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World For Ransom
New Hip Lunchbox
Flying Public

New Hip Lunchbox is made of durable metal--dented, abused and full of character. And like every responsible parent, World for Ransom has filled New Hip Lunchbox with a healthy variety of discomfort food. "Gotten Rotten" features grating, assertive guitars by Billie Eyeball and irate screaming by vocalist Loolwa Khazzoom. The album also includes gentler, lyrical songs that explore genres such as country and folk. Adding to the musical melee is drummer Marc Hughes, who fires out sharp beats. A synthesizer adds a bright melody line or colorful accompaniment to the songs. "Blue Blood," a smoother, melodic number, demonstrates Khazzoom's vocal flexibility, as she exchanges a calm fluidity for her usual furious, fingernails-on-the-chalkboard style. New Hip Lunchbox is packed with abrasive music that makes you cower in fear--and musical mastery that makes you kowtow with respect. (Bernice Yeung)


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Sexx
Sexx Sells
Pendulum

Wowee zowee! A New Jack trio cooing about sex! What a novel idea! They've even taken on the name Sexx! Earlier this year, the threesome (Ivan Lewis, Terah Jackson and Steven Stewart) released an EP containing various mixes of "You Bring the Freak Outta Me." Produced by LoRider, the mid-tempo remix of steamy lead vocals and arch backgrounding showed moderate skills. Sexx Sells continues the theme with mostly bump 'n' grinders ranging from the wine-and-roses romance of "Don't Be Shy" to the more explicit "Come Inside." Self-admitted fans of soul men like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, Sexx aims for their creamy essence, only to overshoot the mark. Though all three possess passable vocal skills, they lack the depth of their musical models. "Sexxual Overtones" is more like it, although, when all is sung and done, you have to ask yourself: Do we really need another disc extolling the virtues of an activity that is surely overrated? (Nicky Baxter)


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The Beauticians
Imperiale
Cheemo

At the zenith of zaniness hovers the quirky Beauticians, who bounce along the same nutty vein as the Barenaked Ladies--minus the strict adherence to pop melodies. Vocalist Beez endearingly strains to stay on tune (and often fails) while violinist/ guitarist Sexy Pierre Lumoncel and viola player Catherine Malone wrestle squealing, upbeat melodies and background noises from their instruments. Bassist Eric Napier and percussionist John Rule conjure up beats reminiscent of jigs or theme songs from tacky game shows. The songs explore the subjects of "Cherry Pie," "Silk Velour" and "Shoes." Of course, nutty lyrics are also a part of the crazy package; Beez sings, "I've got a fish called Eric, swims all alone in his big clean bowl/my mom doesn't know him from a parrot/She'd rather have a poodle and feed him noodles" in the ska ditty, "Eric the Fish." (BY)


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Wild Bouquet
The Wild Bouquet
Komotion

Mat Callahan is best remembered for his tenure with the Looters, croaking about Sandinistas and political revolt over a soundtrack that echoed the Clash and Burning Spear. Callahan makes a return in Wild Bouquet. He's political as ever but far more subdued. You'd think with the help Callahan enlisted--Matthew Brubeck, Les Claypool, the Mo'Fessionals' Zoe Ellis and guitar prodigy MIRV--Wild Bouquet would be hard to beat in combining music and message. Not this time around. The sound is petal soft with only an occasional barb sticking. Producer Pete Scaturro adds industrial touches to "This Is Your Time," the sole standout. Maybe I was in bah-humbug mode, but the plaintive folksy cries for understanding on "Child of Love" and "Ethel Prays for Cab Drivers" fell flat. Callahan's live pipes are street-corner honed, but on this CD, his voice comes across too plaintive, too caring, too wistful. Lyrically, Callahan's is striking and unapologetic, no question. I just wish the music on Wild Bouquet was, too. (Todd S. Inoue)


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