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PAST REVIEWS

The Beatles - One

2000 - This latest compilation of Beatles hits is a hit and miss album. I'm not talking about the songs, because all of them, with maybe the exception of Love Me Do, are classics. What is a miss with this album is that fact that most diehard Beatles fans already have all of these songs on the double red and blue albums. There are also a lot of songs left off this album that made it to number 1. Such songs as Strawberry Fields Forever which I have to say is more popular than its double A side partner Penny Lane. Yesterday was never a proper single except in the US and Love Me Do never became number 1 on its original release in Britain, Please Please Me did and is recognized as the Beatles first number 1 hit. My question: why isn't it on the album? My answer: cause it didn't make it to number 1 in America. Nevertheless the appeal of this album is that there are 27 songs on one disc. This makes the album a good starter and outline of the Beatles songs for anybody who is just starting to listen to the Beatles. My advice for established fans of the fab four: pass on this one. Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Coldplay - Parachutes

2000 - Coldplay are British band whose cd has just recently reached our shores but has been out for a while in the UK. The band can be compared in numerous ways to another British export and last years Brit award winners for album of the year, Travis. This year I think that Coldplay are going to win the award with this album, a fine debut. Their lead singer Chris Martin has the same high pitched vocals as Travis' Fran Healy and the songs are fairly mellow with the exception of the two singles. Yellow is the primary single and is being hailed as the song of the year by a friend of mine. Shiver is my favorite song and the highlight of the album, although Trouble comes close. I just wish that there were was more exposure for British bands here in North America, instead of record companies pouring all their money into manufactured garbage. Then more of you would hear of great bands like Coldplay.  Rating: 4 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Radiohead - Kid A

2000 - There were a lot of expectations placed on the band from Oxford and their upcoming album Kid A.Radiohead were viewed as the saviours of rock and roll after their highly acclaimed album OK Computer, which has topped many greatest album lists, but of course didn't win album of the year at the Grammys. Radiohead have shyed away from the media spotlight and will not be branded as the saviours of rock and roll by publications such as Rolling Stone, who give good reviews to Britney Spears so she will show some cleavage on their cover. Instead Radiohead made an album that has no singles and like its predecessor takes a number of listens to fully sink in and understand.  The first four songs alone make the album irresistable with How to Disappear Completely the best song on the album and the best example of how the album haunts you and sweeps you away into a barrage of sound and mystery. The horns on National Anthem have been described as a brass band walking into a brick wall. Idioteque is Thom Yorke's favorite song and Optimistic is classic Radiohead. While the album doesn't quite measure up to OK Computer and the Bends its a ray of sunshine in the dark and dismal toxic cloud of manufactured crap that dominates the music industry.  Rating: 4 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Various - More Spy Who Shagged Me

1999 - Hot on the heels of the success of the first soundtrack to the new Austin Powers movies, comes the songs you heard in the movie but not on the first soundtrack. The album has some great tracks including "I'm a Believer" by the Monkees, "Let's Get it On" by Marvin Gaye, and "American Woman" by the Guess Who, which I might add is way better than the Lenny Kravitz version. There is instrumental action music by a great electronica band called teh Propellerheads, who in the past did a great new version of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". The highlight and funniest part of this cd however, is the "Dr. Evil" theme by They Might Be Giants. I have never laughed as loud when I played that over the speakers at work. The rest of the songs include "Time of the Season", and an "Austin Powers Mix". That basically sums up the best of this disc.  But like any soundtrack you get songs you don't want to hear and this cd is no exception. There is some Bangle's tune on hear and a remix of "Beautiful Stranger", which at this time everyone is now sick of. Nevertheless, a good album, and better than the first.   Rating:  3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Melanie C. - Northern Star

1999 - Yeah Right did you actually think I'd listen to a piece of trash like this. Don't expect me to torture anyone by reviewing such garbage, unless it's for a joke.

U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind

2000 - U2 have produced their finest album since Actung Baby with this record. As the title stresses this seems to be a packaging of all the sounds that U2 are leaving behind before delving into something new on their next album. The album has hints of Actung Baby, Zooropa, and The Joshua Tree, and fortunately avoids the horrilble experiment that was Pop. The first single, Beautiful Day, is one of their best songs since Stay(Far Away, So Close), and Elevation is another U2 classic. One of the factors that makes this album work is that it isn't overproduced. The songs sound natural, and credit for this can go to the producers: Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Meanwhle the songs aren't as political as in the past. U2 have fortunately matured into a rock band still capable of producing a very good album. Let's hope they continue this. Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Oasis - Standing on the Shoulder of Giants

2000 - When I first heard the single Go Let it Out I thought that the new Oasis album was going to be a return to the glory days of Definately Maybe. I was unfortunately disapointed. Now the album isn't bad by any means, but when you have high expectations for a band, a good album just isn't enough. With that said the newest Oasis album opens a rockin instrumental called Fuckin in the Bushes and proceeds with two classics in Go Let it Out and the psychedelic Who Feels Love. After these songs the album is hit and miss. Gas Panic and Roll it Over are great tracks but they lack that Oasis spark. Little James, Liam's first contribution to the Oasis catalogue is lyrically simple yet relatively effective and Where Did it All Go Wrong seems to be a favorite amongst most of my fellow Oasis nuts. The only songs that are really disapointing are Put Yer Money Where Your Mouth Is and I Can See a Liar. Having heard all the B-Sides to this album I think they could have been a worthy substitute for a few songs. With this album, once you get over the initial disapointment in finding that it isn't a (What's the Story) Morning Glory you can actually enjoy what is actually a good album. Rating: 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Richard Ashcroft - Alone With Everybody

2000 - The debut solo album of ex-Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft is as romantic a rock album as you can get. With that said it isn't a mushy album, but a mix of beautiful ballads with the odd rocker thrown in. Dedicated to his wife the album has some brilliant songs, but Ashcroft fails to attempt anything daring or different, instead content to play his guitar and throw some strings in to back it up. With that being the album's only flaw this is a safe pick for anybody wanting a good album that doesn't stretch beyond the normal ballad. I Get My Beat and On a Beach are the best ballads while Crazy World and C'mon People provide a much needed change of tempo. Ashcroft's lyrics are as solid as ever and this is a satisfying debut. Let's hope that this talented song writer attempts something a little more bold and innovative on the next go around. Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Silverchair - Best of Vol. 1

2000 - I have to admit that I got quite a laugh when I saw this album at work. Of all the bands to get the greatest hits treatment, Silverchair has to be one of the worst. For starters Silverchair have only had 3 mediocre at best albums. While Frogstomp was a decent album and I admit to owning it at one time, the other two were basically a re-issue of Frogstomp. Let's face it Silverchair have what I like to call Limp Bizkit syndrome. This is a terrible ailment where all a bands songs sound basically the same. You may be saying that Limp Bizkit weren't the first to suffer from this disease and you are correct, but as you may know Lou Gehrig wasn't the first to suffer from Lou Gehrig's disease either. I just decided to name it after the band that best exemplifies this sad affliction and the fact that they suck. The second laughable fact about this Silverchair album is that it is a double album. This means that 2/3 of the bands songs from their first three albums are solid hits. In fact this greatest hits package might just contain every song off of the bands first three albums. Aren't they great. Finally the title seems a little bit over-optimistic in my opinion. Volume 1? Let's not get  carried away here guys. I think you'll be lucky to see another three albums. But wait, since Silverchair are so great another three albums equals another greatest hits album. Where is my head? Anyway, unless you really really like Silverchair and you don't already have any of their albums, (which seems quite impossible) then I wouldn't buy this album. Rating: 1 star (out of 5)

Grandaddy - Sophtware Slump

2000 - This California indie band represent something good about American music that most people probably don't know exist. Of course it helps that they resemble British rock with this album, especially Radiohead's Ok Computer. This is not to say that they are a Radiohead rip-off cause they aren't. This album is a spacey and brooding electronic mix of guitars and keyboards that still manages to sound like rock n roll. The sweeping bittersweet ballds highlight this album, especially He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the Pilot, and Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground). All in all it makes for a quality album and on of the best that 2000 had to offer. Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)