The Odd Couple – Gnarls Barkley

            I listened to Gnarls Barkley’s first album, St. Elsewhere, last year.  As I thoroughly enjoyed it, I decided to give their second one a try.

            The album starts off with the familiar sound of a tape machine being turned on.  This sound effect bookends the first album as well, giving it a more cohesive feel.  Almost immediately, the track gives way to a retro 60’s sound complete with backbeat, handclaps, and psychedelic background vocals.  The bass line sounds like it could be late Radiohead albeit simpler.  Track two, by contrast, has a slower, more soulful feel.  Undoubtedly, throughout both of these tracks, the trademark Gnarls Barkley sound can be heard.  Unlike the first album, however, this one contains only 13 tracks, and is a little bit longer.  Three is Going On, an upbeat song reminiscent of Cee Lo’s single Fuck You from his most recent solo album The Lady Killer.  Since he makes up half of Gnarls Barkley (the other half being producer Danger Mouse), this would stand to reason.  Some people might question the reasoning behind even forming a musical duo comprising of a solo artist and a producer.  Why not just release a solo album and have Danger Mouse produce it?  Gnarls Barkley however, is a more collaborative effort.  Subsequently, it makes since for the two to form an actual duo or group as it reflects the more equal footing that they’re on creatively, as well as compositionally. 

            Track four is titled Run (I’m A Natural Disaster) and is the album’s first single.  This song, like a lot of the ones on this album, has a definite retro feel to it.  This sometimes starts with the sample itself, which in this case was originally recorded in 1968.  I like this track for its studio experimentation.  Like the first album, this one is a whorl wind trip, resulting from abrupt endings and jarring juxtapositions.  Would Be Killer is track number five.  It has an eerie sound reminiscent of the song The Boogie Monster from their first album.  Six is Open Book.  I’m not sure it’s one of my favorites, but I do appreciate their creativity.  The lyrics are intriguing and a bit heavier.  This track is very exotic with a sound that appears (almost) to come straight out of the jungles of Africa.  The next track brings about a welcome change.  Titled Whatever, it is a little lighter in nature.  Because it doesn’t try too hard to be deep, I feel like I can take it more seriously.  Track eight continues the throwback theme with a retro drumbeat and excellent background vocals right out of the sixties.  The lyrics are decent and the ending is enjoyable.  Even so, this is pretty typical Gnarls Barkley. 

            Track nine brings provides a nice change of pace.  In fact, Cee Lo’s voice is almost unrecognizable for the first couple of lines.  The background vocals are appealing as well.  During the verses they have a 5^th Dimension sound.  In the choruses however, their sound is darker in nature.  Ten is one of the less remarkable tracks on the album.  Still, I have to give the duo credit for the amount as well as the variety of sounds and genres they manage to pack into one album (one that’s less than 40 minutes at that!).  All of the songs have their own uniquely identifiable style, which is enjoyable.  Track eleven is Blind Mary.  This track is probably my favorite on the album.  The tune is catchy, the lyrics are cute, what more can I say?  Neighbors is the next song.  It is decent enough, but seems to go on a bit long.  Of course with this group, songs typically last less than three minutes so I guess it’s all relative.  Track thirteen provides a solid finish.  Titled A Little Better, it has a nice soulful quality that is great to hear.  At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but upon listening to it again, I’ve decided it’s a respectable finish.

            The Odd Couple is a respectable follow up to Gnarls Barkley’s debut.  It’s a solid album containing a great deal of diversity and interesting twists and turns as well as well-written songs at its core.  That being said, I do not think that it is as good as their first.  When Gnarles Barkley debuted in 2006 they had a fresh, new sound.  Because they had never really collaborated together, they sounded like nothing that had come before.  Rather than taking this sound and developing it or changing things up completely, they essentially released St. Elsewhere II.  Unfortunately, this album isn’t even as cohesive as the first.  This doesn’t mean that it isn’t a decently written and solidly produced album.  I just would have hoped for more of a change, let alone development, for their follow up.                    

Zooropa – U2

            This isn’t the kind of album I would normally seek out for listening, but the pickin’s are slim at the Koreatown branch of the Los Angeles public library, so I decided to give this one a try.

            From the very beginning, this album was not what I expected.  Track one begins with a slow fade-in taking two minutes before the main groove even starts.  As I glance at the track listing on the back, I notice that the songs are longer than is typical for this band.  Bono’s lyrics are more ambiguous and less direct than I have ever heard them.  Rather then storytelling in the form of prose, he opts for shorter phrases, which are inspired by more disparate, eclectic sources.  The sound is markedly different as well.  Even though it contains some fundamental U2-isms, it has been infused with electronica.  As I am overwhelmed by all of this, the first track passed by pretty quickly.  The second song continues this unexpected trend.  Again it sounds vaguely reminiscent of the Joshua Tree (ala With or Without You), albeit with more sonic experimentation.  Unlike the first track, the lyrics are more straightforward.  At four minutes, this track is actually the shortest.  As a result, it too seemed to be fairly swift.  Track three is Numb.  Bono employs a radically different lyrical style, utilizing short electronic laden phrases.  I don’t understand why this album did not receive more attention given its experimental nature.  It is decidedly different form most of their work and this departure deserves credit.  Track four sees Bono changing his vocal style, singing in a higher tone.  There seems to be a new wave influence as well undoubtedly brought on by Brian Eno’s production.  It should be noted that the artwork for this album is quite different as well.  The CD booklet is printed with the lyrics as well as vibrant color images including overexposed close ups of television screen shots.  Song number five is titled Stay (Faraway, So Close!).  This is the albums most popular single, which isn’t surprising considering it sounds the most like classic U2.  Even with it’s more stripped down, rock band feel it is still a decent, worthwhile listen.  Even in this track, however the band employs a few tricks, utilizing an interestingly abrupt ending. 

            Daddy’s Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car starts off the second half of the album.  This is one of the album’s more avant-garde tracks sonically.  Lyrically, the song is not easily discernable either.  Track seven is Some Days Are Better Than Others.  This song consists of surreal lyrics sung-spoken over a consistent groove.  I enjoyed the electronic synthesizer solo (whether it was created by keyboard or guitar is anybody’s guess).  I can definitely see this album alienating a lot of U2 fans with it’s forward thinking sound. Eight changes gears again with a gentler, more subdued sound including a soft guitar riff comparable to No Apologies from Nirvana’s In Utero album released the same year.  I thoroughly enjoyed this calmer track.  Nine is a piece titled Dirty Day.  Though I don’t have the lyrics entirely figured out, the message is clearly a humanitarian one (on a U2 album? Shocked!).  Unlike most critics who seem to take issue with the group’s (okay lets face it, Bono’s) political activism, I have always valued groups that use their status to call attention to the various atrocities that plague our world.  The final track is The Wanderer.  Yet again, U2 doesn’t disappoint in the creativity department for this album.  The tack consists of Johnny Cash singing in his iconic bass voice over electronic synthesizers and background loops.  In the booklet, the title is written as The Wanderer Starring Johnny Cash.  By using the word ‘starring’ instead of the more typical ‘featuring’, the band further embellishes the western motif alluded to throughout this song.  Cashes plain rustic voice provides a nice contrast to the modern electronic groove that supports him.  This is a quite unusual ending to say the least.  Of course, from this group, on this album, I would expect nothing less.

            This album is a very rewarding listen.  I’m not sure if I will grow to love it even more, or if its just the excitement of a new found listen.  It doesn’t matter either way.  What makes this album so enjoyable is that U2 takes such a large risk in exploring a new sound.  Keep it mind, with a 1993 release this comes years before Madonna, Moby, or R.E.M.’s forays into electronica.  U2 should be rewarded for this (critically if not commercially) and I’m surprised that this album is not cited among their best.  I have always had mixed feelings about U2 believing the Joshua Tree as well as Achtung Baby to be highly overrated albums.  Zooropa is such an exciting listen because, accept it or reject it, they are more experimental trying out new approaches to sonic ideas as well as lyrical ones.   

            

Grace – Jeff Buckley

            This 1994 classic was Buckley’s first and only full-length release.  Since first listening to his song Hallelujah (and learning of his tragic death) a few years ago, I have wanted to listen to this legendary work.  Now that I’m reviewing albums and have access to one of the largest libraries in the country, I have no more excuses.

            Grace starts off with a very mellow, relaxed sound that gently creeps in.  That isn’t to say it isn’t powerful, intense music.  Rather, it is understated in its approach.  This is quite refreshing from most albums (good and bad) that typically start off with a bang.  As the track continues, it slowly builds until Buckley releases a loud, guttural, rock ‘n roll scream around the four minute mark.  This type of music is some of my favorite!  Track two is constructed in much the same way, starting off gently and building from there.  As I listen to this song I realize that this album isn’t really what I expected and it might take me some more time to get into than I originally thought.  His sometimes reserved, contemplative sound is definitely headier than most.  The third track is Last Goodbye.  This has more of a consistent soft-rock sound throughout.  While the song itself is decent, it’s one of the weakest on the album.  Track four, Lilac Wine, is where the album really starts to pick up creatively.  Though it is a cover of a tune by J. Shelton, Buckley infuses it with so much passion and raw, delicate emotion; the listener can’t help but be moved.  He shows a maturity beyond his years as he makes this song his own.  Five is a piece titled So Real.  This song is beautifully written, standing solidly amongst the covers between which it is placed.  In fact, it is perhaps the best Buckley-penned song on the album.  Though it starts off softer, it quickly dissolves into more of a rocker.  Later on noisy, disjunct guitars are brought in adding to its brilliance. 

            The second half of the album starts off with one of Buckley’s most well known songs, his iconic rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.  Obviously, I have known this song the longest and have always enjoyed his hauntingly beautiful rendition.  The arrangement is stark with just his reverb-laden voice and guitar.  This adds a certain raw, fragility that is simply Jeff Buckley at his best.  Track seven continues this creative peak with Lover, You Should Have Come Over.  With it’s chill, understated tone, Beatlesque arpeggios, and fantastic background vocals, it is another solid classic in this album’s line up.  This song also builds up slowly over the course of several minutes providing a decent change from a lot of groups who record tracks less than three and a half minutes in length.  Eight is Corpus Christi Carol, Buckley’s rendition of a Benjamin Britten arrangement.  The texture is again quite bare, sounding almost as if it were done in the style of the early renaissance period.  This shorter, softer piece provides an excellent contrast to Buckley’s slow-building, louder ones.  Track nine brings about an abrupt change as Buckley launches into an all out rocker.  I have to say I don’t care for the songs in which he rocks all the way through, this one included.  Its decent enough, but not as groundbreaking as some of his other tracks.  Dream Brother is number ten and provides an excellent conclusion to the album.  It starts off with a slow fade in complete with various Indian instruments including tablas played by Buckley himself.  The song builds from there turning into a fantastic rocker, and one of Buckley’s finest.  Unlike how it begins, the song ends somewhat abruptly leaving the listener in the wake of the album’s aftermath to contemplate what, exactly, they have just heard.

            When an artist dies at an early age, particularly when they are in their prime, extra caution must be observed when assessing the critical acclaim that accompanies their work.  Often critics are all too eager to give excessive praise, in an attempt to compensate for the artist’s short-lived career.  Rather then simply evaluating what is, they attempt to evaluate what is in a context of what might have been.  Such is not the case with Jeff Buckley.  He is the rare artist who actually deserves most if not all of the critical attention that is paid to him.  Though he only released a single album, it is a ground breaking one.  Regardless of the type of career he might have had, this is an album that stands head and shoulders above a lot of others.  Most artists either play as loud or fast as possible to get the attention of a sizeable audience.  Jeff Buckley didn’t have to do either.  And that is what makes this alternative rock at it’s finest.                          

Shake Your Money Maker – The Black Crowes

           

            This debut album by The Black Crowes was released in 1990.  Perhaps this is further back than I realize as it pre-dates the Grunge movement.  Still, I thought it a good idea to change it up and listen to an album created before the mid-90s, so I stuck with this one.

            The first track starts off with a straight up rock sound and just a tinge of country.  The lead vocals are well suited for this style of music.  The voice is recognizable and possesses that bar room quality that suggests this group maybe decent as a live band.  The song itself, however, is fairly bland and unmemorable.  The group could have certainly chosen a better opener.  Second, is a song called Jealous Again.  This tune is not only more up-tempo than the first, it is more enjoyable as well.  This group’s sound is no-frills rock, which is perfectly fine.  The problem is, they’re songs seem to fade out leaving me wanting more.  Track three shows a bit more of the southern crossover sound.  As I listen to the slower song unfold, I can’t help but think that a five-member band should be capable of creating a more complex (or even interesting) sound.  Though track four is a little bit faster, it’s the same predominant sound.  Simple, verse-chorus-verse rock.  None of the sounds build or change dynamically.  Rather, they maintain the same style (timbre, dynamic, tempo) from beginning to end.  Up to this point, I have yet to even focus on production nuances, as the songs themselves have been so weak.  Five, Seeing Things, is the biggest change I’ve heard throughout the album thus far and a welcome one at that!  It utilizes a slower shuffle and just a bit of organ.  It is far from anything ground breaking but at least it’s a decent change of pace.  The chorus sounds (a bit too much if you ask me) like it’s right off of a Joe Cocker record.

The second half starts off with a well-known single, Hard to Handle.  This is actually a cover of an old tune co-written by Ottis Redding.  Unlike Redding, however, this song lacks soul.  Again the vocals are probably my favorite instrument in this tune.  The first guitar solo is fairly typical, but the more improvised playing right before the fade-out starts is more interesting.  Track seven is Thick N’ Thin.  With it’s country, barroom feel, this crossover tune definitely falls into the country-rock category.  Indeed, since before the Eagles it has been hard to determine where one genre ends and another other begins.  This is a pretty decent tune, and as such sees the album picking up, especially as it leads into the next song, She Talks to Angles.  Probably the bands best known song, this single is track number eight.  I know it well as it is regularly (over)played on the radio.  In listening to the verses, I would say this song contains the albums strongest lyrics.  The chorus, unfortunately, is far too repetitive.  Again, I liked the singer’s voice and think that it is well-suited for this type of song.  As always, the dynamic is the same throughout, missing a key opportunity to build.  This results in the song being less exciting, instead seeming to drag on for too long.  Track number nine has a harder rock sound.  This again provides a change of pace which is good.  The problem is, this group only has one type of bland, redundant, rock sound.  Only the guitar part before the fade out provides the slightest bit of interest in the song.  The final track showcases their typical honky-tonk flavored rock.  Like the majority of the album it is redundant and repetitive providing nothing new.  Though the group ends in a double-time rock-out, the track never becomes intriguing.  Rather than sum up, or conclude the album the track sounds like just another one of their songs, tacked on the end to add length and take up space.   

            I would NOT buy this album and don’t really consider it adequate even as background music.  Simply put, nothing about this album is impressive.  The songwriting, playing ability, and production are all bland and quite average sounding.  Because an album is only as strong as it’s songs, this album is at a disadvantage to begin with.  As a result of the songs being weak, there is not much that can be done when putting together the album as a whole.  For example, when determining the track order there is little that can be done, because there is little to work with dynamically.  The album is not able to start off at a certain point and take off or evolve.  It instead sounds like ten average tracks thrown together with no real cohesiveness or order and in the end, life is just too short to waste on mediocre rock.        

Moon Safari – Air

            

            For my review, I decided to listen to Air’s 1998 classic, Moon Safari.  Air is a French electronic band (although in reality the primary core consists of power duo Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin ala Steely Dan).  I have heard their music before and found it to be quite enjoyable, however I wanted to listen to this their first full length and highest acclaimed album.

            The first track begins with a slow fade in that gives way to the smooth mellow soundscape one might expect from an album titled Moon Safari.  This piece is minimal to some extent.  Rather then the typical writing style, which relies on a hook or catchy melody, this music is built from bringing different pieces together to form a texture that changes over time.  After the last couple of albums I have reviewed, it was nice to hear this different writing style being used.  By contrast, the second song starts off with a synth riff.  This heavier sounding track also has vocals where the first did not.  The verses are in French but the refrain (sexy boy) is in English.  Also, there is a nice jazzy keyboard solo.  The third track is a slower ballad with guest vocals by Beth Hirsch.  I would defiantly say the listener needs to be in a certain mood to fully appreciate this style of music.  It is much slower, more relaxed, and atmospheric.  I wouldn’t call it ambient music, but it is a softer electronica.  As I reflect on when this album was released, I realize it was the same year everyone from R.E.M. to Madonna was working on electronica experimentations of their own.  Four is a more up-tempo piece if you could call it that.  They start by setting up a great groove and then adding in multiple parts (which of course all sound fantastic together).  Again, I love the minimalism of taking a simple progression and then slowly building upon it (the multiple-octave piano arpeggios were pleasing as well).  Track five has a much darker, slower, brooding sound to it.  The live strings that are later added give a nice contrast between electronic and acoustic instruments used in the piece. 

            Track six starts off with a nice vocoder line.  Just as some songs are minimal sonically, in this track the text is minimal consisting of just a single line in English and one in French.  This song sounds a lot like an ELO throwback from the 70s so of course, it’s one of my favorites.  It is quite mainstream in it’s sound and the closest thing to a single that I’ve heard from this band.  Unfortunately, it is also the shortest track on the album.  Number seven sees Beth Hirsch return on vocals.  As I listen to her sing the all-English text to this slower ballad, I can’t help but be reminded of late Madonna.  I particularly like the string instruments, which come in during the bridge.  Track eight sounds like single material as well.  With a Burt Bacharach horn sound and a smooth bass line, the retro nature of this track is quite apparent.  This softer, throwback sound isn’t necessarily a negative as I find myself enjoying yet another well-executed track.  Song nine starts off with a nice blend of acoustic guitar and electric keyboard.  This group defiantly has a knack for successfully combining the acoustic with the electronic (for example using live piano over a digital soundscape)!  I also enjoyed the use of candid children’s voices talking, laughing, etc.  This kind of experimentation with all different types of sounds reminds me of the approach of rock bands from the 70s.  Track ten is the final track and as such acts as a decent closer.  Not only does it sum up the entire album in a way; the band proves that they’re not quite finished, providing excellent, bluesy, solos over the chord progressions. 

            I thoroughly enjoyed this album and can’t wait to buy a copy for myself (I rented it from the library)!  To fully appreciate Moon Safari, the listener does need to be in the right state of mind.  It is a slower more relaxed listen.  While some songs are more accessible, others are slower and take more time to unfold.  For the primed listener, the album can be immensely rewarding.  The way in which this band balances old and new, acoustic and electronic, slow ballad and up-tempo pop is simply astounding.                      

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not – Artic Monkeys

            Today I am reviewing the Artic Monkey’s Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.  This is the bands highly acclaimed, debut album.

            The first track begins with an immediate bang as the band launches in to a straight up rocker.  It’s a great start complete with a false ending, which I like.  As I gaze at the album art (including a CD booklet consisting primarily of pictures and almost entirely devoid of any text), it seems clear the band has no problem promoting smoking.  I have to admit that, though I’m not a fan of smoking myself, I do appreciate this classic rebellion against modern social conventions.  The second song is titled I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor.  As I listen to this track I can’t help but be reminded of the up-tempo rock style of Franz Ferdinand.  Fake Tales of San Francisco is the third song.  While I’m not exactly thrilled about hearing the same exact style for three tracks in a row, I do enjoy the lines “…all that’s left, Is the proof that love’s not only blind but deaf”.  Dancing Shoes, is the fourth track.  At this point, I have to say that I am starting to become disappointed.  All of the songs are short, fast, and in the same vein.  Song five continues this trend.  While there isn’t much to be said musically because of this album’s simple style, I do like the creativity of the titles.  This number, for example, is called You Probably Couldn’t See for the Lights but You Were Staring Straight at Me.  I enjoyed the sixth track, Still Take You Home, a little more.  By the end of the end of the song, I was amazed, but not surprised, to find the first half of the album coming in at under twenty minutes. 

            As Riot Van started the second half, I found myself starting to actually enjoy a track for once. With mellow, strummed guitar, at least it was something different!  Unfortunately, it was short (even by this album’s standards).  Song eight, Red Light Indicates Doors are Secured, saw an unwelcome return to fast rock.  Nine on the other hand, starts off nicely and ends up being not too bad of a number after all!  Track ten is enjoyable as well.  Even so, I haven’t listened to a British album this short since A Hard Day’s Night.  I particularly liked the percussion including the congas as well as the drum fills.  Number eleven, When the Sun Goes Down, is decent as it provides a change of pace.  Of course a solid ending and a lyrical nod to the Police don’t hurt either.  Twelve utilizes a stream-of-conscious style of writing lyrically as well as an unwelcome return to fast tempo rock musically.  A Certain Romance is the thirteenth and final track.  I defiantly found it to be a more intriguing one as it included more interesting guitar work in addition to a more enjoyable ending.  It was also refreshing to know that this band was capable of writing a song over the four-minute mark.

            On the whole, I found this album to be significantly overrated.  I understand that short, fast-paced, straightforward rock is not my favorite style, but even so, this record does not fair well when compared to other music in this genre.  After giving it a few listens, I have found that certain tracks have started to grow on me to a certain extent.  I still feel, however, that with out more diversity, creativity, and depth; this album receives far more credit than it deserves.               

Odelay – Beck

            For this review I decided to stay within the same era (the same year in fact) and review Beck’s fifth album, Odelay.  I knew this album was highly acclaimed so I wanted to give it a listen and judge for myself.

            Beck starts out strong with a throwback sound reminiscent of the sixties.  He spits out his vocals in the rap style he’s known for, combining disparate, disjointed phrases that seem to make no sense at all.  Whether or not they actually do is largely inconsequential, as Beck’s delivery convinces the listener that his lyrics have purpose.  The next track, Hotwax, utilizes a bluesy slide guitar sounding not too far removed from his earlier hit ‘Loser’.  He continues his vocal style giving the impression of a stream of conscious delivery.  It’s nice to know that in a year that saw the Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys become mainstream acts, substantial music was actually being written.  Lord Only Knows, the third track, also makes use of the slide guitar.  Again, I find the lyrics to be intriguing regardless of weather of not they’re meant to make any sense.  Case and point: “Titanic, fare thee well, My eyes are turning pink, Don’t call us when the new age, Gets old enough to drink.”  Next is a song titled The New Pollution.  After an in interesting twenty-second introduction, another sixties throwback takes place.  This can especially be heard in the bass line as well as the enjoyable saxophone and organ parts.  I have to say, compared to other groups’ attempts to portray the sound of an earlier era *cough* Flaming Lips *cough*, this is retro done right.  The fifth track is called Derelict.  It seems to be more experimental resulting from the disjointed nature of the melodic riff over which Beck delivers his lines.  Towards the middle section of the song, an Indian influence can be heard complete with tablas.  I find it fascinating just how many different sounds and styles Beck managed to pack into one album (less than half of one for that matter).  The end of the song is brought about with a fadeout over a drone.  Next is Novacane.  This track takes a turn in yet a different direction utilizing loud, crunching guitars as Beck goes back to his rap style delivery.  Towards the end of the track, various blips and beeps can be heard emanating from assorted early synthesizers.  Jack-ass is the seventh song on the album.  Again Beck takes a different course, opting this time for an accessible, classic-sounding number.  He possesses a great ability to combine old and new and effectively juxtapose both.  This track is fairly straight forward (at least as Beck goes) containing just a simple Lou Reed-sounding vocal over simpler guitar and percussion. 

            The eighth track is Where It’s At.  Not only was this the album’s most successful single, it is the only track with which I was previously familiar.  After a nice keyboard intro, beck goes into his trademark vocal style.  I enjoyed not only the spoken excerpts that can be heard, but the organ and saxophone as well.  Nine is Minus, a more upbeat rocker.  The clear-cut nature of the track provides an excellent contrast to the one that preceded it.  It is also the shortest track on the album, coming right after the longest.  Track ten, Sissyneck, showcases a southern rock sound complete with blues style steel guitar.  This is accompanied of course by blips, beeps, and Moog.  Readymade is the eleventh song.  What I enjoyed the most about this track is a horn part, which seems to almost not fit with the bass line.  The twelfth track is called High 5 (Rock the Catskills) and further showcases Beck’s diversity.  This track is defiantly more experimental containing a multitude of different influences including even a movement from a Schubert symphony.  Needless to say, it’s not exactly single material.  The primary problem with Beck’s style of music, is that some times it’s various elements are so disparate and diverse, it becomes difficult to combine them together to form a cohesive package.  Such is the case with this song and as a result, I’m not quite sure if I truly like it.  The final track on the album is titled Ramshackle.  This piece is quite different from the rest of the album.  It is quite subdued in its sound, containing candid vocals over a simple accompaniment of mellow guitar and basic rhythm section.  I liked this track a lot, and thought it was an interesting choice to have a rather restrained ending to such a cataclysmic, collage of a work.  After two minutes of silence there is a guitar loop, which plays for some two dozen times before being abruptly cut off.

            What makes this album so great is it’s remarkable sense of balance.  Though I enjoyed some more than others, all of the tracks are well written.  There aren’t any that act as filler in between singles.  In addition, there is an eclectic variety of genres as well as a contrast between pieces in terms of texture.  Furthermore, there is a good balance between songs that are more accessible and ones that are less so.  What makes this album a illustrious achievement, however, is Beck’s ability to pull all of these diverse, competing elements together to create a cohesive work that is varied but, at the same time, has it’s own iconic sound that permeates from beginning to end.  This is true of any great album from Ok Computer to Dark Side of the Moon.  Beck truly understands this.  For further proof, this concept can be seen beautifully paralleled in the album art itself.   

Crash – Dave Matthews Band

            For this review, I decided to go back 15 years and take a look at Dave Matthews Band’s second album, Crash.  Though it wasn’t their first, it was the breakthrough that introduced them to a large audience and proves to be their most popular to this day. 

           

The album starts off with a nice, clean acoustic guitar.  Virtually from the start, the hallmark Dave Matthews sound can be heard permeating the track.  One of the things that I liked about this track is the great groove set up by the rhythm section.  Better still, are the funky horn parts, which augment the song’s arrangement beautifully.  The second song is deeper both lyrically as well as sonically.  This is indicated beginning with the song’s intriguing introduction.  I enjoyed this song’s exotic sound as well as its fade out ending which seems to come out of nowhere.  The next track, Crash is one of the band’s best-known songs and one of my long time favorites.  I particularly like Mathews’ improve-style lyrics at the end of the song.  I find it reassuring to know that this track (the only one I knew well enough to sing before hearing this album) won’t be the only decent one.  Track four is titled Too Much.  The Phil Collins-style, big horn intro is recognizable, though I couldn’t previously put a title to the song.  The band sound is reminiscent of Chili Peppers funk albeit much softer.  I also enjoyed the saxophone in this piece.  Because this band involves a larger ensemble, it is able to take greater leeway in terms of soloing, improving, etc.  #41 is track number five.  This number takes a softer turn from the ones preceding it.  I’m not entirely sure how to classify Matthews’ style of music without using some generic, non-descriptive term such as ‘soft rock’ or ‘adult contemporary’.  Regardless, they do tend to incorporate elements of light jazz into their music, which I like.  The end of this track segues right into the next song with a seamless transition that is barely noticeable unless closely listened to.  Although this track takes a while to get into, it builds up nicely, especially towards the end.

The second half of the album starts off with a bang!  The horns provide accented punches, the guitars give the track a driving rock, and Matthews’ voice growls out the verse’s lyrics.  One of the best parts about this track is the band lets go a little more and rocks out a bit, particularly in the instrumental section.  Track eight is titled Let You Down and sees a return to acoustic guitar and a softer, more understated sound.  The next song, Lie in Our Graves is more of the same.  The lyrics echo the standard DMB mentality of ‘live for today ‘cause you don’t know what tomorrow will bring’.  Musically, the track provides little in the way of something new as well.  Cry Freedom is the aptly titled song ten.  Just as the titled states, it is a song that describes a person’s inability to stay complacent while human rights are being violated on a large scale around the world.  While the tune itself is not great (this is the most orchestrated track thus far which is nice), I do like music that carries a social message calling attention to the atrocities thrust upon humankind.  I found track eleven, Tripping Billies, to be rather redundant as well.  It utilizes the same Phil Collins big horn intro reminiscent of track number four.  Also, the lyrics pretty much echo the exact same sentiments as song nine.  I would have to say I prefer this song to the ninth one however, because it is catchier.  The final number on the album is titled Proudest Monkey.  I like this one.  It has a nice soft, slow groove that provides a solid finish to the album.  I also rather enjoyed the slide whistle sound effect, which was scattered throughout the track.  Unfortunately the nine-minute song drags on a bit too long especially with the same material repeated in a slow fade during the last four minutes.

Overall, I thought the album was decent.  Nothing phenomenal, but a good listen none the less.  One of the chief problems I found with it was it lacked a great deal of variety.  Alternating between acoustic guitar ballads and funky, upbeat horn tunes can only take you so far.  Also, at close to 69 minutes, the album is a good two songs and fifteen minutes too long.  There is nothing wrong with a 69-minute album if there is enough material, however in this instance there is not.  Would I put this album on during a backyard barbeque? Yes.  Would I cite it as a classic for the way it’s shaped the course of music?  No.