5
Written, Directed and Produced by Kiko Jones
A Ballsy Production

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We’re always turning on friends to cool records that we’ve come across in our musical travels. It’s a big part of our raison d’ être as music fans. A few of these platters we periodically review here, but some never make it to "5". We intend to correct that particular omission in this issue. This is music we’ve been raving about for the last year or two and recommended to acquaintances and friends approaching us with the ubiquitous "What’s out that’s any good?" or "What’s been blowing your mind lately?" inquiries. Enjoy the show.

Later,
-KJ

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COMMENTS, PRAISES AND DEATH THREATS:

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WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO:

BARE JR. Brainwasher (Immortal)
LA BARRANCA Tempestad (BMG US Latin)
DULCES PESADILLAS Cuando Duermes –advance copy-
STONE GOSSARD Bayleaf (Epic)
VELVET SUN Dreamhome (Flotation)

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WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO ?

COLDPLAY Rush of Blood to the Head (Parlophone)
LENINE Falange (BMG Brazil)
DAVID GRAY A Century Ends (Hut)
JOHN MAYER Room for Squares (Aware/Columbia)
EMILIANA TORRINI Love In The Time Of Science (Fat Cat)

FICO LAZZARO Washington, DC


DOWN II: Bustle In Your Hedgerow
WEEZER Pinkerton
WEEZER -self titled- (aka The Blue Album)
Zona De Obras Magazine Peru Compilation
CHICHI PERALTA Y SON FAMILIA Pa Otro Lao
SOZIEDAD ALKOHOLIKA Directo
FRANK SINATRA Duets
BILLY JOEL Greatest Hits 3

LEO SUSANA Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.

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RECOMMENDED LISTENING (in alphabetical order):

JUMBO D.D. Y Ponle Play (BMG US Latin)

The exact opposite of what is commonly known as a sophomore slump, the follow-up to Jumbo’s tentative 1999 debut Restaurant is quite a spirited affair. Chock full of soaring choruses, solid playing and held together by a finely tuned production approach that gives the proceedings its underlying fluidity, D.D. Y Ponle Play is a rousing rock and roll record from start to finish. Fans of Sloan and Teenage Fanclub will surely find a lot to like in a record that would kick-ass in any language, with even the most cursory of listens (D.D. Y Ponle Play actually includes two songs in English: "Happy High" and "Far Out"). In the last few years, the northern city of Monterrey has become Mexico’s de-facto rock and roll epicenter. This album –and Jumbo itself- are a big reason why.


FINN BROTHERS –self titled- (Capitol-1995)
The Brothers Finn are New Zealanders Tim and Neil, of Split Enz/Crowded House and respective solo fame. This hauntingly beautiful album is performed almost in its entirety by the singing siblings and given an understated but effectively moody, atmospheric canvas by noted producer Tchad Blake (Los Lobos, Pearl Jam, Peter Gabriel). Reminiscent of American Music Club circa Mercury, the album’s highlights include "Only Talking Sense", "Last Day of June" and "Where Is My Soul?" (Both the brothers and the non-US version of this album are simply known as Finn).


FLAMING LIPS The Soft Bulletin (Warner Bros-1999)
Hailed as, arguably, the best rock album of 1999, it’s hard to believe this album has been in and out of our cd player (mostly in) for the last 3 years. Time flies when the whimsical but never precious sonic fabrications of Oklahoma City’s finest surround you. "Where’s the old noisy Flaming Lips I knew and loved?" you may ask. Well, the feedback and white noise that made them infamous have gradually given way to keyboards, strings and other assorted sonic landscapes. A risky, but artistically viable –and subsequently, fruitful- step in the right direction, as far as we’re concerned. But not everyone feels the same way: we came across a review that disparagingly referred to The Soft Bulletin as a misstep where seemingly " … Led Zeppelin and Yes joined forces to back Neil Young …". Nothing wrong with that in our book.


OWSLEY –self titled- (Giant-1999)
After his band The Semantics -an early version of which included Ben Folds on drums(!)- floundered after Geffen Records decided not to domestically release their debut album Powerbill (it sold 20,000 copies in Japan with no promotion whatsoever), Wil Owsley became a sideman for the likes of Amy Grant and Shania Twain. With the income from his guitar-slinger day job, Owsley started work on his self-titled debut album, which he recorded at home over the space of three years. This is an undiscovered gem littered with old-school pop hooks, catchy guitars and muscular drums. The top-notch songs may benefit from the spot-on mixes by über-engineer Tom Lord-Alge, but like Nirvana’s Nevermind, this is one of those albums where the songwriting and arrangements are too strong for you to notice how polished it is - until it’s too late: by then you’re hooked for good.


WEEZER "Keep Fishin’" -single off of Maladroit (Geffen-2002); video directed by Marcos Siega
Released exactly a year (364 days to be precise) after their comeback-inducing, self-titled disc (aka The Green Album), press and fans alike have been whole-heartedly embracing Weezer’s latest album Maladroit. To be honest, we’ve never dug anything by the band other than their first hit single "Buddy Holly". And frankly, we can’t get past the cock-rock posturing of the first couple of tunes on Maladroit, not to mention the well-meaning, but ultimately unsatisfying forays into emo and punk towards the end of the disc. But this song is driving us CRAZY!!! This is three minutes and five seconds of pure ear-candy bliss, in the same vein as Cheap Trick’s Live At Budokan classic "I Want You To Want Me". That a song like "Keep Fishin’" would garner mainstream exposure in 2002 is, on its own, nothing short of remarkable. Which brings us to the equally ebullient Marcos Siega directed clip. A faux Muppet Show episode, it features Kermit and the gang panicking over the disappearance of Weezer drummer Patrick Wilson (who’s been kidnapped by none other than Miss Piggy) moments before the band is due to perform. Siega has put together a cute, nostalgic little trip (with head Weezer Rivers Cuomo quite visibly amused throughout the whole thing) that holds up after repeated viewings/listens. Trust us: the last time we were this enthusiastic about a song and its video, Reagan was president.


You might also want to look into: JOHN COLTRANE The Classic Quartet: Complete Impulse! Studio Recordings (Impulse); CPR -self titled- (Samson); DESORDEN PUBLICO Plomo Revienta (Sony Venezuela); JASON FALKNER presents Author Unknown (Elektra); DAVE NAVARRO Trust No One (Capitol).
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TEACH YOUR CHILDREN: Guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani can count fellow fret kings Steve Vai, Metallica’s Kirk Hammet, renowned jazzman Charlie Hunter, and Primus’ Larry LaLonde among his former guitar students.

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Comments, Praises And Death Threats: KikoJonesUSA@yahoo.com