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311 Soundsystem (Capricorn)
Ice-T The 7th Deadly Sin
(Coroner/Atomic Pop)
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band Live On
(Giant/Reprise)
Album No. 3 from Kenny Wayne Shepherd offers everything fans have
come to expect from the young guitar whiz: hot licks a-plenty
copied from the masters with loving care, with Stevie Ray Vaughan
at the top of the syllabus. Live On cooks up ferociously,
but despite some fine original songs and the crack band (including
Shaver/Georgia Satellites vet Keith Christopher on bass and guests
Dr. John, Warren Haynes, James Cotton and Les Claypool), it still
tastes like leftovers. And without knocking vocalist Noah Hunt --
who could cut it in any bar band in the country -- until Shepherd
steps up to the mic and at least tries to sing on album, it's hard
to take him seriously as a bluesman. Stevie and Jimi weren't
comfortable with their own vocal chops, but at least they gave it
try. (RICHARD SKANSE)
Matthew Sweet In Reverse (Volcano)
Nobody ever called Matthew Sweet "lo-fi." As for his seventh
outing, it's so slick you may have to wipe it off before you pop it
into your CD player. True to its name, with upside-down cover art
and a booklet that opens at the wrong end, In Reverse
drips with harpsichords, flugelhorns, theremins, trombones, and, of
course, backwards guitar tracks. Sweet assembled a veritable rock
& roll symphony for the album, including legendary sessionist
Carol Kaye, who lists the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds among her
daunting credits. Her jazz-tinged bass line along with the
sleighbells and lilting harmonies of "Time Permits" would surely
bring a smile to Brian Wilson's face. Sweet, who has sounded a bit
bored on his last couple albums, finds inspiration in orchestration
on this lovely rock & roll opus. (BILL CRANDALL)
THE ROLLINGSTONE.COM STAFF
(October 13, 1999)