EVERLAST Eat at Whitey s Tommy Boy

On Eat at Whitey s, Everlast’s sec- ond post House of Pain effort, he raps and sings. However, his rap- ping is not on par with his House days and when he sings it is not as moving or effective as “What It’s Like.” The biggest letdown of this album is the misuse of talent. Artists such as Kurupt, Rahzel, Cee-lo, Carlos Santana and B-Real are not used to the best of their ability and if they had been, it would have been much tighter.

-JMAMA

GOMEZ ‘Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline Virgin

This collection of abandoned recordings that go as far back as 1996, and range in quality from four tracks, to Abbey Road. The result is a loose, sloppy assortment of tunes that have potential great- ness, but are not very memorable. This album is a collector's item of previously unreleased material from a band that is still recording, and releasing great albums. A much better buy is their 5 song EP, Machismo, which was one of the best releases of the summer.

-SML

BILLIE PIPER Walk Of Life Virgin

The British Pop Princess has returned with her sec- ond album, but this time she’s got soul. Trying to separate herself from her American counterparts, Piper added her last name and just the right touch of R&B. Most impressive of all tracks is her cover of Blondie’s hit, ““The Tide Is High.” Warning: If you’re sick of cutsie, bubblegum pop, leave this CD on the shelf.

-KL

SNOW Mind On the Moon EastWest America

Remember this guy from the early 90’s? Well, just before he was to be named a one hit wonder with his song “Informer”, Snow has changed his tune and is back with his second album. Having nearly ten years between albums shows a definite evolution in lyrics. Don’t be scared, the sound is still the same and if you enjoy the hit, “Everybody Wants to Be Like You”, pick this CD up.

-KL

TALIB KWELI & HITEK Reflection Eternal Rawkus

His name may not be easy to say but his CD deserves mucho play. Talib, a newcomer to the hip hop scene, drops an original album with innovative lyrics and con- cepts. Talib features labelmate Mos Def on “This Means You,” but the song that is really off the hook is “Down for the Count” featuring Rah Digga and Xzibit.

-JMAMA

THE MOFFATS

Submodalities EMI

It is totally appropriate that the lead-off track for the Moffatts’ new album Submodalities is called “Just Another Phase.” Without a doubt, this is the best way to describe their latest offering.

The former teen popstars, who __ before that were stars in Nashville, have shed their old skin for a sound more akin to Oasis and the Veo st Underground.

FRis: album, _pro- duced by the industry giant Bob Rock, has much more bite to it than any one of their previous. efforts. For evidence of this, just take a listen to their first single “Bang Bang Boom,” which topped charts across the country, and is now making waves interna- tionally.

Moving away from the “teen pop” that made them famous, the Moffatts have been winning

over rock fans through their con-.

stant touring. Recently they stepped in as last-minute replace- ments for the Bloodhound Gang in Germany, sharing the bill with groups such as Beck and Ween. Received warmly by the crowd made up of 20 and 30 year olds, this is a sign of the reach of their new album.

Chock full of potential sin- gles, such as the vaguely glammy “Life On Mars,” and the hooky “Typical,” this CD should not be

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taken lightly.

I suggest that all precon- ceptions of the Moffatts be thrown aside, and this album be judged on its merit alone.

And if you’re willing to do so, you just might be in for the sur-

prise of the year. -ROC

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