THE CD: “With Teeth” (Universal)
PERFORMER: Nine Inch Nails

Trent Reznor proves on this record that he’s just getting better with age. The solo force behind NIN has been putting out hit records for nearly 20 years (See Pretty Hate Machine), and continues to challenge assumptions and expectations.

At first I was a little disappointed with this CD, expecting more of the hyper-aggressive sound that seems now to have largely ended on “The Downward Spiral.” It does, however, fit right in with where Trent left us on 1999’s two-disc White Album “The Fragile“. For every “Star****ers, Inc.”, there is “A Warm Place” or a “La Mer” to bring balance to the sound.

Flashes of old

There are flashes of the older, harder NIN; one being “You Know What You Are?” Kick drum pounds relentlessly; clear piano contrasting distorted synth; space auhs that soar into the stratosphere. And, one of the things that I’ve always noticed others biting (pun?) off of Reznor: The digital slicer-type effect over his vocals. I can’t say he started that, but he made it popular.

“The Hand That Feeds” is the first single, and it shows a more pop-oriented side of the composer. It’s what he could easily put out and be successful with, but Trent has way too much vision for easy consumption. It includes one of the staples of Reznor’s lyric imagery: Slavery (See Broken). He shouts: Will you bite the hand that feeds you/Will you stay down on your knees? over top of a crescendo of noise, synthesizers, and guitars.

“Every Day Is Exactly The Same” and “The Line Begins To Blur” are classic NIN. In addition to the digital feel the vocals (yes, the music, too) can have, there’s another common NIN production technique: The schizophrenic layering of Trent’s words. They are at once barely audible, saying one thing, over top of (or underneath) that are the screaming vocals we know and love.

Exercising demons

You may have already seen the video for “Only”, an office-oriented hellscape that is reminiscent of Atari Teenage Riot’s “Revolution Action.” (I mention ATR also because of the cohesive relationship — and tour — Reznor and Alec Empire once shared.)

“Only” at first sounds like it’s straight out of a generic techno DJ’s beat library. That preliminary assumption is soon set aside with a funky bassline that drops in after the first couple of bars. In the song, Reznor seems to be in a therapy session, exercising demons that have been haunting him all these years, while, at the same time, making my CD collection even better. He seems to be cracking up: There is no you, there is only me, he shouts over and over again. And, telling himself over and over (it seems fruitlessly): I just made you up to hurt myself.

“With Teeth” closes with “Right Where It Belongs”, a piano ballad (See “Hurt”) that finds Trent questioning reality:

What if everything around you isn’t quite as it seems/What if all the world you think you know is an elaborate dream/If you look at your reflection/Is that all you want to be?

However, he has one thing most wannabes don’t: Millions of fans. Rare is the occasion for samples on a Nine Inch Nails record as Trent has little use for them.

But as “Right Where It Belongs” closes, as the filthy sound of one guitar or keyboard is beautifully contrasted with single, clear, piano notes, thousands of fans explode into cheers, seeming to keep Reznor grounded. This has been done by other bands, but most of the time it seems over the top, like they need to prove they have fans. Reznor doesn’t need (or does he?) the adulation of the masses, as his music continues to prove.

– By Nick Harrah

THE CD: “Warrior’s Code” (Hellcat)
PERFORMER: Dropkick Murphys

Boston-based Dropkick Murphys bring their Irish-influenced punk rock into full bloom with “The Warrior’s Code”. If you’ve had the pleasure to hear “Live on St. Patrick’s Day” and “Blackout,” you know what I mean.

Ken Casey is the leader of the gang, playing bass and sharing the vocals with Al Barr. They both may sound tough, but their words paint a different picture. “Warrior’s Code” shows that these slap-boxing hooligans also have heart. Piano, cello, and even a viola make appearances on the record, joining the bagpipes of Scruffy Wallace, for an ambitious sound.

Goosebump rock

“Your Spirit’s Alive” is the first track, dedicated to a friend who had recently passed away. The liner notes mention that the band played at the funeral, and the lyrics say as much: We are the ones who will never be broken/We are the ones who survive/This is the sound that brings us together/You are the one by our side.

You say you’ve heard the band’s version of “Amazing Grace”? Then you know this band can give you goosebumps.

The Murphys take traditional songs and give them their own distinct flavor. In “Captain Kelly’s Kitchen,” Casey sings about a workplace romance gone terribly wrong: I said she did invite me/But she gave prompt denial/For assault she did indict me/and I was sent for trial. Yikes.

One of the best parts about DKM tunes are the anthem-like choruses, which will have you spinning and kicking like you’re fresh out of Riverdance. This song is no exception, with the band chanting With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie/Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie over a driving beat. What are they saying? I don’t know but it rocks.

Seriously sensitive dudes

“Sunshine Highway” is an example of the bands more approachable songwriting. While some bands with two singers can seem bi-polar at times, Casey and Barr work well together, telling tales of the good and bad times.

“Wicked Sensitive Crew” spells out the band’s opinions on punk bands you may find on the Warped Tour. Casey croons: Well it’s all gone to hell now, the wimps have gangs/Pop-punk tough guys with neck tattoos/Well if you guys are hard than I’d rather be soft/Man I gotta find me some seriously sensitive dudes.

“Citizen C.I.A” is a delightful thrash that takes a stab at American foreign policy. Barr shouts: You’ll assemble puppet governments and play the hand of God/We’re an equal opportunity crime fighting squad . . . We’re knee deep in guerrillas, yeah the party never stops/United States of America . . . undercover cop.

Friendship, love, loss, death, and redemption are all on display in the lyrics. “The Auld Triangle” is no exception, with the theme being imprisonment, as it was on “Fields of Athenry”.

The CD closes with the Official Anthem of the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, “Tessie”. It highlights the Murphys love of their city and its baseball team. It also includes backing vocals by semi-pro musicians and oh, they’re also baseball players, too, Johnny Damon and Bronson Arroyo.

So, if you like hard drinking, hard-rocking, violent Irish-poet types, DKM is for you.

– Nick Harrah

THE CD: “How to Save a Life” (Sony/Epic)
PERFORMER: The Fray

“How to Save a Life” was a safe first move for the Fray. Released this month, the Denver-based quartet’s debut is a compilation of energized, yet soothing pop ballads about love and contemplation.

Songs like “She Is” and “Look After You” have the affectionate, semi-saccharine quality of radio hits, date-movie soundtracks and endless volumes of homemade Valentine albums.

At the same time, the Fray is something to admire. Vocalist Isaac Slade has a voice both gritty and smooth, like Beck if he had Bono’s range. Combine that with the sonorous sadness of Slade’s piano and the slightly-more-upbeat support of the other three members and the band can effectively transverse the entire realm of soft rock.

And they do. The high-octave, languid pining of songs like “Hundred” are in the same vein as Damien Rice. Yet they can garner such energy from this mellow style, one is reminded of Coldplay and the Counting Crows. The Fray even dips into more soulful pools with songs like “Over My Head,” which has the same attractive loneliness as the best of Tracy Chapman.

And thus the fatal flaw. Nearly all the songs sound like a band trying to emulate bygone hit-makers to make a good first impression. The Fray — Slade in particular — is clearly talented enough to join these acts via their own sound if they would have just dared to let us hear it.

An overly safe first move can be dangerous.

– By Morgan Kelly

THE CD: “Ocean Or A Teardrop” (NorthernBlues)
PERFORMER: David Jacobs-Strain

Blues and roots music singer-songwriter David Jacobs-Strain has spent years traveling the backroads and making music in places great and obscure. Between a crippling number of showdates and appearances, he has managed to cut five albums, but somehow avoid what might be termed ‘big time’ mainstream success.

But credit where credit is due, the kid is 22 and the road of a sincere blues man is a long, long haul. If he had wanted to be a mainstream success, he’d dress like a skater punk, sing songs about being an outsider, get some tattoos, and maybe date a girl who used to have her own TV show.

There’s always room for one more cliche on top 40 radio.

David Jacob-Strain is no cliche, but an interesting and unexpected surprise. His youth is only evident by his babyface picture on his press photos, not by the finely crafted sounds he makes.

His 5th release, ‘Ocean or a Teardrop’ is a catchy fusion of modern roots-inspired jam and classic blues with something of an occasional nod to the sparse guitar sound of Johnny Cash. Strumming an accoustic guitar, accompanied by subdued African rhythms, he sounds earnest and honest. His songs are thoughtful, heartfelt and world-weary. He sings them with a maturity that seems well beyond his years, digging from a life of experience that he could not possibly have, but yet still seems to know something about.

Still, when the music is this good, nobody asks to see any ID.

–By Bill Lynch

THE CD: “Bleed Like Me” (Geffen Records)
PERFORMER: Garbage

After something of a suspicious absense from the music scene, Shirley Manson and the lads from Garbage are back with an album that’s as uplifting as having your car keyed by a really attractive hooker.

Bleed Like Me is familiar territory for a band whose home is the mudpit of dysfunction, disconnection and sexual obsession. All the relationships are unhealthy, obsessive or abusive. Everything is coming apart, but unlike any number of bland, sort-of-flavor-of the month progressive rock bands out there, Garbage does do it without resorting to feeling too sorry or apologizing for being weak.

Everybody needs therapy, but so what? You wanna dance?

Dancing is the easy part. Misery loves company. The music is driving alt rock: fuzzy, growling guitars, pulsing techno and club beats that are brazen, aggressive and suggestive.

“Bleed Like Me” is about about managing to function when probably you should just curl up into a ball and pull the covers over your head. It’s enough to keep going and pretty cool when you don’t have to brag about it.

–By Bill Lynch

THE CD: “Make Believe”
PERFORMER: Weezer

Has it been 10 years already? With the release of their fifth studio album, “Make Believe,” Weezer rightfully reclaims the throne in the pantheon of rock gods.

“Beverly Hills,” the first single, is a tongue-in-cheek ode to Tinseltown and the stars that shine (or fade) there. For singer-songwriter Rivers Cuomo, however, no cheese or floss need apply.

The band has gone through a couple of bassists since it burst on the scene with “Undone, The Sweater Song.” If you’ve had a chance to see the video for “Beverly Hills,” original bassist (and Rentals frontman) Matt Sharp is likely kicking himself for splitting after “Pinkerton.”

Cuomo’s lyrics are insightful, humorous, and self-deprecating. “Perfect Situation” is a good example of this, with Cuomo taking stock of a relationship: Though I can’t satisfy all the needs she has and so she starts to wonder/Can you blame her?

Classic.

Worth it

Musically, Rivers is apparently a dictator. Weezer is his band. The musical style has changed from the surf-rock style of their debut, but it’s been a gradual thing.
Every Weezer CD I’ve ever bought has been worth the price. It’s rare when you can look back at a CD you bought 10 years ago and say ‘That was worth it.’

The songs have a timeless feel. Not only does Cuomo LOOK like he would fit in with Buddy Holly, his lyrics are in line with all the great troubadours, romantics, and assorted losers (his words) who decided to sing a love song.

From eyewitness accounts, Weezer was a fan favorite at that flag-flying freak-fest that is the Warped Tour. So many piercings, tattoos, and now, eye liner, can’t be wrong. Their music precedes them; the lyrics are the message, and that, too is rare these days.

Oh, and contrary to what you may (I really doubt that you did) have read in other publications (I’m looking at you, Graffiti), the last two records were not “two strikes.” I don’t know what to say to the girl who wrote that. I know she’s not deaf, so, —- ?

God bless the Weez.

– Nick Harrah

The CD: “Chaos and Creation in the Backyard” (Capitol)
PERFORMER: Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney has a hard job these days. He has created some of the most beloved music in the world over the past four decades. Now, when he releases new music, it invariably gets put into competition against his legendary back catalog of music, both as a Beatle, and solo. That’s the problem facing his new album, “Chaos and Creation in the Backyard.” As good as it is in places, it will always recall his greater musical triumphs.

“Chaos” is a pretty good album, probably McCartney’s strongest effort lyrically in years, but the music is a little underwhelming. Tempo-wise, Sir Paul doesn’t seem to break a sweat on this album.

While McCartney is an acknowledged master of the ballad, you could always count on him to unleash the occasional blast of hard rock, like “Helter Skelter,” “Spin It On,” or “Angry.” This new collection of songs doesn’t really have a killer rock number. There are some up-tempo pop tunes, but maybe at age 63 McCartney has decided to leave the harder stuff to the younger fellows. It’s a shame, because if this album had a little more an edge to it, it could rank with his best work.

Standout tracks

Recorded solo by McCartney (playing all the instruments himself), with outside production by Nigel Goodrich (Radiohead), this CD sounds beautiful. The production and arrangements are pure ear candy for Beatle fans. Unfortunately, the tunes aren’t up to McCartney’s usual standards.

Standout tracks are the first single (and Lexus commercial jingle) “Fine Line,” which features the jumpiest music on the CD and some very clever wordplay; “Jenny Wren”, a story song of a young woman, lyrically in the vein of “She’s Leaving Home” and “Eleanor Rigby,” but musically a descendant of “Blackbird”: and “English Garden”, which shares it’s title with a song by his former bandmate Ringo Starr, from his “RingoRama” CD–perhaps a nod to the obsessive Beatles fans who are still looking for “clues” on every album. Ringo’s song quotes the chorus from McCartney’s “Let ‘em In.”

The rest of the album is pleasant enough, but very….’somber’ isn’t the word I’m looking for, but it does describe the tempo of most of the CD. You’re not likely to come away from this CD humming anything. It’s a shame, because even the musically boring tunes, sport very clever lyrics and great production. “Chaos and Creation in the Backyard” is a solid effort, but it has the unfair disadvantage of having to compete against so much legendary music from McCartney. I have feeling that this CD will age well, and perhaps grow on me as time goes by.

A special edition is available, featuring the CD, and a bonus DVD that includes a documentary on the recording of the album, instrumental versions of some of the tracks, animation, and more.

THE CD: “Okemah and the Melody of Riot” (Transmit Sound/Legacy)
PERFORMER: Son Volt

Fact No. 1: I bought this CD.
Fact No. 2: You can’t kiss these guys off with a quick listen.

Son Volt frontman Jay Farrar has added a new chapter to the book of Unconcerned Songwriting. He obviously cares about an audience, but the songs are devoid of hooks and at times seem written for himself. Think Dylan, Mark Olsen or Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. When the process works, its great.

Take “Ipecac,” for example. Happy Hair with fashion eye/climbed up the Ivory Tower/just forgot what the game was for/just forgot what the game was for.

OK, so maybe it doesn’t matter. The song does have a great chord progression. Farrar’s introspective voice, plaintive but never whining, backed by crunchy guitars, draws the listener in, not unlike the early recordings of Neil Young and Crazy Horse.

The “Okemah” in the title refers to Woody Guthrie’s birthplace, and social and political awareness does wander through the songs, as on “Endless War”: When the morning brings news of wasted life/when video brings footage of children dying/no moral face to the endless war/no moral face to the endless war.

Or on “Jet Pilot,” where Farrar takes a poke at a famous Texan: Jet pilot for the day washed his sins away/ loves to see the rangers play/ his daddy has a job in Washington wants to raise a Harvard son.The song also references the great Gil Scott-Heron with “the revolution will be televised across living rooms of the great divide/robber baron ghettoes before us now/everybody needs a hunting pal.”

Another slower number, “Medication,” has a nice raga feel.

Repeated listening

Mind you, I am game for the repeated listening it takes (me, anyway) to ‘get’ Farrar’s essence, but one wonders if the guy couldn’t use a songwriting partner. Consider classic Lennon-McCartney (and, yeah boy, am I dating myself) — depending on who originated the song, the other would take the middle eight bars. As a result, the tone of the tune would change mid-song, then back. This is not a suggestion that Farrar move to commercial pop, just mix it up a little.

So maybe it doesn’t matter. These guys do bear repeat listening. Check with me at Christmas.

“Okemah and the Melody of Riot” also features a DVD side, with the album in enhanced stereo, and a documentary, “Break Through the Lens,” plus live versions of three of the tunes, and one, “Joe Citizen Blues,” not found on the CD. Good recording from a fine band, and worth the $18.

– By Paul Gartner

NOTE: Son Volt comes to “Mountain Stage” for an Oct. 2 show in Athens, Ohio, along with Charlie Sexton, Eric Bibb, Over the Rhine and Adrienne Young and Little Sadie. Tickets only by calling 740-593-1780 or at box office.

THE CD: “Invisible Invasion”
PERFORMER: The Coral

The fourth album from British indie band, The Coral, finds them nearing full bloom as the psychedelic, acid-pop band they aspire to be. The first track, “She Sings the Mourning,” sets this tone with rolling bass, vibrato guitar and the balmy voice of singer James Skelly wafting some strange tale.

From there it is a mind-twisting voyage through a world reminiscient of King Crimson, the Animals and the Velvet Underground. But “Invasion” is more than a nostalgic countercultural anthology. The Coral are far from shiftless copycats. They have worked hard to honor their roots and have us like the outcome.

Unlike songs on the band’s grittier 2002 self-titled debut or on the longer, musically indulgent albums that followed, tunes like “A Warning to the Curious” from this latest effort are finely crafted minglings of organ, voice and strings constructed with an intense awareness of the pop values love, misery and brevity.

At times it seems they added a little to much crowd appeal. Tunes like “In the Morning” and “So Long Ago,” while good songs, break the trance and uncomfortably skirt the bouncy fringes of ’60s bubblegum pop.

I’m speculating here, but that may have something to do with the Zutons and their 2004 debut album, “Who Killed…The Zutons.” It seems odd that the last three tracks of “Invisible Invasion” are fueled by the same soul/R-and-B/folk-rock infusion that the much younger band turned into commercial success. (Then again, the Zutons sounded so much like the Coral — the bands are both from Liverpool and have the same producer and label — that some thought them a manifestation of the same band.)

Who sounds more like who may not be clear, but we do know who came first. The Coral may not have killed the Zutons, but they certainly preceeded them in style, sound and pure enjoyment. “The Invisible Invasion,” is perhaps the best reason yet to finally give them recognition.

– By Morgan Kelly

THE CD: “Platinum Underground” (Ultrax)
PERFORMER: Vanilla Ice

Okay, stop snickering and listen. Yes, Ice is back with a brand new album. The erstwhile superstar claims to be reinventing himself as an independent musician on “Platinum Underground.” Yet the cultural references in Ice’s lyrics and the album’s blending of hip-hop and heavy metal seem about a half-decade behind.

Ice wants us to know this album is about his love of music and is not about recapturing the since-curdled glory of 1990s “To the Extreme.” Yet he insists on reminding us of his past fame. He seems bitter. At one point he claims to have paved the way for Eminem and that — much like Dre — everyone forgot about the Ice Man. (To compare the two is like comparing Yanni to Mozart.)

Songs like “Survivor” and “Dunn Natt” show that Mr. Ice really wants us to know — and care — about his rise and fall, including a suicide attempt in 1994. More importantly, he says, he has completely rejected his 1990s image, which he blames for his despair, so he’s safe to like, now.

To drive home the “reinvention” theme, VI not only revisits “Ice Ice Baby,” but deigns to do a follow-up of 1991’s “Ninja Rap” from the second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie. How fantastically crap. But for the most part, a blind sampling of “”Platinum Underground would have one mistake it for a mix of Ja Rule, Everlast, White Zombie, Limp Bizkit and a host of contemporary artists Ice emulates.

Ice is stuck in the ’90s, as shown by his references to the Clinton-Lewinsky affair, the Hale-Bopp cometsuicides and Billy Ray Cyrus, who was popular around the same time as Ice yet has had the decency to fade away.

– By Morgan Kelly