4Play

July 12, 2006

The Replacements - Don’t You Know Who I Think I Was? The Best of the Replacements
- Rhino/WEA
Lost in the shuffle of today’s emo-rock are The Replacements, one of the bands that set the standard for those who came after, even if those who came after don’t realize it.  The Replacements hold a solid place in the legacy of music, as one of the groups to most effectively mix garage rock with power pop, their punk beats tempered by Paul Westerberg’s plaintive yet melodic vocals.  Thankfully, this greatest hits album captures much of what made them a band to look up to - as well as much of the slacker discontent that was captured in their songs.  Several of their best are included here, such as the uber-catchy “Alex Chilton,” the city longings of “Skyway,” and the smart-aleck refrains of “I’ll Be You,” and little did the ‘Mats know that they would become one of the most iconic American modern rock bands of the 20th century - but after you listen to this sonically innovative collection, you’ll understand why.

Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways - Lost Highway Records
Given the surrounding circumstances, this album could’ve been cast with quite a pall around it.  And anyone who knows the story of Johnny Cash’s life will likely listen to this with great sympathy for the loss of the Man in Black.  But the power embodied in these recordings is worth far more than the time it will take to give this incredibly moving album a listen.  Produced posthumously by Rick Rubin and performed instrumentally by several Cash cohorts (Cash’s vocals were recorded just a few months before he died), the songs are respectfully played by the musicians and emotionally, confessionally sung by Cash, from the spirituals “I’m Free From the Chain Gang Now” and “I Came to Believe” to Cash’s reworkings of “Four Strong Winds” and “If You Could Read My Mind,” all the way up to the last song Cash ever wrote, “Like the 309.”  But instead of being a sad memorial, the album ends up being both a testament to Cash’s beliefs, and to his unmistakable and heartfelt talents. 

AFI - Decemberunderground - Interscope
Newbie AFI fans might not be aware that the band that they adore for their sinister yet strangely upbeat crash-pop used to be more of a typical metal outfit in their Good Ol’ Days.  And it’s not often that a band can transition into a markedly new sound without losing some listeners along the way.  But whatever fans jumped off the AFI train after they began changing up their tracks have been easily replaced - quadrupled, actually - by those that they’ve gained since becoming slightly more accessible.  Veering comfortably into glam-rock and even new-wave territory at various times, these are songs that catch and stick, from the keyboard-washed tunes like “The Interview” to the attacks of “Kill Caustic” and “Affliction” to the Main-Stage-ready in-your-face superpop of “Miss Murder” and “Prelude 12/21.”  Ambitious, punchy, and put forth with confidence, AFI’s latest shows that a change can definitely do you good.

John Digweed - Transitions - Thrive
Taken from Digweed’s uber-popular syndicated radio show of the same name, Transitions is the first in a projected series of discs that are being put together to showcase the agile house DJ’s experimental and all-encompassing roster of dance music accomplishments.  One of the best mixers in the biz, Digweed offers up a wide variety of tracks here, from the belligerant “Roots 4 Acid” to the zippy bass of On Spec’s “Knights of Columbus.”  Other standouts include Digweed’s takes on trance (“Jetchi”) and his own new completely new track, the Lutzenkirchen remix of “Warung Beach” - all in all, you’ll get so wrapped up in the beats that you’ll be sorry when the CD ends and your own personal miniature dance club abruptly closes. Digweed’s one of the best at dropping the beats right where they need to be, and this cohesive collection solidfies his love for the form and also shows why he’s the gold standard groovemaster.