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electric guitar for a pensive solo piece that balances an ascending pattern against a droning arpeggio . “ Cry Baby Jam ” is a psychedelic groover that combines Prictor ’ s Charlatans UK-styled organ melody with Naylor ’ s soulful nod to Hendrix circa Are You Experienced . Lachlan O ’ Kane ’ s blissedout percussion makes this song a potential jam-band epic .
The curlicue melody , pealing high notes , and droning pulse during the suitably hypnotic but urgent “ The Ashram Trance ” recall Pink Floyd ’ s own soundtrack for the film Zabriskie Point . “ Hazel ” is another waltz , but this one casts a melancholy mood . Naylor coaxes expressive phrases that plead and cry in an extended homage to late guitarist Eddie Hazel , serving as an answer song to Hazel ’ s monumental “ Maggot Brain ” for Funkadelic . The closing track , “ Hazel ( Return ),” revisits the scene of its predecessor ’ s heartbroken reverie as a hazy psych-blues with trippy layers of backward guitar and piano .
The breadth of playing style and sense of melody reveal why Naylor is such a coveted asset to the retooled Church lineup while not sounding much like any member of the band ’ s classic formation . His compositional acumen and sense of arrangement may be even more valuable than his assured technique . All are evident on Soundtracks , Volume 2 , which has kept other records off my turntable for at least a week . ( ashleynaylor . bandcamp . com )
– Jeff Elbel
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BEASTIE BOYS Ill Communication 30th Anniversary Limited Collector ’ s Edition
( Capitol / Grand Royal )
The success of 1992 ’ s Check Your Head and singles including “ So What ’ cha Want ” cemented the Beastie Boys ’ status as a band with a permanent license to ill . The fourth album , Ill Communication , eclipsed that performance by charging out of the gate with the dynamite rock blast of “ Sabotage .” The song ’ s arrival rocketed Ill Communication toward its status in 1994 as the Beastie Boys ’ second Billboard # 1 album . Adam " Ad- Rock " Horovitz ’ snarling vocal leans fully into the trio ’ s punk and garage rock roots .
Adam " MCA " Yauch ’ s hyperfuzz bass groove and Michael " Mike D " Diamond ’ s bruising drumbeat provide additional hooks . MTV saturation of the song ’ s Spike Jonze-directed video parodying ‘ 70s cop shows certainly didn ’ t hurt . The song ’ s high-octane rap-rock injected lunatic fun into airwaves , still echoing with the earnestness of the late 1992 single “ Killing in the Name ” by Rage Against the Machine . The indelible chorus of “ Sure Shot ” repeats the rallying cry of “ You can ’ t , you won ’ t , and you don ’ t stop .” The song conjures a sunkissed R & B vibe with slick rhymes atop a jazz flute sample from Jeremy Steig ’ s 1970 song “ Howlin ’ for Judy .” “ Tough Guy ” and “ Heart Attack Man ” offer a stark contrast with unrepentant punk-thrash played by the band itself ( with Amery “ AWOL ” Smith ’ s hardcore beats ). “ Root Down ” is another hip-hop confection and springboard for the brash vocal tradeoff between MCA , Ad-Rock , and Mike D . This time , the trio finds its foundation by sampling the funky jazz bass from Jimmy Smith ’ s 1972 live track “ Root Down ( And Get It ).” On many cuts including the slinky Latin-musicinfused instrumental “ Sabrosa ,” the twoton soul of “ Futterman ’ s Rule ,” “ Do It ” ( with guest Biz Markie ), and the shimmering lounge-jazz of “ Ricky ’ s Theme ,” the Beasties are augmented by Southern California keyboardist and co-writer “ Money ” Mark Nishita . The band remains anti-purists and mad scientists to the max ; “ B-Boys Makin ’ with the Freak Freak ” is fueled by acoustic jazz bass and a moo box toy . The bristling “ Alright Hear This ” rides a rhythm of cowbell , MCA ’ s jazz bass , and hip-hop record scratching . “ Bodhisattva Vow ” finds MCA expressing thanks for his personal path to enlightenment , accompanied by chanting monks and the clamor of bells . “ I ’ ll be glad if it helps anyone else out , too ,” he says . The main album occupies two of the set ’ s three vinyl LP platters . The third disc includes the 12 songs from 2009 ’ s remastered CD . This bonus set includes alternate mixes of “ Root Down ,” “ Sure Shot ,” and Q-Tip ’ s vocal-swapping guest spot that gives the album its name during “ Get it Together .” Mike D courts cardiac arrest while delivering a breathless vocal and pounding a relentless beat during a live version of “ Heart Attack Man .” Non-album songs drawn from CD single B-sides include “ Dope Little Song ” and more . The adrenalized “ Resolution Time ” is another shot of positivity and spirituality from MCA . Ad-Rock counters with wellrehearsed hip-hop braggadocio during a live recording of “ The Maestro .” “ I see you lookin ' at me sayin ', ‘ how can he be so skinny and live so phat ?’,” he howls with tongue in cheek . The hard-charging “ Mullet Head ” includes Ad-Rock ’ s unhinged guitar solo . Rap song “ The Vibes ” features Eric Bobo ’ s conga drumming and a hat-tip to a John Wayne novelty tribute , as the Beasties ask , “ whatever happened to the Rappin ’ Duke ?” “ Atwater Basketball Association File No . 172-C ” is the sound of a pickup game by the band at a neighborhood gym .
The Ill Communication Limited Collector ’ s
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