4Play

May 24, 2006

From: ads2@northernexpress.com
Date: May 22, 2006 9:55:43 AM EDT
The Vines - *Vision Valley* - Capitol Records
There‘s a saying that good things come in small packages, so if disc length is any indication - we‘re talking 31 minutes - then The Vines‘ latest must be pretty impressive.  And actually, it is pretty good, from the balanced mix of rockers and ballads to the lyrical output, which holds both irony and introspection up to the microphone for your perusal.  Highlights include “Anysound,“ the epic-for-The-Vines (6 minutes) “Spaceship,“ “Take Me Back,“ and the sass-filled “Don‘t Listen to the Radio.“  Yeah, yeah - we know that lead singer Craig Nicholls has some medical problems going on, which seems to be the biggest story surrounding this disc‘s release - but the bigger story is really how he‘s pushed past his difficulties to keep on crafting some of the most harmonically aggressive pop that Australia‘s exported in quite some time. 
 
Mugison - *Little Trip* - Ipecac Recordings
The companion album to the Julia Stiles/Forest Whitaker movie *A Little Trip to Heaven,* Mugison alone (the entire soundtrack is his) helps sets the tone for the vulnerable, noir-esque film with his songs nicely supporting the cast‘s rhythm in many of the scenes.  Featuring 17 songs that range from rockers to near-romantic ballads - “Watchdog,“ “Alone in a Hotel,“ “Mugicone,“ “Alone in the Office,“ and “Sammi & Kjartan“ among them - he even covers the Tom Waits song “A Little Trip to Heaven,“ performing it more effectively than Waits himself.   This is music for insomniacs, music for ponderers, music for those wanting to capture the lonely, spirit of this movie after the fact - music made strangely appealing by the talented Mugison himself.  Oh, and there‘s a hidden bonus live track, too - not that you needed anything extra after all of these great compositions.
 
Various Artists - *Ultra Electro* - Ultra Records
There‘s a new electro-dance move happening in the clubs, and it doesn‘t include most of the typical mixes and diva dance ditties one usually hears on the ol‘ dance floor.  And, thankfully, neither does this CD, which saves it from being yet another retread of all the electro-mix CDs you‘ve loved before.  There are plenty of big names here, and while the songs may be familiar, many of the remixes may not, which tweaks new life and some quirky, compelling beats into these tracks.  Disc 1 contains tunes from the more familiar musicians, including Moby, Ladytron, Gorillaz, and Daft Punk, while Disc 2 introduces you to some more obscure, but no less worthy performers, including Daisy Daisy, Armand Van Helden, Digitalism, and Free Form Five.  It‘s one of those discs that you might buy on impulse, but if you dig dance compilations, this might just become one of your faves.
 
The Killers - *Hot Fuss Deluxe Tour Edition* - Universal/Island
Available in the U.S. as a Japanese import, Killers fans will definitely want to pick up this expanded edition of the album that first gained The Killers attention worldwide - plus, you‘ll get three added songs that were taken from single B-sides and demos to round out this limited edition pressing of the CD.  The new songs include the detailed storytelling of “The Ballad of Michael Valentine,“ the stylish “Under the Gun,“ and “Glamorous Indie Rock N‘ Roll,“ the latter of which The Killers often perform live, so, hey, it‘s kind of a concert souvenir as well as a bonus track.  Of course, even those not fans of The Killers (yet) will recognize their multitude of radio hits, from “Somebody Told Me“ and “Mr. Brightside“ to “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine“ - and you even get a bonus DVD plus some previously unreleased artwork.  What more could a Killers fan ask for?