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NEWS : STORIES
T.I. shows off his pinky ring, Pearl Jam round up the rock troupes, and aha! A bunch of Norwegians pay us a surprise visit. T.I. "What You Know"
In-the-club joints are a dime a dozen, but T.I.'s on-the-way-to-the-club burner is straight money. Filled to the brim with bravado and embellished with insanely gothic synth arrangements, this track is bound to make even the littlest shorty feel like the biggest man on campus. Problem is, only decorated soldiers stand a chance at the velvet rope. The MC's bling of choice? A "50 on the pinky ring/ Just to make the fist glow." Pearl Jam "World Wide Suicide" Pearl Jam Here's Pearl Jam's three-step guide to reenergizing a stalled music career. 1. Unfurl some beer-chugging rock and roll to reel in the frat-boy masses. 2. Slip in an anti-Bush message to let 'em know receding hairlines haven't tamed the inner rebel. 3. When they're eating out of your hand, crank it up to level 10, alt-rock style. Pretty soon, that flannel shirt will start to look good again. A-ha "Analogue" Analogue "Take On Me" aside, Norway's greatest musical export has made some decent art-pop, and in that respect, the title track of their new album doesn't disappoint. With its minor-key piano and outbursts of vocal drama, it sits comfortably next to Coldplay's "Speed of Sound" on your playlist. Spank Rock "Rick Rubin" Yoyoyoyoyo Minimal and handmade, the Baltimore bass sound of Spank Rock harks back to hip-hop's early days. On this old-school throwback, the profane D.J./M.C. trio (check out "Put that Pussy On Me") call out Rick Rubin, the bearded swami who started Def Jam and produced Johnny Cash. Neko Case "Hold On, Hold On" Fox Confessor Brings the Flood Case is always cast in an alt-country light, but this cryptically poetic and somewhat ethereal new disc lets her be the arty pop singer she probably wants to be. That said, here's a bewitching song that evokes a prairie sunset while explaining her romantic shortcomings. She shows her heart to strangers and rides with the devil every chance she gets. The way that remarkable voice sails around the melody lets you know she's telling us something she hasn't yet shared with anyone else. The Fray "Over My Head (Cable Car)" How to Save a Life The piano intro is a dead giveaway. Yep, this is one of those earnest, touchy-feely Coldplay-type records. You just want to give lead vocalist Isaac Slade a hug as he pours out his bleeding heart with such lines as, "I become a part of your past/ I'm becoming the part that don't last." Damn groupies. Dem Franchize Boyz f/ Lil' Peanut and Charlay "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" On Top of Our Game Remember the Macarena? Okay, don't run to the emergency room just yet, because "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" won't cause involuntary convulsions. Still, it's funny how a little dance instruction will get everyone and their grandmother to shake a leg en masse. The difference here? "Lean Wit It" could actually pass for music. Bjork "Ambergris March" Drawing Restraint 9 It's no news that she's a soundscapist as much as she is a pop singer, but Bjork's way with weirdness keeps getting more and more attractive. This piece from the soundtrack to her husband's film about the brutality of Japanese whale hunting feels like a music box gone kablooey. Triangles, harpsichords, tom-toms and various bells ring in several directions at once, feeling both ominous and whimsical. The Flaming Lips "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" At War With the Mystics The Oklahoma freaks have endeared themselves to millions by earning the reputation of cuddly mad scientists. But don't let the song title's positive vibes fool you: they're cuddly no more. This is the craziest the Lips have sounded in years--combining rampant vocoder abuse with the creepy sound of an evil kiddie choir. And wait 'til you see the video. Larsen "Mother" SeieS Can't tell you much about the history of the Italian foursome's "orchestrated ambience," but their moody maneuvers are fetching indeed. This rich instrumental track sways back and forth while whispers, drones, cellos, glockenspiels and electronics align to create a shadowy, cinematic vibe indicative of the entire album. Check out all the great songs in last week's editor pick's list.
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