THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 20, 1996 TAG: 9606190083
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Music review
LENGTH: 84 lines
Beck, ``Odelay'' (DGC)
When ``Loser'' lurched onto the airwaves in 1994, everyone dismissed Beck Hansen as a one-hit weirdo, a junk-culture archivist doomed to the same pop heap in which he rummaged. No longer.
With ``Odelay,'' the L.A. folkie makes the leap from eight-track to high-tech without losing any quirkiness. His second major-label album is a polished, accessible concoction that buzzes with frothy static, chugging acoustic blues, basement hip-hop and '70s soul.
Most of the album inhabits a world that could only be inspired by Los Angeles - a place where Indian ragas mingle with fuzzbox disco, where a dispossessed cowboy call would be drowned out by police choppers. The India-inspired ``Derelict'' and the countryfied ``Lord Only Knows'' are Beck's best shots at pinpointing this netherworld, one so serious it's hard to take seriously, a lovely cultural shipwreck.
But Beck also pops off with something so hopeful it's frightening coming from someone so prone to irony: ``I'm the enchanting wizard of rhythm. I've come to tell you about the enchanting rhythms of the universe.'' It's a goof, but in a way, he's done just that.
Sara Scribner, L.A. Times
Jazz
Ahmad Jamal, The Essence, Part 1 (Verve)
Pianist Jamal paints from a broad palette: lush chords, intricate runs, shimmering tremolos, thunderous bass clusters. On his new album, the old master leads a small group (bass, drums, percussion) through a mixture of standards and originals.
The standout is ``Flight,'' a Jamal composition that startles at every turn. It starts with a quirky melodic figure over a minor vamp, then breaks into an infectious swing section. Jamal punctuates the piece with percussive, ``Rite of Spring'' chords, and boldly breaks off a solo chorus a full eight bars early. Finally, the master stroke: After more than six minutes of a minor key, he ends on a triumphant major chord.
Dependable tenor saxophonist George Coleman joins the group for ``Autumn Leaves,'' which benefits from a strong Latin beat and some inventive piano-sax interplay; on Jamal's ``The Essence,'' they explore John Coltrane-McCoy Tyner territory.
Occasionally, Jamal's colorings seem like mere decoration, but for the most part they serve to move and surprise the listener. That's the essence of a jazzman's job.
David Simpson, Virginian-Pilot [In performance: list of times]
Pop
The Neville Brothers, ``Mitakuye Oyasin/All My Relations'' (A&M)
As their new album - a potent batch of soul, wisdom and goodwill - makes clear, Art, Charles, Cyril and Aaron Neville have a lot on their minds. The earnest lyrics that accompany the funky grooves often contain messages, messages more important now than ever.
``Love Spoken Here,'' a soulful plea for harmony, sets the tone. The hard-funk ``Whatever You Do'' calls for individuals to take responsibility for their actions, as does the straight-shooting ``You're Gonna Make Your Momma Cry.''
Among the album's many flavors are a majestic reggae version of the Grateful Dead's ``Fire on the Mountain'' and saxophonist Charles' jazz instrumental, ``Orisha Dance.'' Aaron's sweet solos include the aforementioned ``Cry'' and a cover of Bill Withers' ``Ain't No Sunshine.''
John Wirt, Baton Rogue Advocate [in performance: list if times]
Country
Willie Nelson, ``Spirit'' (Island)
There are two reasons to celebrate the first country album ever from Chris Blackwell's tastemaker Island Records, home of Bob Marley and U2.
First, the key songs in this spiritually tinged concept album about heartbreak and loss represent Nelson's best work in years. Plus, the fact that Blackwell would respond to the universality and character in Nelson's music may be recommendation enough for even fans who profess to dislike country music to finally sample this extraordinarily gifted singer, writer and guitarist.
Robert Hilburn, L.A. Times ILLUSTRATION: Color CD Cover
Beck: "Odelay" by CNB