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May 5, 2008
By Holly Hughes
The Wood Brothers’ Loaded comes off like a shot of old-time religion, and the more I listen, the more I'm ready to testify. It's a tasty stew of bluegrass, folk, gospel, and Southern rock, and the kind of unclassifiable Americana that unfortunately often slips between the cracks -- there's plenty of picking and strumming going on here, but it's dished up with a jazzy, loose-limbed syncopation and an alt-rock sensibility. Sadly, as we all know, in the music industry if folks can't slap a label on you, they're just as likely to pass you over.
The brothers have added a few fellow musicians since their previous outing, 2005's Ways To Lose (the core act is Oliver on guitar and Chris on acoustic bass), without spoiling the stripped-down simplicity that made that earlier effort so appealing. It's a canny setting for Oliver Wood’s twangy tenor; he plays every creak and wheeze in his voice like an old squeeze box or musical saw.
Yet for all its rootsy geniality, the songs express a modern, complicated take on relationships -- whether with a lover or with God, it’s often hard to tell which.
There’s the yearning shuffle of “Lovin’ Arms,” the ruefully apologetic “Loaded” (“But sometimes the tip of my tongue / Is the barrel of a gun / And it’s loaded”), the shrug of resignation in “Walk Away,” the wary woundedness of “Don’t Look Back,” the fragile valediction of “Still Close.” Don’t go looking for angst or depression, though – like their colleague Amos Lee (who contributes backing vocals on two tracks), the Wood Brothers' melodic groove and buoyant rhythm just won’t go very dark, though they can handle brooding melancholy pretty well.
The album’s leavened with foot-stompers, too, like “Pray Enough,” the snarky “Twisted,” a raucous cover of “Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor,” and the Dylanesque satire “Postcards From Hell” (they also pull out a nifty acoustic cover of Dylan’s “Bucket of Rain”). Their reggae-flavored take on Jimi Hendrix’ “Angel” is a downright revelation.
Loaded dances to its own sweet drumbeat, and it’s a joy from start to finish. In this American Idol-ized era, a low-key, unpretentious album like this comes as a welcome relief.
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Posted by cphillips at
10:31 AM
May 5, 2008
By David R. Perry
Anjunabeats 100 is the latest DJ mix offering from trance stalwarts Above & Beyond. Not only is it a highlight of their DJ releases, but a milestone project for their Anjunabeats label. Home to some of the hottest trance tracks in rotation, Anjunabeats has enjoyed a brief but shining career thus far. There have been a few album mixes over the past few years under the Anjunabeats moniker, and Anjunabeats 100 serves as both a best-of for that series, but also commemorates the 100th release for their label.
Because of the nature of the release, I'll refrain from detailing much of the tracklist, as it consists of staple tracks instead of new white labels. It should be viewed more in its retrospective light than as a truly new release for the group. Granted, it is a new mix, but it's comprised of well-traveled material. If you were to literally distill Anjunabeats Vols. 1-5, as well as the Worldwide release, this would be the result. The fact that Above & Beyond are very capable DJs keep this from becoming just another label sampler or cheap best-of.
The style within continues their love and focus on the high euphoric sound of trance. Since this has the benefit of pulling from their entire catalog of titles, they pretty much have the pick of the litter. There really isn't a dud moment within the mix, except that some tunes by now may have suffered from over-exposure. But even then, there is no filler.
One of the main distinctions for this set is that Above & Beyond allow a higher percentage of their own material than in past releases. Between their album tracks, collaborations, as well as several cuts from their Oceanlab project, a full third of the two discs is mined from the group's discography.
The bonus DVD, From Goa to Rio is a nice, if slight, addition to the set.
The bulk of the disc's content comes from a half-hour documentary that follows the members of the group during two gigs in Goa and Rio. Interspersed with live footage from the large beach concerts, interview footage gives some insight into the personalities of the group, as well as their songwriting and label. The documentary is a cut above most "bonus DVD" filler, but is probably still not something that will hold up to much repeated viewing. The other content includes the music video for Oceanlab's hit single "Satellite", as well a humorous, mock promo for the group. It should be noted that if you're not keen on buying the physical multi-disc version of the set, Ultra Records also includes the main documentary video as a file when purchased through their download store.
Overall, Anjunabeats 100 is a worthwhile set for those who might be new to either trance or Above & Beyond. The actual mix is very well put together, and offers cream-of-the-crop tunes. This, in addition to their debut artist album, Tri-State, would make a great introduction to the group. For those who are more familiar with Above & Beyond, and perhaps own some of their Anjunabeats compilations, this will probably feel like more of the same, as it's largely cut from the same material. Although a quality release, it's enjoyment will be up to the familiarity of the listener.
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Posted by cphillips at
10:21 AM
