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Island Mele

Friday, August 25, 2000

By John Berger

Sunburn bids
farewell with ‘Charm’

The Charm: By Sunburn (MRC MRC-888)

SUNBURN was on a national tour when the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts voted it the first-ever winner in the long overdue "Rock Album" category at the 1999 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.

The quintet reaffirms its status as Hawaii's foremost mainstream rock band with this powerful five-song CD.

Vocalist Neil Patrick is a commanding presence on the grinding anthems and power ballads alike. The songs are originals and as good as anything getting radio play here. Sunburn is moving to the mainland next month. This disc will serve as an excellent introduction to a new audience.

Mpeg Audio Clips: What's Your Story Wildfire Alien Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

home.hawaii.rr.com/local/sunburn

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Anjani: By Anjani (Lilikoi 4012000)

THE first locally released album by Hawaii expatriate Anjani is a beautiful calling card. All the songs are new; she wrote most and co-wrote the others. They create a musical portrait that opens with singles bar patter ("I'm a Virgo moon with a Libra heart") then gels as a memorable chronicle of life and love. Anjani is more cerebral and less poppy than Na Leo but should appeal to the more sophisticated members of Na Leo's huge fan base.

The arrangements are smooth and at times sound almost New Age, but have a fullness usually missing in local synth-based pop efforts. "Kanaloa," sung as a duet with Henry Kapono while Ozzie Kotani plays guitar, adds a sense of her island roots. So do the Hawaiian and Okinawan lyrics she slips in elsewhere. "Anjani" is a soothing musical experience.

Mpeg Audio Clips: Here and Now Kanaloa Over You Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

anjani-music.com

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Take Me Back: By Lindsey & The Vibe (Hau'oli 0101-2)

LINDSEY Crivello comes out of a Molokai music scene that simultaneously promotes Hawaiian sovereignty and cultural awareness and embraces the Jamaican culture. This enables him to go from a Hawaiian-language rendition of "Take Me Back" to a straight reggae song ("Night Stalker") and then into rock and vintage soul stylings before closing with a bouncy English version of "Take Me Back."

Crivello's version of that controversial song is certainly one of the best. He and his band prove versatile and commercial playing reggae and rock, but with no composer's credits there's no way to determine whether Crivello wrote any of his material.

Mpeg Audio Clips: Night Stalker Night Shift Take Me Back Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

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See Record Reviews for some past reviews.
See Aloha Worldwide for locals living away.

John Berger, who has covered the local
entertainment scene since 1972, writes reviews of recordings
produced by Hawaii artists. See the Star-Bulletin's Today
section on Fridays for the latest reviews.