By Omeir Qazi

My all time favorite episode of "Celebrity Deathmatch" was the one where Eddie Vedder and Scott Stapp face off. Eddie Vedder rips Stapp’s voice box out with his bare hands (or was it the other way around? I forget). Bone of contention: Vedder claimed that Stapp had stolen his voice.

To fight this battle Mr. Vedder would have to fly all the way down to Pakistan, which he probably would not mind since Pakistan after all is the land of his buddy Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his sensei the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (who Vedder worked with). Pakistan is also the home of Moby and his band Corduroy who seem to have borrowed the early 90’s Seattle sound, albeit more than a decade after it first exploded on the scene. But if Vedder were to reclaim his voice from every living imitator he would be a very busy man. Besides, imitation is the smartest (and highest) form of flattery.

Corduroy Wallpapers!

Corduroy displays excellent musicianship on these four tracks. Interestingly enough their guitarist Sarmad has only been playing for a mere two years. Moby’s vocals are excellent when compared to the multitude of other vocalists singing in the alternative style. They have managed to create a raw, energetic demo without any slick production, which bands tend to use to cover up for bad musicianship.

Then there is their proximity to early Pearl Jam which cannot be overlooked. Alternative-style vocals and melodies are stuffed with Van-Halen-esque riffs on most of their songs. "Leeway" albeit having some very catchy melodies seems to have been overdone with all the guitar solos and sounds like a bunch of good sounds forcefully stuffed on one track.

Corduroy manages to create good rock and roll. There is an immense amount of energy present in their songs and I can only imagine what they would be like on stage. The band should be a treat for alternative fans since there is variation in their songs. Unlike many other alternative bands their songs are not structured around the handful of generic chords common to alternative rock. Moreover, their lyrics far thankfully avoid the gross clichés of mainstream alternative rock. Corduroy are certainly more reminiscent of early alternative rock giants like Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots with their elaborate melodies, emphasis on the guitar and diverse lyricism, than say Nickelback or Theory of a Deadman or the likes.

It would be nice to see some innovation in their sound, considering the fact that they show excellent musicianship and have the potential to make good music. Not saying that the music they have made so far is bad, but they need diversity in their sound to get critical acclaim.

If my approach to the band was constrained by "genre limitations", in other words if I was judging them solely as an alternative act, I would probably rank them higher than a lot of other alternative acts around. Besides, the fact that they are in Pakistan makes them even more unique. Otherwise, I’m sure Moby would be able to kick Eddie Vedder’s ass on Celebrity Deathmatch.

"If I was Eddie Vedder
Would You Like Me Any Better "
(Local H -- Eddie Vedder [As good as dead] 1996)

Never thought I’d be quoting a Local H song. I guess everything has a purpose.

Album
Your Song
Leeway
Aas
Goddamned
Dystemper
Blue Chip
Ground Zero
End
Wide Awake
You're Everywhere
Prologue