December 2002
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KING CRIMSON |
COLDPLAY |
PORCUPINE TREE |
DON NIX |
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PAUL McCARTNEY Back In The U.S. (Capitol / MPL) Baby
boomers looking to reclaim some lost innocence will want to check out
the DVD and CD set from Paul McCartney and his group entitled
Back In The US. The double CD set and single disc, 3+ hour Back
In The U.S. DVDrecorded and filmed live at various locations
on the first leg of Maccas Spring 2002 American tourfeatures
a host of Pauls best known Beatles and Wings numbers
and wistful song dedications to both George Harrison and John
Lennon. The CD and DVD makes a solid case that McCartneys
current bandwith guitarists Rusty Anderson and Brian
Ray along with drummer Abe Laboriel, Jr. and long time McCartney
keyboardist Paul Wix Wickensis one of his best
yet. The 36 track double CD Back In The U.S. set is a sturdy,
straight up double live album, while the memorable single disc 3+ hour
DVDwith fascinating behind the scenes footage, revealing rehearsal
soundchecks, humorous side bits, Pauls memories of 9/11 and interviews
with all the great players on handis clearly the way to go. So
after 40+ years of touring and recording, just what does Macca get from
playing live? In his own words, The excitement of contact with
people, just that feedback, that human feedback. Just seeing people
moved by what youre doing. A vital, breathing musical history
lesson from a survivor and architect of 60s pop, both the CD and
DVD of Back In The U.S. are capped off with extensive booklets
loaded with color photos and nostalgic tour memories from Paul and his
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KING CRIMSON Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With (Sanctuary / DGM) The
mighty King Crimson return in late 2002 with yet another EP worth of
new material. As good as the 35 minute Happy With What You Have To
Be Happy With EP is, KC are even promising bigger and better things
with the planned release of their upcoming Winter 2003 album The
Power To Believe. The ten track Happy EP introduces
a couple new tracks from their forthcoming full length album, yet taken
on its own, Happy flows with a remarkable intensity and
consistency that only a group such as King Crimson can muster. Singer
songwriter Adrian Belew and long time King Crimson mentor/guitarist
Robert Fripp sound as determined as ever and they hardly miss
a beat in the wake of Crimsons 2001 Level Five EP.
Assisted by Trey Gunn (Warr guitar, bass) and drumming wiz Pat
Mastelotto, both Fripp and Belew once again deliver the goods. With
its fitting mix of instrumental and vocal trackshighlighted
by Belews stirring vocals on the title track and an instrumental
version of Larks Tongues In Aspic (Part IV)Happy
With What You Have To Be Happy With may be a small masterpiece but
its worth spending alot of time with.
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ERIC CLAPTON One More Car One More Rider (Reprise / Duck) Eric
Claptons first live album since his 92 Unplugged album
is available in three different formatsa double CD, a DVD (which
mirrors the CD track lineup) and a combo-pak featuring the
19 track double CD with the 20 track DVD. Recorded live in L.A. and
Tokyo on Claptons 2001 world tour the 2002 release of One More
Car, One More Rider captures the rock guitar legend in rare form
supported by top guns like the amazing Steve Gadd (drums), Billy
Preston (Hammond organ, keyboards), David Sancious (guitar,
keyboards), Andy Fairweather Low (guitar, backing vocals), Nathan
East (bass) and Greg Phillinganes (keyboards). Clapton and
company rip through a number of classic rock and blues gems including
Cream classics like Badge and Sunshine Of Your
Love and his Derek & The Dominos favorites Layla
and Bell Bottom Blues. Claptons knack for writing
pop jewels is a given and theres some dazzling electric guitar
work on the album especially on rockers like I Want A Little Girl
and Goin Down Slow. The sound quality is remarkable
and the superbly filmed and edited 2+ hour DVD is fascinating to watch.
Both the CD and DVD are essential for long time Clapton followers and
and way you catch it, One More Car, One More Rider reaffirms
Clapton standing as the premier guitarist on the modern blues and rock
scene.
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COLDPLAY A Rush Of Blood To The Head (Capitol) Its
good to know the English can still make mesmerizing post-Pink Floyd
style pop and hardly anyone in England makes it quite as good as Coldplay
who are enjoying major success with their 2002 CD A Rush Of Blood
To The Head. Having sold millions with their debut album, Parachutes,
the groups eclectic approach to progressive pop music is quite
in tact on their new CD. Perfecting their iconoclastic U2 meets The
Beatles rock sound, the groups image is underscored by drummer
/ guitarist Will Champion when he says, Its been
all on our own terms. Were not a band that can be pushed around,
although we do have some amazing advisors. Weaned on a musical
diet of The Cure, PF Harvey, Nick Cave and New Order, Coldplay defy
the odds on their second album and summon up a powerful new vision.
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PORCUPINE TREE In Absentia (Lava) Follow
the Porcupine Tree back to its origins in 1988, and youll
find an amazing amount of progressive sounds that, over the years, has
garnered acclaim for skillfully mixing modern pop genres with ease.
With the release of the groups 2002 Lava Records release
In Absentia, Porcupine Tree mainstay, singer-songwriter and guitarist
Steven Wilson keeps the spirit of rock alive. Citing albums like
Sgt. Pepper's, Pet Sounds, Quadrophenia and Dark Side Of The
Moon among his biggest influences, Wilson adds, We reach back
into the 70s, when the album was the paramount art form. Im
searching for modern equivalents, but Im really struggling
Struggle no more as Wilson and his bandmateslong standing PT keyboardist
Richard Barbieri, Colin Edwin (bass) and Gavin Harrison
(drums)present possibly the finest PT effort yet. Prog-rock,
spacy electronic sounds, heavy metal bombast and a flair for Pink Floyd-inspired
catchy pop sounds coalesce in harmony on In Absentia.
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DON
NIX Going Down (Evidence) After
a long time out of the public ear, singer-songwriter Don Nix was coaxed
into releasing his long awaited comeback album in 2002. An original
member of the legendary early 60s Stax band The Mar-Keys (with
Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn), Nix furthered his stellar reputation in
the late 60s and 70s working with his buddies like Leon
Russell and Freddie King. Dons work with Beatles legend George
Harrison led to Nix leading the choir at the famed Concert For Bangla
Desh. For Going Down: The Songs Of Don Nixa great
rootsy, R&B-flavored release on Evidence MusicNix is
joined by kindred musical spirits like guitar hero Steve Cropper
(of Booker T & The MGs fame), Brian May (of Queen), Leslie
West (of Mountain), John Mayall, keyboardist Max Middleton,
Bobby Whitlock, singers Bonnie Bramlett and Tony Joe
White and more. The CD booklet is filled with historic photos and
will be an eye-opener for those unfamiliar with the rock legend. That
famous Nix rock and roll and blues sound comes alive and rocks up quite
a storm on the fabulous Going Down.
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