"Compilation Reviews"
Sponsored In Part By
URBAL BEATS
PolyGram Records
Covering a broad range of electronic music from today's top groups,
this 16-song compilation hits on acts even the electronic
music-impaired have heard of -- The Orb, The Chemical Brothers,
Portishead, and Everything But the Girl. A great sampler of the
full range of electronic music.
- Geoff Wilbur
The Philadelphia Spirit Experiment-Glistening Trails Records
This is the compilation disc available from http://rombox.com.
(Try http://rombox.com/vol7.) Some highlights include: the fun
blues romp of that recurring track, "Three Cool Cats," Catching
Flies' gritty cover of "Stepping Stone," Carl Gardner's Stray
Cattish "Good Rocking Tonight," and the reggae edge with a '50s-
style rocker feel on "Don't Worry..." Also of note were the variety
of ambient tracks from Snake Handling Immortal Tongue Speakers,
ranging from the background-to-Chris Isaak-ish "The Ride" to a
folky, Texas-style country rockin' twanger, "blackmt.wav." Gray
Matters' "Pooney Cat" is offbeat diva music. Surveyor's "2109" is
progressive-based, somewhat spacy, medium hard guitar rock, while
their "Bright Eyes" consists of '80s pop/rock guitar bursts with
progressive rock-influenced vocals. The Jongleurs' "U Move Me" is
a jazzy, meandering number. Spagg serves up a raw, rough, uptempo,
punkish number (4summer.wav). And Stop That Noise (gotta.wav) is
aggressive, rough-edged alternative. Great variety. The most
broadly appealing Philadelphia Spirit Experiment recording I've
heard to date, with many, many styles of music represented here.
- Geoff Wilbur
A TRIBUTE TO JUDAS PRIEST: LEGENDS OF METAL
Judas Priest is undoubtedly one of the LEGENDS OF METAL, and the
timing of this release could not be better, as the "new" Priest is
recording, even as we speak. As a rule, I steer clear of most
"tribute" albums, as they usually contain bland covers of bland
hits we've all grown tired of anyway. There are a couple of those
here -- Helloween's version of "Electric Eye" and Fates Warning's
"Saints in Hell." The remainder of this album kicks ass! Check out
Testament's thrashing of "Rapid Fire" or Nevermore's "Love
Bites"... RIPPIN'! 6 more tracks by the likes of Kreator, Mercyful
Fate, Iced Earth, and Overkill -- these "legendary" tracks still
sound fresh and are sure to please Priest fans everywhere.
- Shane Copher
PARADIGM SHIFT
Nettwerk/Subconscious Communications
A compilation devoted to bands from Subconscious Communications,
which is a record label, recording studio, analog synthesizer
collection, publisher, film score, and remix team from Vancouver,
BC which was founded by the late Dwayne Goettel of Skinny Puppy and
acts sort of as a tribute to him, for he appears on 6 of the 12
tracks. Bands featured include aDuck, Download, Kone, Doubting
Thomas, Tear Garden, and more, plus an unreleased Skinny Puppy
track called "Melt." A total industrial-techno-electro-ambient
experience.
- Al Slavicsky
DEATH OF BEAUTY #2
Robert Williams, Box 153, Elrama, PA 15038
Out of his own pocketbook, Robert Williams compiles a release which
is very diverse, ranging from the industrial sounds of Yamamoto and
Noir, Shiticide, and Bete Noire, to the death sounds of Sockeye,
Beer Muscles, The Cranks, and Boy In Love. Excellent cross-section
of today's underground music world with 27 different bands for 90
minutes. There's something for everybody.
- Al Slavicsky
MORTAL KOMBAT: MORE COMBAT
TVT Soundtrax
ANother compilation devoted to the all time classic video game
series and movies. Very similar to the soundtrack to the movie;
contains tons of techno, metal, and industrial music, which
highlights some of the best underground music in the world today.
Highlights include a devastating remix of Sepultura's "Chaos B.C.,"
which borderlines between industrial and metal, Geezer Butler's
G/Z/R's "Outworld," which combines heavy guitars and industrial-
techno riffs together, plus more. Extreme.
- Al Slavicsky
LOST HIGHWAY soundtrack
Nothing Records
The Trent Reznor produced soundtrack for the David Lynch directed
movie. Trent literally soundscapes various music from pop icons
David Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, and Lou Reed and
sequences them between neo-classical/ambient music from
eclectic/avant garde artists Barry Adamson, Angelo Badalamenti,
Antionio Carlos Jobim, and Rammstein. Blending the sound into one
direction, the mode is haunting via the transformation of the beat,
and it starts with David Bowie's "I'm Deranged" and ends with it.
An adventurous sonic journey down the lost highway.
- Al Slavicsky
PLASTIC COMPILATION VOLUME 1
Nettwerk Records
Volume one of what is going to be a growing series to highlight
various remixing teams and new talent to the world. This in
extremely enjoyable, for you hear some material which you may have
heard before, such as Underworld's "Pearl's Girl" and The Chemical
Brothers' "Loops of Fury," but the highlight of this compilation is
the remixes of Garbage's "Queer," which is much different than the
version that appears on their album, and the haunting remix of
Sarah McLachlan's "Possession." Can't wait for Volume 2.
- Al Slavicsky
STRANGE LOVE
Death Wish Office/Nuclear Blast America, Inc.
A collection of various Gothic, romantic, industrial, and electro
from all over the world. Some of the bands featured include Deep
Red, Diene Lakaien, Apoptygma Berzerk, Distain!, La Floa Malita,
Silke Bischoff, and more. The more intense tracks are the Chinese
Detectives' cover of Yazhoo's "Situation" and Born to Bliss'
"Arabia (Desert Mix)," which is much more melodic and tighter than
the original mix. 18 bands; 18 tracks.
- Al Slavicsky
THE YEAR OF THE WAGON
Alias Records
This is a compilation of various artists which are currently on
Alias Records. Bands include Chug, Archers of Loaf, knapsack,
Bilthe, Trunk Federation, Small, Yo La Tengo, and Picasso Trigger.
This is a great view of what is happening in the indie rock world
today. It also includes a catalog for the label with details and
information about each band. Worth checking out.
- Al Slavicsky
TWISTED WILLIE
Justice Records
A great tribute devoted to the legendary C&W superstar Willie
Nelson. These are not your run of the mill, everyday covers by some
under-musicians. It contains covers by the man in black, Johnny
Cash; the bad girls of rock, L7; the wild modern day rockabilly
king, The Reverend Horton Heat; the classic old school punk godz
from LA, X' the humorous sound of The Presidents of the United
States of America; Jerry Cantrell from Soundgarden; the coutnry
outlaw, Waylon Jennings; Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra with
Life After Life; a classic duet with Kelley Deal of the Breeders
and Kris Kristofferson; plus tunes from Tenderoin, Supersuckers,
Mark Langton, Best Kissers in the World, Gas Huefer, Steel Pole
Bathtub, and Jesse Dayton. Also includes an interview with Johnny
Cash and Willie Nelson before track one.
- Al Slavicsky