SpiNZinE - Transister

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Gateway Virginia
Friday, November 28, 1997

Critic: Johanna Price, junior at Lee-Davis High

Critic's rating: 1/2

Album: 'Transister'

Label: Interscope

Type of music: Alternarock

I listened to it . . . first thing in the morning to help me wake up. If you crank up the volume loud enough during the first two songs, you almost forget that you were zonked out just 10 minutes earlier. Oh yeah, and singing at the top of your lungs to ''Weather Boy'' is excellent preparation for facing your evil first-block teacher.

Best lyric: ''Got my head in the clouds, got my feet on the ground,'' from 'Look Who's Perfect Now.' Lead singer Keely must be one tall chick. I would avoid letting your parents hear this CD . . . if they are huge fans of the Republican Party (meaning they're ultra-conservative). They may raise more than an eyebrow when they hear a few choice words escape through the speakers. However, the four-letter words are fairly random, so you may get the thumbs-up sign from the older generation.

I was so surprised . . . when Keely spoke during the song 'Head,' revealing her thick British accent. Up until then, she'd done a remarkable job of covering her Cockney-like dialect when she sang. Hmm . . . maybe she should give the Spice Girls some lessons.

The music fits the mood when . . . you're mad at the world for no good reason. The songs' lyrics will show you that there are people out there whose lives are so much weirder than your own. Plus, it's great background music for when you're punching the living daylights out of your pillow.

Critic's note: My best guess about the band Transister is they will be making quite a name for themselves soon. As for their self-titled CD, 'Transister,' it is definitely worth checking out if you're into a mix of loud alternative music and soft, psychotic ballads. Basically, there is a song relating to nearly every teen-age emotion (i.e., the song 'Head' is about a girl who is still slightly obsessed with her ex-boyfriend). If you're an aspiring songwriter, you may want to look into these offbeat lyrics for inspiration.

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