Rage Against The Machine "Renegades"

Too bad all good things always seem to have to come to an end. This head-stomping collection of cover tunes was Zack De La Racha's swan song with Rage Against the Machine. Well, at least he can look back at it in pride. De La Racha and his former bandmates add dimension, new relevance and yes, a genuine hint of rage to these tunes. They take Bruce Springsteen's rather lackluster, depressing ballad "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and turn it into an ominous, echoing poem of modern desperation. The Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man" is an all-out call to war against any manner of oppressor. And the radio single, a mind-bending version of Afrika Bambaataa's '80s song "Renegades of Funk" is a masterpiece. Let's only hope that whatever the guys in Rage do will continue to be strong, but they'll never be quite the same as they were with this lineup. Look back and remember. -- Sage --

Safety In Numbers "Build and Structure"

words by: Aj~

It's not hard to understand why musicians need side-projects. Playing within the constraints of their primary band's defined sound can get boring and, so, like in any relationship, a person may feel the need to have a little something else on the side. For bands, unless like Radiohead they can successfully experiment together, cheating may be just the thing to keep things fresh. Funny thing about these side-projects, though, is that sometimes they overshadow the primary band.

With Safety In Numbers, this is exactly what Andy Jackson of Hot Rod Circuit accomplishes. On the trio's debut "Build and Structure," Jackson stops chasing his tail around the emo track to make an engaging and emotionally charged album. Unlike his main project, Safety In Numbers manage to be rocking and catchy without blending in with the ubiquitous and generic pop punk throngs.

On this album, Safety In Numbers straddle the line between the post punk sound of Quicksand and the pop rock of Hot Rod Circuit. Though it may not be a radical departure lyrically, these 10 songs find Jackson breathing life into a tired sound. He successfully takes post punk's urgency and technicality injecting it with melody and pop sensibility. Opening with the edgy "Alone" segueing into the poppy "Waiting Around," the songs vary in tone and feel but still hold as a cohesive, solid album. When the last track ends, I find myself wishing that Jackson would cheat on his bandmates more often.



Check www.triplecrownrecords.com for more info.

Lord of the Rings: "The Two Towers Soundtrack"

Composed by Howard Shore
Performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra with Sylvia Hallett and Gregory Knowles

You have read the books by J.R.R. Tolken and they have taken your imagination down the winding paths of Middle Earth. You have seen the epic adventure come alive on screen and thrilled at the cinematic triumph that turned the images in your head into celluloid. Now, hear the fantastic score that breathes dark life into the story seen in "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers". Delivering you into the heart of Mordor, this score captures every magnificent event of the movie.

As a skateboarder, though, you may be wondering why should you purchase this soundtrack?  Really, how often is an orchestrated soundtrack heard in a skateboarding video or at a competition?  Well let me put it to you this way, if you view skateboarding as a form of self-expression or as a kind of art, then you should be able appreciate this soundtrack. If you appreciate the deftness and skill of technical skating, then you can appreciate the ability of Howard Shore. The Academy Award-winning composer has written and/or conducted music for many films you may have seen, including "Gangs of New York," "The Cell," "High Fidelity" and "Dogma," and wrote the theme for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." Shore's art, much like skating, often goes unappreciated to the casual observer. Soundtracks, though, are vital to movies in the same way bearings are to skating.

Another reason you should pick this up is for all of the added features. Similar to the extended version of the DVD, the soundtrack also carries ton of added material. The jewel case itself features an insert of one of five exclusive collectable character cards from the movie. This enhanced CD also features bonus multimedia content, including one exclusive online trading card, screensavers and buddy icons. One enhancement I really liked was being able to watch the making of the score and preview the score's video online.

Though some of you won't ever pick up this soundtrack, you should. I have long been a fan of the books, and am now a big fan of the movies (and DVD's), and will keep playing this soundtrack for years to come. Just like you should diversify your tricks, you should do the same with your CD collection and pick this soundtrack up.