REVIEW: Various Artists, No Alternative
- Bob Gajarsky
Red Hot and Blue and Red Hot and Dance were two of the first successful AIDS compilation albums. No Alternative is the third in a series of AIDS awareness and fundraising productions by the Red Hot organization. The song which is receiving the most airplay is Soul Asylum's cover of the Marvin Gaye tune "Sexual Healing". Coupled with the Minneapolis band's recent popularity, this track has been crossing over radio formats in a huge way. It lacks the raw energy which Soul Asylum is known for, but puts a neatly refined pop twist on the song.
Other interesting covers include the Goo Goo Dolls rocking rendition of the Rolling Stones' "Bitch" and Uncle Tupelo covering John Fogerty's "Effigy".
My favorite track from the disc is an uncredited song by Nirvana, "Verse Chorus Verse". This track was rumored to have been a potential single for the In Utero disc, but was put on this compilation instead. It is reminiscent of "Lithium" from their Nevermind album.
More tracks appear on here that deserve mention. Pavement rips apart R.E.M. and express their distaste for the boys from Athens in "Unseen Power of the Picket Fence", Soundgarden continues the "Seattle sound" on "Show Me" and Matthew Sweet and Bob Mould keep up their quality recordings with "Superdeformed" and "Can't Fight It", respectively.
Cassette buyers will get more for their money, as extra songs by Jonathan Richman and Sonic Youth grace the tape version.
Those frustrated with the lack of variety of music on radio will take special interest in No Alternative. With the exception of "Sexual Healing", and possibly the Nirvana track, your local top 40 station won't touch this album. And for plenty of fans out there who like songs just a bit off the beaten bath, there will be no alternative to this album.
