Rock Around the World

Tim Booth & Angelo Badalamenti Mercury Records. NR
Booth & The Bad Angel

The reason the silver screen is so powerful is that it allows cinema goers the chance to step into a dreamscape larger than dreams themselves. Albeit, TV has the same affect, but not to the same wideness. The reason why albums for soundtracks have provided steady cash flow for labels is because people that dig a particular movie can tap into the muse and hook up with the vibe of their favorite movie simply by playing the soundtrack. People like Angelo Badalamenti have mastered the art of wedding powerful musical messages to the film at hand. The aural dreamscapes Badalamenti has painted in cinema for Blue Velvet and in TV for Twin Peaks verge on dream sequence with all the faculties of the senses prevailing.
Tim Booth has lucked out in a way because he benefits from being able to drive his music down this espansive highway under a great, big sky Badalamenti's provided as an aural backdrop. Booth's got just a wisp of Al Stewart in his vocal tone which is refreshing to hear. Look for this album to break to the street on July 23rd.
Internet Listening Pleasure: I Believe, Dance Of The Bad Angels, Old Ways, Butterfly's Dream.

Jimmy Eat World Capitol Records. NA
Static Prevails

These boys crank at jet engine decibels live, driving their music through the bodies of any crowd that's in front of them. The members of Jimmy Eat World are exponents of the Tempe sound, but their youthful abandon makes them more exploratory sonically. Look for this album to hit the street on July 23rd.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Rockstar, Call It In The Air, Seventeen, Episode IV, World Is Static, Robot Factory.

Barstool Prophets Mercury/Polydor. NA
Crank

In 1984 another band from the Great White North came down into America and performed very well into 1985. Possessing a sound for today, I think this band should do very well in America. Solid drumming, a driving, sultry bottom, cool guitar, and well delivered vocals should prove radio friendly for the Barstool Prophets. Oh yeah, the band that broke out in 1984 and did so well in America through 1985 was fronted by Bryan Adams. Hopefully a bit of that reckless success is on tap for the Barstool Prophets. Look for this album to break to the streets on July 16th.
Internet Listening Pleasure: The Ledge, Little Death, Paranoia, Birdman, Wasted, Short & Curlies, Robin's Song.

Orange 9MM Atlantic. NA
Tragic

This band definitely does not put their sticker on Toll Booths. From the sounds on this album produced by Dave Sardy, Orange 9MM prefers to leave their sonic imprint on people's minds instead.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Dead In The Water, Method, Failure, July 30, Kiss It Goodbye.

Frente Mammoth/Atlantic. NR
Shape

Angie Hart's got this refreshing simplicity in her vocal tone that gets you. "Jungle" is a song that should be serviced to radio, as it is a fun little ditty and great for the Summer doldrums.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Sit On My Hands, Air, Jungle, Safe From You, What's Come Over Me.

The Puddle Jumpers Golden Goose Records. NA
Out Of The Shadows

I get albums, demos, tapes, CDs...whathaveyou from all over the world. Some of them are good enough to make it in to RATW's reviews. A lot of them don't make it.

At first listen, I get a strong, early Boston feeling from the keyboards, guitar chord structures, and similarity in vocal tone to Brad Delp. But, The Puddle Jumpers throw in other touches that are not rock laden...I got it! It's Marvin The Mandolin Man (from Lone Justice) meets Boston.

And there you have it. Very strong production values. I dig "You".
Internet Listening Pleasure: The Passion, Where Are The Flowers?, Crossing The Line, You.

Neil Young with Crazy Horse Reprise. NR
Broken Arrow

Neil Young departs from "father of Grunge" tones on last year's shimmering "Mirror Ball" and gets back to his signature tone with his trustworthy cohorts, collectively known as Crazy Horse.

Take time to listen to the words in "Big Time". The line, "I'm still living the dream we had, for me it's not over"...Yeah, Neil...dig.

Nobody can get that sound that Crazy Horse has with Neil Young.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Big Time.

Darkroom Sinus Records. NA
Rigged

If you dig Stone Temple Pilots and like the direction STP's going in, then perhaps you need to check out this band. Darkroom has been playing gigs at The Alligator Lounge in Santa Monica, blowing crowds away with their withering sonic attack.

I dig "Underature".
Internet Listening Pleasure: Phobia, Hollowman, Heading Through, Without Question, Underature, Seven.

Goodness Lava/Atlantic. NA
Goodness

Carrie Akre's voice assimilates the spirit of a Patti Smith, but sonically appreciates Sinead O'Conner's gutzyness and sensitivity. You just go, girl!
Internet Listening Pleasure: Goodbye, Runaround, Labor Day, Eveready.

Robbyn Kirmsse' . NA
Demo/Songbook

Robbyn's got a versatile voice and can do more than sing backing vocals. Robbyn's got great songwriting skills.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Just What People Do, Hurricane.

Belizbeha Sojo Music. NA
Charlie's Dream

New Soul...That's what they're calling the genre of this talented band. What ever, man. Cop to this: Dig Stevie Wonder, Terence Trent Darby, Seal, Incognito, Galliano? Oh, so I've caught a couple of you Rockers, haven't I? Led Zep 4 isn't the only thing you play when you get busy...

But if you must, cop to this: Dig Chicago, Tower of Power; Blood, Sweat, & Tears? Well, this band's got some horny horns. Personally, I hear some Average White Band stuff in here, but it's wider than that. I guess it's all up to how peripheral your hearing is.

Internet Listening Pleasure: Only If, B to da E, Catch the Flow, Stronger than I Am.

Tonnage 2 Epic. NR
A Compilation

A Taste Tester for gun-shy consumers afraid to invest in an album's worth of material.

Some good ear candy on this one.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Ammonia, "Little Death"; Handsome, "Needles"; 3 Pound Thrill, "Bad Seed"; Reef, "Together"; Dirt Merchants, "Love Apnea"; Skunk Anansie, "Blackskin Sexuality".

The Crow Miramax/Hollywood. NR
City Of Angels, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Comic Books were probably one of the first outlets for budding Rock Stars. Check out Kiss' makeup and costumes. Anyway, Artists have drawn upon Music for their Artistic Reveries the way poets relied on perfumes, back in the day.

James O'Barr listened to tons of music and was taken by the imagery of Rock Stars in live performance in creating the comic, The Crow. My nephew originallly turned me on to the first movie with Brandon Lee Starring in the Title role. My little 11 year old nephew had played and replayed the video that by the time I got to see it you could see the grain on the screen from the audio track.

Such is the entrancement of this Comic Book Anti-Hero. The music for the original movie was very good and for this iteration of what should prove to be a running series of sequels, The Crow: City Of Angels does not disappoint in the Audio track.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Hole, "Gold Dust Woman"; White Zombie, "I'm Your Boogie Man"; Filter, "Jurassitol"; Pet, "Lil' Boots".

Storyville Code Blue/Atlantic. NA
A Piece Of Your Soul

How did you feel a couple years back when you heard a band called the Arcangels? Well, two members of that band are in this one,...and this band sounds like a keeper.

The vocals of Malford Milligan remind me of Corey Glover, but a little higher up the ladder in terms of soulfulness and touch.

Grissom and Holt prove that two guitars are better than one and never seem to get in each other's way. It was that same sort of cooperativeness that gave the Arcangels such flavor.

Songs on this album are very well written. I especially dig the words in "Cynical" and "Luck Runs Out", but all the songs are well crafted and make for a very good listen.

What's left to be said about Bottom and Drums? I'd rank them up there with names like Redding&Mitchell, Cox&Miles...Fulcher&Gadson...Fukanaga&Brown. The temperament between Shannon and Layton is as smooth, dark, and musty as a Cuban Cigar...a Cohiba!

Kudos to David Z for producing a muthafucka.

Internet Listening Pleasure: Good Day For The Blues, Blind Side, Don't Make Me Cry, What Passes For Love, Solid Ground, Cynical, Luck Runs Out.

Fiona Apple Work Group/Clean Slate. NA
Tidal

The title is appropriate, since the listener tends to come away feeling like they've been to the waterside.

Andrew Slater seems to have nailed down an aquatic, ebb and flow of the tide sound on this album.

If you dig Alannis Morrisette and Tanita Tikarem, you're sure to be in for a treat, since Fiona's got the profoundness of Tikarem's voice with that wispy lilt that Morrisette has.

Check out "Never Is A Promise" and you'll know what I mean.

Internet Listening Pleasure: Shadowboxer, The First Taste,
Never Is A Promise

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