LISA GERMANO

LULLABY FOR LIQUID PIG

C-

Ineffable/imusic label

Whenever Lisa Germano’s name is mentioned, groundbreaking seems to always follow it. Other artists, such as Peter Gabriel, Neil Finn and David Bowie have expressed their love and respect for her unique style of music. Before becoming a solo artist, Germano played the violin for John Mellencamp, worked with the eels, Giant Sand and David Bowie.

Germano released five other heart-breaking albums before she was dropped from her former label. Instead of rushing to find another label, she decided to take some time off to work at a bookstore. After work, she would go home and work on her music which describes her deepest feelings about life. Germano’s unique yet soothing voice becomes more addictive every time you hear it.

To complement her voice, there is a variety of instruments ranging from guitars to a violin. Many people have assumed this album is about a drinking problem, but it is more complex than that, according to Germano.

This album could be about any addictive substance, even though she does admit to being a fan of wine for most of her life.

The tone of the album comes off as being depressing, but it is meant to be a release of thoughts that everyone should let out at some point in their life.

– Eric Hann

PEACH MELBA

NO PRESERVATIVES

B+

Degy Entertainment

Peach Melba is a jam band in the vein of Phish that live and die by their energy and their style. However, it is unfair to compare and contrast them with Phish, the modern template for the classic jam band. What Peach Melba brings to the table is a wholly unique experience that sounds simultaneously traditional and completely original.

They combine vastly different genres of music to create an experience that is unique. Their main influences seem to be rock, bluegrass and funk but you can also detect the influence of jazz, pop and folk.

On their new album No Preservatives, Peach Melba’s music reigns supreme on this album. The songs are long, usually falling between seven and 12 minutes, with sparse amounts of lyrics sprinkled throughout. Although the lyrics don’t dominate the album, Peach Melba doesn’t fall into the trap of just using them as filler or bridges into the next instrumental explosion. The lyrics are simple, but fit the style of music and adds to, rather than detracts from the listening experience.

In fact, the only thing that does detract from the album is the music itself. The entire album is recorded from a live show in their hometown of Athens, Ohio with no over dubbs, and as I’m sure it provided an amazing experience for those in attendance sometimes the album seems bogged down by the music. Some of the songs go for minutes with the same guitar and drum style before breaking out into a new rhythm and pace. This creates some monotony that will make those other than people who love the jam band style skipping to the next song after five minutes of listening to the same song.

For fans of music this is an accomplished and enjoyable album. The more you know about musical styles and genres the more you can appreciate the quality of the music that Peach Melba brings you. However, if you like your radio friendly, lyrically-driven songs that top out at four minutes Peach Melba may prove to be too repetitive. If you are willing to listen to something new and challenging, then Peach Melba delivers.

– Sean Corp

Michael Bublé

Micheal buble’

A

143 Records/Reprise

I love this album. My favorite songs are “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “That’s All.” I would be perfectly content to end the review there, but then there would be a block of white space below and that’s just not cool.

I can not say enough about this self-titled album. It is being pushed as swing, but don’t let that or the fact that there are no original songs scare you. Bublé covers very recognizable songs, but you won’t mind. It was pleasantly surprising, even though I usually suggest avoiding any attempts by new artists to cover the classics. Why fix something that’s not broken? However, as I went through each song, it was like reading a book for the hundredth time and finding something new. With songs like, “Summer Wind” and “Come Fly With Me,” you can hear the echoes of Frank Sinatra. (Before Sinatra fans hunt me down in an attempt to bring harm to me, I didn’t say he was better, only that the voice is uncannily familiar.)

The 25-year-old singer also remakes Stevie Wonder’s “For Once in My Life” and Van Morrison’s “Moondance.” Barry Gibb lends his voice on the Bee Gees’ hit, “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.” The more I listened to it, the more I couldn’t help think of the dark, smoke-filled jazz clubs of the 30s and 40s. Bublé’s appeal should introduce a new generation to the jazz genre and a sense of nostalgia to their grandparents. Let’s hope Bublé comes out with original material on his next album to avoid becoming just another talented cover act.

-Tasha Steimer

THE SUN

LOVE ‘ DEATH

A

Record label N/A

This is rock: uncompromising, loud, ballsy, versitile, soulful, and intimate. Love ‘ Death, the debut EP by The Sun, is rock. It’s only six songs deep, but each is a gem and each has a sophisticated, decadent glory about it.

The opener, “Fell So Hard,” is just over two minutes long with power chords that must give thanks to the Hives and the Damned. The song is archaic and unfriendly and brilliant.

The record’s longest track, “Rockstop” clocks in at four minutes, but it is the undisputed champ of Love ‘ Death. “Rockstop” is shameless synth-pop, but it’s also warm and cynical: “I blame it all on the radio, because the radio is dead.” There is cataclysmic drumming near the end of the song; it’s loud, it’s angry, but so what?

Escapist moaning accompanies “Back in the Summer of ’72” — a grunge song that some how gets away with a 60s organ solo thrown right in the middle. “Eyelids Apart” is the antithesis of the entire record. It’s a delicate number that features only lead singer Chris Burney on acoustic guitar, but nonetheless it’s a pleasant surprise to end the album.

The Sun hopefully will be a band that will be around for a long time. And why shouldn’t they? They practice what they preach: rock ‘n’ roll.

-Joe Bugbee

KINGS OF LEON

wicker chair

A

All hail the kings? Indeed, if speaking of the Kings of Leon, a new young rock band from Tennessee. This quartet, made up of three sons of a preacher man and their cousin, was named one of the ten bands to watch in 2003 by Rolling Stone.

Comparable to the Strokes, and by no means a coincidence since they were discovered by the same guy. These four Kings’ five-song debut EP came out on Tuesday hitting both stores and college radio.

A spoonful of Southern, a dash of garage rock, a bottle of blues and a heaping handful of edge are just a few of the ingredients that make up this unique recipe.

Caleb, the lead singer and rhythm guitar player, describes the songs in his own words. “‘Molly’s Chambers,’ that’s a song about a girl that, if you ever come across her and you get your opportunity, you’d better take it. Because, she might eventually mess you up, but it’s worth it. The song tries to recreate the musical vibe of how she can captivate you. ‘Wasted Time’ is about people hiding from who they really are. Wicker Chair is about seeing someone self-destruct and knowing there’s not really anything you can do about it; it’s melancholy. ‘Holy Roller Novocaine’ is our most personal song.”

– Andrea Wilhelm

DAMONE

FROM THE ATTIC

D+

RCA Records

This freshman release is a blend of rock and punk spoken sung by a17-year-old girl named Noelle. Each track takes you on a journey through the mind of a teenager who is heartbroken and confused about life. The strange thing is all of the songs were actually written by the guitarist Dave Pino while he was going through relationship problems.

While working at a car wash, Pino wrote more than 800 different lyrics about the girl he fell in love with, in hopes that she would take him back after reading them. The girl declined his offer to give the relationship another chance. After the rejection, Pino disregarded all of the lyrics because he felt they weren’t good enough.

When the young tomboy, Noelle, joined the band, she was given the lyrics and loved them. They reminded her of what it was like for a young girl to be heartbroken. With a few minor changes to the lyrics, Noelle made them into her own.

None of the songs are groundbreaking or even very catchy. Every song sounds like the same story over and over again. There are a few good guitar solos scattered throughout the album, but they even sound the same. It is hard to believe the singer is singing from her heart, because the lyrics are about someone else’s life.

If you like whiny insincere music then this album is perfect, otherwise, don’t pick it up anytime soon.

– Eric Hann