CD Reviews

Jack Johnson Sleep Through The Static Brushfire Records, 2008 ♥♥♥♥	Aloha, Jack Johnson fans and followers! Pop music’s alternative hero has once again penned a folk-acoustic album which oozes with honesty and down-to-earthiness, filling a lacking niche among mainstream musicians. Perhaps that’s why Johnson is gaining popularity, confirmed by his humble face charming us on the cover of this month’s Rolling Stone Magazine and his rise to fame after his debut album release only seven years ago. This is one trendy musician that is worth investing in, even on a paltry student’s budget. While this album proves to be quite enchanting, that spark is missing. My somewhat ambivalent feelings provoke me to suppose that Jack has much more potential than this album can attest to. For those who are keen to download a few tunes, check out “Sleep Through The Static,” which recounts the obvious mistake made by America in waging the “War On Terror.” Other favourites of mine include “If I Had Eyes” and “They Do, They Don’t,” evoking cool and laid-back scenes of his native Hawaii. While these tracks shine, others fall short; so on the whole, you may be disappointed. Jack Johnson still undoubtedly hits the spot with his wispy, comforting vocals, which weave in and around the notes of his simple, yet seductive acoustic guitar, making this a perfect feel-good compilation. — Anna Murawski
The Mars Volta The Bedlam in Goliath Universal Records, 2008 ♥♥♥♥	With song titles like these: “Ouroborous,” “Metatron” and “Wax Simulacra,” the Mars Volta set a high bar for themselves, raising the expectations of newcomers and their loyal fan base. Along with the alluring, eccentric cover art, alas, their music doesn’t reflect the image they have created for themselves. The Mars Volta’s style is easy to mimic, just follow this musical regimen: absorb the rawness of early progressive rock, trip out to an extended psychedelic jam, take up the mindset of a lazy garage-rock band (without getting too comfortable), get your funk on, challenge yourself with air-tight factory rhythms, reconnect to your Latin roots, and convince John Frusciante to join — it’ll boost your credibility. It’s not easy to define their sound, yet all of the defining elements have been present since their ’03 debut. The Bedlam in Goliath suffers from the same disease as any live metal concert: a wall of cancerous sound swallows the melodies, textures and subtle intricacies within it. Some company downsizing would be a wise decision — that’s what the keyboard is for, nine instruments is too much! Occasionally, there are contrasting moments that allow you to detoxify from the madness that ravages the rest of the album, with clean guitar, piano, flute, sax, and “Radiohead-ing,” but these moments are too few and far between. On a more compassionate note, this album has evolved their sound, especially production-wise, with the use of new vocal effects and sampling. For example, on the Rage Against the Machine-influenced “Goliath,” a doubling effect on the vocals creates a harmonica-human hybrid. On “Soothsayer,” the album’s eeriest track, a fuzzy sample opens up the tune, with a faint “Allahu Akbar” calling Muslims to pray. Closing with an exotic violin solo, another fuzzy sample fades in — a hymn being sung by a tone deaf congregation in a church. “Soothsayer” should be the closing track, as it points to the cover art and the themes of intolerance (East and West) that, perhaps, run through this album; most of the lyrics are indecipherable, but I heard “pigment casing,” so I’m running with that. If you’re confused about the album’s message, refer back to the song titles. Good luck. — Nick MacMahon, staff
Babyshambles Up the Shambles DVD David Kay/ 2008 ♥♥♥	The unofficial music DVD captures Babyshambles prior to the release of their first album — with a different lineup and a not-yet-sober Pete Doherty — at a 2004 performance in Manchester. Disappointingly, the footage offers a rather subdued portrayal of an otherwise interesting band and an otherwise compelling Doherty. The 17-track set, which includes tunes by the Libertines (Doherty’s former band), unreleased Babyshambles numbers, and a guest appearance by Scottish songstress Dot Allison is only mildly entertaining. Either the charmingly unpredictable nature of the band and its frontman were missing during the concert or the professional amateurs that shot the gig failed to capture it. Apart from Doherty’s topless flailing, vodka-drinking, chain-smoking and stage-diving, the shots and editing do little to create a sense of excitement. Any insight into the band is gained only from the proximity of the cameras, as the bonus material does not include any band interviews. The special features do, however, provide a more intriguing portrayal of the band through black-and-white clips and haphazard backstage solo performances by Doherty. That being said, Up the Shambles was nominated for Best Music DVD at the NME awards show held recently in London. — Magally Zelaya, staff