June 14, 2007 Music » Sound Advice

Sound Advice 

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click to enlarge Marilyn Manson - Eat Me, Drink Me - - - Interscope - - Sounds like: The Cooper/Bowie love child - finally makes good - - Short take: An album to sink your teeth into - - For those music fans who rightfully view Marilyn - Manson's work as all controversial glitz over compelling - musical substance, here's a wake-up call. The "Antichrist - Superstar" has not only released his most focused and - accessible album to date in Eat Me, Drink Me, - but he has seemingly overcome any depression - associated with his recent divorce. (New squeeze Evan - Rachel Wood must help.) Kicking off the album in great - style is the anthemic "If I Was Your Vampire" and the - Bowie-esque "Putting Holes in Happiness." For well over - a decade, Manson has been viewed as an alt-rock/alt- - metal novelty a modern-day Alice Cooper without the - tunes. At the very least, Eat Me, Drink Me - confirms Manson isn't a joke. The only question - remaining is whether naysayers will think differently. - John Benson -
  • Marilyn Manson

    Eat Me, Drink Me

    Interscope

    Sounds like: The Cooper/Bowie love child finally makes good

    Short take: An album to sink your teeth into

    For those music fans who rightfully view Marilyn Manson's work as all controversial glitz over compelling musical substance, here's a wake-up call. The "Antichrist Superstar" has not only released his most focused and accessible album to date in Eat Me, Drink Me, but he has seemingly overcome any depression associated with his recent divorce. (New squeeze Evan Rachel Wood must help.) Kicking off the album in great style is the anthemic "If I Was Your Vampire" and the Bowie-esque "Putting Holes in Happiness." For well over a decade, Manson has been viewed as an alt-rock/alt- metal novelty a modern-day Alice Cooper without the tunes. At the very least, Eat Me, Drink Me confirms Manson isn't a joke. The only question remaining is whether naysayers will think differently. John Benson

click to enlarge Chris Cornell - Carry On - - - Interscope - - Sounds like: A black hole of banality - - Short take: A grunge icon falls on hard times - - Chris Cornell is a tease. A career that began promisingly, - with his bluesy Andy Wood homage Temple of the Dog - and, of course, much-lauded '90s band Soundgarden, - has yielded one disappointing experience after another - in recent years. First, his 1999 solo album Euphoria - Morning, was lackluster. And then he recoiled into - the safe haven of Audioslave. But now Cornell has - "rebounded" with Carry On, a shallow alt-rock - effort that lacks guitar punch and songwriting appeal. - Forget about the obscure bluesy cover of "Billie Jean" - (yep, that "Billie Jean"), or the recent James Bond - contribution, "You Know My Name." The remaining tracks - are, sadly, as unforgettable as a Scott Stapp solo album. - Whatever momentum and promise Cornell created in the - early '90s has all but dissipated, 15 years later, into - disappointment. John Benson
  • Chris Cornell

    Carry On

    Interscope

    Sounds like: A black hole of banality

    Short take: A grunge icon falls on hard times

    Chris Cornell is a tease. A career that began promisingly, with his bluesy Andy Wood homage Temple of the Dog and, of course, much-lauded '90s band Soundgarden, has yielded one disappointing experience after another in recent years. First, his 1999 solo album Euphoria Morning, was lackluster. And then he recoiled into the safe haven of Audioslave. But now Cornell has "rebounded" with Carry On, a shallow alt-rock effort that lacks guitar punch and songwriting appeal. Forget about the obscure bluesy cover of "Billie Jean" (yep, that "Billie Jean"), or the recent James Bond contribution, "You Know My Name." The remaining tracks are, sadly, as unforgettable as a Scott Stapp solo album. Whatever momentum and promise Cornell created in the early '90s has all but dissipated, 15 years later, into disappointment. John Benson

click to enlarge Sage Francis - Human the Death Dance - - - - Epitaph - - Sounds like: More, better Personal - Journals - - Short take: Underground hip-hop's poet - laureate seethes anew - - Human the Death Dance, Sage Francis' fourth - album, is the closest studio approximation of his live - show yet. As such, it's marked by a scattershot variety - where anything and everything's included, a portrait of a - genre-hopping emcee clearly disinterested in sameness. - We have songs like "Got Up This Morning," produced by - Buck 65, which is more warbling country than hip-hop, - followed by the dramatically orchestral a capella two- - verse "Good Fashion," and then the growling beat-heavy - narrative "Clickety Clack." This is the way of - Human. All over the place all of the time, - Francis is explosive on all subjects, whether lamenting - failed relationships or castigating the state of the world. - So scattershot, Human is Sage's most stymieing - album yet, and possibly his most rewarding. - Matt Martin
  • Sage Francis

    Human the Death Dance

    Epitaph

    Sounds like: More, better Personal Journals

    Short take: Underground hip-hop's poet laureate seethes anew

    Human the Death Dance, Sage Francis' fourth album, is the closest studio approximation of his live show yet. As such, it's marked by a scattershot variety where anything and everything's included, a portrait of a genre-hopping emcee clearly disinterested in sameness. We have songs like "Got Up This Morning," produced by Buck 65, which is more warbling country than hip-hop, followed by the dramatically orchestral a capella two- verse "Good Fashion," and then the growling beat-heavy narrative "Clickety Clack." This is the way of Human. All over the place all of the time, Francis is explosive on all subjects, whether lamenting failed relationships or castigating the state of the world. So scattershot, Human is Sage's most stymieing album yet, and possibly his most rewarding. Matt Martin

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