Sun, Feb 15, 2004 - Page 19 News List

CD reviews

By Gavin Phipps  /  STAFF REPORTER

While the combo is often labeled dull, this audio and visual Coldplay document proves that dull is far too strong a word for Coldplay's hybrid brand of moody/folksy Brit-pop. Coldplay Live 2003 is a solid and highly entertaining piece of work and everything any true fan could wish for and then some.

The CD contains some of the combo's best material as well as some rarities. Kicking in with the pulsating Politik, the meandering mild-rock number God Put a Smile upon Your Face and the moody title track from the band's second album, the live CD gets off to a cracking start. And what follows only gets better and warrants full volume on any sound system.

Along with a cracking version of the band's latest tune, the jangle guitar-driven Moses, the highlight of the whole affair is One I Love, a rabble-rousing number on which Coldplay manages to sound an awful lot like Echo and the Bunnymen, albeit minus the heavy percussion.

Tin Pan Alley(錫盤街)

Entering Another Tunnel(進入另一個隧道)

Tin Pan Alley

ed by ex-Ladybug (瓢蟲) guitarist Wan-ting (捥婷), and featuring Sugar Plum Fairy (甜梅號) bassist, Hsiao Bai (小白) along with drummer Wu Di (吳迪), sax player Wu Chen-yi (吳貞儀) and trumpeter, Hsiao Shi (小杜), Tin Pan Alley (錫盤街) is an indie post-rock band with a passion for jerky lethargic instrumentals.

Released this week, Entering Another Tunnel (進入另一個隧道), is the band's debut longplayer and is filled with melodic instrumental post-rock tunes, some of which make for an interesting earful while others prove monotonous.

Inspired by art-house punks, Sonic Youth when performing with Ladybug -- the popular local guitarist and her four colleagues -- now appear to looking toward Pavement for its garage sound and Helium for its jangle alt-pop slightly off center musical motivation.

A stop/start hurdy-gurdy ride from the off, Entering Another Tunnel is certainly not for everyone, especially those looking for a tight spit and polished sound. With the exception of the 10-minute long title track, much of the material sounds like a jam session and leaves you wondering why it was released.

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