Marilyn Manson may be the self-styled God of F***, but Trent Reznor is still the Prince of Pissed-Off Cool. NIN's latest opus is not for those of a fragile disposition; clocking in at 100 minutes of loud, epic industrial rock, the album is a stark second cousin to Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Reznor has ditched the cartoon glam-goth look for a more sober, sensible image, and the album abandons teenage petulance for more adult-oriented angst. Orchestral themes, moody piano passages and primal, screaming pop anthems meld together to form a monolithic, ass-kicking whole; the venom-laced vocals and piercing guitar-sis make Corgan & Co sound like a bunch of whiners, but did Reznor really need almost two hours to tell us how bad he feels?
- Kevin Courtney
Quasi: Field Studies (Domino)
Elliot Smith's backing group attempt to give their leader a run for his money with this album of rough'n'ready folk-rock, the follow-up to last year's Featuring Birds. Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss handle all the instrumentation, bringing in their boss for a bit of bass playing and adding strings to some of the more atmospheric tracks. The over-riding impression, however, is that Quasi are tapping into the current American alt. rock obsession with Sixties sounds, from The Beatles right through to Texan garage pop. The Golden Egg, The Skeleton and A Fable With No Moral mine the more recognisable elements of the past, while The Star You Left Behind and Under A Cloud stroll between the woods of Mercury Rev and the suburbs of Fountains Of Wayne. It's a mixed bag, but there are enough good songs to keep you exploring.
- Kevin Courtney
Michel Legrand: Le Meilleur De Michel Legrand (Philips)
Sadly, Michel Legrand has yet to be "adopted" by would-be classic pop composers like Damon Albarn. The only truly great composer of popular music who cited Legrand as an influence was Scott Walker, while that crooner of dubious merit, Jack Jones, made only one worthwhile album in his career - an album of Legrand songs. Well, all the most magnificent Michel Legrand compositions are here, blessed by interpretations in their original language, some sung by Legrand himself. From Les Moulins De Mon Coeur (The Windmills Of Your Mind) through a deeply evocative instrumental version of Un Ete 42 (Theme from The Summer of '42) to Je Vivrai Sans Toi (better known as I Will Say Goodbye). The latter is nearly as tear-inducing as Les Parapluies De Cherbourg (The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg). A beautiful album.
- Joe Jackson
