Choice Cuts: November 2001
© Adam McKibbin
Album: Fall Of The Plastic Empire
The Scoop: Burning Brides rock in a way that not many things rock any more. These art-rock dropouts show their art-rock aspirations at times, but beautifully muddy it up with a mix of everything from Cheap Trick to Black Sabbath. Empire is plenty accessible—it’s loaded with hooks—but it pays no mind to current commercial trends.Highlight Track: The opening “Plank of Fire” is a blustery, dirty headbanger. Dimitri Coats—lead guitarist, lead vocalist, and the only songwriter—needs a pretty big presence to make all this work. He's got it, and this song is Coats at his best. Before you know it you’ll be breaking out your sign of the beast, not quite sure whether it's with or without irony.
Honorable Mention: “Stabbed In The Back Of The Heart” is searing, sneering whininess along the lines of the Femmes (yes, “sneering whininess” is a good thing when done well). The guitars are reliably hard and heavy.For More Info: Check out http://www.burningbrides.com
Artist: Magdalen Hsu-Li
Album: Fire
The Scoop: Magdalen is a multi-hyphenate (singer-songwriter-painter-poet-speaker), and Fire draws on most of these talents (there’s no painting). Her singing voice is strong, but her personal voice is what carries the music. This is a brutally honest collection of songs—at times straying into social commentary—that pulls no punches when it comes to race, sex, and family.Highlight Track: Like Ani, Magdalen is her own master in that she distributes on her own label (Chick Pop). Another parallel is the social consciousness and responsibility of the two women, apparent throughout Fire. And, like Ani, Magdalen comes across so strongly because she isn’t afraid to show her weaker moments. “So Far Gone” is a wintery song of a relationship unravelling. “Don’t even talk to me,” Magdalen sings, “This year has been insane / I didn’t miss you much anyway.” But this declaration of independence is quickly followed with a frustrated “What did I do that was so wrong?”
Honorable Mention: “Mother” is a startlingly direct look at a racist mother and her hatred’s effect on her child.For More Info: Visit http://www.chickpop.com
Artist: Dead Red Sea
Album: Birds
The Scoop: Deep Elm Records (This Beautiful Mess, The Appleseed Cast) continues to impress with this release from the Baltimore quartet Dead Red Sea. Like their aforementioned label mates, frontman Ryan Shelkett and company create indie rock that’s a cut above the competition.Highlight Track: “We’re Not Kids Anymore” is wistful and melancholy, a patient showcase for Shelkett’s considerable songwriting talent. Shelkett’s former band, Cross My Heart, had a large indie following and there’s no reason to think Dead Red Sea won’t just build upon it. The emo/indie rock sound is all in place—strained, sparse and subdued—but it never gets boring and never goes drifting.
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