No Doubt
Simple Kind of Life (Single)
Interscope Records

This single Simple Kind of Life (performed in a studio and also live) as well as an additional song, Beauty Contest, aren’t bad efforts from No Doubt, but they won’t set the world on fire either.
Band members Gwen Stefani (vocals), Tony Kanal (bass), Tom Dumont (guitar) and Adrian Young (drum) are probably best remembered for the infectious mid-90’s number Just a Girl.
Then the band seemed to take a holiday off the face of the earth.
Three years after their CD Beacon Street Collection (which was in fact a re-issue, originally released in 1995) they are back, with Return of Saturn.
It features Simple Kind of Life, obviously among others.
And it must be said, the others would have to be an improvement to pique my interest at even considering purchasing Return of Saturn.
Simple Kind of Life is basically a slow rock tune, lacking the speed and energy of Just a Girl, which they just haven’t been able to replicate or for some reason don’t want to replicate.
It also doesn’t come off better or worse when it is played accoustic, which is not a good thing here when you are looking for something a little different.
Beauty Contest is the same deal, slow and low key. But it is slightly better, with funky rhythms.
We shall be kind and give No Doubt the benefit of the doubt and at least pass this single, trusting there are a few better songs on Return to Saturn.
There had better be.
2.5/5
Michael Gordon-Brown

Leona Ness
Charm Attack (Single)
MCA - Universal

Never heard of Leona Naess?
Well that’s ok, because Charm Attack is taken from Comatised, her debut album.
Prior to its release, she was mostly performing in New York bars, clubs and the like, so you should not feel so bad if you have not heard of her.
Certainly you will hear more of her, though, if Charm Attack is anything to go by.
And she demonstrates enough substance to suggest she may not be a one-hit wonder, although of course it is always hard to tell.
The 24 or 25 year old English singer/songwriter (apologies for that, the web and the accompanying press release had conflicting ages) has a gentle folk sound about her, but there is a defintie edge to her work.
Well at least to Charm Attack. Who knows what the full album would bring?
The CD features the Radio edit version of Charm Attack, the album version and another song The Moon and I, which is not from Comatised.
Keep an eye on Leona Naess - we can expect reasonable things from her.
3/5
Michael Gordon-Brown

Nashville Pussy
High as Hell
Festival

Here is a bona fide CD that you would definitely not play when the grandparents are visiting.
With interesting song names such as Struttin’ Cock, She’s Got the Drugs and Blowjob From a Rattlesnake you just know you are not going to get Celine Dion Calibre songs.
Instead, as the band’s name suggests, Nashville Pussy are a hardass, redneck rock band who seem to love about sex, drugs, shooting - though not necessarily in that order.
They are not the most hardcore rockband on the face of the earth, as you can actually distinguish about 40% of their lyrics.
But their guitar riffs and hard tunes definitively stamp them as a rock n roll band.
Members Ruyter Suys (guitar), Corey Parks (bass), Jeremy Thompson (drums) and Blaine Cartwright (vocals and guitar) are indeed a wild group, but there is a sense they belive in their music, that they are not wild just for the sake of it.
For instance, lead singer Cartwright has a trademark of breathing fire into the crowd during their live shows.
Now, in this age of multi-million dollar lawsuits you would have to imagine the firebreathing is carefully managed with great precision. Nevertheless, it is unlikely you would see Metillica breathing fire these days.
The CD rips along at a frantic pace, barely pausing between songs.
The standouts are the titular High as Hell, the much slower (compared to their other songs) Go to Hell and She’s Got the Drugs.
Due to their subject matter, Nashville Pussy will not be liked by everybody. But in the tradition of the dinkum rock bands, they would not want to be the object of everybody’s attention, settling for a few bikers and weird kids.
At the very least, interesting. And that is all you can say.
3/5
Michael Gordon-Brown

The Jon Jarvis Trio
Hear no Evil
Festival

Ah, Jazz is still alive!
Just when it seemed that jazz had been shunted off the music scene, replaced by synthetic instruments, lip-synching and unintelligible lyrics, there comes along a nice little CD like this.
Even if you are not a huge fan of jazz, as in the case of this reviewer, you have to admit there is something fascinating about it.
Perhaps that it is just so darn relaxing, or it just seems so out of place in today’s music scene that it is refreshing to hear it, as in the case of this CD.
Bob Nieske (bass), Jon Jarvis (piano) and Anthony Weller (guitar) have produced 54 or so minutes of mellow, relaxing jazz tunes which will appease fans and at least provide a sedative for non-fans.
But what is more important is they do it well - the piano is great, the other instruments good.
At times the music trails off so suddenly you have to check the CD to be sure it is still playing only to hear the melodic piano again with the finger on the play button.
There is definitely something for everyone on this CD. Well not everyone, if you hate jazz or believe that music without lyrics is horrible. Put aside those feeble differences, whack this CD on and mellow out for a while.
It will do the world of good.
3/5
Michael Gordon-Brown

Leonardo’s Bride
Open Sesame
Michael Gordon-Brown
Mushroom
Open Sesame is a great title for this new CD from Australian band Leonardo’s Bride.
It is a great title as it will further expose the unenlightened to the appealing, distinctive slow-rock style of this foursome that has kept them at or near the top of the Australian music industry since Even While I’m Sleeping went gold in 1997.
Or you can look at it as a great title because it signifies a maturing of the band that captured attention with their debut Angel’s Blood, and since have just kept getting better.
Open Sesame has a little bit for everybody. Abby Dobson, Dean Manning, Pat Hyndes (bass) and Jon Howell (drum) have produced an album with good lyrics (style and substance), instrumentals that compliment the lyrics and catchy tunes.
And unlike some albums, by track six you don’t get the sense you have heard them five times before. They do a good job of mixing up the style of the songs.
Sleepyhead and Blue Gone Green are pure ballads, with soft style and soothing lyrics and instrumentals. Contrast that with Sonic, which seems to leap off the CD player with a jumpier, more frantic pace.
All in all, Open Sesame is an enjoyable slow rock compilation, that should provide a nice platform for Leonardo’s Bride to leap from.
3.5/5

Live Songs Tapes
Good News Week
Volume 2
Virgin

It is strange how a television show that has no (or at least very little appeal) to a reviewer can produce this solid, enjoyable collection of songs.
In fact, this CD produced a guilt, that perhaps because the music was enjoyable then the television show, if given a chance, may prove to be enjoyable as well.
And while this remains a very slim chance indeed, the fact remains that borne from the variety show, this 2nd volume of live songs is very entertaining.
As could be expected, the top feature is the variety - there is the catchy beats of the Gladflys (performing Catwalk and Parasite) to the fantastic indigenous sounds of Mandaway Yununpingu from Yothu Yindi performing dots on the shells, meshed with contemporary instrumentals.
Other star performers include Marcia Hines, Ben Lee, Paul Kelly, among others.
Regular Sandman, also performs a song which will appeal to his fans.
Host Paul McDermott also features in a number of songs, and boy, he does have a good voice. I guess you learn new things everyday.
So the music is good, but doubts remain about the television show. But it may be given one more chance.
Mmm... probably not. The music is good enough.
3.5/5
Michael Gordon-Brown