Se
      at
      ee
      a
      ea
      eT
      een
      ee
      ra
      He
      Si
      SN”
      REE
      AG
      tine
      aN
      ag
      OE
      eet
      a
      etn
      nae
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      sound
     
    
   
   
    
     
      acd
     
     
      se
      eee
      a
      Nitin
      iste
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Jar
      of
      Flies
     
     
      Alice
      in
      Chains
     
     
      (Sony)
     
    

    
     
      Alice
      in
      Chains’
      new
      e.p.,
      Jar
      of
      Flies
      (4),
      is
      a
      re
      arkably
     
     
      credible
      experiment
      in
      styles:
      the
      band
      adds
      strings,
     
     
      harmonicas,
      violas
      and
      some
      strange
      instrumental
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      band
      also
      shows
      z
     
    

    
     
      _
      surprisingly
      soft
     
     
      touch
      on
      ballads
     
     
      like
      “Nutshell”
      and
     
     
      _
      “Don't
      Follow,”
     
    

    
     
      |
      and
      plays
      country-
     
     
      tinged
      melodic
     
     
      numbers
      like
      “No
     
     
      Excuses”
      with
     
     
      assurance.
      The
      old
     
     
      maniacal
      touches
     
     
      do
      surface,
      though
     
     
      as
      on
      “|
      Stay
      Awa’
     
     
      and
      “Swing
      on
     
     
      This.”
      Jar
      of
      Flies/is
     
     
      never
      forced
      or,
     
     
      indulgent
      and
      the
     
     
      band’s
      stylisti
     
     
      swings
      never
      seem
     
     
      |
      superficial/
      While
     
     
      quite
      restrained
      by
     
     
      this
      band’s
      standards,
      Jar
      of
      Flies’
      title
      is
      apt,
      feflecting
      the
     
     
      desperation
      and
      frustration
      beneath
      its
      smooth,
      muffled
     
     
      surface.
      The
      sign
      of
      true
      greatness,
      Alice
      in
      Chains
      have
     
     
      transcended
      volume,
      expanding
      the“emotional
      range
      of
     
     
      their
      music,
      while
      maintainingthe
      sheer
      rage
      that
      defined
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
       
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
       
     
     
        
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
         
     
     
        
        
     
     
         
        
     
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Antenna
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Top
      is
      back
      with
      their
      latest
      release
      Antenna.
      It
      features
     
     
      more
      of
      the
      distinctive
      sound
      that
      has
      made
      them
      famous
     
     
      over
      the
      last
      decade.
      With
      Antenna,
      ZZ
      Top
      has
     
    

    
     
      remained
      loyal
      to
      the
      powerful
      blues
      sound
      that
      has
     
    

    
     
      made
      them
      famous
      as
      evident
      in
      the
      first
      single,
     
    

    
     
      ‘Pincushion’.
      Having
      the
      patent
      on
      the
     
     
      istinctive
      ‘bearded
      look’
      it
      is
      difficult
      not
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a,
      has
      no
      surprises,
      it’s
     
     
      classic
      rock
      and
      ro
      i
     
     
      a
      rating
      of
      3.
     
    

    
     
      —Dana
      Dennis
     
    
   
   
    
     
      salvation
     
    
   
   
    
     
      reviews
      by
      kirby
     
     
      ferguson
      unless
     
     
      otherwi
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Sign
     
     
      Ace
      of
      Base
     
     
      (BMG)
     
     
      With
      their
      first
      North
      American
      release,
     
     
      The
      Sign,
      Ace
      of
      Base
      have
      become
      the
     
     
      major
      feature
      of
      contemporary
      dance
      mugit.
     
     
      Ace
      of
      Base
      is
      an
      experienced
      foursome
      6
     
     
      French
      musicians
      who
      over
      the
      last
      half
      2
     
     
      dozen
      years
      have
      developed
      a
      very
      loyal
     
     
      following
      in
      many
      European
      countries.
     
     
      After
      ‘All
      That
      She
      Wants’
      proved
      to
      bé
     
     
      North
      American
      success
      the
      decision
      td
     
     
      concentrate
      on
      the
      North
      American
     
     
      dance
      scene
      was
      made.
      |
      was
      surprised
     
     
      to
      find
      that
      The
      Sign,
      unlike
      many
      other
     
     
      dance
      albums
      contains
      eleven
      quality
     
    
   
   
    
     
      tracks.
      The
      Sign,
      rates
      as
      a
      3.5
      and
      is
      \
     
     
      recommended
      for
      all
      club
      goers.
      A
      neg
      a
      np
      adel
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      King’s
      X
      have
      discovered
      a
      killer
     
     
      formula
      and
      they're
      sticking
      with
     
     
      it.
      The
      band’s
      latest,
      Dogman
     
     
      (3.5),
      is
      more
      of
      the
      usual:
     
     
      Beatle-esque
      vocal
      harmonies
     
     
      offset
      by
      bulldozer
      guitar
      riffs.
      |
     
     
      find
      both
      the
      flawless
      harmonies
     
     
      and
      immense
      guitar
      a
      little
     
     
      sterile,
      but
      the
      band
      has
      a
      firm
     
     
      grasp
      of
      rock
      dynamics
      and
      they,
     
     
      execute
      with
      enormous
      poten
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
       
         
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      —Dana
      Dennis
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Acid
      Eaters
     
     
      Ramones
     
     
      (MCA)
     
     
      The
      only
      pank
      band
      still
      in
      existence,
      the
     
     
      Ramoneg
      still
      sound
      the
      exact
      same,
      WHICH
      ei.
     
     
      could
      either
      indicate
      true
      integrity
      or
      jusy
     
     
      a
      lack/of
      talent
      and
      imagination.
      The
     
     
      band’s
      latest,
      Acid
      Eaters
      (3),
      is
      a
      collection
     
     
      of
      govers,
      which
      could
      either
      indicate
      a
     
     
      return
      to
      roots
      and
      a
      reclarification
      of
     
     
      ggals,
      or
      artistic
      confusion
      and
     
     
      retrenchment.
      The
      band
      reinterprets
      the
     
     
      likes
      of
      Dylan,
      the
      Amboy
      Dukes,
      the
     
     
      ho
      (with
      a
      cameo
      by
      Pete
      Townshend
     
     
      imself),
      Jan
      and
      Dean,
      the
      Stones,
      CCR
     
     
      and
      a
      load
      more,
      doing
      exactly
      what
      you'd
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
         
     
     
        
     
     
         
     
     
           
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
      expect:
      making
      them
      all
      sound
      like
      a
     
     
      Ramones
      songs.
      It'll
      all
      undoubtedly
      be
      a
      Gentleme
     
     
      lot
      more
      enjoyable
      to
      you
      if
      you’ve
      never
      The
      Afghan
      Wig
     
    
   
   
    
     
      eard
      the
      Ramones
      or
      the
      original
      sohgs.
     
     
      e
      album
      clocks
      in
      at
      a
      half-hour,
      which
     
     
      gould
      either
      indicate
      reverence
      to
     
     
      rock’n'roll’s
      original
      attention
      span
      or
      just
     
     
      a\rip-off.
      Joey
      Ramone
      may
      not
      be
      a
      good
     
     
      singer,
      but
      I'll
      take
      him
      over
      this
      new
      Cj
     
    
   
   
    
     
      none
      guy,
      a
      generic
      and,
      um,
      other
      alternative
      bands,
      the
      Afghan
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      competent
      singer
      who
      pops
      up
      on
      three
      sound
      isn’t
      one
      huge
      wall
      of
      distortigh--it’s
     
     
      tracks.
      The
      energy
      level
      on
      Acid
      Eaters
      is
      clear,
      precise
      and
      jarring.
      Without
     
     
      reasonably
      high,
      but
      the
      production
      is
      fla
      sacrificing
      the
      clarity
      of
      their
      sgund,
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      and
      mushy.
      |
      don’t
      think
      there’s
      anything
     
     
      out
      thera
      that
      sounds
      more
      retro
      than/the
     
     
      Ramones;
      the
      thrill
      is
      gone.
      |
      give
      Acid
     
     
      Eaters
      one
      of
      the
      most
      marginal
      thambs
      up
     
     
      I've
      ever
      given.
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      more
      compelling
      if
      t
     
     
      interested
      in
      melody
      as
      they
      are
      in
      mood;
     
     
      onetheless,it
      is
      an
      addictive
      listen.