POP
“Stay on My Side Tonight”
Jimmy Eat World
Interscope
This five-track EP proves yet again the strength of Jimmy Eat World: Jimmy. Singer-songwriter Jim Adkins writes contagious songs that shine with an extraordinary luster, and sings them with a voice that is more rock ‘n’ roll than Ben Gibbard and more sympathetic than Geoff Rickly while still holding onto the everyday, unpracticed sounds of those singers from Death Cab for Cutie and Thursday, respectively.
Adkins rocks this subtle EP with the quiet resolve of someone buried in unfinished business. It starts amid the depressed balladry of “Disintegration” and “Over,” which has Adkins making pop goodness out of life caught in slow motion. “Wonder why I’m so caught off guard when we kiss/Rather live my life in regret than do this,” he contemplates in “Disintegration” before upping the mood slightly with “Closer,” which is the music Adkins does best.
“Closer” is a hyperballad with a sing-along soul, complete with basic harmonies and an intimate story line. Adkins’ perfect voice takes the listener on the journey of this EP, which is four songs (track five is a remix of “Drugs or Me” from Jimmy Eat World’s last full-length album) that belong together. No “Pain” or “Kill”-styled radio hits here. And that’s just fine.
– Ricardo Baca
ARENA ROCK
“Return of the Champions”
Queen featuring Paul Rodgers
Hollywood
Resurrecting an arena-rock band’s trademark songs is a tricky business – especially when the original lead singer is dead – but Queen pulls it off admirably on the double-live CD “Return of the Champions.” With Paul Rodgers of Bad Company on vocals, original Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor offer beefed-up versions of Queen classics.
Rodgers’ gruff vocals help the songs “Wishing Well” and “Reaching Out” sound more like interpretations than covers, but his nimble pipes do the late Freddie Mercury proud. Recorded in May at Hallam FM Arena in Sheffield, England, the lengthy set trots out Queen’s hits (“We Will Rock You,” “Bohemian Rhapsody”) while bizarrely sliding in a Bad Company song or two (“Feel Like Makin’ Love”).
Purists can argue whether this is a revival of an iconic band’s songs or a bastardization thereof, but the music is at least faithful to the spirit of Queen’s ’70s glam-rock bravado, and in that it’s a success.
– John Wenzel
