Jason Mraz “Jason Mraz’s Beautiful Mess — Live on Earth” (Atlantic) Sounds Like: A happy hippie doing danceable vocal acrobatics
Though one may not have remembered him from his 2003 singles “The Remedy” or “You And I Both,” after Jason Mraz’s monster hit “I’m Yours” hit the airwaves last summer (despite originally being released in 2005), one would be hard-pressed to find someone who hadn’t heard of the breezy, island-sounding musician. Two years of touring led to Mraz’s latest release, a live CD and DVD combination of his most recent stop in Chicago. The concert, which took place in August, mostly features songs from his most recent album, “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.,” including a duet with Colbie Caillat on the sweet, romantic “Lucky.” Most Mraz fans agree that his live concerts trump his studio albums, and this Chicago concert is no exception. “Coyotes” can seem overproduced and too synthesized on the WSWDWST CD but is one of the standout songs of Mraz’s recent live performances. The full, thumping bass accompanied with Mraz’s own acoustic guitar provides a contrast that is equal parts Latin-sounding and dance-worthy (not to mention a special appearance by Mraz’s own falsetto opera voice — he’s classically trained — make this song especially unique). Mraz does not disappoint his older fans with his latest effort, making sure to play old favorites (a reggae version of “The Remedy”), little-known demos (an acoustic version of “The Boy’s Gone”) and fresh, unreleased tracks (“Sunshine Song”), as well as current favorites like “I’m Yours.” Mraz even covers Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long,” a testament to his own frivolity and desire to get the audience moving. The DVD comes with its own set of surprises, including two behind-the-scenes featurettes, as well as some songs not featured on the CD version. “Jason Mraz’s Beautiful Mess — Live on Earth” is set to hit stores Nov. 10.
— CAITLIN E. MOORE
Julian Casablancas “Phrazes For The Young” (RCA Records) Sounds like: The Strokes on synths
Given that The Strokes typically keep to short, punchy songs, it was suspicious that the tracks on Julian Casablancas’ first solo record, “Phrazes For The Young,” clock at about five minutes each. It was relatively easy to predict where the album would go from there. Casablancas certainly utilizes the freedom of going solo to showcase his own lyrics — which, while usually interesting, are nowhere near as tight or as memorable as his best work with The Strokes. Which is not to say they’re particularly bad; there are a few good chorus lines (when he gets around to them), and his mix of passion and lethargy in his singing still works. The production, however, is even more fleshed-out than any of The Strokes’ albums, sacrificing some of their slick guitar riffs for various keyboards and synths. Nothing is particularly austere or offensive, though it doesn’t sound like something that would be played on the radio much. “Phrazes” starts off strong with some solid hooks and somewhat more coherent tracks. But the album soon becomes overly meandering and boring as the few good licks and melodies are lost in the rest of the muck. While it definitely picks up at the end with more powerful songs, Casablancas indulges a little too much for his project to match his previous work, and as a result, a few of the songs sound a little too similar to each other. While “Phrazes For The Young” is pretty good for a vanity project, it doesn’t have the poppy charm of the Strokes. But anyone willing to listen to Casablancas indulge himself probably won’t be disappointed.
— MICHAEL CONTE
The Cribs “Ignore the Ignorant” (Wichita Recordings)
Sounds like: The Strokes, plus Johnny Rotten’s screaming vocals If you’re wondering what happened to punk rock, look no further than The Cribs. Where the Sex Pistols left off, The Cribs picked up and brought a whole new sound to the extreme genre. In their fourth album, “Ignore the Ignorant,” the Cribs sing songs of love, betrayal and sex, surrounded by grungy guitars and angst-filled screaming. The former trio, made up of twin brothers Gary and Ryan Jarman and brother Ross, were joined by ex-Smiths guitarist, Johny Marr, for the album. What they created was not only full of punk rock flavor, but also just damn good rock ‘n’ roll. The album starts off with a bang on the riff-heavy “We Were Aborted,” matched with Ryan’s punky Brit voice. The next track, “Cheat On Me,” brings on the punk sound, with Jarman screaming, “Cause things go together/Better than others/Like manic depression/And hyper sexuality.” This song reflects what most of the album sounds like, but on the track “City Bugs,” the Cribs create another dimension with their music. It starts off eerily with a guitar that sounds more like a chainsaw in disguise and war-patterned drumming. The song is six minutes long, featuring esoteric lyrics like, “I was born out of glass/I’ll return there at last/In a shattering climax.” Another song that had a different, yet still punk vibe was “Save Your Secrets.” Gary and Ryan share vocals, serenading the listener and singing about hopeless and devouring love. Ryan still manages to scream throughout the song, all the while maintaining a romantic tone. It is sad but beautiful and ends with someone whistling the tune. On the last track, “Stick to Yr Guns”, The Cribs relay the theme of punk rock music. Do you what you want, feel what you feel, and most importantly, stick to your guns.
— YOHANA DESTA
