DG's Album Reviews

DG's MUSICAL PREFERENCES: I'm an eclectic, so every type of music is reviewed here, except country and oldies (the only two musical types I do not like). The sources are pretty simple: they're albums I've purchased with my own money (not yet the big-time guy that gets them for free) and, to get reviewed here, they have to be relatively new. Most of the albums I do acquire are relatively new ones (e.g. still spawning singles), so most of my collection will be reviewed. I will, however, make references to albums of previous years that I've collected but, since I only started my World Issues Page in February, are not reviewed. I've been listening to music intensively for about five years now, and, having heard millions of songs over the years, I think I have a pretty good handle on what is good and what is not.

WHAT DG LOOKS FOR: First and foremost, the tracks have to be a pretty good listen. There's nothing worse than listening to an album that lulls you to sleep. Second, I look for creativity and originality, something to set the work apart from others in its class, and also to see if the artist, within the album itself, can also be creative and original. Third, it has to work. A discombobulated album won't score a lot of points with me, as it almost proves the artist didn't try too hard or "tried too hard". Fourth, I look for artistic merit- one should never forget that artists, in the end, create "art", so artists that can succeed in creating deep, sensual and overall stunning music get rewarded here. No "cookie-cutters" allowed.

Anyway, here are the reviews.

This Edition:
Original Soundtrack- Like Mike
Hoobastank- (Self-Titled)
Daniel Bedingfield- Gotta Get Thru This
Bruce Springsteen- The Rising
Lifehouse- Stanley Climbfall
Disturbed- Believe
My Picks

Original Soundtrack- Like Mike

Rating: W

Song Of The Album: Nas f/Amerie- "Rule"

My Alternate Title: "So So DUMB"

Genre: Urban

The soundtrack for the "movie" "Like Mike" was conceived by Jermaine Dupri as a party album, something to compliment the vibes of basketball. Like the "movie", Lil' Bow Wow features prominently here, appearing in four songs including his two latest singles in "Take Ya Home" and "Basketball", but several other up-and-comers and veterans also appear here. Mario, TCP, Nas, B2K and Jagged Edge also make appearances, giving the impression that, with so many stars, "Like Mike" should be a slam dunk. Instead, it should just be slammed.

First of all, "Original Soundtrack" is a misnomer: there's hardly one original beat, lyric or rhyme in the entire album outside of Nas' "Rule". One by one, each track goes by, each one dumber than the last. The opener, Lil' Bow Wow's "Basketball", is actually a cover, but, for the most part, the crew at least makes it passable as a stand-alone, providing a good party track but little else. However, Dupri has a thing for un-creativity, laying down the same beat for R.O.C.'s "NBA 2K2" and making it sound almost exactly like "Basketball". In fact, R.O.C. does their best to ensure it does, proving that their crew really doesn't want to be in the rap business. There's more where that came from: there's the hideously inept, stupid and lame attempt at emotion in TQ's and Jagged Edge's "I Remember", the dastardly long and boring Bow Wow track "Playin' The Game", and another "Basketball" redux in the closer, TCP's "Hoop It Up", which is so dumb it wouldn't score a one on an IQ test. Still, the real stinker on an album full of them is Mario's "Put Me On", which starts promising but then he gets into some pretty pathetic lyrics. "I'm so fly and I'm H-O-T", he sings, trying to one-up every rapper that's bragged about their, ahem, "prowess", and showcases him as a ten-year-old (he's 15). It may have cut it a few years back, but with so many teen stars proving capable of being smart- Craig David comes to mind in the urban field- Mario just doesn't cut it. Oh yeah, and the song features Alicia Keys first in the songwriting credits, although you couldn't tell because this tune is miles lyrically below anything Keys would sing (maybe that's why she shoved this crap in front of Mario?)

Positives? You want me to talk about positives on an album this bad? Okay, okay, there is one: Nas' track "Rule", featuring R&B newcomer Amerie. The track, one of rap's smartest in ages, attacks almost every element of American society and does it very well, as Nas gets under your skin and delivers with a prowess only seen by the likes of Eminem and 2PAC before. It's a very smart track and showcases that Nas is still one of rap's better talents, even if too few care to listen to him. He easily puts the kids in their places, but to be honest, with nine other terrible songs on there, there's only so much a song like this can do and that's not much.

Overall, avoid "Like Mike" at all costs. There's only one song worth having on the entire album- Nas' and Amerie's "Rule"- as Dupri showcases himself as urban's dumbest producer. Do anything you can just to get "Rule" without buying the album- it's worth the hassles- or just buy the album, store the song on your computer or on tape, and then play Frisbee with the rest. Or maybe you could use it as a mirror, a lighting aid or even for a science experiment, as there are plenty of uses for worthless CDs like this one. Just do anything to it but play it.

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Hoobastank- (Self-Titled)

Rating: WWW

Song Of The Album: "Give It Back"

My Alternate Title: "Great, but Hoobacare?"

Genre: Hard Rock

Featuring rock's dumbest name since the Rainbow Butt Monkeys (that would be Finger Eleven's original name) and the easiest to make fun of, Californian quartet Hoobastank are among the newest of the teen rock bands that include The Calling and Lifehouse, only with more substance. Their two singles- "Crawling In The Dark" and "Running Away"- became modest rock hits, with the second one still literally "running away" with the charts, establishing the band as radio mainstays. They're pretty smart songs too, so they're never annoying when they come on the radio.

That's one of the big pluses with Hoobastank: lyrical quality. It's not exactly top-notch quality poetry, but at least the boys prove that they're competent with the pen. There's the dark and reflective opener, "Crawling In The Dark", the smart, impassioned "Running Away" and the eventually compelling "Give It Back". Their form of rock lends itself more to the way rock should be done- dark and reflective, and their mellower version tops what passes for rock from many of their contemporaries. These guys are probably never going to be confused with rock's true greats, but at least they have set themselves on the right track.

On the downer is the fact the album gets stale towards the middle, as the first seven songs are practically interchangeable. It may or not be such a bad thing, but because these guys don't really present much new, the pieces do get real tiring. Then there's the choppy "Up and Gone", where the boys belt out impressive lyrics but don't seem to have the cohesion quite nailed. In "Remember Me", the song presents some promise, but frontman Douglas Robb's lack of passion and anger in his voice drags the song down considerably, as do the considerably simple lyrics. Progression is, overall, a skill they need to develop, but, being a new band, they should figure it out eventually. Also, they prove with their terrible skit at the end of "Give It Back" that acting certainly isn't in their future.

Overall, "Hoobastank" is not a bad album: it's just not great. They set themselves apart from the pretty complacent The Calling but don't do enough to catch the lyrical genius that is Lifehouse. Still, these guys set out to do rock the right way, and kudos to them for trying: eventually, with a few works, they'll get there.

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Daniel Bedingfield- Gotta Get Thru This

Rating: WWWW

Song Of The Album: "Friday"

My Alternate Title: "Innocent Isn't Dumb"

Genre: Pop/Dance

You've heard "Gotta Get Thru This", recorded by New Zealander Daniel Bedingfield through a microphone on his home computer, already and may have caught a glimpse of "James Dean (I Wanna Know)", his second single. You may shudder at the thought of hearing an album called "Gotta Get Thru This", but trust me, once it is done, you won't be feeling "I've got to get through this" but rather "can I hear it again?", as Bedingfield clearly classifies himself as 2002's most promising act.

Released in March, the title track still has as much power as a song now as it did back then. An emotional and excellent dance track, "Gotta Get Thru This" follows the same "repeat the words" formula most dance employs, but Bedingfield is able to twist it into something compelling and riveting by the time it's done, something I can't say about a lot of dance tracks with this formula. "James Dean (I Wanna Know)" is Michael Jackson-ish, but it delivers as a slamming pop dance tune, and is a pretty smart number. Much of Bedingfield's work is smart and very effective dance tracks, and it helps that Bedingfield is easily pop's best male voice at the moment. The real standout is "Friday", a song that brings some of dance's best artists- like Paul Oakenfold and Moby- to mind with its exceptional quality. You could almost picture the guy jumping and dancing while playing the song, while the people on the dancefloor fly into a sustained frenzy. If he releases this as a single, no doubt it'll be a smash. As for the rest of the songs, there's a nice mixture of pure dance and dance-pop, as Bedingfield can get quite eclectic on one album.

Still, lyrically he could use a little work, as his thoughts are not exactly that well drawn out. Bedingfield may be a dance artist, but the way he structures his work allows him to develop his lyrics, and this is only something he does in parts. As for the particular songs, "Honest Questions" is a good stand-alone track but being right after "Friday" it's a bit of a letdown. Also, his attempts to emulate Remy Shand in "Inflate My Ego" fall dangerously flat, as the dull song is easily Bedingfield's worst, although it does improve by the end. Also, the acoustic version of the title track, while done well, isn't exactly the dance version in terms of quality. Still, the lyrics stand out better and give Bedingfield a chance to display his wonderful voice, so it's still an effective closer.

With this release, Bedingfield shows himself to be in the running for 2002's best newcomer along with Napanee Ontario's Avril Lavigne. His voice is tops in the male pop department, and his dance beats clearly beat many of his contemporaries. His innocent approach never gets dumb, and lets you feel for whatever emotions he's feeling. Thinking that this album was hastily done, it's amazing that it's this good: imagine what he could have done if he had the time.

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Bruce Springsteen- The Rising

Rating: WWW

Song Of The Album: "Empty Sky"

My Alternate Title: "Arena Rock and not much else"

Genre: Hard/Alternative Rock

Having not released any new material since 1995 and with the E-Street Band since 1984 and inspired by September 11, Bruce Springsteen decided to get back with his old band and write an album about what the tragedy meant to him. The New Jersey man best exemplified everything that meant "blue collar" back in the 1980s, but, in 2002, he finds himself alone in a pop field that was once littered with them. Gone are the likes of Tom Petty and John Mellencamp, leaving Springsteen to carry the slack. Dropping "The Rising" in 2002, Springsteen looked to re-establish himself in the music business, and, he manages to do that- barely.

Blue collar rock has its merits, but clearly "The Rising" was meant for another time. Yes, it's lyrically inspired by Sept. 11, but the sound is too much like Springsteen of the 1980s, and now that arena rock is passé, the sound doesn't fit in today's pop world. It's not so much to say that "The Rising" is that bad of an album- it's not- but after a while, the arena rock gets tiring and proves to be quite bland. The album's running time is 70:15, going into rap album territory, and, unfortunately for Springsteen, the songs just are not good enough to make the listener to forget its length. "The Boss" does manage to be touching and reflective, but the truth is his songs here just don't have the energy or the power to make them compelling. Far too often, I've wanted Bruce to just get on with things and not try to elongate things, often inserting parts that fit better for performances (the "la-la-la" sing-along in the title track is one example) than on an album. Alas, it isn't so, and "The Rising" is dragged down considerably because of it. As for the songs themselves, the dullest is "Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)", as the song proves to be the bland from start to end and easily the album's blandest. Far too often, also, the songs drag on for too long, as "The Boss" rarely ends his songs when they should.

Still, "The Rising" has its fair share of memorable tunes, like the touching "Empty Sky" on the lost New York skyline. "Nothing Man" is another touching tribute, and Bruce's lamentations on "My City Of Ruins" is emotional and pleasantly peaceful. "Counting On A Miracle" is very catchy, and, with "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" and the uplifting "Into The Fire", "The Boss" has the arena rock anthems down to a science- which almost figures since he's the one who started the whole thing anyway. As for the title track, its not sung properly, but it's still a nice rock song, and, although it really doesn't distinguish itself on the radio, it's a nice reminder of what '80s arena rock used to be.

Overall, "The Rising" isn't a compelling album and neither does it do too much to stand out in the crowd. Springsteen may have made a nice re-entrance, but his sound is now a little out of place in today's pop world, and, to be honest, his form of reflective rock has now been done better simply because they have more energy. Simply put, "The Rising" is an '80s record that really doesn't fit in any more, and, unless Springsteen can find a way to get back into the 2000s, he'll find his place in the pop world will quickly fade away.

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Lifehouse- Stanley Climbfall

Rating: WWW

Song Of The Album: "Sky Is Falling"

My Alternate Title: "Still Leading The Kiddie Crowd"

Genre: Hard Rock

Having made a considerable statement with "No Name Face" and with the smash single "Hanging By A Moment", 2001's most played song, Lifehouse had a lot to prove with their second album "Stanley Climbfall". Establishing themselves as true rock poets in their debut, Lifehouse had the chance to build on it and finally establish themselves as a true rock act and not amongst the kiddie crowd, and, with "Stanley Climbfall", not only do they do it, but they do it well.

Yet again, Jason Wade's songwriting is top-notch, providing deep, thoughtful and very smart songs throughout the album. There's the first single and opener "Spin", which sounds like "Hanging By A Moment" but has enough substance and lyrical bite to differentiate itself from it. It's a little long at the end, but it doesn't do too much to really affect the song. The title track is another solid dark rock tune, about a conversation Wade is having with an equally down his luck man, presumably "Stanley Climbfall" but the song never says it. There's other great highlights, like the musical references in "Out Of Breath" to Nirvana's "Come As You Are", a nice energetic rock track, and the country-esque "Just Another Name" is a nice touch. Still, the standout on the album is "Sky Is Falling", a nice, thoughtful and very reflective rock tune. "I'm alive but tell me am I free?/I got eyes but tell me can I see?" sings Wade, as the lamentations come out beautifully. The acoustic version at the end is also a nice touch for the song, though it doesn't add too much to the original.

Still, Lifehouse still have a few stumbling blocks to work around if they're to continue with their progression. Apparently, Wade is speaking English on "The Beginning", but, with his poor articulation, I'm not so sure. "Spin", the first single, is an excellent song and should re-establish Lifehouse as mainstream artists, but the song's a tad too long on the album, but even worse is the barely satisfactory "My Precious", which isn't terrible but is the most obvious filler on the entire album. Also, the album has no song like "Breathing" to really elevate its status, and, although that's not necessarily a bad thing- this album still shows Lifehouse as progressing from "No Name Face"- the absence of such a song is noticeable.

In the end, "Stanley Climbfall" shows Lifehouse as progressing from their kiddie roots and, while they may not be there yet, to complete respect with their more adult rockers. They certainly sound much older in this album, and, make no bones about it, this is no average kiddie rock album. If the boys can keep up their work in this album, they'll definitely be one of rock's more established stars in the near future.

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Disturbed- Believe

Rating: WWWWW

Song Of The Album: "Darkness"

My Alternate Title: "Rock�the Way It SHOULD Be"

Genre: Hard Rock

In the eleven years plus since Nirvana's awful "Smells Like Teen Spirit" came out, the face of rock had been changed, presumably forever. Gone were the dark, skillful rockers from the mainstream, and the few that did manage to stick around- like Nine Inch Nails and The Tea Party- faded out to obscurity by the time the decade was done. Rock still managed to stick around, but the only successes the genre was able to get was the radio-friendly version Nirvana inspired. Eventually, rockers had to adapt to get any success, dragging down what was once music's most creative genre. All hope seemed to be lost for the rock fan- until a Chicago band named Disturbed came around.

How could I paint a better picture for "Believe", the truly definitive rock album of 2002? How about the fact that these guys decide to do rock the right way, the way it once was before Nirvana blew creativity away- nice and dark, reflective and even provocative. There's a heavy dose of emotion on this album, as frontman David Draiman expertly and vividly lays his emotions on the line, digging deep into his soul, while the band backs him up to create an absolutely electrifying, dark blanket of imagery. "Living just isn't hard enough/Burn me alive inside/Living my life's not hard enough/Take everything away" sings Draiman in the chorus for the first single, "Prayer", written about how, according to Draiman, Ground Zero was made into a spectacle as opposed to a shrine. Then there's the assertive numbers in "Rise" and "Bound", plus the surprisingly reassuring "Devour", where Draiman calls out his lover and says he'll "devour" the pain just like she did for him. Still, the real standout on the album is the last song, the haunting and mesmerizing "Darkness". Simply put, it is the sonic equivalent to the Hallowe'en version of Train's "Drops Of Jupiter", but there's more to the compelling track than just that. It's more cohesive, and the lyrics and music paint an overall darker picture and separate it from anything you've heard before. It's a truly weird and absolutely gratifying song, a peaceful and thoughtful reflection for the listener to ponder after the album closes. It's everything a closer should be, and, for the record, would be one of radio's best ever tracks if released.

Still, despite all the pluses Disturbed display with "Believe", one minor complaint does exist. Although every song on this album is a slam dunk rock track, the first ten songs are built in the same mold as "Prayer", and, while they're still amazing songs, the small lack of originality is noticeable. I can forgive them for this tiny blunder- being a metal band, there's only so much they can change before anyone complains- but only for so much. Disturbed does a nice job in diversifying themselves at the end of the album and they do a bang-up job in keeping the similar songs still fresh and enjoyable, but the small lack of creativity still dogs most of this album.

Overall, "Believe" is the definitive rock album: nice, dark, emotional and very provocative, the way rock should be. Draiman proves he can sing and sing well, while the rest of the band expertly compliments the mood expressed by Draiman. Out of all the albums released for 2002, Disturbed's "Believe" ranks a shade below Michelle Branch's "The Spirit Room", and shares many of the same features. There's the excellent, deep songs about anguish and even torment, the artistic and all-encompassing sound that provides an escape from this world and leaves you pleasantly wanting more, and the thought-provoking, different, sensual final track. Disturbed have definitely made a name for themselves, and with "Darkness", prove that real rock can be diverse rock too.

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My Picks

This month- featuring the largest body of album reviews so far on DG's Entertainment Beat- the six albums arrange themselves nicely in order and, predictably, with a few gems came a few blunders. Disturbed's "Believe" easily takes the cake, being a pure, real rock album and a truly mesmerizing experience, and overall being the best album released since Michelle Branch's "The Spirit Room". Daniel Bedingfield comes in second with his amazing pop/dance work, as "Gotta Get Thru This" will stick in your head and provides captivating experience. Bedingfield almost cements the idea that he'll be one of the best new artists of 2002, and, with the best male pop voice out right now, should enjoy a long career. Lifehouse's "Stanley Climbfall" continues the California band's maturity and overall growth into acceptance as adult rockers, as their new album sounds significantly older than it should. It's not exactly a captivating romp but a thoroughly enjoyable experience nonetheless. Hoobastank's self-titled debut is pleasing, but not very and doesn't provide anything new, putting the kiddies right in the middle of their pack. Bruce Springsteen's work has its moments and does provide a nice, peaceful backdrop, but Springsteen's sound is more 1980s-ish than it should be and really isn't anything that special. Simply put, "The Boss" is past his prime and it shows, as he hasn't been able to fit back into a pop world he once owned. Finally, there's the inept "Like Mike" Soundtrack, which really has only one good song- Nas' and Amerie's "Rule"- while the rest are pure urban trash. Get "Rule" whatever way you can, but avoid "Like Mike" at all costs.

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-DG

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