CD Reviews

60 Ft. Dolls

The Big 3

(DGC)

I have to admit that I have a bit of a problem with three-piece bands in general. Sure, Nirvana was great, but for the most part, the lack of musical complexity that seems to be inherent in three-pieces turns me away. Unfortunately, 60 Ft. Dolls aren't doing much to help change my mind. Musically, almost every track on The Big 3 is an endless array of power chords, shouty vocals and energizer-bunny non-stop drumming. Like almost every other three-piece band. There are a few songs that linger with you for a while after listening to the record, like the anthemic "No. 1 Pure Alcohol" and the punkish "Happy Shopper," but not because they're really anything special. It's just because they have a bit of a catchy chorus or verse, which is hardly a sign of musical longevity.

60 Ft. Dolls are most similar in sound to older Urge Overkill, mostly due to singer Richard Parfitt's vocal style, but also because of the essentially power-driven songs. The band hails from Wales and is prospering nicely due to what's being touted as the "Welsh Invasion" by groups like Super Furry Animals and Zorky's Zygotic Mynci. The success of Ash, another guitar-crunching trio of British rockers, also helped pave the way for the Dolls. But as to the question of whether their success will continue: without some real musical progression, it doesn't seem likely.

-Doug Levy

subUrbia

original soundtrack

(DGC)

If you didn't already know, "subUrbia" is the new film from Richard Linklater ("Slacker," "Dazed and Confused",) and it's based on the play by Eric Bogosian. There's no real departure from Linklater's favorite themes, namely, being young and disenfranchised in subUrbia. He's already established his audience with his previous films, and if there was any doubt about what he was going for with this one, the soundtrack will clear it up.

Instead of a traditional orchestral musical score for the film, Linklater hired underground idols Sonic Youth to take on the task. A lot of their guitar wailing and screeching didn't make the soundtrack, but the fact that the album features three new songs from the band as well as a previously released track ("Psychic Hearts") from a Thurston Moore solo effort should be enough to satisfy any Youth fans. The best of these songs, "Bee-Bee's Song," features Kim Gordon on vocals and almost seems to define indie-film musical credibility.

In addition to these tracks there are unreleased songs from Elastica with Stephen Malkmus (lead singer for Pavement), Superchunk, and Boss Hog recorded especially for the film, along with tracks by Beck, U.N.K.L.E. and the Flaming Lips.

Elastica covered X's "Unheard Music," and it's the gem of the disc. Featuring the Pavement singer for the duet, along with vocalist Justine Frischmann, the song has a raw, stripped-down appeal. Beck's track uncharacteristically relies on a calm soothing guitar track, with vocals so laid-back it could be a Mazzy Star song.

"subUrbia" has it's low points, including a grating song from Girls Against Boys, some unnecessary whining from Superchunk and the always unwelcome Flaming Lips. However, round it all out with Skinny Puppy and the Butthole Surfers and the number of good songs outweighs the bad in the end, which is usually the most you can hope for with a soundtrack.

-Doug Levy

Veruca Salt

Eight Arms To Hold You

(Outpost)

Eight Arms To Hold You is one of the strongest, most infectious collections of guitar-pop to be unleashed on the world in years. Named after the original working title of the Beatles film "Help," this album features 14 tracks of captivating vocal harmonies, beautifully melodic songwriting and a musical confidence that would have made Lennon and McCartney proud. The title isn't the only Beatles reference either: the first single, "Volcano Girls," includes a verse reworked from the classic "Glass Onion" that just forces a smile to any Beatles fan's face. The song is an instant power-pop classic, driven by wailing guitar solos and a '70s glam-rock sensibility that is sorely missed in modern music.

Guitarist/vocalists Nina Gordon and Louise Post have both been working to solidify their guitar sound since the last album, where they weren't as sure of their playing styles and abilities. The result is songs like "Shutterbug," "One Last Time" and "The Morning Sad" that never falter for a second and almost require you to listen to them over and over.

The strongest point of the band remains the same as it's always been, though: the vocals. Both Gordon and Post have wonderfully versatile voices that can either blend beautifully together or create hauntingly dissonant harmonies and allow for a degree of complexity within and between songs that you just won't find with most bands today.

If all you think of is "Seether" (their first hit single) when Veruca Salt is mentioned, this album will amaze you. It's one of those rare albums that doesn't just make you hum along or dance a bit, but that becomes a part of you. Eight Arms To Hold You will get under your skin and become an addiction.

-Doug Levy

No Fun At All

Out of Bounds

(Revelation/Burning Heart Records)

From the country that brought us the Volvo, the Saab, and a damn cute bikini team comes Sweden's newest sensations, No Fun At All. Unlike the above No Fun At All come in the form of a five-piece band who play Southern California-influenced melodic punk and do it quite well. After releasing three albums and a couple of singles on Sweden's Burning Heart Records, No Fun At All have re-released their latest album Out Of Bounds on Revelation Records here in America. And let me tell you folks, this album is a masterpiece.

Since their last album (No Straight Angles), NFAA have matured both in their songwriting and in their musical style. No Straight Angles was a great album but it lacked the originality that is brought to on Out of Bounds. No Straight Angles could be described simply as Pennywise from Sweden, and every song is played extremely fast. However, on Out Of Bounds, NFAA show that they have their own style because the songs vary in speed from track to track. I'm not saying that No Fun At All have slowed down their sound, there's just more of a variety of songs.

Singer Ingemar Jansson has put more emphasis on his lyrics and they seem to have more meaning and come through a lot better than on their previous albums. The other members are no slouches either, and they maintain a vicious backbone that puts the power in their music.

Overall, this is a great album that has established No Fun At All as one of the premiere punk bands, both in their home country of Sweden and across the world.

- Andrew Berenson