4Play

Oct. 18, 2006

Beck - The Information - Interscope
Inventive, absurd, naturally talented, uncategorizable - these are all words that have been used to describe the song stylings of Beck, and with his latest album, he holds true to all of the above.  Working again this time around with the equally creative Nigel Godrich, who previously worked with Beck on Beck’s Sea Change and Mutations discs, this set not only includes 15 new sharp, compelling, and witty Beck songs, but also a DVD featuring homemade videos for each song.  In addition, Beck pushes the art envelope by including collectible stickers designed by Euro and U.S. artists, giving fans the chance to “participate” in the creative process by decorating Beck’s CD their way.  And then there are those songs, of course - highlights include the synth-laden “Soldier Jane,” the wryly named “Elevator Music,” the wild “Dark Star,” and the title track, with its solid bass and catchy melody line.  Information has it that Beck’s crafted another winner - but are you really surprised?
  

Jet - Shine On - WEA/Atlantic
Between the “J” and the “T” of Jet, there must be a middle name that’s called rock n’ roll.  These guys know what rock is, plain and simple - pick up your drums and guitar and bang away.  That’s not to say that there aren’t quality songs here, but the songs that do supply the filling for Shine On are an effective balance of rock ballads and rock... well, rockers, less blues-influenced than Jet’s previous album but still loaded with power and swagger.  Guitars and vocals take center stage here, with the drums holding down the floor, especially on tracks like “Holiday,” “Bring It On Back,” “Hey Kids,” and “Stand Up,” all full of power chords and producer Dave Sardy’s aggressive production.  This is music to play loud - and there’s almost an hour of it, so you’re guaranteed to drive the neighbors nuts - that is, unless they come on over and invite themselves to start rocking out right alongside you.  With a band like Jet, you never know - it just might happen. 
 

TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain - Interscope
Returning with their second album, TVOTR’s latest is crisper and more dancey than their first, but still stays solidly in pop territory, complete with plenty of earworms and lots of grit so that things don’t end up sounding too pretty-pretty.  The album opens with co-existing horns and electronica beats, with singer Tunde Adepimbe putting across his pensive lyrics with plenty of emotion and a darned catchy drum line.  Looping and turning, the set continues with the appropriately yowling “Wolf Like Me,” the arty “Let the Devil In,” the larger-than-life sound of “Wash the Day Away,” and the big-screen feel of “Playhouses” - and Adepimbe’s vocals are a highlight of it all. He manages to turn his vocal abilities in all directions to make sure they’re suiting the song;  whether it’s something dark and soulful or something lodged in his more than capable falsetto range, it’s a big part of what makes TV on the Radio something that you’ll find endlessly entertaining once you switch it on. 

 
Sean Lennon - Friendly Fire - Capitol
Lennon put together this album as a companion piece to a series of short films (directed by Michele Civetta) that he conceived - a set of shorts that together make up a full film about the failure of love, and that feature appearances from Lennon pals Carrie Fisher, Bijou Phillips, and others. Some critics have already derided Lennon’s efforts as the playtime of a rich kid - but that’s a most unfair assessment, as Lennon, unbeknownst to many, is not only a singer and songwriter, but is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist who’s most proficient on the bass. No, it’s not John Lennon - but Sean isn’t John. He has inherited some of his father’s talent, indeed, but what he’s doing with it is all his own, and so far, it’s pretty great. Crafting meaningful lyrics and putting them together with appropriately sad music, he interestingly starts some songs with the chorus right away, and you’ll find that most of them are catchy enough that you’ll be drawn in after only one listen - and the short films help solidify Lennon’s ambitious album concept as a whole.