"Slavicsky's Smorgasbord"

by Al Slavicsky

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Davina - Selections from the Album "Best of Both Worlds"

Loud Records
Soulish R&B groove music in the S.W.V. or En Vogue style of music. One side of this release contains four tracks from the album -- "So Good," "Come Over to My Place," "Comin' For You," and "Can't Help It." Very pop oriented radio style diva jams. But the flip side, which is the "A" side, contains the same four jams freeform mixed by DJ Big Kap into a killer mix tape. The mix side is continuous, non-stop urban hip-hop with a street flair with explicit street language. Both directions combine a transition between soul and hip-hop. Fresh for '98.


Sublime - "Doin' Time" CD-5

Gasoline Alley/MCA Records
Summertime was over when this release just came out, which is too bad. "Doin' Time" is, was, and always will be destined to be a summertime jam, even if it is about being locked up in the pen. Most people heard the album mix for this song, but the other mixes make this a must for Sublime fans everywhere. The remix by Wyclef Jean of the Fugees has a Caribbean flair with a new bombastic bass line added to make this tune hotter. The Marshall Arts remix is a hip-hopster dream with a guest vocal by The Pharcyde bringing new meaning to the tune. But the real surprise is the Bradley version, which is a rougher mix than the album version and lacks some of the dubs. Rarely is a CD-5 worth obtaining, but this is the sh**.


Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Forever

Loud/RCA Records
The multimedia album of the decade with over 2 1/2 hours of music plus a unique CD-ROM where one can spend hours searching the hall of Wu-Tang obtaining such information on the band as biographies, discographies, photos, hear the members talk, video clips, and even have a chance to remix their music. Musically, Wu-Tang Clan continues to triumph with the dopest hardcore, street smart, east coast rap ever done. Humorous sometimes, such as on "Dogsh*t," and political other times, such as on "Triumph," overall this double CD is vital for idols of dope, def, doogie, hip rap.


Crumbox - Resident Double II

Time Bomb Recordings
North Carolina style pop-punk via southern California, Crumbox delivers tunes that pop radio will go gaga over while most punks will just go ga. The single "Resuscitation" is a catchy up-tempo pogo number, but the two songs for the Tates -- "Sharon Tate" and "Larry Tate" -- stick out like a sore thumb. Overall, Crumbox is just like a broken box of cookies -- just crumbs.


Pfilbryte - "Merry Go Round" b/w "In the Valley"

Ignition Records
Urban infested college trip style alternative muzak. Musical jungle of the mind. "Merry Go Round" has an urbanish R&B space flair with a strong, back breaking vibe for today's modern age rock and roll beatniks, while the flip side "In the Valley" has an electronic stoner dub similar to a fusion of Queen on acid meeting Kutris Blow on crack meeting Dr. Octagon on speed and melting the minds into transcendentalistic world beat music. One may even say that they may even see God in the mix. Bizarre.


Thor - Ride of the Chariots (An*Thor*logy)

Star USA/TEG Records
The mighty god of thunder -- that should be heavy metal -- Thor is back on this release. The sound is vintage 1980s style heavy metal with an intense guitar turmoil in it. Thor has been around the metal circus since the late 1980s, and Ride of the Chariots is a good place to start your listening search. This is vital material for the true metalhead, especially the tune "Gladiator," which was, ironically, recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, England. May the power of the metal gods be with you via the sounds of Thor.


The Trouble With Larry - Karaoke Bordello

Good Kitty Records, 201A N. Davis Ave., Richmond, VA 23220
This Richmond, VA based band which evolved from the Richmond art-punks The Heretics has been around since 1986 and slowly is molding its notch within the underground music world. Like the Ramones meeting The Stooges meeting Sonic Youth meeting Tubeway Army is what The Trouble With Larry is all about. One must really admire their cover of The Stooges' "TV Eye," which is true to the original; also, the band's originals -- "Rock and Roll Asshole," "Ann Arbor '69," "Go At Throttle Up," and "Monkey." Noisy, punky, grungy, poppy, and transcendentalistic... The Trouble With Larry cooks up a barn burner.


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