Songs for stepping out, songs for staying in—and songs to take you far, far away

Interview, Feb, 2003

FABOLOUS

Street Dreams (Desert Storm/Elektra)

On his beat-the-sophomore-slump new album, Fabolous proves himself the heir to his old-school forebear LL Cool J's throne--like LL, his favorite topics are fly cars, flyer girls, and the flyest of all, himself. While not the deepest of wordsmiths, Fab's effortless lyrical flow makes even Lesley Gore sound funky, as his urban re-rub of "It's My Party" makes clear. Despite state-of-the-groove production and powerhouse guests like Timbaland, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Ashanti, and Snoop Dogg, Fabolous's talent on the mike proves he's his own greatest asset.

Matt Diehl

CAT POWER

You Are Free (Matador)

On her fifth full-length release as Cat Power, Chan Marshall parts her sad clouds to emerge as a luminous rock goddess. Freeing herself to reveal a galaxy of bright points all the stronger for their pitch-black background, this singer-songwriter creates a densely textured beauty barely hinted at in her previous recordings. Helping her relax are Dave Grohl on drums and Eddie Vedder, who contributes guest vocals on the haunting "Good Woman." The resulting effort is both exhilarating and harrowing--and a masterpiece.

Nicholas Messing

THE DATSUNS

The Datsuns (V2)

Praise the Lord: "Nu-metal" is dead. Long live the new new metal--ironically, nothing but hyper-chorded old-school rawk, like the kind New Zealand knuckleheads the Datsuns hammer out. Retro doesn't nail it--picture Deep Purple's mighty Machine Head LP buzzing past at 45 RPM and you're getting warmer. On manic anthems "In Love" and "Harmonic Generator," front-yowler Dolf gets so lathered it's scary.

Tom Lanham

JESSE MALIN

The Fine Art of Self Destruction (Artemis)

Punks rarely age gracefully. Meet the exception. Here, the former D Generation frontman trades his shotgun rasp and Pistols swagger for a twangy plaint and Gibson acoustic. The result is a solo debut on a par with vintage Springsteen. Produced with haunting economy by the indefatigable Ryan Adams, the disc showcases Malin's NYC narratives, complete with wisdom and regret gleaned from living life "like a T.K.O."

Robert Cherry

NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS

Nocturama (Anti)

After the more reserved approach of The Boatman's Call and No More Shall We Part, Nocturama selectively and smartly delves into the Bad Seeds' past recklessness with swaggering confidence. The single, "Bring It On," is appropriately defiant, but it's "Rock of Gibraltar"'s determined pledge of love and the yearning violin of the Dirty Three's Warren Ellis on "There Is a Town" that shine darkest.

Sam Barclay

BLEU

Redhead (Aware/Columbia)

In this tight package of boyish charm, indie-pop crooner Bleu delivers a surprisingly confident debut of breakup ballads, anti-sellout declarations, and songs of redemption. The mutton-chopped rocker manages a seamless mix of grinding guitar riffs for the guys and pitch-perfect swooners for the girls.

Emilie Frechie

THE EXIES

Inertia (Melisma/Virgin)

Don't be fooled by the torpid-sounding title: Over 11 acid-splashed, amped-up tracks, Exies vocalist Scott Stevens tackles despair and complacency with a seething optimism that would make any therapist leap from his couch with pride. With outfits like Linkin Park and ROD. surfing the current zeitgeist, the Exies don't offer much in the way of musical innovation, but their hopeful lyrics prove an excellent experiment in catharsis.

Richard Dorment

THE DELGADOS

Hate (Mantra/Beggars)

There's plenty to like about Hate, the fourth outing from the esteemed Scots behind the Chemikal Underground label (home of fellow Glaswegian indies Mogwai and Arab Strap). The symphonic, otherworldly lullabies are occasionally brilliant, and Emma Pollock's sad little voice is certainly a thing of beauty. But the lyrics are hardly illuminating, and the performances lack punch. "Mope" might have been a more suitable title.

Ray Rogers

RICHARD ASHCROFT

Human Conditions (Virgin)

On his sophomore solo effort, ex-Verve visionary Richard Ashcroft keeps churning out his trademark bittersweet symphonies. Invoking the authentic troubadour spirit of Dylan, Bono, and Van Morrison, Ashcroft remains an unrepentant roots-rock shaman; his lush country-inflected odes here swim deep into the mystic. But his soulful yearning grounds his musings in very human reality-his combination of transcendence and truth continues to transfix.