SHINE Music Reviews
Review system:
Artist:
Album:
Released Single(s):
Release Date:
Review Date:
Label:
Genre:
% Rating:
Current reviews:
Radiohead -The Bends
Kent -Isola
Counting Crows -August and Everything After
Blink 182 -Enema of the State
Artist: Radiohead
Album: The Bends
Released singles: 'High & Dry', 'Fake Plastic Trees', others
Release: April 4, 1995
Review Date: 8.25.99
Label: EMD/CAPITOL
Genre: Rock
Shine's Rating: 96%
First, I've got to say that I came upon this album FAR too late, I just
happened to get a copy of it yesterday from AxlGNFR
(who, hopefully, will be handling the music news and some of the reviews
at the section). Well, all I can say is: WOW. This album exceeds expectations
by far. The follow up to their smash debut Pablo Honey, The Bends serves
up a new platter of great songs, each a hit in it's own right. Who could
resist the gentle-yet-pleading crooning of Thom Yorke in 'High & Dry',
a lazy, nostalgic song that sets a pleasant, sleepy mood? Or maybe 'Street
Spirit', a somber, sad tale of dying away? Or the soothing melodies of 'Fake
Plastic Trees'? How about some good old rock in the form of 'The Bends'
or 'Just (You Do It To Yourself)'? Throw all of these different styles in
with true meaning in Yorke's hypnotic mumbling, and this CD's got it all.
Are you a true rock fan? You're not if you don't have this album.
-Reviewed by Shine
Artist: Kent
Album: Isola
Released Single: 'If You Were Here'
Release date: November 12, 1997
Review date: 8.25.99
Label: BMG/RCA
Genre: Rock
Shine's Rating: 88%
There's a list of places from where you really never expect a great
rock band to come from; this includes, of course, Sweden. But, again, time
proves us wrong, and from Sweden comes the latest stateside release from
a great, yet under-appreciated, rock band known as Kent. Isola is a great,
somber album filled with songs ranging from melancholic (i.e. 'Glider',
'Before it all ends') to tragically soothing ('747', 'Velvet'), to moody
rock ('Celcius', 'Things She Said'), to crash-bang POWER (only really done
on one track, during the chorus, the first [and only North American] single,
'If You Were Here'). The entire CD somehow manages to remain grounded in
sadness and depression; definetely not a plus if you don't prefer the melancholy
side of rock. But regardless, the product of all this songs is a meaninful
and emotional album that truly deserved better on north american airwaves
and music tv (although, it's getting hard for good rock bands to be noticed
on music television these days unless you watch MuchMusic in Canada, which
we american folks can get if we have a DSS or any other satellites like
it, I believe). An ignored gem; I suggest checking it out.
-Reviewed by Shine
Artist: Counting Crows
Album: August and Everything After
Released singles: 'Mr. Jones', 'Round Here'
Release date: September 14, 1993
Review date: 8.25.99
Label: UNI/GEFFEN/DGC RECORDS
Genre: Rock
Shine's Rating: 96%
As with Radiohead's debut album 'Pablo Honey', the Counting Crows also
debuted in 1993, and what a debut it was. If not for Pablo Honey, I would
call this THE best rock album of 1993, as Rolling Stone also did. Ah, screw
Pablo Honey! This IS the best rock album of 1993...and a masterpiece that
hopefully will be long-remembered. Many have accused Adam Duritz's vocals
of being drawn-out whines; I beg to differ. His vocals fit the mood of every
song perfectly, and I can't imagine anyone else filling his shoes without
completely screwing the songs over. Each song on this album is amazing;
Duritz's lyrics are very allruing and saturated with thought-provoking metaphors,
accompanying atmospheric, mood-setting arrangements, most of which are unexplainably
touching as well. Try listening to this album at a bright, wide waterfront...it
works perfectly. But regardless of location, this CD will always provide
you with a nice, relaxing listen wherever you go.
-Reviewed by Shine
Artist: Blink 182
Album: Enema of the State
Singles: What's my age again, All the small things, Don't leave me
Release Date: 6/1/99
Review Date: 8/25/99
Label: MCA Records
Genre: Hardcore-pop
Rating: 95%
The latest release by this hardcore-pop band shows growth in their musical
ability. They may have changed their sound on Enema of the State, but it's
still the same guitar driven punk band who scored a hit off their last release
Dude Ranch. The song 'Dammit (Growing Up)' received lots of airplay all
across the country last year. They still manage to write humorous lyrics
along with gracious melodies; songs like 'What's my age again?', 'Dysentry
gary' and 'The party song' are sure to tickle your funny bone.
If you're in the mood for some fun, energetic music, Enema of the State
is a must have!
Artist: Dishwalla
Album: And You Think You Know What Life's About
Released singles: none
Release date: August 11, 1998
Label: PGD/A&M
Genre: Rock
Shine's Rating: 64%
Dishwalla's second album, featuring the thought-provoking runaway smash
hit 'Counting Blue Cars (Tell Me All Your Thoughts on God)', a true rock
classic. However, the remainder of the album (the platinum Pet Your Friends),
while good, was somewhat cliched tune and lyric-wise, while still providing
a pretty much entertaining listen. Unfortunately, their third album fails
to live up to the high expectations set by Counting Blue Cars. Why? First
off, very few of the songs will coming back for more. There's nothing they
lack; the fact of the matter is, they coud've been so much more. More than
HALF of the songs are so similar to each other you'll be thinking you're
still listening to one big half-hour song. The tracks that stand out are
the softer tracks, 'Until I Wake Up' and 'The Bridge Song', and perhaps
the eerie and slow-paced 'Gone Upside Down', an eccentric He's-so-good-for-you-it's-too-late-for-me-now
song that's strangely entertaining (possibly only because it's quite different
from the rest of the monotony of this CD). What's the upside? The vocals
and arrangements are well-done, and the lyrics are pleasant in their own
odd, random sense. Dishwalla has now joined the ranks of a familiar and
unfortunate categorization we like to call "Victim of your own success".
It's not that this album is dissapointing; it's the fact that nothing is
nearly as entertaining as Counting Blue Cars, and once you've heard Track
1, you've pretty much heard the entire album. I'd recommend this for Dishwalla
die-hards only; if you want the 'classic' Dishwalla stuff, pick up Pet Your
Friends.
-Reviewed by Shine
Artist: Sugar Ray
Album: 14:59
Released singles: Every Morning, Someday, Falls Apart
Review date: 8.26.99
Release date: January 12, 1999
Label: WEA/ATLANTIC
Genre: Rock/Pop
Rating: 73%
Let's just say I hope you weren't expecting much stuff remotely close to
the three singles off this album (Every Morning, Someday, Falls Apart).
A few of tracks are simply punkish sideshows (Aim For Me, Glory, Personal
Space Invader), some are very 60s-boy-band-ish (Even Though, Ode To the
Lonely Hearted), and some are simply too strange (or 'differentiated', if
you prefer) to fit with the rest of the album at all (Live & Direct
[f/ KRS-ONE], Burning Dog). What are you getting with this album? An album
with fresh lyrics and catchy tunes...tossed into a multitude of strange
songs that wouldn't fit your description of the band if you'd only heard
Every Morning, Someday, or Falls Apart. If you enjoyed these three songs,
you may or may not like the rest of the CD, save the overally well-done
remake of the 80s tune Abracadabra. A definite listen before buying.
-Reviewed by Shine
(Hopefully) Coming soon: Ranma 1/2, Final Fantasy VI, and maybe
even Monkey Island!
