LOST IN TRANSLATION: reflections on the world of music by Peter Uropress

- A fine progressive house treatment of a track from Radiohead's latest lp Hail To The Thief. The Zoo people take the strongest elements of the original track, the v0vocal and lead acoustic guitar, and marry them to a nice house groove. Not as dark and moody as one might expect someone to do with Radiohead, but a good house vibe that will sound great in an after-hours mix.

SFB featuring The Cure "in between daze" 12" sfbremix005

- NOT a collaboration as the title may suggest, but a cheeky little electroclash remix of the classic Cure track "in between days." A new drum line is pasted against a barrage of filtered and phased pieces of the original track. It's quite clever in that the vocal is very loud in the mix while all of the original instruments are barely audible. Cure fanatics will probably hate it, but it does have a charm & wit to it that will get it placed in someone's collection.

Jaheim "put that woman first" (Calibre remixes) 12" warner Bros. w612tx

- Not a true white label, but a promo only vinyl 12" from the UK. Calibre delivers a fantastic soulful jungle roller that will not only fill the floor with it's groove, but also with the retention of most of Jahiem's original vocal. It's too bad that record companies still put these great remixes out as promo only's, instead of letting the mass market hear the great work of underground artists such as Calibre. Releasing them would also allow fans to hear something different for a change, instead of the usual mundane radio mixes they are currently bombarded with.

High Contrast vs. Future Sound of London "papua new guinea" remix 12"

- This up-tempo roller kicks into high gear with a sample of Dead Can Dance's "dawn of the iconoclast" before ripping your head off with a hard driving drum line that will melt the best of speakers. The vinyl is mastered high so you'll need to check the volume on this baby! The track then flows from the high end to an almost downtempo hip-hop groove before ripping right back into a deafening jungle beat. An absolute floor monster! Seek out and buy if possible.

Back in the day when Todd published Godsend as a paper magazine I wrote a sporadic column entitled "Deeper Grooves." In it I reviewed dance records. Dance records for me are the most difficult records to review. Dance music is highly derivitive of itself, as many artists model their records after club fads, styles easily created on whatever machines they happen to be using, and based on established hits. Therefore most of the time dance records can only be summed up in a few lines. No long-winded pontifications on the social signifigance of the record, just whether or not it can get yo' ass movin'! Here are some of those lines...peter/Urodub Sound System April 03, 2004

Sarah Mclachlan "fallen" 12" 2004 Arista (UK)

- 2 tasty progressive house remixes from Gabriel & Dresden and Satoshi Tomiie of Sarah's current hit single & video. In hindsight, Sarah's earlier work with Delerium set the groundwork for many of the current crop of progressive house/trance records with breathy, ethereal female vocals. Both of these mixes are fine club tracks, with both easy and interesting break points. Nice work from an established artist who knows how to make real dance music (unlike a certain Alaskan.)

Pet Shop Boys "miracles" 12" 2003 Parlophone 12r 6620

- A nice back to basics track from the long running duo. Continues in the same vein as their recent remix work for Yoko Ono, a driving 80's electro-disco track. Also given a nice mellow house treatment by Lemon Jelly, and another decent electro-disco effort by Eric Prydz. The PSB still never fail to come up with the goods.

Spirit "solitaire / soul survivor" 12" 2004 Metalheadz meth 053 metalheadz.co.uk

- Great piece of rolling jungle from newcomer Spirit. The a-side is a hard roller with a great attention-getting opening synth sequence. The flip is a much darker ambient jungle piece; very reminiscent of what some Good Looking artists are currently doing. Which is not a bad thing!

Goldie "angel III / sinister" 12" 2004 Razors Edge razors 007

- 2 storming remixes of classic Goldie jungle offered by his recently reactivated imprint. The a-side is a thunderous deep dark piece masterfully re-done by Loxy & Ink, who retain with class Goldie's original long vocal intro, while adding new shimmering synth leads. The b-side is a less intense but just as powerful remix from Metalheadz' Spirit. Spirit give Goldie's classic beats and drums a harder, rougher edge (if that's even possible!). Both mixes retain the dark yet beautiful elements that are Goldie's trademarks, with beautiful female vocals integrating themselves into a dark, chaotic world.

Pendulum "back 2 you / still grey" 12" 2004 Timeless Recordings timelessmusic.org

- Another fine release from the Timeless crew. "Back 2 you" is an airy, breathy slab of ambient jungle that will serve as a great fill in for those places in your set the require a lighter touch. The flip side is a nice piece of organic jungle. Recommended!

Child Suppourt "tom & jerry" / Crisis Loan "happy dayzz" 12" 2004 Emotif Records - emf-2055 emotif.co.uk

- I must admit that this record sounded better in the store when I sampled it than it does on the big sound system at home. While ignoring the goofy 'group' and song names, the record is a bit derivitive of too many others stepperes to really stand out on it's own. "Tom & Jerry" is a decent enough high stepper until the much used orchestral stabs come in and the done-to-death Dalek laser cannon sound effects rear their ugly head. There is some interesting acid synth noodling going on, but not enough to make this a keeper. "Happy dayzz" is another stepper but with a male lead vocal. Nice but not that nice. Sorry guys, whoever you really are...

Equinox "troubled mind (imagine the future) / "the sixth sense" 12" 2004 Inperspective Records inp-009 inperspectiverecords.com

- 2 very nice dark, ambient jungle pieces from a new (to me) label out of the UK. The a-side is a dark, rolling piece with some very nice moments, and a section that is made spooky enough to sound like an actual Chinese water torture session. The flip is a lighter, more ambient fill-in type roller. Both sides will enhance any good jungle set. Great effort from a label I will be looking for in the future.

DJ Marky & XRS "moments of lust" / "highlights" 12" 2004 Innerground Records inn-002 innergroundrecords.com

- A decent if not electrifying lead single from the duo's soon to be released debut album. The a-side features the fantastic voice of Viktor Duplaix on an uplifting jungle roller that will surely fill the floor. The b-side is a much jazzier roller with some nice, easy on the ears beats. This Brazillian duo has been shaking up dancefloors all of the world recently, and their album will without a doubt continue this trend. Go out and look for this one.

Madonna "nobody knows me" (remixes) promo-only 12" 2003 Maverick pro-a-101204

- Just recently saw this for the first time and was lucky enough to get it without breaking the bank. This US promo collects the 3 different remixes from the US 2x12" for "nobody fails" and the Euro 12" for "love profusion," while adding a previously unavailable (I think) remix by Peter Rauhofer. Rauhofer has come into his own in the last year or so with a long list of remixes and reinterpretations. He delivers a decent enough progressive house mix, which will probably get tons of play in the more mainstream clubs. The vocoded voice is a bit tacky, but the beats are fine. Worth getting if you are into progressive house, and a must for all Madonna collectors.

To me music is what life is all about. The freedom of expression, the ability to transgress both time and space, and the conveyance of emotion. These are essential instruments to living a fulfilled life. It is my hope that I am able to translate into words the emotions I feel while listening to music. Some emotions will be good while others won't be. But an open mind is required when digesting these reviews, as some of the pieces offered will not be your standard "indie" fare. I listen to a broad range of sounds and enjoy them equally. The word "limit" simply does not exist in my musical vocabulary. So please bear this in mind before sending any vociferous responses, while also remembering that Todd/Godsend is not responsible for them! I'd like to thank Todd for the allowance of his space for this column, and I hope that it does his wonderful site the justice it deserves.

Flesh, Blood, and Redemption: The Legacy of Johnny Cash Johnny Cash - "Cash Unearthed" - 5xCD -

The legend of Johnny Cash is an open and shut case. He is arguably the most important figure in Country & Western musical history (with a heavy nod to Hank Williams). But it's Johnny that transcends both traditional country music and rock-n-roll's combined histories. Johnny Cash is a cultural icon whose presence in history is assured. Everyone from Hip-Hoppers to Heavy Metalists know who Johnny is. And even if you don't listen to country music you probably have heard of him, or seen him. Johnny has had several television roles in shows such as 'Little House On The Prairie', in various B movies, television commercials, and even his own early 70's variety show ('The Johnny Cash Show'). There was even a sketch about him on a recent episode of 'Saturday Night Live'. His charisma and plain way of speaking has endeared him to generations of music fans from all walks of life. His outspokenness over the rights of the downtrodden, Native Americans, and prisoners belies the fact that he was a conservative man at heart. But he also possessed the ability to see people as human beings and not render them as 'this or that' based on a political viewpoint. Johnny broke from country music tradition in the hope of finding a musical voice that would satisfy the many different sides of his broad fan-base. He spoke to the spiritual side, to the side of temptation, and to the side of loneliness and despair. He forged a communicable musical legacy based on ideas of equality, compassion, and deep devotion. All of this from a man who himself struggled with these very same demons as a lifelong drug addict. Yet he overcame great obstacles and persevered through pain and tragedy to create a body of work that will forever remain unmatched in music history. All of which leads us into Cash Unearthed. Unearthed is exactly what Rick Rubin did to Johnny Cash in 1994. He unearthed a legend that was buried by an uncaring record company and by the entire country music establishment mired in the doldrums of mediocrity. Country radio had forsaken him as well as most other country music legends in favor of younger, more crossover marketable artists such as Garth Brooks and Billy Ray Cyrus. But as Rubin states in the copious liner notes to Cash Unearthed, "He was a country artist but not really a country artist...I saw in him the essence of what rock n roll is". And with Rubin guiding him, Johnny rose from the dead to create his best work in years, American Recordings. Cash and Rubin recorded over 100 songs during the sessions for the album. "We recorded songs first for the idea of which ones should be on our album", remembers Rubin, "then we recorded other songs, maybe not even thinking about the album...I got to learn his taste...then I would suggest songs that I liked that I thought would fit in that same world." It would be these songs and the invited guests who played on many of them that would open up a new world to Johnny, and to new fans who might have otherwise overlooked him as being a relic of the past. Subsequent volumes in the American Recordings series racked up both critical and commercial acclaim, including Johnny winning a Grammy award for Best Country Album in 1998 with 'Unchained'. This win resulted in the now legendary "middle finger" ad placed in Billboard Magazine, where Cash and Rubin used the famous San Quentin photo of Johnny giving the finger to a Granada TV cameraman to thank "the Nashville music establishment and country radio for your support". Johnny Cash had once again turned the tables on country music and in the same process solidified himself as the true music rebel, the one and only "man in black".

Dub Pistols featuring Terry Hall - "Problem Is" 12"

Too often, remix singles such as this become self-indulgent workouts by the artist being paid to remix the track. And too often, the finished product loses much of the feel and inspiration of the original. This single, however, does not fall into this category. Jon Carter's a-side remix retains the mellow, ambient feel of the original while adding his own special brand of atmosphere. It's definitely a down tempo progressive house track, with a bit of flair and style added which separates it from the typical progressive house sound. John Creamer & Stephane K's b-side remix also offers a different take on the progressive house style by tossing in an almost breakbeat rhythm that any adventurous DJ can use to spice up his/her set. Wisely, both mixes retain much of Terry Hall's original vocal, which flows from the gritty side of culture with an old-school rude boy stance as only Hall can deliver. A very nice record. (Distinctive)

Pole - "90/90" 12"EP

The first single to be lifted from Stefan Betke's latest excursion into fractured dub and breaks. Five Deez' Fat Jon delivers a thinking cap-needed exercise about the differing views of time. Time is a modern day obsession. It governs our every move. Like Pavlov's dogs, we are trained since infancy for it, and thus we confine ourselves by it. Yet, time is an infinite thing. Our time here on Earth is measured by the rise and setting of our sun, whereas time on some other distant planet may be measured in some unknown way. Time can seem to pass quickly or pass slowly. Time can be a good thing while also being a bad thingto have. And here in the US, we seem to have an unhealthy obsession with it. Deadlines, commercial interruptions of our time, clocks, and watches everywhere, and our fascination with finishing first. "Everything has a time code attached to it", observes Fat Jon. And how right he is. This single also contains a 'ska version' of 'I Can't Hear' (which has nothing to do with ska), as well as an intrumental and acapella of the a-side. All of the tracks feature Pole's trademark booming bass and crystal clear percussion pieces. Betke is also well-known for his mastering skills, and these tracks bear all the hallmarks of his style. A fine addition to the Pole discography. (Mute US)

Chops - "Virtuosity Sampler" CD

With the staleness of thuggery and bling-bling currently strangulating mainstream hip-hop, it is the underground scene where one can still find the artists at the forefront of artistic quality and expression. Hip-hop has always been a street movement mixed with a bit of fantasy, but the current crop of chart-topping acts, with the help of bottom-line driven major record companies, have taken this idea and beat it into submission. Yet there are many underground artists on small independent labels that are keeping true to the street art of the Old School. Philadelphia's CHOPS is a classic example of an artist who brings in solid street cred along with immense talent. CHOPS, in the finest tradition of the ROOTS, plays all the instruments and does all of the scratching and cut-up work on this sampler for his upcoming album, 'Virtuosity'. CHOPS previously produced the very short but very dope track 'Dave Ghetto' on MYSTIC's debut album, as well as an EP by BAHAMADIA and the records of his own group THE MOUNTAIN BOYS. CHOPS has decided for his debut album to have everyone in 'his world' on the record. Consequently, the guests cover the entire spectrum of underground hip-hop: Mystic, Dave Ghetto, Bahamadia, Planet Asia, Raekwon, and Talib Kweli just to name a few. And these are not typical guest spots. CHOPS has married his beats and tunes to the individual MC's style, creating unique works that both fit into artists' own style yet retain the creative individuality that is CHOPS' own artistic voice. He matches BAHAMADIA's terse flow with a tight g-funk groove, Mystic's breathy delivery with a string-laden backdrop, street-hip beats for Dave Ghetto and Raekwon, and an ode to 70s Philadelphia International soul for the Mountain Brothers. CHOPS' tracks flow as smooth as ice and his scratches and cuts show a finely-honed classic-style skill. CHOPS should be the next big producer. I hope to one day hear him working with a full ensemble that includes a horn section, organ, and other classic instruments. Just listen to this short but very classy interlude, 'Git Dat Mutha', a track that will surely inspire and influence many others to partake in his unique and exciting brand of New Philly Soul. (Vocab/Goodvibe Recordings)

Yoko Ono - "Walking On Ice (Remixes)" 2x12"

I began this listening period by going back to the original 7" of the song in order the reacquaint myself with it. It still remains one of my favorite Yoko songs. When I heard about this remix project, I was genuinely excited. I'm sometimes apprehensive about the remixing of old classic songs for today's dance market, but I held out hope that since this was Yoko and all of her work is of high quality and that the project would turn out OK. The project, while interesting at times, didn't quite live up to what I had hoped. The last Yoko remix project for her 'Rising Up' album was done by a wide range of artists, from CIBO MATTO to Thurston Moore of SONIC YOUTH. For this project, we are greeted with 2 not-very-different progressive-house mixes from Danny Tenaglia and Peter Rauhofer. Both deliver decent efforts by retaining much of Yoko's original vocal, but both use far too many typical progressive-house elements to make these standouts. Up next are 2 mixes from the PET SHOP BOYS. The first is a nice Bobby O-style 80s electronic disco mix, with a nice bass line and some interesting Arp synth patches, and a very LADYTRON-esque Moog synth solo. The second mix is more of a typical PSB track, with driving disco percussion and throbbing synth lines. Rui De Silva delivers a rather forgettable hard house mix. Francois Kevorkian & Eric Kupper try their hand with a NYC-style house mix that does little to enhance the original, nor does it contain many elements of the original. But Orange Factory ends the record with a great circa-1983 discoish mix that I'm sure Larry Levan would have spun at the Paradise Garage back in the day. String stabs, syndrums, and vocoder vocal effects flesh out a great disco beat that will surely get the house rocking. They even throw in the opening guitar riff from STARDUST's 'Music Sounds Better With You', giving the record an almost French disco sound. Overall, the project is a decent effort. I had hoped that Yoko would have stretched things out a bit, but after reading the liner notes, it appears there are several other mixes available, so this diversity may still be had. (Mind Train/Twisted)

Britney Spears featuring Madonna - "Me Against The Music" 12"

Gentle readers, I know, I know! I know that you are asking yourselves what the f&*$ is this record being reviewed for. After all, this is GODSEND, and this type of record just doesn't belong here. Who knows, Todd may very well reject its' inclusion. But the reason I am reviewing it is because I am a big Madonna fan. I have been ever since her first album came out, and I have nearly every single and album since. So when I heard this was coming out, I was of course curious to hear it. I don't watch MTV, so I haven't seen the video, nor do I listen to top 40 radio, so I hadn't heard it before cracking the shrinkwrap off it. So I'm looking at this record purely from a Madonna standpoint. And guess what? You are correct in all your assumptions about it. It stinks. Madonna is buried in the mix at the expense of Britney's breathy, over-the-top wail. And Madonna's voice seems to have been sped-up slightly so she sounds like the young woman who did 'Lucky Star'. The a-side is a remix from Rishi Rich that does little to improve things. Much of the 'desi kulcha' mix borrows heavily from the last PANJABI MC record, lifting Indian flute and tablas that are very annoying. And if you've ever heard PANJABI MC, you know that anything by him grates the nerves after a few spins. So, I am disappointed from a Madonna standpoint. This is supposed to be Britney's big statement album, but just what that will be is anyone's guess. Thanks, Todd, I know this one hurt. (Jive)

Radiohead - "Go To Sleep" 12"

The second single to be lifted from the brilliant 'Hail To The Thief' album. Included are 2 very good b-sides this time around. 'I Am A Citizen Insane' is an instrumental, glitchy-style track reminiscent of the 'Kid A/Amnesiac' albums. The track is much in the vein of AUTECHRE, possessing a snare-less drum pattern, and OVAL, PAN SONIC, et al. with its slowed-down samples and pops. 'I Am A Wicked Child' is a bluesy dirge, and ode to 'Mother Mary' (mother, lover, whore, drug?), asking her for forgiveness and understanding for her child's wicked ways. "Mother Mary, come to me, for I am a wicked child...I'm a devilish son". A great harmonica riff authenticates RADIOHEAD's ephemeral blues and takes it to a different, mournful level. I would love to hear them do more of this style, as it more than suits Yorke's current crop of doom-laden and melancholic lyrics. (EMI UK)

Astor Piazzolla - "Astor Piazzolla Remixed (Koop & 4 Hero)" 12"

A very nice set of remixes of 2 classic Piazzolla 'nuevo tango' songs. In 1992, Roundup Newsletter called 'nuevo tango' "one of the most remarkable musical fusions of the past 30 years". Astor Piazzolla was a multi-talented composer of tango & opera that adapted his native Argentinean national dance, tango, into a visionary version of modern tango called 'nuevo tango'. Piazzolla faced much criticism from society as well as repression from his government, which eventually forced him into exile. This is due to both the passion with which Argentineans hold tango and to the level of genius that Piazzolla showed in creating 'nuevo tango'. Here, both Koop and 4 Hero hold true to his original vision of nuevo tango. Koop takes us to a calm seashore with soft wave and Piazzolla's own bandoneon with their slow tango for 'Vuelvo Al Sur' (back from the south). 4 Hero, on 'El Viaje (The Journey)', turn things up a bit with their update of 70s disco tango, with their trademark string arrangements, live bass, and fantastic Moog soloing. One can almost see the lights of Studio 54 flashing before their eyes as dancers revel in the groove. A great update of a truly visionary artist. (Chicooligan)

for further info on any of these releases, please contact:uropress@yahoo.com