The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
**** (four stars out of five)
This CD is full of opinion and thought. After looking past the multiple and sometimes arbitrary profanities, what’s left are catchy rhythms and consistent vocals. One track, titled “Stan,” tells the tale of a crazed fan composing a series of letters to Eminem. As the minutes advance, Stan’s obsessions become wilder and his tone becomes more troubled. When the song ended, it left me pondering over its reality. There are some crazy people out there, and Eminem has managed to tap into the concept in a unique way. The chart topper, “The Real Slim Shady,” is also on here, even though I am usually tempted to skip it due to it being overplayed. The entire record is pretty good, with a few exceptions that prove to be too distasteful for my liking.
-Christina
This Time Around
Hanson
***** (five stars out of five)
When listening to this CD, the first thing that comes to mind is WOW. There is definitely some old Hanson in this CD, but compare it to Middle of Nowhere, the 1997 release featuring hit singles such as Where’s the Love, I Will Come to You, and the ever famous MMMBop, and you have yourself a brand new sound. This CD borders much more on rock than pop with a little Motown flavor mixed in. Tracks such as “You Never Know” and “In the City” bring forth a new sound with some groovier beats and great harmonies. Not a hanson fan? Don’t be intimidated, their voices, now fully matured, mix together for some incredibly rich harmonies and their talents continue to grow as the trio masters even more instruments. In fact, hanson has managed to attract the attention of some very talented musicians, which have made cameos on the CD. Among them are Blues Traveler front man and harmonica player John Popper, teen guitar whiz Johnny Lang, and Rose Stone and her choir from the legendary Sly and the Family Stone. No regrets can be thought of concerning this CD except the fact that it doesn’t contain more tracks!
-Christina and Bora
The History of Rock
Kid Rock
**** (four stars out of five)
This album is a collection of some of Kid Rock’s earlier releases along with a few new songs. Some of these earlier songs have been re-recorded due to the loss of some of the master tapes. The songs are actually pretty good, they just don’t compare to Devil Without a Cause. However, this is to be expected, because it was done before Devil, and before Kid Rock was a “big rock star.” The most recognizable song on the CD is American Bad Ass, which is constantly being played on MTV. If you’re a big Kid Rock fan, then this album is a definite must. If you’re only a mediocre follower, you may want to have a listen to it before purchasing.
-Christina
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
***** (five stars out of five)
This 1995 release turned out to be Alanis’s claim to fame. The thirteen track CD, with two bonus hidden tracks, is one you can listen to all the way through without skipping songs. Almost every tune on this CD has become a hit single, and the ones that haven’t still had their share of air time. Brimming with an angry rock sound, Pill includes number one singles such as Hand in my Pocket, You Oughta Know, and Ironic. Don’t let the copyright date deter you from buying, this is a CD you do not want to be without.
-Christina
What the Hell Happened to Me?
Adam Sandler
***** (five stars out of five)
The second release from the SNL alum, What the Hell Happened to Me? is his best yet. True, it is not the most recent, but it is definitely packed with the most laughs. This CD contains both songs and skits. The ever famous Chanukah Song is here along with Steve Polychronopolous and Ode to my Car. Some of the funniest skits included on this disc are Joining the Cult, where Sandler tries to convince a skeptical friend to join a cult with him; The Hypnotist, where he seeks help fighting his addiction to cigarettes from a hilarious doctor; and the various Excited Southerner bits, where Sandler imitates a fast speaking southerner similar to the one he portrayed on SNL’s Weekend Update with sidekick Chris Farley. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of comedy (but come on, who isn’t?) this CD is definitely worth buying. The only possible downside is that it does come with the parental advisory (it IS a comedy CD), and rightfully so.
-Christina
Dick
Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
***** (five stars out of five)
This CD is great. I may be a little biased because I happen to be a big fan of 70’s music, but it truly is a terrific collection of songs. All the big hits from that decade are here (OK, not even CLOSE to all of them, but a whole bunch of big hits) such as ABC by the Jackson 5, The Loco-Motion by Grand Funk Railroad, Crocodile Rock by Elton John, and a personal favorite, You’re So Vain by Carly Simon. There’s even a surprisingly good cover of ABBA’s Dancing Queen done by Sixpence None the Richer. And the cover art gets bonus points too, it’s decked out in patriotic red, white, and blue.
-Christina
Sooner or Later
BBMak
*** (three stars out of five)
OK, now I have to admit I really despise the whole “boy band” thing. But BBMak gets some points for playing their own instruments and writing their own tunes. And the three part harmonies that make up the CD are really quite amazing. Their only “hit” so far, Back Here, is included on the album along with Unpredictable and Next Time. Their sound is mainly composed of acoustic guitar music. The really good thing about this CD is it goes for $10.99 retail price, so it won’t leave you broke to purchase it.
-Christina
Spice World
Spice Girls
**** (four stars out of five)
Spice World, the Spice Girls’ second album, is full of many fun and catchy tunes. The music on this CD has a good rhythm that gets you singing and dancing. Not all songs though are winners. Tunes like Do It and Denying just aren’t as fun as Stop and Spice Up Your Life. Not all songs are bouncy and up beat either. Songs like Viva Forever give an enjoyable lull from the excitement. I recommend this CD to anyone who does not have it already.
Aquarium
Aqua
*** (three stars out of five)
Aquarius’ predecessor Aquarium was a great start for the group Aqua. This album contains hits such as Barbie Girl and Lollipop and other equally fun songs such as Happy Boys and Girls and Dr. Jones. Unfortunately, one does begin to tire of the Euro Dance beat that seems to be the basis of all the songs on this album. And the overplaying of songs such as Barbie Girl cause me to skip over the track. Other than those downplays, this is an enjoyable CD.
Scream 2
Music From the Motion Picture Soundtrack
**** (four stars out of five)
If you thought the movie was good, wait until you hear the music. The soundtrack for Scream 2 contains fifteen songs by popular groups such as Sugar Ray, Dave Mathews Band, Foo Fighters, and Everclear. It even includes a song by actor David Arquette’s band Ear 2000. Many of these songs are very good, but it’s not one of those CDs you keep in your stereo and play over and over. But all in all, this is a great one if you loved the movie.
-Bora.
Six Musical Portraits
Kitaro
*** (three stars out of five)
This collection contains six of golden globe winner Kitaro’s greatest works. Some of the beautiful compositions included are Caravansary and Sozo. All tracks are instrumentals and run from two to six and a half minutes. These are lovely songs to fall asleep to or to awake to. (Note: this review is based on the promo version.)
-Bora
The Boy/Girl Band Buzz
They are on the radio, the television, and incredible masses of merchandise. They are the famous, well, the infamous boy/girl bands. But what is a boy band? Well, I define them as a group of singers (or solo artist) somewhere around the age of twenty. They don’t write their own tunes, much less play their own instruments. Most often they do succeed at harmonizing, but their voices are so electronically synthesized that it leaves the listener’s ears craving for reality. These groups/artists also usually dance when performing, giving yet another excuse to lip sync. True, these standards can be stretched, but for the most part this is the whole kit and caboodle.
Though I won’t deny that some of these groups do possess a bit of talent, it’s hard to credit them with much. Besides the things mentioned in the above paragraph, the songs produced by these groups/artists are so overwhelmingly full of repeating poppy chords and artificial drum beats that they sound overdone and indistinguishable from the others on their discs. The whole “sell out” image is another discouraging factor. I can’t say that I think any higher of groups that while making music are trying to sell plastic figurines and cheapy makeup kits with their names or logos plastered all over them. While our entire culture is constantly changing over time, I can only hope that the same will happen to the pop music scene.
-Christina
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