Parlor James
Dreadful Sorry
(Discovery)
Usually, when I listen to music I'm not familiar with, even if I don't like it I'm able to see the appeal. Usually. Parlor James is a rare example of one of those times that leaves me baffled. Not only do I not understand why anyone would listen to this, I actually can't believe they were able to get a record deal. Not that the songs themselves are bad. Actually, I could see them being quite enjoyable, a fusion of traditional folk and country music with echoes of ancient balladry and minstrel stylings. T he problem is the people performing these songs. Parlor James is made up of ex-Lone Justice man Ryan Hedgecock and Amy Allison, formerly of the Maudlins. Their press release describes his voice as a "clear, sturdy tenor," and hers as an "ethereal, nasal t wang." Ahem. Read instead for Hedgecock, "whiny, off-key lilt" and for Allison, "unbelievably annoying nasal drone." At least they got the nasal part right. Actually, I really can't understand what makes someone who sounds like this even want to sing. T o get a better idea, imagine Janice (Chandler's girlfriend) from "Friends" belting out a tune. Now imagine her doing it while holding her nose. There you go. The musicianship in the band is not bad, though, and if you can ignore the vocals (which is unfo rtunately impossible) you might see something worthwhile here. You really don't want to do that much work though. It's quite appropriate that they titled this release "Dreadful Sorry", because that's really the best way to describe it. Dreadful. Sorry. < I>-Doug Levy
Forbidden Pigs
Una Mas Cerveza
(Triple X)The liner notes to the latest release from this local act begin, "These boys is Pigs. They drink only the cheapest, raunchiest libations and their diet consists solely of fried chicken and barbecued gristle. They sweat, swear, stink, smoke, tell disgustin g stories and methane levels rise to dangerous proportions in their wake." Sound funny? Well they are. The liner notes are, at least. The music itself is not. I have a feeling that the image the Forbidden Pigs are trying to create for themselves is one t hat can only come through in a live setting. On tape, all you get is some classic rock-a-billy music with some influences tossed in here and there from below the border. It's not bad, really, but don't expect the kind of hi-jinks the album title would lea d you to expect. At times they sound like they're playing old Buddy Holly tunes and at others they are Los Lobos. Yes, Elvis is in there, too. If you're a fan of the 50s, they're a pretty safe bet. If you like mariachi music, also worth a shot. If you're looking for something modern and your gaze is set on the future, keep looking. This is a band that uses an upright bass. This is a band with a classic blues guitar. It's the music your parents think of when you mention "rock and roll". It's lively, it's c heerful and it's reminiscent of a time when there were no mosh-pits or crowd surfers. Dance freely and don't worry about anyone landing on your head. -Doug Levy
Sneaker Pimps
Tesko Suicide
(Virgin)
I'll never really understand the logic behind the way record labels organize their releases. It is pretty common practice these days to release a single for a band before the album comes out, to whet the appetite of the listener. However, most of the time , the album isn't scheduled for release until months after. It seems to be a pretty self-defeating tactic since the casual buyer, who may really like the single, will quite possibly not even remember to look for the album by the time it's out. Well, if th is happens to you with the Sneaker Pimps, you're making a big mistake. "Tesko Suicide" is the first U.S. release from this group, and while it only contains four tracks (one of which is a remix), it serves as a testament to how much potential this band ha s. They sound like what Garbage should sound like if they weren't so overproduced. That same feeling of anger and frustration threaded through with fantastic melodies and trippy beats, but rawer, more energetic. It's Shirley Manson after the full trip-ho p makeover, sleazier and silkier for the wear. "Tesko Suicide" spits out industrial beats while singer Kelli Dayton slyly raps off the verses on her way to the shout-along chorus. "Post-Modern Sleaze" and "Johnny" show a softer, but no less powerful side of the group. This is music that will drag you in, that will show you the underside of life and make you like it. There's more good music on this EP than you'll find on most albums, and while it reflects some other current sounds, it comes off as complete ly original. The Sneaker Pimps are already hugely successful in England, where their album was released a few months ago, and listening to this you'll understand why. Yes, you'll still have to wait a few months for the full album (unless you pay hefty imp ort prices) but after "Tesko Suicide" you'll remember that it's coming. -Doug Levy
Morcheeba
Who Can You Trust?
(Discovery)
A lot of fans were disappointed when Tricky condemned trip-hop and gave the impression that he had created a monster that he wanted nothing more to do with. Certainly, it made his newer music much less accessible, but when listening to something like the new release from Morcheeba, it is easy to see why he was so disgusted. When the Bristol scene first emerged, through the work of Tricky and Portishead, as well as their predecessor, Massive Attack, there was a new sound. It was mellow and smooth, but it w as frightening at the same time. It was a fusion of hip-hop and soul, of man and machine, of heaven and earth. The success of these groups was what inspired the current glut of copycat bands. Morcheeba is among the guilty.
"Who Can You Trust" sounds at times (many times) exactly like a Portishead record, with singer Skye's vocals almost identical to Beth Gibbons'. Only, where Portishead takes you off on an journey through fields of dark emotion and looming shadow, Morcheeba 's songs just kind of leave you hovering, without ever really going anywhere. There are moments where they veer off from the formula and add in some loopy grooves, but it's nothing Tricky and Massive Attack haven't already done. The highlight on the recor d are tracks like "Never An Easy Way" and "Moog Island", but they only work as long as you're distracted and forget you're not listening to one of the bands they're copying from. At best, the album works as some nice background music when you're not reall y listening. Otherwise, it just serves as a reminder of why those original Bristol bands got so much praise, and why Morcheeba won't. -Doug Levy
D.C. Talk
Jesus Freak
(Forefront Records)
D.C. Talk holds the somewhat dubious title of "The World's Biggest Christian Rock Group." And there's something to be said for that - using a network entirely outside MTV and standard radio airplay, they've managed to accumulate immense numbers of fans an d record sales.
In many ways, D.C. Talk is the ultimate postmodern rock group. Identity, for them, is ever shifting. They used to be a lite-rap group, but their new incarnation is based on grunge and pop-alternative. Like the secular group Negativland, D.C. Talk steals little bits of pop culture and recontextualizes them to do missionary work. But fear not, Christian rock fans - you won't hear a song like "Christianity is Stupid" on D.C. Talk's newest album, "Jesus Freak." In fact, their approach is subtly different. Instead of literally sampling a song, like Negativland did with U2's "I Still Haven't Found what I'm Looking For," they manage to perfectly encapsulate the styles distinct to popular rock music. You can listen to the album and literally pick out where the y're stealing their musical ideas - snippets of Hootie and the Blowfish, the Red Hot Chile Peppers, Pearl Jam, and Live all get their due, seamlessly blended together into the most accessible Christian pop album yet.
The end result is so calculated, so plastic, that it just feels fake. There's no room for subtlety in D.C. Talk (almost every song mentions Jesus by name), but let's face it, they're not the Newsboys. Their songs lack the original ideas and the pure, thea trical power of, say, the Newsboys' "Breakfast in Hell." That's not to say that "Jesus Freak" is without salvation, though. The song "Like it, Love it, Need it," a catchy tune that relies heavily on Nirvana's style, is actually a dead-on criticism of pop culture in the 90s: "We circumvent our feelings/ for an angry sound/ he who complains the loudest/ wears the fattest crown."
Now that's something Negativland would be proud of - the tools of the oppressor (in this case, the secular world) are used to show how silly dominant culture is. -Jon Roig
