10 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 26, 2002 0 BREAKING RECORDS REVIEWS OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY'S NEW RELEASES TAKING BACK SUNDAY TELL YOUR FRIENDS VICTORY RECORDS By Tony Ding For the Daily Before their debut album Tell All Your Friends hit shelves today, Long Island natives Taking Back Sunday were already stirring up ripples within punk's pop-polluted pond. The five-piece ensemble and this highly anticipated debut had been headlining circuit shows and spread- ing demos since its inception less than two years ago. Then, with their inclusion on New York's under- ground Dying Wish Record's Sept. II tribute compilation, From Brook- lyn With Love, the Taking Back Sun- day name took off. In truth, this album is part of a new diversion for TBS' enthusiastic maiden label as well as Victory's traditional, well respected lineup of teeth-crunching, hardcore makes TBS' vocalist Adam Lazzara's occasional despotic screams seem like lullabies. The album conveys a desire for control - it's frustrating to listen to while sitting down. TBS' record demands acceleration, for listeners to floor the pedal, peel out and smack violently to a halt. In essence, Tell All Your Friends spills out awash in a volatile, polymeric apercu. Taking Back Sunday's rhythmic lament and cardiac beats pound like a hyperbolic nexus to emo-failsafes Saves the Day and Dashboard Confessional. If you sense hints of emo with TBS, it's not a coincidence, as guitarist Eddie Reyes had an early stint with fellow Long Island emo-rockers, The Movielife. The 10-track album is littered with cute, generic, melodramatic repertoires that, coupled with the multi-harmonic tempos, stick in your head until you find yourself unconscientiously humming to it on your morning commute. It's college rock, and it's the guy crying shame- lessly over that bitch who'll "destroy us all before she's through and find a way to blame somebody else." Whether it's "You Know How I do," in a spastic theme-strung opener, or the emocore hybrid "Timberwolves At New Jersey," Tell All Your Friends is as disjointed as it is versatile. The band's bifocal harmonies are almost unheard of and are certainly huge factors that 6 set these budding young musicians apart from the pack. The fact that TBS is juvenile in form also helps them to stand out and perspire freshness. Only now, the rising'upstarts may likewise do well to be wary of diving headfirst into the mainstreaming current of a successor's commercialization. If they show up on next year's MTV2 Handpicked, it could be a sign of their maturity. But, if their yet-to-be made video ends up being plugged by a creepy stoned VJ on TRL, then Taking Back Sunday will probably have forgotten what their punk mar- riage vows stood for. THE WALKMAN EVERYONE WHO PRETENDED TO LIKE ME IS GONE STARTIME RECORDS By Gena Pensiero Daily Arts Writer Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone by the NYC group The Walkmen begins with a montage of sound and a guy crooning somewhat incoherently. The Walkmen, remnants of Jonathan Fire Eater, write songs that resemble up-tempo post-punk a bit and clear- ly have Brian Eno elements. What stands out most about the album is the way that the songs are arranged and juxtaposed so that the mood remains consistent and seamless. The album is deep and somewhat dramatic, but in a genuine way. While the sound is definitely interesting, it does tend to get old after a few songs. What keeps the album uni- fied is also what eventually makes it a little boring. However, some tracks like "Wake Up" and "French Vacation" keep you listening. Also, if you're an audiophile, this albums is a lot of fun. The band is hyper tone-conscious, as is apparent on "Stop Talking," where a very good, vintage, hollow- body tone rings through the arrangement. 0 0 S RUSTED ROOT WELCOME TO MY PARTY ISLAND RECORDS By Scott Serilla Daily Arts Writer Still, this is clearly a disc to be depressed to - or one that will eventually cause you to do so. That said, bring on the gloom, doom, falsetto and joy division influence. SANDER KLEINENBERG ESSENTIAL MIX FFRR/ESSENTIAL By Will Yates Daily Arts Writer Sander Kleinenberg's Essential Mix is the latest in a series of DJ mix albums being released by the Essential label; other contrib- utors to the series include such big names as Carl Cox, DJ Skribble and Grandmaster Flash. For those not in the know, the concept behind a mix CD is to reproduce the experience of a DJ's live set for the listener's home enjoyment. The DJ selects several tracks produced by large- ly obscure artists and blends them together using turntables or studio equipment, thus forging a new, cohesive piece that fits neatly into a CD's 80-minute run time. As might be expected from, the emphasis on simulating the live experience, a mix CD gener- ally follows certain formulas. A DJ plans his live set with the audience in mind, focusing on building hard, driving rhythms to a peak of intensity and then dropping out the beat, only to start the cycle over again. The synth flourishes, the vocal sam- ples, the more delicate polyrhythms etc. are there to maintain interest and foster development, but the real focus is the basic drumbeat. When translating a live set to album DJ must this focus on the beat boring the how suc - cessful he is at a c c o m - plishing this task is the meas- ure of the mix CD's worth. Kleinenberg's style of choice is progressive house, which I like to think of as trance's alder, more sophisticated brother: The requisite four-to-the-floor kick drum, the synth bass squelches and the arena-sized energy level that gives rave kids wet dreams. The key difference, at least in Kleinenberg's case, is that pro- gressive house largely forgoes trance's overwrought synth melodies, instead deriving its emotional weight from layered polyrhythms and rawer drum sounds. On his Essential Mix, Kleinenberg never does much to stray from this sound. If this album has any significant weak- ness, it is that he adheres a little too closely to the stereo- ..,..-.~..typical progres- sive sound. The CD's only real surprises are the gorgeous synth chords of Redanka's "Out of the Dark" and the female vocals and break- beat of Blackwatch and Greed's "Gentle Rain (Jacked High Remix)." But where one might call Kleinenberg unadventurous, another might prefer consistent. His selections are always taste- ful, and, even when the energy lags at some points, the beat and the production remain solid and satisfying throughout. Kleinen- berg's Essential Mix is hardly an innovative album, but it will cer- tainly not disappoint fans of the style, and it might just be the revelation necessary to win pro- gressive house a few new con- verts. J, A ,a Almost time for Hash Bash already? Oh man, just when you got the smell of weed out of your favorite tie-dye and Dad's old jean jacket. Comes earlier and earlier every year doesn't it dude? To coincide with Ann Arbor's annual dance with Lady Ganja, Pittsburgh's favorite Jam-meisters, Rusted Root, will be releasing their fourth album, Welcome To My Party, April 9th. Even though Root has continued its omnipresent touring cycle, Welcome is the band's first studio record in four years and their first since switching labels from Polygram to Island. Despite its cult following and reputation for selling out theaters, the multi-instrumentalist group has found the suc- cess of their major label debut, 1994s When I Woke, elusive. That record went platinum, largely due to the hit "Send Me On My Way," and opened doors, allowing the band to warm up for Page and Plant on their comeback tour, as well as gaining them a spot on the Horde Tours. Welcome seems formulated to recuperate that initial flirt with mainstream commercial success. Original member, vocalist Jenn Wertz has rejoined the group and Bill Bottrell, best known for producing Sheryl Crow, When I Woke and co-writing "Black or White" for Michael Jackson, is back behind the boards. However, Bottrell's commercially-geared production hurts the record, stifling the sextet when he should be rejuvenating them and failing to capture their live energy. Welcome comes across as too tidy and slick - too "Hey VH1, look at me!" The result is an album of listenable, if over-polished and unspectacular material. The shame here is that lead singer/songwriter Michael Glabicki has crafted his most consistent collection of songs to date, but the over-refine- ment of Bottrell's production obscures this. While Root's more traditional sound came from a mixture of various rock genres and multicultural rhythms, Welcome makes an ill-advised decision to separate styles, with uneven BREAKING RECORDS STAR * i i * * CLASSIC *GREAT V If you missel BREAKINGI * * * FAIR check the ar * * SUB-PAR www.michi WORTHLESS results. Funk seems a pretty safe pick on "Union 7" and "Weave," as does the straight ahead folk-rock of "Sweet Mary." Reggae and pop balladry are both toss-ups though, with "Women Got My Money," and the title track coming across better than "Too Much" and "Blue Diamonds." The trademark percussion instrumentals are foregone in favor of an experiment with electronic drum loops. Again it's not terrible by any means, just unremarkable. Root usually leans heavily on their rhythm section in live performances, but their unique abilities are largely glossed over here. It makes sense that Rusted Root wants to expand their range and move past the jam-band scene. Making doped-up hippie kids noodle dance isn't particularly challenging. A flute solo here, a conga fill there, and they'll shake their unwashed, suburban asses. But Welcome To My Party isn't really a departure and in their hearts Root knows they need their hardcore fans in the long run. So, when the band rolls into the Michigan on May 1, expect the jamming to be there the same as always, but check out if the songs from Welcome benefit or suffer as a result. The difference will prove crucial for the band's future. SYSTEM THINK WE'RE A BUNCH OF SNOB.7 a k ofN YOU DO RECORDS BETTER chives at COME T 420 andaily. com MYNARD AN JOIN ARTs. From Noh drama to screaming chimps, come From Noh drama to screaming chimps, come investigate the expressions of.. E/Motion: The Feeling Body The Media Union Gallery North Campus March 22-31, 2002 if you're looking for an extraordinary framn C minccllnr ;isa,,02r-rnIundl it