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  The Pharcyde “Cydeways: Best Of”

The Pharcyde “Cydeways: Best Of” Delicious Vinyl/Rhino Oh, this is just too sad. One of the greatest early ’90s rap groups has been reduced to releasing greatest hits compilations after only three albums. “Best of” albums are supposed to be the territory of dead guys and groups trying to cash in on their aging fans’ nostalgia. The Pharcyde, once the apple of every critic’s eye after the 1992 release of the masterpiece “Bizarre Ride II tha Pharcyde,” should have never released this travesty. Essentially a strip-mined version of “Bizarre Ride” with a few extras slapped on, “Cydeways” seems more like a desperate grab for cash than an earnest collection of good tunes. Though the music contained within its 15 tracks is still solid, it’s a poor introduction to an excellent group. It neglects A-list tracks like “Soulflower” and “Misery” in favor of sub-par skits used as filler on “Bizarre Ride” and a few predictable additions from its follow-up, “Labcabincalifornia.” Sure, the music’s nothing to sneeze at. “Return of the B-Boy” and “Ya Mama” are still awesome songs, and “Passing Me By” sounds just as good as it did back in ’92. But does that warrant putting them on a greatest hits album for an eight-year-old band? No! Even the new tracks, a remixed version of “She Said” and the unreleased “Panty Raid,” don’t make “Cydeways” worth buying. They’re not bad, but nothing to write home about. If nascent Pharcyde fans really want to go out and get the band’s greatest hits, they ought to just buy the original albums. Hell, there’s only three of ’em, it’s not gonna break the bank. Those who do pick up “Cydeways” won’t be helping their musical education at all, they’ll just be shoveling money into the coffers of Rhino Records, who should have known better than to release this crap.

Brent Hopkins Rating: 2

Phil Joel “Watching Over You” Inpop Records Going solo isn’t easy, especially when coming from a band that has sold millions of records.  Phil Joel is probably best known as the guitar player for the Newsboys. After both playing and recording with the Australian rock group, Phil Joel has decided to step up to the microphone himself, releasing his debut solo project “Watching Over You.”  Joel brings a multitude of different sounds to the album, and makes the lyrics more autobiographical than anything else. Each song seems to tell a story about his life or feelings, which makes one wonder if the lyrics are something he took from his diary and then added music to. Upon initially hearing the album, one can hear the familiar beats and rhythms of the Newsboys. It has the pop rhythms and carefree melodies that have been attributed to the Aussie band. Yet for this album, Joel took the initiative by either writing or co-writing all of the songs on this thirty-three-minute album. “God is Watching Over You” is the opening track, where Joel does a good job of utilizing his sweet voice as his strong Australian accent echoes throughout all of the verses. Although striving to be unique, Joel seems to mimic the Newsboys sound with his song “Strangely Normal” which is quite reminiscent of past Newsboys hits. The introduction contains a techno beat, but as it continues, the song brings in the familiar surfer sounds of Australia. “Tonight,” which describes an experience of realizing one’s calling to God, is most reminiscent of punk in its sound. Everything from the echoing guitar to the lyrics once again seem to contain much of the Newsboys persuasion. Perhaps the best track on the CD is titled “Fragile,” which is a tender song filled with acoustic guitar. Written after learning a friend had a terminal illness, “Fragile” makes the realization of just how delicate life is, as Joel questions God, and comes to the realization that everything fits into a bigger picture. The album comes to an end with a very fresh and reminiscent tune, “Together.” However, Joel once again recounts personal experiences about his homeland and family, as he has done for the past 30 minutes. After awhile, listeners feel like they know his whole life, and it becomes rather redundant. Although one can tell that the album comes from Joel’s heart, he does not seem to make a clean break from his Newsboys sound. The fact that there is no clean break makes his album seem like it should be sold in a box set of Newsboy rarities.

Laura Morgan Rating: 5

16 Horsepower “Secret South” Razor & Tie Entertainment Imagine, for a moment, that Eddie Vedder and Johnny Cash had a child, obviously a stretch, and then this child was locked in a dark basement for his youth, forced to watch only funerals and divorces on television while listening to old-fashioned roots music. This would most likely produce the sound that emanates from 16 Horsepower’s fourth album, “Secret South.” The album blends a curious mixture of grunge and classic Americana roots. Unfortunately, this fusion is not consistent. Some of the songs lean more toward alternative music, such as “Clogger,” while others are almost completely classic country, like the traditional “Wayfaring Stranger.”  However, when the two sounds do mesh, it creates a totally unique and satisfying result, as it does on “Praying Arm Lane.” The very idea of melding these two very American styles of music, that are separated by at least half a century in their origins, is reason enough to listen to the album. The music is mostly dark, with song lyrics about the devil, lovers lost and a number of grave religious themes, all supported by intense instrumentals.  Not surprisingly, the one song that is upbeat is a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Nobody ’Cept You.” The choice of a Dylan song is appropriate, for the band’s powerful lyrics successfully draw inspiration from him. The album is aptly titled, as it leads the listener to a previously undiscovered country. While 16 Horsepower clearly draws from traditional country music, this is not the twangy sound of Garth Brooks or Alan Jackson. The banjo and guitar work are bluegrass to the core, but are offset by the vocals. The band’s strongest asset is lead singer David Eugene Edward’s voice, which makes the country influence enjoyable even for those morally opposed to all country music. Despite the inconsistencies, “Secret South” is an enjoyable album, and its unique blend of musical styles results in a strange new grunge/country/roots music that is ultimately refreshing and thought provoking.

David Holmberg Rating: 7