Soundbites

Jurassic 5 “Power in Numbers” Interscope
Records

After introducing itself to mainstream audiences with its 2000
LP debut “Quality Control,” underground hip-hop sextet
Jurassic 5 returns with “Power in Numbers,” a sophomore
effort that lacks the power and excitement exuding from its
predecessor. Despite the backwards step, “Power in
Numbers” is hardly a disappointment or even unfulfilling. The
trademark hand clap beats are still irresistible, especially on
tracks such as the radio-ready “What’s Golden”
and “Break,” which have already reserved their places
on any J5 greatest hits compilations. “A Day at the
Races,” which features guest lyricists Percee P and Big Daddy
Kane, is the MC equivalent of the 100-meter dash. Rappers bust
rhymes at breakneck speed in the same way Pantera thrashes guitars.
Nelly Furtado contributed to “Thin Line,” a subdued
number that unfortunately saw Furtado merely doing chorus work. As
J5’s driving forces, DJs Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark continue to
deftly experiment with beats. The presence of these two masters is
enough to overlook many of the album’s minor shortcomings.
-David Chang

Various Artists “The Only Blip Hop Record You Will
Ever Need, Vol. 1″ Luaka Bop

Imagine UCLA’s ethnomusicology department 50 years from
now. Along with the standard curricula dealing with folk, jazz and
blues, would electronica, IDM and post-rock find their own niche
somewhere in academia? Most would probably scoff at the idea, but
David Byrne thinks otherwise, or would like you to think he thinks
otherwise. Via his Luaka Bop label, that dusts off and polishes up
long forgotten gems by Shuggie Otis and Os Mutantes, Byrne also
takes a serious, ethnomusicologist’s look into the blips and
bleeps of modern day electronic music. Though the term “blip
hop” is tongue-in-cheek itself, in the liner notes Byrne
treats the genre like an alien culture he’s just stumbled
upon. German noisemaker Mouse on Mars contributes the stellar
“Mykologics,” which melds jazzy flourishes with
disjointed farts and wheezes while providing a surprisingly warm
and electronic feel. And really, that’s what sets the tone
and defines Byrne’s intention. From the ambience of To Rococo
Rot + I-sound’s “Pantone” to the dub-tinged Pole
track “Taxidub,” the entire compilation retains a warm
and organic tone, presumably convincing the listener that the music
is as grassroots as the Delta blues. Of course, the quirky
ex-Talking Head can’t be taken fully at face value (refer to
the album title), but it’s a fascinating compilation
nonetheless, and even a helpful introduction to electronic music.
Newcomers should simply take note of Byrne’s warning that the
music, just like the compilation, is “severe, squiggly, and
only semi-serious.” -Andrew Lee