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...Baby One More Time (ECD)
Britney Spears
Debbie Gibson never recorded anything as sexy as Britney Spears's white-funk smoker "...Baby One More Time." Unfortunately, neither does the 17-year-old Spears's debut album contain anything else that remotely approaches that instant hit single. A few of the disc's cuts are pleasantly catchy, but too much of its space is given over to icky ballads ("E-mail My Heart"?) and other unconvincing moves such as the dancehill -lite "Soda Pop." Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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14:59
Sugar Ray
These Southern California frat rockers have learned what they do best. Gone are the damaged noisefests that recall a more polished Rage Against the Machine and middle-period Stooges. Filling those spots are lighthearted ditties such as "Even Though" and "Falls Apart" that boast tropical guitar flourishes and almost Beatlesque harmonies. On 1997's Floored, the breeziness of "Fly" was the exception; on 14:59, it is the rule. Sugar Ray have cleaned up, sanitized, and civilized themselves, which might not be a bad thing in terms of accessibility and airplay. Some fans, however, might miss the hard-partying, screaming misanthropes of yore. And even the inclusion of old-school rapper KRS-One on "Live & Direct" doesn't make up for Sugar Ray's loss of innocence--although their shimmering cover of Steve Miller's "Abracadabra" inspires affection. Another saving grace is that they haven't lost their sense of humor, dubbing the album 14:59 as a homage to Andy Warhol's 15 fleeting minutes of fame. It would be an error, however, to conclude that Sugar Ray's hourglass is running out. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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5 (REISSUED WITH 2 BONUS TRACKS) [EXTRA
TRACKS]
Lenny Kravitz is still obsessed with the '70s, and for good reason: he's found endless inspiration in the work of Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder, and a decade's worth of soul men. Kravitz hasn't lost the funk on 5, but the sound here drifts dangerously close to the Me decade's shallowest end, when disco seemed to rob R&B of its soul. So the passion Kravitz has shown on early albums is strangely diluted (aside from the album-closing epic "Can We Find a Reason?"). 5 is the singer's first foray into digital technology, but despite a few modern effects at the edges, he's doing essentially the same as before--only colder. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Astro Lounge
Expounding on the theme from their hit "Walking on the
Sun" (from the multiplatinum Fush Yu Mang), the verbose songs on
Astro Lounge are filled with examinations of societal ills, personal
woes, and other disappointments entailed in this thing known as Humanity.
Yes, the album would seem heavy-handed were not the overriding sentiments
filtered through Smash Mouth's "Hey, dude, let's party!"
brand of musical optimism. Ranging from reggae to lounge to psychedelia
to surfer rock to a sort of punk-a-go-go, Smash Mouth's
influences have little in common with one another save for one important
exception--they all evoke images of personal freedom and defiance of
oppression, reminding us that, gee, fighting the Man can actually be
raucous good fun! It's been a long time since a band with this much
commercial potential could say something thought-provoking and
get the party going. On "All Star," Steve Harwell sings, "Only shooting
stars break the mold." A fitting prophecy for this outstanding alterna-pop
album. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
- Music From The Motion Picture [SOUNDTRACK]
"Beautiful Stranger," the Madonna track that opens and highlights this mixed-bag soundtrack, perfectly captures the nouveau shagadelic mood that Mike Myers's if-the-'90s-were-the-'60s sequel requires. With hints of the psychedelic pop that drove some of her best music between Like a Prayer and Bedtime Stories, this William Orbit collaboration could be a remix of a great lost Jackie DeShannon track. As for the rest of the dozen cuts, they split fairly predictably between the good (the Who, R.E.M., Costello/Bacharach, and Flaming Lips numbers), the bad (Lenny Kravitz's dull "American Woman" cover), and the whatever (Melanie "Scary Spice" G's failed takeover of Cameo's "Word Up"). Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim
Ferrer
It should never cease to amaze how spry and dramatically potent a force is the Buena Vista Social Club. The group--really a gaggle of aging Cuban maestros brought together for stunning all-star performances--keeps its footing in Cuban dance music at the same time as it revels in the lax tempo of layered hand percussion and traditional rhythms. Ibrahim Ferrer stepped to the international fore as the vocalist on the eponymous BVSC CD in 1997 and here furthers his already-obvious command of everything from sultry, horn-swaying ballads to gritty son tunes like "Mamí Me Gustá." Ferrer's tattered vocal inflections shape the more rollicking tunes so their texture is palpable, especially when belted in antiphonal give-and-takes with the rest of the huge band he totes along here. A 15-member-strong string section steps forward on the bolero tracks, which send off a smoldering passion that's startling in light of the BVSC's heightened, horn-charged charts. But the rich string passages color songs in wide brush strokes, which is to say that they heighten the passion to no end. Ferrer's debut might come in his twilight years, but it's a majorly luminous event. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Buena Vista Social Club
Ry Cooder's name has helped bring attention to this session, but it's the veteran Cuban son musicians who make this album really special. Reminiscent of Ellington in its scope and sense of hushed romanticism, Buena Vista Social Club is that rare meld of quietude and intensity; while the players sound laid-back, they're putting forth very alive music, a reminder that aging doesn't mean taking to bed. Barbarito Torres' loud solo on, "El Cuarto de Tula" is both more blinding and more tasteful than any guitar showcase on any recent rock album; a quote from "Stormy Weather" and some very distinct parallels to Hawaiian styles remind us of why it's called "world music." Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Californication
Reunited with producer Rick Rubin and guitarist John Frusciante (both of whom were on board for the 1991's breakthrough Blood Sugar Sex Magik), the Chili Peppers waste no time in burying their last effort, the so-so One Hot Minute. Californication's kickoff cut, "Around the World," swaggers around the room, reacquainting itself with old fans and welcoming new ones. Fuzzy Hendrix vibes and popcorn bass lines still rule the roost, along with a heaping helping of disco magic and some unexpected twists. Ten years ago, Anthony Kiedis and company wouldn't have been comfortable doing revamped new wave ("Parallel Universe") or unpretentious ballads (the acoustic "Road Trippin'"), but such material fits Californication's extra-wide canvas. Except for a few meandering numbers that could have been excised, the Red Hot Chili Peppers succeed and regain their footing on the mountain of adrenalized funk. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Classics In The Key Of G
Offering a tribute to composers of previous generations, soprano saxophonist Kenny G uses his 11th career release to present his interpretations of various standards and assorted chestnuts from the past century. G's approach is as smooth and gentle as ever, and anyone in the market for mild-mannered, relaxing jazz should be satisfied with this package. Highlights include a slowly evolving version of George Gershwin's "Summertime," with George Benson on guitar, and a largely respectful rendering of Monk's "'Round Midnight." Subdued orchestral backing is used throughout the recording, and two vocal selections are included: a "duet" with the Louis Armstrong vocal track from "What a Wonderful World," and the subdued samba of "The Girl from Ipanema," which features singer Bebel Gilberto, daughter of the song's original vocalists. That selection is reprised instrumentally on an uncredited, nonindexed 11th track that is heard about 20 seconds after the conclusion of Harold Arlen's "Over the Rainbow." Languid listening from start to finish. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Come On Over
The come-from-nowhere success of Shania Twain's previous album, The Woman In Me, proved that the world was ready for a combination of traditional instruments, girl-power themes, and dance-pop dynamics. Whether Twain is a modern-day Dolly Parton or a country music Spice Girl is a matter of perspective. But with her third album, she accentuates the sing-along choruses and simple dance rhythms while downplaying the country elements. As a pop move, it works wonderfully for her, earning Twain a valued spot on MTV, VH-1, and pop radio. The emphasis is on fun rather than depth, of course. But no one can accuse her of being stingy: She and her Svengali-like producer/husband, slick-rock king Robert "Mutt" Lange (Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, AC/DC), load down the album with 16 songs, all of them quite radio-friendly. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Dizzy Up The Girl
The orchestral-pop hit "Iris" (from the soundtrack to City of Angels) proved the Goo Goo Dolls were no one-hit wonder with 1995's "Name." One listen to "Slide," the crafty, yearning second track off their sixth release, suggests the streak continues for Buffalo's finest. Not surprisingly, aspects that make the aforementioned songs memorable--warm, acoustic stylings; strings; heartrending hooks--also make Dizzy come alive elsewhere. Ultimately, the effort documents the band's continued migration from indie rock toward the mainstream. Thus, while "Slide" and the reprise of the wondrous "Iris" might shine for weeks (or even years) of repeated listens, attempts to keep alive the group's power-trio past often have a been-there/done-that feel. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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