The poignancy of Metheny's unique, gentle style reached its height in Beyond the Missouri Sky, his 1997 collaboration with bassist Charlie Haden. After such a tour-de-force, Metheny's latest album, Trio 99-00, is something of a disappointment. Metheny seems compelled on track after track to exhibit the Pagannini side of his guitar talents, going off on elaborate licks and solos. It's impressive, no doubt, but Metheny's heart isn't there. He comes to life not in the elaborate showmanship of a piece like "(Go) Get It" but in the more contemplative tracks like "Travels" or "Just Like the Day." There are oceans of sorrow and hope in Metheny's tender musical treatment of the world. It's a shame he feels the need to lessen that tenderness by interspersing it with the technical know-how that so many other guitarists never move beyond. B --David D. Kornhaber
Various Artists
Brassic Beats USA (Skint)
Skint Records was once a tiny independent record label out of Brighton (the Brighton on the other side of the pond, not the one on the other side of the Charles) that released dance music that was too risky for big-brother label Loaded to put its name on. Then Skint signed Norman Cook, a.k.a. Fatboy Slim, and the rest is history. Nowadays Skint is the home of major big beat artists like the Low Fidelity All Stars, Hardknox and Cut La Roc, while Loaded is still mostly unheard of outside the English club circuit.
Brassic Beats USA is, as the name implies, Skint's attempt to introduce the US audience to some of its artists besides Fatboy and the Lo-Fi Allstars. While all of the music is excellent in its own right, those looking for another "Praise You" or "Rockafeller Skank" are advised to look elsewhere. Fatboy Slim himself does contribute a signature track and a Midfield General remix, but overall this is a more sparse, laid back sound. If big beat is your thing, though, Brassic Beats USA is definitely worth checking out. Of special note are Indian Ropeman's funky, sitar-infused "66 Meters" and Cut La Roc's airy, skillfully-mixed "Fallen." A- --Taylor R. Terry
Cheerleadr
Rock Album (Pep Rally)
Whether deliberate or no, the generic title of this Boston-based quartet's third album (recorded at Fort Apache studios here in Cambridge) reflects their music. None of the melding of musical styles so popular in modern rock occurs here: straight-up three-chord rock is the name of the game. When done well, as in the tight, focused first single, "Telescope," the standard guitar-bass-drum combination still retains the feel of energy unleashed. Singer Will Claflin also acquits himself well, with a hard-edged voice and decent enunciation, something all too often forgotten in the genre.
Unfortunately, there's only so many similar-sounding alternative/grunge songs one can take, and the album's 11 tracks begin to blend into one another. It doesn't help that the sound kept fading in and out on the review copy. Still, the band's obvious musicianship means it deserves more than the missing "E" in its name for a grade. B --Daryl Sng