Ireland�s The Cranberries is one of those bands with legions of insanely devoted fans who earnestly analyze everything from lyrics to the significance of how many trinkets singer Dolores O�Riordon wears in her right aural appendage.
�Bury the Hatchet,� the follow-up to 1996�s �To The Faithful Departed,� delivers what these fans want: catchy pop songs with interesting melodies and, most importantly, O�Riordon�s distinctive vocals, which are a hybrid of alpine yodeling and a 14-year-old Peter Brady.
And herein lies the rub. No doubt O�Riordon�s singing style is the primary reason why The Cranberries have millions of followers. Ironically, it is also the reason why just as many people can�t stand the quintet. There is no middle ground: Either you love the vocals or you hate them.
I liked the first five cuts on the album, including the single �Promises.� But even though The Cranberries absolutely have a sound all their own, a novelty in today�s world of sound-alike pop music, the vocals began to rankle my nerves by the time track six, �Shattered,� got underway. And with two bonus tracks on the Japanese release, well ...
Musically, The Cranberries are interesting and thoughtful, and I understand why their fans are so devoted. For the uninitiated, though, the vocals will be the main hurdle.
If you listen to the pundits, you�ll believe Buckcherry, the L.A.-based band named after a chain-smoking transvestite, is the savior of rock �n� roll. If you listen to their debut album, you�ll believe they�re a band whose derivative rock is being mistaken for something special.
Even if the press releases and the official Dreamworks bio say Buckcherry blends the best elements of glam rock, 1980s hair metal and the bigger-than-life roots of arena rock a la KISS, The Who and Lynard Skynard, what comes out on disc is copycat hard rock. From the first chords of �Lit Up,� a paean to excess with the refrain �I love the cocaine,� (no doubt written expressly as an anthemic in-concert chant) to the musically arid �Drink The Water,� Buckcherry copies the sounds, styles and hooks of every rock act from AC/DC to ZZ Top. The result of this concoction, surprisingly, is nothing more than a rip off of The Black Crowes.
Despite my humble opinion, Buckcherry has created quite a buzz. People believe the band will wash away the grunge of the �90s and set the tone of the �new rock� of the next millennium. I say it won�t be long till people realize they�re basically a cover band. The hype surrounding Buckcherry�s empty debut is evidence of how painfully the world is aching for a new generation of good hard rock bands. Beware of false prophets.
For the general public, this band of savvy, seasoned musicians has never been able to recreate the appeal of 1982�s �Toto IV,� which spawned the hits �Rosanna,� �Africa� and �I Won�t Hold You Back.� They�ve tried, but according to Billboard and SoundScan, they�ve come up short.
�Mindfield� has all the makings of a best-selling pop LP. I was drawn to it not only because of my admiration for the musicians, but by the fact that it was co-produced by Elliot Scheiner, a staple of Steely Dan�s meticulous studio regimen. As I expected, the finished product is a slick, beautifully recorded (and packaged) album.
But good sound and glossy six-panel jackets do not a great CD make. An enjoyable CD, yes, but not a classic one. As usual, the diverse elements within Toto have come together to create an amalgam of pop, jazz, blues and rock. The opening track, �After You�ve Gone,� is one of the standouts, a laid-back groove with a sound reminiscent of Asia, another group of gifted musicians who hit it big in pop-rock. Other songs, such as �High Price of Hate� and �Mysterious Ways,� are more familiar Toto-esque blues-based rock.
Though Toto will most likely be remembered for its fourth album, �Mindfields� is well worth a listen for anybody who likes pop music. Perhaps we should look for references to it in the next Bret Easton Ellis novel?
This CD is the shape of things to come. Why? First, it is a remaster of an indie LP that was released a decade ago (on the hallowed SST label, no less). Second, it doubles as a CD-ROM with a movie and links to the band�s Web site. Third, it includes a handful of previously unreleased material. As yesterday�s indie acts become today�s influential classics, you can expect more and more of these releases to appear.
�Monsters� has benefited greatly from the remastering. The original recording was muddy, which was quite frustrating because you knew you were missing out on the different layers of the songs, Curt Kirkwood�s amazing guitar work in particular. Now, all the sonic cobwebs have been burned out and it�s possible to hear the interplay of the guitar tracks with Cris Kirkwood�s charismatic bass and vocal harmonizing, and Derrick Bostrom�s rock-solid, artistic drumming.
Though I�d recommend the remasters of �Huevos� or �Up On The Sun� as a place to begin your Pups collection, �Monsters� in its new form is a treat to listen to. And be sure to look out for enhanced CDs -- and even DVD audio -- from all your favorite bands, for these are sure to become the industry standard after the various players have concluded their formatting wars.
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