Bowling for Soup: The Great Burrito Extortion Case

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29/07/2007

THIS comedy influenced pop punk band that bought you the 2003 Grammy Award nominee single Girl All the Bad Guys Want is now back with its ninth album, The Great Burrito Extortion Case.

Bowling For Soup comprises Jaret Reddick (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Erik Chandler (bass, backing vocals), Chris Burney (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Gary Wiseman (drums).

Starting off the album, High School Never Ends, with its Banana Splits-meet-Green Day vibe, is a pop-punk rant against the nation's fascination with pop culture, likening it to the obsessive cliques in high school.

As their ninth album in over a decade demonstrates, the band has mastered its domain: Cheeky lyrics set to viscously addictive pop punk.

In the song I'm Gay, they mean the roaring 20s definition of the word and they sing Don't hate us `cause we're happy.

The final song, If You Come Back to Me/Outro contains two things: One, the song If You Come Back to Me, followed by two minutes of silence, followed by about 13 minutes of the "la la la's" from I'm Gay in in the background, with audio of the bandmates talking.

You most appreciate Bowling for Soup if you don't take them too seriously. - NST

RBD: Rebels

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15/07/2007

TEEN Mexican Pop group RBD has unveiled an English-language crossover album Rebels. The group - three girls and three boys - gained fame and a huge following while starring in the telenovela Rebelde, a drama about students at a Rebelde private, upper-class boarding school who form a band.

And so, they did.

The vocals are primarily handled by Cristian, the most fluent singer in the group, with the chorus sung in unison by the group, with dashes of Spanish guitars to give it just enough Latin flavouring.

Combining rock, dance and R&B sounds with a Latin flair, RBD starts off the album with Tu Amor, written by Diane Amor Warren, who turns in a lyric that is bilingual yet elementary in its simplicity.

Within just three days of its release, the song was all over the four most-listened-to Top 40 stations in the US, proving itself to be a mainstream smash.

Wanna Play and and Carino Mio are both excellently light yet trendy reggaeton production style and traded boy-girl vocals that accentuate the undercurrent of budding sexuality central to these bump-and-grind dance songs.

Connected is a promising song, as is I Wanna Be The Rain, yet its stilted English pronunciation and overly simple lyrics weigh too heavily on the songs. Money Money is another reggaeton song that samples their previous hit in this genre, Lento and despite the and despite the English title, it's the only track on the album that is completely sung in Spanish.

The band received a Latin Grammy Award-nomination for the Best Pop Album by a Group or Duo category for their second studio album Nuestro Amor, but after but after Amor selling several albums in their native Spanish language by the millions, their first attempt at an English language album works about as well as you would expect from such a manufactured effort from a pop sextet of actors.

A few sparkles of gems lie in this album. But rather than sounding gorgeous and uplifting RBD, ends up sounding like amateur children's pop instead of more mature wideranging pop they are striving for. - NST

Tori Amos: American Doll Posse

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15/07/2007

AFTER disappearing for two years, Tori Amos is back with her ninth studio album American Doll Posse. The big surprise here comes from the shocking use of guitar - both electric and acoustic. Her unexpected vocal layering and harmonies, piano lines driven home at break-neck speed, and an overall sound that is everything. And more.

This time she's angry, fed up and goes all political on us, with a message to the US President, as she opens Yo George with, with...

I salute to you Commander, and I sneeze,

Cause I have now an allergy to your policies it seems,

Where have we gone wrong America?

Recording sessions on this album started in June last year with Jon Evans on bass and Matt Chamberlain on drums. The title consists of five different female characters that Amos "developed around the album's 20 tracks", the titular "dolls" of American Doll Posse: Pip, Santa, Isabel, Clyde, and Tori.

This move allows her to veer off into all sorts of musical directions that sway in and out of rock, folk, alt-rock and pop genres.

Humanistic politics are engrained in many of the songs but there is also a lot of gorgeous string quartet arrangements by John Phillip Shenale (on Girl Disappearing), humour ( on Fat Slut and Big Wheel, singing I am a MILF don't you forget) and and excellent selection of keyboard instruments, all played by Amos, often simultaneously.

Body And Soul, a duet between Pip Soul and Santa, is a marvellous track. It's a full-out proper rock and roll song. But it is in the bonus track Dragon that Amos is at her finest. Her vocals were up front and centre, her piano piece straight out of a fairytale, an almost cutesy tone. It is a track that stands among her all-time best compositional work.

American Doll Posse debuted in the US at No 5, selling 54,000 copies, making it her sixth album to debut in the US Top 10. Many believe Tori has been "softened" by motherhood and family life, and not as fiery as her earlier releases. This record puts that claim to rest. - NST

TRAVIS: The Boy With No Name

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01/07/2007

Travis has taken the last four years to square its sunnier sound with a darker one. The Boy With No Name pulls this off without seeming overly planned or calculated.

Produced by Nigel Godrich, the name arose when lead singer Fran Healy and his partner Nora were deciding on a name for their newborn son.

During this time, he sent a photo of his son to a friend by e-mail and labelled the photo The Boy with No Name. The album begins with Three Times And You Lose, an enchanting classical Travis song about feeling trapped and anonymous in the big city.

Closer was released as the first single from the album in Britain in April, and peaked at No 10 in the UK Singles Chart. However, don't let it lull you into a false sense of soothing tones and quiet confidence.

Selfish Jean, with its upbeat display of gusto, and Under The Moonlight are some of the band's best ever.

The album has a handful of absolute crackers, proving that Travis is still capable of penning a tune that wraps its tendrils around your ears and won't let go until at least four minutes have passed.

The Boy With No Name entered at No 4 on the UK Album Charts and No 1 on the UK iTunes charts. In the US, the album debuted at number 58 on the Billboard 200, selling 12,000 copies in its first week.

The album is very well done, arguably the band's most eclectic album to date and succeeds in making any Travis fan happy. - NST

Floored by a Brunei singer

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26/03/2006

AHMAD NAZRUL CAMALXAMAN is excited by the mellifluous voice of ZulF. It was a small and noisy concert crowd until an unknown singer stepped on stage and commanded full attention with his melodious song about love.

We are talking about a scene in a film, right? No, this happened in Selayang Stadium recently, Kuala Lumpur and the unknown singer, to Malaysians at least, was ZulF, a charming education
officer from Brunei.

It turns out that he is not so unknown in Brunei, having won the first ever music competition in Brunei, Paspot to Fame (P2F), the equivalent of Malaysia's Akademi Fantasia.

The 25-year-old ZulF - Zul Fakhari Muksin - first sang in public when he was in Form Six.

"I was petrified and excited at the same time."

In October 2000, ZulF, auditioned and signed up for Artist Development Project in Perth, Australia. He had formed a group called, Pneumatic Soulz, soon after and the group's debut was as an opening act for Elite and X-Factor (from Malaysia).

Last year, he was involved with the Asia Aid Charity Concert forTsunami Victims, where he recorded Kisah Dunia composed by Hans Anuar, along with other local artistes.

"Of course, the highlight of my career was being crowned the champion of P2F - Brunei's first ever reality TV talent contest series - in May last year."

ZulF says tthat before P2F, most people in Brunei only listened to Malaysian artistes.

What did he learn from the P2F experience?

"Friendship. There are some great people on the show. I made friends with the other contestants as well. And dancing," he added with a laugh.

"I enjoyed doing it. Before the show started, we had to train to dance for about two weeks for the
opening. It was fantastic. I used to be quite stiff, standing in middle of the stage and just sing. P2F has changed all that."

Since then, ZulF has performed at various events including Konsert Muhibbah Di-Raja for the Sultan of Brunei singing alongside popular Malaysian artistes like Siti Nurhaliza, Vince, Ezlynn, Nasir Wahab and Francesca Peter.

Last December, ZulF started recording at Pro DG Studio in Kuala Lumpur for his official single entitled Engkau Adalah Cinta, produced by music director Rudin and lyrics by Kuci Kuci.

"It all happened in quite a hurry. It is hard to come out with an album in Brunei as we lack the expertise. A friend of mine told me about Rudin in Malaysia and asked if I would like to work with him. I jumped at the opportunity."

The single will be released on April 2, along with another song, Bersama Bintang, also by the Rizhar-Rudin team.

"The song is about loneliness, and the satisfaction of finding this great love in the end." - NST

Charisma of O'Connor

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04/12/2005

SINEAD O'Connor, one of the key iconic artists of the 90s, is back with Sinead O'Connor Collaborations that portrays the Irish pop tart's collaborations with other musical giants throughout her career as one of the best Irish export ever.

This collection of appearances from the last 20 years starts off with Special Cases (Radio Edit) with Massive Attack and 1,000 Mirrors , a 2003 single with the Asian Dub Foundation.

In both songs, once O'Connor rises up out of the mix, the songs themselves take on an incredible vitality. It is as if O'Connor knew just what the song needed to get the heart pumping and the soul soaring and she hits it each time out.

One of the best tracks in the album is Visions Of You with Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart, where O'Connor sings the surrender of spiritual devotion coming not from weakness, confusion and desperation, but from strength and clarity .

One of O'Connors early liaisons saw her hooking up with Matt Johnson in Kingdom Of Rain (Album Version) from the 1989 album Mind Bomb with a cameo from former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr.

The dark duet Blood Of Eden (Radio Edit) with the legendary singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel is perhaps her most infamous, presaging as it did her meltdown, but set in the contexts of these other songs, you can clearly see what an incredible contribution O'Connor made to Gabriel.

The newest track on the album is the collaboration with the hard-hitting Dublin singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey in It's All Good, with Dempsey making it real with his thick accent and roughhewn delivery contrasting nicely with O'Connor's gentility.

Not all songs in the album will strike a chord with the listeners. The Moby track Harbour sounds a little limp when you add in the "O'Connorwail".

This oddball collection of 17 songs from other people's albums, many unheard by most, holds together nicely, is enjoyable from start to finish and could give you a new appreciation for the bad girl from Dublin. - NST

A Treat from Tong

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16/10/2005

IT'S All Gone Pete Tong double album soundtrack brings together the film's musical highlights. Based on a true story and winner of Best Feature Film at the Toronto Film Festival and Gen Art Film Festival, It's All Gone Pete Tong (2004) is a comedy following the tragic life of legendary Frankie Wilde.

The film features award-winning British comedian Paul Kaye (a.k.a. Dennis Pennis) and Kate Magowan (24 Hour Party People). Taking the form of a bio-pic, it takes us through Frankie's life from one of the best deejays alive, through subsequent battles with a hearing disorder, culminating in his mysterious disappearance from the scene.

Set on the party island of Ibiza, the film includes cameo performances from many familiar faces in the film, including Pete Tong (of course), Carl Cox, Sarah Main, Paul Van Dyke and Tiesto.

The first CD in the album, CD1 Day, highlights the more melancholic moments from the film and opens with an exclusive Graham Massey remix of 808 State's seminal hit Pacific State. It is an ambient number that teases the listener with its lazy conga instrumental sound and exotic bird call sampling.

This is closely followed by Cloud Watch by Lol Hammond and Moonlight Sonata by Massey again, both melancholic piano numbers.

Baby Piano by Hammond is the first track with vocals. It retains the mellow atmosphere of the CD, before mixing into Pete Tong and Chris Cox's Ku Da Ta.

The album then takes you on a serene journey through tracks such as the classic 1930s love song Parlez Moi D'Amour by Lucienne Boyer and Goldfrapp's awesome remake of Depeche Mode's Halo.

Even Ferry Corsten appears on the CD with Holding On featuring Shelley Harland, proving that he's diversified from his trance roots and electro phase.

CD 2 Night moves things up a gear, taking you into the clubbing heart of Ibiza with Schwab's DJs In A Row kicking off the party with deep vocals, guitar riffs and groovy beats.

This is followed by Deep Dish's instantly recognisable house anthem Flashdance and amazingly fresh Good 2 Go by Juggernaut, mixed with Christophe Monier and DJ Pascal Representent Impulsion's Rock That House Musiq.

The party vibe continues with Black Rock featuring Debra Andrew's Blue Water. Tong's splendid second track in the album is Serendipity with Steve Mac and features Lingua Franca.

Corsten's popular electro tune Rock Your Body Rock gets a rework from Rennie Pilgrim. Triscos' Musak (Steve Lawler Remix) is followed closely by the incredibly funky tribal sounds of Filterheadz Yimanya.

The album ends with Tong and Cox's More Intensity before things finally round off with Orbital's Frenetic.

The film is intensely funny and captivating. It has the same propulsive, punk rock vibe as Trainspotting and 24 Hour Party People, with the critics likening it to Spinal Tap for ravers. But if you can't watch the film, then perhaps the soundtrack is the next best thing. The music is not just a soundtrack, but a complex emotional language. - NST