'The Evidence Here Suggests That the Foursome's Unity and Ferocity As A

JAN/FEB 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM REVIEWS HOLE SOUNDGARDEN LiveNobody’s on I-5 Daughter [Universal] [A&M] The first album released ARCHIVAL under the Hole moniker since 1998’s Celebrity Skin is really frontwoman Courtney Love’s Whether you’re in a marriage or a band, breaking up is hard to do—and second solo album—co-founder, lots of business gets left unfinished. Grunge powerhouse Soundgarden songwriter and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson isn’t involved, recorded several shows on the West Coast leg of its 1996 tour with nor is any other previous Hole an eye toward compiling its first-ever live album, but when the group member. So it’s Love and three ringers on 11 new songs—10 announced its breakup the following April those plans were abandoned. of which Love wrote with With Soundgarden’s recent reunion, this lost fragment of its history has been collaborators like Billy Corgan, Linda Perry and new guitaristrevived— Micko Larkin.Live (Perryon I-5 gets has full arrived, credit on albeit one tune, 14 years later than expected. Better late than never. By the “Lettertime to God.”) these 17 tracks were captured over the course of six shows in November and December Much of the riveting intensity of the group’s 1990s heyday1996, appears the to band have wasleft alongalready with being her former driven apartDaniel Jackson by pressures both internal and external—but the bandmates,evidence but there here are suggests fl ashes here that of the the foursome’s snarling unity andToo often, ferocity though, as a the performing slower songs unit trip never her up. flagged. While once fury Love deployed to such devastating effect back in the day. they were showcases for harrowing displays of naked emotion, She spits out her vocals with vengeful disdain on “Skinny Little Opening with a crashing “Spoonman,” Live on I-5Love (named sounds for more California’s dispassionate Interstate these days. 5) proceedsThe production Bitch,” overdriven guitars roiling atop an elastic bassline that doesn’t help—the songs have an airless, sanded-down feel that speedsthrough up as the a relentlesssong races toward78 minutes a climatic of furious pile-up athard the rock.doesn’t A volcanic fi t with her “Outshined” visceral persona. burns Courtney with Love’s righteous tumultuous end. Sheanger, shifts “Boottempos andCamp” attitude materializes on the more contemplative from a seething history two-minutesuggests that jamshe hason athe compelling Beatles’ story “Helter to tell, and “Pacifi c Coast Highway,” taking stock as layers of acoustic and perhaps she does. It’s just not the one she’s telling on Nobody’s electricSkelter,” guitars chug and along lead behind singer her. Chris Cornell graciouslyDaughter dedicates. –Eric R. “RustyDanton Cage” to Johnny Cash (who had recently covered it). Matt Cameron is the MVP here, bashing out his characteristically COURT YARD HOUNDS A side project of new offering suggested that its creator was a few strides closer to complex time signatures withDixie a boldness Chicks’ Martie that mostcrafting drummers something truly couldn’t monumental approach in both musical on anda simple social terms. 4/4 beat.Court YardNow Hounds that the groupMaguire is at andwork Emily on itsThis first cold andnew private studio set isn’t album it, although since that’s 1996’s probably Down due more to [Columbia] Robison, Court Yard personal circumstances than anything related to talent. Wainwright on the Upside, perhaps LiveHounds on I-5 willdelivers stand notwrote as All postscriptDays Are Nights but while as hisprelude. mother, Kate–Chris McGarrigle, Neal was much-anticipated dying of cancer, and there is a quiet, complex sadness even in its insight—both musical and personal—into the sisters who have less autobiographical material. There’s nothing here except piano for so long ceded center stage to Chicks singer Natalie Maines. and vocal, and Wainwright doesn’t project his words in the way Though steeped in familiar instrumentation, the album offers little we’ve come to expect from him. Instead of serenading the person of the barn-burning brashness that made the Chicks famous (save in the farthest corner of a packed theater, he’s singing to himself in perhaps the gutsy “Ain’t No Son”). Instead, its delicate folk-pop an otherwise empty room. –David Styburski prettiness perfectly suits Robison’s more-than-capable voice and the jumble of emotions, sunny and melancholy, that emerge in a song Ozomatli’s music has been called a collision cycle inspired by her 2008 divorce. Maguire’s weeping fi ddle and OZOMATLI of styles, a cultural mash-up, and a 20-car seamless harmonies are welcome as always, and her one turn on pileup of genres. It’s also some of the most ‘Thelead vocals (“Gracefully”)evidence is so warmly here affecting that suggests listeners may that joyfully energetic music you’ll ever hear. On wish she stepped to the mic more often. Court Yard Hounds ably its fi fth album, the L.A.-based band stirs its demonstrates that, whether with their fellow Dixie Chick or without, blend of salsa, ska, samba, funk, and hip-hop these ladies’ talent runs deep. –Katie Dodd in ways few groups could conceive. Imagine the foursome’s unity and ferocityFire Away as tossing the English Beat, Herb Alpert and the For a dozen years, the [Mercer Street/Downtown] Tijuana Brass, Caetano Veloso, and Sly and RUFUS arrangements on Rufus the Family Stone into a magical blender and Wainwright’s albums got you get some sense of Ozomatli’s eclectic approach. High points a performingWAINWRIGHT unitbusier andnever his sometimes flagged.’ on their latest, Fire Away, include “Are You Ready?,” a horn-and- All Days Are Nights: Songs naughty, occasionally percussion-driven blast of salsa-fl avored ska; “Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah,” for Lulu angry declarations of gay an exultant Latin pop anthem fi tted with shrieking sax; and “Gay Vatos [Decca] pride got louder. Each in Love,” a rockabilly-tinged tune with a soaring chorus. Even when 70 MAY 2010 JAN/FEB 2011 M MUSIC & MUSICIANS MAGAZINE M3_v10.indd 70 5/14/10 3:37 AM.

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