CD Reviews
Compiled by David
Rodigan and Sting International
The Kings of Reggae BBE/Rapster/ 2007 ♥♥♥♥ |
I’m not sure if any readers remember the Sun Jam
compilation series (there was also a Snow Jams, if I remember correctly),
but the idea behind the series was to channel the beach with a collection
of songs that dripped sonic sunshine. To be frank, the albums sucked. Rodigan is not only a long-time BBC Radio host, but also a noted dub clasher, and Sting International is likely best known as Shaggy’s executive producer. As with the other releases in the BBE/Rapster Kings of . . . series, the pair are responsible for putting together a CD each that draws on the best that the genre has to offer. Artists include Jimmy Cliff, Burning Spear, Junior Murvin and the Abyssinians, and though this isn’t a DJ mix, it is an exceptional overview of reggae history, and sure to please any dub-plate fanatics you might know. The material ranges from the personal to the intensely political (with
an understandably Rastafarian flavour), but while it does feature a
contribution from Marcia Griffiths, there is a dearth of material from
female artists. It’s the compilation’s only failing, but
perhaps we can look forward to a Queens of Reggae to rectify this. Michael Elves, volunteer staff |
Scars of Tomorrow
Failure of Drowning Victory Records/ 2006 ♥♥ |
This album is a heavy metal fan’s wet dream come true, yet to everyone else it will seem all-too-familiar and fall in with every other heavy metal band out there today. Nevertheless, this disc is a huge step for a band that is still in its infancy, having been formed in 2000. The first track, entitled “Lost in the Moment,” is a thrashing, and dare I say it, “arena anthem” (sorry, I hate that term but it applies here) that displays the band’s growth since their previous disc, The Horror of Realization in 2005. Scars of Tomorrow has downplayed raw brutality in favour of a more studio-friendly sound that is more polished and well-produced than their previous works, but abandons the raw essence that is so powerful in heavy metal. While they have lost some of the uniqueness in this progression, the band is quickly becoming one of the major players on the metal scene with this disc. The one downside here is that there doesn’t seem to be anything truly unique put forth, as the heavy bass-drumming and screaming lyrics are beginning to sound familiar and stereotypical. The genre is becoming stale and tired, with artists like Metallica
even trying to re-imagine the magic that made metal what it is today.
While Scars of Tomorrow clearly have talent, they need to stop taking
the fun out of the music they love and forget about altering their sound
to make it more commercially viable. Until then, their music will continue
to end up in shitty superhero movies that go nowhere at the box office. Liam Brennan |
Tokyo Police
Club
A Lesson in Crime 2007 ♥♥♥e& |
Perhaps one of the best young bands in Canada today, Tokyo Police Club debuts with a brilliant EP about apocalyptic robots and ninja warriors. OK let’s face it, while they aren’t the most political of bands out there, their musical talent is obvious from the start. Weighty beats, jarring rhythms, and catchy lyrics fill this album with plenty of multi-tempo tunes that will be well received by fans of modern alt rock. This band in interesting and fresh, with tracks like “Nature of the Experiment” and “If It Works” conjuring up sweet, sweet memories of the Strokes and Bloc Party, despite grumblings from some of the more hardcore fans that believe the band is entirely original and has never been remotely influenced in its short history. This brilliant EP is extremely promising, displaying the band’s potential in seven short tracks — and I do mean short, as this album comes in at just over 16 minutes, unfortunately. Nevertheless, the songs are pure at heart and a welcome change to
the indie rock scene that has become weighted down by punk-wannabe bands
that try emulating other wannabe bands, namely My Chemical Romance and
Fall Out Boy. It would appear as though Tokyo Police Club seems to have
been plucked from the streets of Liverpool, perhaps just down the street
from the Cavern club, and dropped right into our Canadian laps. We have
a history of failing to properly embrace the acts that are most deserving
(the Pixies?) and if we aren’t careful, Britain will step in and
claim them as its own. Liam Brennan |
