**1/2 Daft Punk Alive 1997 (Virgin)
For any nightclub goer, the mechanical and stylish music of Daft Punk is unmistakable. Their hit single "One More Time" was not only heard repeatedly on the dance floor, but also in a recent Victoria's Secret commercial. Daft Punk's new and risky release, Alive 1997 is a limited release featuring songs the group had recorded in Europe in 1997. Indeed, the release is limited, because on December 31, 2001, the disc will be no longer be distributed. Daft Punk may have revitalized house, and made techno the future of music. Unfortunately their new CD seems to lack something. For one, the average person buying the CD in the store is probably looking for "One More Time," but Alive 1997 obviously doesn't contain it, and for starters, one would like to know what it does contain. With no track listing on the back or inside, there's no clear expectation. Instead, the listener gets just one track of 45 minutes of non-stop, slow motion house music. Although praised as a heavy rave album, one will hardly want to run around with glow sticks as if one were in a club. This album is not recommended for first-time techno buyers. But Daft Punk fans should definitely add this rare live album to their collections.
—Chris Pelland
*1/2 Little T and One Track Mike Fome is Dape (Atlantic Records)
With a strange mix of guitar riffs that cross the musical spectrum, Little T and One Track Mike start off with an original base for music lyrics. Unfortunately they don't go far from there. Although Little T's lyrics stray from mainstream clichés such as images of guns, drugs and women, they just don't seem to work with the music. Even with this seeming lack of synchronization between the lyrics and beats, there is a redeeming quality in that they are a refreshing change from the rest of hip-hop, where every rapper seems to be almost identical. This duo's eclectic sound can be traced to their college days, where they were exposed to a wide variety of music. This is reflected throughout their album in the fact that their songs draw upon hip-hop, blues, jazz and pop styles. With all of the variety on the album, one might think it would never get old, but that isn't the case. Even with guest artists such as Slick Rick appearing on select tracks, the songs lack cohesiveness. The group's goal of getting famous, which is repeated throughout the album, obviously got in the way of producing good music. Besides their relative hit "Shaniqua," a comical song about all the calls for a former resident of a home, and "Sycamore Trees," there isn't much to this album that could be considered quality. Everyone would be better served if Little T and One Track Mike went back to the studio and really spent some time putting their beats and lyrics in order.
—Brad Barron
*1/2 Zero7 Simple Things (Mushroom Records)
Although the latest release from the English group Zero7, Simple Things, was filed under the broad genre of pop/rock, that label doesn't necessarily reflect its musical content. If the listener is into a funky jazz type of music with maybe a small dash of pop, they may like this CD; however, this will most likely not be the case. Simple Things contains a type of soul/funk with very thin, spread out vocals. It contains a kind of dance music different from techno or electron-ica. Once the listener gets used this strange style, the album isn't totally horrible; however, take note that this will take a while (it took this reviewer over eight listens to even find the music bearable). There's no meaning to the songs, just a feeling to the rhythm. Surprisingly, that rhythm puts the listener at ease, whether he/she likes it or not. The music on Simple Things is very perky with lots of heart. In their homeland, Zero7 have been compared to Radiohead, among others, but their music stylings is worlds apart from anything Radiohead has put out. The music is on such a lower level of beauty and meaning that it almost makes the listener laugh. Despite this, the music does have its pluses. The standout tracks of "Out for Town" and "This World" prominent only because they have a much higher quality of rhythm and sound than the rest of the tracks. Although Zero7 may be Radiohead wannabes, they will never be Radiohead —not even close.
—Eric Scaduto
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