MUSIC REVIEW: Tori Amos - From the Hotel Choirgirl

"Amazingly good."

This is certainly Tori Amos' most robust album, as it adopts an approach that fleshes out the roles of the other musicians. Tori's piano shines as always, but it's not always the driving instrument in the music (lots of guitar here). The compositions are more "rocking" and less florid, less delicate. The arrangements are denser and that is new to feature to Tori's sound, and yet because of her magical touch they preserve a very warm and human element that makes them so accessible. As always, vocals are superb: her effortless (but hardly lackadaisical) delivery is charming, visceral, and powerful, with semi-conscious phrasing and a semi-cool tone.

Tori's albums are always snapshots of where she is at the moment, and at this point she was obviously very intuitive emotionally. Her lyrical subject matter takes on staple Tori topics, but with particularly keen emotional expression. All her emphatic poetry is there, it's just slightly more obscure than Little Earthquakes and Under The Pink. However, the album is consistently excellent and proves to be extremely well rounded, both lyrically and musically. There's also considerable variety, including the requisite piano ballads "Jackie's Strength" and "Northern Lad" (two beautiful songs), the dance-inflected beats of "Raspberry Swirl," (virgin territory for Tori; a fun tune with a nice combination of wit and sass), and the hard-rocking "She's Your Cocaine" (complete with rumbling bass and quirky melotron). The album finishes notably strong (she often saves the best for last). With the final three tracks, Tori flexes her musical vocabulary and comes across as intelligent, classy, even adventurous.

From The Choirgirl Hotel is pleasantly unpredictable and makes for joyous listening. Boys For Pele sometimes feels heavy-handed and thick, and Under The Pink is a little inconsistent. As such, From The Choirgirl Hotel is Tori's best work since Little Earthquakes, but it has more variety and creative songcraft.

MUSIC REVIEW: Buckethead - Colma

"Different Buckethead is still excellent Buckethead."


If you're a Buckethead fan, you're invariably drawn to his inventive technique, his furious yet tasteful blend of speed, heaviness, and melody, not to mention his quirky sense of humor. As such, Colma will be a surprise for many people. Here, Buckethead sheds all his pseudo-metal bombast in favor of a slow and mellow album of incredible beauty. Many fans might be turned off (or even put to sleep) by the change in sound, but if you don't mind lighter, less intense aural experiences, Colma proves to be rewarding album.

The songs are largely acoustic based, with only the occasional electric guitar (most notably on the dynamic solos that close "Machete"). The music is prominently soothing, sometimes beautiful, and sometimes establishing an ineffable emotional clarity despite the fact that no words are ever spoken. This is a testimony of how expressive Buckethead's guitar playing is. Most of the melody lines are great with a few that are merely good. It's nice that the album included a few string instruments on some of the songs...the interplay between guitar and strings is always nice. Personally, I would have liked to see a piano worked into a song or two -- I really think it would have fit some of the tracks. This is just a wish however, and the lack of a piano doesn't detract from the music.

The music is great, although diversity is a problem. Because every song follows a very formulaic structure the same tempo is used for nearly every song, the CD can feel like a sludge of almost interchangeable tracks. The songs ARE excellent, though, and if you give it enough attention you will see that the music does explore many subtle variations of the main musical idea. Also undermining some of the album's excellent music is the lifeless nature of the looping drums. Usually it doesn't bother me, but there are times when I find myself unwittingly giving them too much attention and I am a little irked.

Nearly an hour of like sounding slow songs might be a hard sell, but the music IS great and Colma's merits shine past its flaws. In the future, I hope Buckethead makes another album like this but with more visceral drumming and a little more attention to song variety.

MUSIC REVIEW: Tori Amos - Under the Pink

"Takes time to sink in -- then it hits you with its brilliance."

First things first: Under the Pink is not as good as Little Earthquakes overall. But considering Little Earthquakes is one of the most beautifully heartfelt albums I've ever heard (6/5 stars by Amazon's ratings), it's not like Under the Pink stood much of a chance. Nonetheless, it captures plenty of emotional power between Tori's emotive and elegant singing, her deeply personal lyrics, and her expressive piano playing.

Under the Pink is also a little less immediately accessible than Little Earthquakes. For the first several listens it's merely good, but it seems like the album's true greatness is bubbling below the surface, just explode and inundate the listener. The first 1/3 or so of the album hits you right away. "Pretty Good Year" is a gentle tune, and it moves into the witty and rocking "God," whose chorus contains an amazing hook. The beautiful "Bells for Her" is played on a weirdly tuned piano, but strangely enough the effect is chilling and stirring all at once. That harrowing chorus gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. "Past the Mission" features guest vocals by Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, of all people. Surprisingly, he's a big contributor to the greatness of this track. The bouncy, light feeling choruses are juxtaposed with that slow, somber, and delicately sung chorus. During the chorus, Reznor's own whispered vocal lines layer Tori's lovely voice. The effect is very cool. (You might consider this to be special praise because normally I hate Trent Reznor.)

And then most people might listen to the rest of the album and not be excited. "What a good album this could have been," some will say, and go listen to something else. These people will not know what they missed. Although the later portion of the album are less approachable, it also offers the best songs in the long run. The astonishing 10 minute ballad "Yes, Anastasia" is particularly incredible, as is the one-two emotional punch of the back to back ballads, "Icicle" and "Cloud on My Tongue." The jazzy feel of "The Wrong Band" makes for a fun track, while the heavily rhythmic "Space Dog" and snappy "Cornflake Girl" are both hook-laden rockers. "Baker Baker" is a pretty song, and the "The Waitress" is enjoyable in its irony.

At first I thought Tori had toned down on the personal and emotional side of her songs, but it's just more subtle than before. The great stuff here is just as good as the good stuff on Little Earthquakes, and everything else is pretty darn close. A worthy, but not quite equal, follow-up to the yet unparalleled Little Earthquakes.

MUSIC REVIEW: Fates Warning - Disconnected

"Masterfully executed progressive metal; tasteful, stylish, and different."

Fates Warning's music has to be put in the progressive metal category, but it's a refreshing brand of such music. In a genre brimming with bands attempting to emulate Dream Theater's bold and bombastic style, Fates Warning's more subdued but no less engrossing brand of progressive music is decidedly engaging. Completely original and superbly composed and performed, Fates Warning is rivaled by few of its prog-metal peers, whether it be in terms of sheer quality or originality.

As with A Pleasant Shade of Gray (Disconnected's predecessor), Fates Warning's latest release is an atmospheric and cerebral album. Synthesized sound textures support the fine guitars of Jim Matheos, who proves that you don't have to show off to make good progressive metal (in fact, only really contains one solo). Disconnected's sound is subtle and textured, but still retains the feel of metal. The ardent metal cut "One" is a bold, crunchy track. Leading up to the epics are "So" and "Pieces of Me," which really aren't that strong. "So" is exhausting, too long, and hooked around the worst chorus the band ever did. "Pieces of Me" is better, but still weak. Filler? I hate using that word, but... yeah, that's what it seems like.

That said, however, the weakest tracks lead up to the strongest tracks, which are two of the best progmetal epics out there. "Something From Nothing" spends a lot of time with the intro building up to the real "meat" of the song. Keyboardist Kevin Moore's electronica influence is integrated nicely here, setting down suspenseful sonics before Matheos enters with the main riff. It uses every second of its 10 minute length to take the listener through a variety of moods and textures.

"Still Remains" is the second epic, this one coming in at 16-minutes or so. This one takes less time rushing into the intense keyboard and guitar interplay that sets the foundation for the majority of the song than "Something from Nothing." This song really highlights Mark Zonder's mastery of the drums, with his dizzying cymbal work. Instead of concluding the song with a heavy climax, the song slows, with vibrant and beautiful guitar melodies and stirring vocal from Ray Alder. Awesome stuff. (The album's 'solo' is here.)

Concluding the disc is an atmospheric work of electronica rhythms, pianos, voice samples (Moore's influence, again), and a siren-like guitar effect (the one you hear at the beginning of the album).

Repeated listens reveal intricacies previously unheard, such as moody keyboards, elaborate syncopations, unusual time signatures, and more. Disconnected established Fates Warning as one of the most inventive progressive metal bands in the business.

FILM REVIEW: The Cell

"Somewhat disturbing feast for the senses."


There are two types of horror movies: (1) Those that rely on hackneyed plot devices and strive for "Boo!" moments to enjoin suspense and fear from the viewer; and (2) Those that yield a sense of horror through a profound psychological effect. I recognize the merit of (1), but I tend to prefer (2) simply because such films tend to be more engaging in their originality. The Cell is of this second type, and it's an enjoyable film so long as it is taken as a shallow sci-fi/horror flick and nothing notably intellectual or deep.

Now The Cell is not a great film, but it is entertaining largely due to the imaginative, twisted visual. With the magic of special effects (clap clap) you are taken into the twisted mind of a very psychologically distraught serial killer. It's a truly surreal, disturbing journey not for the lighthearted, but engaging for those who stick with it. Disquieting imagery, gritty design, and disconcerting camerawork underscore the overtly twisted and fantastic jaunt through the killer's psyche. It's quite an engaging experience, sadly undermined by a few faults.

I'm not a fan of Jennifer Lopez AT ALL. I can't stand her acting, to be honest. She's not great here, although I suppose she suffices by conveying the amicable and sympathetic elements of her character. The script is just fine, and succinctly covers a lot of ground in the movie's densely packed exposition so you can immediately jump into the core genus of the film's plot. The story fails to achieve a sense of suspense, which is unfortunate. The whole motive for entering the serial killer's mind is to find where he hid his last victim. I suspect this was meant to provide an added measure of urgency, but I all but forgot that factor during the scenes where Lopez explored the mind of the murderer. Maybe it was a superfluous component of the plot, or maybe it was just poorly implemented. I'm not sure, but I never really felt engaged by that aspect of the story.

But that's okay, because the disturbing visual aspects of this film more than compensate for a little flimsiness in the story. The serial killer's mind is a weirdly absorbing place to explore, and there was some breathless sense of intensity associated with that alone. Style over substance? Sure, a little. But, like very few other films, it doesn't matter all that much in the end. This movie leaves a mark thanks to some very memorable scenes, but for all the horror, we like it. That's the magic of The Cell.

Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth

"Bruce in top form; heavy metal done brilliantly."

Accident of Birth perfectly encapsulates everything that heavy metal should be. Fine musicianship, soaring vocal deliveries, fervent aggression, and enthusiastic performances brimming with intensity. The follow-up to "Tattooed Millionaire" and "Balls to Picasso," AoB is more of an overtly fiery metal album, with better, more intense arrangements yielding stronger results on the whole. TM and BtP were good, but more in the vein of hard rock sensibilities and not exactly what one expects from Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson. I find AoB's musical approach more interesting and better in the end.

Bruce's panache for writing brilliant lyrics based on mythological tales and historical elements are intact here. More importantly, Bruce's phenomenal vocals are better than ever. They retain the utmost intensity of his finest days with Maiden but have developed considerably, becoming more visceral and husky. Songs are gritty and harrowing, and this album shows that Bruce's songwriting was clearly on a roll. Over the course of an hour, this album covers plenty of ground. "Darkside of Aquarius" is a classic the likes of which Maiden wishes they could have done in their time without Bruce. "Taking the Queen" is a chilling, slow heavy song that is incredibly evocative. "Man of Sorrows" is like a power ballad about Aleister Crowley. "Road to Hell" is a catchy, fast-tempo cut. The album ends with the beautiful elegy "Arc of Space," with nylon string guitar, violin, and cello, a touching song from an artist you wouldn't expect to write something like this. And that's just the beginning, because all the other songs are good too. But it's wonderful. Bruce's reunion with Adrian Smith was definitely a good choice. Smith adds an important melodic element that makes the songs so much better.

A great album; it really shows you how good heavy metal can be.

FILM REVIEW: The Iron Giant

"Detestably unappreciated; a classic all the way."

The Iron Giant choked in the box office, buried under a deluge of flashy films, all of which suffered from a serious dearth of heart and soul. It didn't help that the advertising campaign was painfully bad, embedding a pretense of "crappy kids' movie." And, of course, the animated motion picture genre is decidedly handcuffed by Disney, and any non-Disney flick is sure to elicit cynicism from the kids (the prime demographic for a movie like this).
But forget all that...The Iron Giant is a fine movie. Actually, I would go as far as to say it's the best animated 'family movie' I've ever seen.

Forget everything you've ever thought about animated films. Just for kids...bad script...juvenile humor...long, boring music numbers...talking animal sidekicks with lame one-liners... Forget it all. Instead of staying shackled to convention, The Iron Giant eschews all the faults associated with other animated films, and simply delivers a charming film that anyone can enjoy. Pardon the cliché, but in this case, it is absolutely true.

The Iron Giant's story is delightfully captivating in all its exquisitely crafted facets. The script is irresistible, tastefully witty, and profoundly moving. Time and time again, I marveled at how a single scene could be better than entire movies. The giant robot character is a stranger in a strange land, and his (mis)adventures with Hogarth (the young boy who befriends the robot) are accompanied with elegant humor, but sometimes the lighthearted moments relinquish themselves to emotionally-stirring segments. If the ending doesn't have you holding back tears, you simply aren't human. The iron giant himself succeeds in being the ideal non-human character with a very important human element, and that's one of the greatest merits of this movie's story.

From a technical standpoint, the animation is simply breathtaking. Special accolade goes to the technique used on the iron giant himself. He is rendered with computers graphics, but with a special cel-shading technique that makes him look hand-drawn. This allows him to seamlessly blend in with the hand-drawn environments and other characters.

Some people will certainly pass by The Iron Giant. They'll return to their Disney flicks -- movies that are so engineered to be impressive that they somehow fail. These people will never know what they missed. That is because The Iron Giant is so much more than any other animated movie. It's a ride through a timeless story and human emotion that few movies match, much less animated films. Lofty praise, certainly, but every word of it is sincere and true. Watch it, and you'll agree.

Dream Theater - Images and Words

"The defining moment for progressive metal."

Dream Theater is typically scorned or adored by progressive rock fans. They certainly have their critics; there's no shortage of people derisively accusing them of overindulgent musicianship and pompous compositions. Concurrently, they have a fiercely devoted legion of fans who praise them as the torchbearers of progressive metal. Their definitive brand of progmetal spawned a good number of copycat bands, none of which can equal the preeminent originality and overall musicianship of Dream Theater.

With a ton of new material and new vocalist James LaBrie, Dream Theater hammered out an incredible piece of work with Images And Words, their breakthrough album, often lauded as their best. LaBrie was the ultimate choice to replace former singer Charlie Dominici; his operatic training, tempered with the aggressiveness of metal, was perfectly suited to DT's theatrical and soaring compositions. Whereas Dominici could not support the band's intensity, LaBrie's powerful tenor and ability to change notes on a dime surpasses all but the greatest singers in the metal genre.

I&W's predecessor, When Dream And Day Unite, was merely a vague indication of where this band was headed. By way of comparison, Images And Words is more complex, engaging, unique, and sincere. The myriad style influences, lengthy and elaborate instrumental passages, deep lyrics, curious meter measures and shifting time signatures imbued the band with a quality infrequently experienced. John Petrucci is possibly the greatest rock/metal guitar virtuoso to emerge in the 90s; Mike Portnoy's drums clearly mark him as the next Neil Peart; John Myung's impossibly complex bass lines are unmatched in their intricacy; Kevin Moore's weaving keyboard dynamics support the heavy guitar focus, but sometimes his lyrical piano leads take center stage, and he proves that just how emotionally powerful that instrument can be. Independently, they are incredible musicians. Together, they form a single, cohering unit whose rapport is unmatched.

And the songs? Complex enough to dazzle, but not enough to sacrifice engaging melodic elements, this album is simply replete with good songs. Every song is indubitably superb, but special mention goes to "Metropolis Part I," a mesmerizingly complex track that establishes the foundation for "Metropolis Pt 2 - Scenes From a Memory," the mind-blowing mega-song / concept album that would be released seven years later.

Buckethead - Giant Robot

"Great, quirky guitar album."

All too often these instrumental guitar albums are simply vehicles for the musicians to flaunt their amazing technique, and nothing more. Melody is forgotten and we are treated to plodding instrumental virtuosity without rhyme or reason. These albums have their merit, but they sometimes fail to stand the test of time because they lack qualities that keep us coming back for more.

Buckethead is different. He's got reams of technique, sure, but he also writes great songs with infectious, fun melodies. Buckethead is a great musician, evidenced by challenging instrumental passages, and he also provides tons of variety in his playing, from the keen rockin' melodies in "Binge and Grab" to the fusion-injected "Robot Transmission" to the pretty, delicate and elegant ballad "I Love My Parents" (complete with string ensemble). Buckethead has a quirky sense of humor (in a good way) that is revealed to the listener through several weird skits interspersed among the album's nineteen tracks. It creates a wonderful, surreal musical journey that you aren't likely to grow tired of.

This is 73 minutes of great guitar music. Fans of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai will eat this up.

Shadow Gallery - Tyranny

"Mike Baker is the worst prog-metal singer ever."

Shadow Gallery has one thing going for them: they're all great musicians. Unfortunately, it takes more than chops to make a good progressive metal record. Tyranny is a concept album dealing with a man's moral conflicts and struggle against people who make weapons of war. The lyrics are pretty simple, but it delivers the story well and hangs on to an important element of humanity that makes it touching at times. Anti-establishment prog-metal concept album? Honestly, this sort of thing SHOULD be right up my alley

Shadow Gallery's sytle of Queensryche meets Dream Theater progressive metal (with lots of pianos) is all done well, but I can't get past the vocalist, Mike Baker. He is awful. I guarantee he's the reason this band has never performed live. His range is ultra-thin and his delivery lacks balls. I think the glaring inadequacies of his voice are only barely covered up by the production and the big vocal harmonies, so a live performance would shatter the illusion. To quote the reviewer who goes by the name "Methuselah", "He's a singer with emotion at best." And yeah, he's emotional, but I really don't like his actual voice, so it just doesn't work for me.

"New World Order," where most of the vocals are sung by ex-Royal Hunt vocalist DC Cooper is the best song on Tyranny. Harsh. I think this proves to me that Shadow Gallery can write strong songs, but the overall delivery is undermined by Baker. The other great song is the beautiful ballad "Spoken Words" where the story's hero talks with his cyber lover (LOL) over the phone. His cyber pal is voiced by female singer, who doesn't have a great voice herself, but the harmonies between herself and Baker are absolutely exquisite. The graceful violin and piano melodies make it so much better.

But that's about it. Aside from "New World Order," "Spoken Words," and the blazing instrumental intro, the rest of the album leaves me ice cold. You will find awesome prog metal elsewhere. This is "ok" at best. Heck, the Shadow Gallery debut is actually better than this because the music is so damn cheesy you don't take it as seriously, and weak cheesy vocals work better in that environment. Here everything is so serious that I can't take it seriously with Baker's cheese.