NIKKIE Blue Roses

Best described as a one-woman, neo-folk performer, Nikkie is a young singer-songwriter worth hearing. Featuring simplistic arrangements of voice, guitar, and the occasional sprinkling of per- cussion, the songs employ strong

lyrical imagery about love — both

won and lost — and dirty old men. Always heartfelt, occasionally humorous, and always featuring this Summerside native’s sweet voice, this album is worth checking out.

-ROC

THE KINGSTON TRIO

Both Sides of the Kingston Trio, volumes I and II

Silverwolf Records

The Trio, which originally rose to fame in 1958 with their chart-top- ping rendition of “Tom Dooley,” has continued operating to this very day. In the early 1980s the group recorded two albums featur-

ing the lineup of Bob Shane, Roger Gambill, and Bob Haworth. Released here for the first time on CD, these albums feature the group’s wonderful renditions of their hit “folk oriented material” such ‘Where Have All The Flowers Gone?’, ‘MTA’, ‘Tijuana Jail’, and ‘The Reverend Mr. Black’, as well as lesser known versions of the groups songs such as ‘Long Black Veil’, ‘Big Ship Glory’, and ‘Hawaiian Nights’. This album is a fine addition to the collection of any fan of this influential group.

-ROC

CHIXDIGGIT King of Kensington

This song has almost nothing to do with the greatest Canadian televi- sion program of all time. You guessed it, or maybe you didn’t if you are under 22, King of Kensington. Anyway, as I was say- ing the song is not very good, not very long, and not very relevant to

this issue. -KJB

NONPOINT

statement MCA

CHRONIC FUTURE 4 Elements EMI

Being genuinely talented and playing rap/metal are not attributes that often coincide. Aside from Rage Against the Machine and, if you’re really desperate for a

second (and I mean really desper- ate) Limp Bizkit, rap/metal bands are largely interchangeable.

Nonpoint have serviceable rap skills, sing in tune for the most part and play their instruments loudly and with reasonable skill. The downside is that they’re bor- ing. Really boring. The band can’t do much of anything except repeat the same riffs ad nauseum, and they rely much too heavily on “now we’re quiet’/ “now we’re loud!” theatrics. Nonpoint are entirely forgettable.

Chronic Future, on the other hand, are memorable - though not for the right reasons. They can’t rap, shouldn’t play their instruments, and they often seem to be singing the chorus to a different song than the one they’re currently “playing”. “Feel it Everyday” even incorporates the underused Cher- Kid Rock-vocoder-schtick. The song “Impossible to Win” accu- rately sums up their chances of selling this CD to anyone but fam- ily members.

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