Tim Fite
"Over the Counter Culture"
(Anti)
Grade: A
Sounds like: Successful atonement for the creation of "Shaniqua don't live here no mo'."
"Always replenish your blood supply, never clear your samples and never spend more than a buck." These words of wisdom come from Tim Fite, the Brooklynite who is responsible for the notorious line, "Shaniqua don't live here no mo'." Five years after this lyrical blunder, Fite has come out with the far superior "Over the Counter Culture."
A matchless album that is sure to attract many fans, "Over the Counter Culture" is an inventive hip-hop masterpiece that keeps the listener engaged with unexpected violin vignettes and occasional comic interludes. The record is relentless in its intentions foremost as an overtly political outcry. The second track, "It's All Right Here," is an immaculate example of this. Fite sarcastically preaches, "I want you to buy my record, so I can sell out in 60 seconds." In the title track, Fite sermonizes about the U.S. health care system with, "Medicaid with third-rate medicine determined to murder us." "I've Been Shot" is a blatant attack on infamous rapper 50 Cent, who allegedly travels no place without his bulletproof vest. "Just shoot me a little bit man, make it look good. Well, not every rapper does it, but every rapper should. It's a good career move, just wait, you'll see. When everybody goes and gets shot like me."
"Over the Counter Culture" is one of the best sincerely political opuses that have emerged from our so-called "lazy generation." Aside from providing an excellent hip-hop beat with cleverly mixed samplings, all from CDs found in the Bargain Bin, Fite has taken on the role of a poised spokesman for anti-commercialism, especially in the big business of hip-hop. The best news, of course, is that Fite practices what he preaches: The entire album is free on his Web site.
-ILIANA IMBERMAN BERKOWITZ
The Arcade Fire
"Neon Bible"
(Merge)
Grade: A-
Sounds Like: A flawed masterpiece.
Listening to "Neon Bible," the latest by the The Arcade Fire- who might just be the greatest thing to come out of Canada since Rick Moranis-strikes fear in the music critic's heart. The band's debut album, ironically titled "Funeral," was quickly showered in adoration from critics and indie rock fans alike. A sophomore effort on par with "Funeral" seemed inconceivable, and some worried that the album's title would become all too befitting.
Roughly two-and-half-years later, The Arcade Fire has returned with "Neon Bible," an equally ambitious album as "Funeral" and arguably as successful. The beautifully eerie opening track, "Black Mirror," sets the stage for a truly epic album that thrills, haunts and frustrates. The most exciting aspect of "Funeral" was how the majority of the tracks began with a certain rhythm and mood, and then would change so much midway that it seemed as if one was listening to a completely new song. The Arcade Fire's ability to surprise the listener continues with "Neon Bible," specifically with the album's best track, "The Well and the Lighthouse," which begins with a neo-'80s prog-rock ambiance and ends in a '50s slow-rock fashion with slow guitar rips.
There are two tracks that weigh the album down. The mundane "Antichrist Television Blues" tries to save itself with a climax of screeches and ultimately fails, as well as the closing track "My Body is a Cage," which recklessly dances between the line of endearingly theatrical and over the top. Despite these two problems, "Neon Bible" is a mesmerizing, complicated album that demands multiple listens. Additionally, listening to "Neon Bible" on headphones is essential. Only then will one discover all of the album's clever intricacies.
"Neon Bible" may not be as maverick or complete as "Funeral," yet it stands as its own and marks a darkly imaginative, mesmerizing turn for The Arcade Fire.
-DONNY T. SHELDON
Various Artists
"A Date With John Waters"
(New Line)
Grade: A
Sounds like: The most vaguely creepy yet endearing Valentine's Day compilation ever.
The average person probably doesn't have any marvelously romantic plans for Valentine's Day. Then again, there's John Waters. A follow-up to his Christmas album, "A John Waters Christmas," Waters has collected songs from his private collection to create a CD that evokes the traditional love of the past and the sexual faux pas of the present. The album is eclectic, yet well chosen and puts all adolescent mix-CD makers to shame.
The tracks range from old-fashioned and cutesy to blatantly sexual and scandalous. The opening song, a classic hit from 1956, "Tonight You Belong To Me" by Patience & Prudence, is an adorable duet sung by sisters aged 11 and 14. Another classic is "Imitation of Life" by crooner Earl Grant. "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake," performed by Eileen Barton with The New Yorkers, fits in perfectly with the conventional love sentiments of the '50s that Waters aims to provoke.
In complete contrast to the lovey-dovey nature of certain songs, he adds "Jet Boy Jet Girl" by Elton Montello, with lyrics like, "He gives me head, we made it on a bowl of blitz. I took his arm and kissed his lips. He looked at me with such a smile, my face turned red, we booked a room into the Ritz." Another edgy song with bizarre lyrics is "In Spite of Ourselves," by John Prine and Iris Dement. Prine pines, "She don't like her eggs all runny ... she gets it on like the Easter bunny," to which Dement retorts, "He ain't got laid in a month of Sundays, caught him once and he was sniffin' my undies." Through songs like these, Waters continues his custom of adding a touch of the peculiar to an otherwise sincere, heartfelt work.
-I.I.B.
