Various Artists "A John Waters Christmas" (New Line Records) Sounds Like: If that radio station that plays only Christmas songs starting on the day after Halloween was hit by a truck carrying thousands of tons of kitschy Americana. A-
Try imagining Christmas at the home of acclaimed, award-winning, totally insane filmmaker John Waters. If the final scene in "Pink Flamingos" is any indication, you might be trading in that Christmas goose for something decidedly less appetizing.
But if you want to bask in the warm holiday glow that is cast by Mr. Waters without having to eat canine feces, "A John Waters Christmas" might be your best bet. On this album, the director of "Pink Flamingos," "Hairspray," "Pecker" and the 13 other strangest films ever made puts down all of his favorite tracks about everyone's favorite holiday.
The songs take aim at Christmas' sugar-coated image - some of them are a part of that image, like Tiny Tim's version of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," while others seem to be looking at Christmas through a bizarre, possessed mirror to a Wal-Mart in an alternate universe. When Little Cindy sings, "Happy birthday Jesus/Momma told us how they hurt you/Those naughty evil men!" it doesn't take much work to imagine Waters smirking as he considers the people to whom that is truly an entertaining song and proclamation of faith.
This album is a political message from John Waters, and if it has one shortcoming, it is that for that message to be effective, Waters had to choose songs which are so bad that they make this writer proud to have been raised Jewish. Listen to this album, but do not listen to it for the songs. Think only of the ideas behind Waters' selections - when Christ becomes tied in with pop culture, He ends up being only as good as the songs produced in His name.
-JOSH GOODMAN
Morcheeba The Antidote (Echo UK) Sounds like: Psychedelic, '60s-inspired Britpop without the formerly standard electronica quotient. C-
It's not that Morcheeba is bad. The band just isn't very successful at creating a good album. They have released a few electronica records in the past decade, and this was the case to some extent with their last few releases, which have largely been unnoticed on the mainstream U.S. market. But with this release, "The Antidote," there is no electronica or anything special. It's an attempt to be different that is successful at times and just downright annoying most of the time.
This album is the first to be released with new female vocalist Daisy Martey, after Skye Edwards left the band following the release of a greatest hits album. In most cases, Martey convinces the listener that she has talent. But the lyrics lack emotional depth and truly, her voice is wasted on the material. Each track has similar attributes, and it falls into the trap of repeating itself. In fact, determining a favorite track would be hard; the one shining light on the album is a classically British pop song, "Living Hell." This song may save the record from being largely forgotten in the coming years.
The world needs another unclassifiable British pop album like a fat boy needs cake. Unlike their albums of yore, this one is much different; a new Morcheeba that has little relevance in a music market cluttered by cheap imitations of a few notable artists. Maybe this album is a matter of taste, in which case there may be listeners who will enjoy the mix of '60s-inspired soulfulness and gloriously loud and splashy organ and harpsichord instrumentals.
But if it's not, and taste plays no role in judging this album, then it's not very good, not very good at all. In the end, the music that comes out of "The Antidote" is nothing special, just another album out there in the crowd.
-ANDREW GARDNER
Brand New Sin "Recipe for Disaster" (Century Media) Sounds Like: Black Label Society, Corrosion of Conformity, Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd. A
To sum this album up in only three words, this stuff rocks. The easiest way to describe this band's sound is classic heavy metal, deep-fried and served with shots of Jack Daniels and bottles of no-frills domestic brew. Easily one of the heaviest bands out there capable of mainstream success, they do not sacrifice the bluesy, ass-kicking groove in order to out-heavy the competition. They clearly don't obsess over technicality, and they clearly know what works in hard rock/heavy metal: heavy-ass riffs, killer leads, swaggering rhythms and melodic but tough vocals. It's rare that a band this heavy can be catchy, but vocalist Joe Altier's voice lends heft to the soaring choruses that get stuck in one's constantly banging head. Even when they decide to turn down the volume and pick up their acoustic guitars, the bluesy groove is so apparent that it makes a decidedly non-rocking instrument worthy of the devil horns.
This band has lots of potential to be absolutely huge. They have opened for Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society, Corrosion of Conformity and even Lemmy and Motorhead. In an ideal world this should be the biggest band in the world. They are melodic enough to please the major labels and be played on mainstream rock radio, and hard-rocking enough to please the most grizzled, long-haired, whiskey-swilling, Marlboro-smoking headbanger. What separates them from most other mainstream rock bands is the fact that these guys actually know how to rock, and they live and breathe to rock. Killer tracks: "Black and Blue," "Brown Street Betty," "The Loner" and "Vicious Cycles."
-ANDREW YONKI
