Now 2 cd in Rock & Pop Music

"Cry Now, Cry Later, Vol. 1-2" (06/08/1998) Rock & Pop Various Artists, PessimiserPerformers include: Spazz, 13, Fishsticks, Crom, Stapled Shut, Crisis, Fleabag, Eyehategod, Despise You, Meat Shits, Grief, 16, Iabhorher, Capitalist Casualties, Cattlepress, Excruciating Terror, Dystopia, Lack Of Interest, Factoria De Miedo, Black Army Jacket, Cojoba, Pisspoor, Unruh.

"Now the Day Is Over [China Bonus Tracks]" (02/07/2005) Folk Innocence Mission (The), PastelInnocence Mission's 2004 release, a collection of covers and tradtionals meant as lullabyes for sleepy children. The import version includes two bonus tracks. This is a nice changeup. The Innocence Mission return with a benefit collection of cover songs that are all centered reverie akin to dreaming. Calling them all lullabies would be stretching a little bit, but the presentations are such that they might as well be. Don and Karen Peris and bassist Mike Bitts craft an absolutely beguiling collection of standards. The readings of "Over the Rainbow," "Wonderful World," and "Moon River" form a gorgeous sequence. The inclusion of an instrumental, Chopin's Prelude in A, is a choice moment as well (played beautifully by Don), and is followed by a haunting, nostalgic version of Michel Legrand's "Once Upon a Summertime." The one original on the set, Karen's "My Love Goes With You," is a lullaby proper and is perhaps the most beautiful and tender song on the outing. That it's followed by "Edelweiss" is only fitting. The title track is, appropriately, the set's closer. Peris' wispy vocal carries the fleeting traces of daylight into the mix, ushering in a time of silence and magic. This could have been merely a curiosity piece, a curious addition to a mysterious catalog by a singular group. Instead, it is nothing less than a wondrous little gem. ~ Thom Jurek

"Someone Like Me/Right Now 2004 Pt.2 [Single]" (03/29/2004) Rock & Pop Atomic Kitten, Innocent (UK)This four-track release by U.K. female pop trio Atomic Kitten includes "Right Now 2004," "Someone Like Me," "Wild," and a video of "Right Now." This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

"Now, Vol. 2" (07/27/1999) Rock & Pop Various Artists, Virgin Records (USA)Yes, the title of the Now That's What I Call Music series is corny, but the compilations are undeniably entertaining and even useful. For instance, Now, Vol. 2 contains 18 tracks, almost all of them hits from 1998 and 1999 (Sublime's 1996 hit "What I Got" being the major exception to the rule). The only thing tying these songs together is that they shared space on the charts and airwaves, but that's enough -- it's a terrific time capsule, at the very least, capturing what American pop radio sounded like in the late '90s. Besides, there are some great singles here -- Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time...," the New Radicals' "You Get What You Give," U2's "The Sweetest Thing," Sheryl Crow's "My Favorite Mistake," Fatboy Slim's "Praise You," Garbage's "I Think I'm Paranoid," Spice Girls' "Goodbye," Everclear's "Father of Mine," Jay Z's "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)," Baz Luhrmann's "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)," and Robbie Williams' "Millennium." If you're keeping track, you'll notice that the above songs take up over half of the record, and that makes the disc a real bargain. The remaining songs might not be as good, but they are decent, representative tunes from 1999 and help make Now That's What I Call Music, Vol. 2 an entertaining snapshot of a fleeting era in pop music history. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

"As Is Now" (10/13/2005) Rock & Pop Weller, Paul, V2 Records (USA)Japanese version contains the bonus cuts "Oranges and Rosewater" and "Shine On." If 2002's Illumination was a warm, laid-back record, Paul Weller's 2005 sequel, As Is Now -- a likeable but unremarkable covers album, Studio 150, appeared in the interim -- is its flip side, a lean, hard-hitting soulful rock & roll album. Not that Weller is returning to the sound of the Jam: he's still with the same band that he's been with since Wild Wood, anchored by drummer Steve White and featuring Ocean Colour Scene members guitarist Steve Cradock and bassist Damon Minghella, and he's working the same musical territory, grounded in Traffic, Humble Pie, '60s soul, and guitar pop. There may be absolutely no surprises here -- even the change of pace "The Start of Forever" is reminiscent of many of his gentler folky tunes, echoing Illumination's mellow vibe -- but for as familiar as As Is Now is, it never sounds lazy; it's a tighter, better record than most of his late-'90s albums. The closest antecedent to As Is Now in Weller's solo catalog is Heavy Soul. Like that 1997 effort, this is a straightforward, no-frills record, heavy on rockers and with few pretensions, but where that album could drift, this is focused and exciting, boasting a stronger set of songs and livelier performances, plus a greater variety of colors and textures in the production. Those subtle differences wind up making a huge difference in the overall effect of As Is Now -- on the surface, it certainly sounds familiar to what came before, but thanks to Weller's muscular, memorable songs and musicianship, it stands apart as one of his more satisfying solo albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Following swiftly on the heels of his 2004 covers album, AS IS NOW finds Paul Weller looking to various phases of his career for an assured and eclectic record. On this 2005 outing, the British "Modfather" largely downplays his love of soul in favor of 1960s-inspired pub-rock (the lively opener, "Blink and You'll Miss It") and folk-influenced tunes (the chiming "All on a Misty Morning"). Most notably, however, Weller revisits the edgy sound of his beloved punk group, the Jam, on the energetic "Come On/Let's Go" and the driving "From the Floorboards Up." Of course, no Weller solo album would be complete without a groove-laden tune, and here he offers up the self-explanatory "Bring Back the Funk (Pts 1 & 2)," which highlights the tight interplay of his band. While longtime fans have plenty to admire on AS IS NOW, this dynamic set also serves an excellent sampler of Weller's stylistic range for the uninitiated.

"Now You See Inside" (10/25/2000) Rock & Pop SR-71, BMG (distributor)SR-71: Mitch Allan (vocals, guitar); Mark Beauchemin (guitar, keyboards, background vocals); Jeff Reid (keyboards, bass, background vocals); Dan Garvin (drums, background vocals). Additional personnel: Chris Tombling, Ann Morfee, Richard George (violin); Audrey Riley (cello); Richard Bissell (French horn); Mark Phythian, Gil Norton (keyboards); Rob Ladd (percussion); John Shanks (programming); Kevin Kadish, John Allen (background vocals). Engineers include: Bradley Cook, Danton Supple, Neal Avron. Recorded at Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York; Air Studios, Sheffield, England; Wall of Sound, Baltimore, Maryland; Encore Studios, Burbank, California; Hot Tin Roof Studios, North Hollywood, California. Japanese edition includes two extra songs ("Right Now," and "Last Excuse.") and a music video. CD contains 2 bonus tracks. SR-71 may not worry about being politically correct, but whereas most of the band's peers come off snidely, this band isn't afraid to pour some sugar. Naturally, the quartet sometimes veers toward boy-band wussiness, especially on the marshmallow centers of "Empty Spaces" and "Go Away," but the clean Bay City Rollers vibe throughout combines with spacious headphone production to make even the few lesser moments worthy of attention. "Alive" may owe more to Kiss than Pearl Jam (especially since SR-71 covers the make-up menaces in concert), and this positive party atmosphere makes the whole album rise above. Rather than attempting to maintain the velocity of opening one-two combo "Politically Correct" and "Right Now" (this actual hit discusses Ms. Right; Mr. Right appears later), the quartet soars into several airwave-friendly dimensions: "Last Man on the Moon" deserves heavy rotation, "Fame" features downright wondrous keys with a clever Kinks reference, and closer "Paul McCartney" owes more musically to Venus and Mars than Sgt. Pepper. SR-71 also swipes from the Stones, but the Spin Doctors aside in "Non-Toxic" seems closer to home. Take the time to see inside SR-71's debut. Like any commercial band, SR-71 morphs into whatever is on the radio, so the sophomore effort chases nauseously neurotic nu-metal; luckily, the delectably disposable Now You See Inside delivers pure pop for now people, and they need it now. ~ Whitney Z. Gomes Combine the edgy pop riffs of Lit with an emphasis on vocal harmony reminiscent of the Outfield, and you have SR71. While it may be little more than a boy-band with a heavy guitar backdrop, SR71 nevertheless delivers a smart and fun set of upbeat rockers on NOW YOU SEE INSIDE. Light social commentary peppers NOW YOU SEE INSIDE in tunes like "Politically Correct" and "The Last Man on the Moon." The main thrust of NOW YOU SEE INSIDE, however, is the adolescent alienation and wonder that all youths experience. Lyrically the album is quite sound. Frontman Mitch Allan's take on teenage romance provides SR71's music with a maturity that is often lacking in popular love songs. While SR71 doesn't exactly break new ground on NOW YOU SEE INSIDE, it does succeed in reinvigorating the rock ballad on songs such as "What a Mess" or "Fame (What She's Wanting)." If SR71 is a pretty bunch of boys very likely to become the next N'SYNC, at least they'll have some talent to back it up.