The Richest Man in Babylon
Thievery Corporation - ESL Music
If you don't yet know Theivery Corporation, just listen up to the
music in the next trendy, low-lit bar you come across; there is a
good chance their ambient anthems are lurking in the background, keeping
a steady pusle. The popularity is deserved — Theivery's last
album, 2000's Mirror Conspiracy, was a down-tempo classic,
blending grooving electronic music with a world-beat touch. |
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With The Richest Man in Babylon, Thievery Corporations'
D.C.-based producers Rob Garza and Eric Hilton have taken their trademark
sound even deeper, exploring a more introspective, darker sound. A musical
polemic against global capital exploitation, the title track admonishes,
"There is no wisdom in your freedom/The richest man in Babylon."
The message reappears throughout the album, from brooding ballads in
French, "Simple Histoire (A Simple History)" to Brazilian
blues on "Meu Destino," all the while never losing sight of
the beat.
The Richest Man in Babylon combines a downbeat soul with a
social consciousness. Rarely does such smooth music have so much to
say. —Casey Adams |
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A Rush
of Blood to the Head
Coldplay - Capitol A Rush of Blood to the Head
is all about melancholy, from mellowness to sweet longing. The members
of Coldplay may have gotten a bad reputation for the whinings of Parachutes,
their 2000 debut, but they have come a long way in the last two years.
As if a rebuttal of Parachutes, the members of Coldplay make
a dramatic yet slightly familiar opening in A Rush…
with the repetitive accompaniment of the first track, “Politik.”
The lyrics scream, “Open up your eyes,” just in case listeners
don’t already get that idea from the incessant throbbing of
the electric guitar and drums. This selection is eerily reminiscent
of their chart-topper “Yellow” from their debut. |
The strange chord progression of “Clocks”
makes it difficult to discern whether the song is in a major or minor
key, which gives it a texture unusual to the other tracks.
For those who did not like the style of Parachutes, this album
will not awaken a newfound love for Coldplay. However, those who appreciate
the lyrical meandering and soulful artistry of the music, the album
will be one to play again and again. —Jessica Chapman |
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Don't
give up on me
Solomon Burke - Fat Possum Records
Wise, wicked and smooth to a fault, Solomon
Burke is like aged velvet and Pabst Blue Ribbon — so out of
style it's cool. Burke, the gifted vocalist who penned such R&B
classics as "Cry to me" and "Everybody needs somebody
to love" in the '60s, belts out some serious emotions on his
come-out-of-retirement party. A bevy of premium artists devoted unreleased
or obscure songs to this choicest of cover albums. |
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Burke, who was inducted into the Rock &
Roll Hall of Fame last year, takes Van Morrison's "Fast Train"
and "Only a Dream" and turns them into what can bet be escribed
as modern gospel blues classics. With Tom Waits' "Diamond in your
mind," Burke celebrates the optimism of years gone by as only an
old optimist can. The rendition of Bob Dylan's "Stepchild"
features Dylan collaborator/producer Daniel Lanois on fuzz guitar in
helping create some surreally satiating Chicago blues. "The judgement,"
an Elvis Costello song about stark desperate love, has Burke wringing
the pain out of his voice.
The provocotive "None of us are free" stands out with
its vigorous, righteous call for accountability to the masses: "None
of us are free/None of us are free/if one of us is chained/then none
of us are free." Burke was crowned "The Wonderboy Preacher"
at age 7, when he started giving sermons to his church and later on
WDAS radio in Philadelphia. Known these days as The Bishop, Burke's
ability to engage through emotive phrases persists strong and enduring.
—Lance Jungmeyer |
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Scarlet's Walk
Tori Amos - Epic Scarlet’s Walk brings
Tori Amos back to the unmistakable edge of her early works, far surpassing
the musical experimentation of her last album, Strange Little
Girls, which was composed of only cover songs by artists such
as Eminem, Neil Young and The Beatles.
Inspired by her cross-country tour after the events of 9/11, the album
follows a path throughout the United States focusing on subjects such
as Native American history. As the vocals-only track “wampum
prayer” sings, “Trail of Blood and amens, greed is
the gift for the sons of the sons.” |
Perhaps the most breathless track is the recently released
single “A Sorta Fairytale,” a brilliantly woven and eerily
soothing ballad. A few of the tracks, such as “gold dust”
and “mrs. jesus” are strikingly orchestrated, complementing
the elegance of Amos’ piano accompaniment.
Another plus is the enhanced feature of the disk, giving fans a key
which unlocks the interactive website from Amos’ homepage. Scarlet’s
Web offers information about the making and journey of Scarlet’s
Walk, including photos, movies and an unreleased song. —Jessica
Chapman |
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