CD reviews: Kelly Clarkson; Bad Brains; El-P; Erol Josu
Kelly Clarkson
"My December"; RCA
1 1/2 stars (out of 4)
Everybody hurts sometimes, as the R.E.M. song says. Some people write about it in diaries, others talk it out with shrinks. Kelly Clarkson, the most engaging and talented American Idol yet, poured her pain into her third album, and the pain will be shared by anyone unfortunate enough to hear the dreary result. Wallowing in misery and spite, rife with clumsy Evanescence and Alanis Morissette knockoffs, it's joyless, nearly hopeless and, worst of all, virtually tuneless. Her previous album, "Breakaway," broke the mold of "Idol " shlock, setting a high standard of heartbreaks with hooks and selling 5.8 million copies to date. Minus the hooks and with a foot far too heavy on the heartbreaks, My December will stall considerably short of that mark. Hope for happier times next album.
Recommended if you like: Evanescence; Alanis Morissette; Christina Aguilera
-- Ken Barnes, USA Today
Bad Brains
"Build a Nation"; Megaforce Records
3 stars (out of 4)
Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys produces this welcome reunion by the influential black punk-Rasta quartet from Washington, D.C. After a long spell of inconsistent albums and personnel shifts, the original '80s lineup reconnects to revive its tough and spirited mix of reggae and hardcore punk. The album seesaws, almost too crisply, between percolating dubs and aggro-thrash with inflections of funk and metal.
RIYL: Fishbone; Public Image Ltd.; Living Colour
-- Edna Gundersen, USA Today
El-P
"I'll Sleep When You're Dead"; Definitive Jux
3 1/2 stars (out of 4)
If you're looking for a booty-and-thug rap CD, this album will greatly disappoint you. However, if you're looking for creative beats and lyrics that are left of center and include guest appearances by Cat Power, Trent Reznor and the Mars Volta, among others, then you'll be quite happy with El-P's second album.
The beats have a "back-of-my-neck-getting-d! irty-and -gritty" feel to them, as El-P, also know as El Producto as a result of his remixes for acts such as Beck, TV on the Radio, Blackalicious and Nine Inch Nails, has created a tension-filled journey through his mind. Though meaning of many of the songs is abstract, his intense lyrical delivery and expert production only ads to a feeling of urgency and anxiety.
The overall mood of the album doesn't mean that there's no room for wit, as he finds a way to name-check Hunter S. Thompson, NAMBLA and Toonces the Driving Cat all in the same song ("Drive"). This album is nowhere near being radio-ready, and that should be more than enough reason for you to buy it.
RIYL: Handsome Boy Modeling School; DJ Shadow; Mos Def; Public Enemy
-- David Oakes, Reno Gazette-Journal
Erol Josu
"Rglman"; Mi5 Recordings
3 stars (out of 4)
As a vodou priest in New York City who formerly lived in Paris, Erol Josu lives in two worlds: the one where his roots are and the one where his mission is. He puts both worlds into his music, taking feverish rhythms and Creole cadences from Haitian religious ceremonies and musical traditions and giving them some western electronic, rock and funk touches as he forcefully belts his vision of his much-stereotyped faith. It's a fine listen that delights frequently with sampled vocals, a wide-ranging mix of beats and soothing choirs in the background and a warm, full sound that frequently takes on dramatic dimensions. The album achieves its height with "Atomp'A," which rises gently from a simple joyful song to an acoustic surge of multiple voices and thundering drums.
RIYL: Boukman Eksperiyans; Emeline Michel
-- Jeff Gifford, Reno Gazette-Journal