/ 23 June 2006

Higher they climb

<b>CD OF THE WEEK:</b> A new Red Hot Chili Peppers' album is certainly an alluring event, especially after a four-year hiatus, writes Riaan Wolmarans.

A “most anticipated album” is how Rolling Stone magazine described the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Stadium Arcadium (Warner), their newly released double dose of rock (originally meant to be three discs). With a musical pedigree stretching back more than two decades and including such milestones as Californication and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, a new RHCP album is certainly an alluring event, especially after a four-year hiatus.

So what have the Peppers delivered? A stylishly packaged album important enough to them that they were furious when it was leaked on to the Internet before its release; important enough that the two discs are confidently titled Jupiter and Mars: huge and powerful, and restive and war-like, respectively.

First single Dani California — on disc one, Jupiter — seems intended to reassure the fans that the Peppers are alive and kicking. It’s got a classic RHCP sound: funky pop-rock with an edge, even with obligatory references to their home state, California.

Listen to the rest of Jupiter (and Mars, for there is no major musical shift between the two), and there’s a growing sense of smug maturity. Anthony Kiedis and his mates are no longer wild rock kids — and wild they were indeed, if Kiedis’s autobiography is to be believed — but calculating record company money-spinners.

Tracks such as Stadium Arcadium and Slow Cheetah plunge into easy-going territory, muddling along reasonably well with Kiedis’s adequate, mostly ordinary lyrics. The funkier moments, however — such as Hump de Bump and 21st Century — seem measured and plotted out, with little free energy.

Stadium Arcadium feels like a single, bloated, 28-song album (and these aren’t short tracks). Though the Peppers are still an enjoyable rock act, thrown together on two CDs this collection is overblown and in need of editing. Could it be a symptom of a group ego growing unchecked? Even mighty planets, after all, can crumble to dust.

ALSO ON THE SHELF

Falling Short

Feel Free to Complain (Swinton Records)

Falling Short, a Pretoria-based quartet aimed at the heavy end of the market, have certainly chosen a brave name. The album title, Feel Free to Complain, invitingly opens the door to criticism — quite refreshing, and something the band describe as their “mature attitude to life”. The album launches right into the self-described “energised, melodic nu-metal” from the first song. Highlights include Beauty Queen, with its guitar-driven intro, the rocking Holiday and Something Different, which adds a neat South African flavour to the mix. Unfortunately, Feel Free to Complain does fall short. Just. Although it works at times, one is left with the impression of a promise not being fully kept. Parts of the songs suggest more than the complete songs deliver, and overall muffled production doesn’t do the album full justice. Vocalist Reinard Steyn hits his straps well and the band show some precise command of their instruments; clearly there are sparks, but the fire doesn’t seem to take. — Keith Nicholls

Jose Gonzalez

Veneer (Just Music)

Jose Gonzalez has been quietly accruing critical acclaim with his self-recorded, self-produced debut album. Though English is his third language, Gonzalez is still able to distil emotion within his lyrics, such as on Lovestain: “You left a lovestain on my heart, and you left a bloodstain on the ground, but blood comes off easily.” Yet the lyrics seem to float into the background as his acoustic guitar playing — influenced by his Swedish and Argentinian background — takes prominence. Heartbeats has become well known across Europe from appearing in a TV commercial, and at two minutes and 38 seconds it is a brief but resonate swirl of love. In fact, most of his songs are short, sitting around the two-minute mark, but each one is gentle and spirited. Even when he sings about “vulgar, the lie” on Deadweight on Velveteen, it’s gentle and easy. It may be surprising to learn Gonzalez was once a bassist for a punk group, but it seems turning to classical guitar as his chosen genre has served him well. — Nadia Neophytou

Ben Lee

Awake Is the New Sleep (Sheer Sound)

Album opener Whatever It Is is an inspirational and familiar little ditty — used to sell Nedbank’s brand of aspiration on TV sets across South Africa. It’s a song that introduces the world to Ben Lee, a hippie at heart with a love for all things good and true. Lee is like an Australian Robin Auld — writing about the pleasure of taking in life’s little joys, including that all-time favourite, love. And like Auld, Lee has done it all his own way, from self-releasing his album to organising his own shows and setting his music out into the world. Awake Is the New Sleep is a tribute to stepping out and taking a chance — on life, love and everything else. Most of the songs are driven by Lee’s acoustic guitar. Catch My Disease is a lot happier than it sounds, while Gamble Everything for Love is about as hard as Lee goes. He had South Africans singing his praises when he was here recently; if you missed him, take a listen so you and Lee can get properly acquainted. In small doses, he’s great for those days when you’ve got the need-a-pick-me-up blues. — Nadia Neophytou

Nizlopi

Half These Songs Are about You (Just Music)

Luke Concannon is blunt about it — love hurts. Half the songs on this album are about exactly that: Fine Story tells of “love-making that is un-breaking”, Long Distance is about love from afar, and Love Rage on threatens to stay strong in spite of it all. But, as he and fellow bandmate John Parker find, it can also conjure up glad memories of family and friends. JCB is an endearing song about a child whose imagination turns his dad’s construction vehicle into a magical flying machine and good ol’ dad into The A-Team‘s BA Baracus. The music video included on the CD is this imagination come to life — a charming visual interpretation. Concannon’s voice is unique, spiked with his Leamington accent and indie attitude. The album was released independently, making it an endearing treat to find on music store shelves. — Nadia Neophytou

The Streets

The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (Gallo)

You have to respect a guy — in this case, Mike Skinner — for defying the (American) norm and choosing to rap in his native Birmingham accent. Strange as it initially sounds on the ear, it’s catchy. And his singing voice ain’t half bad either. But this being his third album is proof enough of his appeal. Aside from the occasional foray into the more emotional side of life (he misses his dad, fair enough), his rhymes are entertaining and storylike in nature. The result of this is that you listen twice as hard — captive audience defined. Sometimes humourous, occasionally bleeding heart, always true to life, The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living will not be everybody’s cup of tea. But perhaps you’re up for a refreshing slice of British life. — Kelly Fletcher

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Show Your Bones (Universal)

After hearing first single Gold Lion all over the airwaves, I had high expectations for this New York trio’s new album. But I think I may have hyped it up too much in my mind, which is what singles are supposed to do, I guess. Vocalist Karen O — even though she’s toned her screeching down a bit — still comes across as a hybrid of Courtney Love and Juliette Lewis circa Born Bad (the track that nut-shelled her character in the 1994 movie Natural Born Killers). The rest of the album veers from crashing guitar riffs and uninspired melodies to country-style strumming and mediocre lyrics. Maybe it’s just one of those albums that grows on listeners slowly. I recommend simply downloading the single, a deserving track indeed. — Kelly Fletcher

Slipknot

9.0: Live (Roadrunner)

Right, if you like it heavy, read on. If not, goodbye. This double live album contains material from Slipknot’s mammoth world tour during 2004/05. The result is a potent work containing 24 bone-jarring numbers. Tight arrangements and a powerful, synchronised wall of noise make for a colossal ear-assault. This is one you’ll either love or hate, depending on which side of the heavy wall you stand. It includes, among many others, Slipknot favourites Wait and Bleed, Spit It Out and Pulse of the Maggots, as well as the Grammy-winning Before I Forget. The CD liner sums things up pretty well when it states: “This is live in the eye of the storm.” The album possesses all the instinctive, unique aspects of a live performance, which is a nice change from run-of-the-mill studio releases. The band work the crowd well and have the obligatory, expletive-laden moan over the record execs they think have done them wrong in the past. That said, the performance is tight for such a large band, punctuated by vast riffs and some superb drumming. However, be warned: this is music of a kind you definitely have to love to like. — Keith Nicholls