REVIEW: Various Artists, Party Of Five (Reprise)
With the success of Fox' "Party Of Five" television show and the frequent use of background music in the series, it was inevitable that a compilation would come out from this show. And although the show is aimed at people from their teens to the mid-twenties, the soundtrack (and music from the show) is aimed decidedly at the adult alternative market.
Wisconsin's Bodeans bookend the compilation, with their breakthrough hit "Closer To Free", which first appeared on 1993's Go Slow Down, and the new "Heart Of A Miracle", which will be featured on an upcoming album from the folk-rock group.
The rest of the album combines previously released material such as Joe Jackson's "Stranger Than Fiction", the blues of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on "Cruel Spell" and the concert favorite from Rusted Root, "Send Me On My Way", with tracks from forthcoming albums such as the serene Howard Jones "If You Love", which marks a mellower approach for the keyboard wizard and covers such as Rickie Lee Jones' version of Donovan's "Sunshine Superman" and Stevie Nicks reinterpreting, albeit poorly, Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'".
Possibly the standout track here is the collaboration between B.T. (classically trained pianist and master remixer Brian Transeau) and Tori Amos on "Blue Skies". First appearing on his own Ima disc, this track comes off as a combination of Depeche Mode and Utah Saints, with multiple layering of synthesizers and sounds beneath a vocal which wouldn't necessarily be thought of in a dance context. B.T. first worked with Amos in a remix of her "Talula" song for the Twister soundtrack, and the pairing here - though somewhat out of place with the rest of the soundtrack - is nearly perfect.
The listing of artists tells the tale on Party Of Five. If three or four of the artists are to your liking, then the adult alternative music of Party Of Five is for you. TRACK LISTING: Bodeans - Closer To Free; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Cruel Spell; Laurie Sargent - Without Letting Go; BT Featuring Tori Amos - Blue Skies; Chaka Khan - Love Me Still; Joe Jackson - Stranger Than Fiction; Syd Straw - People of Earth; Holly Palmer - All I Really Wanna Do; Howard Jones - If You Love; Rickie Lee Jones - Sunshine Superman; Nanci Griffith - It's A Hard Life Wherever You Go; Rusted Root - Send Me On My Way; Shawn Colvin - Climb On (A Back That's Strong); Bodeans - Heart of a Miracle
REVIEW: Various Artists, Space Jam (Atlantic)
While Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny have teamed up to produce the kids monster hit of the season, the soundtrack for Space Jam targets the people who are on the court playing b-ball in the local playgrounds.
R. Kelly's poignant ballad "I Believe I Can Fly" (with the Motown Romance Orchestra!) serves as one of the inspiring moments of the film. Robin S. of "Show Me Love" fame returns to the dancefloor setting with a song written with Todd Terry, "Givin' U All That I've Got". And Quad City DJ's have recorded another party anthem (along the lines of "The Train" and "Whoot, There It Is") with the title track which rolls over the opening credits, "Space Jam".
"Hit 'Em High (The Monstars Anthem)", is an all star lineup of rappers and hip hoppers featuring B Real, Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J & Method Man. If Space Jam needed any credence at the street level, this killer track is likely to establish it - and also come blaring out of many boom boxes.
There are some letdowns on Space Jam, however. Bugs Bunny's "Buggin'", though cute (featuring the voice of Billy West, also known as the voice for Ren & Stimpy), seems only to be album filler to hit the Warner Bros. crowd. And while Seal's cover of Steve Miller's "Fly Like An Eagle" soars high - with a brief lyrical insertion from his own hit, "Crazy" - Salt N Pepa's reinterpretation of Diana Ross' "Upside Down" and the Spin Doctors (with Biz Markie) cover of That's The Way (I Like It) both fall flatter than a deflated ball at the end of a slam dunk competition.
A mixed bag of tracks that should sell well, Space Jam, the soundtrack, is Madison Avenue's urban wet dream.
REVIEW: John Waite, Falling Backwards (EMI)
John Waite's career first ascended with the British rock group The Babys; during that time, Journey's Jonathan Cain would join up, and the pair would reunite again in 1989 as part of Bad English. In between, Waite managed one monster hit which Tina Turner has recently covered, "Missing You", and recently returned back to a solo career in 1995 with the release of the underrated Temple Bar. Waite's rock and ballad style hadn't gone away, but was a victim of the quirks of the music industry.
When the Imago label went through some restructuring last year, several artists, including Waite and former lead singer Aimee Mann got lost in the shuffle. Although he notched a top 5 adult contemporary hit with "How Did I Get By Without You", the album crashed and burned because of no exposure. Three tracks from that album, including "Downtown" (co-written with Glen Burtnick), appear here to magnify Waite's latest work.
Falling Backwards does not serve as a complete history of Waite's career; there are plenty of examples of hits (both on the charts, or in the hearts of fans) which are omitted. Instead, it follows the pattern of some European compilations by serving up an assortment of hits, leaving the completist wanting more, but satisfying the palate of the casual fan. TRACK LISTING: (solo) How Did I Get By Without You, In Dreams, Downtown, Act of Love, If Anybody Had A Heart, Encircled, Missing You, Change (With Bad English) Straight To Your Heart, When I See You Smile, Price of Love (With Babys) Back On My Feet Again, Midnight Rendezvous, Head First, Broken Heart, Isn't It Time, If You've Got The Time SURPRISING OMISSION: Bad English "Possesion" and "Forget Me Not"; Babys "Everytime I Think Of You" (referred to in the liner notes as appearing on Greatest Hits, Vol. 2); solo "These Times Are Hard For Lovers", "Every Step Of The Way", "Tears"
