Alice In Chains “The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here” Capitol Music
It doesn’t matter how long and hard imitators like Nickelback and Godsmack try: The true originator of gloriously dark and lush rock, Alice In Chains, always comes back to shame them by showing how it is supposed to be done — making it look effortless in the process.
Of all the early ’90s classic-grunge artists, Alice In Chains still feels as fresh and vital as the day fans were introduced to its signature sound, which is an amazing feat considering the group has been operating for the last two albums without its original singer, the late Layne Staley. Still, the replacement singer-guitarist continues to do a frighteningly good job as a dead ringer for the original vocalist.
Everything that makes the band special is here, and every bit as sharp and powerful as ever. The trippy and crushing riffs and the haunting harmonies of the vocals are still beautifully menacing on tracks like “Hollow,” “Stone” and “Pretty Done.” Also, the band can still wrap listeners around its finger with acoustic-tinged masterpieces like “Scalpel” and “Voices,” as well as more psychedelic turns like the title track and “Hung on a Hook.”
Rock albums rarely get any better than this.
Alpine “A is For Alpine” VOTIV
Alpine is what would happen if ABBA was reincarnated as an electro-influenced shoegaze rock band. The debut album from this Australian band is awash with enjoyable and effortless-sounding, ethereal Europop rock that serves as the perfect backdrop for the band’s dual vocal lines.
Fans of The Cardigans and Kylie Minogue alike should immensely enjoy playful, sexy songs like “Lovers 2” and “Hands.” The band also takes on a welcome punkish, garage-rock edge on tracks like “In The Wild” and “Too Safe,” as well as a danceable new-wave swagger on tracks like “Gasoline.”
D is for damn good.
Dave Koz “Summer Horns” Concord Records
The out Grammy-nominated saxophonist recruited a bunch of his friends to crank out horn-drenched renditions of classic songs from the ’60s and ’70s.
The album is peppy, jazzy and thoroughly upbeat throughout, and the interplay between Koz and horn-blowers like Gerald Albright, Richard Elliott and Mindi Abair are stellar on The Beatles’ song “Got to Get You into My Life” and Sly and the Family Stones’ “Hot Fun in the Summertime.”
Koz’s take on Herb Alpert’s “Rise” strips the song of its syrupy-thick and bass-heavy 1980s groove, which is a shame because this light and airy version loses something in translation. Still, Koz keeps it funky for his takes on James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothing.”
If you’re looking for some upbeat background music for a wine party, Sunday brunch or a Cialis commercial, this is something you should pick up.
Marc Silver “A Miners’ Town” Pink Belly Publishing
The out singer-songwriter really lets his backing band and musicians shine on his latest effort, a beautifully crafted collection of songs rooted in traditional folk and bluegrass.
The songs where Silver shares vocal duties with vocalist Meg Moyer-Herman shine brightest, like “The Great Machine” and “Fools and Foul.”
There is an intoxicatingly somber tone to the album, especially on tracks like “In Colorado” and “Ghosts and Graves.” But Silver does shake things up with some convincing rock barnburners on tracks like “Priest” and “New Rising Sun.”
We don’t know where this miners’ town is that Silver is singing about, but we’d sure like to visit.
Natalie Maines “Mother” Columbia
This solo outing from the Dixie Chicks singer keeps a baby toe planted in her familiar country sound while she explores radio-friendly acoustic folk, rock and pop. And we seriously doubt any of her longtime fans will be mad at her.
The alt-rock feel of the album is no surprise, considering it was co-produced by rock singer Ben Harper and finds Maines covering songs by Eddie Vedder, Jeff Buckley and Pink Floyd. The result is a solid effort made all the more appealing by Maines’ confident and soaring vocals. The mid-tempo blues rockers are all well and good, but the really exciting moments are when Maines goes to sonic extremes, like with the fun-loving, fuzz-rocking Patty Griffin’s “Silver Bell” and the stomping Ben Harper-penned song “Trained.” On the other side of the spectrum are the more melancholy tracks, like Buckley song “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” and “Vein In Vain.”
Artists like Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge should be shaking in their boots, because if Maines gets comfortable in roots rock and forsakes country, they’ll have some serious competition.
Various Artists Music from Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” Interscope Records
Modern-day hip-hop and rock in a period film about the roaring 1920s?
Fine, whatever. The soundtrack as a whole might seem a bit incongruous with the classic story and the big-budget spectacle of the recent film, but if you look at it as an album instead of a calculated product-placement opportunity, there is some fun to be had.
For their part, Jay-Z and Fergie go the by-the-numbers modern route with their respective songs, the club thumper “$100 Bill” and dance-floor-rattling “A Little Party Never Killed Anybody.”
Other artists try to take a cue from the era. will.i.am blended big-band swing with electro and hip-hop on the rather corny and disposable-sounding “Bang Bang.” “Where the Wind Blows” by Coco O does a better job of blending the classic with the modern, while Brian Ferry goes full-on retro with the pleasantly authentic-sounding “Love in the Drug.”
Other artists do what they are known for, regardless of copying styles from the film, and in the process set quite the mood. Lana Del Ray’s “Young and Beautiful” and Florence + The Machine’s “Over the Love” are both bold and dramatic. Gotye’s “Heart’s A Mess” is lighter in sound but still heavy with emotion and atmosphere. Jack White unleashes psychedelic fury on “Love Is Blindness.” Nero’s dubstep machinations in “Into The Past” should seem out of place, but fit in well with the vibe of the aforementioned songs.
The jury is still out on whether the movie was great, but there are some great moments on the soundtrack.