Rock Around the World

Solomon Burke Pointblank/Virgin. NR
Definition Of Soul

The success of the Sky Ranch/Pointblank recording artist Percy Sledge has opened the way for another R&B legend.

Solomon Burke has got the patented tremelo in his vocal approach: at times evangelist, and other times Soul Stirrer.

Martin Luther King, Jr. had that very same gift that all the great Orators of History possess.

Dig on that for a minute, then pass the peanut butter.


Internet Listening Pleasure: You're The One, Just For You, 000000 Yo, Use Me, But Leave My Mind Alone, It's So Hard.

Art Of Noise China Records/Discovery. NR
The Drum And Bass Collection

Pioneers of Aural Environmentalism, Art Of Noise is lionized in The Drum and Bass Collection by European Mix Masters that introduce their styles to Art of Noise's repertoire as sort of a tribute to AON's impact on the profession of Mix Master.

The Hot thing right now all over Europe is the Jungle Mix as heard most recently in America on John Fryer's Mix Downs on White Zombie's Super Sexy Swingin' Sounds.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Something Always Happens, Art Of Love, Opus 4, Eye Of A Needle, Crusoe.

Jamiroquai WORK. NR
Travelling Without Moving

There is nothing like the pitch of a high performance 12 Cylinder engine. Listen to the gear exchanges on track 10. You can hear Jay dump the clutch in the 3-4 exchange.

This album is all about the groove. Any band that is into the fine art of driving and World Constructors Championships as much as I am has got my attention.

Most Musicians make excellent drivers because they shift at the pitch points of the engine rather than by the Tach. You drive by the seat of your pants and you shift with your ears.

This album's got the highway rising to meet you vibe the way Truman Capote's Maserati made the roads in Kansas come up like a wall when confronted with 180 m.p.h velocity.
Make sure you bring this album along if you're ever crossing the country...it will help you deal with the perception of speed.



Internet Listening Pleasure: Alright, High Times, Travelling Without Moving.

Scream TVT Soundtrax. NR
Music From The Dimension Motion Picture

Scream is one of the best Movies out there that explores the notion of the horror genre. Scream is a half serious/half comic look at the movies that have shaken recent memory: Friday the 13th, Halloween, etc...

Wes Craven is a horror auteur and he exploits a young cast that could barely contain the sheer joy of acting in a Dynomite horror movie.

The only other movie out there that can touch Scream is the spooky, special effects laden Relic which scared the shit out of me but from another angle: The Monster Movie.

Scream beats The Relic in the Soundtrack department, since nowhere else can you get a most excellent cover of Icicle Works' Whisper To A Scream by SoHo.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Don't Fear The Reaper, Artificial World, Whisper To A Scream, School's Out.

Wilco Reprise. NR
Being There

A daring outing from Modern Day Country/Folk/Rockers, Wilco.

Being There is a throw back album of refreshing proportion, a memory rush of flavours from people like The Byrds and their Clarence White and Gram Parsons iterations, Pet Sounds' Brian Wilson, Alex Chilton solo and with Big Star.

This album has the intonation of 1970, '71...The tone of this album has a vintage to it as I roll the flavors around in the palette of my taste.

A most adequate jacket, a full, yet mellow body, and a pleasant bouquet for anyone with a nose for tastefully vinted music.

Long may you run, Wilco.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Outtasite Outta Mind, I Got You At The End Of The Century, Someday Soon, Outta Mind Outtasight.

Shelley Fisher . NA
Song Book

I reviewed this songbook demo tape as a favour to a friend. It's entirely country, which is a whole nother feel to it, and I'm not an authority on this genre.

What I do know is that the lady sings with feeling and has very good touch.
A well produced demo tape. Some of Shelley's songs would definitely fly over Nashville if I were into promoting Country Music.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Bluff City Baby.

BJORK Elektra. NR
Telegram

Telegram is re-mix album full of work done by mixers that Bjork admires. They've certainly taken Bjork's messages and translated them in 16bit for you to decipher. You'll have lots of fun with the messages contained herein.

My favorite is the pushed back remix of the Massey Mix, also known as "Army of Me" originally produced by Nellee Hooper, Graham Massey, and Bjork...exquisitely rendered by Big Muff Bass, with special knowledge to Gripper Jones and Tim Dickenson for pushing the paddles on Massey's Voodoo Vibe Guitar.


Internet Listening Pleasure: My Spine, Isobel, Army Of Me, Headphones.

Darlahood Reprise. NA
Big Fine Thing

Use the RATW Search engine to find the Collective Soul review I did in '95. There you will find my words regarding how highly I regard the work of Bob Clearmountain. Some of my favorite albums of all time were recorded and/or mixed by Bob Clearmountain, the console Maestro.

Great production calls by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. The decision to record up in Bearsville does this band proud. There is a distinct, geologically older vibration you get if you're tuned-in once you get beyond the Tappan Zee Bridge and up in to The Adirondacks. I miss the vibe up there...

These cats in Darlahood seem to be tapped in to that vibe; proving that some of the offspring of the Woodstock Generation are capable of delivering music on par with their parents...


Internet Listening Pleasure: Grow Your Own, Big Fine Thing, De Nature Boy, I've Got Pictures, Hey Baby (Take Me With You).

ODDS Elektra. NA
Nest

This ODDS album is laced with groovy pop-hit songs. This album should sail, should the prevailing winds of change hold up.

Part of the reason is that this band has a Great rhythm section, anchored by Pat Steward, who rode the tubs on most of the songs on Bryan Adams' smashing Reckless album.

Production was handled by Nigel, one hep cat. A tip o' the hat to Nigel's engineer, Steven Drake...real transparent, man. It does not hurt to have Pacific Microsonics' HDCD mastering process on Nest. I don't even have the decoding chip yet, but I can hear the difference.

The smart money's waiting on the eventual technology trickle down. Until then, it's just me and the dogs around the bungalow diggin' on the HDCD sonics.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Tears & Laughter, Nothing Beautiful, Out Come Stars, Suppertime, At Your Word.

Aphex Twin Warp/Sire/Elektra. NA
Richard D. James Album

There is room in this business for a major label to sign TinK Morris' Slightly Miffed if a loyal subject like Aphex Twin can be signed. TinK ain't paying me to write this at Aphex Twin's expense, because TinK can't afford me. At this point, what I'm about to drop on you is hardly about Aphex Twin, which is but a symptom, and not the Disease.

It's just that the Mud World the Industry's created by turning loose their A&R departments on One Sound that [skillfully] made all the mud pie clones that are selling like [hot cakes] may as well sign TinK...You're up to your necks in mud anyway...may as well roll those bones while you're still breathing. I'm sorry, but some of you need to take up underwater basketweaving as a new occupation!

The Music Industry is experiencing it's own Black Monday, but for the lemmings who've brought the Industry to this point, I'll call it the Black Mudslide. It is time for the Old Guard, The Record Men, to step in to rescue this grand, grand trade and wrest it from the 1/2 time show that fucked it up.

Consumers have shifted their funds toward Real Estate, since at least that dirt has value.

The consumer reponse to the product output by the Industry via lackluster sales is eerily similar to what is known in investment circles as a severe correction. Put it on a chart and you'll see how steep the line is.

There is hope. Rock Radio in L.A., holding forth with KLOS has made the sound move by returning to programming featuring songs with uplifting lyrics and singers who can sing and musicians who can play.

The Smart money's on a return to real entertainment value per CD. Then watch your price earnings ratio repair itself and the graph will go the other way.

If you don't think I'm down, My money's on the Experience Hendrix/MCA music to save 1997. Hendrix always believed that Music could heal...Maybe just a little bit of James Marshall Hendrix's voodoo has lingered long enough to Heal this wounded Industry. Watch, a Rock Icon who's been dead for 27 years is gonna save this bitch.

These are my words. The sound I hear today, and I hear it like a distant thunderhead, is the sound of Music Lovers ALL over the World saying, "I want the MUSIC back in Music Industry. Turn that Noise down!!!


Internet Listening Pleasure: Girl/Boy Song: 18 Pound Snare Rush Mix; Red Ruth Mix.

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