8 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 18, 2004 ART S Courtesy or uolumoia Punch this picture. Prophets fail to foresee their sophomore slump Courtesy of Blue Note Astronaut Jones she isn't. By Chris Harrington For the Daily RIGHT AT HOME Borrowing their name from a bootleg Duran Duran CD, Welsh punk rock group Lostprophets recently released their second full album, Start Something. What exact- ly they are trying to start isn't very clear, but they sure seem to be doing everything they can to inhale the dying breath of the American nu- metal wave. Developing their lackluster sound in the British underground rock scene, Lostprophets seem to have all-too- quickly turned ____________ their backs on Lostprohets their old fan base proph with their latest Start release, a com- Something mercialized leap Columbia from their first album, The Fake Sound of Progress. The opening track, "We Still Know the Old Way," promises their follow- ers that even though the band has a mainstream release, it hasn't forgotten their roots. It's believable until the first chorus hits you in the face like a suitcase full of hundred dollar bills with its vocal harmonies and crystal- clear delayed chords. It is apparent throughout the album that Lostprophets try their best to leave traces of their old sound, sometimes forcing it unneces- sarily into some halfway decent tracks. Unfortunately, the old sound includes unmelodic, over-rhythmic guitar pieces, predictable drum bang- ing, and whiny, weak vocals. The track "To Hell We Ride" is about as accurate of an advertisement to the listener as it gets. JAZZ DIVA JONES CAPITALIZES ON HER DEBUT SUCCESS By Hussain Rahim Daily Arts Writer In this nu-metal mutation of guitar and digital effects, there are a few standout tracks. "Burn Burn" fea- tures a classic distorted rock sound and a catchy lead guitar line reminis- cent of Jimmy Eat World. The second verse in this song even uses the bass to carry the melody and acts as a much-needed break from the clut- tered quasi-electro mush. The clean guitar in "Goodbye Tonight" might be as close as Lostprophets get to a rock ballad, and the song is not total- ly horrific. The chorus has that same pop appeal but rocks enough to keep the focus far enough away from the vocals, which are undoubtedly the weakest attribute of the album. The crown jewel is the recently released single "Last Train Home," which is just unique enough to pique interest and sell a few CDs. Start Something is a mediocre album at best. Fans of Hoobastank or Linkin Park will probably enjoy a few songs, but it is clearly nothing new or impressive. To make the best of this CD, avoid paying attention to the vocals. They might be cause enough to print a picture of the singer just so you can punch him in the face. Norah Jones wasn't supposed to be famous. She was supposed to be one of those artists your fringe friend tells you to check out because she's pretty good. But things don't always work out like they should. Somehow the world decided that it wanted to hear Ravi Shankar's daughter mix jazz and folk in large doses. Before you know it, she's the next big thing. Two years and 18 million albums later, it's time for a new release. Her debut's success is owed in large part to the fact that she is so low-key and her music came as the perfect contrast to the dramatics of the singers who dominate the pop landscape. Norah picks up from some of the hints left from Come Away With Me on Feels Like Home while fleshing them out. The foreshadowing of her country influences come to fruition as the album's tone is predominantly Americana. The shift away from a more jazz-oriented sound is a brave move and will surely alienate a great deal of listeners. Yet some of Norah Jones the strongest moments come when she is most forthright Feels Like with her affinity for the gen- Home res. The up-tempo, knee-slap- Blue Note pin' Dolly Parton duet "Creepin' In" is actually one of the strongest moments on the album. The enchanting lead sin- gle "Sunrise" utilizes a sea of underlying bass, banjo and piano that helps to capture the warmth of her voice, and her vocal interpretation of Duke Ellington's "Melancholia" adds the lone "jazz" song, making it a highlight. With no real reason to disturb the water, she brings producer Arif Mardin on board again and puts on the songwriter cap as she pens nearly half of the album's 13 songs. Despite these sub- tle shifts of genre and focus, the mood remains the same. There is a feeling not so much of stagnation as of comfort and ease with where she is musically. The songs discuss staying in bed, dipping your toes in the water and pondering the trappings of love - all the possible variations of stasis. It is all the emotional equivalent of swinging on a porch in your backyard with an ice cream cone, but who says that can't be fun? The unwavering reception of her last album was major praise and critical acclaim as it is with this effort, and she's still only scratching the surface. She's one bad break-up away from a really great record. Former Pantera duo fails to find New Found Power By James Pfent Daily Arts Writer churn out jackhammer rhythms, heavy-as-hell riffs and 100-mile-an- hour solos. Phil Anselmo, one of metal's all- time best vocalists, has been Music REVIEW Meet the new band, same as the old band. Pantera veterans Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul have returned to the metal scene as Dam- ageplan, and listening to New Found Power, it's clear that the guitarist and drummer wish their former band never fell apart. They still replaced with newcomer Pat Lachman, but fans will be shocked to hear what sounds like Damageplan New Found Power Elektra I Anselmo singing on the lead single "Breathing New Life." They'll be further surprised to find it's not Alselmo at all, but Lachman proving himself an able pretender as he flawlessly mimics Phil's growl. Hell, Lachman even looks like Anselmo. Herein lies the band's problem; it sounds way too much like Pantera. It might be unfair to relentlessly compare Damageplan to Pantera, distinguish himself enough from Anselmo to stand on his own. New Found Power features a pair of notable guest appearances. Slip- knot's Corey Taylor drops some F- bombs on the aptly titled "Fuck You," and guitar hero Zakk Wylde, best known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne, slaps a solo on "Reborn." There's little point to these contribu- tions, however, since Lachman and Dimebag, still two of metal's best shredders, could have handled these tasks themselves. Damageplan fare better when they stray from the Pantera formula; tracks like "Save Me" and "Blink of an Eye" are heavy, yet melodic and catchy. If the band moves in this direction they could be a force in metal, but until then Vinne and Dime will have to work even harder to find their new identity. but the band would elicit such com- parisons even if it didn't include two ex-Cowboys from Hell. But Ansel- mo was the heart and soul of the old band, something New Found Power makes painfully clear. Lachman can scream, growl and even sing, but he simultaneously fails to live up to or r'oa1. Wednesday Feb. 18 7:00 pm Michigan League 911 N. University 4 Hosted by MARS. More info: martians@umich.edu ANN ARBOR WORD WORKS PRESENTS You are welcome to Ash Wednesday Meditative Worship for Campus & Community An ecumenical service of Scripture, prayer, silence, meditative singing of music Jrom the Tai.e Ccomtmunity.. imposition of ashes, and Holy Communion -FDIAAII fFR, n w.-2n rvm