CD Sampler

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by Shay Gilmore and Stephen Yang

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DRILL

Disarmingly shrill and maybe a little bit whiny, Lucia Cifarelli of Drill has put together an all-too-redundant collection of insipid bitterness. While the group's most up-beat song, "Innuendo", is currently enjoying a little bit of air play, it is quite easy to see why DJs are choosing to neglect the rest of this package of bland lyrics and garden-variety melodies.

In the current vogue of Alanis-o-philes, Drill seems to be at a loss for anything really interesting to say. With lyrics like "And I don't belong here or maybe I might," this album leaves one longing for substance, clarity and just a little creativity.

Drill 's one saving grace might lie in the fact that most people who would listen to this stuff tend to be so strung out on smack that caring for spontaneity and, for that matter, talent isn't really all that much of a priority. This album can't be danced to; hell, it can't even be listened to for more than 10 minutes without eliciting shouts of "God, does she ever shut up!" When browsing around the music store this weekend, avoid the usual Drill of formulaic rancor; try something that won't leave a bad taste in your mouth.

-- Shay Gilmore

TONIC

LEMON PARADISE

If there is anything that really characterizes this album, its just that it is so ordinary. Nothing is so horrible about any of these songs, but nothing really stands out either.

The easy-going "Lemon Parade" and "Mountain" make for good background music, but Hart and guitarist Jeff Russo's songwriting skills and words aren't enough to make these tracks memorable. A little bit of jangle rock and a tinge of grunge, Tonic follows the current trend in this style set by other bands a la Live.

In the end, there isn't anything that Lemon Paradise offers that shows much substance or creativity. The one thing this album lacks is good songwriting. Ordinary lyrics and everything else just don't make this album stand out.

-- Stephen Yang

VARIOUS ARTISTS

JABBERJAW COMPILATION: PURE SWEET HELL

Yet another angst-ridden compilation of bands comes this way in the Jabberjaw Compilation . Featuring fifteen different bands, most notably Jawbreaker, Redd Cross, and current modern rock radio darlings Everclear, this compilation represents the works of a lot of angry, bitter rockers in a fit of spastic rage.

Most of these songs sound the same; discordant vocals clashing against equally discordant guitars and a furious beat. The most intriguing track, a version of The Smiths' classic song "How Soon Is Now?", done by current buzz bin kings Everclear, falls flat on its face. Art Alexakanis and company take Morrissey and Marr's 1984 work of art and transform it into a bombastic rendition that does The Smiths no justice.

With the exception of Everclear's butchering of The Smiths, none of these tracks are memorable in any way. Unlike the masters of noise pop and punk, none of these bands seem to have a clue as to how to use noise in creating an atmosphere.

-- Stephen Yang

This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the September 6, 1996 issue.

Copyright © 1996 The Rice Thresher. All Rights Reserved.
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