First Listenings
By BRANDON LESTER
Athenaeum Staff

During finals week, the temptation to fall asleep while studying is strong. However, there are ways to fight it.
You can try caffeine, exercise and eating frequently at Taco Bell, but none of those are guaranteed to work. There is a sure-fire method, though, to make sure you don’t doze off at the wrong times — listen to the blend of country, punk, alternative and rock that is Cropduster.
This New Jersey-based quartet of strong musicians and die-hard indie rockers is sure to keep your mind awake on those long, sleepless nights. With their blend of musical styles that mix surprisingly well and a quirky sense of songwriting, the band is making a name for itself nationally on the way up to modern rock stardom. Luckily for Morgantown, 123 Pleasant St. is a pit stop on the way, as they will be part of a show on Sunday, May 6, with Sandra Black and headliners Spoon.
Their debut album, Drunk Uncle, has traces of The Rolling Stones, The Who, Hank Williams, Green Day, Cake and others, yet still sounds much fresher than anything else on the radio today. The songs each carry a different side of the band, yet they are never at a loss for consistency. Each track is amazingly catchy, yet they all retain the hard edge that today’s pop and rock are usually lacking.
This makes them sound far too serious, though. They haven’t lost the quirky flair that many of today’s cookie cutter bands abandon with ease. One song features the lyric “Headin’ down south to get me some tacos,” which would be the opening strains of the national anthem in a perfect world.
Another track, “Indestructo,” consists only of the group singing “In ... De ... Struc ... To” over a fast and furious rock jam. There is nothing quite like a monosyllabic chant to get your motor running.
 This nine-track disc is packed with time-proven, sure-fire hits. Cropduster has had a multitude of past successes (including The Musician’s Atlas Independent Music Award for which Ben Folds, Aimee Mann and Pat DinIzio were the judges) and are sure to have many more. If you’re still in town Sunday night, make sure you get out to 123 to catch these guys before you see their faces all over MTV. If not, head to Amazon.com to pick up the CD to make your studying a little easier.

First Listenings
By DANNY FORINASH
Athenaeum Staff

It’s good to see that styles of music that aren’t exactly popular at the moment can hang on enough to still influence albums. Some styles just barely hang on, but at least the music is still there.
One example of this is Dixieland. And one band that still makes Dixieland is the Tractors, a group of extremely talented Nashville musicians that came together for the sake of making the brand of music they love.
The band hit it big in 1994 with the unexpected country hit “Baby Likes to Rock It,” which pushed their self-titled debut album to double-platinum status. After this one smash hit, however, success began deflating. In 1995, the band made a Christmas album, and in 1998, they released Farmers in a Changing World. Neither of these produced a hit, and Arista Records eventually dropped the Tractors.
Such a turn of events might have killed many bands, but the Tractors continued on, signing with a smaller label and producing their fourth album, Fast Girl. On this album, they are as happy and upbeat as ever.
Like their previous albums, Fast Girl offers a mix of boogie and roots country. The 10 tracks exude a good-time, Southern take on ragtime that equals a modern sort of Dixieland.
The first track, “Babalou,” best represents what the Tractors are all about and provides a great start for Fast Girl. It has the study and boppy beat that gives the band its carefree and feel-good tone, but it also has the straightforward lyrics that epitomize their political undertones and their defense of “the little man.”
“All those politicians/ They ain’t got a clue,” go these lyrics. “They wouldn’t know their butt from a hole in the ground/ Or a good Babalou.” They don’t absolutely make sense, but we completely get what they’re trying to say.
Other songs like “Can’t Get Nowhere” and “Fast Girl” also show the band’s lighter side. Others like “Don’t Ever Take My Picture Down” and “Ready to Cry” are flavored with a little more sadness, but the overall cheerful overtone never really goes away at any point.
“It’s a Beautiful Thing” is a quirky song about changing times and trying to accept that change. It carries the Tractor attitude and, along with “Don’t Ever Take My Picture Down” and “Babalou,” is one of the album’s best offerings.
Other tracks like “Computer Controlled” and “Nine Eleven” aren’t quite as good. The lyrics are a little rocky and the music isn’t as flowing.
Overall, though, Fast Girl is a collection of quality music from a quality band. Blues, rock and country are brought together in a pure fashion that produces good songs. It isn’t a landmark work or even the Tractors’ best work, but it’s worth listening to for any fan of down-home boogie.

First Listenings
By DANNY FORINASH
Athenaeum Staff

No, this isn’t Jessica Simpson, the girl who hit the pop charts with a song about loving forever and then defiled a John Mellencamp classic. This is Jessica Andrews, a budding country star that can actually produce quality music.
Andrews isn’t even out of her teens, so comparisons to other teeny boppers like Britney Spears, Leann Rimes and Mandy Moore are inevitable. But her music is a little better, so any comparisons are going to be shallow and short-lived.
Her second album, Who I Am, is the first major country release of 2001. The first single by the same name is one of the biggest country hits of the year so far. And Who I Am also happens to be one of the best country albums so far this year.
Unlike many country releases, this album is a collection that fits together smoothly. The songs are adolescent and simple, and they are nicely brought out by a singer at the right age to sing such songs. 
It isn’t necessarily bad for a young singer to sing mature music. Fiona Apple, for example, does it very well. Other times, however, such a pairing ends up badly, as in the case of Andrews.
The first track, “Now I Know,” is about nothing more than learning. It starts things out nicely and leads into a happier, but just as simplistic, line of songs. They are about youth, experimentation and finding an identity. You’ll find nothing about marriage, divorce or growing old on this album, and in terms of overall quality, this is a good thing. It sticks to the theme, and Andrews is able to sing the songs effectively.
Songs like the catchy “Karma” and the cookie-cutter “Good Friend To Me” are playful and elementary. They carry the theme well and are good country songs at the same time. Deeper subjects like love are carried in songs like “Helplessly, Hopelessly” and “Show Me Heaven,” but they aren’t carried too far. They come from the viewpoint of one who doesn’t know about them yet, and the theme is able to continue on through a nicely-connected line of tracks.
“Who I Am,” a song about identification and pride, is probably the best track. It emanates what the album is about and displays Andrews’ ability to be a powerful country vocalist.
No single song really sticks out as being great. They aren’t original or thought-provoking. Many of them follow the standard country format. But they’re all good.
Who I Am shows that Andrews isn’t just a teeny bopper without a brain. She’s able to make good music and put it together with quality structure. Who I Am is a good pick for loyal country fans.

First Listenings
By DANNY FORINASH
Athenaeum Staff

Sheryl Crow once lamented that “nobody listens to modern jazz.” It’s sad but true. Jazz is no longer a popular brand of music. It hasn’t been since the days of Miles Davis and the superb, jarring works that he produced.
And there may be some reason for this lack of popularity. Jazz isn’t exactly at its height of quality nowadays either. Much of it can be called “elevator music.” Much of it is the same thing over and over again.
Trumpet master Rick Braun’s new album, Kisses in the Rain, doesn’t break from this description. This collection would be boring if Braun’s talent wasn’t so impressive. This talent certainly stands out. In fact, it overshadows his music.
Kisses in the Rain is a confrontation in itself. It isn’t at all bad. It’s good music. But it’s good music that all sounds the same. From “Car Wash 2000” to “Simplicity,” there is little difference from song to song.
This is except for three songs. Two of these three are actually R&B songs. They stand out because of good vocals. Sue Ann Carwell helps out on “Your World,” while Mindy Stein and Kevyn Lattau provide a voice for “Middle of the Night.” Both tracks sound very good and highlight an otherwise monotonous selection of music.
The third song that stands out is “Emma’s Song,” a beautiful tribute to Braun’s daughter that gives a good ending to the album.
Kisses in the Rain is a wonderful collection to have for easy listening and background music. Braun’s trumpeting talent and glabrous, polished melodies stand out in a pretty manner.
However, don’t look here for original or innovative jazz. It isn’t exactly boring, but it’s not something that will keep your listening attention either.