Album Reviews

Arizona Summer Wildcat

ORBITAL

"The Middle of Nowhere"

Remember the Neverending Story? You know the one, it's right next to your copy of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. How can you forget Falkor and Atreju flying around saving Fantasia from the dreaded horrors of "The Nothing."

Take Orbital's latest release, "The Middle of Nowhere," throw it into your CD player, find a copy of the movie, synchronize the two (a la Dark Side of the Moon and the Wizard of Oz), sit back, take some hallucinogens and let the lack of sensory indulgence begin.

"Way Out," the first track, which I like to call Bastian in the Dumpster, starts off like a Tyco keyboard on demo mode and ends up like a Tyco keyboard on demo mode with dying batteries. Know Where to Run, otherwise known as Die Artex, DIE!, is the most tolerable track on the album just cause it reminds me of a sinking horse.

The song, I Don't Know You People, (Mmmm...limestone rock) mixes the traditional drum and bass combo with the futuristic sounds of Q*Bert. We're talking about cutting-edge stuff here.

Everything else on the album sounds like an old Tangerine Dream album. Instead of trying to progress the European synth sound out of its 80s doldrums, Orbital makes sure it stays there. Now, where's my copy of Legend?

-Steven Saggoo

LIMP BIZKIT

"Significant other"

With profound lyrics like "Stick it up your ass," you can see why Limp Bizkit's latest effort, "Significant Other," keeps other musical geniuses - Ricky Martin and the Backstreet Boys - from Billboard's top spot. However, a lot has to be said for a band that was booed off stage about a year ago when they opened up for Faith No More, but ended up ruling the growing hardcore metal/rap scene.

"Significant other" showcases the band's ability to create catchy hardpop songs like "Nookie" and "Nobody Like You." The CD will undoubtedly keep their audience of 12-year-old blue-haired girls at bay until the next cool band arrives.

The old adage holds true here: no matter how hard you try, you can never polish a turd.

-Steven Saggoo

CHEMICAL BROTHERS

"Surrender"

The Chemical Brothers latest creation, "Surrender," shows the duos range as artists who helped bring the electronic age to America. The Chemical Brothers (Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons) have created yet another electronic masterpiece that keeps its listeners wanting more.

"Surrender" is the Chemicals' third full album which couldn't come at a better time in this relatively boring summer. Surrender opens with "music: response" and sets the tone for the entire CD with the Brothers' well-known beats.

"Hey boy, hey girl," the first single off "Surrender," is one of the standout tracks of the album. It actually makes you want to jump around wherever you are.

"Let forever be" is the Brothers' first video which in itself is a visual masterpiece. In addition, it's an MTV video that's actually watchable.

Noel Gallagher from Oasis met up with the Brothers' again and lends his vocals to "let forever be", the second track that the three had worked on together.

Surrender is a CD must for any fan and will help the Brothers' gain ground in the music world.

The Chemical Brothers put as much hard work into their live show as they do in their albums.

I had the privilege of experiencing the Chemical Brothers recently during a show at the Palladium in Hollywood during their Surrender tour.

I have seen many bands and been to countless shows and I still cannot believe the amount of energy that they put into the show and the amount of energy coming from the crowd.

The Chemicals' stage looks like a portable studio and the background is filled with an explosion of images as the two do their magic. Unfortunately, The Chemical Brothers do not have a very long tour which hits only relatively large cities in America and concludes at Woodstock 99'. -Nicholas A. Valenzuela