the sound phile: the presidents take office

The Presidents of the 
United States
“Freaked Out and Small”
(MUSICBLITZ)

     Post-grunge Seattle rockers, formerly known as The Presidents of the United States of America have made a comeback since their multi platinum selling album of 1995. The quirky trio has shortened their name to simply The Presidents of the United States and is now signed with the Web-based label MUSICBLITZ. Their new album “Freaked Out and Small” is comprised of tunes just as fun loving as the lyrics of the classic hits “Peaches” and “Lump.”

     After three years of playing to audiences around the globe, The Presidents split up in December 1997. Since the breakup, each of the boys have been keeping their schedules busy: Jason Finn has played with local Seattle bands; Dave Dederer has recorded solo material, taken up some production work and has become over obsessed with road bike racing; Chris Ballew has worked with a few bands, many of his side projects have been with the group The Giraffes. 

     It wasn’t until 1999 that the members of The Presidents came together to record new music, but this time rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot was amongst the wacky bunch. MUSICBLITZ released for their song “Addicted to Fame,” and unexpectedly recorded a song of The Presidents.           Consequently, the musical chemistry of the group unraveled and the band found themselves signing a deal with MUSICBLITZ. The band was so eager to launch back onto the music scene that the unrehearsed album was recorded in a mere 10 days. 

     The album begins with the robust energy of the song “Tiny Explosions.” A chain of songs in the middle of the album, “Jupiter,” “Superstar” and “Deathstar,” run together like an intergalactic haze. Death Star probably is as slow and morbid as the trio’s voices can sound. The band remains to be peculiarly witty when it comes to their song lyrics. 

     The lyrics, although avoiding the route of introspection, triumph through their lighthearted humor. The song “Last Girl on Earth” chimes with the line, “You’re fashionably unhappy, I’m lazy so I’ll love you for awhile.” The album ends on a few lively notes with the last two songs “I’m Mad” and “Headin Out.” 

     “Feaked Out and Small” as hit the stores this week and can also be purchased on the website www.musicblitz.com. The guitar sounds on this album are more dominating than those of previous albums. The lyrics at times tend to get repetitive, but because of their odd ball humor and contradictions viewers will keep listening. Fans can also catch a song of the new album on the season premiere of “Felicity” on Oct. 4.

Rating: * * * 

-Sabba Syal

Darryl Worley
“Hard Rain Don’t Last”
(Dreamworks)

      It has been a long time since country music has had a genuine “country” star. Oh yeah, there’s George Strait, but no offense George, you’re kinda old news even though you’re still a favorite to some. Most new acts in country music fall under the uninteresting category of pop-country. 

      They play the same reality-based songs of a country singer and have all the musical traits that would constitute them as country. The one difference is that their music sounds more pop oriented. As a billboard on the way into downtown Nashville says, “Country’s going pop.”

      Thankfully, that is not the case with Darryl Worley. Darryl Worley’s debut album “Hard Rain Don’t Last” is more country than the country charts have seen from newcomers in a few months. His sound is different than most who burst onto today’s new country music scene. The steel guitar has a presence in this album like no other star has had for the last few months.

      His new album is packed full of good lyrics. It’s true to form for any country album. Worley is able to impress listeners with his honest words: “Oh I wish I could just say no/ And get you out of my heart/ It must be nice to have some place to go/ When your world falls apart” is just one fine example of Worley’s crafty songwriting and and singing abilities. If you like country music, Worley’s debut is a definite must. It’s old time country for the new millennium.

Rating: * * 1/2

-Scott Pearlstein

Various Artists
“Mermaid Avenue Vol. Two” 
(WEA/Elektra)

     “Mermaid Avenue Vol. Two” marks the second collaboration between American country rock group Wilco and British folk singer Billy Bragg. Both albums, “Mermaid Avenue” and “Two,” consist entirely of Woody Guthrie covers. Using the Guthrie archives, Bragg and Wilco have set fitting and soulful music to previously unheard Guthrie lyrics. Guthrie, a folk artist himself, gets both a folk and punk treatment on the album.

     Hot band Wilco, whose singer Jeff Tweedy was a key member of influential alternative country rock band Uncle Tupelo, has also been influenced by the Ramones and the Replacements, as they have been by singers like Guthrie and Guthrie’s protégé Bob Dylan. The resulting effort is a folk-punk spin on Guthries’ timeless protest and personal songs of decades ago.

     Guthries’ subject matter revolves around hobos riding the rails amongst other depression era tales always had timeless relevance. But “Two,” which includes a guest vocal by former 10,000 Maniacs singer Natalie Merchant, updates Guthrie’s personal and delicate songs with a full band and studio production without losing that one foot in the gutter honesty and “railriding” personality. 

     While some songs on the record retain a beautifully sad acoustic simplicity, such as the tracks “I Was Born” and “Remember The Mountain Bed,” others rock without making Guthrie roll over in his grave. Both “All You Fascists” and “Secret of the Sea” are punk-inspired romps. 
Tweedy’s smokers yelp of a voice and Bragg’s smooth baritone are the soul that, when combined with the punch of Wilco’s rhythm section, would make Guthrie himself buy a round in praise. It’s a testament to all the talent involved, Guthrie included, that these songs can be covered/written and not butchered.

     From the Dinosaur Jr. garage punk of “All You Fascists” to the bluesy “Meanest Man,” “Mermaid Avenue Volume Two” runs the gamut on emotions and styles. Lyrically, Guthries’ stories fit into our times seemingly as well as they did when they were originally written. The vitality of these performances and the simple and understated, but powerful songs mix as well as a bottle of Southern Comfort and a ride on the rails. The timeless soul and heart in Guthrie’s songs are something to admire in the era of Britney’s silicone and the Backstreet Boys’ “talent.”


Rating: * * *