Live from Bloomington compilation breathes diversity

Anyone who ever doubted the strength of the Bloomington music scene obviously hasn't been listening hard enough. Although a few of the songs on the CD fall short of the standards set by the outstanding tracks on the disc, the great tunes certainly outweigh the less-than-pleasing songs. This is one CD that will leave you with that rare warm, fuzzy feeling you get only from listening to young talent destined to leave their mark on the industry.\nBut the album creates somewhat of an anomaly. The bands that make the CD worth listening to are those who rarely make regular appearances in local venues.\nAlthough Bloomington might not be the most nurturing environment for hip hop, Divine Definition is proof that you should never underestimate what this town has to offer. Divine Definition flexes its musical muscles with poetic rhymes and an original beat that sets it somewhere near the Mos Def/Talib Kweli section of the genre. It would not be surprising if the group develops a following in town after the release of this track.\nKonolu and Krista Detor should also be regular names to throw around when talking about Bloomington music. The lyrics in Konolu's "Dubya" are hilarious, and its unique mix of electric guitars and a Jew's harp makes you hungry for a live Konolu show. Krista Detor's strong grasp on a mellow folk-rock sound encapsulates the feeling of a warm summer night in Bloomington. \nI doubt this town full of cover-band-loving college kids would have a hard time warming up to these three niche bands. Their music is so good you don't need to understand their genres to appreciate the talent.\nThere were other great displays of rock music on the disc by bands that are slightly more exposed, particularly by Blue Moon Revue, Extra Blue Kind, Homonculos, Verge on Dirty, handbookforwilliam and Cardboard. Though all six of these bands represent drastically different genres of rock, their ability to capitalize on their strengths, keeps them from being categorized as purely college rock.\nThe incorporation of several bluegrass, jazz and fusion tracks proves the music scene in Bloomington extends far beyond frat-basement music. Code Blue's rich vocals and layered instrumentals takes you to bluegrass country with "Monon Train." Tundra's "Spoken" is one satisfying piece of jazz music that is so well balanced, no one instrument outshines the other. Flip Down South also did its fair share of shining with a smooth melody and solid drum beat in its blues-jazz-rock fusion track. But again, where are these guys, and why haven't we seen more of them in the clubs? \nThree regular bands on the bar circuit, Three Minute Mile, Laborius Clef and The Tribute did not live up to the standards set by the lesser exposed talent on the disc. Three Minute Mile's "Bad Time for Love" sounds like typical college band music that rarely gets further than the Bluebird. Laborious Clef's "Sandwich" has no meat to it. The group has its instruments down to a science, but it drops the ball on the vocals. The Tribute's "The First Night of the Rest of My Life," was equally disappointing. The band is comparable to The Anniversary with less vocal harmony and more screaming.\nSlipping further down the slope was The Decanter's "If Only You Were Free." The lead vocalist has some great pipes but I couldn't latch on to the wavering guitar sounds and whiny melody. The disc fizzles at the end with The Bumps "Dirt Leg (You Need A)." Their attempt at a Hives-like sound falls flat. That guitar-string-breaking-drum-smashing feeling simply does not come through on this song. That leaves five tracks on the disc that could have been replaced by some other stronger local talent. There are numerous bands in Bloomington that, like the real stand-outs on the disc, may be just below the radar of exposure, but are bastions of developing musical talent. If the goal of the CD is to expose a wide audience to everything Bloomington has to offer, Union Board should have made sure to take a very critical look at what bands may be eluding the mainstream.\nDespite its weaknesses, LFB 2003 is still a worthwhile addition to anyone's collection, even if you are simply purchasing it to help the Hoosier Hills Foodbank. Hopefully, it will motivate people in Bloomington to perk up their ears to the music that might not be playing right in front of them.