7 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, September 24, 2001 ,:;;<. . .: d':. r.:.: :v:;N ::.w .: :. ^' ... ;, : « ; ; {. Bad Ronald, Bad Ronald; Reprise Records By Alyson Scott For The Daily Bad Ronald likes to sing about sex, beer and weed. A lot. This self-titled debut is filled with pop beats and light rapping about the "1st Time" and other initiations into the imaginary (but much-coveted) "Cool Guys with Musi- cal Talent and Lots of Action Club." Listening to the entire album can be a bit redundant. There are a few high- lights, however. The first track on this record, "Let's Begin (Shoot the Shit)," is incredibly fun and upbeat, and the -aforementioned "1st Time" has a groovy ska sound in it, a la Reel Big Fish. This album's lyrics are juvenile and the music itself is simplistic. But the beat is catchy, and Bad Ronald is kind of cool in a juvenile and simplistic way. It's meant to be the soundtrack of a good time, and it does its job well. Play it at a party, and don't forget the beer. Grade: B- 7even Year Itch, Collective Soul; Atlantic By Rob Brode Daily Arts Writer . "Shine" is only on the CD once, yet Collective Soul's Greatest Hits album; 7even Year Itch has 13 tracks. While the rock radio mind may not be able to readily reel off a slew o~f Collective Soul hits, they do exist. In fact the record boasts eight No. I singles. The names "Precious Declaration ," "Gel" and "Heavy" may not ring a bell, but the signa- ture riffs of these songs are heavy - enough to ring your bell and catchy enough to draw instant recognition. - The band had all the markings of ~ a one hit wonder. Their 1994 debut disc, Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid featured only one hit single, "Shine." Granted the song was a major success but it was the only single off the album and it seemed way too catchy for the band's collective i Satellite, P.O.D.; Atlantic Records By Keith N. Dusenberry For the Daily The New Deal, The New Deal; Jive Records By Scott Wilson For the Daily Toronto based techno band The New Deal have taken their members' roots in Canadian jazz and fused it into their music. Founded in 1998 by way of a random improvisational session, they use a bass guitar, drums and horns for the baseline and leave the texture for electronic beats. This self-titled album is the band's third (it was preceded by two EPs - including the acclaimed This is Live - both released in '98 on the band owned-and-operated label. Now that they are in the big time with Jive records, and pressing for LP status, they have managed to drag this album out with too many tracks. The album opens with intensity and peaks thereafter with tracks like "Receiver," "Technobeam" and "The Ray Parker Suite" but lulls between them. Then again, who would ever expect staying power from three Canadian males? I do have to hand it to these guys; they have been successful in what so many try by mixing techno with another genre of music. If you are looking for parallels, I found mine with Rinocerose, later Daft Punk and a one timer know as Pilgrims of The Mind. Go out and buy this album if you want something new to listen to that is different and won't test your horizons, but don't waste your lunch money on it. Grade: B Do you love Jesus, but still want to break stuff? Or perhaps you wear a cru- cifix necklace and sport some natty dreads? In either case, you'll lo.ve that Christian band PO.D. brings the pain in G-rated nuggets of scripture-laced rap- core. Equally suited to Sunday School weekend retreats (Counselor: "Turn off that heathen noise!" Camper: "But Rev- erend, they're screaming for Jesus!") and MTV's "Total Request Live," PO.D.'s latest release Satellite proves that rapcore should have ended the day Zach de la Rocha turned in his copy of the Anar- chist Cookbook. If you watch "TRL," and I'll ask PO.D. to pray for you if you do, then you have seen the video for this record's first single, "Alive." Their previous album being their first on a major label, the boys got a taste of sellout success and now love the mainstream so much that they'll do anything to get their video played on MTV If you catch one of those "TRL Uncensored" specials and you look carefully, you can actually see P.O.D. performing fellatio on Carson Daly during the commercial breaks. I swear that this band (comprised of a "normal" white guy, a black guy, an "alternative" dreadlocked white dude and a Hispanic guy) was cast by "The Real World" producers. All that's miss- ing is the Asian chick. And all that's missing from the music on this album is anything interesting. Most of this schlock, like "Boom" and the title track, sounds like what would happen if 311 got roughed up in an alley - they would still suck, but they would have just a little more gravel in them. I can hardly mention tracks such as "Youth of a Nation," where the most bor- ing of Limp Bizkit songs somehow mates with a children's choir and drones on about in-school violence; or the unspeakable offense of "Without Jah, Nothin"' which morphs from "oldskool" punk into the worst reggae since Ziggy Marley thought he could write his own songs. The rest of Satellite's tracks prof- fer banality beyond the limits of even the most brain dead ignoramus' patience. Look - your little brother and Ned Flanders dig this record on those "naughty" nights when they stay up past ten drinking Kool Aid and watching Howard Stern. Hardcore. Yeah, though you walk through the valley of the shadow of shitty music, thou shalt not be tempted to buy this album. Amen. Grade: D- By David J. Kerastas For the Daily Ghetto Fabolous, Fabolous; Desert Storm Recordings/Elektra With his debut album Ghetto Fabolous, Fabolous joins this year's freshman class of MCs who prove that dope rhymes and creativity are nothing compared to big- name production and powerful marketing. DJ Clue and Duro together handle half of production duties, the other half is divvied up amongst other well-known producers, including Rockwilder, Timbaland and Rick. Rock. The album includes several cameos from noteworthy artists as well. Having signed onto DJ Clue's Desert Storm label, Fabolous has the benefit of instant access to record stores, radio and MTV, without first having to prove his musical talent. The long list of names that follow Fabolous in the credits simply aid in transferring instant credibility to an MC who, months ago, was essentially unknown. Though most of the tracks carry a good bounce, his producers fail to create any- thing beyond the standard series of base heavy beats, played-out guitar samples and electronic tones. Fabolous' mellow, laid-back tone, comparable to Mase's, is quite enjoyable. But, despite his vocal stylings, he cannot think up an original rhyme to save this album. His topics go in circles, from his guns, to his cars, to his ho's, back to his guns. He occasionally breaks from these trite themes with tracks like "One Day," on which he looks at the American Dream through the eyes of a young, aspiring MC. The song possesses a sad irony in that lines like, "Who knew/I'd have what it takes to be famous/and one day I'd be rap- pin"' remind us that Fabolous has only succeeded because his record company can afford to keep his dead music on life support. Examined closely, Fabolous appears to love music solely as a means for bragging to a mass audience. On "Young'n," he, claims that, though the haters critique him, he has "got them looking at the bill- board charts all confused."'He certainly does for all of us. Grade: C- well being. All signs pointed to Hasbeenville for the group but their eponymous sophomore release spawned four No. 1 hit,,singles, including the blissfully bongo heavy "December" and string saturated "The World I Know." By 1997 the surprise of seeing Collective Soul at the top of the rock charts had van- ished as "Precious Declaration" and "Listen" from Disciplined Break- doxwn both went to number one. Since then the band has released two more albums, both containing a chart topper. Quietly, but surely the brothers Roland, Ed and Dean led Collective Soul to being one of the biggest rock bands of the of the mid nineties. The band has'an uncanny ability to add just the right amount of syrupy melody over their razor sharp guitar licks, pleasing the Top 40 and rock radio listener. Releas- ing a greatest hits album after only 7 years in the business looksa abit pretentious but releasing a double CD 14 Year Itch in 2008 didn't seem as practical. Grade: B thing I'm sure of/that I'm your lady/always baby/and I love you now and ever," she immediately abandons the casual, non-threatening musical combinations of her Billboard friendly single, following it a with bold and dar- ing compilation of suggestive rap, upbeat chorus and catchy hip-hop, explaining to "Harry" that she "doesn't want to be [his] girlfriend," just dish the "lovin'." This gutsy new album could be disas- trous for most artists, yet only the impactful and memorable strength res- onating in Macy Gray's spirit and vocal chords give her the power to pull off this intense musical chaos. Although her insanity is a characteris- tic some would quarry as asylum-bound, Id continues to the open the door to new genres and styles of music, something we have yet to see for a long time. Grade: B . .. . ., , NewAmerican Language, Dan Bern; Messenger Records By Sarah Stewart For the Daily Bob Dylan is still alive and kicking. In Dan Bern's latest record New Ameri- can Language one could swear that the voice crooning "Why do you treat me like you do/Honeydoo?" belongs to the late and great folk singer, but it in fact belongs to a horny Midwesterner named Dan. Folk unfortunately doesn't have a real spot in mainstream listening, but if it did it would have started with Bern. He spins his humorous tunes Costello style, churning out songs like "God Said No" and "Thanksgiving Parade" that smack of honesty. But Bern is no legend yet; he tends to mix his folk with something reminiscent of fifties pop. This results in impressive background music that is great to have on, but not to really listen to. It never reaches the point where you are absorbed into the songs, but it takes you to the cliff and lets you get a good look at what you want. New American Language is the prod- uct of experience nonetheless. You can hear the wry wit of years of reflection in the lyrics, and the tone is truly sincere. The album isn't a jewel, but if you pan enough you'll find a few gold nuggets. nal musical editor to create the newest addition to modern music's list of retro- nouveau. Crooning of lost loves, and an extreme proximity to insanity, Macy's alternating mushroom snacking causes quite a bit of confusion, for one song her mood is up, while the next song is most definitely on it's melodious way down.. Joined by a similar back-up team of "Hair's" ensemble cast, her spicy and risqui tunes, such as "Sexual Revolu- tion," not only induce a feeling of wel- coming corruption, but use every instrument offered by the philharmonic to encourage a breakthrough sense of disco meets R&B. Remaining consistent with current musical genres and her past releases, Macy Gray's current single, "Sweet Baby," is conservatively ironic when lis- tening to the rest of album. For while guaranteeing her baby, "there's one By Taryn O'Leary For the Daily / While combining a touch of the '60s, mid-tempo melodies and intense artistic license, Macy Gray has again unleashed her raspy pipes in her new album, The Id. Accompanied by an entourage of whistles, purple feathers and plenty of hair, Miss Gray has abandoned her inter- Grade: C+ U I C.P. Cavaf~r Professorship brthrght israei A gift from your Jewish community. -T- C.P. Cavafy Professorship Inaugural Address ModErn ots OpposEd to What? Fri, Sept 28 " 5:00 p.m. Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre 9i1 North University (LOCATED IN THE MICHIGAN LEAGUE) Vassilios Lambropoulos C.P. Cavafy Professor of Modern Greek Studies Professor of Classical Studies