillating Cypress Hill and more. Sure,
most of the tracks will probably only be in earshot as they stroll past storefronts
or probably not at all. Nevertheless, it’s great hard-edged fun.
- PB
5 / A
LIQUIDO
- At The Rocks
Like their previous success, Liquido delivers
seriously up-tempo, dreamy, happy rock with plenty of sing-along possibilities.
Even from the two opening tracks, Joke Is On You and Parkdrive 31,
you realise that these songs can seriously stick in your head after only a few
spins. The latter track is very reminiscent of their previous hits. They have
that ability to hook you with very simple but effective melodies, with a touch
of Ben Folds Five and East Coast Rock. Made In California has a hard surfin’
attitude with a Blur Song #2 tongue in cheek jab. Funny thing is,
these guys are from Germany and you’d never have thought with Liquido’s very US
sound. One of the best tracks is Play Some Rock which contains a catchy
piano riff and youth choir chorus which puts the cherry squarely on top. It works
brilliantly, but then they use the choir again on Finally Fine, ruining
the magic and unexpected ambush of Play Some Rock, just a little. Using
it as an extra track on a single release should’ve been considered.
-
PB
4 / B LOST
HIGHWAY - Motion Picture Soundtrack
Finally, a new David Lynch movie!
And a brilliant soundtrack to top it off. Trent Reznor's potent choice of songs
for Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers contributed a lot to the film's
atmosphere. In the case of Lost Highway his assembly is not as extreme,
but still packs a punch. With songs ranging from radio hits like Reznor's own
Nine Inch Nails with Perfect Drug and Smashing Pumpkins'
dreamy Eye, to Rammstein and Marilyn Manson's more crass
approach, this is one of the few recent soundtracks you don't get sick of because
of extensive airplay. A contributing factor in this case is the moody instrumental
tracks by veteran Lynch collaborator, Angelo Badalementi. And let's not
forget the tracks by living legends David Bowie and Lou Reed. Buy
it!
6 / A
-
PB LOST
IN SPACE - Motion Picture Soundtrack (Sony)
This format has proven
to be quite successful in recent years: To split it up in both "hit" songs from
the movie as well as the orchestral incidental musical moments will please both
factions. Apollo Four Forty take two bows, the opening track being their
blistering reworking of the original TV show's tune. We're given softer electronic
moments like Juno Reactor & The Creature as well as Space, while
The Crystal Method and Propellerheads rev it up. With about another
half dozen equally kicking tracks, this seems to be one of the better soundtracks
of late. The actual "soundtrack" of the film is handled by Bruce Broughton.
No matter who composes a soundtrack, I usually rave about it. In this case, though,
I feel a disappointed. The main reason for this is the tired Star Trek sound
of it all. Sure, there are exhilirating moments, but in the end it seems to boil
down to cliche'd Hollywood pomp. All things considered, it still a great soundtrack
(better than the movie, anyway).
- PB
4 / A THE
LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK - Rolprent Klankbaan (BMG)
Ou Fliekvlooi
gunsteling, John Williams, bly konstant besig. Sy komposisies vir die gewilde
Lost World wat tans vertoon, is net so groot en magtig soos die Tyrannosaurus
Rex wat weer, nes sy voorganger, grootskaalse verwoesting saai. Die musiek lewer
'n kollosale, epiese atmosfeer en herinner aan daardie oerwoud avonture van ouds.
Dit is tot 'n groot mate die gevolg van die "tribal" klanke wat geskep word deur
'n verskeidenheid dromme en slag instrumente - die dramatiese blaas instrumente
van die simfonie-orkes word darem nie agter gelaat nie. Net soos die storie struktuur
klimakse en ruspunte het, weerspieel die musiek dit perfek - dieselfde met jaagtogte,
onheil afwagting en sagte nuanse wat spanning opbou. Die ingevoerde CD het 'n
netjiese dosie wat oopvou om 'n 3-D dinosaurus- en oerwoud-toneel uit te beeld.
- PB
4 / A |
