4Play

March 15, 2006

Various Artists - Smallville: The Metropolis Mix - Hollywood Records
Smallville is yet another of those TV shows that are becoming known for making their soundtrack as much a part of the plot line as the dialogue and actors are.  The music chosen for Smallville adds to the emotion of the scenes, whether those scenes are dramatic, sad, or upbeat.  So, of course, the accompanying CD has much the same range, which makes for a fun listen all the way through.  Among the ear candy are tunes from the likes of the Dandy Warhols (an energetic Alan Moulder remix of their tune “All the Money or Simple Life Honey”), actress-turned-singer Minnie Driver (“Hungry Heart”), Lifehouse (“You and Me”), Josh Kelley (“Almost Honest”), and the All-American Rejects (the radio virus “Dirty Little Secret”).  Yeah, several of them are previous releases that you might already recognize, but it’s cool to have them all in one - dare we say it? - super album.

The Decemberists - Picaresque - Kill Rock Stars
With an approach that often veers more towards that of merchant marines or pirates (huh?) than pop musicians, The Decemberists are a unique band, dabbling in jigs, reels, and sea shantys as much as they do modern music, which generally takes a backseat to the rest of their approach.  They’re also a literary band, which makes their lyrics as interesting to listen to as their old-world brand of music.  So what do these vagabonds sing about?  Pretty much everything, from the obvious (love in “From My Own True Love (Lost at Sea)”), folk stories (“Eli, the Barrowboy”), and anti-war sentiments (“Sixteen Military Wives”) - and they season their tunes with a equally broad stew of spices, layering tambourines and saxophones on top of their vocals, rollicking drums, and acoustic guitars.  Different and evocative, The Decemberists are a talented and witty change of pace that will make a great addition to your music collection.

The Corrs - Home - Rhino/WEA
This isn’t the typical chart-friendly release from Ireland’s Corrs - instead, it’s a set that takes them all the way back to their Celtic roots and finds them putting a wee bit of their pop stamp on more traditional Irish songs and airs - and it’s a beautiful set indeed.  The Corr siblings, a quartet featuring sisters Andrea, Caroline, Sharon, and brother Jim, showcase both their pretty vocals and instrumental talents well on these songs.  Mostly acoustic in tone with other instruments carefully mixed in, the vocals really take center stage against the slightly more contemporary arrangements (and added touches like piano and Uillean pipes), especially on tracks like “Heart Like A Wheel,” “Old Town,” “My Lagan Love,” and “Spancill Hill” -  and there’s the additional surprise of two songs recorded in Gaelic, the first time The Corrs have recorded in their home language. 

William Orbit - Hello Waveforms - Sanctuary Records
Finally here and full of what we’ve come to expect from the talented Orbit - namely, understated yet effective synth lines and some of the best beats in the industry - this disc brings together eleven Orbit tunes mixed to the max and featuring more of the calm/mellow side of his electronica charm.  He’s even brought in Strange Cargo singer Laurie Meyer, who contributes some vocals on several tracks to great effect, as well as Sugababes and Kenna, who make welcome contributions to the track “Spiral.”  The standouts on this mostly lo-fi, brooding set are many - among them, the airy “You Know Too Much About Flying Saucers,” the blippy “Firebrand,” the pretty and unexpected “Fragmosia,” and the playful “Who Owns The Octopus?”  Hopefully, we won’t have to chill another six years before he releases another album - but if we do, at least he left us with something cool to listen to.