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r E7/T^ nnic m UUV9 T * SOUND LAMB (Mercury) (out of four stars) As Portishead continues to equate longevity with one album, several acts (Sneaker Pimps, \TnrrVicwiViQ Mn ?..v.v**wwuj aic "" ; vying to be the new 5 ',%-k _ | champions of trip- r hop- iS* r The group with I ^ the best chance of j I i k doing this is the ; - V \ British duo Lamb, whose self-titled debut is perhaps the < ' Ha best representation " , of trip-hop, >* drum'nbass and soul n ^ What makes LAMB Lamb such a stunning record is that vocalist Louise Rhodes and DJ Andrew Barlow master the art of manipulating great hip-hop beats while managing to create good songs. Rhodes' folk upbringing provides her with a perspective that's absent from other so-called trip-hop acts, and her love of hip-hop makes her the perfect singer for the crisp and elegant beats of Barlow. Take the schizophrenic drum'n'bass ' of "Cotton Wool," for example, which somehow manages to be melodic even though it's four times faster than any 1 Hi A A * ou in tne g Portishead song. "Lusty" is another drum'n'bai excursion that's as brilliant for its bea as it is for Rhodes'vocals. Already a club favorite in the homeland, "Trans Fatty Acid" takes tl music to another level with atmosphei and spacey sour | effects, as the sor - reaches a seve mf $m nimuie uimax. iy Things are slowc H down for the intr | spective "Zero" ar "Feela," allowir 1 M Rhodes'lyrical ar vocal talent to shin 1 a Sade song, fine *1 Rhodes singing lin< like "in these fe hours a breath ( sunshine has turned to rain" over melancholy violin. Other songs like "Gold," "Close: and the low end instrumental "Mergi are highlighted by an underlying baj and sharp beats that bridge the ga Knfurnon V\in_V?An nnrl A on/>o mnoi uijj ixu]; auu uauvu uxuoi Lamb is a grab bag of great tune for the listener fixated on trip-hop (< whatever catch phrase the genre i called). This is easily one of the best releas< of the year. set0l"ls % _J^k 254-7801 *211 Main St. ice Hours - Mon.-Fri. 9:30 - 5: ETC. roove with th( by Marcus Amaker, Features Editor SOUND a 3S SARAH McLAGHLAN - SURFACING (.Arista) x . . 1 : ui 18 (out of four stars) J CI *r Kate Bush. Joni Mitchell. Rickie P *e Lee Jones. Theses are the names of the ^ best of the best-the female ^ singer/songwriters who shook up a male ^ dominated industry in the IQfs and ISO's. ^ n For the 90k, Ibri Amos, AniDiFranoo 1V and Sarah McLachlan have carried the a ** flame of their predecessors with less " ?" commercial success, but just as much ^ 1(3 influence. Of those three, Sarah McLachlan 33 1(3 has always had the best chance of ^ becoming popular because her music . ' has never been as daring as Amos' or 11 36 as blunt as DiFranco's. Instead, a *s McLachlan simply makes great music. P 38 Her 1989 debut Touch and its 1991 ^ w follow-up Solace only hinted at what P1 33 came full circle on her greatest work, & a Fumbling Tbwards Ecstasy. A major n tour, a marriage and two b-side CD's ^ rn later, McLachlan returns with Surfacing, 13 5 her first album of new material in four ^ 38 years. J? LP Surfacing is a stunning piece of 111 c- work, and just like Fumbling Ibwards ^ iS Ecstasy, the album plays like a dream f* )r sequence of songs exposing Sarah's 11 ls innermost thoughts. With only ten songs (one of which, *e 29 "Last Dance," is an instrumental), 11 Surfacing may seem sparse a first. But 11 beneath the surface, so to speak, lies ^ one of McLachlan's most amazing 5 latest musi lbums. g With the exception of the first single w Building A Mysteiy" Surfacing doesn't ri Dntain any overly catchy tunes like ast hits "Possession" or *lce Cream." b New songs like "I Love You" and N ?\ill of Grace" are more reflective and thereal than her earlier material. "I ove You" floats along like a cloud, as m f/?T O/?V\1Q?'O TTAIAO onftltr rv>V\ruio orfoinof W Lujauuauo vuiwi sjuiuj CUIVAAJ agaiuob Latin-tinged acoustic guitar. "Full of rrace," which was originally on her 996 release Rarities, B -sides and Other tuff, utilizes her trademark sound of lulti-layered vocals and atmospheric ackground music. The true beauty of Surfacing lies i the songs "Do What You Have to Do" ad "Angel," in which Sarah and her iano come to the forefront. "Do What ou Have lb Do" is a true gem, and is Dssibly the most melodic song she has /er written. Lyrically, Surfacing proves that IcLachlan is still one of our generations lost underrated songwriters. One of le reasons why she is so appealing is lat her songs not only appeal to the stener, but also to the poet, who can ppreciate lines like "can you look out le window without your shadow getting i the way." The only drawback to the CD is the rngth. Clocking in at just over 41 linutes. Surfacing leaves vou wanting lore, especially after waiting for four jars. But maybe that's what makes it so ESSfe*. Suncloud Costa Del 'Ogkley'i mltaMt hi ic releases ood- McLachlan has produced a CD rith ten excellent songs, leaving no oom for filler or any weak tracks. Surfacing is elegantly dark and eautifhl - in other words, classic Sarah IcLachlan. Mwrpdith Rrooks - RlurrinP The Edges (Capitol): If it looks like Alanis and sounds like Alanis, then it must be Ala...uh, Meredith Brooks, rating: F Ben Harper - The Will lb Live (Virgin): Harper's third album is ; smarter, bolder and funkier than anything he's done before. Elements of folk, rock and blues shine cm album highlights "Roses From My Friends," "I Want lb Be Ready" and the funky wah-wah guitar of "Mama's Trippin'." There isn't a bad song oh this album, rating: A+ Boogiemonsters - God Sound (EMI): Not nearly as good as their groundbreaking debut Riders of the Storm, but God Sound is still a solid release from two saviors of rap music. Besides, how often do you q ran tih+Vi oKcnlnfnlv nn lUiU U lUj^/ X VW1 U tt lull UIAJU1UWrfiJ XXV/ bad words (!), songs about God and MCs who actually have skills? Think of the Boogiemonsters as a baby De La Soul, rating: B ?IB hbaisch iqoo i & lomb i | WORLDWIDE SPONSOR I 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES Arnette Revo m Hobie ISGargoyle Vuarnet