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hottrax
The Streets
A Grand Don’t Come For Free
(Locked On/679/Warner)
Proof you don’t have
to be hot, proper or
even in tune to possess
star quality. The U.K.’s
The Streets, aka Mike
Skinner, is the musical
equivalent of Coronation
Street or The East Enders.
While he’s considered a
rapper, Skinner’s flow is
more Cockney–spoken word, a kind of staccato monotone
that’s so regular it’s brilliant. Over a blend of hip
hop, soul and garage beats, he unpacks the “sh** in my
‘ead,” and his is filled with wonderfully mundane stories.
The guy has lower-class charm that could score a bird in
any Laundromat.
Shiftyy
Happy Love Sick
(Maverick/Warner)
The former co-leader of
Crazy Town (remember
“Butterfly”?) makes his solo
debut with this collection of
upbeat, hip hop/pop songs.
Co-written with various
people, including No Doubt
guitarist Tom Dumont and
Paul Oakenfold, the songs
are so chipper they could
give LFO a run. He even keeps the vibes high on “Better
Place,” a tribute to his best friend who passed away. But on
the stand-out cut, “Take Away The Pain,” he gets real about
his battle with alcoholism, talking of being “one slip away
from death/12 steps from paradise.” Happy Love Sick is the
perfect title.
Pearl P Jam
Live At Benaroya Hall October 22nd
2003
(Ten Club/BMG)
The band finally releases its
first official full-length (mostly)
acoustic album, a 24song
double disc recorded
live at the benefit for
YouthCare Y at the 2500-seat
Seattle venue. Among the
songs are the first live performance
of “Man of the
Hour,” and covers of Bob
Dylan’s “Masters of War,” the Ramones’ “I Believe in
Miracles” and Johnny Cash’s “25 Minutes to Go.” Between–
song cheers max out for such hits as “Black,” complete with
an impressive crowd sing-along. Eddie Vedder has one of
the most commanding voices in rock, so to hear these songs
performed live is amazing
44 www. w tribute.ca
Coheed And Cambria
In Keeping p g Secrets Of
Silent Earth: 3
(Equal Vision/Columbia/Sony)
With indie success that
could not be ignored,
this progressive NYC
rock band’s second
album, In Keeping
Secrets Of Silent Earth:
3, has been reissued by
Columbia. The followup
to 2002’s The Second
Stage Turbine Blade is
Part Two of an epic saga about a parallel world to which
characters Coheed and Cambria belong. From the blistering
title track to the more radio-friendly prog-pop of
“A Favor House Atlantic,” this is a complex, dramatic
band that really doesn’t fit in with any modern genre —
not unlike another cerebral band, Rush.
The Tea Party
Seven Circles y
(EMI Music Canada)
The writing’s on the wall
and The Tea Party’s seventh
studio album is
poised to be its biggest. It
certainly is the Canadian
rock trio’s most accessible,
with potential singles
in the soaring “Stargazer,”
powerful “Wishing You
Would W Stay” (featuring
Holly McNarland), poppy “Empty Glass,” and ballads “If
I Promise An Ocean” and “The Watcher.” The first single,
“Writing’s On The Wall,” however, is more familiar
TTP hard rock, as are the Middle Eastern-introed rocker
“Luxuria” and heavy “Overload.” Having experienced a
difficult year with the passing of their manager, The Tea
Party are gonna fulfill his wish.
Doctor
High Is As High Gets
(SUMO/MapleMusic/Universal Music Canada)
If you liked The
Watchmen, Doctor is
the new band from
Toronto-based T
singer
Danny Greaves and
bassist/guitarist Rob
Higgins, formerly of
The Royals and Change
Of Heart. Billed as a
duo (even though there
is a full band), the songs are like a cooler, heavier, upto-date
version of the band Greaves fronted for over
12 years. The first single, “What Makes You Think
He’s Lucky,” is a fierce rocker, as are many of the
tracks. “Sweet U,” however, is a trippy sexy soundscape,
and the propulsive “Me And Nick Drake,” by
title alone, is wicked.
—Karen Bliss
Tribute October 2004