This week's albums - Tiscali Music News

2003-01-20

For this week's albums - read our reviews below. For this week's singles, click here

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More Fire Crew - Platinum 45

If you look long and hard enough for good music, perhaps dig down a little to the underground, there will be occasions when you meet good music-makers on the way up. The More Fire Crew had been in existence for some time before their equally well-established 'Oi' track leapt into the pop charts, ensuring that their journey from the edge to the centre was well under way.

'More Fire CV' is their debut full-length set and, as the title suggests, it's a document that's designed to show off their considerable skills and work as a counter-argument to those that dismiss them as a one hit wonder. Blessed with more depth than, say, handy comparisons So Solid or Big Brovaz, More Fire are all about the streets as they exist right now.

That is to say, there is less headline-grabbing guns'n'gals glorification, more story-telling on how life is. Plus, the set's a final blow to those who had More Fire down as a fresh-faced garage collective – there is as much UK hip-hop styling here as any other kind of urban shape. This is a serious album, made by serious young artists who have a genuine talent and who deserve a chance.

Make room for them.

Buy this album here

Various Artists - Urban Explosion

A chance to glimpse the seductive world of Desi and Bhangra beats, 'Urban Explosion' is the first album to dip its toe in the water in 2003 but it will by no means be the last.

A genuinely enthralling mix of urban tracks, this double CD set uses Panjabi MC's heightened profile to slam together the kind of tracks that have resonated throughout the Asian underground for some time now alongside urban music's more esoteric and adventurous music makers.

Buy this album here

David Holmes - Analyze That

'Analyze That' picks up where the last film 'Analyze This' left off. Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is release from prison and needs the assistance of his trusty psychoanalyst, Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal). Tensions rise when Sobel not only takes on Vitti as a patient but as a houseguest as well.

The soundtrack consists entirely of original score written and produced by DJ Producer David Holmes. This brilliant laid-back electro jazz funk score has a feel similar to his previous efforts on thesuper-cool 'Out of Sight' and 'Oceans Eleven', so if you liked those, you're in for another Holmes treat here.

Buy this album here

Dwight Yoakham - Reprise Please Baby

Covering the career of one of the world's greatest country stars, this four CD box set spans Dwight Yoakam's 16 year career at Warner Bros records.

Containing over 80 tracks of stripped down honky-tonk and Bakersfield country, Dwight Yoakam helped bring country music to a more roots-rock and rock n' roll audience.

This box set is an essential collection for all lovers of country music and lovers of alt. country.

'Reprise Please Baby' features songs that are previously un-released, songs that are remastered and bonus live tracks.

Buy this album here

And also: Classical releases this week

Von Otter (Mezzo): Minkowski: Les Musiciens Du Louvre - Offenbach: Arias & Scenes: Anne Sofie Von Otter Sings Offenbach

Buy this album here

Harnoncourt: Vpo - Va: New Year's Concert 2003

Buy this album here

Goebel: Musica Antiqua Koln: - Bach Family: Bachiana Vol2: Double Concertos

Buy this album here