Pictured The 88 and The Stratford 4
Numbers are said to have magical powers. In the case of this column, numbers have musical powers, since numbers figure prominently in the names of most of the bands and CDs.
The sequencing of Ultimate Broadway 2 (RCA Victor) is quite good. With the revival of Gypsy, starring Bernadette Peters, currently running on Broadway, it was wise to open with the 'Overture' (performed by the London Cast Album Orchestra) from that legendary musical. Other songs from revivals on this compilation include 'All That Jazz' (Chicago) sung by Bebe Neuwirth and Ann Reinking, 'The Time Warp' (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) featuring Raul Esparza, Daphne Rubin-Vega and other cast members, 'Cabaret' performed by Natasha Richardson and Alan Cumming, 'Man Of La Mancha' done by Brian Stokes Mitchell and Ernie Sabella and 'Oklahoma!' Current and recent Broadway shows represented here range from The Full Monty ('Breeze Off The River') and Ragtime ('Your Daddy's Son') to Tony Award-winners Urinetown ('Run, Freedom, Run') and Thoroughly Modern Millie ('Gimme, Gimme').
Aubergine 3 deserve snaps for the clever title of their album In All Things Modulation (Transistor). The chill-out vibe is strong and encompasses various influences ranging from Latin jazz, funk, and deep house (take a listen to standout track 'Spank Le Disco'), to name a few.
I think I took an instant liking to the Northern California quartet The Stratford 4, because they remind me of the late lamented Kitchens Of Distinction. They effortlessly recreate KOD's melodic wall of shoe-gazing sound, beginning with opening track 'Where The Ocean Meets The Eye,' on their second full-length disc Love & Distortion (Jetset). The aptly named platter serves up plenty of both 'She Married The Birds,' 'The Simple Things Are Taking Over,' and two near-epic shoe-gazer tunes 'Telephone' and 'Swim Into It.'
Trance, dance, party in your pants—call it what you will, Dutch electronic outfit 4 Strings acts like a puppeteer operating a marionette, pulling strings to get you on your feet, with your legs, arms and head moving to their propulsive beats on Believe (Ultra/Spinnin'), their full-length debut disc. Club hit 'Take Me Away (Into The Night)' takes the listener away to a place where dancing is as necessary as breathing. Lead vocalist Vanessa gives you other reasons to believe on the uplifting 'Fly Away,' the free-fall of 'Diving,' the beating house heart of 'Besides Us,' the contact high of 'High On Life,' and the Giorgio Moroder goes Moroccan style of 'Eastern Vibe,' to mention a few.
If the blues rock of the single 'Harder To Breathe,' is the only thing you've heard from Songs About Jane (Octone/J) the debut album by Maroon 5, you wouldn't be getting the complete picture. You'd be missing the slick pop funk of 'This Love,' the Red Hot Chili Pepper flavored 'She Will Be Loved,' the sewn-up blue-eyed soul of 'Must Get Out,' 'Sunday Morning''s Jamiroquai-like jam, and the bittersweet parting of 'The Sweetest Goodbye.' Rising from the ashes of their former band Kara's Flowers, Maroon 5 sounds as if they are committed to their current configuration. You can almost count on it.
When Electric Six whips up their scorching metal disco on Fire (Beggars Group/XL), it's hard not seek out a mirror-ball under which to get down and get funky. They give the dancing orders on 'Dance Commander' ('it would be awesome if we could dance') and before you know it you're moving your feet to the beat. Things get hot, scorching actually, on 'Electric Demons,' and desire goes to the disco on 'Danger! High Voltage.' 'Improper dancing in the middle of the street' is the order of the day on 'Improper Dancing,' but there's nothing improper about 'Gay Bar,' which is easily the most unusual and eclectic cut on the disc. The 'nuclear war' which Electric Six hinted at in 'Gay Bar,' gets launched on 'Nuclear War,' and the beats continue to rock on 'I'm The Bomb' (does anyone else see a theme emerging here?) and 'Synthesizer.'
Once known as Twelve Caesars, they return with a shortened name, Caesars, on 39 Minutes of Bliss (In An Otherwise Meaningless World) (Astralwerks). Short, but not so sweet, garage-punk tunes populate the disc, proving that the Swedish garage that The Hives peeled out of also has space for other bands to park. Hail the Caesars for the narcotics list of 'Sort It Out,' the semi-romantic 'Let's Go Parking Baby,' the punk speed of 'You're My Favourite,' and the more straight ahead Swedish garage rock edge (check out the organ!) on songs such as track 'I'm Gonna Kick You Out,' 'Jerk It Out,' and the fuzzy 'Crackin' Up.'
The 88 create a country-glam sound on Kind Of Light (EMK/Mootron), the band's debut. The unusual transposition is most evident on 'Afterlife,' 'Elbow Blues,' 'How Good It Can Be,' 'No Use Left For Me,' 'I'm A Man,' 'Had To Be You,' and the title track.
