8 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 17, 1998 'OH HAPPY DAY' Chesnutt sells the beauty of vulnerability Spiritualized has never been a stranger to unabashed self-indulgence. From the limited "special packaging" editions of its records - 1995's "Pure Phase" came in a glow-in-the-dark case with a slide-out cover and last year's "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" was first issued in a pharma- ceutical pill box - to its slightly eccentric con- cert venue choices - it has performed on top of both the Empire State Building and Seattle's rotating "Space Needle" and are scheduled for an upcoming show under the Northern Lights in Sweden - the band has always been a bit, well, excessive. Considering this it comes as no surprise that the band has chosen to release a two-disc live album that features a 12-piece gospel choir and respective four-piece horn and string sections aside from the three core members of the band. Recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall in October of 1997, the album is a remarkable showcase of the group's trademark sound: Imagine The Velvet Underground and mid- career Pink Floyd jamming with The London Philharmonic Orchestra in an Amsterdam hash bar. Disc One of the set slides into gear with a brief and del- Spiritualized icate rendition of a church Royal Albert Hall hymn, "Oh Happy Day," Live which is immediately fol- Arista lowed by a violent onslaught Reviewed by of fierce noise. Feedback Daily Arts Writer screams, horns wail, drums Steve Gertz hammer out abstract jazz- influenced patterns and the whole thing escalates into a massive swarm of migraine-inducing destruction. And then, right as the climax hits, the seem- ingly uncoordinated chaos shifts tightly and per- fectly into the lethargic space-blues of "Shine a Light," sending chills down the listener's spine and leaving him or her in awe of the sheer preci- sion of the band. The rest of Disc One follows a similar pattern. Top-notch tracks from all three of Spiritualized's LPs are woven together effortlessly, each song overlapping the next and fleshed out gorgeously by the classical orchestration. Highlights include the raging rush of snarling guitars in "Electricity" and an updated version of the clas- sic "Walking With Jesus," a holdover from band leader Jason "Spaceman" Pierce's days with the seminal psychedelic pioneers Spacemen 3. The six songs on Disc Two are all selections from the band's acclaimed 1997 album "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space." The absolute crown jewels of the concert are included here: The woeful "Broken Heart" and the Gospel-soaked "I Think I'm in Love." Both of these songs illustrate Jason Pierce's resorting to substance abuse to assuage the pain of a soured relationship. "Broken Heart" is simply and utterly beauti- ful. Pierce bears his vulnerable soul for all to see as he whispers "Lord, I have a broken heart ... " over weeping harmonicas, moaning cellos, bluesy organs and the powerful bellowing of the blues music, the lyrics operate in linear conjunc- tion with the instrumentation, everything work- ing in unison to conjure the song's deep emo- tional power. Similarly, "I Think I'm in Love" finds itself greatly enhanced by the inclusion of the gospel singers. These church-house crooners transport the song from the psychedelic landscapes of reverb-soaked slide guitar in the song's begin- ning to its eventual transformation into an all- out extravaganza of anthemic soul. The magnum opus "Cop Shoot Cop" closes the album. A sprawling 17-plus epic, the song fluctuates between hypnotic groove-heavy vers- es and dramatic flashes of roaring guitars and brass that build tension to its breaking point and let it regress into complete abstraction, only to bring the structure back and begin the process again. Like The Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray," Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile" or The Verve's "Gravity Grave," "Cop Shoot Cop" uti- lizes the power of repetition, avoiding redundan- cy by allowing volume to slowly increase until the climax hits and the whole thing explodes in a burst of otherworldly splendor. The band then reprises an extended "Oh Happy Day," which brings the event around, full cycle, to its denouement. If nothing else, this album proves that Spiritualized is just as much in its element on stage as in the studio. While its last record topped critics lists worldwide last year - rank- ing above even Radiohead's already-classic "OK Computer" and The Verve's "Urban Hymns" on many polls - "Royal Albert Hall" shows them shining even harder, playing even tighter and allowing their expansive sound to wander even further. Spiritualized has shown us that the sky is def- initely not the limit as they have, since their 1991 incarnation, proceeded to extend more and more into increasingly celestial regions of the cosmos. "Royal Albert Hall ... " reinforces this progression, and is an absolute must-have for any fan of the band. Vic Chesnutt's new album, "The Salesman And Bernadette," is primarily a collection of slow-tempo ballads that convey themes of sorrow, loss and the passage of time. On "Parade," Chesnutt sings "everybody over 10 years old is drowning" and repeatedly asks, "Where did you go after the parade?" And although such themes are far from novel, and often enter the realm of self-indul- gence, in the hands of an artist as capa- ble as Chesnutt, they become the key ingredients of an album of striking beau- ty and focus. First, Vic Chesnutt's gift for melody is nearly without equal. Throughout the album, his simple strummed chord pro- gressions are the framework around * * which he weaves melodies that con- Vic Chesnutt sistently conjure The Salesman emotions of a and Bernadette seemingly impos- Capricorn Records sible depth. The Reviewed by emotive quality of Brian Egan Chesnutt's voice is For the Daily also an asset. His raspy, yet supple vocals call to mind artists such as Camper Van Beethoven/Cracker front- man David Lowery, Tom Waits and per- haps even Bob Dylan at his most melod- ic. Also, the album is embellished with touches of instrumentation that further establish its collective mood, for exam- ple, the flourishes of guitar sprinkled on the longing "Maiden" and the opener "Duty Free." More noticeable is the impressive use of horns on many of the tracks, and the resistance of the tempta- tion to overuse them. They never over- power the songs' gentle arrangements, but rather play to this strength, and in this way, the album is further reminis- cent of "Rain Dogs"-era TornWaits. in a few instances, Chesnutt does lighten the mood. On "Until The Led," the peppy horns suggest a sly sensecoi distaste, and the tongue-in-cheek vocals, boogie beat and "What's the, who's the prick?" refrain of "Prick" is the closest he comes to cracking a smile. The boun- cy pop of "Replenished," complete with "sha-la-la-la-la" chorus is like a sliver of sunlight that creeps into a dark room. Not that that room is such a bad place after all. The album's centerpiece and saddest song, "Mysterious Tunnel" features guitars that shimmer like tears in the dark, while Chesnutt's voice i. likewise at its shivering best. The results are at the same time breathtak- ing and unnerving, the same of which can be said for the album as a whole. On this sublime, prancing waltz and really on all of "The Salesman And Bernadette," Chesnutt succeeds in making the listener believe that the var- ious states of vulnerability and heartache he presents are acceptable, even beautiful, places to be. Gospel singers. The heartache, but totally song is not only about embodies it. Like good Janus Stark burns out boredom Janus Stark is not a familiar name to most people. Fans of The Prodigy, though, probably know about this group, as it is The Prodigy's live gui- tarist Gizz Butts' band. Unlike The Prodigy, however, Butts' Janus Stark has very little to do with the electronic aggression that is The Prodigy's specialty. In fact the only thing remotely electronic-like about Janus Stark is the fact that the name refers to a rumored British super com- puter that controls everything in England and that it has a Tamagotchiatoy Jans Sark on its album Great cover. Adventure En g I a n d' s Cigar Janus Stark bears Earache/Trauma more of a resem- Revieweds blance to the Foo Daily Arts Writer Fighters and other Adlin Rosli punk-yet-pop bands. Janus Stark possesses the knack to write songs with catchy sing-along parts that are completely smothered with loud abrasive guitars. With its debut release, "Great Adventure Cigar" the band intends to prove that it rocks just as hard as its counterparts from across the pond. Cube secures victory on'War' Who are the true icons in hip-hop? To be an icon, an MC must have a revolutionary style that has a definitive impact on hip-hop music and culture. An icon has to stand the test of time, and must be as respected in all hip-hop circles today as when he or The Dave Grohl worthy "Every Little Thing Counts," for example, is a com- plete fist-pounding anthem that would easily fit on either of the Foo's releases. Album opener, "Enemy Lines" also forcefully assaults the listener and is followed by its many similarly fero- cious siblings on "Great Adventure Cigar." Lyrics on "Great Adventure Cigar" provide the sonic punches too, as on the Helmet-like "White Man Speak With Forked Tongue." Butts growls how the "white man speaks with fork tongue, he's always right even when he's wrong. He also shows his sensitive side on his junkie lament, "Floyd, What are you on?" where he sings "this is a means to an end my friend and I am telling you because you used to be my friend." Despite the group's well-executed efforts however, there is an overwhelm- ing feeling of familiarity to this release that prevents it from delivering a signif- icant impact. Although British listeners may not be as numb to the guitar-heavy posturings of post-Nirvana bands, American lis- teners will be bored silly with the over- Xeroxed rock formula on "Great Adventure Cigar." Ice Cube War & Peace Vol. 1: War Lench Mob/Priority Records Reviewed by Daily Arts Writer Quan Williams she debuted. Some artists that lay claim to the title fail the for- mer criteria, and many artists that were supposed to become icons fail the latter criteria. There aren't many who can legitimately call themselves icons: Rakim, KRS-One, LL Cool J, Tupac, A Tribe Called Quest and Queen Latifah are part of this exclusive club. With his new double album "War and Peace," Ice Cube reminds losophy throughout the album, adding to the dark aura of the album. In "Dr. Frankenstein," Cube reminds every hardcore rapper in hip-hop just exact- ly where they got their styles from. Then, Cube spits pure venom on "Fuck Dying," over another ultra- hard groove featuring Korn. After getting you open with the hardcore gangsta rhymes, he turns around and hits you with unforgiving ghetto war stories, such as "Ghetto Vet," "Once Upon A Time In The Projects 2" and the paranoid "Extradition." As always, Cube is at his best when he is throwing out razor-sharp social commentary, as on the scalding "3 Strikes You In," and the thoughtful "Penitentiary." This is Ice Cube at the next level. Also, the majority of the beats are head-nodders, like the desolate "Pecking Order," and the vicious "X-Bitches." There are a few duds on "War." The songs "War & Peace" and "Greed" are fodder, although they'd probably be the best songs on somebody else's album. Cube's guests Mack 10, K-Mac and Mr. Short Khop aren't spectacular. But they aren't the worst you've ever heard, and at least they don't get in Cube's way. Westside Connection was the first. Player's Club everyone that he is as much of an icon as any of these artists. Cube starts by calling out all of the detractors and non-believers over the sinister strings of "Ask About Me," and gets even deadlier on "Pushin' Weight," his first single. An ominous voice spits out gangsta phi- was the second. With "War" The Don Mega's three-: part plan to retake gangsta rap has reached its fina stage. Cube himself said "War & Peace" was his best effort since "Death Certificate," and it's hard to argue. "War" is a gangsta masterpiece. While you're waiting breathlessly for "Peace" to come out, take out your list of hip-hop's biggest icons and write Cube's name in. It's where he belongs, KMFDM goes 'Retro' with new compilation release ... When a band releases something that was previously only available promo- tionally, fans normally have reason to celebrate. There will normally be live tracks or a studio track that was hard to find. But "Retro," KMFDM's "new" best of collection, has neither; it doesn't even have new artwork. "Retro" collects KMFDM's best tracks from its first eight albums, com- pletely ignoring last year's "Dingbats," because the compilation came out two years ago. Other than that, it's strong and full of singles showcasing the band's Teutonic electronic sound - storm and blood and iron and guitars and key- boards. KMFDM Retro Wax Trax Reviewed by Daily Arts Writer Ted Watts Going in reverse chrono- logical order of the band's releas- es, "Retro" starts out with "Power," writhing with fast beats and entranc- ing high-end sounds. That slides into "Juke- Joint Jezebel," one of the best exampleP of the slinky darkness that underlies all of the band's work. The tracks are most- ly similarly good, all the way to the end,: where the far less advanced but still real- ly catchy "Don't Blow Your Top" closes out the collection. Fans could have bought "Retro" on its- last tour, but many probably own some KMFDM material, and there's nothing new on this record. But it is a bett4 introduction to the band's oeuvre than any of its other releases. Like a Whitman's Sampler, only not so sweet. Sublime acoustic album makes death all the more noticeable Avoid 'Home' at all costs Aside from the T-shirts, hats, stickers, mugs, magazines and other similar paraphernalia, a teen boy group must produce the mandatory Christmas album. New Kids On The Block, Menudo and Hanson all have Sublime fans, you're in luck. An official version of the band's bootleg acoustic album, which went for as much as $150 can now be purchased at your local record store for the standard $12.99. The 15-track acoustic solo album, highlighting the talents of the late Bradley Nowell, is appropriately titled - "Sublime Acoustic: Sublime Bradley Nowell and Friends." Sublime "Sublime Acoustic" is the Acoustic: Bradley third Sublime album to be Nowell and Friends released in the past 12 months, MCA/Gasoline with "Second Hand Smoke," a Alley collection of B-sides released Reviewed by last November and the live Daily Arts Writer Dikran ornekian compilation "Stand by Your Van" released in June. to Freedom" and "Robbin the Hood" that make it a must-own for new and hard-core fans alike. Nowell's tremendous talent as a performer shines through on this record. The diversity of his songs, which combine elements of punk, ska, surf, reggae and even hip-hop, was also the key to the band's success. Indeed every Sublime album has its own unique and appealing sound, which is why the band still has such a vast and varied following including braided reggae lovers to bikini wearing beach bun- nies and even those mosh-pit loving punks. Ska-heavy tunes on "Sublime Acoustic" include live versions of the ubiquitous single "Wrong Way" and the fan favorite "Saw Red," sans No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani. Songs showcasing Nowell's reggae influence Christmas albums No Stars N'Sync Home for Christmas RCA/BMG Reviewed by Daily Arts Writer Adlin Rosh under their belts. Now following in this hideously despicable tradi- tion comes N'Sync with its Christmas album, "Home for Christmas." Plenty of sac- charin cheeri- ness is here, from the heart sentation from the band's entire discography. The fact that most of these songs were recorded at small clubs or bars before Nowell and company N'Sync's die-hard fan contingency, it would be virtually impossible to actually listen to this album all the way through in one sitting. Repeated themes of adolescent cruhes a~nd nuinnv love~ that tie' in warming "Under My Tree" to the cheeky "Kiss Me at Midnight."