| [LICD Review] The Washington Post (Comparing) |
| March 28, 1998, 11:00 pm |
Source: The Washington Post Working Their Way Up the Picking Order; [FINAL Edition] Mark Jenkins. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Mar 29, 1998. pg. G.05 Abstract (Document Summary) In the late '60s, rock's instrumental virtuosos bid for the same kind of recognition as top jazz players. Some of them got it, notably the guitarist who inspired the popular graffito "Clapton Is God." Deification doesn't sell as many records as a catchy song, though, and Eric Clapton didn't become a mainstream star until he became better known as a singer than a guitarist. That's a transition rock guitarists are still trying to make, as is demonstrated by new albums from Smashing Pumpkins' James Iha, Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora, Guns N' Roses' Izzy Stradlin and Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell. Iha is one of the proprietors of Scratchie Records, along with Ivy and Fountains of Wayne songwriter Adam Schlesinger, who appears on one "Let It Come Down" track. Like Schlesinger's bands, Iha has crafted a '60s-rooted sound that's familiar but not overly beholden to any one precursor. These 11 chamber-rock songs feature some folk-rock, a little country, a bit of lounge balladry, a pinch of Beatles psychedelia and occasional Beach Boys harmonies. The combination fits the love-struck lyrics of such songs as "One and Two" ("There's no one else here to live for") and "Country Girl" ("I'm in love with you/ I can't find any other way to live"). Such sentiments may seem a little bland, but these pleasantly tuneful, skillfully arranged songs could hardly bear the weight of stronger emotions. In the late '60s, rock's instrumental virtuosos bid for the same kind of recognition as top jazz players. Some of them got it, notably the guitarist who inspired the popular graffito "Clapton Is God." Deification doesn't sell as many records as a catchy song, though, and Eric Clapton didn't become a mainstream star until he became better known as a singer than a guitarist. That's a transition rock guitarists are still trying to make, as is demonstrated by new albums from Smashing Pumpkins' James Iha, Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora, Guns N' Roses' Izzy Stradlin and Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell. James Iha, `Let It Come Down' All these guitarists come from bands that have been known to overreach, yet some of their albums are modest in form and content. The most soft-spoken of them is Iha's "Let It Come Down" (Virgin), which opens with a strummed acoustic guitar and features photos of the singer-songwriter communing with nature. Such representative titles as "Beauty," "Winter" and "See the Sun" find Iha gently contemplating life and love in terms that seem remarkably sanguine -- especially when compared with the adolescent rage and doubt purveyed by the Pumpkins' principal songwriter, Billy Corgan. Iha is one of the proprietors of Scratchie Records, along with Ivy and Fountains of Wayne songwriter Adam Schlesinger, who appears on one "Let It Come Down" track. Like Schlesinger's bands, Iha has crafted a '60s-rooted sound that's familiar but not overly beholden to any one precursor. These 11 chamber-rock songs feature some folk-rock, a little country, a bit of lounge balladry, a pinch of Beatles psychedelia and occasional Beach Boys harmonies. The combination fits the love-struck lyrics of such songs as "One and Two" ("There's no one else here to live for") and "Country Girl" ("I'm in love with you/ I can't find any other way to live"). Such sentiments may seem a little bland, but these pleasantly tuneful, skillfully arranged songs could hardly bear the weight of stronger emotions. (To hear a free Sound Bite from this album, call Post-Haste at 202-334-9000 and press 8161.) Credit: Mark Jenkins |