Published on Feb 4, 1998
I’m normally not a big fan of samplers. Sure, they often feature
versions of songs not readily available anywhere else, but many of
them seem to be assembled in a slipshod manner. Plus, most of the
time I’ve maybe heard of one or two groups, and the others tend to
be groups I’ll find in the “Where Are They Now?” category of
Trivial Pursuit.
Then came
Anakin, the latest addition to the Pierce Archive (Matt,
we’re gonna miss you) courtesy of 4AD Records. Not only does this
disc build from acoustic to electric in a natural fashion, but with
one exception, this disc makes me want to discover more about most
of the bands featured.
The highlight for me on this disc is “Say What You Came To Say”
by a group named scheer, noted for writing their songs acoustically
and recording them with a thicker electric sound. But this song
stayed acoustic… and is one of the most powerful songs I’ve heard
in a very long time. This is a song that had the power to move me
emotionally and make the most of my mind – and if they don’t make
it to the big time soon, I’m going to be one pissed-off puppy. (One
suggestion, though – why not do an album in this style? It
works!)
Mojave 3’s demo of “To Whom Should I Write” and His Name Is
Alive’s “Ain’t No Lie” both display talents of bands from whom you
should be hearing a lot from in the near future. And while Lisa
Germano sounds a lot like Liz Phair on “Reptile,” she does add
enough of her own flavor to it to make this another winning
cut.
Checking in with the most unique guitar sound on
Anakin is starry smooth hound with “Dreamt U In A Dream” –
killer fuzz effects, though a little more variety in the chords
would have been more enjoyable. Still, I defy you to not get hooked
on this song with a guitar riff like it features.
Two bands we’ve featured on “The Daily Vault” are featured on
Anakin. Thievery Corporation is about to have their debut
album released in the UK, and they check in with “The
Foundation”.While I’m not gushing with as much praise as Sean
Belvedere was when he reviewed
Songs From The Thievery Hi-Fi, it is an enjoyable track
which you readers in England will soon be grooving to. And
Iceland’s GusGus checks in again with a demo version of “Blue Mug”
– further proof that this band should soon be eclipsing their
fellow countrymen The Sugarcubes.
The only real downfall on
Anakin comes on Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke’s effort
“Sacrifice,” a song which sounds more suited for someone like
Diamanda Galas or Nusret Fateh Ali Khan. No matter how hard I
tried, I just could not get used to this song. Fortunately, acts
like The Hope Blister and Kristin Hersh (whose latest album was
released on Tuesday – as was this disc) quickly redeem
Anakin.
Every time I’m ready to declare true alternative music dead,
something like
Anakin comes along to make me happy that I was wrong about
the state of the genre. Here’s hoping we’ll be hearing more – and I
mean a
lot more – from these bands, all of whom will have new
albums out in 1998.