Various Artists - The Ultimate Indie Hooks Compilation

The Ultimate Indie Hooks Compilation, Volume 1 released by French label Alcatraz Production, should stand as a cautionary tale. The album should be a warning for anyone starting out in the record business, putting out a compilation CD or attempting to use the word "ultimate." Intended as a means of discovering exciting new indie rock, the album is ultimately a collection of very average (and very derivative) work, often dabbling in genres that most of the music-buying public decided were irrelevant years ago (grunge and disco, to name a few). The bright spots on this compilation are few and far between, relegated to the album’s opening half. The first two bands to appear, France’s Foggy Bottom and Ireland’s Ely, kick the record off with a couple of high-quality Weezer impressions. ProXima, the only act on the CD to have more than one track on display, provide the album’s highlight with “Hello My Old Friend,” whose lilting intro and restrained vocals recall Radiohead’s “Karma Police.” Herein resides one of the major problems with this particular album. When there is something to enjoy, it appears to be a knockoff of a sound already mastered by an artist far more skilled. Those looking for music from independent record companies are generally doing so to discover something fresh and inspired, not retreads of artists they have heard before. By far, the biggest perpetrator of this crime is the lone American represented, Barbara Ann (the strange nymph on the album’s cover). Her “Wish” is apparently to unearth the sound of nineties grunge and marry it with a childlike vocal style that is somewhat unsettling. To be fair, compilation albums can only give a small glimpse into an artist or record label’s repertoire and the acts showcased here should not be judged solely on such a small amount of material. However, CDs of this nature are usually an attempt to put the best possible foot forward, musically speaking. If this is the case, Alcatraz has a long way to go before reaching “ultimate” indie label status. Displaying obscure bands with obtuse song titles (“I Write Your Name on Rice” and “Time Stole My Sandals” also appear here) is no replacement for cultivating true artistry. [www.alcatrazprod.com]