Three-by-Three
Wednesday 16 July @ 11:25:19 |
 CD reviews by Brooke Aldridge
HOW IT WORKS:
A 3 x 3 review begins by listening to a new release from start to finish. Three words are then selected to best describe the artist, mood as well as nature of the music. This is followed by a second listen, which leads to a 3 sentence summary of the recording. A third and final spin determines 3 specific tracks which feel most representative of the artist and the album overall.
Ready? Steady... Go!
NAME: Avenpitch
RELEASE: Avenpitch
3-WORD DESCRIPTION: Frenetic, Hip, Tongue-in-cheek.
3-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Attention '24 Hour Party People': "Madchester" fever has FINALLY hit Minneapolis!!! This salient self-titled debut teams up top-notch electronic production with ABSOLUTELY catchy pop lyrics, crunchy guitar riffs, retro synths and drum machines. CAKE would be jealous, Weezer will be calling (within the week!) and New Order are rumored to be seriously devoted fans...
3 SUGGESTED TRACKS: "Wreckage," "Hacienda," "Replay."
URL: http://www.omegapointrecords.com
NAME: Bobby Jackson
RELEASE: Underfunk
3 WORD DESCRIPTION: Smooth, Symbiotic, Whimsical.
3-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Recorded as well as produced by Ron Basques, this Jazz-fusion release strikes a cohesive chord. Provided with a progressive platform of groove (by drummer Tony Moreno and bassist Ben Druskin) to leap off of, Jackson dabbles in effervescent piano ambiance while playfully exploring the space of each song. Alto saxist Bobby Hughes shines throughout, adding an exuberant sense of spontaneity.
3 SUGGESTED TRACKS: "Serengeti," "Tails Out," "I Should'a Had It."
URL: http://www.basquesproductions.com
NAME: Martin Gore
RELEASE: Counterfeit2
3 WORD DESCRIPTION: Textural, Dramatic, Introspective.
3-SENTENCE SUMMARY: An auspicious sequel to his 1989 solo effort (Counterfeit), Depeche Mode member and electronic composer Martin Gore pays artistic homage to his most loved musical influences. Reinterpreting tracks from Brian Eno, Kurt Weill, The Velvet Underground, John Lennon, Hank Thompson and more, Gore paints vivid, intimate and highly stylized portraits with sound. Depeche, Duct Tape Mummy as well as Eric Serra fans will adore this emotive disc.
3 SUGGESTED TRACKS: “I Cast A Lonesome Shadow,” “Loverman,” “Lost In The Stars.”
URL: http://www.martingore.com
NAME: Duct Tape Mummy
RELEASE: Pleasures
3 WORD DESCRIPTION: Ambient, Bold, Lavish.
3-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Blade Runner-inspired Dark wave meets World beat and an alternative experimental aesthetic in DTM's sophomore effort, Pleasures. Elevated to Phaoronic heights by clever sample splicing of film, found sound and—yes—Madonna (!), producer and sole member Will Jacobsen delivers ardent electronic tracks. Spin this risque release after hours!
3 SUGGESTED TRACKS: "A Thousand Dreams," "Turns," "Conflict Of Interest."
URL: http://www.ducttapemummy.com
NAME: Father Time
RELEASE: Techno Ghetto
3 WORD DESCRIPTION: Fresh, Unique, Innovative.
3-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Creatively speaking, Father Time could well be the Prince (circa 1980-90) of his day. Time effortlessly fuses elements of Hip-Hop, House, R & B, Electro, Funk, Rap, Jazz and Disco into some rather entertaining audio excursions. Featuring cameo appearances from Hip-Hop artists U.N.I.O.N. (Virginia), Master Crime (Louisiana) as well as James Flames (Ohio), this disc is a MUST grab for music addicts of every genre!
3 SUGGESTED TRACKS: “Techno Ghetto,” “Get Happy,” “Drugs & Pain.”
URL: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/fathertime8
NAME: Madonna
RELEASE: American Life
3 WORD DESCRIPTION: Honest, Idiosyncratic, Thought-provoking.
3-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Adventurous as ever, Madonna takes on a stern yet playful tone, but rapping? Quite right that she explored it—about time, really—but blame producer Ahmadzai Mirwais (Daft Punk, Air) for letting some of those lyrics and flow make the final cut (calling up Hip-Hop debutantes JJ Fad, Desdamona, or Missy E. to coach vocals would have been wise)! Praise him (and the Mother of Pop, who co-produced), however, for the start/stop genius, French Techno twist and Electro-licious FX on the below songs.
3 SUGGESTED TRACKS: “American Life,” “Nobody Knows Me,” “Die Another Day.”
URL: http://www.madonna.com
NAME: STATE4
RELEASE: Less Than Happy
3 WORD DESCRIPTION: Verbose, Evolving, Sensual.
3-SENTENCE SUMMARY: An assortment of influences sneak into this female-fronted electronica album... Programming as well as e-percussion set the stage for breathy, powerful vocals, layered samples and Rock oriented guitars. STATE4 member Nick Mitchell shows a great attention to detail at the engineering as well as production helm!
3 SUGGESTED TRACKS: “Rain,” “Deliciously Evil,” “Never Say.”
URL: http://www.state4.com
NAME: The Traces
RELEASE: Paint It Red
3 WORD DESCRIPTION: Quirky, Personable, Genuine.
3-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Spunky Pop meets classic Rock for a Friday night date in Uptown! Singer/guitarist Paul Morel delivers a sense of humor, honesty as well as boy-next-door charm while drummer Stephen Bentley and bassist Sean McNee sound like they're having WAY too many larks... Keyboardist Ben Ortega jumps in the mix, adding just the right amount of retro synth flavor to this fun-to-sing-along-with record!
3 SUGGESTED TRACKS: “Gone In An Hour,” “Sweeps Week,” “Paint It Red.”
URL: http://www.thetraces.com
NAME: U2
RELEASE: The Best Of 1990- 2000
3 WORD DESCRIPTION: Reflective, Revealing, Timeless.
3-SENTENCE SUMMARY: This best-of collection feels wonderfully familiar! Recent as well as old favorites (“Beautiful Day,” “Even Better Than The Real Thing,” “Mysterious Ways,” “One”) resonate warmly while a brand new track produced by William Orbit, ”Electrical Storm,” sparks brightly. Alternate mixes of popular favorites (“Gone,” “Numb,” “Discotheque”) make an appearance, taking the listener down a slightly different and interesting path.
3 SUGGESTED TRACKS: “Electrical Storm” (new),“Until The End of The World,” “Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me.”
URL: http://www.u2.com
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