Synchro Series
King Sunny Ade
IndigeDisc
In this packaging of not-for-the-U.S.
recordings, King Sunny Ade and his African Beats display what their
carefully composed crossover attempts of world music fell short of
— real raging Afro-roots music, pared to the bone.
Originally released in Nigeria and featuring some remixes and alternates
off more constricted 1982 Island albums for the Western market, Juju
Music and Synchro Systems, these loose sessions feature
liberal and inventive use of at-the-time cutting edge elements. Electronic
drums, dub and such disparate instruments as pedal steel, talking
drum and xylophone come together like a summer African rain, full
of fury and release.
Hypnotic in many ways, these long songs — the shortest is seven
minutes — are buoyed by odd percussive instruments, chimes, bells
and the distinctive guitar strumming of Sunny Ade. Some sounds are
far ahead of their time. The repetitive opening parts of the final
song, “Ja Fun Mi Dub,” could well be mistaken for the backing
track to any of the hottest J-Lo or Puff Daddy stylings. That’s
no knock; the music’s just that tricky and tight. —
Lance Jungmeyer
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A Beautiful World
Thicke
Interscope Records
Robin Thicke’s debut album consists
of so many styles that it is difficult to even begin to summarize
his music. From pop and R&B to soul and salsa, Thicke’s style
seems to be an interesting crossbreed of genres that one assumes would
not mix well. But Thicke’s vocal prowess comes through so strikingly
that it’s difficult to not appreciate the album just for that.
Tracks such as “Make a Baby” and “Lazy Bones”
seem almost reminiscent of the Monkees’ upbeat yet comically
woven style, and parts of “Suga Mama” could have been recorded
by Michael Jackson back in the ‘80s.
The highlight of the A Beautiful World is “The Stupid Things,”
a jazzy piece that, without a doubt, wins as the most heartfelt song
on the album. The lyrics, which discuss a relationship, are not all
about floating on clouds and happy times. “All the stupid
things I do have absolutely no reflection on how I feel about you.”
–Jessica Chapman
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transform
Powerman 500
Dreamworks Records
Back in 1995, Boston-based rockers Powerman 5000 showed a taste for
slick, simple rock & roll nicely gilded with head-banging drum
work and good, clean Iggy Pop-style vocals. After several albums and
a change in the lineup (a new bassist and drummer), the “Powermen”
are back with transform, demonstrating they can still produce some
damn fine (and no doubt now expensively produced) music. Tracks like
“Theme to a Fake Revolution” and “A is for Apathy”
thankfully don’t try to preach but instead seem to play on the
whole slacker attitude with some much needed whimsy.
Unfortunately, they did do the “We’re a bunch of bad-asses”
mega-photo spread (C’mon guys, we know the drill — scowl,
stick your hands in your pocket, look constipated), but as long as
the sound’s this fat, such foolish things can be forgiven. —Brandon
Whitehead
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Fear to Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Interscope Records
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs exploded onto the popular punk music scene
in 2001 with their debut EP and gig opening for the White Stripes.
The group’s vivacious yet extreme stage presence left half the
fans with their mouths open and the other half singing along. And
the New York trio has kept up the momentum with their first full-length
album Fever to Tell.
The force behind the music balances delicately among the nearly screaming
vocals, rocking guitar and arm-numbing drums. As for the expressive
and explicit lyrics, it is unfortunate that the vocals are almost
impossible to understand. Many of the lyrics read more like beat poetry
than full thoughts, but this added to their repetitive style seems
to work.
It’s interesting to note that the group appears to have a superstition
for threes; the repetition occurs in all but one of the songs.
With the more than seven-minute track “Modern Romance,”
the Yeahs confirm they can pull off their own flavor of a love ballad,
and the less-screaming, more-singing voice of lead singer Karen O.
proved to be a nice change. And this is the only song with no threes.
Oh yeah. — Jessica Chapman
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