Techno, while always popular at raves across the country, seems to be catching on with radio stations and being met with a positive response. Groups like The Prodigy and solo artist Moby have been hitting clubs around the world to meet with mainstream success. And then, a band like Republica appears, fusing industrial, dance pop and techno and producing a very radio-friendly single, "Ready To Go," that spreads like wildfire. This should not be a surprise.
Though they originate in England, Republica is about as far from the standard Brit-pop as any band could be. Interestingly, they retain several of the same influences as many current chart-toppers. Drummer Dave Barbarossa is the former drummer for Bow Wow Wow and Adam Ant, while keyboardist Tim Dorney played previously with U.K. media darlings Flowered Up. Singer Saffron has the techno experience, having sung with The Prodigy, Jah Wobble and The Shamen. In addition, there is Andy Todd, who has produced songs for the likes of Barbara Streisand and Bjork, as well as guitarist Johnny Male. A talented bunch, indeed.
Together, Republica delivers an album filled with humor and cynicism that doesn't once lose any of its energy. With curt and to-the-point lyrics such as "Shut up, I'm talking ... Get out, you're walking," from "Drop Dead Gorgeous," Republica refuses to quiet down. Even better, "Republica" contains several tunes that should make for easy follow-ups to the success of "Ready To Go," including the drum-laden "Get Off" and the song which is already a club hit in Britain, "Bloke."
Throughout the album, Republica creates a gleefulness that isn't always heard in today's hit music. When they talk about their dislikes ("Out of the Darkness" is about the workday's demand on one's time, and "Picture Me" pokes fun at cover girls), the songs still move fast and hit a comic side swiftly. Finally, for those who can't get enough of "Ready To Go," "Republica" features the original version of the song, outstandingly brilliant when compared to the watered-down U.S. radio version.
While Republica might mean nothing to fans of bands like Enigma or vocalists like Crystal Waters, they will certainly fill the void for lovers of Blondie or Siouxsie and the Banshees and anyone who like a bit of pop with their techno.
- Lise Harwin
If you've never heard of Pete Seeger before, chances are that you probably think he's the son or the brother of Detroit's own classic-rocking Bob Seeger. But placing more than 10 bucks on Pete being Bob's only son or little brother could hurt your wallet when the truth is revealed. At the ripe age of 77, Pete Seeger has been strumming the banjo, playing the guitar and singing for more than 50 years, which easily outdoes Bob's career (and practically equals his entire lifetime).
Seeger has been playing folk music for so long that hardly anyone can remember his wilder days in the 1950s, when he was called a Communist and blacklisted by Congress for his radical social activism - evidenced in his classic song "If I Had A Hammer."
"Pete," his first studio album in 17 years, gives the listener revamped recordings of his most beloved songs to go along with new tunes on this 18-track album. If you think that's a bit much for a CD, then you might miss out on hearing one of history's greatest folk singers at his best.
It's unbelievable to think about how many people Seeger could have actually influenced during his career. On "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine," his style of plucking the banjo way back in 1950 could have easily been borrowed by Jimmy Page for his riff in Led Zeppelin's "Going To California." Even Lou Reed probably felt comfortable about the sound of his own voice after hearing Seeger's bluesy "In The Evening," a song that also eerily hints at Zeppelin's song of the same title from "In Thru The Out Door." In the midst of the beautiful "River of My People," Bob Dylan could have slipped Seeger's picking and vocals into his own "Boots of Spanish Leather." And in the soft "How Can I Keep From Singing?" Seeger quietly reminds the listener that Enya didn't originally record this song.
But the deeper and deeper you get into this album, Seeger doesn't have to remind listeners about the things they already know. With Seeger's grandfatherly, Burl Ives-sounding voice playing in your ears, you begin to understand the writing on his banjo on the album cover: "This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender."
- Rick Stachura
Buy Republica's record so that young Saffron can afford a whole shirt