ART S The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 5, 2002 - 7 BREAKING RECORDS REVIEWS OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY'S NEW RELEASES DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE You CAN PLAY THESE SONGS WITH CHORDS BARSUK RECORDS By Sean Dailey For the Daily Death Cab for Cutie, in recent years, has been widely heralded as one of indie's most important band, and for good reason. Their blend of Built to Spill-style arrangements and laid back, almost Belle and Sebastian storytelling (minus the Belle) is instantly gripping. Their latest release, You Can Play These Songs With Chords, is an interesting look into the past of this great band. Chords is really two albums in one. The first eight tracks are a re-release of the band's first recording, You Can Play These Songs With Chords, distributed on x ?> cassette back in 1997. { Recorded on an eight-h track by future Death Cab founders Ben Gib- bard and Chris Walla, these tracks are definite- ly low-fi. Five of these tracks were later re- recorded for the band's first LP, Something About Airplanes. Gibbard's voice, void any of digital studio polishing save reverb, still con- tains his trademark saccharine; he's both calming and angry at the same time. Lyrics like "Think I'm drunk enough to drive you home now / I'll keep my mouth keep shut under lock and key, that's rusted firm, no lie," on "Champagne from a Paper Cup" are the typical fare for Death Cab for Cutie, known for their bitter, engross- ing songs about remorse and lost love. Most of the first half of Chords fol- lows the tried and true "sad & slow" pattern, except for the tempo-defying "That's Incentive," which could have easily been a b-side from a Modest MARK FARINA MUSHROOM JAZZ 4 OM RECORDS By Jeremy Kressmann Daily Arts Writer Portabella, Shiitake and Jazz are all types of mushrooms, believe it or not. It just so happens that Mark Farina is responsi- ble for the latter of the three. Farina's long await- ed new installment to the ever-popular Mushroom Jazz series has finally arrived. A series of com- pilations of smoothz downtempo R&B, soul, hip-hop, and house, Mushroom Jazz has long been lauded among chill-out fans for its choice track selections. It's outside the realm of the chill- out aficionado that Mushroom Jazz k;:: 5 :. Mouse album. The first eight tracks culminate on the hypnotic "Line of Best Fit", one surely to end up as a last track on sev- eral mixtapes. With lyrics like "These things take my time and energy / Don't stand too close without apolo- gies," Gibbard ends the first half on a somber, worn out note. This song makes anything Yo La Tengo's put out feel like caffeine by comparison. In striking contrast, the second half of Chords begins with an incredibly upbeat cover of the Smiths' "This Charming Man." Gibbard does his best Morrissey impression that is a welcome change to the morose offer- ings of the first eight tracks. The remaining tracks are all rare or unre- leased studio quality recordings arranged in chronological order, start- ing as far back as 1996. These are much closer to the Death Cab for Cutie known and loved by scenesters nationwide. Standout tracks include the sample laden "Flustered / Hey Tomcat," the hopeful "Tomorrow," and the Secret Stars cover "Wait." The last track, "Army Corps of Archi- tects" is also worthy of note, a sooth- ing end to a somewhat haphazard collection of songs. The gentle rhythm section and subtle xylophone are simply beautiful. You Can Play These Songs with Chords, while lacking the cohesiveness of a true album, is definitely a must- have for Death Cab fans. Others may find it a bit disjointed. Those new to the band should check out their earlier releases, particularly We Have the Facts and We 're Voting Yes or The Photo Album before picking up Chords. Only fans of the band will truly appreciate this collection of early tracks. RATING: * * * SHORT TAKES SIGUR Ros ( ) MCA By Andrew M. Gaerig Daily Arts Writer Iceland's Sigur Ros are a quartet who play glacial, atmospheric music. They play guitars with violin bows and basses with drum sticks. Lead singer J6nsi Birgisson has such a high, alien voice he makes Jeff Buckley sound~gruff. Their last album, Agaetis Byrjun was a majes- tic whorl of guitar lull and guiltless grandeur, which they sold whole- sale to critics and fans alike. Their new album, is something of a dif- ferent story. First, let's get something straight - pretension doesn't preclude great art. While Sigur Ros's decision to name their new album (),-forgo track titles and sing in a fabricated gibberish has many critics throwing the p-flag around, don't buy it. It's a petty criticism of a band capable of conjuring language- transcending theatrics. The new album finds the band using more keyboards, often as melody lines over the fabulous layers of guitar noise. The melodies, sung through a natural reverb, resonate in the air like old folk hymns. The album opens with a slow-leak elegy, com- plete with a choir of tape manipula- tion. Everything from the skeletal picking of track 2, quivering bass of track 6 to the ruptured drumming and cinematic bombast of the clos- ing track are executed perfectly. Some will be put off by the Sigur Ros's long, involved compositions and often-slow pace. Unlike most bands, the payoff always arrives, often in the form grand waves of sound and heartbeat percussion. Sigur Ros sound ancient -bearers of grand hymns surrendered to time and apathy, until now. Sigur Ros are pretentious as hell, but it doesn't stop them from packing more beau- ty, power and violence into their compositions than any of their peers. Is this pretentious, or does this just make other bands look like a joke? RATING: * * * * : a gets a little sketchy. With a product this "genrefied," it's bound to invite some head-scratching among newer Mushroom Jazz listeners. Name drop- ping obscure tracks by urban music favorites like Pete Rock, Scienz of Life and Fat Jon may impress the hardcore fan, but it remains somewhat unapproachable for the uninitiated. But as far as mixing abilities and track selec- tion Farina is the coolest DJ in school. Nearly a 22-year veteran of the Chicago and San Fran- cisco club scenes, his blending and matching skills are always perfect and as smooth as the music. It doesn't hurt to have underground hip-hop stars Peo- ple Under the Stairs make an appear- ance either. RATING: *** TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS, THE LAST DJ; WARNER BROTHERS RECORDS Petty misfires with this concept record about how badly the music industry sucks (where the hell have you been Tom?). He's right of course; greed rules, sex sells, substance and integrity get lost along the way. But Petty can't quite see his convictions through. The music is bland, sounding like a Heartbreaker's cover band (except Jon Brion's orchestrations) and the lyrics are warmed over cliches. Bring back Rick Rubin to man the boards and write more tracks like the glorious "Dreamville" and George Harrison tribute "The Man Who Loved Women," Tommy. * * ii -Scott Serilla MC PAUL BARMAN, PAULLELUJAH; COUP D'ETAT RECORDS On his full-length debut, this Brown graduate from Jersey kicks out mind- bending rhymes for the junior New Yorker set. Imagine your bushy-haired, creative writing GSI decided he was the clown prince of rap. Sophomoric and brainy in the same breath, the unlikely MC plows through bugged- out sex jams like "Cock Mobster" and rants against education system on the title track. But without Prince Paul, who headed up previous releases, too many tracks can't get past their own cleverness. * ** -S. S. CHRISTINA AGUILERA, STRIPPED; WARNER BROTHERS RECORDS Chrstina Aguilera's second album Stripped exhibits a strange pluralism. In this video age when image is every- thing, we find Aguilera juggling two artistic dilemmas: One - follow the trends that are currently popular on MTV and bare all for maximum record sales, or two - focus on musical artistry and great album making. With Munchausen-like flippancy, Aguilera's album jumps from innate innocence and optimistic odes of belonging to sexual provocation and sticky club anthems with Camus-like anxiety. This all leads to question: If Stripped is the diary of a rising talent or a calculated career move? The artist and the album struggle to find purpose. * * -Devon Thomas THE DONNAS, SPEND THE NIGHT ATLANTIC RECORDS These California ladies take a run at maturity with their frustratingly catchy major label debut, rolling back the pre- fab "bad girl gang" gimmicks that defined their early records. What's left is simple Kiss-meets-the-Go-Go's rock aimed at making your kid sister forget all about J-Lo and Justin. Don't expect it to work, but here's hoping songs like taut opener "It's On The Rocks" and maybe semi-lame "Dirty Denim" with its anti-garage hipster sentiment, might convert a few teenyboppers. * * * - S.S. THE LES CLAYPOOL, FROG BRIGADE; PURPLE ONION By default and design, Claypool became the alt-rock Zappa; a remark- able, hyper-productive virtuoso whose intricate songwriting is often obscured by his aburdist humor and love of eccentric noise. Onion might be his most Zappa-like effort yet, with the loose collection full of car- toony vocals and angular melodies, but also with meat-fisted political tirades. Sure to please the Primus faithful, but who can say how many others. * ** -S. S. J. MASCIS AND THE FOG FREE, So FREE; ULTIMATUM MUSIC Alright its bit ironic when one of Rock's most notorious control freaks writes an entire concept album about freedom. Let's put that aside. The ex- Dino Jr. frontman tosses off his best songs in years and like on '91's Green Mind, virtual plays everything him- self. Reportedly largely composed while J was skydiving, the record bal- ances out the manic guitar crunches, delicate folk and wistful vocals that have out of portion on other Mascis' solo work. *** 9 - S.S. DAILY ARTS JOIN US qr c,1 " - " the michigan daily DO YOU WANT A S0QL3p Gain sales and advertising experience, make $$$, work in a fun environment, and drink cheap soda! The Michigan Daily Online Department is looking for Account Executives. Applications are available at the Michigan Daily. Send resume to onlineads@michigandaily.com or call Tijana at 615-0135 with any questions. BARTENDER POSITIONS! Make up to $300/shift no exp. req. great college job! call 800-806-0085 ext 1445. BARTENDERS NEEDED. No experience necessary. Earn up to $300/day. Call 1-866-291-1884 ext. U183. 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