(Capitol)
It is almost inevitable these days that a new British band will have to face comparisons to Radiohead. Not surprisingly, Starsailor has suffered from this fate, and it's altogether deserved. With dramatic musical swells, nervously bold vocals (it's called \sensitivity"" these days, but perhaps ""bleating"" is a better term) and an album on Capitol Records, Starsailor begs to be compared with Thom Yorke and company, if only so someone may be duped into purchasing their album.
Starsailor wants very much to be your next sensitive and intelligent rocker dreamboys. ""Hoooooo/There's a whoooole in my heooooart/I need to stay afloooooooat"" lead singer James Walsh moans with agonizing emphasis on ""Way to Fall,"" a number whose cheesy lyrics are accompanied wonderfully by just as cheesy piano licks, guitar strumming and plenty of Walsh long-jumping into his falsetto. Why is everyone so afraid of sounding like a man these days?
The formula doesn't change much: Start slow, build gradually to an extended climax, get a good producer to throw in some fun pro-tools stuff, try and look serious. Sure, it's not that easy to sum up. ""Way to Fall"" likes to think it ends in a surprising manner by upping the tempo suddenly at the end, but really, we all have come to expect that these days.
The lyrics also fail to stray very far from the high school diary tidbit above: ""If you get high on life, don't leave me behind"" Walsh asks in ""Lullaby."" ""You've got your daddy's eyes/Your daddy was an alcoholic"" is the stirring chorus of ""Alcoholic,"" which Rolling Stone magazine has dubbed ""a savage critique of British pub culture."" It is?
Oh Starsailor, where have you gone wrong? Suggestions for the next album: Give that Walsh guy some sugar! Make the man write more lyrics so that each syllable need not be held for a few seconds to waste time. There are some OK ideas present on this album, but an effort really must be made next time around to try and be less derivative of modern British musical trends. And for heaven's sake, stop bleating!
(Verve)
It sounds like John Scofield and John Medeski have been trading ideas'or at least bong hits. Scofield's features the organ work of Medeski on several tracks and brings to mind the eerie, sample-laden soundscapes of Medeski, Martin and Wood's The Dropper. The sound is essentially guitars with well-applied effects, but Scofield's guitar remains instantly recognizable.
Though his combination of edgy distortion and laid-back playing style can sometimes be off-putting, this album provides a context in which this style seems fully appropriate.
The album is a sharp 180 for Scofield, whose previous release Works for Me was a pretty straight-up jazz record'which was itself a turn from the minimalist groove of Bump and A-Go-Go. All this puts Scofield more or less where he was a few years ago: sparse, tight bands and songs that serve more as jamming vehicles than anything else. And of course, plenty of guitar solos.
The album begins with the Middle-Eastern-flavored ""Acidhead,"" which gives way to the playful ""Ideofunk"" featuring extensive solos by Medeski and Karl Denson. Scofield has once again proven his ability to bring together ensembles of great musicians. His backup band'Avi Bortnick on guitar, Jesse Murphy on bass and Adam Deitch on drums'keeps the songs interesting while maintaining aggressive, almost futuristic grooves.
While most of the album is done tastefully, songs like ""Jungle Fiction"" and the title track can get so effects-heavy that they bring to mind the music of Sega Genesis. ""I Brake 4 Monster Booty,"" a title that may well be a quote from some young adolescent's AOL member profile, even has a rap section. At least it's short.
In terms of finding an audience, ??berjam sits between a rock and a hard place. Jazz purists will probably find the liberal use of effects distasteful, while the more hard-rockin' jam-band aficionados will probably desire more intensity and less abstraction. For those Scofield or Medeski, Martin and Wood fans somewhere in the middle, however, is an album worth adding to the collection.
(Polyvinyl)
Kyle Fischer's stint with native Madison rawkers, Rainer Maria, reached a milestone last year as the band topped the CMJ charts after releasing .
Rainer Maria has enjoyed much critical success with their schizophrenic style, mixing explosive rock and sentimental lyrics. This duel had in the past been characterized by the battling voices and poetic lyrics of bassist Caithlin De Marrais and guitarist Kyle Fischer, as they screamed their guts out. However, in more recent years, Fischer's voice has been placed in the background as Caithlin's angelic voice overpowered it. Intelligent chords and pounding rock along with melodic drums round out each of Rainer Maria's three albums.
Fischer has since created his first solo record titled , a stripped-down version of his past work. The 11-track LP is a completely acoustic collection of songs, nine of which were written by Fischer. In addition, the album includes an Otis Redding cover, ""Just One More Day,"" and ""Too Soon to Know"" penned by De Marrais, who also guest appears as a vocalist.
The album opens with some delicate finger picking that is soon accompanied by the widely under-used cello. This smooth song, titled ""Headphones,"" parallels listening to music in a record store with attending church. This metaphor sets the poetic tone heard throughout the rest of . Each track exploits Fischer's subtle guitar styles and harmonic rhythm (think Elliott Smith, only sexier). Fischer's songs are primarily folk-driven with the exception of some alt-country flavor, infused by the slide guitar and sad cowboy lyrics found on ""Christopher Isherwood.""
A few of Fischer's vocal and instrumental miscues remain on , but are more than forgivable. They make the listening experience more raw and Fischer himself more honest. Fischer has successfully compiled a beautifully composed group of songs that simplify the poetic lyrics and emotion that is at the foundation of Rainer Maria.
