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Somewhere between
the classic rock and modern rock genres is exactly where you'll find the
thoughtful and emotional rock the music world's been craving.
Jeremiah Freed begins right where their influences-Led Zeppelin and the
Who-left off. The Maine quintet, consisting of Joe Smith on vocals,
Kerry Ryan on drums, Matt Cosby on bass, and Jack Roche and Nick Goodale
on guitars, released their self-titled album March 26, only a year after
their high school graduation.
"I know that it's the same / when they all come back
again" Smith sings on "Again," one of radio's fastest-rising additions.
"Again," a simple, catchy rock song, is certainly radio-worthy, but hardly
the highlight of the album. A song like "Curtains" epitomizes the
kind of achievement some alt-rock bands pursue for their entire careers.
"Curtains" is the perfect mix of Smith's passionate, uplifting voice and
the band's explosive beat. But true to their roots, Jeremiah Freed
undeniably knows how to make a great rock song, such as "How They All Got
There," the album' second single. It has a simple lyrical hook: "As
they all walk by / I can feel the wind blow," but when mixed with gritty
vocals and a guitar solo a la Joe Perry, Freed has the formula for a top
notch rock and roll song you won't soon forget.
While some songs on the album mimic disposable coffee
house songs (see "Ginger" or "Wash Away"), Jeremiah Freed have proven
themselves buzzworthy with their masterful acoustic sounding and
passionate lyrics. Though you may need more than buzz to make and
sell a great CD, Freed is well on their way to becoming one of 2002's most
promising bands. If you're looking to buy something different for
your CD collection, pick up Jeremiah Freed's self-titled album and support
this up-and-coming band. -Nicole
Delamotte
Links: www.jeremiahfreed.com |
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The
saturated female pop market isn't getting any better, and Jessica
Simpson's follow up to her debut CD Irresistible
is proof of that. The pop star that made her debut by
proclaiming her virginity and Mariah Carey as her influence overdoes
the R&B ballads and sounds more like a clone of her idol than a
developing artist. She's still lost in the pile of other
female pop stars, with the same bubble-gum sound but with more
sexually charged lyrics. It sounds okay for the first 30
seconds of a track, but quickly repetitive and boring. It may
sound edgier than her previous album, but her constant whines are exasperating. Her first single "Irresistible," a
catchy song , which describes lusting after someone, contradicts the
overall message she sends out as an artist. On the chorus--
"I know I'm meant to say no/ But he's irresistible, up close
and personal"-- Jessica's voice sounds more like she's
screaming rather than singing. This is also evident in "A
Little Bit," where she takes the tempo up a notch higher.
Her attitude exudes self-confidence, but she whines too much on
"Don't wanna end up in a tricky situation/ So I'm giving you my
every indication." The ballads are nice, but they lack
feeling. On the "There You Were" duet with Marc
Anthony, her tender gospel side is apparent, but she needs to take
it further. It sounds strikingly similar to Mariah Carey's
"Till The End Of Time." The flow and the melody
sounds sampled. The beat is too simple and does not quite
reach that level where an artist can vary her style. "What's
It Gonna Be" is one of her better up-tempo tracks, but it gets
lost among other similarly tempoed tracks.
Here again she has that whiny sound when she says
"Every girl wants a guy that's true." Even
the ballad “Forever In Your Eyes” written by ex-boyfriend Nick
Lachey of 98º fails to highlight her voice. Jessica uses the
same tone that falls flat track after track. She fails to
employ or demonstrate growth in her music. Jessica could do
better if she varied her style and attempted to write or co-write a
track or two. Singing someone else's songs becomes quite
repetitive and fails to convey real honesty. -Janet Pak Links:
www.jessicasimpson.com |
I gotta say,
I really wanted to like this album. Really, I did. C’mon,
ex-members of Jawbreaker, emo-champions Texas is the Reason and
Handsome? That’s underground rock’s version of the Kennedy
clan. But unfortunately, Jets to Brazil’s third album,
Perfecting Loneliness, fails to elicit anything more than a
shrug of my shoulders.
A little background info… When I first heard that Jets
to Brazil had formed in 1997, I was ecstatic. They released the
brilliant Orange Rhyming Dictionary, and it lived up to
the ridiculous expectations that were heaped upon the band. But
since that recording, the band’s output has steadily declined (I
feel off kilter even writing a bad review about these guys…).
For starters, lead vocalist/guitarist Blake
Schwarzenbach is spending too much time behind the piano (“Cat
Heaven” and “Psalm”) and not enough time ridding himself of
angst through his Gibson Les Paul (see Dictionary's “King
Medicine”). Sure, there are some really good songs on
Perfecting Loneliness: the neurotic-tinged moodiness of the
title track and the signature pop sound of “The Frequency” are
standouts, but too often I found my mind wandering while
listening.
Schwarzenbach, a graduate of NYU’s English program, is
one of the greatest lyricists of our generation, combining
biting cynicism with lovelorn sentiment. However, he
writes much better when he’s threatening to hang himself from a
shower curtain rod or waxing philosophical about “diet safe sex
antibiotics.” On Loneliness, all the verbal venom
and peculiar banter is missing. Sure, Schwarzenbach’s
unhappy, but unfortunately he’s resigned himself to his
discontent without even a whimper.
I know that bands have to grow and mature so as not to
become stodgy. The Beatles did it, and even the perpetually
immature Red Hot Chili Peppers did it. But Jets to Brazil
were already mature enough. They ended up going from youthful
exuberance to geriatric melancholy in the span of 3 albums, all
the while forgetting that they had it right in the first place.
-Wade
Peters
Links: www.jetstobrazilonline.com
www.jadetree.com |
Every now and then it’s refreshing to find an artist with a hit
single who reached that point through hard work, good lyrics, an
acoustic guitar, and immense talent. Today John Mayer is that
artist. With “No Such Thing,” his first single off of Room For
Squares, already in heavy rotation on radio stations and VH1,
it’s evident that John Mayer is now reaching ears far beyond his
Atlanta home.
With his rich, blues-influenced guitar melodies and
Dave Matthews – like voice, Room For Squares, proves to be
a mellow and enjoyable album. Although Mayer’s lyrics are not
extremely profound, they do tend to be honest and relevant. In
the nostalgic “83,” Mayer expresses the purity of childhood when
he sings, “these days I wish I was 6 again; oh make me a red cape,
I wanna be Superman.” “Great Indoors” then describes the type of
people that I’m sure we all know, who are so “scared of a world
outside” that they never leave the comfort of their own home. And
of course, Room For Squares follows Mayer throughout every
stage of a relationship. “Love Song For No One” describes the
feeling of being alone and waiting for that special someone to
surface (“I’m tired of being alone, so hurry up and get here”).
“My Stupid Mouth” then tells about the stresses surrounding
dating. In “City Love” Mayer finally finds a mate when he sings,
“I smile just because I’ve got a city love.” But alas, what
happens most often in relationships becomes apparent in “Back To
You,” which laments about the heartache accompanying a break-up
and the feeling of not being able to move on (“it always comes
around back to you; I walk with your shadow”).
Whereas Mayer’s lyrics may not utterly captivate you,
his guitar skills most definitely will. This guy can play the
guitar like you wouldn’t believe! Unfortunately Room For
Squares alone does his talent little justice. Those of you
who have shared in the privilege of watching Mayer play live know
what I’m talking about. He is definitely one of today’s more
talented artists on popular radio. So if you’re tired of all the
pretty, pre-assembled, pop packages out there, I suggest giving
Room For Squares a listen. And when you’re finished that, do
yourself a favor and head to a John Mayer show. Trust me – you
don’t want to miss this guy!
-Kristal
AustinLinks:
www.johnmayer.com
www.columbiarecords.com
www.awarerecords.com |
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