Reviews Of EVEN BETTER THAN THE REAL THING
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Entertainment Today 1/18/02 Even Better Than the Real Thing: A Tribute to U2 You never really know what youÕre getting into with these tribute albums. Though one dedicated to U2 and their consistently top-notch songbook should seem a less troubling proposition than most, still you could hardly be blamed for deeming the title of this collection, however tongue-in-cheek its intent, ridiculously impossible. You might even spend the time it takes to cue track one mulling over more appropriate alternate monikers for the disc. Perhaps, youÕll chuckle to yourself while you wait, it would be more aptly called ÒI Still HavenÕt Found What IÕm Looking For,Ó or, if youÕre a die-hard fan going way back, maybe youÕll joke that it should be titled ÒIs That All?Ó But you know what? This CD of covers by California bands is startlingly good, and once it starts playing all that skepticism should disappear. The distribution collective putting it out, Independents Anonymous, is made up of six different labels, all of which have quite impressive talent rosters feeding into the project, and the result is an eclectic mix of styles that coalesces quite nicely. It helps that the disc is sequenced well, and aside from a couple of minor speed bumps the record makes for an extremely enjoyable overview of U2Õs music and of a bunch of bands youÕve never heard of. The best thing a tribute record can offer, of course, at least as a unified listening experience, is insight into the music of the band being feted, and in this case itÕs something of a thrill to be reminded of the through-line of U2Õs songwriting. The tracks here run from Boy all the way through Pop, but once theyÕve been put through the cover-band grinder itÕs clear as day that the much-ballyhooed changes in U2Õs Õ90s sound were matters of production rather than a qualitative change in songwriting style. Even Better Than the Real Thing opens with Santa MonicaÕs Drag taking the electronic-flavored ÒDiscothequeÓ and stripping it down to a sneering punk tune; it closes with the rootsy ÒWhere the Streets Have No NameÓ made over by local act Lift Off into a spacy bloop Ñ and beep Ñ filled groove number. Both tracks sound great, and neither band seems like they had to break much of a sweat to get them to sound that way. No surprise, I guess Ñ Bono and the boys do good work Ñ but itÕs nice to be reminded once in a while of what good work they do. This kind of record is basically a bouquet offered to the listener by a label down on one knee. ÒSample the delights of my many bands!Ó the label pleads, and the listener obliges, though the pitfall, of course, is that isolated cover songs are sometimes a poor way to judge a band. Still, there are a few acts here whose contributions suggest that further investigation might be worthwhile. Orange County singer/songwriter Jay Buchanan offers a thrilling, horn-filled take on ÒLemonÓ thatÕll make you long to see him play live. Another OC act, Trespassers William, give us a lovely, fragile ÒLove is Blindness,Ó while power-pop fans will dig the RelativesÕ version of ÒWith or Without You,Ó featuring a witty recasting of the songÕs soaring vocal line as a Replacements-style guitar hook. The brightest bloom of the bunch is eastern L.A.Õs Friction Bailey, whose pretty, soulful reading of ÒPride (In the Name of Love)Ó has hardly ended before youÕre longing to hear it again. The other tracks, too, are on the whole strong and well worth your time, and even if you donÕt deem the collection to be ÒEven Better Than the Real Thing,Ó still you wonÕt regret giving it a spin.
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u2outloud.com Even Better Than The Real Thing - U2 Tribute CD The reason I like U2 as much as I do is not so much for their ability to jam, sing well, or because of their lyrical talentÉbut it is how everything comes together to establish a mood. If a song is about the abyss of love we sometimes tumble into, but if it doesn't have the dark, spacey sound, like "Love is Blindness" does, it missed its mark. A song should make me feel free and want to fly with the one I love, as "Where the Streets Have No Name" does. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" may be the perfect example of setting the mood as the militant beat sets the imagery of violence and lives torn. I was somewhat disappointed with this album as, in most cases, the songs failed to establish an appropriate mood. There are some diamonds in the rough, though, and I wasn't disappointed with the talent, per se. If you are very open and flexible, or a DIE HARD fan, you may want to give this a listen. As mentioned earlier, Sunday Bloody Sunday's driving beat and emotion behind Bono's raging vocals is what has made it the legacy it is. Lance Angelus' cover reminds me of Musak you would hear while shopping in a supermarket, not an anthem about senseless war tearing a nation apart. With no riveting guitar (no guitar at all) and just light tapping on the drums, the beat moves at a snail's pace, while the vocals (lead and backup) make me want to curl up and take a nap. Another one of the songs that failed to hit the mark was Drag's cover of "Discotheque." I don't frequent the local clubs, but I don't think I would ever hear anything resembling this poppy rendition of the song that usually makes you want to dress up like The Village People (okay, maybe not). It sounds like really bad bubble gum pop (no pun intendedÉ"you know you're chewing bubble gum"), until the song hits the chorus. After the 15-second relief of hard-hitting guitar, it goes back to a verseÉand more pop. The lead vocals make me shudder like nails across a backboard and the backup vocals make it even worse. The song does have a strong point in the lead guitar when the song breaks for its chorus; however, in the verses, it is too cheesy. This song does not make me want to go-goÉdiscotheque. I almost gave up early on Friction Bailey's "Pride", as it was off-key at times compared to what I was used to. However, the more I listened to it, the more I appreciated the slow soliloquy to Martin Luther King. It doesn't have the driving force that U2's does, but I think the mood established in this song is still suitable for its content, and is a creative and interesting take on the original. There is something about The Relatives' cut of "With or Without You." It sounds like every college band with hazy, feedback-driven guitar that you would see in a local bar hopping up and down. This song might be the one exception to my "mood rule". I am not a big fan of their cookie-cutter sound, and it doesn't have the ballad feel that it should for a man on his knees pleading for love. However, the song is awfully catchy, and if for no other reason, I find myself listening to it. Peoplemover's rendition of "Acrobat" sure sounds a lot like the original, but in some moments is better, for at times it creates a mood even darker and deeper than U2 did. They weren't blessed with Bono's vocals, but the ragged-edged gutair seems to really slow the beat and add to the sharpness ofÊthe knife that cuts. It doesn't make me tap my foot or rock with the beat like U2 does, but the darkness is definitely there, and it is my second favorite track on the album. I don't think I have listened to Jay Buchanan's "Lemon" all the way through yet. And as unfair as that may be, I doubt I can stomach any more than I did. The horn section really ruined this song, and the screeching, constantly fluctuating vocals beg me to move right alongÉso I will. With "One" being my favorite U2 song of all time, I doubted I could give Aaron Kaplan's take a fair shake. It has a different quality to it in that it is simple, very stripped down. In a way, this is good, but in a way, it lacks something. It doesn't hit you with waves of emotion, but then again, maybe the simplistic content is very appropriate. I don't find this song striking me too far in either direction. I am not moved by it, but I don't think it is bad, either. Mega Maniac tackles "The Ocean", and it sounds quite similar to the original. The take has a smooth edge on it with distorted guitar over the lullaby.Ê If you are into U2's older material, I suggest giving this one a spin. Doom Kounty performing a montage of "Electric Co.", "Running to Stand Still", and "Gloria" is an interesting package to say the least. It sounds like a cross between Pearl Jam and Creed in the vocals, with a touch of Van Halen in the guitar. The segments transition nicely, especially for being three very different songs. Statica's "Who's Gonna Ride" is yet another jump-and-jam take, and although somewhat catchy, it didn't take to my liking. Listening to the original, I have noticed that if you listen carefully, Edge's guitar wails like that of a broken heart, and that is too powerful of an emotion to not have in a song like this. I don't mind the different sound; I mind the absence of this mood that is needed to make a song like WGRYWH a success. Tunnel Fishin's "Bullet" could be mistaken for the twin brother of the original. The guitar screeches and the drums hack away, creating a wall of sound, driving the mood of war-torn countries. If you are in the mood for elevator music with punch, tune into Danny Dean doing "Two Hearts". Who is on the drums, by the way? Max Weinberg? Too cheesy and no rhythm. No positive feedback from me on this track. Deep Mosey's "In God's Country" doesn't float quiteÊlike U2's does, however, it has a nice layered sound to it, and the vocals are bearable, if not, pretty good, and the backups nicely accentÊthe songÊinstead of ruining it. "Love is Blindness", as done by Tresspassers William, nicely hits the bullseye. It has a deep, dark sound and the singer sounds lost, trapped and hopeless like the song should sound. The singer's voice even cracks and splinters naturally from time to time, which adds nicely to the raw quality of this song.Ê This goes down as my favorite track from the CD. I have heard the Pet Shop Boys' cover of "Where the Streets Have No Name" and thought it was blasphemy. Lift Off's dance-driven cut is much more bearable. Although the garbled vocals can be annoying at times, the beat is very, like their name says, lifting and it makes you want to soar. The guitar underneath the dance beat has a nice rhythmic cutting edge to it that helps keep the tempo in full gear and adds a nice layer underneath. |
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Even Better than the Real Thing - A Tribute to U2 Bert Gangl 2/16/2002 |
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1340Mag.com "Even Better Than The Real Thing" (A Tribute to U2) Independents Anonymous has done something here that many have tried but
no one, until now, has accomplishedÉthey have created a U2 tribute record
worth more than the price you pay for it! This is an excellent tribute
to a great band. Most , if not all, of the bands on this cd are barely
recognizable to most but they all deliver wonderful performances of U2
classics. While some bands choose new takes on the songs, like Friction
Bailey's "Pride (In The Name of Love)" and Lift Off's "Where the Streets
Have No Name", the songs are still entirely recognizable and done respectfully.
Other bands chose to do dead on (but slightly faster) takes on the songs,
like The Relatives killer version of "With or Without You" or Drag's more
guitar oriented version of "Discotheque". Songs off "Pop", "Zooropa" ,
and "Acthung Baby" are included here as well as songs off the older albums.
In my book, this is another plus for the record because said albums are
generally ignored by tribute records without good reason. All in all ,
you are missing out if you don't find this record and get it. Fans of
old U2, new U2, and even people who just "kinda like" U2 (or rock music
in general) will find something they like here. The guys from U2 should
be honored by the amazing performances here by all the contributors. Available
at www.IndependentsAnonymous.com Mark Fisher
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Media Plus Magazine .com Production 5 |
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REVIEWER MAGAZINE, 2002
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