Plain White T's latest calculated, toothless
Plain White T's, "Big Bad World" (Hollywood/Fearless),
The Plain White T's, Villa Park's most famous export, move further from the DIY scrappiness of the local VFW hall scene with album number five. Now settled comfortably inside the gears of Disney's kid-pop machine (thanks to fluke international acoustic megahit "Hey There Delilah") the twentysomething quintet attempts to distinguish itself from teenage label mates like Miley Cyrus, Corbin Bleu and Demi Lovato via the planet's umpteenth excavation of '60s guitar pop.
Yes, that means a bit of Beatles biting. And yes, despite being recorded with vintage gear and without a click track for guidance, "World" is so calculated, it comes off no warmer than an amusement park pop revue. Take the opening title track and "Serious Mistake," a pair of boppy would-be confessionals punctuated with horns that would feel dramatic if not offering melodies as saccharin and utilitarian as a canned-soup jingle. "Delilah"-soft second single "1, 2, 3, 4" has a chorus so gimmicky ("There's only one thing/Two do/Three words/Four you/I love you"), it can't help getting stuck in the brain, although it's hard to picture anyone past third grade wanting it there.
Yet this album is clearly aimed at older listeners. "That Girl" finds singer Tom Higgenson pairing G-rated, holding-hands sunniness with incongruously randy lyrics ("Do do do you want to be on top/Or on the/Ba ba bottom don't make me stop"), while annoying singsong single "Natural Disaster" tells a vapid tale of groupie lust as slimy as that of any '80s hair metal cocaine fantasy. It really gets thick on "Rainy Day," where Higgenson's honey-smooth pipes intone soul-searching howlers like "Outside a cloud is forming/In my heart the rain is pouring/Down endlessly/The sky is grey/Just like me," all mired in syrupy strings orchestrated by Chicago violinist Rachel Barton Pine.
Since guitarists Tim Lopez and Dave Tirio offer nothing of substance, bassist Mike Retondo and drummer De'Mar Hamilton come off best here, providing at least a solid rhythm section for these brief, bland tunes. The Plain White T's clearly think they offer greater depth than their assembly-line Mousemates, but their "Big Bad World" is too toothlessly pristine to support that.
• Plain White T's performs with Panic at the Disco, Dashboard Confessional and The Cab at 7 p.m. Wed., Oct. 22, at Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. $29.95-$39.95. (312) 559-1212.
Treologic, "Colabo" (Cigol),
Keyboardist Lance Loiselle (aka Laelo) of Chicago's Treologic states that the group's fourth release offers a harder sound and more traditional hip-hop production than in the past. This could signal an unwelcome change for fans, considering that this eclectic crew has always fused insistent rhythms with the organic flavor of live instrumentation. Thankfully, "Colabo" retains Treologic's identity as an alternative to cookie-cutter mainstream rap, while containing enough bite to expand their vision beyond generic "alternative" hip-hop tropes.
Containing only one MC, the engaging Billa Camp, Treologic hones in on a tight musical foundation unconstrained by formulaic samples. The live band allows for an evolution of moods and textures, while a manageable array of local producers and guest vocalists elevate the diversity. You've got hard-driving tracks such as "Run It Back," with its crunchy guitars and spooky, mesmerizing vocal hook by Tanya Reed, and "Starson," energized by B.B.L.A.C.K.'s reggae toasting and fierce beats from drummer JRoc the BeatPusha, the group's secret weapon. Others approach from a calmer angle, the soulfully nostalgic "Harlem Nights" (again with Reed), cocktail-hour jam "Relax Your Mind" and Gang Starr-suave "All I Need" tapping into Treologic's jazz-rap roots thanks to Laelo's nimble keys.
Throughout, Billa eschews political polemics while holding down a consistently thoughtful flow. His delivery is smooth yet authoritative in the tradition of Talib Kweli and Raekwon, turning out rapid-fire tongue twisters in "How It Goes Down" and countering the ethereal guitar noodling of "Notes to My Child" with an earthy exploration of his feelings for his son ("I was trippin'/Six months, now what a difference/I even got the little car seat for you to sit in"). Defying convention, the Malcolm X samples on "Somebody" transcend token alt-rap Afrocentrism in service of Billa's rhymes encouraging a focused self-concept, while the police sirens and "Just another day in the hood" chorus of "In the Streets" don't signal a gritty portrait of urban vice, but a love letter to the sights, sounds and even the varying weather of Chicago.
It's true that those who appreciate the diversity of The Roots and their live-ethos ilk will have no problem following Treologic's path, as "Colabo" doesn't sit still for very long. Still, in daring to venture beyond boho boom bap, this disc has something for anyone whose appreciation of hip-hop runs deeper than the hot new ringtone download.
• Treologic performs a CD release show with Star People, Lowdown Brass Band, WSG, Ang13, Wes Restless, Devioso, B.B.L.A.C.K. and Tanya Reed at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $8 advance, $10 door. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.