The Pharcyde “Cydeways: Best
Of”
The Pharcyde “Cydeways: Best Of” Delicious
Vinyl/Rhino Oh, this is just too sad. One of the greatest
early ’90s rap groups has been reduced to releasing greatest
hits compilations after only three albums. “Best of”
albums are supposed to be the territory of dead guys and groups
trying to cash in on their aging fans’ nostalgia. The
Pharcyde, once the apple of every critic’s eye after the 1992
release of the masterpiece “Bizarre Ride II tha
Pharcyde,” should have never released this travesty.
Essentially a strip-mined version of “Bizarre Ride”
with a few extras slapped on, “Cydeways” seems more
like a desperate grab for cash than an earnest collection of good
tunes. Though the music contained within its 15 tracks is still
solid, it’s a poor introduction to an excellent group. It
neglects A-list tracks like “Soulflower” and
“Misery” in favor of sub-par skits used as filler on
“Bizarre Ride” and a few predictable additions from its
follow-up, “Labcabincalifornia.” Sure, the
music’s nothing to sneeze at. “Return of the
B-Boy” and “Ya Mama” are still awesome songs, and
“Passing Me By” sounds just as good as it did back in
’92. But does that warrant putting them on a greatest hits
album for an eight-year-old band? No! Even the new tracks, a
remixed version of “She Said” and the unreleased
“Panty Raid,” don’t make “Cydeways”
worth buying. They’re not bad, but nothing to write home
about. If nascent Pharcyde fans really want to go out and get the
band’s greatest hits, they ought to just buy the original
albums. Hell, there’s only three of ’em, it’s not
gonna break the bank. Those who do pick up “Cydeways”
won’t be helping their musical education at all,
they’ll just be shoveling money into the coffers of Rhino
Records, who should have known better than to release this
crap.
Brent Hopkins Rating: 2
Phil Joel “Watching Over You” Inpop
Records Going solo isn’t easy, especially when
coming from a band that has sold millions of records. Phil
Joel is probably best known as the guitar player for the
Newsboys. After both playing and recording with the Australian
rock group, Phil Joel has decided to step up to the microphone
himself, releasing his debut solo project “Watching Over
You.” Joel brings a multitude of different sounds to
the album, and makes the lyrics more autobiographical than anything
else. Each song seems to tell a story about his life or feelings,
which makes one wonder if the lyrics are something he took from his
diary and then added music to. Upon initially hearing the album,
one can hear the familiar beats and rhythms of the
Newsboys. It has the pop rhythms and carefree melodies that
have been attributed to the Aussie band. Yet for this album, Joel
took the initiative by either writing or co-writing all of the
songs on this thirty-three-minute album. “God is Watching
Over You” is the opening track, where Joel does a good job of
utilizing his sweet voice as his strong Australian accent echoes
throughout all of the verses. Although striving to be unique, Joel
seems to mimic the Newsboys sound with his song “Strangely
Normal” which is quite reminiscent of past Newsboys hits. The
introduction contains a techno beat, but as it continues, the song
brings in the familiar surfer sounds of Australia.
“Tonight,” which describes an experience of realizing
one’s calling to God, is most reminiscent of punk in its
sound. Everything from the echoing guitar to the lyrics once again
seem to contain much of the Newsboys persuasion. Perhaps the best
track on the CD is titled “Fragile,” which is a tender
song filled with acoustic guitar. Written after learning a
friend had a terminal illness, “Fragile” makes the
realization of just how delicate life is, as Joel questions God,
and comes to the realization that everything fits into a bigger
picture. The album comes to an end with a very fresh and
reminiscent tune, “Together.” However, Joel once again
recounts personal experiences about his homeland and family, as he
has done for the past 30 minutes. After awhile, listeners feel like
they know his whole life, and it becomes rather redundant. Although
one can tell that the album comes from Joel’s heart, he does
not seem to make a clean break from his Newsboys sound. The fact
that there is no clean break makes his album seem like it should be
sold in a box set of Newsboy rarities.
Laura Morgan Rating: 5
16 Horsepower “Secret South” Razor & Tie
Entertainment Imagine, for a moment, that Eddie Vedder and
Johnny Cash had a child, obviously a stretch, and then this child
was locked in a dark basement for his youth, forced to watch only
funerals and divorces on television while listening to
old-fashioned roots music. This would most likely produce the sound
that emanates from 16 Horsepower’s fourth album,
“Secret South.” The album blends a curious mixture of
grunge and classic Americana roots. Unfortunately, this fusion is
not consistent. Some of the songs lean more toward alternative
music, such as “Clogger,” while others are almost
completely classic country, like the traditional “Wayfaring
Stranger.” However, when the two sounds do mesh, it
creates a totally unique and satisfying result, as it does on
“Praying Arm Lane.” The very idea of melding these two
very American styles of music, that are separated by at least half
a century in their origins, is reason enough to listen to the
album. The music is mostly dark, with song lyrics about the devil,
lovers lost and a number of grave religious themes, all supported
by intense instrumentals. Not surprisingly, the one song that
is upbeat is a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Nobody ‘Cept
You.” The choice of a Dylan song is appropriate, for the
band’s powerful lyrics successfully draw inspiration from
him. The album is aptly titled, as it leads the listener to a
previously undiscovered country. While 16 Horsepower clearly
draws from traditional country music, this is not the twangy sound
of Garth Brooks or Alan Jackson. The banjo and guitar work are
bluegrass to the core, but are offset by the vocals. The
band’s strongest asset is lead singer David Eugene
Edward’s voice, which makes the country influence enjoyable
even for those morally opposed to all country music. Despite the
inconsistencies, “Secret South” is an enjoyable album,
and its unique blend of musical styles results in a strange new
grunge/country/roots music that is ultimately refreshing and
thought provoking.
David Holmberg Rating: 7