HIP HOP THE PERCEPTIONISTS
Black Dialogue (Def Jux) O.“
Alth0ugh hip hop in 2005 is as exciting and unpredictable as ever. one sticking point for many listeners remains
the absence of the sort of
political radicalism that once lent celebrated acts like Public Enemy, Ice Cube and KRS-One their potency. Seeking to remedy this are the Perceptionists, a Boston- based trio comprising MCs Mr Lif and Akrobatik. and DJ Fakts One.
On Black Dia/ogue they exchange cutting, intricate raps that satirise
'THE Wino
CD FEATURES EXCLUSIVE B-SIDE
i i
pohtics. employment. race and relationships in modern America over a big fat bag of SUItably stripped down, angular beats. it's a superb set overall. but whether Boston's other renowned cultural commentaIOr Norm Peterson WI“ be feeling these cats is another matter entirely. (Hugh Leask)
ROCK
VARIOUS
The Official Rangers Players Top 20
The Official Celtic Players Top 20 (Universal) .0
These will. of course. be bought only by brand- fixated fanatics. and are unlikely to do that much to expand their musical frame of reference. lt's trad rock. mainstream indie and classic 603 all the way. although there are some gems in here: congratulations to Maurice Ross for ‘That‘s Entertainment' and to Neil Lennon for
r. . non"
BY .-
THE NEW SINGLE
i'Z‘r:
’0 “I lJl‘
a R t
ii
‘Teenage Kicks'. while both Robert Malcolm and Stephen Pearson go for the deCidedly unmacho option of Franz Ferdinand's ‘Michael'.
Elsewhere. the Lighthouse Family. Sonique and Ocean Colour Scene (thanks. Craig Beattie) do some damage, underlining the fact that a footballer's party is not a place to be if you value y0ur
- - v. *v.‘ -. .‘-~ 7.‘
.‘4- g‘.‘.l'l "“r'
[1' \‘F'? ." _ ‘1‘
‘23: «13%:
‘ "an." r. .. - ‘V at c - J. '
LTD EDITION, NUMBERED, 12" PICTURE DISC DVD CONTAINS EXCLUSIVE LIVE FOOTAGE...
TAKEN FROM THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ALBUM
wwwthemarsvolta CO.III(
4:13 Loud
oCleor
74 TN! LIST 3—1 7 Mar 2005
'FRANCES THE MUTE'
www.makepovenyhistory.com
.34.. .b.
I ’: "D? ‘i Q ‘ ' a" ‘Jfr ’ . . ' _ ( . ‘- 1. '. . ' ’_ . _ \ 4‘5; ‘1- I Cf 3 1' -
ears. pride 0r spit roast ‘.’lfglfIlI‘, iJames Smart
METAL
JUDAS PRIEST Angel of Retribution 'BMGi .00
Fists in the air, tt‘e Priest are back And it's like they've been presened l."i aSpic. Rob Halford‘s back in the saddle and tron‘ the opening DOIT‘IXISIIL howl of 'Judas is Rising‘ this is balls to the floor metal. Fret work wankery and cod mysticism all present and correct. they certainly don't make them like this any more. You have to admire any band who can pull off a l3 minute track about the legend of Loch Ness (appropriately titled ‘L.och Ness'i With a straight face.
This is classic British metal. Think Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, with all its faults and glories. (Henry Nonhmore)
ROCK
ELECTRIC SIX Sefior Smoke (Rushmore Recordings) 0
They gave us ‘Gay Bar' and for that we must be truly thankful, but do we really need another album from the disco—garage- rock Darkness? Novelty and double entendre might be quite a laugh on a Single, but 15 tracks is tantamount to breaching the Geneva Convention. It's like having your head kicked in by a pink elephant: QUirky, brightly coloured but still fucking painful. How many bad versions of 'Danger (High Voltage)’ do yOu need? That their disdainful cover of ‘Radio Ga Ga‘ is a
hith g'". sms tat 'i‘us cai output e": Beer". H'E. v t'wa
stasis Motif. N.Vt""‘ w
INDIE ROLTA ENGINEERS Engineers (Echo .00.
{Ht} iii'w
.13.” ""
With the Brits only recenthy catching up with bands who were mak {III llIiIMOSSlOli 0t} discerning music fan:. two years ago. London and MEIIICIIBSIUIIIIMI Engineers appear to haw already put in a bid for Best New British Act 2007. Also. rather brilliantly, this could well be the start of the shoe gazing ieVivaI we've been holding our breath for Since 1995.
That songs like ‘Home' and ‘Said and Done' sowid like a more focused My Bloody Valentine or a less bullish Ride is undeniable. Yet there's also the proto chill-out of Talk Talk. less sonically adventurous allusions to Mogwai and even — during ‘One in Seven' — a more conVinCing stab at the rock epic than the hugely overrated Muse have ever COITJUIBG. We'll probably knock Our telly over when they get that award. (DaVid Pollock)
ELECTRONICA VARIOUS
Some Paths Lead Back Again compiled by the Marcia Blaine School for Girls
(Highpoint Lowlife)
0..
Fact: some guys who Sit around in their bedrooms in the dark making ‘music' on their computers all day do actually have friends. as proven by this d0uble disc COmpilation of the finest in Scottish post- techno experimental electronica. curated by Glasgow's MBSFG. Featuring offerings from cronies. collaborators and Side-proiects alike. including lzu. Production
x: ti‘ ’x " vitrow't "i iii- utwi‘t: iS'IUuIII ’ii‘ilwtd‘i‘. .1 twin. "‘lIIt‘ rm ‘Il‘i‘." it? i ."Tiiorlor;ttii‘iiiiiri tiri'
.'f.iin:. .Malt‘olii .l.i. r
ALSO RELEASED
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry /Am the Upsetter (Homo/Sanctuary) A four-disc iamboree covering the reggae master's most fruitful period — 1968 to 1978 ~ in his long and expansive career.
M Ward Transistor Radio (Matador) Beguiling Io—fi country stylings from this Cat Power and Will Oldham collabOrator. Various Leopard L0unge 2 (Warmers) Extracted from the depths of the Atlantic and Warner vaults: 40 tracks of pure kitsch easy gold from Ella to Ellington and beyond.
Death from Above 1979
You 're a Woman, I'm a Machine (679) Garage scuzz- peddling twosome rise above lazy White Stripes comparisons with this. their ferocious debut. Jennifer Lopez Rebirth (Universal) The ghost of J L0 is long gone, and while there's nothing here as catchy as ‘Jenny from the Block' there's a handful of salacious pop morsels to savour.
ALL CDS WERE WERE REVIEWED ON A SYSTEM SUPPLIED AND INSTALLED BY LOUD 8; CLEAR