Sound Stage - August 2004

Louie Vega
Elements of Life
Vega Records

Little Louie Vega has built a legendary reputation as half of the superstar house DJ/production duo Masters at Work. On his solo release, he revisits the formula used by Masters at Work on their classic Nuyorican Soul compilation, largely ditching programmed beats in favor of live musicians and vocalists to deliver a global music potpourri. The album starts off well with some spoken word from Ursula Rucker and a skillful reworking of the Chakachas' Jungle Fever, followed shortly by the club hit Cerca De Mi, but from there on the CD rapidly disintegrates into an unfocused Latin jazz/salsa jam session serving no discernible purpose except to show off Vega's many world music influences. The players are game, the production is top-notch, but the material is ultimately subpar and lacking the house music sizzle that made his name. --Steve Geise

Aretha Franklin
So Damn Happy
Arista

After 40+ years as one of the world's most prominent soul practitioners, the preacher's daughter from Detroit has released So Damn Happy. Aretha Franklin's breakthrough days are behind her, but she still has those amazing pipes; and that's why people continue to buy her albums. What her latest effort lacks in song-craft, it more than makes up for in raw emotion. The album consists of romantic musings and familiar longings that at times play out like a Southern gospel sermon with Aretha at the pulpit preaching the Word. It's doubtful that the youth of today would consider this album an obvious choice, but for those who are looking for something that's more of a throwback than a musical boundary-pusher, this album might be the ticket. --B. Moore

Rob Smith
Up on the Downs
Grand Central

As a key architect of the Bristol, UK sound popularized by Massive Attack, Roni Size, and Portishead, Rob Smith has been paying his dues for decades as part of influential drum 'n' bass act Smith & Mighty and side projects More Rockers and Jaz Klash. On his first solo release, Smith has created his most compelling work to date, crafting a dubbed-out masterpiece of reggae, hip hop, and drum 'n' bass tracks perfectly matched with a capable crew of vocalists who deliver grimy raps, dancehall chatting, and blissful soul. It's nothing groundbreaking, in fact the closest comparison is Massive Attack circa their Protection era of the mid 90s, but Smith has laced the set with so many catchy hooks and moody melodies that it's a welcome reminder of the strength of the Bristol sound. --Steve Geise

Legends
TimeLife

There's something almost distasteful about big compilation CDs with all the greatest hits packaged together. Really, you should already own all of this stuff on separate discs. But when you start playing We Will Rock You, My Generation, or Pluggin' in, among others, you can't help but appreciate the fact that someone has put together a good old "mixtape" that you can just pop in and listen to hit after hit. The list of artists is long and illustrious; we're talking the cream of the crop of classic rock. We Will Rock You starts with Springsteen's "Born to Run" and doesn't stop until 19 songs later with "Margaritaville." OK, that sounds kind of odd, sure, but that's the only drawback to the Legends series. Some of the combinations may be wacky (you have "Do you Believe in Magic" on the same disc with "Pinball Wizard" and other examples), but you can't complain about the overall content. --Steve Geise

Usher
Confessions
La Face

Usher has been hanging onto two spots on the Billboard's Top Ten chart with the #1 club track, "Yeah," featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, and #3 with "Burn." Usher's fifth album, Confessions, has the same R&B style and the one club hit, but his maturing message has changed. "Confessions Pt. 2." is full of juicy gossip, a yearning gone wrong, and the pain of breaking up. This latest effort from the singer is more personal and sincere. Add to that the variety of producers and songwriters including Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Jermaine Dupri and even Robin Thicke and you have a CD with the urban pop appeal that'll fill the radio airwaves for some time. The album is a little on the lengthy side with its sixteen tracks and shows some repetition, but Usher gives his fans what they've come to expect. --NN

Dead Kennedys
Live at the Deaf Club
Manifesto Records

What can be said in this small review about the Dead Kennedys that hasn't been said before? Let's just forget all the recent controversy (everybody got their money in the end) and skip right to the good stuff: this is an unreleased recording of the punk band in their early days, taped live in 1979 before they had even released "California Uber Alles," when they still had five members (that's additional guitarist 6025, in case you were wondering). Unlike most such live recordings from the punk era, this album is pristine, catching every raucous East Bay Ray guitar line and Jello Biafra wise-ass sneer. There's a track you've never heard ("Gaslight"), an amazing disco version of "Kill The Poor," and covers of not only "Viva Las Vegas" but "Back In The USSR" as well, plus a pretty killer version of "Holiday In Cambodia." Wish you were there? Me too. --Douglas Adams