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==== ISSUE 65 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [December 22, 1995]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,
Dan Enright, Reto Koradi, David Landgren,
Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason
Cahill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia,
Sean Eric McGill, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott,
Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner,
Britain Woodman
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this
document must be obtained from the editor.
==================================================================
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| Contents |
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Editor's Notes
CONCERT REVIEW: R.E.M, End of_Monster_ Tour - Daniel Geller
REVIEW: Queen, _Made In Heaven_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Smithereens, _Attack of the Smithereens - Rarities_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: k.d. lang, _All You Can Eat_ - Shawneen Rowe and Chris Rowe
REVIEW: For Squirrels, _Example_ - Dan Geller
REVIEW: Anthrax, _Stomp 442_ - Sean Eric McGill
CONCERT REVIEW: Paris Hampton, New York, NY - Bob Gajarsky
TOP FIVE RECAPS from: Martin Bate, Jason Cahill, Bob Gajarsky, Dan Geller,
Tim Hulsizer, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Stephen Lin, Sean McGill
Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, Jon Steltenpohl, John Walker
NEWS: Men Without Hats, Man...or Astroman, Downloading Consumable from AOL
TOUR DATES: Onyx
ERRATA
Back Issues of Consumable
---
EDITOR'S THANKS: Well, this is the last issue of Consumable for 1995.
It's been two-plus years of our existence, and things are still going
strong - we're the oldest music publication on the Internet. It takes
a lot more than one person to keep things going, and here's some
reasons why:
Thanks to all the record companies, publicists, and bands that
make our lives so enjoyable. Thanks to the writers - all of them - who
make my life a bit easier by being able to be reliable and better than
some of the writers in the "big" publications - you fill in the blank for
which publication you want to slag today.
And, finally, to all the readers out there who give us words
of support. It's nice to know that we're fitting *your* needs - to
get the honest opinions of what an album sounds like, without a need to
rail on things that aren't related to the music. Thanks for all your
support.
We'll see you again in mid January, 1996. Enjoy the double
year-end issue. - Bob Gajarsky
---
CONCERT REVIEW: R.E.M, End of_Monster_ Tour,
- Daniel Geller
This show was actually the final show in a series of three played at
the Omni, and by far the most exciting. It seemed the band and crew
decided to go nuts for the finale of the tour and in doing so made for quite
a memorable show. The set was similar to those posted all over for previous
shows on the tour with lots of new songs and only more recent material.
For the most part, the show followed the same format as the two previous
shows in Atlanta with a few important changes.
Luscious Jackson opened the show and played the exact same set
they had for the past two evenings (yawn). The only thing that made this
performance even remotely interesting was the release of a giant inflatable
something-or-other with the words "thank you" printed on it. The set ended
with a group hug with the members of R.E.M. and a personal thank you
from the band for opening on the final leg of the tour.
The end of that nonsense led to the main event. These final three
shows of the tour were being filmed for a home video so certain additions
to the atmosphere were put in place. Doctor's scrubs with what appeared to
be "R.E.M. MONSTER" printed on them were distributed to those near the
stage as an obvious satire on the medical problems plaguing the band
during this tour. At the two previous shows Michael had mentioned that his
doctors were in the audience, I guess this was done to add to the illusion.
Another flourish added this evening was the message "229 down 1 to go!"
(or something like that, I forget the actual number) flashed on the Omni's
scoreboards. This made the moment the show started seem a little more
important than the rest of the tour.
The band hit the stage with the enthusiasm and energy of men half
their age and rocked like there was no tomorrow because, as far as the tour
was concerned, there was no tomorrow. The now famous films of Athens
kids and other diversions played on behind the band adding more eye
candy to an already visually exciting performance. On this evening
Michael Stipe finally seemed to let his guard down and go back to the
frolicking, dancing fool we all remember from previous, less jaded R.E.M.
tours. He flailed and sang and did that thing with his hands real well.
One thing that was really annoying was the "script" Michael
seemed to follow. For three nights he came out and did and said
essentially the same things for each song. For example on the second
night, he began discussing how the last time he was in the Omni was the
Nirvana _In Utero_ tour. He then corrected himself when he realized the
last time he was in the Omni was the previous evening. This was the same
story he used the night before to introduce "You", but one has to admit it
made the impact of the song much stronger. This coupled with the fact Mike
Mills was playing the only (as far as I know) infamous Mustang guitar
Fender was going to market using Kurt Cobain's name really gave that
song some punch.
Regardless of the scripting, this band definitely proved they could
rock during this tour and it was no more evident than that final night.
R.E.M. is one of the world's most entertaining bands; the songs and
energy they produce is amazing. Being the last night of the tour, the band
was able to blend in some of the more important songs of their career as a
treat to those present. The first came in the form of "Fall on Me" which was
introduced by the statement, "This song is from the Pleistocene era when
the dinosaurs ruled the earth." A very heartfelt rendering of this classic
followed much to the delight of the older fans present that evening. Later
in the set came a song preceded by the statement "We played this one the
first time we were on TV back in 1984." This of course referring to their
legendary performance of "so. Central Rain" on the David Letterman show
many years ago. This song was played beautifully and will remain a fond
memory in the minds of many in attendance that evening. Yet another
special addition to the set came where "It's the End of the World As We
Know It" usually was. Peter Buck approached Stipe at this point and
whispered something to him after which Michael pointed to drummer Bill
Berry and said "You know what to do." This was followed by the staccato
snare intro to "Radio Free Europe", a song which had to be played on such
a special night. This set the crowd going wild as it led into the
aforementioned "It's the End of The World..." to which Michael sang "It's
the End of the Tour" repeatedly in his most southern of southern drawls. All
this occurred amidst a crowd of R.E.M. office workers and crew dancing and
partying on stage. The members of Luscious Jackson also occupied the
stage after their shredded paper assault on the band earlier in the set left
the stage(as well as the band) a paper covered mess. This song had ended
the show on the previous nights and as they had every night the band
began to leave the stage as the house lights went up.
But then Peter Buck turned around and came running back and
grabbed his guitar. He then began playing "Wild Thing" (of all things) as
the band returned to join him. They played this ridiculous song for about
ten more minutes as the house lights remained on and the crowd went
insane. Michael Stipe and Mike Mills took turns shouting the lyrics at the
top of their lungs in a raunchy and out of key display of the band's vocals.
Finally the band ended this, thanked the audience and exited the stage for
the final time on the _Monster_ tour. An exciting, memorable and
depressing moment for all those involved that evening.
---
REVIEW: Queen, _Made In Heaven_ (Hollywood Records)
- Sean Eric McGill
A good magician never shows you the trick up his sleeve or the
key hidden there under his tongue, just out of eyesight. He doesn't want to
show us his weakness, the thing that prevents him from actually being able
to commit the feat of wonder. That is the mark of a true performer, and
is what separates the pros from the amateurs (with the exception, of course,
of Penn and Teller, who have made their performance showing us the keys).
Freddy Mercury was no exception, and _Made In Heaven_, the
album Mercury and his fellow bandmates in Queen were working on at the
time of his death in 1991, proves it. Whereas John Lennon was (and oh,
man...am I gonna catch shit for this one) a man who seeming had a lot of
life ahead of him, yet left us with "Free As A Bird," Mercury - who knew
he was going to die - performs with reckless abandon. Songs like "I Was
Born To Love You" and "Made In Heaven" tap into all the things we liked
about Queen in the first place. Mercury was our friend, our lover, our
confidant. In his writing and his vocals, you could feel the importance of
every line and every note of the song.
The album opens with "It's A Beautiful Day" where Mercury pretty
much sets the tone for his life and the album, singing "It's a beautiful day/I
feel good/I feel right." That sentiment runs through the majority of the songs
on this album, and that's probably what makes _Made In Heaven_ such a great
album.
You could be weighed down with the fact that here was the incredibly
gifted performer who was taken away from us so soon, but you're not. Mercury
wouldn't have wanted it that way.
---
REVIEW: Smithereens, _Attack of the Smithereens - Rarities_ (Capitol)
- Bob Gajarsky
The Smithereens have never been a band geared towards Top 40 Radio;
a couple of their singles have managed to creep in there, and they've never
quite been able to capture the fancy of alternative or rock radio programmers.
However, their irresistible manner of combining sounds from the top rock bands
of the 1960's, and bringing that music forward to today, has garnered a
tremendous loyalty from their fans. The chapter on their Capitol Records run
is sealed with this compilation release, _Attack of the Smithereens -
Rarities_.
The development of the band is well chronicled here, from their first
gig in 1980 ("Girl Don't Tell Me") to demos and alternate versions of their
biggest hits, such as "Blood and Roses" and "A Girl Like You". Want new
wave? There's "Girls About Town", from their first EP, sounding like a mix
of Joe Jackson meets the mod scene. And, if you're longing for the Andrews
Sisters, there's even a 20 second snippet from the 1945 Smith (Mass.)
College Women's Choir, "Here Come The Smithereens".
Initial Smithereens comparisons were to 1960's bands such as the
Beatles and Who; early performances of theirs could see interspersing of
future B-sides such as "One After 909", "The Seeker", and even Ringo's "It
Don't Come Easy". Although the band espouses the latter cover, it stands
out as one of their best rarities, and this writer thinks it even surpasses
Mr. Starkey's #1 hit. In the lengthy liner notes, primarily written by Pat
DiNizio, they say "it doesn't sound half-bad" - they're being falsely modest.
This collection is truly for the fans - but given the Smithereens
history of giving their fans what they want, that's not surprising. Anyone
who owns a copy of _Especially For You_ or _11_ shouldn't pass over this
treasure chest of buried gems.
TRACK LISTING: Here Come The Smithereens; Girl Don't Tell Me; Girls
About Town; Time & Time Again (Demo); Don't Be Cruel; Hang Ten High; Tracey's
World (In Store); Blood & Roses (Original Demo and Demo); Just A Little; The
Seeker; Yesterday Girl (Demo); Poor Little Pitiful One; Maria Elena
(Acoustic); You Really Got Me; One After 909; World Keeps Going 'Round;
Behind The Wall of Sleep (Live); Something Stupid; Shakin' All Over; Rudolph
The Red Nosed Reindeer; Ruler of My Heart; It Don't Come Easy; Lust for
Life; Like Someone In Love; A Girl Like You (Strip Club Version)
---
REVIEW: k.d. lang, _All You Can Eat_ (Reprise)
- Shawneen Rowe and Chris Rowe
The new k.d. lang album, _All You Can Eat_, is one of
the highlights of her 8 album, 12 year career. This effort proves she
has learned much from her previous endeavors and also proves that
Ms. Lang's personal struggle to avoid being categorized - as a country
performer, or a militant left winger with no hook in her music - is
once again successful. Lang's brave, new venture retains her
mellow, melodic quality while taking chances on uncharted musical
arrangements. There is more "pop" influence on this album as can be seen from
the more playful cuts ("If I Were You" "Get Some") but enough seductive,
sensual tracks ("Acquiese This", "Maybe") to prevent this from being a pop
album.
Lang let loose with her lyrics with a more carefree, easy feeling and a
more immediate impact, and co-producers Mark Ramaer and Ben Mink helped
complete this task. Also, the return of veterans like Mink on
guitar, Teddy Borowiecki (keyboards), Graham Boyle (percussion), drummer
Randall Stoll and David Pitch (bass) made it easier for Lang to focus on the
lyrics once she had the music set.
Dance funk pervades the album as if Lang is strolling along wearing
a wry smile just to remind you of her intentions. All in all, this is something
best listened to at night - soothing and fun are two adjectives which
immediately come to mind. The entire album is actually summed by the artist
herself in the final track "I Want it All"; she does and she just may have it.
As hard as anyone tries, labelling k.d. is not possible. Just when she is
nailed down to a certain genre (even the genre of not pertaining to one) she
changes and comes back even stronger. _All You Can Eat_ is proof that she is
a versatile and talented performer capable of producing a strong album, no
matter which way her musical heart strays.
---
REVIEW: For Squirrels, _Example_ (Sony)
- Dan Geller
In an attempt to avoid the obvious, I will review this album
trying not to include any bias regarding the much publicized passing
on of two of the members of For Squirrels. It will suffice to say their
talents will be missed and it is fortunate they left a piece of work such
as _Example_ as their legacy.
Now that that is over I can begin this review: It has always
made no sense to me why nobody successfully ripped off R.E.M. the
way so many other Alternative Rock bands ripped off the other pioneers
in this genre. It would seem R.E.M. would be ripe for the picking since
their style is so concrete. Well, more than ten years later, someone finally
has. For Squirrels finishes what bands like Live started by
successfully releasing a record that sounds just like the boys from
Athens and actually receiving some airplay with it. This, however, is
by no means a bad thing. _Example_ is a record full of pop gems
done with energy and sincerity. Incorporating cliche' into a style
almost their own, For Squirrels have produced an impressive debut.
It seems a shame that the first song to catch radio's ear is
"Mighty K.C." a song about Kurt Cobain. I had heard the song "8:02
PM" (probably the strongest track on the album) on the radio only
days previous to the accident. Then suddenly the lyrically trite
(although musically well written) "Mighty K.C." was everywhere. They
are both solid songs but "8:02 PM" seems a more mature pop song
especially when lyrics are considered. The death of Nirvana's great
front man seems too important to be the focus of a song by a band no
one has heard of yet. It seems a subject you would have to earn the
right to sing about.
Aside from this exploitative marketing scheme the album has
other flaws. It seems whenever the band tries to break the R.E.M.
formula they fall flat on their face. Songs such as "Superstar" find
former front man Jack Vigliatura growling and almost screaming a
place he should not be going with his raspy, Stipeish voice. These
songs almost sound like something a wimpy high school band would
do when they are trying to "rock".
For Squirrels seems a band best enjoyed when they are being
wimpy. Melodic, poppy, quiet hooks seem their strong suit and
should be exploited more. Songs like "Disenchanted" and "Eskimo
Sandune" display this power well. When I first received this disc, I
listened to it about ten times in a row, a rare occurrence in my world.
It was songs such as these that made this possible. Unfortunately
certain tracks had to be removed using the program feature of my CD
player. This is something I almost never do but it was just painful to
listen to a couple of these songs that many times.
Despite the few small flaws in this record it is one of the best
debuts to reach my ears in a long time. Hopefully the members of
this band will be able to recover from the tragedy which recently
struck them, and perhaps grow into a great band by focusing
exclusively on their many strong points.
---
REVIEW: Anthrax, _Stomp 442_ (Elektra)
- Sean Eric McGill
By conventional logic, Anthrax shouldn't be in existence. After more
than a decade at the top of the metal pack, the future didn't seem to bode
well for the band. They were, after all, a heavy metal act - not grunge, and
as so many of the top acts of the eighties fell to the wayside during the first
part of this decade, Anthrax seemed to be set up to suffer the same fate.
Then, in 1993, the band released _The Sound of White Noise_.
Produced by Dave Jerden (Jane's Addiction) and featuring the debut of John
Bush (formerly of Armored Saint - the epitome of eighties heavy metal) on
lead vocals, _The Sound of White Noise_ showed a new and leaner Anthrax.
Bush's arrival brought out a more lyrical part of the band. No more was there
just the screaming vocals of former frontman Joey Belladonna, backed only
by the occasional shout from his fellow bandmates. Now, there was actually
a melody apparent in some of the songs.
The band's switch from Island Records to Elektra proved to be a
good move as well. Advance promotion on the album lead to platinum
sales and a Grammy nomination was awarded to the band for their efforts.
Now, two years later, Anthrax has returned with different producers (The
Butcher Brothers) and less one member (former lead guitarist Dan Spitz
left the band following the tour). The result, _Stomp 442_, is as good of
an album as _The Sound of White Noise_, and is as good as any hard rock
record to come out this decade.
The loss of Spitz at guitar doesn't hurt the band's overall sound.
Dimebag Darryl from Pantera and band friend Paul Cook come in to lend
their help to various tracks, and drummer Charlie Benante comes out from
behind his set to contribute some licks. Benante, who writes all of the music
on the album (with Bush and guitarist Scott Ian providing the lyrics), shows
himself to be a guitarist who can hold his own in the group. The combination
of the three different guitarists gives the album an interesting sound that
keeps the listener on their toes for the length of the listen.
And as _The Sound of White Noise_ featured "Black Lodge," a
melodic tune co-written by Twin Peaks' composer Angelo Badalamenti,
_Stomp 442_ features a slower track, as well - albeit a little less quirky.
"Bare" shows what I hesitantly call the "kinder, gentler side of Anthrax," with
its melodic backing vocals and guitar work. It also features Bush getting to
do something he almost never got to do with Armored Saint and only rarely gets
to do with Anthrax, which is actually sing.
Bush is certainly one of the most talented vocalists in rock, but he
is as much a performer as he is a singer. His vocal style is more of the
"all-body" approach to rock vocals - Bush acts out each song as he sings it.
On songs like "Random Acts of Senseless Violence" and "King Size," you can
feel the eagerness with which Bush approaches the music, and the same goes
for the rest of the group.
Overall, it's hard to find a better band pound-for-pound than Anthrax.
_Stomp 442_ is one of the best albums of the year, and one which should change
the genre of heavy rock from being the last remaining dinosaur of the
eighties into a viable force in the nineties.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Paris Hampton, New York, NY
- Bob Gajarsky
The Big Apple hosts thousands of young aspiring wanna-be's
hawking their talents and looking for the next big break. One shining
light in a city full of flickers is Paris Hampton.
Hampton is a singer, backed by Robert "Chicken" Burke on drums,
Jeff Allen on bass, Miche Fambro on guitars, and possibly the best known
member of the band, Tim Bright, also on guitars.
Outside of the New York City area, music fans might notice Bright's
contribution on Lisa Loeb's _Tails_ disc as a member of her backing
band 9 Stories. And, there in the "Thank Yous", lies Paris Hampton's name.
It's a small world...
With the connection to Lisa Loeb, it's not surprising that the music
bears more than a passing similarity to that on _Tails_. But while _Tails_
sticks to a specific genre of music, Ms. Hampton ventures out and touches
more bases - an alternative bluesy sort of feel encompasses her performance.
Hampton, who has been collaborating on material with Bright since
March, has only had a few shows under her belt but has already drawn the
attention of several major label representatives. The lilting, airy sound
which emanates from each song blends well with Hampton's vocals to
produce music which comes from the heart and soul. Highlights of
the evening include the drifty opening song "Moonshine" and
"Broken Glass", which has all the makings of a top 10 hit - a haunting,
memorable hook leaving the listener yearning for more - without
sacrificing that magical quality known as integrity.
Immediate comparisons that leap to mind are Joan Osborne and
Tori Amos, sans piano. For now, Paris Hampton will have to settle being
compared to other performers. With continued live performances like
these, it won't be long until other artists are being compared to her.
---
TOP FIVE RECAPS
Here's the section where some of our writers get a chance to briefly
state their top 5 releases in 1995, and in some cases, disappointments. It's
a good time to catch up on those releases that you missed the first time
around...
- Martin Bate
1) Faith No More, _King For a Day...Fool for a Lifetime_ Faith No
More consolidating their place as one of the very few bands who can now do
what ever the hell they like without *anyone* being surprised with these 14
eclectic little nuggets of brilliance. Everything from big Rock to big Vegas
showstoppers stopping off at bossa nova malevolence, death metal crunch and
sparkly pop along the way, all dominated by the roar, croon, whisper, snarl,
spit and soar of vocalist extraordinaire Mike Patton.
2) Mercury Rev, _See You On The Other Side_ Mercury Rev take lo-fi
vignettes as their starting point then smother them in guitars, orchestras
and stardust and zoom off somewhere over the rainbow with a production that
Cecil B. De Mille would be proud of. If records were films this would be a
full-blown old-style Hollywood musical that will have you smiling like a kid
in wide-eyed wonder. I would say that Mercury Rev have ripped up the
guitar-rock rule-book but I don't think they were even aware there *was* one.
3) Cypress Hill, _III : Temple of Boom_ Cypress Hill wipe out most
of the competition in one fell swoop with not so much a return to form as a
whole new level. With a big nod to both the eerie malevolence of the Wu Tang
Clan and the lush sounds of the Mo'Wax jazz-hip-hop set, DJ Muggs sets up
the fascinating, unsettling soundscape behind B-Real's wired-to-fuck nasal
sneer and threats. Cypress Hill are back at the front of the pack and
getting scary.
4) Orb, _Orbus Terrarum_ Kind of like 24-hours in a rain-forest,
where nothing much happens but you can't help staring slack-jawed at the
beauty of the whole thing. And when the beats finally go off it's like
being in the middle of a jungle kill. The Orb reclaim their ambient-dub
crown with heart-breaking, hopeless, weeping melodies, an orchestral edge
and enough weirdness floating in and out of the mix to keep your dreams
stocked-up for months.
5) Goldie, _Timeless_ I was going to nominate A Guy Called Gerald's
_Black Secret Technology_ for being the first real album in the most
important new genre of the year, Jungle (nothing else in years has been
such a huge step forward). But _Timeless_ is just so damn deep and the
production so sparkling and plush that it makes _Black..._ seem a little
primitive. With rapid-fire, impossibly intricate break-beats, huge dub bass
and the sweetest soul, this is Jungle's peak so far, but merely a taste of
what is about to explode in 1996.
Disappointment: Every year one of my long-time faves disappoints
me big-style with a *huge* sell-out. In the past it has been Metallica and
Soundgarden. This year, congratulations to Soul Asylum who traded in every
ounce of heart and soul to turn in the blandest album this side of Bryan
Adams and Bon Jovi. Also - the UK public being taken in by the Britpop
marketing scam - I'm still not exactly sure what the link between Blur
and Oasis' music is. And the US public continuing to be taken in by the
New Punk marketing scam. At least Oasis and Blur are decent bands.
- Jason Cahill
1) Foo Fighters, _Foo Fighters_ Talk about living up to high
expectations. Prior to this album's release, the band was considered
the second coming of Nirvana without anyone having even heard them play.
Now, just one year later, Dave Grohl and company have not disappointed,
producing an album so full of intensity, heart and intelligence that it
remains leagues above any other 95' release.
2) Goo Goo Dolls, _A Boy Named Goo_ - The Goo Goo Dolls are a lot
like The Smithereens in that their albums are consistently brilliant pieces
of pure, unadulterated modern rock without any traces of misplaced idealism.
A Boy Named Goo has more energy in its opening track than most bands have
on their entire album.
3) Smashing Pumpkins, _Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness_ -
Smashing Pumpkins' most ambitious effort to date also happens to be its
finest. Whereas Siamese Dream was more a showcase for Billy Corgan, this
double length CD shows each band member at the top of their craft. More
diverse and daring than any other release this year.
4) Fig Dish, _That's What Love Songs Often Do_ - Brilliant
juxtaposition between rough edged grunge rock and softer, more heartfelt
selections. Packed with an energy, wit and overall insight which is too
often lacking from most debut efforts. Easily the year's best new band.
5) Dance Hall Crashers, _Lockjaw_ - The finest of this year's flock
of girl fronted modern rock, with a ska twist. Lockjaw is one of the year's
more original and unique albums, unrelenting in its energy and unflinchingly
powerful. Masterful combination of scathing guitars with traditional ska
rhythms, creating a complete album in every sense of the word.
Disappointment of 1995: Breakup Of Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Alternative
music lost one of its most endearing, yet unfortunately underappreciated
bands this past year when the guitar driven group Ned's Atomic Dustbin
decided to call it quits on stage at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC to the
utter amazement of their fans, who were expecting anything but a farewell
performance. At the heart of this band was an intensity and a clever
insight which will be deeply missed.
- Bob Gajarsky
1) Oasis _(What's The Story) Morning Glory_ - Better than
_Definitely Maybe_, which is no small feat. America hasn't got it yet,
which is a shame...
2) Pet Shop Boys _Alternative_ - It's amazing that this
collection of 30 B-sides contains so many songs which could have been
singles - and in so many different dance formats. Music for boys (and
girls), for sure.
3) Echobelly _On_ - It took a while for their followup to
catch on with me, and it's not as solid as their debut, but Sonya
Aurora-Madan, for the 2nd straight album, puts Morrissey to shame.
4) Soundtrack _Friends_ - Everyone's sick of the Rembrandts
theme, and rails on Hootie, and the Joni Mitchell "Big Yellow Taxi" dance
remix. I don't care - I love all the songs, the Barenaked Ladies are back
with a *real* single ("Shoe Box"), Lou Reed and Paul Westerberg...ignore
the "easy to knock" trend.
5) Gladhands _From Here To Obscurity_ / Matthew Sweet -
_100% Fun_ - Pure 60's AM styled pop - one band's new, Matthew's
now a recognizable name. Both wonderful.
- Dan Geller
1) Joe Christmas, _Upstairs, Overlooking_ An incredible debut.
This band can play noisy pop like no one else around. It is one of those
records you find yourself singing to yourself cover to cover, over and
over until it drives you insane. Hard to find but very worth the effort.
2) Superchunk, _Here's Where the Strings Come In_ They just get
better and better. It is interesting to think the whole world has not woke
up and embraced this band as it has so many others that wish they were
Superchunk. I guess that is what they get for putting out their own records.
3) Low, _Long Division_ There is something to be said for quiet
bands. And since nobody is quieter there is a lot to say about Low. This,
their second release, is by far the most beautiful thing I have heard all
year. Producer Kramer really knows how to make a little sound go a long
way. Makes you want to go around stealing fuzz pedals from your favorite bands.
4) Luna, _Penthouse_ This is what pop music should be. While the
world sleeps Luna is writing the songs the children of tomorrow will love.
It is all a timing thing. Another quiet band with a beautiful sound. Some
day the world will calm down and start liking this stuff.
5) Pavement, _Wowee Zowee_ This record is nothing but FUN! It is
great to know a band can enjoy making a record as much as a fan can
listening to it. I believe that if you listen closely enough you can
actually hear fun coming out of your speakers when playing this one.
- Tim Hulsizer
1) Ned's Atomic Dustbin, _Brainbloodvolume_ As this is my favorite
band, I was crushed to hear they were breaking up. The worst part is that
they left just when they released some of their best work! This third album
is chockful of beautiful tunes, powerful playing and the great Ned's style.
2) Wonder Stuff, _Live in Manchester_ One of the best British pop
bands ever, in a fantastic concert that features their blazing cover of
The Jam's "That's Entertainment". Truly a Stuffies fan's dream (even
though it was already "released" on a couple bootlegs).
3) Soundtrack, _Raiders of the Lost Ark_This amazing John Williams
soundtrack has never before been on CD in the states, and that's not all.
DCC has reissued it with an extensive booklet and 30 extra minutes of songs
not on previous versions! Truly incredible; a must-have for all
connoisseurs of cool stuff.
4) The Upper Crust, _Let Them Eat Rock_Not well-known outside
the East Coast yet, but destined for a strange sort of greatness. This
five-gentleman band is a bunch of fellas who dress up like 18th century
nobles, sound a bit like AC/DC, and have catchy tunes about being spoiled
and rich. This album rocks.
5) Radiohead, _The Bends_ Yeah, I'm an Anglophile and proud of it!
I never really listened to this band until the new album came out, but now
I'm hooked. Great songwriting, great live show, and the song "Just" has
the coolest music video of the year, hands down. If you think they're
just "that band with the 'Creep' song", think again chump.
- Reto Koradi
1) Belly, _King_ The first album was great, this second one is
even better. With brilliant songs, excellent playing, Tanya's wonderful
voice, and perfect production, Belly show that they are the leader of the
pack of female alternative rock bands.
2) Bjork, _Post_ Just when she was halfway through the door to
mainstream success, Bjork releases this extremely versatile album with
mostly very experimental and weird songs. Hats off for so much courage!
3) A House, _Wild Eyed And Ignorant_ This album may not be
innovative, but enormously enjoyable with its irresistible hooks and
melodies, with obvious Celtic influence. If your neighbours see you
jumping around in your living room, and hear you singing the same songs
for days, you've been listening to too much A House.
4) Neil Young, _Mirror Ball_ After last year's epic masterpiece
_Sleeps With Angels_, Neil Young surprises us with a quick and dirty rock
album. An artist who can produce such different styles, and excel at all
of them, must be admired.
5) Radiohead, _The Bends_ A massive hit like "Creep" does not
always make life for a band easier. But Radiohead remain completely
unimpressed and follow the fine _Pablo Honey_ with a clearly better
album. Great songs and an interesting, unique sound - Radiohead are
here to stay.
- David Landgren
1) Laughing Clowns, _Golden Days - When Giants Walked The Earth_
One of the most awe-inspiring bands to come out of Australia in the 80s,
a discordant mix of bezerk sax, off-key vocals, a tight snare and guitars
all ruled by Ed Kuepper's iron fist. The Laughing Clowns were already so
far off the map by the time they broke up, that they, like few other bands,
possibly only The Residents, did not even spawn a host of imitators.
Finally, some precious Clowns material on CD. Get it.
2) Sonic Youth, _Washing Machine_ The themes that the Youths
hold precious still hold sway over this album. 'nuff said.
3) Orb, _Orbvs Terrarvm_ What a long, strange trip Orb's been. This
is no "Orb's Ever-expanding Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld", no matter
how easy it would have been to just keep cranking out the formula. A very
difficult listen at first; I have come to like this a lot.
4) t:me recordings, _0095 Gas_ A label, a systematic packaging, a
Compuserve address... and not much else to go by. The enigmatic recordings
of t:me contain some of the most interesting ambient material around. Some
of it is tired (a friend derided the percussion on one track as "white man's
bongos"), much of it is very good, and _Gas_ is about the best.
5) Tricky, _Maxinquaye_ Everyone's had their ears bashed this year
about the Bristol sound, the town not quite on the seaside, nor really quite
near Wales, but the fact remains that this album is excellent. Not sure how
long people will talk about about the trip-hop genre, but this collection
of subversive and sublime tracks will remain a reference for the 90s.
Disappointments: I finally jumped aboard the P.J. Harvey bandwagon
this year with _To Send You My Love_. Well, I can't see what all the fuss
is about. Maybe I'll have to go back and listen to her earlier albums, but
my tentative conclusion is... so what?
- Stephen Lin
1) Letters to Cleo, _Whole Sale Meats and Fish_: It's Boston
flavored pop-rock at its best. Ruthlessly strong hooks, consistently well
constructed songs, and Kay Hanley's voice make this my favorite album of 1995.
2) Garbage, _Garbage_ Butch Vig once again displays his
brilliance. This time, however, he's exposing the world to his own
creations while teaming with two other producers and vocalist Shirley Manson
(formerly of Angelfish). It's been described as Portishead colliding with
Nine Inch Nails; how can you go wrong?
3) David Bowie, _Outside_ Bowie shows a previously unexplored
facet of his personality with electronic-based theme album, _Outside_.
It's a blend of mystery, horror, Brian Eno, industrial rock, technology,
and classic Bowie theatrics.
4) Madonna, _Something to Remember_ It's all the Madonna ballads
you could ever want from every point in her career. The album has
exceptional continuity throughout its tracks. It also has Madonna's
team-up with trip-hop sensation Massive Attack.
5) Tie between the Soundtrack to _Kids_ and River, _And the Rain
was Fire_ The Kids soundtrack is somewhat lo-fi sounding through its mood
setting atmosphere. Eight out of 13 tracks are presented by Folk Implosion
in their beat oriented drone/groove rock. River's album is mellow collection
of acoustic tracks highlighted by Chris Keup's deep, rich vocals. This is
an independent release out of Virginia. (For more information or to
purchase the CD send $10 and write to Grantham Dispatch Records, 5951
Wilton Road, Alexandria, VA 22310.)
Honorable mention: Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories, _Tails_; Squirrel
Nut Zippers, _The Inevitable_.
- Sean McGill
1) Anthrax _Stomp 442_ Two years after The Sound of White Noise (and
short former lead guitarist Dan Spitz), Anthrax returns with an album that
- like its predecesor - brings new life to a band who shouldn't still be
around by conventional logic.
2) White Zombie, _Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction,
and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head_ - Kinda like the Roger
Corman of hard rock, White Zombie's third album builds on the energy and
hype created by 1992's Le Sexorcisto, giving their music the familiarity
of a B-movie, as well as the ability to be a little different.
3) Bjork, _Post_ - From Nine Inch Nails-ish dance to Sinatra-esque
love songs, the ever-eclectic ex-Sugarcube defies categorization...unless,
of course, you use weird.
4) Joan Osborne, _Relish_ - Some of the best songwriting you'll
find, including my favorite song of the year, "One of Us."
5) Nature, _Nature_ One of the best debuts in a long-time from an
L.A. band which should set a new standard of excellence for the decaying scene.
- Tim Mohr
1) Pulp, _Different Class_ (Island Import) - Has the consistency
absent from past records. The fact that there are songs that vie with
"Common People" says alot. Great wry lyrics set against genuine sentiment.
Comes out in the states in February, 1996
2) Gene, _Olympian_ (A&M) - Less concerned with chirpy hits and
more with digging into emotional depths. Intelligent, earnest, loaded with
hooks, and great live show.
3) Charlatans, _Charlatans_ (Beggars Banquet/Atlantic) - On album
number four they continue to grow with us. Mature songs with unprecedented
clarity in many lyrical ideas.
4) Drugstore, _Drugstore_ (Go!Discs) - Rich, whiskey-burned female
vocals, impossibly depressed lyrics, stewing guitars. A successful cross of
early Jesus & Mary Chain with Mazzy Star.
5) Top Singles: Ash, "Kung Fu" and "Girl from Mars", Black Grape,
"Reverend Black Grape", Cardigans, "Hey! Get Out of My Way/The Boys Are
Back in Town" and "Carnival", Leftfield, "Original", Madonna Hip-Hop
Massaker, "Super Pop Peep Show", Marion, "Sleep", Menswear, "Daydreamer",
Skylab, "Seashell", Supergrass, "Alright", Towa Tei, "Technova", Wannadies,
"You and Me Song"
- Jamie Roberts
1) EBN, _Telecommunication Breakdown_
2) God Lives Underwater, _EP_
3) Paula Cole, _Harbinger_
4) Foo Fighters, _Foo Fighters_
5) Richard H. Kirk, _The Number Of Magic_
- Joe Silva
1) Bjork, _Post_ Because being from a race of cold, virtually
geographically isolated people, Ms. G. has more warmth in her grooves
than most of the combined "talent" at the top of the R&B chart. A voice
for the millenium that raves, swings, and coos with equal depth and
effectiveness.
2) Supergrass, _I Should Coco_ Because all that twaddle about Oasis
and Blur is just that. The only true hiers to the Davies/Weller heritage
in the sphere UK pop, the brothers Gallagher would soil themselves if they
came up with anything as simple and brilliant as "Alright."
3) Chris Issak, _Forever Blue_ Because, MTV Unplugged and radio
play aside, there'll probably be more written about the Stones utterly
useless _Stripped_ disc. Still true to his vision of surf boards, stunning
lovelorn femmes and twangin' guitars with big fins, he marries it all to
tunes aplenty. Some people have too much going for them.
4) Matthew Sweet, _100% Fun_ Because there aren't many songwriters
who are still on the uphill side of their songwriting talent this far into
their careers. From end to end a lush bounty of harmonies, riffs, and pop
verve.
5) King Crimson, _Thrak_ Because who would have thunk that members
of the old guard could gather enough of the essential elements from their
prime and recast them onto new material with such a deft stroke. The
Beatles couldn't. Music as a caffeine substitute (or enhancer).
Honorable Mentions: PJ Harvey, U-Ziq, Tom Petty, FSOL, Julian Cope,
Jayhawks, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Towa Tei
- Jon Steltenpohl
1) Sarah McLachlan, _The Freedom Sessions_ Finally, Sarah McLachlan
puts out the album I always new she could. These "unplugged" studio tracks
ditch the drum machine and reveal the sensitive and sensuous beauty that was
muffled on _Fumbling Towards Ecstacy_. The added bonus of this great album
is that it's also a CD-ROM about Sarah!
2) Alanis Morrissette, _Jagged Little Pill_ Well, she's not the
best singer or musician in the world. But just imagine if Debbie Gibson
or Tiffany had penned a line like "And every time I scratch my nails down
someone else's back I hope you feel it... well can you feel it." (Ed Note:
Of course, her alter ego from 2 Canadian albums, Alanis was compared to
them...alas, a few years can make a difference) She may be just a flavor
of the month, but I felt it.
3) Ani Difranco, _Not a Pretty Girl_ In the folk world, there's a
big debate over whether _Not a Pretty Girl_ is folk or punk. Who cares?
Ani Difranco may play an acoustic guitar, but her originality and passion
literally scream with the painful honesty of a punk world. This album
makes Alanis Morrissette sound like Yanni. (Call 1-800-ON-HER-OWN if it
isn't in your record store.)
4) The Innocence Mission, _Glow_ It took too long, but the 4 year
wait between albums was worth it. Take the mellow of the Cowboy Junkies
with the sensitivity of 10,000 Maniacs, and you've got The Innocence Mission.
They've been opening for Natalie Merchant, and you're cheating yourself if
you don't get this album.
5) O+->, _The Gold Experience_ The female voice on _The Gold
Experience_ whispers that "Prince esta muerto", but really, he's back from
the grave. The few singles on the radio are weak, but the rest of the
album is damn funky and soulful. Forget the no-name hype and the weird
rumors, this album is great.
- John Walker
1) Pulp, _Different Class_ (Import) Jarvis Cocker writes his
masterpiece, and proves himself to be miles ahead of the rest of the Britpop
pack. "Common People" is the song of the year, a sharp dissection of class
slumming that is specifically British but in essence universal. Wallowing
in the revenge of the working class guy who made it, Cocker finds glamour
in the gutter, shagging rich men's wives even as he dissects their
privileged lifestyles: "Take your 'Year in Provence' and shove it up
your ass" indeed!
2) Scott Walker, _Tilt_ (Import) Far from the realm of North
American punk retreads and the dying cries of grunge lies the singular
aesthetic kingdom of Scott Walker, he of the miraculous pipes and
increasingly "outside" musical forms. Walker's first album in over a
decade proved that art-rock can still be a viable force. Shiver-inducing stuff.
3) PJ Harvey, _To Bring You My Love_ Speaking of art-rock, if
there could be such a thing as an art-rock-blues album, this is it. One of
those rare CDs where you never want to skip even a single track--a true
masterpiece in an era all too short of them. Can't wait for her next move.
PJ=Sex.
4) David Bowie, _Outside_ The apparent lack of big sales for this
only proves that Bowie is shedding once and for all the people who glommed
on to _Let's Dance_, returning to his art-rock roots (sense a theme here?).
This is his best set since _Scary Monsters_, containing some truly
magnificent Bowie vocal turns and some cool, Eno-fied electro-funk.
5) Mick Harvey, _Intoxicated Man_ A great surprise, as Nick
Cave's main musical man finds a treasure chest full of songs in the work
of French singer/songwriter/provocateur Serge Gainsbourg. Harvey's
translations here, both lyrical and musical, are top rate, and prove the
immense worth of the heretofore "unknown to North Americans" Gainsbourg.
Honorable Mentions: Electrafixion _Burned_, Black Grape, _It's
Great When You're Straight . . . Yeah_ ,The Young Gods, _Only Heaven_;
Tim Buckley, _Honeyman_; Tindersticks _Tindersticks 2nd Album_, Rosa
Mota, _Wishful Sinking_
Disappointment of the year: Pearl Jam didn't break up.
---
NEWS: > Oglio Records will be issuing a Men Without Hats greatest
hits collection in February, 1996. The 14 song collection, which
will only be commercially available in the United States, includes
such hits as "Pop Goes The World" and "The Safety Dance". The Men
Without Hats disc _Rhythm of Youth_, which was limited to
a European press run of less than 1,000 copies, currently changes
hands at $150-250 per copy.
> The Belgian Web Site Ultra has put more new information
available to all. Included are the official Man... or ASTRO-man?
tour diary part 1, connections to other 'zines, and more. Their
WWW site is at http://www.provinet.be/ultra/
> Some America Online readers have asked: "Why can't I read Consumable
the way I did before (October)?". The answer: America Online has changed
the way they take in large "mail files", such as Consumable. To read
Consumable now, through AOL, you must read it "offline" - which is
usually more convenient. Tell AOL that you wish to download the file,
and save it as C951220.TXT (where C stands for Consumable, 95 is the
year of the issue, 12 is December - the month - and the 20th refers
to the date). Your computer will then "move" Consumable, from AOL, to
your PC or Mac.
At this point, you have three options to "read" Consumable: if
you have DOS prompts, go to a DOS prompt and type (without quotes)
"TYPE C951220.TXT". If you have a word processor, open the issue within
the word processor. Finally, if you have this as an icon (picture) on-screen,
you may be able to click on it, and it will automatically open.
Good luck!
------
TOUR DATES
Onyx
Dec. 24 Harrisburg, PA Club Met
Dec. 26 Columbia, SC Rockafellas
Dec. 27 Tampa, FL Club Atlanta
Dec. 28 Hickory, NC The Bench
Dec. 29 Charlotte, NC Sugar Shack
Dec. 30 Georgetown, SC Howard Center
Dec. 31 Decatur, GA The Gate
Jan. 9 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
Jan. 12 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre
Jan. 14 Vancouver, BC Richards on Richards
Jan. 17 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
---
ERRATA: In last week's issue, we inadvertently recognized producer
Tim Simenon (working on the new Depeche Mode album) as Tim Simmons.
Thanks to Anthony Horan for catching this.
---
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===