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It's a cool idea -- 12 young women who can lift a tankard with the best
of them, performing the swingingest sounds of the fourteenth century.
With two Miranda Sex Gardeners among them, these Baebes have a
respectable pedigree and a spirited take on classic music. But could the name be their undoing? Many of the people who'd enjoy this disc the most wouldn't
want to be seen buying anything called "Mediaeval Baebes", while adolescent
boys won't be satisfied by the minimal cheesecake factor. Oh well. -- gz
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Keoki / Altered-Ego-Trip (The Remix Album) / Moonshine (CD)
Grandmaster of Electronica, Keoki opens the floodgates to fellow DJs
of the genre for a royal remixing of his Ego-Trip CD. Highlights
include the spacey, loop-ridden "Caterpillar" by The Crystal Method and
Cirrus' metallic-tinged "Ego-Trip", which commands the dance floor with
robotic movements and an unparalleled fluidity. Keoki fans will enjoy
these interpretations of his killer tracks and those looking for
different DJ experimentations will marvel at the variety of styles
displayed on this CD.
--am
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Buffalo Daughter / Socks, Drugs and Rock and Roll / Grand Royal (CD)
Besides the original version of "Socks...", you get the beefed-up bass of the
Mike Nardone remix, the Self remix which plays up the sing-songiness of
the track and the Sample 208/Tick remix, perhaps the best of the batch, which
stretches, strips and trips the track into a blurry haze. And that's not
all, because
for no additional charge you get the "Jellyfish Accessories" remix of
"Jellyfish
Blues", nimbly recombined by Scratch-Pet-Land, well worth the price of
admission on its own. -- gz
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If I'm not mistaken, Al Bharr means "the ocean", and a quick
skim of track titles reveals a host of watery themes. Whether there are
oceanic references in each song, I can't say -- few of these lyrics are in
English. The music, however, is quite accessible -- a mixture of traditional
Egyptian, Arabic and Moroccan musics and elements of bhangra, techno and dub.
Amira Saqati's cultural perspective creates a different musical agenda
than you'd see from an English or American group, resulting in a disc
that's intriguing as well as danceable. -- gz
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Ultraviolence / Killing God / Earache (CD)
Electronica on Earache!? You bet! Johnny Violent's Ultraviolence
smarts just as much as any metal band's sonic assault. With typically
abrupt beats and razor sharp keyboards, Violent knows exactly what it
takes to incite and insult the listener to produce emotional reactions.
Expect a throttling, a bludgeoning and a whipping if you actually can make
it through the fierceness of this CD. And for kicks, check out the cover of
Sabbath's "Paranoid" - techno style! -- am
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Monotract / Trafficant / Spy-fi (7")
Monotract builds a sonorous blend of guitars, bass and keyboards, in
which perhaps only more advanced listeners will be able to locate
persistent melodies. Like so many bands that deal in dischord,
Monotract supports any number of comparisons to early Sonic Youth,
though Monotract lacks that seminal group's regimentation, producing
tracks that sprawl and ramble in a fashion most fascinating. -- gz
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(hed) p.e. / (hed) p.e. / Jive (CD)
Like punk? Like hip-hop? Like a dash of metal? (hed) p.e. meshes all
three of these genres into an Ice-T/Bad Brains/Hank Shocklee's Bomb
Squad coalition that'll move your punk boots and groove your hip-hop
butt. This evolution of styles proves to be entertainingly different,
yet familiar enough to attract those seeking authenticity.
Positively aggressive and apropos for those needing angst redemption.
And someone do me a favour and email me the correct pronunciation of
the band's name! -- am
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Vasoline Tuner / Beyond Repair / T.O.N. (CD)
I listen to Vasoline Tuner's hard-edged alt-prog rock, and I can't
help think that this is the most tuneful, polished release I've heard
from them to date. I'm inclined to note that the disc is uneven, though --
the quality of songwriting, vocals, production and performance varies
throughout these eleven songs. I also wonder if the band spells their
name "Vasoline" for personal and creative reasons, or simply to avoid
legal action from the makers of Vaseline. -- gz
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