TUES 4 MAY 2004
Forgotten Sol: “Forgotten Sol”
By Jon RossArgonaut Staff
Seattle folk duo Forgotten Sol’s latest release is more about lyrics than virtuosic musicianship. Songwriter Christina Orbˇ weaves politically inspired lyrics on top of bandmate Dan Moore’s rhythmic guitar playing, creating a group of songs that could serve as fodder for intellectual debates.
In the liner notes Orbˇ refers to these lyrics as poetry, and that is exactly how they come across.
In the brooding last track, “Solace,” Orbˇ uses her poetry to explore hate crimes committed by police officers.
Among the victims implied in the song is 22-year-old New Yorker Amadou Diallo, who was gunned down by four New York cops in February 1999. She tells Diallo’s story, including the tales of many other victims, in a subtle manner that focuses on the pain of the family.
“Town name New York, New York / Man reaching in his pocket / Gets shot 41 times / Didn’t find a weapon on the body this time,” Orbˇ sings with in a deep, mournful voice.
Each victim’s story is followed by a chorus explaining the feeling of injustice voiced by his or her family.
Orbˇ and Moore, both armed with acoustic guitars, work together to provide an aurally enjoyable experience. The guitars blend well with Orbˇ’s deep vocal timbre and create a mellow, sleepy sound that is not rife with oversinging.
On some tracks Orbˇ does digress into superfluous melismas that sound out of place, but this is the exception. Orbˇ’s bag of tricks also includes dirty slides and scoops that are utilized on almost every song.
The only sour note on the album is the inclusion of a rap track. Aided by a beat box by Moore, Orbˇ struggles through her monologue about Seattle.
The problem does not lie in the music or lyrics, but with the flow of Orbˇ’s rap. It sounds like she is trying to sing and rap at the same time, and when she tries to elongate some of the words she ends up drifting off the beat.
This track might have been better suited as a bonus track at the end of the release, but it is a minor blip on an album that is otherwise masterfully packaged.
Joseph Patrick Moore: “Drum and Bass Society-Vol. 1”
By Jon HammondArgonaut Staff
Bassist Joseph Patrick Moore’s latest release, “Drum & Bass Society-Vol. 1,” experiments with many styles and instrumental groupings in a way that can only be described as eclectic. Each song displays a different mix of sounds and personnel, ranging from the violin, mandolin and flute to heavily sampled drum machine tracks and echoey voices.
The album’s jazz influence is easy to hear on tracks like “Groove Messenger (The Story of Jazztronica),” where Vance Thompson’s trumpet improvisations and Frank Amato’s work on the Fender Rhodes keyboard recall Miles Davis’ recordings of the late ’60s and early ’70s. But when Moore does jazz it is wholly original, preferring a sampled trip-hop beat to the traditional drum kit sound.
Just as easily as the electric jazz element is established, other tracks stick to a more pop sound. While Moore’s arrangements of Men at Work’s “Down Under” or The Fixx’s “One Thing Leads to Another” aren’t the highlights of this CD, they do provide an interesting contrast to the album’s more ethereal wanderings.
Other songs covered by Moore and his band stay closer to the group’s “jam band” sound. Jazz drummer Tony Williams’ “Creatures of Conscience” allows drummer Jeff Sipe to stretch out and show his chops, while “Heavy Things,” written by the band Phish, mixes jazzlike improvisation with programmed, Alvin-and-the-Chipmunks-esque vocals.
Moore’s technical ability on his instrument is solid, but he isn’t overly showy. In fact, on several tracks, including the album’s opener “Down Under,” he stays out of the way and lets the other instruments shine.
“Drum & Bass Society-Vol. 1” is quality recording with something a little different on each of its 15 tracks.
Snow Patrol: “The Final Straw”
By Justin RoysterArgonaut Staff
It’s hard for a musical act from another country to break into the U.S. music scene and put itself on the map. However, some groups consistently seem to transcend these boundaries and manage to nonetheless produce high-quality tracks. Such is Snow Patrol.
Snow Patrol hails from Northern Ireland, but you won’t find any of the traditional Irish sound in this group. Snow Patrol is simply an indie rock band with the standard formula, which manages to produce an eclectic and catchy sound.
Originally known as The Polar Bears, Snow Patrol signed with fledgling Jeepster Records and released its first album in 1998. Since then the band has released two distinct records on different labels, the latest being 2003’s “The Final Straw.”
Influences for the group include musical giants Coldplay and Radiohead; those influences can easily be heard throughout “The Final Straw,” especially on tracks like “Run” and “Same,” the latter of which gave the group its first United Kingdom hit in 2004.
At other times Snow Patrol’s indie rock background shines through, like on the track “Gleaming Auction,” which is a forceful, beat-driven anthem.
One thing Snow Patrol does better than most bands can be directly attributed to frontman Gary Lightbody’s lyrical genius. Every song has a meaningful, heart-on-your-sleeve feeling, and Lightbody has one of the best voices in years.
Snow Patrol easily matches up with American indie rockers like The Get Up Kids and Saves the Day, at least in the lyrics department.
Snow Patrol falls into that group of artists that have yet to cross the line into the U.S. mainstream. In line with UK acts Badly Drawn Boy and Ash, Snow Patrol has released one solid record with “The Final Straw.” It has all the aspects of a major-label release, and Snow Patrol deserves a lot of credit.
Spring marks 27th season of Farmers Market
By Justin RoysterArgonaut Staff
Community members who want to fight the movement toward cheaply produced products via global marketing can spend their money at the Moscow City Farmers Market, which is now in full swing for its 2004 season.
The Farmers Market, now in its 27th season, goes from 8 a.m.-noon every Saturday through October. The market is located in Friendship Square in downtown Moscow.
Deena Heath, director of Moscow’s Art Commission, said the market is a collection of vendors and farmers from surrounding areas who come together to sell their wares. It is the Moscow Art Commission’s responsibility to coordinate the market.
The more than 1,000 patrons who visit the market can expect to find early garden greens and fresh flowers as well as several different kinds of bedding plants among the many booths.
There will be more than 60 vendors in attendance over the summer. Around 40 percent of the market is produce, 40 percent crafts and 20 percent food to be eaten immediately, according to the 2003 market assessment. The only rule for the market is that the product sold there must be handmade or hand-grown.
“It’s sort of a rule; it all has to come directly from the vendors,” Heath said.
A variety of arts and crafts vendors will show products throughout the 2004 market season. Fresh coffee, snack foods and baked goods will also be available.
The market not only provides a chance for farmers and entrepreneurs to showcase their wares and sell them at the vendors’ chosen price, it also provides the area with an alternative to shopping at larger retail chains. It also gives the community something to look forward to each Saturday, Heath said.
Handmade goods aren’t the only things available at the market. Live music and performances will take place on certain days from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Live shows that have already occurred include Eclectic, an acoustic folk group, and a special appearance by the Moscow Arts Commission Youth Choir. Coming performances will incorporate other groups from the area, as well as the Lionel Hampton Marimba Band.
The market should provide affordable options for shopping and a lot of entertainment for those who attend, Heath said.
“Get out of bed and come down to the market,” Heath said.
Schedule for Eastside Cinemas
“Mean Girls” PG-13 (12:50), (2:55), 5, 7:05 and 9:10 p.m.“New York Minute” PG (12:55), (3:05), 5:05, 7:10 and 9:15 p.m.
“Godsend” R (12:45), (2:55), 5, 7:15 and 9:25 p.m.
“Man on Fire” R (noon), (3), 6 and 9 p.m.
“13 Going on 30” PG-13 (12:50), (3), 5:10, 7:20 and 9:30 p.m.
Schedule for U4 Cinemas
“Van Helsing” PG-13 (1), (4), 7 and 9:55 p.m.“Kill Bill 2” R (1), 4, 7 and 9:45 p.m.
“Envy” PG-13 (1:30), 4, 7 and 9:30 p.m.
“Laws of Attraction” PG-13 (1), 4:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
Showtimes in ( ) are for Saturday and Sunday only.
UI Argonaut, 301 Student Union, Moscow, ID 83844
Argonaut: 208.885.7845 Advertising: 208.885.5780