The White Stripes
Elephant
V2
Formed in Detroit in 1997 by Jack and Meg White -- their relationship is open to some question and much speculation -- The White Stripes first hit the Motor City scene supporting lo-fi pioneers, Pavement, shortly before Stephen Malkmus's combo split up.
After two albums, both of which became minor indie hits, the duo released White Blood Cells in 2001. The album and the duo became an overnight smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic. A mere two months after its release, the White Stripes were performing in front of crowds of upwards of 100,000 at summer festivals throughout Europe.
As the first Stripes release on a major label, Elephant sees a smooth transition from minor indie label, to alt-rock giant, V2 Records. The move hasn't muted Jack and Meg's guitar/drum driven cynicism and nor has it excised the paranoia and anti-pop sound of their 2001 hit.
The album is the perfect combination of lo-fi minimalism and quality production and, to cap it all, one that was recorded without the aid of computers.
From the opener, Seven Nation Army, a lo-fi masterpiece on which Meg stakes her claim to the title of the most explosive minimalist drummer of all time, the pair never miss a beat.
What really makes this Stripes album stand out, though, is the blind rage that lurks behind every drum beat and guitar chord, the result of which is one of the most original, realistic and un-machine-like albums to come out of the Motor City.
Linkin Park
Meteora
Warner
Ever since the hip-hop/nu-metal combo, Linkin Park's debut, Hybrid Theory, catapulted the LA-based six-piece to fame in 2000, the music press has rarely missed an opportunity to fill its pages with Park related tit-bits.
So much hype has surrounded the band, in fact, that if one stacked up the countless in-depth interviews or trivial articles about vocalist, Chester Bennington, one would be hard pressed to believe that Meteora is in fact only Linkin Park's second studio album.
A couple of fillers in the form of a live recording, In the End: Live & Rare, and a remix album, Reanimation, have, no doubt, kept many a Linkin Park fan pacified. The question as to how the combo could better the originality, power and production of its debut could, however, have never been far away.
The answer, which hit record store shelves late last month, is not as gratifying as one might hope. Sure, the band's studio prowess ensures that the buzzsaw guitar, jerky, almost dub-styled rhythms and hip-hop angst are well mixed and spotlessly tight, but there is nothing new.
Not that this will, or in fact has, affected record sales. The album's first single, Somewhere I Belong, has already shot to the top of charts in both the US and Europe and Meteora itself is riding high in numerous album charts.
There might be little neoteric substance to the album, but that's not to say it's all bad news. True to form, Linkin Park's material remains tight and precise. Meteora is, however, simply all too predictable and fans looking for fresh excitement might be left feeling somewhat short-changed.
American Hi-Fi
The Art of Losing
Island
Too sharp to be grunge and too mainstream to be post-grunge, the Boston-based four-piece, American Hi-Fi, has managed to carve itself a niche somewhere in the middle since hitting the scene in 2000 with the guitar alt-rock anthem, Flavor of the Week.
A year later the band followed suit with a self-titled album, which saw it crisscrossing from Clash-styled guitar-heavy numbers to slower, yet gritty tunes in the vane of pop-punk act, Jimmy Eat World. Packed with raw angst and intelligent, mature moments, the euphonious 2001 release reached out to teenage punkers and adult rock fans alike.
While a live album, recorded in Tokyo and released last year, captured the band at its rawest and finest, for a studio encore, American Hi-Fi's latest album, The Art of Losing sadly sees the Boston rockers dropping down a gear or two.
From the opening tune, the albums' title track, guitarist/vocalist, Stacy Jones does his best to knock out some corking riffs and hooks. And indeed on the surface The Art of Losing appears to be a neat little package with some great guitar driven material. Underneath, however, there is something amiss.
It appears the combo has simply set the cruise controller. Same-same tunes humming with the band's rock/punk guitar sound and smart catchy choruses are not what make this album such a waste of time, though. It's American Hi-Fi's apparent reluctance to grow, both musically and lyrically.
Bobin and the Mantra
Soul Rhythm
TCM
Formed in 1999, the four-piece combo, two of whom hail from Japan and two from Nepal, the band took the catchy name of Bobin and the Mantra a year later. After releasing a couple of albums in Japan the quartet came to Taiwan in July last year and made its Taiwan debuting at the Ho-Hai-Yan Indie Taiwan Rock Festival (
Released earlier this month, Soul Rhythm is Bobin and the Mantra's debut release by Taiwan Colors Music.
While much of the album is rooted heavily in reggae with the occasional Lennon and McCartney styled hook, riff and sitar thrown in for good measure, the four-piece combo is never short on surprises. With gospel, soul, new age, and a couple of Tom Waits moments, it all adds up to some very original, well-produced and melodic music.
The album's highlights are too numerous to list, but they include the psychedelia-soaked Clap Song, the reggae-tinged Soul Rhythm and the almost acid jazz styled instrumental, Suldyo. And even though the constant guitar riff that buzzes throughout Dhamma sounds a lot like a George Michael tune that will remain nameless, the seven minute mild dance number still hits all the right spots.
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