VARIOUS ARTISTS
Sounds Eclectic 3 (Palm Pictures)
Reviewed by Rusty Pipes

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KCRW in Santa Monica, California provides listeners with some of the finest live performances by alternative and eclectic musicians anywhere. The better ones find their way onto the Sounds Eclectic series.

In the past the choices on the Sounds Eclectic CDs have been rather downbeat. There's nothing wrong with each track of course, the artistry and the clarity of the live performances have always shone through; it's just that the CD's have not been very happy sounding. That changes with Sound Eclectic 3.

A Beatles-esque tune by The Polyphonic Sphere gets things off to a great start. You'll wonder how many musicians they had in the studio, after all this is all two-track live without overdubs. Then there are four slower numbers, which includes The Flaming Lips, but slowly building to an acoustic-yet-intense version of "Go To Sleep" by Radiohead. My Morning Jacket follows with a much louder tune that contains an electric guitar solo by Jim James that sounds like he's been listening to a lot of Cream-era Clapton. Kinky does a thrilling upbeat funk that sounds like Santana playing George Clinton. Among the other artists bringing it all in for a pensive landing are Sarah MacLachan and Steve Earle.

Every track is a pleasure to listen to and several of the newer artists like Iron & Wine, Jem and the others mentioned above are definitely worth looking into more. Hats off to KCRW's Music director Nick Harcourt; Sounds Eclectic 3 is definitely the best of the series so far.

Track List:

The Polyphonic Sphere (It's The Sun) * The Flaming Lips (Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots) * Damien Rice (The Bolwer's Daughter) * Jem (Flying High) * Paul Weller (Amongst Butterflies) * Radiohead (Go to Sleep) * My Morning Jacket (One Big Holiday) * Kinky (Mirando De Lado) * Interpol (Untitled) * Franz Ferdinand (Take Me Out) * Sarah McLachan (Answer) * Iron & Wine (Waiting For A Superman) * Steve Earle (Jerusalem)

© 2005 - Rusty Pipes