The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics

Warner Bros

The Flaming Lips have always released odd sounding and boldly creative albums. "At War With The Mystics" is not a let down for fans who love the offbeat and always original sound of the Flaming Lips. From psychedelia to orchestral pop, this band can bend and break the rules without fear of consequence.
Songs such as "Free Radicals (A Hallucination Of The Christmas Skeleton Pleading With A Suicide Bomber)" exemplify the genuine weirdness and casual genius of The Lips. To convey the spirit of this band would be damn near impossible. But, The Flaming Lips have constantly searched for and refined their style which, although always changing, is always recognizable for the oddly written and sung lyrics of Wayne Coyne. Rock has produced few stranger or more daring bands in the last 20 years.

Various Artists - Heartbreaker: A Bluegrass Tribute To Jo Dee Messina

CMH

A multi-award winning, platinum artist, Jo Dee Messina is one of the brightest lights on the country scene today. After a hiatus of a few years, she has returned with a brand new album and a fresh sound, mixing pop and country sensibilities. Legend has it she managed to gain the attention of her record company by telling them they needed a redhead on the label and this spark and enthusiasm is evident throughout her work. Nobody said the music business was easy and Messina has managed to stay at the top of her game with massive hit albums like "I'm Alright."
CMH Records presents another in their acclaimed Pickin' On series taking some of Jo Dee Messina's biggest hits and giving them a genuine, downhome, bluegrass makeoever. Hits such as "I'm Alright," "Bye Bye" and "My Give a Damn's Busted" are lovingly recreated with fiery guitars, banjo and passionate fiddle. Listeners will be deliciously surprised at the transformation of her music into pure Appalachian gold.

System Of A Down - Hypnotize

American/Columbia/Sony BMG

System Of A Down came onto the scene in 1997 with their self-titled debut album with a new anarcho-metal sound that no one had done before. A lot of their sound has to do with the stunning lead vocals of Serj and his nonsensical, yet clearly anti-capitalistic and pro-anarchistic lyrics. Their latest album shows growth musically and vocally while still using the same nonsensical lyrical style.
On "Hypnotize," they use some new sounds, including the use of a Spanish influenced breakdown towards the end of the song. The guitarist, Daron Malakian, does singing on many of the tracks; he sounds cleaner and provides an antithesis to Serj's all out style. They are clearly exploring where they can take their music, and the forecast looks good.

Various Artists - Celtic Crossroads

Putumayo

Putumayo is a record company dedicated to exposing people to modern music of the world. They make collections of artists who have integrated their culture's roots music into contemporary styles. Their latest release is a magnificent example of the music they strive to bring to all corners of the world.
Celtic Crossroads has artists from Ireland and Scotland who integrate traditional singing and instrumentation with modern genres such as electronica, folk rock and alternative. Some artists, like Keltik Elektrik with "Wild Mountain Thyme," take traditional song lyrics and update the accompanying music with enchanting results. Artists such as Emer Kenny, Sinead O'Connor and the Peatbog Faeries have been included in this collection of present day Celtic artists.
(Editor's Note: Anytime you see an album labeled Putumayo, you can be sure you are getting the top of the line music. Putumayo represents nations that don't have the need to invade other nations. I hope you know what I mean.)

Hot Chip - Coming On Strong

Moshi Moshi/Astralwerks

On first listen Hot Chip come off as a featureless and bland version of popular music. But, the cheap church organ sound with flat and soulless electronic beats seem a little too intentional; and they are. It doesn't take very long before you're swaying to the beat and laughing to Hot Chip.
Their personality is dry but witty. Hot Chip came together because they were bored with the music they were listening to and started to write their own music almost as a satire of the music industry. Heavily influenced by Brian Eno and Kraftwerk (among a great many of other musicians), Hot Chip are masters of subtlety regarding electronic composition. And even though they are mostly electronic, they can integrate other instruments fluidly, such as the spacey sax solo on "Crap Kraft Dinner." These guys are funny as hell and right on the mark.

Various Artists - Texas Unplugged, Vol. 2

Palo Duro/Fontana

Now, I don't like Texas, and I don't really think that Texas likes me. But, but all previous bias aside, I believe that some of the best modern country music that I have heard recently has been on Texas Unplugged. First off, the musicians here are NOT Country and Western, you know what I mean. Secondly, these artists have all obviously listened to classic country artists and taken a tip or two.
Texas Unplugged, Vol. 2 presents a wide range of artists such as the Sidehill Gougers, Dale Watson and Johnny Bush who all have their own distinctive country styles. The Sidehill Gougers are a stringband with folk styled vocals and excellent harmonization. Dale Watson is a deep, deep... deep voiced singer who has his own brand of honky tonk, christian barfly country music. Then there's Johnny Bush. Well, Johnny Bush wishes he were born in Texas... 140 years ago. So long as Texas keeps producing music, nothing shall come between us, except for at least 2 states.

The Vacation - The Vacation

Abstract/American/Warner Bros.

The Vacation is hard rock tinged with punk much like a crossbreed between The Ramones and Iggy Pop, or the Dead Kennedys and Buckcherry. Their high energy is evident, especially in leadman Ben Tegel's wavery, Jello Biafra influenced vocal style. The songs on this album radiate an entirely different persona than other modern day rock bands. The Vacation looks backwards in rock history as they move forward with their own music.

Various Artists - Take The Lead (Soundtrack)

Republic/Motown/Universal

The "Take The Lead" Soundtrack is a soundtrack to yet another movie about people dancing. You would think that it might be a decent soundtrack, right? Maybe. There are a lot of big names on this album including Bone Thugs -N- Harmony, Black Eyed Peas, Remy Ma, Sean Biggs and my personal favorite, Sly & The Family Stone.
The opening track is the most interesting thing on the album, Lena Horne with Q-Tip sharing the same cut with two completely different styles. Bone Thugs -N- Harmony share their track with Wisin & Yandel, Fatman Scoop and Melissa for a heavy crunk track; but I can remember when Bone Thugs had harmony.
But, like I said, my favorite: Sly & The Family Stone with "Que Sera, Sera." They had rhythm, harmony and style. Overall, this soundtrack is an excuse for Universal to squeeze a little extra money off of an overly produced and needless piece of entertainment that uses a shameful amount of money and resources to begin with.

The Church - Uninvited, Like The Clouds

Cooking Vinyl

The Church's latest album is a bland and bleak landscape of layered guitar textures and reverbed vocals. Although, this is what The Church has done in the past; sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. They have always been a hit or miss band, but their talent for making cool noises on a guitar cannot go unnoticed.
Before Tom Morello was tripping out on his guitar in his Harvard dormitory, Piper and Kobbes were producing incredible overlapping guitar patterns in Australia. "Uninvited" is not their best work. But, The Church's worst work is better than most people's best.

Adair - The Destruction Of Everything Is The Beginning Of Something New

Warcon

Adair is pop-metal in the most fundamental way that can be defined. They use dramatic lyrics and chord progressions, alternative styled vocals and sparatic break outs into extremely syncopated double-bass rolls and power chord triplets. They have an extremely embedded and distinct style that emulates the past 5 years of Top 40 alternative stations, and that stifles anything creative they might achieve.

Various Artists - Hip Hop Essentials Vol 8

Tommy Boy

VOLUME EIGHT!!! There are 12 albums in this series (See 7 previous issues for 7 previous 'Essential' reviews), you think they might find enough hip hop artists to not repeat themselves too often. No matter. Everything is forgiven this time. A Tribe Called Quest is present with "Check The Rhime." They were always at the forefront of using creative sampling and real instruments in their music... plus they fuckin' rock. De La Soul also get time on this album with "Buddy," an amazing cut as laid back as you can get in early hip hop. Volume Eight is probably the best yet out of the series realistically. There are a lot of familiar names this time, but the selected tracks from artists like Salt-N-Pepa, Ice-T, Grandmaster Flash and, of course, Tribe and De La make for an awesome hip hop roots album.

Wishbone Ash - Clan Destiny

Eagle Rock

35 years and running. It's hard to watch bands do this to themselves. You come on the scene and you're great. Wishbone Ash actually influenced a number of important bands like Thin Lizzy and even Iron Maiden. But, when creativity slumps it is damaging for a band to stay together, even though the only core member has been Andy Powell.
I keep saying that bands are generally meant to break up at some point (Rolling Stones), with the rare exceptions such as bands like Parliament. But, good luck to you Mr. Powell. On the other hand, their harmonizing twin lead guitar sound is still at the forefront of the progressive rock movement. It's guitar-heavy excursions regularly jump between blues and folk.

Johnny Cash - American III: Solitary Man

American/Columbia

American III is an album of songs of the heart. But Cash has always been a man of a political (and religious) mindset. His songs have always been a voice for people who have been without a voice: the poor, mistreated and working class.
On this album Johnny Cash has a score of guests including Merle Haggard, Norman Blake, Tom Petty, Sheryl Crow, Marty Stuart as well as Cash's wife and daughter. Nobody, but nobody, can sing and tell a tale like Cash. Nobody!

Marion Meadows - Dressed To Chill

Heads Up/Telarc

Whooo Wheee! This one really stinks. I mean, run for cover and plug your ears, 'cuz it don't get more plastic than this. Nothing on "Dressed to Kill" suggests that it is anything more than "hold music." With classy songs such as "Scent of a Woman" and "To Love Her," M. M. can inspire millions to hang up.
***Shelton's Single Of The Week: "Not Your Year"***

Thursday - A City By The Light Divided

Victory/Island/Interscope

Produced by Dave Fridmann (known for his work with Flaming Lips, Mogwai and Sleater-Kinney), Thursday has the sound of an experimental rock group. But, unlike Flaming Lips, Thursday does not naturally drift towards new and interesting sounds. Instead, they find their muse in their textured and distorted guitar patterns. Following in the wake of Industrial music, Thursday uses a healthy dose of ambient noise extracted from their heavily textured guitar work. "At This Velocity" is the pinnacle of Thursday's experiment, with enough cool effects to satiate the biggest industrial fan.
***So Nice, Gotta Do It Up Twice (Created by the Original NYC DJ, Jocko, 1955)***

Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives - Live At The Ryman

Superlatone/Universal South

Marty Stuart has been known to perform various types of country roots music including country, bluegrass and rockabilly. This particular performance came up smack dab in the middle of an outside rockabilly tour that was a flop due to summer heat. This show was not officially part of the tour, but it was inside, and a bluegrass show. So, Marty called up his bluegrass buddies and pulled an amazing show with excellent spontaneous energy out of his ass, scribbling out the set list while walking onto stage.
Whether or not Marty thought so at the time, he came out with a truly great bluegrass album by the end of the night, with old standards done improvisational style, including "Orange Blossom Special," "Shuckin' The Corn" and "Hillbilly Rock." When bluegrass is given proper attention and lovin' it comes alive with life; there's nothing quite like a great string band.
***Sean's Single Of The Week: "Orange Blossom Special"***

Syd Matters - Syd Matters

V2

Jonathan Morali has done what so many songwriters would love to accomplish; he's released his demo recorded in his bedroom by sending it for reviews and to record companies. His songs are all done in impeccable English, despite being French, and blend acoustic guitar with various ambient electronic music.
Morali has begun playing shows and has gotten very good reactions from his audiences. He seems very calm-headed about his sudden success and modestly acknowledges that the second album is always the clincher. But if this is what he is capable of doing in a bedroom, then he should have a blast in a recording studio.

Kill Cheerleader - All Hail

Spinerazor/Corporate Punishment

Kill Cheerleader is easily assessed. The inside cover shows the four band mates in a drunken stupor hanging on each other for support. When you take the CD out you see one of the members in a pink thong with his head resting on a toilet. Plus, you know... they're named Kill Cheerleader.
Their music is what can only be described as Punk 'n Roll. They play great party music; an excellent rock, house-party band. Their song "Sell Your Soul" starts the album with a kickstart, and it gets better from there. By "No Feelings" they have sped up their pace with Iron Maiden precise guitar solos and fast paced crescendos. Kill Cheerleader is high energy rock designed for partying.

Umphrey's McGee - Safety In Numbers

SCI Fidelity

When listening to Umphrey's McGee, I can never put my finger on what they are doing. One moment they are alternative rock, then they go off on all sorts of tangents, from blues solos, to Beatles styled instrumental breakdowns to funky Zydeco a capella jams. But, no matter what they do, they always change what they are doing.
At first, I couldn't decide whether they were any good. But upon further listening, they have a seemingly endless list of influences that make up their wide range of sounds. They always have some great and unexpected new sound to through your way, incredibly fun to listen to.

Canibus & Phoenix Orion (Cloak N Dagga) - Def Con Zero (CD/DVD)

Head Trauma/ First Kut/Kent

Canibus has created a stir in the East Coast underground scene, and had a controversial misunderstanding with L.L. Cool J. But Canibus is back collaborating with Phoenix Orion with his new album "Def Con Zero". Canibus is making a statement about the state of the world today on this album, about the "bling-bling" rap industry, about the direction of the post 9-11 world we live in and the impending resource crisis of mankind.
"Def Con Zero" will remind the listener of the roots of rap, with hardcore beats that existed before the days of multi-platinum mainstream artists that ruined the social and political importance of rap music. Canibus and Phoenix Orion take on questions that matter, and it flows off their tongues flawlessly.

Donald Fagen - Morph The Cat

Reprise/Warner Bros.

Donald Fagen, of Steely Dan, could be the only evil mastermind behind this album. Whether or not you like his work, he has a genius satirical style that no one can (or probably would want to) emulate. His best work comes from his "wussy jazz-fuzak" sound that sounds smooth and cheesy to new listeners, but has dark underlying stories and messages.
"Morph The Cat" is no different. Songs like "The Night Belongs To Mona" are upbeat tunes that espouse contradictory messages, "Was it the fire downtown/ That turned her world around/ Was it some guy or lots of different things/ We all wonder where she's gone/ That sunny girl we used to know/ Now every night we get the Mona Show." Fagen has the peculiar talent of making the depressing and absurd seem fluffy and light; truly a peculiar fellow.