It's hard to argue with the mission and success of Cities 97's "Sampler" albums. But it's easy to argue with "Cities 97 Sampler 20th Anniversary."
This edition recaps the adult-rock station's favorite musicmakers and songs of the past year or so. With a staggering 31 artists, this "Sampler" is redundant -- unless you like a steady diet of sensitive and earnest. I'd like a bit more energy, humor and variety in the mix.
To be sure, there are many winners here -- Jason Mraz's spirited, percussive opener "I'm Yours" (a big enough hit that he's playing two sold-out nights this week at Myth in Maplewood), A Fine Frenzy's finely crafted "Almost Lover," Sara Bareilles' passionate piano-propelled "Love Song," Darius Rucker's playfully revamped "Let Her Cry," the Waterboys' timeless "Fisherman's Blues" and Duffy's swingingly soulful "Mercy," one of my favorite songs of 2008.
But too much of the 20th "Sampler" is -- as a friend who listens religiously to Cities 97 says -- a bunch of slow songs, slowed down even further for acoustic-guitar performances in the station's wonderfully intimate Studio C. Why not spice up the collection with snippets from artist interviews? That would have been a welcome anniversary bonus.
Cities dipped into its archives for only four tracks -- Lowen and Navarro's "We Belong" (which appeared on "Sampler Vol. 4"), Jack Johnson's "Times Like These" (recorded in 2003), David Gray's "Twilight" (2001) and Sheryl Crow's "Love Is Free" (1999), on which she is, well, pitchy. Given the fact that the "Sampler" expanded to two discs for the first time, I think loyal Cities listeners might have preferred, to paraphrase the station's own mantra, a little more music from then and a little less music from now.
JON BREAM
