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Lollapalooza
2005: Revival of the Fittest
Chrystie Hopkins
To Lollapalooza mastermind Perry Ferrell,
Lollapalooza is his way of staying in love with the world. This
year the city of Chicago provided the ideal backdrop for the 2-day
festival featuring high-energy bands from all across the spectrum.
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| Movie
Review:
A Glimpse Through Sci-Fi's Past
Chrystie Hopkins
Predicting and describing
the future is no easy task, and eerily, some of the early science
fiction writers have hit pretty close to the mark. For a possible
glimpse into your future, check out the Meniscus picks for best
Science Fiction movies. |
| CD
Reviews:
DJ Williams Projekt—Projekt
Management
New Monsoon—The Sound
Hypnotic
Clambake—Mayonnaise |
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CD Reviews:
Published 9/18/05
DJ Williams Projekt
Projekt Management
 Occasionally
a band comes along that makes you stop, listen and take notice.
That band of the moment is the DJ Williams Projekt. With their
latest release, Projekt Management, DJ Williams and crew,
have proven themselves as the hottest up-and-coming jazz band
on the music scene.
Mixing reggae and latin beats with
traditional jazz compositions, they triumph on every track of
Projekt Management by keeping the album distinct and
attention-grabbing. Many bands with a powerful and prominent guitar
frontman, like Williams, become overpowered by the lead. DJ Williams
Projekt has overcome this common blunder by achieving balance
within the band. On the title track “Projekt Management”
and "Panacea”, a ten minute long funk odyssey, the
band showcases it’s ability to create unforgettable music
together. They make it sound so easy. Just when you think you
have the DJ Williams Projekt figured out, they through in tracks
like “C.A.K.E” and “Heavy Hands” just
to show that this band has no boundaries and cannot be lumped
into any one category. This band is called the DJ Williams Projekt
for a reason, and on “Fly High” Williams shows us
why. This track is a beautiful testament to Williams pure talent
as a guitar player.
Dusty Simmons on drums and Todd
Herrington on bass, create the foundation of the Projekt. Their
subtle driving force carries the band forward as keys player Brian
Mahne and Williams lay the complicated notes in harmonic patterns
and twists. Sax player and vocalist Gordon Jones adds a layer
of depth to the band, which can only be achieved by a horn player
of Joneses caliber.
Projekt Management is
an aural exploration taking the listener to many different places
and partying the whole way. I suggest getting on for the ride
before they leave without you, because this band is surely going
places.
For more information about the
DJ Williams Projekt visit www.djwmusic.com.
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New Monsoon
The Sound
 Now
that New Monsoon has harnessed the attention of thousands of festival
listeners over the summer, their latest studio album, The
Sound, is giving listeners something to take home with them.
Immediately the album greets the listener with a refreshing cleanliness—much
like the feeling of the crisp fall air to relieve a summer of
hot humidity. On the first track, "Journey Man", you
can immediately tell the band is going to take you on a musical
voyage.
This third studio effort by the band is by far
their strongest display of the rhythmic music that sets New Monsoon
apart from the pack. They have spent the summer fine tuning their
sound with a summer of festival touring at such events as The
Big Summer Classic, featuring New Monsoon along side String Cheese
Incident, Umphrey’s McGee, Spearhead and Keller Williams.
In addition they stopped by other established festivals such as
Smilefest, All Good, and new scenes on the summer festival circuit
such as Wakarusa in Kansas and Fire Lake Festival in South Carolina.
 Fortified
by a summer of making festivarians sway in the layered rhythms
from their three percussion players, the transition to the studio
was a necessary contrast. Any band that’s strength is live
performance, it is not always so compatible with studio. So to
help translate the exuberant wailing, New Monsoon brought in the
heavy guns. Michael Shrieve, original drummer for Santana, joined
them in the studio to produce the tracks, putting his experience
as Rock N’Roll Hall of Fame experience to task. In addition,
Paul Kimble, from Grant Lee Buffalo, put his ear towards The Sound
as well.
 Unfortunately—or
fortunately, I suppose—the task of capturing the energy
of New Monsoon just isn’t possible with the 1’s and
0’s available on a CD. The live performance is where its
at. So if you want to experience the textbook version of their
songs, pick up The Sound. However, if you want to go out and really
understand New Monsoon, go out and see them when they come to
your town in support of the album. The live experience is exuberant.
For more information about the New Monsoon, visit
www.newmonsoon.com.
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Hypnotic
Clambake
Mayonnaise
The latest release from Hypnotic Clambake,
Mayonnaise proves that after 15 years as a band, they’ve
still got it. Of course, defining “it” is a little
more complicated and that is exactly how they like it.
Each track
on Mayonnaise has a unique style, and this is an understatement.
With more flavors and fun than Baskin Robbins, Hypnotic Clambake
has discovered the key to keeping a band fresh: Have fun, and
lots of it.
Half way
through listening to Mayonnaise I could not help wonder
if this band was intentionally being so goofy, or if there was
some grand scheme. The polar effect between the bizarre lyrics
and the musicianship made me wonder if they were trying to appeal
to a certain aged audience. (The type of audience that might attend
shows at the children’s tent.) Or, are they forging the
way for an entirely new genre of music putting them in the same
category as Ween, and Leo Kottke/Mike Gordon. The wide variety
of styles and off-the-wall lyrics has the same effect as a Mr.
Rogers show crossed with the circus, an eighth of mushrooms, and
a 2-litre of Coca-Cola. You feel really happy, but a little over
stimulated and confused.
The theatrical
styling of Hypnotic Clambake is a refreshing change. Their originality
is to be applauded. They have mastered the ability to write refreshing
lyrics, and musically diverse, entertaining songs. Mayonnaise
is a reminder that nothing is worth doing unless you have a smile
on your face.
For more information
and tour dates, www.hypnoticclambake.com.
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