From: leo@ph.tn.tudelft.nl (Leo Breebaart)
Newsgroups: rec.music.reviews,rec.music.misc
Subject: Kronto Singles Reviews Vol.2, #6
Summary: 23 Mar - 31 Mar
Date: Sat, 04 Apr 92 19:16:59 GMT
Reply-To: leo@ph.tn.tudelft.nl
Followup-To: rec.music.misc
Organization: Delft University of Technology



My feeling that we are heading towards a better-than-average period of
musical quality turned out to be quite correct (IMHO). Each day I hear new
singles that I think are great. As a consequence, I have started listening
to the radio a bit more (I tend to do that in cycles too). Of course, that
also means I hear more of the garbage as well, which results in lots of one-
and zero-star singles, but that is a self-regulating feedback system
for you.

Oh, by the way. I have the feeling that for the past month or so, none
of my articles have been making it to 'the outside'. For weeks now I have 
been getting zero response, not on the Net and not in e-mail. Zero. Nada.
Silence. Reviews in r.m.reviews *do* generate response, but that can be 
explained by the fact that this group is moderated and therefore handled
differently by the news software.

If you live outside the Netherlands, can you drop me a quick note if you
have noticed *any* articles of mine besides these reviews in r.m.misc
lately? Much thanx in advance.

------

This is part six of my 1992 new singles reviews. It's a review of more-
or-less new singles that have come to my notice over the last few weeks. 
All opinions expressed are humbly mine. The rating system is simple:

****  = "Excellent", by the time you read this I will already have begged, 
        stolen or borrowed the album this song is on.
 ***  = "Above Average", if this song comes on the radio, I turn the volume
        up, and I will certainly try to get a hold of the album.
  **  = "Ok", this song is quite literally 'average', in the positive sense
        of the word. 
   *  = "Below Average", if this song comes on the radio, I turn the volume
        down, and pray for it to finish quickly.
 (0)  = "Worthless", songs that I can't understand *anyone* would like.

-----

WINNER OF THE WEEK:

XTC - The Disappointed (***)

Sounds like XTC are taking off just where they left with the "Oranges and
Lemons" album, which may be bad news to fans of their earlier work, but
things couldn't be better as far as I'm concerned. This melodius, low
mid-tempo song has a hopping beat to it, typical XTC chord changes, and
it has been spinning in my head from the moment I first heard it. Great stuff.


LOSER OF THE WEEK:

NIRVANA - Come As You Are (0)

I got some polite and enthusiastic mail from Nirvana fans trying to convince
me, when I said here that I did not like 'Teen Spirit' that much. But sorry 
guys, this song brings my enthousiasm for Nirvana to the absolute zero-point.
It's just a 'Teen Spirit II' -- without the balls and without the novelty. 
When it comes to Seattle, give me Pearl Jam or Soundgarden any time. 


OTHER SONGS:

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Human Touch (**)

Almost, but not quite.
It's a nice, well-executed power-rock song, but just a bit too slick and
clean and long and, well, *American*. It's almost as if the human touch is
*missing* from this song. I have heard other material from the Boss's new
albums that is quite promising though, even for a non-Springsteen fan like me.


JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP - Love And Happiness (***)

Compare this song to the Springsteen one. This is *also* a typically
American, well-executed power-rock song. But this one is really gritty
and hardhitting, and the thin, bare sax cannot hide the killer guitar
riff. In this context the fairly standard what-a-mess-this-world-is
lyrics fit perfectly. And since Mellencamp seemed to be in a bit of
a creative slump the past few years, I am all the more pleased with this
comeback.


MADNESS - It Must Be Love (****)

A welcome re-release in order to promote the new "Divine Madness" compilation.
One of the simplest, most basic love songs around. Charming lyrics,
sparse arrangements, and the delightful British accent in which it
is sung complete the picture. Labi Siffre should be proud of this cover.


BRYAN ADAMS - Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven (0)

Everything about Bryan Adams' latest releases is screaming "CREATIVE
BURNOUT/TEMPORARY_DIP" in our faces. This one's no exception, and if there's
any justice in this world it will *not* become a hit.


2 UNLIMITED - Twilight Zone (*)

Commercial House music. Low on quality and substance, but that may just
reflect my own personal feelings about most house music, whether commercial
or 'real'. Judge for yourself.


ANNIE LENNOX - Why (*)

This ballad does not do justice to Annie's beautiful voice (she sounds not
unlike Feargal Sharkey here, with lots of (unnecessary) vibrato) and would 
not have been my choice to start my solo career. It's uneventful and boring, 
and goes on for too long. I do hope she has some better material up her sleeve.


CHIC - Chic Mystique (***)

Yowsa Yowsa Yowsa. Chic is back! For me Chic is the ultimate youth sentiment 
(next, perhaps, to Saturday Night Fever and Grease, I'm afraid. Yes, I 
belong to the disco-generation, and proud of it).
This song continues exactly where Chic left off twelve years or so ago,
and is therefore none too original. On the other hand, they simply don't
make songs like this anymore (violins and all), so it's a welcome change
from the standard dance stuff these days. 


TEARS FOR FEARS - Tears Roll Down (**)

Swan song for a decent, if somewhat overhyped at times, band. This one
sounds like an outtake from the "Sowing The Seeds" sessions -- almost
exactly the same sound. Not a paricularly great song, by no means a
bad song. Just the last one.

-----

All remarks, agreements, disagreements, additions, or factual error
corrections welcome.


-- 
Leo Breebaart  (leo @ ph.tn.tudelft.nl)