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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 2000)
MUSIC THE SEA AND CAKE Ovi [Thrill Jockey]This Chicago collective, featuring ex-mem bers of Shrimp Boat and the Cocktails, has reunited after a three-year hiatus. As on their previous efforts, their mid tempo ’guitar noodlings waft by thanks to slurred melodies and a jazzy but restrained rhythm section. The addictively dreamy effect is a pleasant, turbu lence-free flight to Mellowsville. A- —Michele Ttomero BJORK Selmasongs [Elektra] Like most movie plots, the idio syncratic Icelandic chanteuse's expan sive. experimental soundscapes veer toward the melodra matic. So it's no sur prise that her soundtrack for Lars von Trier's film mu sical. Dancer in the Dark [she also stars in Dancer, and won the Best Actress prize at the Cannes film festival], is fan tastically cinematic in scope. Whether it's the classically prand orchestration of "Overture.'' the clitter-clatter rhythms of "Cvalda,'' or the gentle music box melody of 'Scat ter Heart," Bjork's bold vision is cus tom-made for the bit; screen. B+ —Laura Morgan FASTBALL The Harsh Li^ht of Day (Hollywood] The Austin, Tex,, trio who hit a home run in '98 with the No. 1 single "The Way” blast off their third album with plenty more ir resistible fare. Somgs like "This Is Not My Life," a rootsy slice of pop-rock, and the breezy winner "You're an Ocean"— with '60s survivor Billy Preston pro pounding—expand the band's eclectic poor dad unable to get tickets for his favorite little princess.... Where Where aren’t they playing? When Through Oct. 19 Why So you can find out if “Say My Name” sounds as good with only three voices: After missing several performances and a trip to Australia, singer Farrah Franklin was given the boot. 1 FORWARD SPIN upcoming releases kitsch sound while still saluting the mas ters [Bacharach. the Beatles. Costello]. Okay, the "meaning ful” love ballad "Vam pires" deserves an eye roll. But Fastball deliver prown-up power pop—no bare navels or choreogra phy needed. B+ —Beth Johnson PHOENIX United [Astralwerks]]t's hard to believe this band is from France. These Franco-friends of Air and Daft Punk have created a debut album that sounds remarkably like a K-tel collection of American Top 40 ra dio circa 1983. Each track is a lovingly tweaked homage to artists like Van Halen. Michael Jackson, and AC/DC. And there's even an up-tempo cut called "If 1 Ever Feel Better" that's so sin cerely woeful, it could jerk a tear from Ca sey Kasem. B+ —MR RADIOHEAD Kid A [Capitol] On the title track. Thom Yorke mipht as well be de livering a monologue into a black hole. His vocals are creepily distorted, like an alien distress call. On "Treefinigers." any ev idence of human im print is scrupulously shrouded in a sci fi-inspired aural at mosphere. But for all their automated tin kering. Radiohead are indeed a band of flesh and blood. While this challeng ing record is full of sterile soundscapes and surreptitious intonations, it's also brimming with messy emotions— though it's question able whether OK Computer-heads will commit to the multi listens required to find them. B — STEW Guest Host [The Telegraph Company] Stew [n6 Mark Stewart], the majordomo behind one of the L.A. pop scene's best-kept se crets. the Nepro Problem, steps out and strips down. “I'm still fascinated by the mask behind the mask." he sinps on the ethereal “Or dinary Love." and on this lovely, pensive album, he removes mask after mask to stand revealed as one of the millenni um's most arresting nouveau trouba dours. TNP's wippy sensibility still peeks throuph [cock an ear to the '30s music-hall pastiche "Man in a Dress'], but this is the sound of an artist findinp his true voice—a rare and wondrous event, and one to be savored. A —Ti^rito l/epa THE BANGLES More than a decade after splitting up (due to internal strife following the success of 1989’s chart-topping and, in retrospect, ironically titled single “Eternal Flame”), the newly reunit ed Bangles are taking their show on the road. In addition to fan favorites, the band will likely play some songs from a new album it plans to release sometime next year. Where Califor nia, Chicago, New York City, Las Ve gas, and Toronto When Ten shows through the end of September Why If for no other reason, just so you can enjoy the spectacle of middle aged people trying to walk like an Egyptian. • • • RADIOHEAD: RANKIN/RETNA BJORK: POYNTER/RETNA: ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY Ofl CampUS
