CD Reviews
Artist: 22-20s
Title: 22-20s
Label: Heavenly Records/ EMI
Year: 2005
4 / 5
British guitar-rock quartet the 22-20s have put out their self-titled debut album, an incredibly awesome but stylistically uneven 42-minute showcase of good ol’-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. The 22-20s are heavily inspired by blues (and, to a lesser extent, psychedelic rock) and take a stripped-down, straightforward approach to songwriting and performance that pays off in spades.
There’s much to love in this album. The general tone and concept of the album can be described by expanding the White Stripes to a full band, then focusing the instrumentation more tightly and cutting down dramatically on the crazy noodling and fuzz that Jack White dissolves into from time to time. The 22-20s take obvious influence from both the White Stripes and the early Rolling Stones — a combination that the band actually pulls off very well.
The disc does lurch and drag in a couple spots, not because any of the songs are lacking but because the track list is strangely arranged. The flow of the album is start-and-stop, tossing a psych-rock track in between blues-rock tracks, dropping the slowest song on the album right behind one of the fastest songs — choices like that. The strange pacing throws off the overall groove and mars an otherwise impeccable album.
Regardless, 22-20s is an exciting debut and an absolutely awesome rock album — by all means, a recommended listen.
James Howard, Volunteer Staff
Artist: Hadley
Title: Seventy-One the Beautiful
Label: Maple/ Universal
Year: 2005
2 / 5
Quebec-based radio-rock trio Hadley (formerly Pennsylvania-based indie-rock trio Doctor Hadley) is making a bid for mainstream success with their new album, Seventy-One the Beautiful, and the album shows that they have what it takes to make it onto the scene. I’m not saying that because the album is good, necessarily; I’m saying that because the album is bland enough to fit into radio rotation without anybody ever noticing.
Seventy-One the Beautiful is passable at best, but don’t expect it to ever grab your attention. No song on the disc will strike you as magnificent, though there are a couple of decent tunes — particularly “Red” and “Closer,” which are favourably comparable to some of the earlier Watchmen albums. No song on the disc will strike you as completely awful — although a couple may come close. You can tell that “27th and Madison” is supposed to be meaningful because they threw some faint but jarring violins into the background. (A man can’t help but hate it when they do that.) And a lot of the songs, unfortunately, just seem to sit there and eat up time; you can listen to a handful of these tracks several times over and still not care about or remember any of them one way or the other. It just can’t be done! Believe me, I tried!
James Howard, Volunteer Staff
Artist: KT Tunstall
Title: Eye to the Telescope
Label: Relentless/EMI
Year: 2005
3.5 / 5
KT Tunstall covers a lot of ground with her first release. She has an eclectic history of Chinese ancestry and Scottish upbringing, and although there’s no hint of an accent in her vocals, the range of her style reflects someone who isn’t afraid to bridge genres. At times, such as in “Through the Dark,” the guitar and her voice have a definite country feel, and she handles it well without reaching beyond her ability. In others, such as in “Universe & U,” she showcases the power behind her voice with a bluesy feel. Then in the pop single “Suddenly I See,” Tunstall relaxes and lets her rasp, which seems held back through other songs, shine through.
Beyond blending styles, Tunstall mixes feminine, sensitive lyrics with forceful, well-produced background and tone — making it the kind of album that can’t be fully explained in words, but has to be listened to. For simplicity, Tunstall is similar to Norah Jones (yet more aggressive) or Nelly Furtado (yet less in your face). The only problem that comes through is that Tunstall spends so much time developing her range in these 12 tracks that we meet less of her character — maybe we’ll get to know her better in later albums.
Kyle Lamothe, Staff
Artist: the morning after girls
Title: prelude: eps 1 & 2
Label: Rainbow Quartz/ Killbeat
Year: 2005
3 / 5
When a band goes out of their way to write their name entirely in lower case, it becomes very hard to write about them without feeling as though you’re slowly murdering the English language. (Especially when the band name is pluralized!) So, henceforth, Australian psychedelic-rock act the morning after girls will be referred to simply as “the band.” Okay? Okay.
With that out of the way, let’s see what the band is up to. prelude: eps 1 & 2 combines their first two EPs into a North American debut album, and the end result — drawing a great deal of influence from the highfalutin’ avant-garde traditions of classic rock — is uninspiring but nothing to complain about.
The band’s atmospheric, reverb-heavy approach lends itself much better to the slower and more melodic songs (notably “Lazy Greys” and “Always Mine”) than it does to their faster, harder-rocking tunes; perhaps wisely, the album contains far more of the former than of the latter. Nothing leaps out as exceptional, however.
prelude: eps 1 and 2 is the album equivalent of a lava lamp — it’s pretty, it’s floaty and it’s nice to have in the background while you’re doing something else, but unless you’re stoned out of your gourd, it’s not going to hold your interest at all.
James Howard, Volunteer Staff
Artist: Beastie Boys
Title: Solid Gold Hits
Label: Capitol
Year: 2005
4.5 / 5
The Beasties themselves will admit that they aren’t a singles band, and arguably they are better known for their ability to defy genre and incorporate endless influences to create epic albums. Regardless, Solid Gold Hits compiles 15 better-known Beastie songs onto one career-spanning disc.
A few songs are instantly recognizable: “Fight For Your Right,” “Sabotage” and “Intergalactic” all sound as good as they once did, but the real gems on this compilation are the lesser-known “hits.” “Shake Your Rump” and “Hey Ladies,” from their 1989 sample-fest, Paul’s Boutique, reveal the Boys at their wittiest, complete with shout-outs to Chuck Woolery and Vincent Van Gogh. “Root Down” features an incredible bass line sampled from a Jimmy Smith track of the same name, and “Open Letter to NYC,” from 2004’s To the 5 Boroughs, demonstrates the Beasties still have what it takes to stay relevant in the post 9/11 world.
One could question just exactly how necessary this compilation is. The Beastie Boys already have a two-disc collection of hits and rarities in The Sounds of Science, released in 1999. But in a holiday season filled with greatest hits packages, this collection from the Beasties proves to be one of the few worth buying.
Daniel Camaclang
Artist: Blackalicious
Title: The Craft
Label: Anti/ Epitaph
Year: 2005
2.5 / 5
The Gift of Gab moniker is fitting. As the lead singer for Blackalicious, Gift of Gab is continually using his extensive diction to try to impress his audience. The emcee’s vocals could use less layering, as he uses too many large words. It’s like he is emphasizing that his vocabulary is advanced compared to most vocalists in the hip-hop genre. Then again, it’s rare to hear a hip-hop album that doesn’t have vulgar or explicit lyrics. Gift of Gab chooses to stray from shock, barely mentioning violence, sex or drugs. Instead, on every track he deliberates about how wholesome his lyrics are. The Craft is bland mostly because the Gift of Gab lacks substance.
On the other hand, it is obvious that these funky beats were created to evoke certain emotions. I’m sure they are developed for a stellar live performance in a smaller venue. The drums are snare-heavy and possess a head-nodding bounce. Aside from decent production provided solely by group producer Chief Xcel, it is the guest vocalists and emcees that save most songs. For example, George Clinton brings the funk on “Lotus Flower,” where he provides a template of what type of vocals complement Chief Xcel’s music. To Blackalicious fans, the duo’s effort is probably something near impressive. Truthfully, The Craft is less than spectacular: it brings nothing new to the table.
Navin Bahl Staff
Artist: Sean Paul
Title: The Trinity
Label: VP Records/Atlantic
Year: 2005
3.5 / 5
Sean Paul has successfully introduced the world to dancehall, a genre where established Jamaican artists like Beenie Man and Bounty Killer had mere medium rotation with countless efforts. Only Shaggy had the pop sensibilities that pleased the masses until “Sean-a-Paul” came along and introduced listeners to an infectious flow he calls “singjay.” Paul sings melodies instead of rapping Jamaican patois, and his accent is much more comprehensible than traditional dancehall artists. His second effort, Dutty Rock (2003), was a groundbreaking album with five hit singles. Paul was set for mainstream stardom, especially after his collaboration with Beyoncé Knowles on the song “Baby Boy.”
How did Paul react to this opportunity? Perhaps a better question is: how clever is Paul? Well, this is his third release and he calls it The Trinity. His second album sold successfully off the strength of the first single “Gimme the Light.” This album’s first single is called “We Be Burnin’.” Another Trinity song that got early heavy rotation on urban radio shows is “Ever Blazin’.” It seems Paul is too preoccupied with setting fire to a particular plant, like many other artists from his native Jamaica. Drugs aside, when he is not talking about smoking, Sean Paul can still belt out those club hits that will fill any dance floor. The Trinity does not disappoint, nor does it impress.
Navin Bahl, Staff
Artist: Burdocks
Title: What We Do is Secret
Label: Black Mountain Music
Year: 2005
4.5 / 5
If the epic quest of our neigbours to the south is the writing of the Great American Novel, surely Canada’s quest is to cultivate the Great Canadian Indie Rock Band. Well, Halifax’s Burdocks are certainly trying. Respite with gorgeous melodies, jarringly appropriate song titles and lyrics, and some good, old-fashioned east coast guitar, Burdocks’s fourth release (and their first since losing the ‘the’ preceding Burdocks), What We Do is Secret, is a rocking good time. Wailing lyrics and pounding drums perfectly fulfill the band’s promise, leading to a well-rounded and utterly beguiling sound, if not one that is entirely unique. Still, the musical inventions are as intricate as they are intense, and this CD definitely deserves multiple listens to truly delve into the sound.
“It could have been a clever concept, but could it happen?” asks “Turn the Century.” Amid the complaints and commiserations, the questions and answers of the disc, my answer: a resounding “yes.” I won’t give it five stars, precluding further consideration, but this is about as good as it gets if you’re looking for some serious rock music.
Tessa Vanderhart, Staff
Artist: Circlesquare
Title: Pre-Earthquake Anthem
Label: Output Recordings
Year: 2005
2 / 5
So are they a circle, square or rectangle? Does it matter? Jeremy Shaw heads the Vancouver-based electronica group who creates a dream-like quality with its series of soft ambient tracks. The eight and a half minute-long opening track of the album, “Trancenation,” introduces the listener to the hypnotizing beats that borrow heavily from Moby’s Play (1999) album. The repetitive bass line gets old very fast, especially when it’s featured in every track. It is difficult to determine when one song ends and another begins, especially when I feel that the song I’m listening to is 15 minutes long, only to discover that it’s four songs that sound identical. In a strange occurrence, the vocals on “Non-Revival Alarm” follow the style set by the late ‘90s rap collaboration on “Guilty Conscience” by Eminem and Dr. Dre.
I strongly recommend this album if you’ve had trouble sleeping and need a sedative. I don’t see any other reason to purchase this album, unless you’re friends with the currently ‘unknown’ band. Even if so, you might not want to sit through this. Circlesquare emerged onto the music scene from their parents’ basement to record Pre-Earthquake Anthem, and they should go back.
