Music Reviews
Crow has evolved
By Cheryl Noland
TSC Writer
Remember when all Sheryl Crow wanted to do was have some fun? Well now, Crow has decided to tackle deeper, more personal issues on her fourth studio album C'mon, C'mon.
The eight-time Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter lays her heart on the line with songs about love, loss and everything in between. One of the best tracks off the album, the intense "Safe and Sound," was inspired by the tragic events of Sept. 11.
Any loyal fan of Crow's can see how her musical talent has grown since her days as a backup singer for Michael Jackson and the Eagles' Don Henley. Both her vocals and lyrics are stronger than ever, most notably on "Diamond Road," with Stevie Nicks, one of Crow's biggest influences, inging backup.
C'mon, C'mon features other guest artists, including Henley, who shares the spotlight with Crow on the country ballad "It's So Easy," a song about forbidden love. Lenny Kravitz, Emmylou Harris, Liz Phair, the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines, even actress Gwyneth Paltrow also appear on the CD. But Crow doesn't need to pull a Santana to have a hit record. In fact, some of Crow's most enjoyable songs are the ones she sings alone.
Crow's sassy attitude on the catchy tunes "Steve McQueen" and "Lucky Kid" shows us that girls can rock. Looks like Courtney Love has been giving her some pointers. But Crow hasn't thrown away her carefree persona. Her first single, the bubbly "Soak Up The Sun," has the potential to become one of those pop songs that you just can't get out of your head. And that's not such a bad thing. A-
Flood hits again
By Nate Seltenrich
Ass't Scene Editor
"I'm placing myself in another world / And you're quite capable to join me," sings Michael Padilla in the opening and title track of Dora Flood's fourth album, Welcome. As the album progresses, it becomes evident that this line is more than just a casual suggestion or invitation; rather, it's a warning of what's to come.
Welcome is truly a transcendent experience, transporting the unsuspecting listener to another time, another place, another era. Spacey guitars, moody organs and poetic lyrics combine with pop rhythms to create something altogether special, yet often hauntingly similar to a variety of musical influences.
First and foremost is the Beatles, from whom much of the first half of Welcome seems to have drawn its inspiration. "Give Us This Day," track four on the album, could well have been written by John Lennon. However, with Dora Flood's meaningful lyrics and updated touch, the striking resemblance is almost appreciated.
The same goes for "Safety." This song is so Pink Floyd that it even begins with the word "time," the name of a classic Floyd track.
Offering a stark contrast, "Forget to be Numb" is pure pop psychedelia, drawing from late '70s and early '80s popular music.
Many of the remaining tracks strike more modern chords, such as "Slow Return (to Sleep)," which takes a few pointers from the sound of earlier Radiohead.
Tying together this wide range of styles and genres is a mysterious dreamy ambiance that is in a category all its own. The 11 tracks fit together like carefully shaped pieces in a trippy puzzle. Both soothing and stimulating, Welcome will almost certainly appeal to fans of more mellow Pink Floyd and Radiohead. At the same time, the album's pop undertones assure that it will estrange no one. B+
Goo Goo Dolls bloom on Gutterflower
By Cheryl Noland
TSC Writer
Sure, some might call them "sellouts," but the Goo Goo Dolls have come a long way to find their comfortable niche in adult contemporary pop music.
After years of making punk rock music and releasing albums without much commercial success, the Goo Goo Dolls (originally named the Sex Maggots) struck gold with 1995's A Boy Named Goo and platinum with 1998's Dizzy Up The Girl. So it's inevitable that they have high hopes for their new album Gutterflower.
The songs hit close to home for the members of the band, in particular lead singer-guitarist John Rzeznik. Most of the album's painful lyrics and somber melodies stem from the dissolution of Rzeznik's marriage. In the standout acoustic ballad, "Sympathy," Rzeznik expresses both regret and resentment. He poignantly sings, "Stranger than your sympathy / This is my apology / I'm killing myself from the inside out, and all my fears have pushed you out."
The emotional midtempo song "It's Over," once again reflects Rzeznik's desperation over losing his love.
Rzeznik's trademark raspy vocals dominate Gutterflower, though bassist Robby Takac, steals the lead on a couple tracks. Takac brings a new, upbeat sound on "You Never Know" and "Smash" (think lead singer Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth). But it's Rzeznik's compelling vocals that listeners respond and relate to.
Their rhythmic first single, "Here Is Gone," draws us in and reminds us of their breakthrough hit, "Name." The boys know when they've got something good. B+