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Melissa Etheridge - Skin
ISLAND 548 661-2 Reviewed by RP
Melissa's well-publicised gender preference naturally makes for an interesting twist to any of those "love crazy" songs that have been the mainstay of her albums throughout the Nineties. Ten new loves, founded here on old-fashioned virtues, again reveal the strength she possesses both as a writer and interpreter of up-tempo alternative rock. A husky, deprecating voice and brooding personality, which suffers fools not at all, is a volatile and hard-hitting combination. Quality lyrics pluck prickly insights from out of those everyday mundane experiences: "I washed the dishes poured out the old wine / Called a new friend for the second time / It's not bad this brand new life / It's clean and it's sharp like a brand new knife" ('Goodnight') proves she is an articulate wordsmith who scrubs away at a commonplace image to show that sexuality is merely Skin deep. Peel away at any relationship and it's obvious that all of us happen to be identical underneath. Indifference and neglect are shared slights. Saying that "My heart is a traitor / It led me down this road" ('Down To One') speaks for everyone at some time or another. Of course it's easier to dwell upon the pain, so on balance, Etheridge's perspective is a pessimistic and vulnerable one.

Nils Petter Molvaer - Khmer
ECM 1506 Reviewed by RG
ECM have an enviable reputation for producing exemplary recordings. Unfortunately the music tends to spread from the obscure to the impenetrable via the obtusely eclectic. Recognise a single name on the cover of an ECM LP and you'll a) be doing well, and b) be unlikely to recognise any of the other contributors, which can make buying them something of a lottery. Khmer offers the familiar mix of western Jazz influence mixed with complex, oriental tinged percussion, but this time creatively married to multiple guitar sounds and samples. The result is a heady brew with Molvaers trumpet sounding uncannily like the ghost of Miles as he makes a far better fist of this kind of collaborative sprawl than his most obvious influence ever did. Music of pattern and texture, this is a dense, intense and occasionally disturbing concoction which will give you and your system a serious emotional workout. Slabs of bass, wailing guitars and a haunting, tortured trumpet - and that's just the first couple of tracks. This is at least one new direction for Jazz, and whilst it will probably offend the traditionalists, or even frighten them, it's the most exciting new Jazz I've heard for a long time. Buy with confidence: Approach with caution!

Fiona Apple - When The Pawn
CLEAN SLATE/EPIC 496 428-2 Reviewed by RP
Fiona's impressive 1996 debut disc, Tidal, confirmed her position as the young queen of melancholia. A precocious talent who evoked disquieting tableaux through the dark, shifting emotional undercurrents of her lyrics and laments, was for me far more crab-apple than golden delicious. Perhaps it is the hard edge in such a youthful voice, or the dirge-like speeds of songs which seemed to suggest life experiences of someone much older that made Tidal bitter to the taste. Certainly, the gothic black and white images of a gaunt, undernourished and haunted-looking Fiona Apple did little to dispel feelings that she had aged before her time, and that saddened me. When The Pawn, is a considerably happier affair. Ten introspective songs including, 'Get Gone', 'Love Ridden' and 'Paper Bag', focus upon love and heartbreak, optimism and despair, vulnerability and determination. Mature, perceptive and robust lyrics dissect her dilemmas. For every piercing, bitter line like, "So call me crazy, hold me down/Make me cry; get off now baby - /It won't be long till you'll bellying limp in your own hand" ('Limp') there's another of the quality of "I'm gonna make a mistake - /I'm gonna do it on purpose/... Cuz fm full as a tick/And fm scratching at the surface/... I've acquired quite a taste/For a well made mistake" ('Mistake') which exudes self-confidence. Apple's spirit can be bent but it will not be broken.

Yo-Yo Ma / Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor - Appalachia Waltz
Sony SK 68460 Reviewed by SG
The collaboration of these three accomplished performers produces music of imaginative interaction that bridges the gaps of a number of musical styles, from bluegrass and country to Celtic and classical chamber. As well as these recognised genres, the music here contains certain contrasting harmonies and rhythms, and expressive improvisations found in jazz. Each performer supplies their own style and technique, but at the same time each learns and modifies from the other two, giving a certain integration to the group. Each is allowed an individual expression, but none overwhelms the others. The performance is full of contrasting melodies and provocative counterpoint that lay at the musical heart of the album, but there is also a tremendous sense of enjoyment and fun. These players certainly have a sense of humour. The sound is good, with a palpable presence to each player within the soundstage, and a certain amount of bite from their instruments, but it just lacks the ultimate in transient response found on the best recordings. This is a thought-provoking disc that also entertains. For a sample of this and Sony's other releases of Appalachian music there is now an excellent anthology - Heartland (Sony SK 89683).

Simian - chemistry is what we are
Cdsour021 Reviewed by MC
Simian are several shadowy characters that produce superb music. Beyond that I'm not sure, and to be fair, I'm not sure anyone else is either. The music they produce is singularly unique. It consists of a blend of trance, cafe chic and poetry. 'The Wisp' for instance appears to combine throbbing bass, squelchy white noise and plainsong chant. It's a hard pill to swallow, lying as it does so far outside the bounds of popular music, but it's sure to do you good. What is actually surprising is how conservative they have been on this album, considering the more avant-garde offerings they have issued before. In fact this album sounds suspiciously similar to some of the later Boo Radleys material: if someone had stolen Martins Carr's guitar and left him with a Moog and a sampler you could imagine him producing something not entirely dissimilar. It's a delicate album, and at times just slightly disturbing, the haunting melodies, with their awkward harmonies, drift over incredibly intense sub-bass. 'chemistry is what you are' contains surprises at every turn, and can delight with every one. Let there be no doubt that Simian are moving music forwards, and in entirely the right direction.

Nelly Furtado - Whoa, Nelly
Dreamworks 450 329-2 Reviewed by DA
OK, OK, so you might be suffering from Nelly over-exposure, as it seems like you can't escape from 'I'm Like A Bird', the fifth track on this album, anywhere you turn this summer. Don't let that put you off, for whilst the aforementioned track is a fine song, it's not entirely representative of the album. In fact, the new single 'Turn Off The Light' is much closer to the overall feel of the CD, with its quick tongue tripping lyric and hip-hop tinged style. Although born in Canada, Ms Furtado has Portuguese origins, and these come through on tracks like 'Onde Estas', which is sung in her forefather's tongue - thankfully she provides us with a translation and whilst Nelly's not a lyricist beyond her years, there are a few nice flourishes along the way. For example: 'I'm cleaning my dirty mind like a toilet but it won't give in' and '...I'm sorry that I made myself feel better by making you feel never good enough', the latter showing a burgeoning insight into the human psyche. Watching her perform with such incredible confidence on Later.... with Jools Holland was a revelation, here is one performer who is going to be around for some time, and I for one say good luck.

Rufus Wainwright - Poses
Dreamworks 0044-50237-2 Reviewed by JH
Comparison between this album and the Eels latest (also reviewed in this issue) is interesting and informative, Poses is more melodic but is saturated with a similar whimsical style of understated presentation, particularly of the lyrics which are, similarly, very subtle but no less noteworthy. With-this album Mr. Wainwright makes a strong statement of his credentials as a poet of note. Reporting in song lyrics on the state of society isn't new but this album manages the balance of entertaining musically and commenting social better than most. For example what at first seems to be a standard West-Coast influence on 'California' turns out to be anything but. Listen to the lyrics "life is the longest death in California" and you are suddenly aware of the disparity between the upbeat tone and the sentiment expressed. He manages a range of emotions from dreamy and uplifting through to great tension in 'Evil Angel' and it's all helped along by the complex song construction. Here we find a mix of a great many instruments strings, guitars and percussion all well organised to add depth to these songs its all very complete. An excellent and largely complete album that you will keep coming back to, it's just a pity Rufus can't really manage to sing in tune.

Oasis - Definitely Maybe
CRECD169 Creation 1994 Reviewed by MC
Ten years after their first ever live performance, Oasis are climbing back into the limelight, so I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at the album that raised them to fame back in 1994. Lets be clear about this, Definitely Maybe contains not one original idea. For five albums since, they have been struggling to show they can be fresh and creative, and for five albums since they have sounded tired and faded. And for what? Because their debut album, whilst being a virtual facsimile of 60s and 70s rock, bristles with an excitement and intensity that no band have recaptured. What is still striking about the album is that it really does convey a sense of innocence, it really does convince the listener that here are five lads from Manchester you could meet on any night down the local, a sense long since lost. And that's the key, every track is imbued with a slightly grimy quality, every song simple and effective, and all played with such naive energy. And it sounds great. Noel may not have been a genius on the guitar, but in Liam they had a truly great singer, spitting out lyrics like every word was a personal affront. Forget your prejudices, forget the tabloids, forget all that happened since. Put it on, turn it up and see just why Oasis rose so fast. And whilst you're there, listen to 'Bring It On Down' and wonder just how loud those guitars must have been.

Hefner - Dead Media
PURE115CD Too Pure 2001 Reviewed by MC
What were Hefner thinking when they let Darren Hayman sing? He may represent one of the most intelligent, witty and emotional song writers of alt time, but he sure can't sing. If you haven't heard Hefner before, then you have been missing out. For four previous albums they have been putting stories of breathtaking frankness and normality to music, in ways that are moving and satirical in equal measure. This album marks a change in Hefners style, where previous albums mixed sharp, incisive lyrics with heartfelt delivery, this album courts chart success ever more desperately. 'Dead Media' finds the band dallying with electronics for the first time, ditching their skillful steel guitar for vintage analogue sequencers. And that's the problem, because Hefner, whatever they do, will never be cool. There still remains a fine set of classic songs, enhanced, rather than ruined by the addition of synthesizers. But gone are the ballads of missed opportunities, and gone are the anthems of discontent. Darren's voice is undoubtedly less hostile to the casual listener, but it never really reaches its full howl. This is by no means a bad Hefner album, it's just that all the things which made Hefner so brilliant and unique in the past have been let slip. Hefner's other albums sound strangely personal, 'Dead Media' sounds mass produced.

Muse - Origin Of Symmetry
Mushroom MUSH93CDX Reviewed by DA
Origin of Symmetry is a dramatic album, or rather melodramatic in an American soap - mugging to the camera - sort of way. By forming a melange of ELP, Queen, Rainbow, and Bach topped off with lashing of millennium attitude, Muse have managed to produce an album that is simultaneously fresh and familiar, at least if you're an ageing prog-rocker like me. Singer and songwriter Matthew Bellamy comes over like a cross between Van Der Graaf Generator era Peter Hammill and Freddy Mercury. Whilst not having Hammill's subtlety, or either's voice, his approach lies firmly in the box marked 'intensity', possibly with a 'camp' sub-title. Lurking towards the end of the album there are a couple of reflective tracks, such as 'Screenager, but must of the album is firmly in the full-on, in your face category. This is an album that makes you want to furrow the brow and sing it out (bet you can't make the top notes on 'Micro Cuts'). Probably better not to stick it in the CD Walkman when you're on the train. Not since, Moloko's Things To Make And Do, and before that Skunk Anansie's Post Orgasmic Chill has an album so firmly glued itself into my CD player. One to add to my desert island discs.

Eels - Souljacker
Dreamworks 450 335-1 Reviewed by JH
The founder and inspiration of the Eels is Mark Oliver Everett, the son of Hugh Everett the author of the many worlds theory of quantum physics. Fortunately for us Mark did not take to quantum physics but fell instead into music and in 1995 formed the Eels. The rest is now history with three highly acclaimed albums behind them they have recently released there fourth studio album Souljacker. So where does the new album fit in? Superficially less accessible than Beautiful Freak or Daisies for the Galaxy but thankfully lacking the bleak bottom of the heart, soul wrenching of ElectroShock Blues, the Eels have further cemented their position as a very serious force on the alternative scene with this album. Souljacker illuminates a band that are still experimenting despite finding a popular sound which has to mark them out for greatness, a simple rehash would have kept most people happy! One influence that is a little less than original is the inclusion of the usual suspects dancy beats. Fortunately the integration with the rest of the songs has been done well. Possibly the best Eels album to date, but I'll need to hear it a few more times to be sure.

The Strokes - Is this it
RTRADECD030 Reviewed by MC
A lot has been said about The Strokes in the media recently. And justifiably so, for a small band from New York City to burst so suddenly and so explosively into the UK music scene is quite an achievement. The unexpected success of The Strokes is representative of a growing interest in guitar driven music which concentrates on the content rather than the gloss. With a handful of American groups behind them (White Stripes etc) and a host of excellent British bands waiting to take advantage of their success, Is this it may prove to be the most important release this year. Which is a shame, because it fails to deliver the excitement that was promised. However, every song has style, every song has swagger. The Strokes have a sound which is unique and timeless, even allowing for the obvious quality issues. And yet something isn't quite right; there is simply too much filler, and not enough killer songs. But it isn't all bad, not by along way. The Strokes sound laid-back and confident, full of attitude and sharp enough to cut themselves. The singles rock, and even when the songs lack substance, they don't want for pure attitude. A good album then, perhaps even the spark that lights the fire, but at the very least a breath of freshness amidst the chart pap.

Suzanne Vega - Songs In Red And Gray
ARM RECORDS 493 111-2 Reviewed by RP
A single moment convinced me that Vega was a phenomenal performer: courageous and immensely talented. She stood in front of a packed Albert Hall, hushed an expectant audience, waved away the band and found perfect pitch to hit the right key for an unaccompanied vocal rendition of Tom's Diner: Totally stunning. This rich voice has always caressed the listeners ear until the most gentle delivery of a lyric successfully lulled us into a false sense of security before heaping the real substance of those highly literate songs upon us. Songs In Red And Gray returns to this formula with a vengeance through lines like, "The Virgin Mary on a chain has hit me in the mouth again as we explore the carnal scare of sacred and profane". ('It Makes Me Wonder'). All thirteen tracks, here, are underpinned by her seriously good acoustic guitar, while bass men, Mike Visceglia and Rupert Hine, together with some carefully considered drum work, provide an understated but essential musical foundation to this album. Thematically, her material has not much altered, either. Picking over the bones of doomed marriages ('Soap And Water'). Trading in broken promises ('Songs In Red And Gray'). Observing how easily violence against women is committed ('If I Were A Weapon'). Angst disarmingly wrapped, for which her distinctive, warm cadences are so much more than packaging.

Various Artists (mixed by Everything But The Girl) - Back To Mine
Ultra Records Reviewed by MM
The folks at DMC have come up with a brilliant idea for interesting compilations. This epiphany came at the right time, with all the greatest hits volumes and poorly thrown together anthologies out there on the market. Who wants to spend the extra sheckles for a collection of songs that you already own that just happened to be sequenced differently. Enter the Back To Mine series. The concept: Asking DJs to mix a set of records that they would spin themselves, in the comfort of their own homes after a long night working the club scene. The result is a looking glass into the eclectic and imaginary tastes of the DJs outside of their work environment. Songs range from hip-hop to classic soul, and grant us insight into the inspiration behind the sets that these turntable wizards play. Some have utilized the opportunity to express their back-at-home emotional state, and others spin their influences. Worldwide talents Groove Armada, Danny Tenaglia, Nick Warren, and Faithless have all contributed to the series. Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt, better known as Everything But The Girl have given us a gorgeous look into their flip sides with this installment. Not surprising, as any true EBTG fan knows they've done everything from acoustic folk to dance together (if you get my drift). The duo have managed to seamlessly mix a wide range of music, and their sequencing is sublime, which is a necessity for any worthwhile compilation. Brilliant picks from Beth Orton ('Stars All Seem To Weep'), Ananda Project ('Cascades of Colour', the Wamdue Black remix), and Deadly Avenger ('Bayou') make this worth the downtime an the couch. And how could a true music appreciator go wrong with Donny Hathaway's 'Someday We'll All Be Free?' ETBG have outdone themselves here. This Back To Mine record is just that, a reason to crack a bottle of that sweet Merlot you've been saving, turn the ringer off and slide over next to the partner you barely see these days.

Rickie Lee Jones - It's like this
Artemis Reviewed by MM
It's a difficult task trying to find a genuinely well-produced and engaging album in the rock/pop genre these days. With the advent of new recording/mixing/sequencing (and every other -ing you can think of) technology the realness of records seems to be fading. The soul of the studio has been replaced by convenience and expediency. Sometimes a gem sneaks through the corporate clutches and we get to marvel at its authenticity. It's like this, the latest from Rickie Lee Jones, is a much-needed antidote to the pro-tooled world of contemporary music. This album is deliciously sparse. Jones vocal delivery has only gotten sexier with age. The deep, sultry nuances of her voice glide across the soundstage like rain on a windshield. Her phrasing is completely unique, this is Rickie the way she wants to 6e. It's not difficult to understand why she is in such good form here; the record is a compilation of her favorite classics. And with accompanying musicians like Ben Folds you are guaranteed good musicianship. Jones' cover of the late Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man' is simply stunning. She brings a bare bones interpretation to the track and does it with true style. Steely Dan's 'Show Biz Kids' sounds as if it were written for her. The most intriguing element of this record is the captured space. The sound stands out at first breath. You can actually hear the air around the vocal mic. Imaging is sublimely focused. It's almost eerie, how "real" the soundscape is. There is a defining sense of dimension and depth. Instruments exhibit their true characteristics without being trimmed or EQ'd to death. Bruce Brody, who co-produced the record with Jones, deserves an award for his efforts. Unfortunately the record probably didn't se!! enough units to attract Grammy attention. If you've ever been in a booth, or a live room and really heard (or felt) the way the sound behaves you are going to love this album.

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