Being Out Rocks

by: john reed

Being Out Rocks is an assemblage that is novel in concept as it is on the Centaur record label - who are best known for their dance collections - as the CD harks upon an eclectic mix of folk, pop and one-time alternative icons.

A live take of Lilith Fair creator Sarah McLachlan's Angel leads off the CD and sets the early mellow tone of the disc while k.d. lang follows up with a sweet harmonic yarn of short term barmy day romance in "Summerfling."

Some blasts from the past appear in the sadly underappreciated Janice Ian, who makes an appearance with her best known track "Society's Child." The B-52's are uncharacteristically restrained on their '89 song "Topaz" and Husker Du alum Bob Mould gives the set a well need mid set kick with "soundonsound."

A gorgeously mournful vocal from the late Freddie Mercury on Queen's "Is This The World We Created (also live) is another reminder that Mercury had the most powerful and almost operatic range in rock.

Cris Williams gives the CD some honky-twang with "Driving Wheel" and late 80's pop dive Taylor Dayne comes out of her M.I.A. status and bangs out the new techno filled "How Many."

Being Out Rocks may seem like and odd mix of talent and genres, but the end result adds up to the truly unique and diverse assemblage that must have been the compiler's goal. 12-Aug-2002 9:04 AM