The Asian Rapper
Beyond headlining MTV's last "You Hear It First" tour and cameoing on 2 Fast 2 Furious with his song, "Peel Off," Jin is also the new Ruff Ryder. The Rest Is History, his debut album hits stores March 23rd. Prereleased tracks and bootlegs highlight his one-of-a-kind flow, such as on "Mess," where he barks innuendo over a flourish straight out of Oz and "Eeny Meeny," where a skittering rhythm marches along to his every word. Further evidence of his verbal prowess emerges on his current single, the Wyclef-produced "Learn Chinese," where he stands up for his heritage ("We should ride the train for free / we built the railroads") and for his own identity (I ain't your Jigga man / I'm a China man").
The 'New Cali'
The countermovement to New York's garage scene has emerged in Dublin, Ireland by way of California. In fact, The Thrills' critically-acclaimed debut, So Much for the City, is enraptured by the West Coast; four of its eleven songs name-check the region ("Santa Cruz," for example--sadly, no Schwarzenegger). Accordingly, every corner of the album is so drenched by California brightness that it may rival, in sunshine terms, of course, anything ever made by The Beach Boys. And this is their inspiration; with this one album, they have made the most lightsoaked surf rock album in recent memory, one without the slightest trace of an Irish brogue.
The Indie Wunderkind
Heralded as the new Strokes and/or the new Interpol, Franz Ferdinand's distorted vocals and strummy guitars vaguely sound like both groups; the atmosphere, however, is more that of Hot Hot Heat. From the art-ravaged Glasglow, Scotland scene, this band embarked on its post-punk journey three years ago, concentrating on the riff and increasingly less so on the art; and all the while, vocalist Alex Kapranos is growling into the mic statements like "We are the new Scottish gentry." The band's subject matter ranges from arson to temptation, and the band's tempo runs the gamut from busy to frenetic. Indeed, Franz Ferdinand has enough energy to spark another war. Their self-titled debut drops March 9th.
The Local "Stoners"
Originally dubbed The Comas because of the dirgey instrumentals of their novice days, the group has upped the tempo of its tune--if only a little. Signed last year to London-based Warner Bros. imprint 679 Recordings, The Comas specialize in dreamy stoner-pop. With a sensibility somewhere in between Mazzy Star and Superchunk, their record, A Def Needle In Tomorrow, was included on Magnet Magazine's "Lost Hits From The Last Decade." Next up for the band is their third recording and first concept album, Conductor, which will feature both a full-length CD as well as a 40-minute DVD of an animated film, bringing to the big--or small--screen, their unique blend of psychedelica.
The Goth Queen
Italian ice-metal goddess Christina Scabbia fronts Lacuna Coil, a six-year old rock unit. Their last album, Comalies, was released 2002, but not until this year has it impacted U.S. rock station playlists. Part of the reason for its arrival on the charts is the phenomenal success of Evanescence, whose frontwoman Amy Lee resembles Scabbia in voice, attitude and look. But Lacuna Coil is also magnificently goth with its crescendoing arrangements of tinkling piano ivories and crashing guitar riffs juxtaposed with Scabbia's own operatic voice. While filming their first video, "Heaven's A Lie," and tearing a new one for metal's sonic landscape, Coil has signed on to P.O.D.'s Spring tour and Ozzfest.
The Brooklyn Bass
Fannypack--a Brown alum, two Brooklyn high schoolers and two sketchy producers--created So Stylistic, perhaps the most jumpin' album of last year. While the infamous track, "Cameltoe," remains their best-known, it's probably the least distinctive on the debut. Fannypack's style is a selective mix of Miami Bass and L.A. electroclash, epitomized in their second single and anti-pickup artist screed, "Hey Mami." Here, Fannypack is at its most rump-shakin' distinctive, securing a place on Rolling Stone's "Hip-Hop Singles of 2003," right below 50 Cent, Outkast and Jay-Z. The rest of the album is a mishmash of old-school/new-school rhyme brilliance; stay especially alert for a mention of a hippopotamus and the sampling of a Yeah Yeah Yeahs track.
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