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Critiques from our Archives |
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Faces
Five Guys Walk Into A Bar...
Kenney Jones
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 10
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This blistering four-CD set of one of rock ?n? roll?s greatest unsung bands goes a long way in establishing overdue respect to mighty drummer KENNEY JONES. Derided in the ?70s as glammy British roosters with nothing but booze and brawds on their minds, Five Guys reveals The Faces as easily on par with Britain?s other major ?70s export, The Rolling Stones. Led by the then vital Rod Stewart, The Faces delivered raucous pub rock, blues bawlers, country crawlers, and plenty of hard-fought rock ?n? roll. Featuring several excellent songwriters, the band?s full impact is realized beautifully on ?Too Bad,? a charging smoker driven hard by Jones? fat hi-hat slashing and locomotive beat. Always renowned for his power (who else could have replaced Keith Moon in The Who?), the collection reveals subtle elements in Jones? arsenal, such as the swinging bass drum bombs of ?Evil,? the dancing tom and hi-hat groove of ?As Long As You Tell Him,? the swamp dirge attack of ?Insurance,? and the tremendous floating cymbals and full-tilt boogie bombast of ?You?re My Girl.? Kenney Jones, take a bow!
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Facing East
Facing Beloved
T. H. Subash Chandron, Ganesh Kumar
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 8
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An east-meets-west quintet cut from the cloth of John McLaughlin?s Shakti, Facing East claims their own sound. Leader John Wubbenhorst?s soaring flutes lend a fluid, fleeting ease to the complex ragas, while classical guitar and electric bass are driven by a duo of South Indian drum masters. T.H. SUBASH CHANDRON on ghatan (clay pot) delivers rapid twisting rhythms with astonishing hand technique. GANESH KUMAR accompanies on kanjira (a small frame drum with lizard-skin head), deftly punctuating the ghatan. The sonic, rhythmic variety these masters pull from ancient, physically "simple" instruments will inspire all drummers. www.facingeast.com |
Fantomas
The Director's Cut
Dave Lombardo (dr)
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 8
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On The Director?s Cut, Fantomas interprets a slew of movie soundtracks in their own unique way. And you can be sure that dark and scary scores like "Rosemary?s Baby," "Experiment In Terror," and "The Omen" become even darker and scarier thanks to the band?s mixture of hauntingly heavy and serene experimental and free-form weirdness, which certainly benefits from Dave Lombardo?s superior drumming. (Ipecac) |
Fear Factory
Archetype
Raymond Herrera
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 6
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Fear Factory honed their metal-industrial formula for more than a decade before disbanding in 2002. But now they?re back, with an album that?s often thrashier than previous efforts. A big change is the guitar work, which is now handled by former bassist Christian Olde Wolbers instead of seven-string ace Dino Cazares, who quit the group. Another difference is the drumming of RAYMOND HERRERA, which is more out-front and menacing now. Herrera?s always been a speedy powerhouse stylist, yet on the roaring "Cyberwaste" and other songs, he almost seems bionic. His performances also complement the curiously percussive nature of many of the tunes. FF still counter harsh mechanistic traits with melodic ones (though less frequently here), and man?s sticky relationship with technology continues to be a key lyrical theme. A somewhat different but sonically fearsome return. |
Feet Don't Fail Me Now!
by Michael Packer
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Media Type: Book
RATING: 8
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This isn't a double bass drum book, but rather a series of foot studies aimed at the drummer who wants to develop independence skills and soloing techniques, concentrating on the lower limbs. Any serious student with a working knowledge of different styles of music and good facility on the pedals should be able to jump right in. Feet Don?t Fail Me Now seeks to take students past just being able to get by in a groove, and into the realm of operating "freely" in a style. The book encourages students to be able to improvise, go way off the feel, even play counter to it with the hands, while keeping the groove solid in the feet. (Hal Leonard) |
Femi Kuti
Fight To Win
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 7
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Nigerian Afrobeat star Femi Kuti and his sixteen-member band, The Positive Force, have emerged from working in the shadow of Femi's legendary father, the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Though drummer MARLON is not one to flash pyrotechnics, this music is all about the sum being greater than the whole, and these grooves are lead-heavy. (MCA)
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Fieldwork
Your Life Flashes
Elliot Humberto Kavee
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 9
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Throughout the meaty improvs of this trio?s debut, Brooklyn drummer/cellist ELLIOT HUMBERTO KAVEE draws an amazing array of sounds and textures from his set. Truly approaching the drums as an orchestra, Kavee plays skittering cross rhythms and cleverly exotic beats matched by blinding tom figures and clamoring bell accents. Though free, the music is never without logic and direction, Kavee providing a breathy, elastic groove for the piano and saxophone to work around. Sometimes recalling the Mike Clark/Frank Katz school of 16th-note propulsion, Kavee uses drums, cowbells, cymbal bells, and his body to create a lushly delicious percussive world. An exciting drummer and a promising new trio. |
Finger Eleven
Finger Eleven
Rich Beddoe
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 4
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Take Papa Roach, Disturbed, Hoobastank, P.O.D.?literally any hard modern rock band?throw ?em in the musical blender, and Finger Eleven?s the resulting concoction. Unfortunately for RICH BEDDOE, his drums?which are one of the better aspects of the Canadian act?are buried in the mix. Still, if you pay close attention you?ll appreciate the funky, minimalist groove of "Complicated Questions" and the tom-pounding intro of "Conversations." In fact, you?ll find a bunch of great drum ideas on Finger Eleven. You just have to listen carefully. |
Frank Gambale
Ra?son D'?tre
Billy Cobham
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 6
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Those familiar with the groundbreaking drumming of jazz/rock fusion master BILLY COBHAM with The Mahavishnu Orchestra will appreciate the efforts of guitar whiz Frank Gambale to recreate a similar compositional energy on this instrumental release. The material falls short of Mahavishnu?s innovative catalog, but Cobham?s technically tireless drumming and funky grooves within this stretching format confirm that the master hasn?t lost his fiery touch or his enthusiasm for the trademark style of drumming he created over thirty years ago. (www.frankgambale.com) |
Fredy Studer
Duos 14-20
Fredy Studer
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 5
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On Duos, Swiss drummer FREDY STUDER and New York turntablist DJ M. Singe (Beth Coleman) team up for what could have been one of the most beat-centric releases of the year. Given their combined experience in house, illbient, and avant-garde jazz, we expected a lot more excitement and tense, explosive grooves. Besides the churning "Duo 18" and "Duo 15"--a collage of pulsating beats and French-accented voices--the CD falls short. (www.for4ears.com) |
Fugazi
The Argument
Brendan Canty (dr), Jerry Busher (dr, perc)
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 8
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Look elsewhere for quantized beats and Pro Tools perfection; The Argument is the rough-hewn product of tortured inspiration. There?s a surprise at every turn, be it an eerie piano line, an acoustic guitar, or a (no fooling) Beatlesque harmony. Brendan Canty, a fountain of powerful beats and wrist-flicking fills, has never sounded more relaxed or confident. And Jerry Busher?s percussion adds a poppy sheen to a few songs, while his occasional kit drumming reinforces Canty?s already sturdy foundation. (Dischord) |
Funky Butt
Whoopin'
Knut Lothe
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 6
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Like British Invasion bands feverishly studying early American rock ?n? roll, the Norwegian band Funky Butt has done its homework. The sextet?s jazzy take on the groove-heavy New Orleans style hits the mark; it?s always welcome to hear bass lines come from a tuba. The authenticity of KNUT LOTHE?s second-line drumming accounts for much of Whoopin?s success. He could sometimes stand to loosen up, but his beats hold the proper bounce. (sonoras@online.no) (Sonor Records) |
Further Seems Forever
How To Start A Fire
Steve Kleisath
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Media Type: CD
RATING: 7
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The departure of Further Seems Forever lead vocalist Chris Carrabba (who recently struck gold with his project Dashboard Confessional) appears to have done very little to derail the momentum of Tooth & Nail?s flagship emo-rock ensemble. Heightened by the sparkling production of James Paul Wisner, STEVE KLEISATH?s drumming is in fine form, with flowing, shifting dynamics. Kleisath has a number of creative if not quite revolutionary licks that land nicely, carefully filling gaps. Why don?t more rock drummers feel this good? |
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