LIFEHOUSE
Stanley Climbfall
Producer(s): Ron Aniello
Label/Catalog Number: DreamWorks 0044-50377
Originally Reviewed: September 21, 2002

After enjoying a massive breakout hit with 2000's Hanging by a Moment, Lifehouse takes its best shot at avoiding the sophomore jinx by offering a set that's as close to bullet-proof as one can get. Every note of Stanley Climbfall is meticulously measured and carefully designed to sate listeners hoping for a sequel of Hanging, while also deftly slipping in several well-crafted, forward-reaching tracks that will keep more jaded and critical ears happily engaged. Perhaps most important, much of the set effectively positions frontman Jason Wade as a top-shelf songwriter. He shows that he's got a knack for weaving smarter-than-average lyrics into tightly constructed, instantly memorable melodies. The first single, "Spin," proves his mettle with its anthemic chorus, as do the potential follow-up hits; the haunting, midtempo "Sky Is Falling" and the raucous "Wash." Consider this one of the first big hits of the fall season. - LF

UNCLE KRACKER
No Stranger to Shame
Producer(s): Michael Bradford
Label/Catalog Number: Lava/Atlantic 83542
Originally Reviewed: August 31, 2002

From the opening strains of "In a Little While," the sweetly soulful single that sets No Stranger to Shame in motion, one thing is undeniable: this former Kid Rock protege has found his own distinctive voice. Save for the swaggering 'Keep It Comin'," the iffy, often derivative rapping that propelled 2000's Double Wide has been replaced with the gruff, yet earnest singing that made that album's twangy standout, "Follow Me," a deserved pop smash. It's a shift that positions Kracker as a potentially enduring artist who brings much-needed vintage blues and soul to the pop mainstream. Cuts like the funky, horn-laden "I Do" and the swaying, single-worthy "Memphis Soul Song" mine classic sounds and rhythms without ever sounding quaint or retro. If anything, such time-worn concepts wash over the senses like fresh air at a time when pop music is glutted with sound-alike hip-hop records.

Coldplay's 2000 debut, Parachutes, earned critical raves for such crossover hits as "Yellow" and "Trouble," but the praise seemed a bit much for a young band still so beholden to its influences (Jeff Buckley, Radiohead). On A Rush of Blood to the Head, the U.K. foursome proves worthy of the superlatives, crafting a stronger, more distinctive album than its predecessor in nearly every respect. The breathtaking "Clocks" and the magical piano ballad "Amsterdam" are the band's finest achievements to date, showcasing more confident vocals from Chris Martin and a refreshingly stripped-down approach to modern rock. The emphatic downstrokes of "Politik" and the urgent "Daylight" add a little muscle to the mix, while "The Scientist" and "Warning Sign" improve on the gentle love songs that dominated Parachutes. Throw in the single "In My Place," and you've got an excellent collection of tunes with universal appeal. Platinum status awaits. - JC

BLACK SABBATH
Past Lives
Producer(s): Black Sabbath
Label/Catalog Number: Divine Recordings/Sanctuary 06076 84561 2
Originally Reviewed: August 31, 2002

With all things Ozzy Osbourne equaling pay dirt these days, it's logical for a record label to exploit the opportunity in order to move some of his catalog. But with Past Lives, Divine Recordings/Sanctuary offer Prince of Darkness die-hards a real find. The live double-CD captures the original Black Sabbath lineup in concert in 1975—a rarity, as this incarnation of the band never released a live album in America during its peak. Its 19 cuts include the requisite staples "Iron Man," "Paranoid," and "War Pigs," along with solos by Tommy Iommi and Bill Ward that will surely inspire much air-guitaring and air-drumming among their coven. Although remastered, Past Lives still retains some of the fuzziness that inevitably clouds recordings as they age, but it makes Sabbath's classic sound even more poignant. - CLT

PULP
We Love Life
Producer(s): Scott Walker, Peter Walsh
Label/Catalog Number: Rough Trade/Sanctuary 83204
Originally Reviewed: August 31, 2002

Storytelling is largely a lost art in rock'n'roll, but no one seems to have told Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker. On We Love Life, he and his U.K.-based bandmates give life to some of the most astonishing narratives imaginable, be they told from the perspective of plants ("Weeds") or a grieving lover lashing out at nature ("The Trees"). Cocker paints vivid pictures like no other, never better than on the eight-minute "Wickerman." Nearly tangible images (sludgy rivers, dilapidated amusement rides, empty factories) are wed to bittersweet memories and crowned with emotive, string-laden backing that drives it all home with uncommon power. The music here is just as compelling, from the glorious romantic kiss-off "Bad Cover Version," the spacious guitar rock of "The Night That Minnie Timperley Died," and the mystic trip-hop and whispered intonations of "Weeds II (The Origin of the Species)," perhaps the sexiest song ever written about botany. One of the year's best. - JC