Nothing Left to Lose: A Tribute to Kris Kristofferson
(Incidental Records)
***You can always separate those who are in touch with their inner addict from those who aren't by the way they react to the songs of Kris Kristofferson. If you've ever drunk beer all night then snorted enough blow to keep awake until the stores open again, chances are good that Kristofferson's guilt-ridden "Sunday Morning Coming Down" can bring you to tears. On Nothing Left to Lose, that classic song of hazy recognition is covered respectfully by the Handsome Family, and other bands such as Radar Brothers, whose "Help Me Make It Through the Night" is a heart-stopper, and Califone, performing "Border Lord"--also teaming up with Rebecca Gates on "Nobody Wins"--make twisted use of instrumentation yet remain true to mood. Zmrzlina and Milk Chopper turn out a cinematic, sample-boosted "Me & Bobby McGee," while boldly clipping the famous refrain. Several other artists rework Kristofferson, such as Granfaloon Bus, Souled American, Howe Gelb, and Creeper Lagoon, before Grandaddy closes the disc with the slyly decisive "Best of Both Worlds," raising shot glasses high and toasting Kristofferson's odes to fuck-ups who know deep in their hearts they're smarter than the life they're living. They just don't give a shit to do anything except trust fate for now. KATHLEEN WILSON
YO LA TENGO
Nuclear War
(Matador)
***Yo La Tengo, the pride and joy of Hoboken, New Jersey, have always turned out interesting singles and EPs to complement their albums. "Nuclear War," the song that they transform into four versions here, originally belonged to legendary avant-garde icon Sun Ra. It's a clever piece of didacticism, a protest against nuclear war that they turn into an increasingly complex jam with each version. It's the perfect protest for our fucked-up political moment as we edge closer to war with Iraq and shit our pants at the prospect of India and Pakistan's nuclear capabilities. The song itself is simple call-and-response with drums and percussion. The first version is the most stripped down, with the core trio of Georgia Hubley, Ira Kaplan, and James McNew singing and playing percussion. It's hardly strident, as the trio sound like they're having fun with the playing, but the words are haunting. Yo La Tengo are joined on the second and best version of the song by a shout-out chorus of 11 kids (nieces, nephews, and friends' children). Hearing kids chant, "Radiation/mutation," and, "Nuclear war/it's a motherfucker/don't you know," is about the most eloquent and true response I can imagine to our current events. Fuck the political pundits. I'd prefer an eight-year-old girl chanting, "Kiss your ass goodbye," any day. NATE LIPPENS
CRACK: WE ARE ROCK
Silent Fantasy
(Tigerbeat6)
**If the new electro-pop stance is that of an ice-cold bitch, the girls in Crack: We Are Rock (Crack: WAR) couldn't give more frostbite if they were frozen solid. The San Francisco outfit skates through no wave, synth pop, and industrial noise on the blades of pretentiousness, deadpanning fitting robotic lyrics like, "Closing the door/someday you'll pay/cold as ice," as if they're simply executing commands from a master computer. The result is an impersonal, bleakly futuristic sonic vision, where any fun being had is hidden in little blips and beeps. For those who love this kind of musical masochism, listening to this record will be as thrilling as getting a stiletto crammed into your chin by a mistress with a whip. Personally, though, I'm kind of on the fence here. While I like all the lofty airs and excess noise, my patience for these stoic electro artists is now often, well, on thin ice. JENNIFER MAERZ
THE CORAL
Skeleton Key
(Deltasonic/Columbia)
***Despite the massive major-label machinations making the Coral's hometown U.K. press gaga over them, this EP is all we Yanks have until next year, when their eponymous full-length arrives. The only track also on the LP is "Skeleton Key," a beefy, Beefheart-influenced slice of psychosis. But much like the good Captain, there's no right way to bill the Coral; no song stays in the same place--as the others or itself--for too long. There are myriad touchstones here (the Doors, Specials, Beatles, Talking Heads, and Soft Boys), with a personality and concision that the LP, out already in Europe, misses in its breadth. Live, the Hoylake, England, act replicate their songs with precision, plus their catalog reads like a musical history lesson, their musicianship is topnotch, and they're known to slip in the odd 20-minute jam. Maybe that's why they get the "psychedelic" tag, although what often comes across is the naiveté that pervades much psychedelia. However, this might also be proportionate to their youth--their oldest member is only 21. If ever there's a group to watch "develop," though, it's the Coral. ALEX STIMMEL
