For those who aren't aware of what the acid dub theme is, think of techno-dance music. This album is interesting to listen to, the sounds seem to blend together well and everything wraps back into itself. The band claims its major influences, besides dub, are reggae and psychedelic music and their album is a lot of fun. If you aren't going to be in London in the next few weeks, where you could catch them live, you might want to check their disc out.
Everything that makes "Sirus Sounds" good just isn't happening on the two-CD set "Planet Dub." Here, a collection of various dub groups have put together their best sounds. Unfortunately, the sounds all seem the same. When I was listening to the album, a friend left the room and came back fifteen minutes later. When he asked if I was listening to the same song, I told him that not only was it a different song, it was a different group. This set has been banned from being played in his presence. The Children of the Bong were able to get more diversity in sound on their own album than these eighteen bands could.
I guess a little bit of dub goes a long way and a two-disk set is just a bit too much, or else this writer isn't up on the London music scene. Luckily, the next British group, Ride, isn't into the techno sounds of their peers. This group claims its influences are Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain and the Byrds and they "meld lush 60's harmonies with droning, electrifying rhythms." They are compared to the Stone Roses and Charlatans UK, but with a musical approach that isn't quite as mellow.
Their album "Live Light" follows a recent European tour and it is full of energy. The group also hopes to release another LP later this year.
The last CD comes from U.S. artist Michael Kroll. "Ether Country" is an acoustic album, which was largely created on the road. Kroll has opened for Sarah McLachlan, the Band, Freedy Johnston, Sheryl Crow and others, and he claims he gets most of his ideas for songs while driving. The fact that he wrote Sleep in Me "in the middle of the night, behind the wheel, driving 37 hours straight from Chicago to Spokane, Washington" is impressive, but might make you a little more careful the next time you get in a car. This album is my favorite of the lot, the music feels good to listen to, so check it out.
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