The Tea Party Collection: Illuminations

And who exactly are the Tea Party? Well, they're a rockin' trio that's large in their native Canada, pretty big in Australia, and starting to make some inroads here in the States. Their sound, with its melding of hard rock and Middle Eastern (or Northern African, or Indian) strains, is reminiscent of “Kashmir”-era Led Zeppelin, and their frontman--singer/guitarist Jeff Martin--not only looks a little like the Doors' Jim Morrison, but he and bandmates Stuart Chatwood (bass, keyboards) and Jeff Burrows (drums) seem to be going for that dark, brooding lyrical vibe favored by the late Lizard King (of course, one man's dark and brooding is another man's moronic and meaningless--and to this reviewer's ears at least, portentous drivel like “I must go off to war my dear, the kings await me” falls right into the latter category). Add to that Martin's singing, which favors that macho, stentorian approach popularized by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and now used by everyone from Creed to Nickelback, and what you end up with is not the world's most original band. On the other hand, the 14 videos collected here (locations range from Australia to Paris) are pretty striking, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 recorded music itself certainly has more than its share of compelling moments. Optional. Aud: P. (S. Graham)