Rhino Scores Homer With ‘The Simpsons’
Various Artists “The Simpsons - Songs in the Key of Springfield (Original Music from the Television Series)” (Rhino)
Fans of the animated TV hit “The Simpsons” have long known that one of the program’s highlights is its music - as witty, irreverent and brilliant as the show itself. From the opening theme to such side-splitting staples as “Bagged Me a Homer,” “Who Needs the Kwik-E Mart?” and “Senor Burns,” the album features the talents of composer/producer/music supervisor Alf Clausen, film composer Danny Elfman (who authored the title theme), the “Simpsons” cast, and such musical guest stars as Tony Bennett and Tito Puente. An endlessly entertaining album, and an homage to one of television’s most original shows.
Tracy Lawrence “The Coast is Clear” (Atlantic)
There may be no country artist with a more realistic view of country radio and the country marketplace than Tracy Lawrence. On his sixth album, he tries to cover all his bases and mainly succeeds. The current single, “Better Man, Better Off,” is aimed right down the middle of country radio. Songs touch on pop country, hard-core country, tequila country and Texas-cowgirl country. Lawrence co-wrote five cuts here and co-produced six with his keyboard player, Flip Anderson; veteran Don Cook produced the other four.
Ben Folds Five “Whatever and Ever Amen” (550 Music/Epic)
As angst-ridden as Nirvana, as musically inventive as Joe Jackson, and as shamelessly dramatic as Queen, misleadingly named trio Ben Folds Five debuts on a major label after a highly acclaimed indie debut and a subsequent bidding war. As talented as he is irreverent, band leader Ben Folds makes more noise with an acoustic piano than many front men have with an electric guitar and an arsenal of electronics. Highlights of an energetic, unpredictable set include the quasi-operatic “Fair,” the syncopated “Kate,” the frenetic “Stevens Last Night in Town” (featuring members of the Klezmatics), and the jazzy “Selfless, Cold and Composed.” Like most acquired tastes, this one gets more satisfying with each experience.
Eric Tingstad & Nancy Rumbel “Pastorale” (Narada)
Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel return to their roots on “Pastorale.” They dump the rhythm section and concentrate on intimate duets for guitar, oboe and ocarina. The album occasionally lapses into polite classical “reception” music, but the pair also create some beautifully intimate spaces with Tingstad’s sometimes multitracked guitar filigree and Rumbel’s knack for lilting oboe lines. Their delicate interplay embraces the soaring “Elysian Fields,” a brooding “Savannah,” and a Renaissance-tinged “The Jester” - the latter with Rumbel playing ocarina. “Pastorale” is a refined and elegant album, crafted by two gifted musicians.
Sloan “One Chord To Another” (The Enclave)
A Canadian rock quartet formerly on Geffen’s DGC imprint lands on the Enclave - the label run by former Geffen A&R maven Tom Zutaut. More than a music business story with a happy ending, however, Sloan’s newest record is a gem that promises to appeal to fans of power pop and quirky alternative rock. The band has distilled sources as diverse as the Eels, the Replacements, and the Beach Boys into a wholly original sound fit for college, triple-A, and commercial modern rock outlets. Highlights include the twisted piano ballad “A Side Wins”; the catchy, horn-spiced “Everything You’ve Done Wrong”; the Violent Femmes-like “The Lines You Amend”; and the swampy “Take the Bench.” A welcome return.