Slipping Through the Cracks with Better Than Ezra
Joshua Dugas
Issue date: 10/1/02 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Real alternative music died years ago. Once a staple in this musical genre, mega-groups like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains have faded like newspapers left in the backseat of a car. They became old news and have been let go in favor of a more pop suave music culture. However, one group seems to have found a way to slip through the cracks.
Better Than Ezra played in the shadows of more popular bands and was never catapulted into fame and fortune like so many bands around them. They caught their own little wave of fame. It's hard to think about when their first big album, Deluxe, which came out in 1995 with "Porcelain" and "This Time of year." And yet it still has not stopped them from playing and releasing albums.
After almost a decade of music, they are still keeping it real, but they have also learned a thing a two along the way. They have kept their predominantly alternative musical nature, but turned in the dominate guitar riffs for a more up beat and DJ scratching sound.
As it goes, most groups who can not grow or make the transition into another trend of music, this leaves them little room for future endeavors. This is especially true if they are not on the top all ready. They could just fall to the way side making room for other groups.
Unlike those groups, BTE has combined a funky hip-hop alternative style revitalized by adding a techno backbeat with DJ Swamp to their music catalog.
The overall feeling of the album is uplifting and a nice change from the mundane familiar boy/girl groups. From buoyant songs like "Rolling" and"Misunderstood," the group throws in a couple of wake-up serious songs about a friend's death. "A Lifetime" catches the inescapable feelings of losing someone close. After taking the urn at the end of the funeral procession to the beach: "I know it wasn't right, but it felt so good."
"Closer" sounds like an adopted tune from the music group Live's earlier albums. With its' expressive background and emotional lyrical style, it showcases the various musical degrees of the group.
The group has survived years to be able to have the last laugh at anyone who said they would not be around for years to come. BTE caught something good with Closer. This album shows why they will be around when the next pop culture hits the cutting boards and loses.
Better Than Ezra played in the shadows of more popular bands and was never catapulted into fame and fortune like so many bands around them. They caught their own little wave of fame. It's hard to think about when their first big album, Deluxe, which came out in 1995 with "Porcelain" and "This Time of year." And yet it still has not stopped them from playing and releasing albums.
After almost a decade of music, they are still keeping it real, but they have also learned a thing a two along the way. They have kept their predominantly alternative musical nature, but turned in the dominate guitar riffs for a more up beat and DJ scratching sound.
As it goes, most groups who can not grow or make the transition into another trend of music, this leaves them little room for future endeavors. This is especially true if they are not on the top all ready. They could just fall to the way side making room for other groups.
Unlike those groups, BTE has combined a funky hip-hop alternative style revitalized by adding a techno backbeat with DJ Swamp to their music catalog.
The overall feeling of the album is uplifting and a nice change from the mundane familiar boy/girl groups. From buoyant songs like "Rolling" and"Misunderstood," the group throws in a couple of wake-up serious songs about a friend's death. "A Lifetime" catches the inescapable feelings of losing someone close. After taking the urn at the end of the funeral procession to the beach: "I know it wasn't right, but it felt so good."
"Closer" sounds like an adopted tune from the music group Live's earlier albums. With its' expressive background and emotional lyrical style, it showcases the various musical degrees of the group.
The group has survived years to be able to have the last laugh at anyone who said they would not be around for years to come. BTE caught something good with Closer. This album shows why they will be around when the next pop culture hits the cutting boards and loses.
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