Taiwan CD Releases

The album does have its archetypal trash rap moments, but for the most part the trio doesn't attempt to sound like it grew up in a North American ghetto, nor does it fill all its tunes with potty mouthed vulgarities. Even if you don't particularly like rap it's almost impossible to find fault with the Tripoets predominantly nonvolatile style of rap.

Waxing, or rather rapping lyrical about education, youth culture and life as they live it to a backdrop of vibrant and agreeable backing music ranging from acid jazz to soul, reggae and, of course, more traditional hip-hop vibes, Mixtape (聽說) makes for interesting listening from the off and the reggae-tinged and jerky Tripoets Play (參劈遊戲) and is an example of underground Mando-rap at its mellowest and rhythmical best.

XL

XL (特大號樂團)

Click Music (典選音樂)

After almost four years on the low reaches of the local alternative music scene, nu-metal/hip-hop five-piece combo, XL finally made its mark last year when it featured large at many of 2003's outdoor festivals and became a fixture at some of the nation's leading alternative/indie venues.

The band's vinyl debut EP, Prepare to Jump (準備好跳), proved a minor hit with the local nu-metal crowd when it was released in October, but alternative music pundits are already predicting greater things from its debut longplayer, XL (特大號樂團), which was released last week. Rumors are already circulating about the possibilities of Hong Kong tour and the band's music video is currently enjoying airtime on local music television channels.

Unlike nu-metal peers, Monkey Insane (潑猴), XL's brand of angst is pretty middle of the road. The crux of many of the tunes may take their cues from Linken Park-like vibes, but even when XL does up the tempo on numbers like Sorrows of Parting (黯然銷魂) and Call Me (電話留給我) and Black Memory (黑色記憶) the material remains more hip-hop power-pop rather than gnarly nu-metal.

XL's listener-friendly style of play may not appeal to the more hardcore nu-metal set, but its musical smarts and aptitude to toy with a tried and tested format means that XL probably has a promising musical future if it ever decides to aim for the mainstream and create non-youth culture oriented sounds.