Powered-up soundtracks - Orange & Blue Magazine: Spring 2002

This article is like a
Swiss-army knife for the soundtrack of life. We've assembed your ups and downs and all-arounds.

The Beastie Boys: “Check Your Head”
Everybody loves this timeless classic, but beware, when “So Whatcha Want” comes on, your friends are guaranteed to look like fools when they try to do that weird b-boy dance.
DJ Shadow: “Entroducing DJ Shadow”
Sure this is a primarily instrumental record and the crowd will thank you. The party is guaranteed to be on their feet for track #3 (The Number Song) when everybody realizes where MTV got that awesome sound bite that was used constantly a few years back. Besides, even if you are not enjoying the party, you’ll at least look like you are, these beats are so catchy you won’t be able to stop bobbing your head.
Dr. Dre: “The Chronic”
You know the party will thank you for this one. Everybody will reminisce back to how cool that fridge full of 40’s looked in the “Nutin’ but a G thang” video. Then they’ll run up to the gas station and buy a quart in an attempt to keep it real in G’ville. Hopefully nobody gets carried away and soaks any ladies in malt liquor.
Led Zeppelin: “IV”
This is definitely a “later-on” in the party selection. When the keg starts to run dry and the lads start a staggering, throw this ditty on and sit back and watch. If you walk around for a bit, you are guaranteed to overhear several different con-versations about Bonham’s drum solo, or Page’s bad-ass guitar licks.

When you’re in a rowdy mood

The Beach Boys: “Pet Sounds”
Brian Wilson and crew have come as close to perfecting beautifully orchestrated pop as anyone can. Between infectious harmonies and gorgeous tones, this record is pure bliss. God only knows what I’d do without this record.
The Flaming Lips: “The Soft Bulletin”
The same band that wrote that quirky “She Don’t Use Jelly” song and performed it on a Beverly Hills 90210 episode, is the same group that recently finished doing the score for a documentary about people who fish for catfish with their bare hands. The lips have always been into conceptualized music, and the concept for the “Soft Bulletin” must have been to make one of the greatest releases of recent years. Wayne Coyne’s vocals are dreamy, heartfelt and honest. These songs relate fable-like tales of determination, humanity and sadness, and the production work is phenomenal. Check out those catchy drum licks.
Radiohead: “OK Computer”
When this record came out, people flipped. This is the soundtrack for the technology age. Lyrically, this album approaches topics like the working-class doldrums, karma and paranoia in the age of information, and it’s all spoon fed to you, beautifully wrapped around magnificent futuristic guitar rock.
Delarosa and Asora: “Agony Part 1”
Electronic music is not for everyone, but if you fancy the blips and beeps of the digital realm, this album is a must. Combining programming and sample manipulation, Scott Heren (Delarosa . . .) has produced a landmark album of vast magnitude for the electronic/idm genre. Agony this album is not. These songs are full of beauty and innovation.
Yo La Tengo: “And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out”
This Hoboken, N.J., trio delivered big with this release. Exploring many different moods, this record covers a lot of ground. With all their influences intact, Yo la Tengo pays tribute to the beauty of pop. Some tunes are slow and retrospective and others are upbeat and celebratory, but it’s all sheer beauty and art.