(Elektra Entertainment)
Tracy Chapman's Let it Rain forgoes soaring compassion and bold declarations. It functions as a good friend'reliable, with moments of brilliance that leave nothing but appreciation. By managing to be both consistent and clear, it possesses a certain frame of dignity that is hard to match. There is an underlying firmness to the album that is reinforced as each track passes.
She fills the album with proposals and implications that are not entirely apparent. \Almost"" is a suggestion of the incomplete instances that exist in greater clarity as pieces than as whole moments. It recalls those victories that were all but won only to have slipped away and the thoughts that could have been great ideas but unraveled just a few seconds too early. The fragments allow unanswered questions to hang for a while, holding off on satisfying the inquiry until it is apparent that no answer is needed.
The gem of ""Let it Rain"" is tucked in the middle. ""Hard Wired"" cuts into the superficiality of an over-connected world with a razor's precision. It goes straight for the silicon of a computer chip planet and does it with a human touch. Chapman chants, ""We've got a box to put in your brain/ Hard wired for downloading/ All the secrets and the mysteries/ You've been selfishly withholding."" This song could easily be another artist railing against the impersonal nature of the modern, technological world. Yet Chapman is careful to keep her organic powers on target. Her breath rolls on with vigilant attention given to every phrase, providing a counterpoint to any amount of ""sitcom dialogue and advertising slogans.""
Chapman's voice is, of course, beautiful. It is forged and with the steel of her lungs and the handiwork of her control. The calm vibrato is a siren's song that would never leave a person stranded, instead calmly giving direction and offering reassurance. She sings with conviction full of smooth edges and a solid center. It is tempting to forget about those noises in the background that are the instruments.
But to do so would be to lose the foundations of the album. ""Broken"" provides an acoustic guitar that walks with the same rhythm as Chapman's vocals while standing out with its own riffs. ""Over in Love,"" a completely instrumental offering, carries a tone that nods toward sorrow but confirms resilience. Its low and quiet cello is able to bring up a tear or wipe it away.
Overall, Chapman's newest album is one of consistency and well-written observations sung with clarity that few could match. There is no ""Fast Car"" or ""Give Me One Reason"" on Let it Rain, but has enough songs that are just a notch between those classics. The album moves with ease but feels with strength.
(RCA)
With their debut album two years ago, Now You See Inside, SR-71 brought their high-velocity punk rock out of the Washington area and into stores. While the first single, ""Right Now,"" received a decent amount of airplay, that debut went largely unnoticed. After touring for two years and getting a new drummer, SR-71 returns with their sophomore effort, Tomorrow.
The first change that listeners will notice is, on a superficial level, SR-71 has abandoned the punk-rock energy for a hard rock sound. This could be an appeal for commercial acceptance; however, the more likely explanation is the addition of new drummer John Allan. Unlike former drummer, Dan Garvin, Allan's heavy drumming pushes the band into this new territory by default. Upon this realization, it becomes clear that while the punk-rock sound is gone, the attitude remains.
As far as hard rock goes, this is one of the most upbeat albums in recent memory. ""They All Fall Down,"" ""She Was Dead"" and ""Lucky"" each give lead singer Mitch Allan'no relation to John'the chance to be light-hearted despite the heavy sound.
All of the tracks have that new edge, but it really comes through in ""Truth"" and ""Goodbye."" A standout on the album, ""Truth,"" is full of imagery and references to Sept. 11, singing, ""The mouth of New York City talks/ Spitting dust from street to sidewalks/ Pictures soaked in gasoline/ Twisting through the steel and concrete/ The smoke has cleared but I can't breathe."" Not only is the song emotional and incredibly poetic, but the heavy guitar and drums set a mood like no other song on the album.
Despite a somewhat half-hearted attempt at another radio hit, the title track ""Tomorrow"" still keeps with the rest of the disc; unlike numerous hard rock bands, SR-71 sticks to their positive outlook for the future.
Unfortunately, this unusual position won't win them fans. Not angry enough for the angst-ridden rock crowd, not innovative or deep enough for the indie crowd, and still a bit too high-velocity for pop radio, SR-71 will likely see this album fall between the cracks. That's disappointing; it's rare that you find a record that's hard rock and upbeat, punk and optimistic'Tomorrow is all that and more, if you sit back and enjoy it.
(Roadrunner Records)
Yet another alternative rock band in the ever-growing crowd, Sinch delivers their self-titled debut with a sound that never quite settles down between styles. The band can draw comparisons to Disturbed, Creed and even Radiohead; however, the only really distinct thing about Sinch's sound is the weird amalgamation of those bands. Their debut, while showing signs of real promise, never really solidifies its own sense of identity.
Part of that innovation lies in lead singer Jaime Stem's live show invention, the Ocular Noise Machine. Also known as the Viditar, the contraption is played similar to a traditional guitar; however, the Ocular Noise Machine gives Stem a lot of control over visual presentation. Mixed with Sinch's varied musical approach (which includes a B3 organ, various engine samples and wurlitzers), the ONM is a genuine result of creative art-rock.
Stem's voice is as strong as any in the modern rock domain. In songs like the first single ""Something More"" and the powerful rock ballad ""Plasma,"" Stem's voice is absolutely gorgeous. When the band delves into harder territory, Stem brings out the raspy half-scream seen in many other acts. The opening track, ""To Die In The Fall,"" and the harsh ""Passive Resistor"" both showcase Stem straining to sound like other angry lead men. Stem can't bring a harmony to his wailings like Brandon Boyd; instead, his screams are reminiscent of Jacoby Shaddix. While Sinch pulls off each style well, the constant transition between rock ballads and screaming metal-rock never lets the listener settle into the album.
While it would not be surprising to see Sinch reach some level of commercial success purely on the basis of the radio-friendly ""Something More,"" it's the later tracks that show promise. ""The Silent Acquiescence of Millions"" is a nearly nine-minute oeuvre, going through numerous peaks and valleys. The track truly feels like a band doing what it wants to do, rather than what the studio told them. That passion for ""Silent Acquiescence"" reveals the potential for growth. Once Sinch finds the right mix of melody and metal, they could become both a critical and commercial success.
