Static X, Sting, The Strokes, Lucky Boys Confusion and The Format

Static X
Shadow Zone
(Warner Bros.)

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; new music is suffering from corporate label abuse. The result? A market overflowing with similar-sounding artists and music coming from the theory that if the public likes band A, they'll like band B, which is basically the same thing.

Such is the case with blatantly NŸ Metal group Static X and their album Shadow Zone.

I mean, c'mon people, there's only so many times that you can hear deep and repetitive five chords and a front man who doesn't sing, but more or less lets loose guttural screams for two to four minutes.

It's been played. The novelty wore off in the late '90s when it was just starting. It should have been a flash in the pan, but we've been subjected to it for longer than it's welcome.

On the upside however, Static X front man Wayne Static definitely has some kick ass programming and keyboard skills evident throughout the whole album; reminiscent of some old Fear Factory. Tracks like "Dead World" showcase Static's talent in this respect with some spinning techno effects that punctuate the entire album.

But let's face it; everyone in this genre is doing roughly the same thing.

Single tracks on the album (which no doubt will be on MTV on repeat): "Destroy All" and "The Only," the latter of which is the 'the only' clear departure from high-speed hardcore metal on the album. And even then it's a stretch.

However, as I've been told, it doesn't matter if the songs all sound similar to my ear; those who like the NŸ Metal genre for its hard-hitting chord progressions, use of synthesized sound and screaming will no doubt enjoy the new album.

Sounds Like: Rec Center music to get everyone pumped up to lift weights or "I'm 17 and I hate my parents."

See Also: Korn, Linkin Park, System of a Down, Fear Factory

- by Andrew Salvati

Sting
Sacred Love

Sting is a weird guy.

He makes weird music and has weird tantric sex.

He must have an audience because he is still around and prominent in the media spotlight ... err ... car and online service commercials.

Remember The Police days? Didn't think so, but they made some pretty classic songs. At least that's what my parents say.

This album, his 10th solo, was Sting's highest solo debut in the U.S. ever, at No. 3.

Sacred Love is not that bad. That is if you have a penchant towards mellowed, granddaddy rock.

As weird and as eccentric as Sting seems, at least he's not Lenny Kravitz. And he still has that soft, warm, raspy, Sting-signature, bread-and-butter voice.

He's got a Sting-army of musicians working on this one too. To his credit, the music really does not sound like anyone else. It's a breezy Middle-Eastern flavored hodgepodge of instruments from piano, sitar, cello, darduk, castanets, trombone, trumpet, Turkish clarinet to the standard Flamenco guitars and "ethnic vocals."

He's got some potential Grammy-winning songs here; because he always seems to pick up at least one Grammy every year. The Mary J. Blige duet, "Whenever I Say Your Name," is strong. So is "The Book Of My Life," "Dead Man's Rope," and the title track.

Listening to this music still will not shake the image of a middle-aged white-collar businessman with greasy, combed-back-hair sporting a leather jacket sitting in the tan leather seats of his silver 2003 Mercedes, grooving to this on a Friday drive to his beach house to hang out with the fam for the weekend.

Sounds Like: Cigar smoking music for 50-year-olds.

See Also: The Police, other Sting stuff.

- by Kevin Smith

The Strokes
Room On Fire
(RCA)

The highly anticipated follow-up to their 2001 debut, Is This It by New York City's the Strokes is as instantly addictive and vibrant as their first.

They still sound Stroke-y, save for a few adjustments. For instance, guitars are tweeked to sound like keyboards on certain songs ("Automatic Stop," 12:51).

Chief songwriter and vocalist Julian Cassablancas still sounds as though he's singing through a walkie-talkie a world away. Guitarists Albert Hammond and Nick Valensi keep speed-strumming those strings, with the exception of an effect pedal here or there. Fab Moretti's drums are pinpoint. Nikolai Fraiture's bass is bouncing.

While still maintaining the formula, giant steps forward are taken here. "Under Control" is the Strokes take on breakup-songs via R&B and doo-wop. After one listen, you get a sense of how easily these guys can successfully jump genres.

There is only one song, "Meet Me In The Bathroom," that would not have sounded out of place on their debut. Thankfully, the Strokes did not try to make Room into Is This It: 2. They have spent their break evolving as a band.

Hipsters will probably say they don't like it. Fans of the first album will be fans of the second. And this reviewer, at the risk of sounding like a British-press-frenzied-fanboy, thinks it's very good to hear new tunes from these guys again.

Sounds Like: The Stokes Version 2.0.

See Also: The Velvet Underground, Kings of Leon

- by Kevin Smith

The Format
Interventions & Lullabies
(Elektra)

It's always exciting to see local bands hit it big. And none of the guys in The Format are from Tucson, but at least they all hail from Arizona.

Oh, and The Format are going to hit it big. Their first full length, Interventions and Lullabies, has catchy pop tunes and quality acoustic numbers throughout the album. They have multiple radio-friendly tunes that appeal to wussy alternative stations (like 104.1 The Point) and the harder rock variety (92.1 KFMA).

But most of their songs aren't radio garbage. Nate Reuss and Sam Means, who wrote the album and are the only two permanent members, quit Phoenix pop-punk outfit nevergonnascore to form The Format. And the range of style on Interventions shows why these two didn't want to be held down by bleach blond pop-punk conventions.

There are country influences evident in many songs, and Reuss often sounds like he's straight out of Nashville. The Weezer handclaps are also ever-present, and Reuss even gets mentioned in the credits as the brilliant musician behind the clapping. While "Sore Thumb" and other upbeat songs are easy to enjoy, the best songs are slower and acoustic ones like "Give It Up" and "On Your Porch."

While the lyrics are mostly cheese, Reuss makes up for it by alluding to neighborhoods I know in Phoenix.

But The Format won't be talking about Phoenix forever because as "On Your Porch" mentions, "It's time to get out of the desert and into the sun."

Sounds like: Power pop with country and Emo influences

See also: Saves the Day, Dashboard Confessional

- by Nate Buchik

Lucky Boys Confusion
Commitment
(Elektra)

You've gotta respect an album opening up with some nice dub.

So what can I say about the new album from Lucky Boys Confusion? It's a ska/Punk (sans horns) sort of record the likes of which haven't been seen in abundance since the mid- and late-nineties.

Although songs on the album like "Broken, Atari" and "Beware" are definitely trendy fodder for the masses, the sheen of the album is something more akin to bands like Less Than Jake, the Toasters or Goldfinger than Blink-182.

The album has a moving and throbbing low end that almost forces you to move to it. It's contagious, and definitely a musical tome of skankin' tunes.

"Hey Driver" and "Closer to Our Graves" are punky, fast-moving anthems whose breakdowns are reminiscent of a Dropkick Murphy's vocal chant that at their shows is probably echoed by a mass of drunken fans; the fierce and powerful sing along.

"Mr. Wilmington" is the obligatory emotional track inherent to scores of punk and Ska albums; this one about a suicide and the anguish of a mourning father.

"Sunday Afternoon" and "Champion's Dub" are hybrids of the Lucky Boys Confusion sound with reggae and dub which is a departure from characteristics which would make this a trendy album.

So Commitment from Lucky Boys Confusion sounds like a good thing. That is, so long as they don't go completely trendy like Blink. But, as commitments go, we'll find out in due time.

Sounds like: Skankin' groovin' punky anthems

See also: Cross between Less Than Jake (sans horns) and Blink 182

- by Andrew Salvati