"Slavicsky's Smorgasbord"
by Al Slavicsky
Sponsored In Part By
Davina - Selections from the Album "Best of Both Worlds"
Loud Records
Soulish R&B groove music in the S.W.V. or En Vogue style of music. One
side of this release contains four tracks from the album -- "So Good,"
"Come Over to My Place," "Comin' For You," and "Can't Help It." Very pop
oriented radio style diva jams. But the flip side, which is the "A" side,
contains the same four jams freeform mixed by DJ Big Kap into a killer mix
tape. The mix side is continuous, non-stop urban hip-hop with a street flair
with explicit street language. Both directions combine a transition between
soul and hip-hop. Fresh for '98.
Sublime - "Doin' Time" CD-5
Gasoline Alley/MCA Records
Summertime was over when this release just came out, which is
too bad. "Doin' Time" is, was, and always will be destined to be
a summertime jam, even if it is about being locked up in the pen.
Most people heard the album mix for this song, but the other mixes
make this a must for Sublime fans everywhere. The remix by Wyclef
Jean of the Fugees has a Caribbean flair with a new bombastic bass
line added to make this tune hotter. The Marshall Arts remix is a
hip-hopster dream with a guest vocal by The Pharcyde bringing new
meaning to the tune. But the real surprise is the Bradley version,
which is a rougher mix than the album version and lacks some of the
dubs. Rarely is a CD-5 worth obtaining, but this is the sh**.
Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Forever
Loud/RCA Records
The multimedia album of the decade with over 2 1/2 hours of music plus
a unique CD-ROM where one can spend hours searching the hall of Wu-Tang
obtaining such information on the band as biographies, discographies,
photos, hear the members talk, video clips, and even have a chance to
remix their music. Musically, Wu-Tang Clan continues to triumph with the
dopest hardcore, street smart, east coast rap ever done. Humorous sometimes,
such as on "Dogsh*t," and political other times, such as on "Triumph," overall
this double CD is vital for idols of dope, def, doogie, hip rap.
Crumbox - Resident Double II
Time Bomb Recordings
North Carolina style pop-punk via southern California, Crumbox delivers
tunes that pop radio will go gaga over while most punks will just go ga.
The single "Resuscitation" is a catchy up-tempo pogo number, but the two
songs for the Tates -- "Sharon Tate" and "Larry Tate" -- stick out like a
sore thumb. Overall, Crumbox is just like a broken box of cookies -- just
crumbs.
Pfilbryte - "Merry Go Round" b/w "In the Valley"
Ignition Records
Urban infested college trip style alternative muzak. Musical jungle of the mind.
"Merry Go Round" has an urbanish R&B space flair with a strong, back breaking vibe
for today's modern age rock and roll beatniks, while the flip side "In the Valley"
has an electronic stoner dub similar to a fusion of Queen on acid meeting Kutris
Blow on crack meeting Dr. Octagon on speed and melting the minds into
transcendentalistic world beat music. One may even say that they may
even see God in the mix. Bizarre.
Thor - Ride of the Chariots (An*Thor*logy)
Star USA/TEG Records
The mighty god of thunder -- that should be heavy metal -- Thor is back
on this release. The sound is vintage 1980s style heavy metal with an
intense guitar turmoil in it. Thor has been around the metal circus since
the late 1980s, and Ride of the Chariots is a good place to start your
listening search. This is vital material for the true metalhead, especially
the tune "Gladiator," which was, ironically, recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon,
London, England. May the power of the metal gods be with you via the sounds of
Thor.
The Trouble With Larry - Karaoke Bordello
Good Kitty Records, 201A N. Davis Ave., Richmond, VA 23220
This Richmond, VA based band which evolved from the Richmond art-punks
The Heretics has been around since 1986 and slowly is molding its notch
within the underground music world. Like the Ramones meeting The Stooges
meeting Sonic Youth meeting Tubeway Army is what The Trouble With Larry is
all about. One must really admire their cover of The Stooges' "TV Eye,"
which is true to the original; also, the band's originals -- "Rock and
Roll Asshole," "Ann Arbor '69," "Go At Throttle Up," and "Monkey." Noisy,
punky, grungy, poppy, and transcendentalistic... The Trouble With Larry
cooks up a barn burner.