Limp Bizkit
Results May Vary

Limp Bizkit Sounds Like: 1999 See Also: Korn, Kid Rock

Hey, dude. Remember Limp Bizkit? Yeah, they were the Woodstock '99 poster-boys. Back before the old 2000 rolled around, Fred Durst was the biggest rock star on the planet, riding high on the grandiose success of his band's sophomore "Significant Other."

Time eventually elapsed and the fall of 2000 saw Durst and posse "Rollin'" with a hit single, but slumping with an album entitled "Chocolate Starfish And The Hotdog Flavored Water." What was happening to the L-i-m-p?

Soon a flood of retro-bands would engulf the popular music scene with names that referenced things like peppermint candy. Then, tragedy struck the Bizkit camp as lead guitarist Wes Borland decided he'd had enough "Nookie."

Durst's dream was thrown to the wind. He decided to try and keep things real by auditioning Limp fans in "Guitar Centers" across the country for the new lead guitarist position. When that didn't work out, and after a failed attempt at head guitar duties himself, he went with ex-Snot guitarist Mike Smith. The much delayed and re-re-renamed "Results May Vary" is the return of Durst's vision, which, at this point, seems about as clear as a kaleidoscope. The arrangements and vocals (with lyrics that are interchangeable with any song on the album) linger, but the drive and accidental cleverness that used to fuel this band is long gone. What is left is Durst rallying behind a band that has suffered a major, major loss both musically and creatively in Borland. The stench of career-moves, both past and future, permeates this album.

Punk Goes Acoustic Sounds like: Pop punk slowed down for my grandparents See also: Dashboard Confessional, (insert emo band here) Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

Various artists
Punk Goes Acoustic
(Artist Direct) By Nate Buchik
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday, November 13, 2003

When a punk band has an acoustic track on their album, fans take note.

"Dudes, quiet down. This one's gonna be meaningful and profound."

So why not make an entire album of meaningful and profound punk songs? Oh wait, Dashboard Confessional already did that. So let's make an album with lots of different bands' meaningful and profound songs.

And so we have Punk Goes Acoustic, a compilation with various punk artists contributing one mostly acoustic song. All the big pop punk outfits are on it: The Ataris, Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard and the Starting Line. And there are 16 other bands including Thursday and Rise Against.

As with all compilations, you get some gems and you get some crap. That's why CDs are better than tapes! Skipping around, I can find about 12 songs that are pretty good. Some bands have all new songs (the Starting Line), while others "acoustify" their hits (Finch, Taking Back Sunday). Most bands aren't very experienced at going acoustic, but they try hard.

The Starting Line's "Playing Favorites" is one of the few songs that perfectly fit into an acoustic style, and it's part of their upcoming acoustic EP. Other songs seem like fast punk songs that bands failed to slow down effectively.

Rise Against, a mostly hardcore outfit, show emotion on their short track, "Swing Life Away." While the cracking voice of Sugarcult's Tim Pagnotta suits the understated acoustic strumming of "Memory."

On the other hand, we have Finch, who seems to have only tried one take on the acoustic version of "Letters To You."

All in all, this is a pretty decent album. But punk compilations are supposed to cost no more than $7.99. This is a full priced album.

So give me $1 and I'll burn it for you. Seriously. Email the Wildcat.

Leona Naess Sounds like: The latest in the tradition of sultry female singer-songwriters See also: Nora Jones, Dido, Aimee Mann Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Leona Naess
Self-Titled
(Geffen) By Eliza Tebo
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday, November 13, 2003

Leona Naess is what Nora Jones and Chantal Kreviazuk should be. For those of us who "don't know why" Jones' breathy sameness is so revolutionary, and are bored with Kreviazuk covers, the freshness of Naess' third album is a welcome alternative. The London import and stepdaughter of Diana Ross brings us sturdy songs for the vulnerable and heartaching. Her lyrics speak to the frustrations of having love to give but no one to give it to. But she doesn't get bogged down in the poetry and melancholy of it all, merely saying, "Yeah, you're still an ass and I still love you, but you didn't break me." Plus, she's got her own style - soulful but gentle, angry but honest. Her dreamy ballads and rocked-up testaments to post-breakup blues are great for the recently dumped. Lend an ear to Leona, and she'll tell you to just feel your feelings - and know you're way better than him.