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The Good Will Out Embrace (Geffen) Of related interest: Oasis, the Verve, Belle and Sebastian If the Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" hadn't ended up on a Nike commercial, the first song on Embrace's debut would have been nearly as fitting. "All You Good Good People" has an uplifting, anthemic Brit-pop sound, grandiose production, a fetching group chorus and gorgeous orchestral accompaniment. On the rest of the album, Danny McNamara leads the band through delicate ballads such as "Higher Sights" and "My Weakness Is None of Your Business." The subtle piano and strings and moody guitar parts frame his lucid vocals--a stylistic hybrid of Belle and Sebastian, Oasis and Radiohead. The lyrics usually forego esoteric musings in favor of straightforward contemplations of relationships and heartbreaks; they're not brilliant, but they work well with the lovely melodies these lads craft. It may be too sappy for some, but anyone moved by the emotion-laden tunes on Urban Hymns (or going through a tumultuous breakup) should enjoy wallowing in the melancholy here. Despite a few heavy, burdensome rock tracks with whiny guitar and unconvincing tough-guy vocals, Embrace concludes in superb form with the final, inspiring and tender "The Good Will Out." Get ready to name your price, boys--Adidas should be calling any day. Liz Brown
Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts The Murder City Devils (Sub Pop) Of related interest: Iggy and the Stooges, Johnny Thunders, The Animals On "Ready for More," the fifth cut from Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts, Spencer Moody meows, "I'm subtle, subtle as a T-Rex/and I haven't even started yet." It's exactly this crude honesty, the pointed ignorance of polite conventions, that made the Murder City Devils saviors of grooving, gutter-al rock 'n' roll; their second album of bristly punk guitar and quivering organs hoists the Seattle band's star even higher in the heavens. They ain't no angels, of course--their moniker makes that clear--but there's something sublime about the grimy anti-anthems the Devils sweat out their horny pores. As they sing about the solitude of lonely drunkards, loveless debauchers and lusty rogues, the sense of transcendence is nearly overpowering, the feverish heat purifying even as the songs' chords and characters lurch hellbound. Once you've fallen for the lures of the Devils' dark side, Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts becomes a giant step towards salvation. When Moody sings, "It's the slow music of the spirit that makes you want to touch," you know what he means, and you touch--and when you get burned, you don't pull away. Sometimes it's the pain that makes life worth living. The Murder City Devils are that pain, and they're exactly what your life needs right now. John Graham
Sweet Life Varnaline (Zero Hour) Of related interest: Mark Lanegan, Will Oldham, Throneberry The third full-length album from Varnaline seems to have sprung from the seeds planted by last year's acoustic a shot and a beer EP, which lead man Anders Parker recorded on his own in upstate New York. Far less raucous than the band's self-titled, second LP (also released last year), Sweet Life displays Parker's softer side. It's fleshed out with band members Jud Ehrbar and John Parker and furthers the evidence that Varnaline is adeptly roaming in new directions. With Parker's voice showing signs of mellowing to a softer, golden hue, the band has never sounded better. If such gems as "Northern Lights," "This Is the River" or "Fuck & Fight" weren't already enough to make this an overwhelmingly pleasurable listen, the final trio of tracks surely is. "Mare Imbrium" is a somber number that'll put a tear in your beer. Awash in a thick bass haze, the title track, which closes the album, is a clamorous, mid-tempo tune complete with strings. Nestled between the two, though, is perhaps Varnaline's finest song to date. "Tonite" matches Parker's sweet singing and keyboard tones with a simple but beautiful melody. With Sweet Life, Varnaline has expounded the many subtleties of its sound and created a captivating record. Stephen Slaybaugh
originally published September 23 , 1998
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