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Monday, March 1, 1999

Sound Bites

MUSIC:

Jimi Hendrix, "Live at the Fillmore East," (Experience/MCA)

Nearly 30 years after his death, Jimi Hendrix has pulled an amazing album out of his feathered hat. Though many of his posthumous compilations have been atrocious, "Live at the Fillmore East" easily evades that category.

Lifted from two New Year's shows in 1970, Hendrix and his Band of Gypsys are in fine form, avoiding the missteps that plagued the legendary guitarist on other live albums. His voice is strong and his guitar is razor sharp, sounding as polished as any of his studio efforts. The music fills two discs with only one repeated song, making for an enjoyable listening experience.

"Hope you don't mind us jamming a little bit," Hendrix says in the initial moments of the second disc.

And with the skills he exhibits on the album, it certainly isn't an imposition. The first album, comprised of more recognizable material, such as "Hear My Train A Comin'" and "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)," is on par with most of Hendrix's work.

The second disc, however, is nothing short of astounding. Beginning with an improvised version of the traditional New Year's anthem, "Auld Lang Syne," Hendrix starts off on fire. He completely masters his Stratocaster, manipulating it to produce otherworldly sounds of feedback and distortion. From there on, he doesn't let up until the last track, a version of "Wild Thing" that pales in comparison with his famous rendition at the Monterey Pop Festival.

Longtime fans will appreciate the album for its new live material, such as "Earth Blues" and "Stepping Stone," but it also offers novice listeners a chance to hear a wide variety of material condensed onto two albums.

Brent Hopkins

Rating: 9

Seo Tai Ji, "Seo Tai Ji" (Orange)

Return to the days of electric overload and little else with Seo Tai Ji. The band introduces the United States to a less-than-refreshing blast of stale songs and noisy interludes.

"Take Four" and "Lord" hold some qualities of melody and impressive guitar, but the rare shining moments don't make up for the album as a whole. Instead, listeners get a wall of noise characterized by splotchy, choppy rhythms. If any instruments are involved beside electric guitars, one wouldn't know it from crunching chords repeated over and over again. Sounding similar to all the generic punk-metal bands around in the '90s, Seo Tai Ji barely makes an attempt at originality.

Michelle Zubiate

Rating: 2

Mary Cutrufello "When the Night is Through" (Mercury)

Mary Cutrufello is no ordinary woman.

Her major label debut, "When the Night is Through," doesn't even attempt to be cute, feminine or polite. She growls. She yells. With bold, unapologetic confidence, she demands your attention, right from the first syllable she sings. Guitars rip. Drums pound. And she demands that you take heed of what she says.

The opening track, "Sunny Day," will turn anyone's glass from half empty to mostly full. When Cutrufello asks, "Ain't it good to be alive on a sunny day?" you have to agree.

Unfortunately, she uses almost the same exact style for the next two songs as well, making them bleed into each other and actually overdosing on passion. Luckily, the next track, "Tired and Thirty," backs off and gives listeners an introspective intermission until she jumps back into singing her heart out to a more appreciative audience.

The most gripping song on the album is "Goodnight Dark Angel," a heartfelt and powerful goodbye to a former lover who has committed suicide.

Cutrufello could beat up Celine Dion and Sarah MacLachlan any day of the week, calling to mind rock diva Melissa Etheridge and even John Mellencamp.

Fans of lovely, consonant ballads - sorry, this is not the album for you. Her voice takes a few listens to get used to and appreciate because it's so raw and dark, but is a nice change from all of the wimpy chick singers out there.

Many of the choruses, though, are trite and repetitive compared to the well-phrased verses, but she keeps up the energy so well that listeners don't mind too much.

Andrea Dingman

Rating: 8

Richard Leo Johnson, "Fingertip Ship," (Metro Blue)

Every now and then, a musician unlike any other comes along. Self- taught guitar virtuoso Richard Leo Johnson is such an artist. With two hands and a 12-string acoustic guitar, he creates a completely new sound, borrowing from jazz, folk, funk and world music, but not sounding like any one in particular.

Guitar afficionados will love Johnson for his technique. As he picks away, the instrument sounds fresh and exotic, carrying the 11 tunes without any accompaniment.

He doesn't really need any - in his hands, the 12-string becomes both rhythm and lead guitars, a bass, a drum, a cymbal and a harp.

The effect is a full-bodied sound, not quite equal to that of a band, but more than enough to propel the songs forward. He also employs a wide range of unorthodox tunings that give each track an unusual character not found in traditional styles.

Yet after listening a while, the songs begin to blend together and lose their individuality. But while "Fingertip Ship" falls into a sonic wash at times, it redeems itself in the long run.

Brent Hopkins

Rating: 6

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