CD reviews

Adair The Destruction of Everything is the Beginning of Something New Warcon/ 2006 ♥♥½	If there was a Lou Pearlman of punk music it would have to be Kevin Lyman (creator of Warped Tour, Warcon Records, etc.). Warcon Records has released CD after CD of the same music as if strictly following a recipe. Adair’s The Destruction of Everything Is The Beginning of Something New is no exception. They were likely given a record deal based on the fact that they sound no different than the Used or Hawthorne Heights, and would thus sell a lot of records. The only problem with this logic is that those other bands did well because they were either original or good. Adair is neither. The lyrics are wildly over-dramatic and include such lines as “Slit my throat from the inside. I’ll choke on my own blood,” from “I Buried My Heart In Cosmo Park,” and “I’m teething, I’m teething, I’m cutting gums for the first time. You’re stabbing my heart,” from “The Diamond Ring.” Personally I can only listen to so much about stabbing oneself. The disc does have a couple of decent tracks, including “The Art of Staying Alive,” where vocalist Rob Tweedie’s screams are a much-needed relief from his standard whine, and “In The Corner, Quietly Dying,” in which the soft piano instrumental track is a refreshing break from the rest of the disc. The CD isn’t horrible, but it lacks anything that would make it stand out from any of the other hundreds of bands doing the exact same thing. If you are into that style of music, check it out. It may be an amazing disc for you, but I find it overdone. Kyle Phillips
Pharrell In My Mind Star Trak/ 2006 ♥♥♥	Known for developing lush soundscapes for hip-hop notoriety (Busta, Clipse, Diddy) and the bubblegum bunch (Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Vanessa Carlton), Pharrell has managed to establish a discography that allows him to command six to seven digits per beat. With In My Mind, Skateboard P had the opportunity to produce a masterpiece in the same vein as Kanye West did as a rapper/producer on College Dropout and Late Registration. Instead, Pharrell dropped his long-time partner Chad Hugo from his production duo, the Neptunes, and opted to assemble a solo album that fits his idiosyncratic artistic vision. Using his star power, he asked many friends with whom he has had definitive singles to return the favour in the form of collaborations on his debut. What results is nothing more than subpar collaborations in comparison to their original culminations. Nelly’s assist on “Baby” seems like they tried too hard to recreate the chemistry they had on the unforgettable “Hot in Herre.” Snoop’s involvement on “That Girl” and Jay-Z on the futuristic “Young Girl” make you believe that Pharrell and his homies think that they can just step in the booth and poof, a hit single. The only collaborations worth mentioning are the triumphant, Gwen Stefani-supported “Can I Have It Like That” and the inspiring, Jamie Cullum-boosted “You Can Do It Too.” Pharrell was in a position of power. His eclectic style (he is a lead vocalist of the successful and brillant rock band N.E.R.D.) and his eccentric projects (he develops designer $1,000 sunglasses for Louis Vuitton) has led him to enjoy the fame and fortune a skinny middle-class boy from Virginia would never imagine. While Pharrell’s work in music is highly notable, his solo work lacks substance. This album was highly anticipated but falters because it is too simple. Navin Bahl, Volunteer Staff
Magnolia Electric Co. Fading Trails Secretly Canadian/ 2006 ♥♥♥	No one does down-and-out depressed like Jason Molina. Formerly of Songs: Ohia, a band consisting solely of him, Molina began Magnolia Electric Co. to showcase his touching country-rock compositions. On their third outing, the Company and Molina seem to be making more of an effort than usual to bring us down with them. From the soul-searching lyrics on “The Old Horizon” (“I built my life out of what was left of me/The map of an old horizon”) to the slight pound of heartbeat-like drums, we are treated to Molina’s patented brand of pain and heartache. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. While none of the songs touch the exquisitely moving “Hold on Magnolia” off of Songs: Ohia’s (band name-inspiring album) Magnolia Electric Co. and despite the lack of consistent lyrical depth, the raw emotion on Fading Trails cannot be denied. The album is much slower and softer than Magnolia Electric Co.’s more recent work but despite its slow-burn intensity it still manages to pack a punch. “Lonesome Valley” is the clear standout on the rather paltry album (spanning a mere 28 minutes) and its mid-tempo beat is a nice change from the ballads that tend to drown the latter half of the album into the swamp of sadness that is, at times, Molina’s crutch. Molina has often been compared, rightfully so, to his vocal and stylistic predecessor (and superior) Neil Young. And while Molina shares Young’s world-weariness, he often seems to lack a genuine attachment to his own compositions. Although this often serves to make the songs on Fading Trails even more painful it also translates into disaffection. Kerri Woloszyn, Staff
Towers of London Blood, Sweat, and Towers TVT Records/ 2006 ♥♥♥♥	Donny Tourette, lead singer of Towers of London, makes sin sound sexy. He has that classic voice that makes groupies cheap and rock and roll cool. My favorite song on the album is the acoustic version of “Fuck it Up.” A fabulous “screw you” song reminiscent of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” all done in the best acoustic version I’ve heard since Cobain. Tourette’s vocals carry a lot of the songs but there are the occasional ones when Dick Tourette, guitarist, has some bitching solos. One of those is “King.” With a terrific ’80s sound nearly mimicking that of Tony Franklin via Quiet Riot, it definitely kicks your ass. Blood, Sweat, and Towers would definitely be an asset to any album collection. With all the pretentious bands out there trying to steal your money, it’s nice to know there’s still one that believes in the value of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. At the very worst, it’s a walk down the nostalgic road of punk with Towers of London giving you the finger the entire time. Chelse McKee
The Video Dead Brotherhood of the Dead 2006/ Stereo Dynamite ♥♥♥	The punk/hardcore genre is becoming increasingly popular and along with that comes truckloads of bands trying to get a piece of the pie. Every once in a while one stands out and makes a name for themselves, but the rest usually are really hard to tell apart. Meet the Video Dead. Brotherhood of the Dead isn’t bad music; it just doesn’t offer anything new. At times the songs start to sound all alike, mixing punk and hardcore with fast guitar riffs, and group backing vocals consisting of chanting “fight, fight,” or other “hardcore” sentiments. The main vocals of Ben Rispin are great, but at times drift into Sum 41 sound-alike as on “www.jesussaves.com/kids.” The backing vocals, on the other hand, are quite annoying. Think hardcore band with three guys repeating or chanting after every line like on a Billy Talent track. I was excited to hear the metal riffs in the intro of “Breed The New Anthem,” expecting an attempt at something new, but unfortunately it just went back to sounding like every other song. With it becoming hard to separate bands in this genre, sadly the ideal formula for getting noticed is not to try something new, but rather to copy successful aspects of a bunch of other bands and try to mix them all together. The disc isn’t bad, but all I’m saying is put them in a room with five other bands in this genre and I couldn’t tell them apart. Kyle Phillips
Nizlopi Half these songs are about you FDM/ 2006 ♥♥♥½	Luke Concannon and John Parker of Nizlopi are clearly talented fellows. Best-known for their adorable video for the single JCB song, Nizlopi brings more than just that video to the table. Their debut album has clear influential ties to the folk-groove of Dave Matthews Band, as well as the stylings of Martin Sexton and even Van Morrison (particularly in the track “Call It Up”). Not that these boys do not have a unique quality to their sound. The spirited but often casual vocals are welcoming and fun, with the occasional domestic dialect sprinkled into the lyrics. All of the musicians handle their instruments with professional finesse. This album demonstrates that genuine skill still makes up for the lack of high-budget production teams. The music is inspired for a low-budget effort. Nizlopi’s simple live shows prove that their music translates well from studio efforts to acoustic ones. Half These Songs Are About You’s upbeat tempos, charming melodies, and approachable vocals make this a worthwhile listen. It is great to support upcoming artists and these boys have the goods to give them a try, so please do. I contemplated giving a four-star review but I do not want to come off as too aggressive in promoting Nizlopi (five stars is way out). Worst-case scenario, this album is on an enhanced CD and you get the video for JCB song. William O’Donnell