Every once in a while bands come along that mix new rock concepts with classic sounds. Two of the most recent are Menthol and Silverchair.
MENTHOL; "Menthol" (Capitol). * * 1/2
Menthol is a cool band breezing out of Champaign, Ill., that spouts energetic modern music with a twisted pop feel. Frantic arrangements and skin-tight production make this album bearable and even, gasp, buyable.
Walking pop lines reminiscent of Gwen Mars meets Veruca Salt, Menthol capitalizes on pleasant distortion and catchy choruses, although the opening cut, "USA Capable," is a throwback to a harder, though mild, punk aura.
The band also mixes in a little bayou blues - a la Creedence Clearwater Revival - on "Dry Heaves (of the Well-Adorned)" and dips into a little Collective Soul territory with the suggestive "Stress is Best."
However, these similarities serve as both the album's strong and weak points. Sure, it's nice to have catchy tunes with easy to remember choruses and arrangements, but when a band borrows heavily from other established performers, it loses a little validity.
SILVERCHAIR; "Frogstomp" (Murmur/Epic). * * 1/2
Silverchair craftily combines heavy Hendrix-styled riffs with Stone Temple Pilot-like arrangements. (And since STP mimicks Pearl Jam, we know whose voice the band tries to capitalize on).
But listeners should give this band the benefit of the doubt. During an age of distorted modern pop, Silverchair emerges with a dynamic, thundering release. Opening with the brooding "Israel's Son" and ending with the punky "Findaway," each tune brings out the band's humor, depression and personality.
The almost folksy "Tomorrow" and such bluesy cuts as "Faultline" and "Pure Massacre" offer a glimpse into the band's extended musical tendencies. The emotional guitar intro to "Shade" has a Jimmy Page-like tone, and the song comes complete with a Led Zeppelinesque bottom-heavy bass and snare. "Leave Me Out" lifts its crunching ongoing riff from Black Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf."
As with the Menthol release, Silverchair's sound is composed of sounds that over-resemble established bands' styles - there's nothing really original here. Still, the sound is clean, pleasant and fun.
RATINGS: four stars (* * * * ), excellent; three stars (* * * ), good; two stars (* * ), fair; one star (* ), poor, with 1/2 representing a higher, intermediate grade.