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==== ISSUE 102 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [March 7, 1997]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Dan Enright, Reto Koradi,
David Landgren, Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr,
Al Muzer, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron,
Janet Herman, Bill Holmes, Eric
Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Lin, Scott Miller,
P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker,
Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney
Muir Wallner, Simon West, Lang Whitaker
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@email.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: U2, _Pop_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Blur, _Blur_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Lost Highway_ - Lee Graham Bridges
REVIEW: Silverchair, _Freak Show_ - Linda Scott
CONCERT REVIEW: They Might Be Giants, Irving Plaza - Bob Gajarsky
CONCERT REVIEW: Soul Coughing, Knoxville, TN - Lang Whitaker
REVIEW: Lisa Cerbone, _Mercy_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Sister Hazel, _...Somewhere More Familiar_ - Daniel Aloi
INTERVIEW: The Urchins - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Crumbox, _Resident Double U_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Handsome, _Handsome_ - Simon Speichert
REVIEW: Stina Nordenstam, _Dynamite_ - Tim Mohr
NEWS: Cravin' Melon, Erasure, Foo Fighters, LIFEbeat/Board Aid,
Mazzy Star, Nameless, Oasis, Martni Phillipps and the Chills
TOUR DATES: Archers of Loaf / Engine 88/ Knapsack / Peppercorn,
Baby Fox, Bloodhound Gang, Breeders, Camber, Lisa Cerbone,
Shawn Colvin / Freedy Johnston, Cordelia's Dad, Cottonmouth,
Coward / Gravel Pit, Cravin' Melon, Crown Heights, Descendants,
Donovan, Drywall, Jason Falkner, Mary Ann Farley, Valerie Ghent,
Goldfinger / Reel Big Fish, Hazies, H2O, Dave Hawkins, Hoarse,
Humble Gods, Humpers, I'M'L, Irving Plaza , Jewel, Lizard Music,
Luciano, John Mellencamp / The Why Store, Melvins, Metallica /
Corrosion of Conformity, Nancy Boy, Odds, Orange 9MM, Plexi,
Professor & Maryann, Rasputina / Cranes, Reel Big Fish,
Samples / Stir, Duncan Sheik / Jill Sobule, Sick of It All,
Sister Hazel, Sno-Core (incl. face to Face, Pharcyde, Voodoo
Glow Skulls), Space, Sweet Vine, They Might Be Giants, Thin
Lizard Dawn, Jeremy Toback, Tool / Melvins, Treble Charger,
Urchins, Urge, Ben Vaughn, Volebeats, White Courtesy Telephone
ERRATA
THE READERS WRITE BACK! (White Town, Parasol Records)
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: U2, _Pop_ (Island)
- Bob Gajarsky
Superstar groups generate super hype and super expectations.
When the word came out that U2 was creating a 'dance' album that would
incorporate the workings of cutting-edge artists such as Tricky, the
music world collectively held their breath. But rather than taking
the world by storm, on _Pop_, U2 have merely incorporated some
successful elements from dance acts into their standard material.
The first single from _Pop_, "Discotheque", only has
appeal as a 'new' U2 song; more than likely, this will be played
in a year from now only to show the kitschy side of U2, and to
show that yes, Bono and his mates can make a song that sounds
vaguely like a 1970's song.
After creating their "own" success in the late 1980s culminating
in _The Joshua Tree_, U2 has looked to other bands for their inspiration
_Rattle And Hum_, _Achtung Baby_ and _Zooropa_ are examples of
albums where U2 has used influences either from legends gone by (such
as B.B. King) or bands in the current "scene". With the scene
turning towards innovative dance, U2 has again taken elements out
and moved slightly away from their alternapop center.
"Staring At The Sun" is the most accessible song on _Pop_;
a faster, more adventurous version of "One". As with several other
songs on _Pop_, a good remix could make this a dancefloor favorite.
"Do You Feel Loved" trades in The Edge's signature guitar riffs
for a more constant background noise, while "Mofo" opens with a
"Head Like A Hole" beginning, played much quieter than Trent Reznor
ever intended. "Last Night On Earth" has a guitar riff quite
similar to Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus", combined with an awful
lot of "Even Better Than The Real Thing", and a dash of T-Rex's
"Bang A Gong", with falsettos interspersed throughout.
As mentioned, remixes could do wonders for the above songs.
A _Popmix_ album full of extended versions of 6-8 songs could
probably sell half a million copies, and mark U2 as a much more
pioneering band. The only likely explanation why the Irish foursome
didn't take the full plunge into their new "favorite" arena would
be to avoid alienating their considerable fan base. A good marketing
strategy, at the very least.
"The Playboy Mansion" has a Steve Miller-like guitar, with a
slight bit of ambience thrown into the guitar mix. Two of the
remaining songs, "If God Will Send His Angels" and "If You Wear
That Velvet Dress", are slower, Nick Cave-like ballads where Bono
seems almost drained of energy.
With other bands, _Pop_ would be a curious mild entry into
the world of dance music. The keyboard programming isn't complex,
and there aren't any revolutionary songs here. However, U2's
evolutionary process continues on _Pop_. Fans of "Sunday Bloody
Sunday" will wonder where Bono's passion has gone. Fans of Tricky
and Massive Attach will question what the hullaboo is about. And
music fans in between will flock to buy U2's latest album, _Pop_.
---
REVIEW: Blur, _Blur_ (Virgin)
- Tim Mohr
With the first single, "Beetlebum," a gentle piece
of Beatle melancholia, Blur seem to have made only slight
adjustments to the formula that has made them a platinum
act in Europe and the UK. But the album tells another story:
Blur have dropped their cynical facade, their third-person
narrative style, and their lilting combination of Kinks,
Madness, and Small Faces.
After "Beetlebum," which takes on a different feel
in the context of the album, comes "Song 2," a sure hit but
completely different from Blur's earlier chart successes. Loud,
fast, perhaps a charged sister of "Advert" from _Modern Life is
Rubbish_, "Song 2" shows Blur moving toward Elastica or Ash
with an affection for heavy New Wave material.
"M.O.R." (a New Wave version of Bowie's "Heroes") and
"Chinese Bombs" are also in this vein, insistant guitar and
bass, distorted vocals, and a brash chorus that carries the
song. Unusual for one of the leading Britpop bands, there are
touches of unmistakably post-Sonic Youth guitar work.
Looking to other key points in Blur's new manifesto,
"On Your Own" constructs a ballad using a healthy dose of
Chemical Brothers-esque noise, slowed down to fit this context.
Lyrically and texturally, this song has flourishes of
middle-period Blur, though the shouted, group-sung lines are new.
_Blur_ could in some ways be described as more
"American" in feel, from the Matthew Sweet "Beetlebum" to the
Dinosaur Jr psycho-cheese-ballad "You're So Great," to the Beck
or Beasties phat bottom end on "I'm Just A Killer For Your Love."
But then again, the song closest to _Parklife_ or _Modern Life_
is probably "Look Inside America," an ironic, though not bitterly
sardonic, look at the habits of U.S. residents.
In the end, however, descriptions of any one new direction
are unfounded. Basically, Blur seem to have gone into the studio
without the "Let's just make another _Parklife_" attitude that
made _The Great Escape_ less than thrilling. That means a variety
of new sounds from Blur, as detailed above, but also leaves room
for touches from the past, like the typically Blur ballad "Strange
News From Another Planet."
_Blur_, then, has an extremely wide range of material -
from the Fall to Portishead - most of which works. "Theme From
Retro" sounds like a disposable easy-listening influenced outtake
from _The Great Escape_, but most of the other songs show Blur
trying new stuff with a remarkably sure hand.
And best of all, the tone of removed disinterest has
disappeared from their work. No longer are they stars deigning
to sing about detestable characters (with whom, they assured us,
they shared much empathy because of their affinity to working
class culture), but rather a band setting out to make a new album,
past success now understood as enjoyable but no longer as
separating them from ordinary people. This is most obvious in the
return to first-person lyrics, signalling that they realize their
own impressions and emotions are no longer over our heads.
---
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Lost Highway_ (Nothing/Interscope)
- Lee Graham Bridges
"Imagine someone grabbing a piece of paper and drawing a
box with a wave of flurry lines extending out from the top, that
looked something like snakes, and saying, 'That is the sound I
want, but on a highway,'" says Trent Reznor, recanting David
Lynch's conception of the music for his latest foray into altered
reality: _Lost Highway_. Reznor was commissioned by Lynch to
produce and contribute to the soundtrack, but it won't be his
first - he did the same for the _Natural Born Killers_ soundtrack
a couple years back.
The _Lost Highway_ soundtrack album is a surprisingly
well matched combination of more traditionally 'soundtrack' pieces
done by experienced soundtrack composers Barry Adamson and Angelo
Badalamenti, who actually score rather untraditional pieces of greater
rhythm and a sonic quality that establishes a dense, almost quagmirish
mood. Of course, the album is bound to be a big seller based on the success
of "The Perfect Drug," a track exclusively made for _Lost Highway_
by Nine Inch Nails (fronted, of course, by Reznor - and recently
voted the #1 Most Essential Band by Spin Magazine). Besides the
NIN track, Trent himself composed two soundtrack pieces:
"Videodrones; Questions" is an ambient lead-in for "The Perfect
Drug," "Driver Down" is a hyperactive, climactic point near the
end of the soundtrack.
David Bowie's "I'm Deranged," a song he wrote with Brian
Eno for his 1995 comeback, _Outside_, appears on the album in two
parts - beginning and ending the whole works. This is somewhat
disappointing, since the first part of the song at the album's
beginning is cut off most awkwardly, and returned to as a
"reprise" at the end. Nonetheless, it fits like a glove into the
dark myriad of moods comprising the soundtrack.
"Eye" by Smashing Pumpkins has been received with mixed
sentiments, and its combination of Billy Corgan's vocals, a fuzzy
guitar, a smooth synth hop, and a drum track derivative of
low-budget German techno circa 1983 can be somewhat off-putting,
and sounds less like the Pumpkins than an early one-off Reznor
recording. Still, it feels very much at home on the album despite
its apparent tackiness.
Lou Reed performs a cover of "This Magic Moment,"
originally recorded for a Doc Pomus tribute album, _Til The
Night is Gone_. Marilyn Manson's tracks ("Apple of Sodom" and a
cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "I Put A Spell On You")
are typical of previous Manson material: 'creepy,' slow music
punctuated by sudden exploding chorus of loud, screaming noise.
Also fairly run-of-the-mill is Rammstein's contribution, screaming
German metal powerhouses "Rammstein" and "Hierate Mich," which,
while not particularly interesting by themselves, are fit into
the soundtrack quite strategically well, just as the rest of the
pieces.
The biggest disappointment, however, is the exclusion of
This Mortal Coil's "Song To The Siren" in the soundtrack album,
which the Lost Highway webpage includes in the song list for the
film. That aside, the album is _great_. It certainly surpasses
most other soundtrack releases in quality, production, and
thematic development, especially other soundtrack albums that
have tried unsuccessfully to bring together traditional
soundtrack-ish instrumentals and more song-oriented tracks (i.e.
the Judge Dredd soundtrack, which presented 5 or 6 songs in one
section, and the classical soundtrack in another, on the same CD).
Lynch said that "half of the film is picture, the other half is
sound." Judging on the strength of the latter, the film should
be hotly anticipated and well received.
An EP containing remixes of "The Perfect Drug" by the
Orb, Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto), Goldie, and others will
soon be released on Nothing Records. You can check out the
excellent _Lost Highway_ movie and soundtrack website at
http://www.lost-highway.com.
---
REVIEW: Silverchair, _Freak Show_ (Epic)
- Linda Scott
The sophomore jinx is talked about in all walks of life,
including sports and with musicians. Fans and record company
executives wondered aloud about this jinx hitting the Australian
band Silverchair, especially when the debut album (_Frogstomp_)
has gone multiplatinum. Silverchair seemed relaxed about the whole
thing as no doubt befits a teenage trio of Aussies with a love of
surfing and music. Anxiety seems to have been out of place.
Let's get the age/style issue out on the table. Band members
Daniel Johns (vocals, guitar), Chris Joannou (bass) and Ben Gillis
(drums) are 17 years old. And, yes, when _Frogstomp_ came out, they
were 15, and their mothers accompanied them on their world tour.
_Frogstomp_'s music was taped by the band and handed over to Epic,
and Silverchair did not participate in any of the post taping work.
Now the band members are 17, and this tour the moms are home in
Australia. They aren't hardened rockers yet, and the young girls
love them. With _Freak Show_, Silverchair does much of what it did
on _Frogstomp_, and that's grunge, Seattle-style. In the new album
there are forays into other areas - a little diversity in the music,
a little punk ("Lie to Me"), and even a quiet ballad ("Cemetery").
Silverchair would like to establish themselves as something
other than Pearl Jam or Nirvana clones. Lead singer Johns bears a
superficial resemblance to Kurt Cobain. The sound, his looks, the
trio aspect brings out the taunts of "Nirvana in Diapers" and
"Kinder(Sound)garden". The band hopes this album will take them a
step away from all that. Unfortunately for this goal, with the large
amount of grunge on the album, and Johns can really sound like Cobain
making the listener wonder who's zooming who.
Computer-savvy fans will be happy to learn that _Freak Show_
is a CD extra with free multimedia that can be seen and heard on
certain computers. The video is crystal clear as is the audio.
The entire multimedia show is themed on a freak show which seems to
be what the band feels like on tour.
_Freak Show_ is an absolute must for Silverchair fans who
will love the multimedia show if they have computers. The music is
not too far afield from the debut album so it won't shock those who
learned to love them with _Frogstomp_. But, if you turned up your
nose at _Frogstomp_, you won't find enough advancement here to win
you over. That sophomore jinx, you know....
---
CONCERT REVIEW: They Might Be Giants, Irving Plaza
- Bob Gajarsky
As the third (and final) in their "Friday series" of
concerts at New York's famous Irving Plaza, TMBG devoted this
show to promote their upcoming March re-issue _Then: The
Earlier Years_. Billed as a return to old school, They Might Be
Giants actually produced an "old versus new" concert treat for
their fans.
The first opening act for TMBG was Brooklyn, New York native
Brian Dewan. Although unknown to most of the audience, Dewan turned
out to be a nearly perfect opening act. TMBG afficionados may
recognize the Dewan name as the creator for _Lincoln_, or for his
_Tells The Story_ (from Bar/None), or appearances on the Hello Recording
Club disc series. But tonight, Dewan's performance on his homemade
electric zither (made entirely of wood and harpsichord hardware)
and autoharp, converted many fans to open their hearts to another
talented performer.
Dewan played songs from his forthcoming second album (due
to come out late summer 1997). Combining a storyteller's wit with
a musician's heart, Dewan worked furiously on the zither while
performing tracks such as "Happy-Go-Dumpy Summer", which appeared
on a 1994 Hello Recording Club disc. Clever, almost novelty, lyrics
come to the forefront of his songs. The tale of "Rumplestiltskin"
especially captured the crowd's fancy, as Dewan guessed other
names for the man and the crowd screamed "No!".
Unfortunately, Mercury recording artists Chainsaw Kittens
didn't generate as much excitement as Dewan. The Chainsaws offered
a solid performance of rock which would have fit in well opening
for groups such as the Wonder Stuff, but with the offbeat songs
of Brian Dewan and TMBG, the Kittens couldn't quite win over the
crowd.
Finally, They Might Be Giants took to the stage. The
first set of the concert was dubbed as the "Old School portion
of our set". The two Johns, played as they had done ten years
earlier - an accordion, a periodic guitar and harmonica, and
backing tapes - but to a much larger audience than
the backroom of Maxwell's in Hoboken or other venues.
Memories came flooding back - walking into the now-defunct
Pier Platters record shop in Hoboken and hearing a new band called
They Might Be Giants playing on the store's stereo system. It was
only later that I discovered that Bar/None's operations were being
run out of the same shop as Pier, and that the constant playing was
no coincidence. But the joy at overhearing the number of fan
letters pouring in - and this was December, 1986, before "Don't Let's
Start" changed the future of TMBG and the label forever - helped
persuade me to purchase the debut record. And I never regretted it.
Back to today - or in this case, the late 1980s - They played
19 of their "classics" including "Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet
Head", "Purple Toupee" and "Ana Ng" along with more obscure tracks
"I'll Sink Manhattan" and the ever-popular "The Famous Polka". The
ode to Paul Westerberg, "We're The Replacements", was performed
during the second set with the full band. Curiously, two of their bigger
songs - "They'll Need A Crane" and the song which catapulted them
to success, "Don't Let's Start" - were omitted altogether from the
show. But if the audience's response was any indicator, most of the
fans preferred seeing the older material which would likely never
be performed live again.
The second set opened with the Johns joining the
remainder of their band and primarily playing songs from their
last 3 (Elektra) albums. The tip of the hat to the disco era
("S-E-X-X-Y"), the trio of big modern rock hits from _Flood_ -
"Birdhouse In Your Soul", "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", and
"Twisting", and the salute to the 19th century president "James
K. Polk", complete with cannon and confetti, encouraged their fans
to dance in a wild, happy, frenzy.
The band which has refused to stand still during their nearly
fifteen years of performing turned yet another twist at the end
of their set. "Spy", a B-side from "Why Does The Sun Shine?", turned
out to be their closing song. The music obviously echoes the
spirit of James Bond or any 1960's spy show, but an extended, nearly
ten minute version of this song closed with a quick fade-in to
"I Am Not Your Broom". An unusual closing to an incredible evening.
A look back and a look ahead from They Might Be Giants.
If back in 1986, anyone would have predicted two guys from Brooklyn
with an accordion and a backing tape would be performing ten years
later to a sold out show at Irving Plaza, they would have been called
crazy. Maybe things work out right after all.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Soul Coughing, Knoxville, TN, February 26, 1997
- Lang Whitaker
The signs plastered all over the entrance to the Bijou
Theatre didn't know what they were asking for. They simply read
"ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING ALLOWED IN THEATRE". However, someone
obviously forgot to point this out to Soul Coughing, who burned
the joint down on Wednesday night.
Playing to a full house in the antiquated venue, Soul
Coughing showed why they are considered one of the top live bands
around today. If you've never heard the music of Soul Coughing,
well, I'm sorry. Soul Coughing is to music what a casserole is
to the four food groups. To make Soul Coughing casserole, take
elements of rap, hip-hop, jungle, surf guitar, pop, techno, beat
poetry, and jazz, stir in a liberal amount of unbridled funk and
fury, toss in a few chunks of potatoes, and bring it to a rolling
boil.
Drawing equally from their two albums, _Ruby Vroom_ and
the newer _Irresistible Bliss_, the band was clearly in the groove.
Opening the set with "Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago" and then heading
directly into "White Girl", drummer Yuval Gabay set an early
standard for the rest of the band, as he pounded out rigorous beats
with ease. Upright bassist Sebastian Steinberg plunked along with
with vigor, and sampling master M'ark De Gli Antoni sprinkled in
abstract noises to fill in the gaps.
The real treat of seeing Soul Coughing live is watching
front man M. Doughty. Though his appearance is borders on ghastly,
his stage presence more than covers for any physical inadequacies.
Doughty pranced around like a panther as the band played songs back
to back to back, stopping only when De Gli Antoni's tape drive
hiccuped during the sampled Raymond Scott intro to "Disseminated"
and temporarily silenced everything. Seizing the moment, Gabay and
Steinberg filled the lull with "Walk of the Baby Elephant" as
Doughty danced in circles until De Gli Antoni's Syquest drive
had recovered.
Reaching the end of the set, Soul Coughing played their
trump card, their current hit single "Super Bon Bon". The frenzied
crowd went to an even higher level. Doughty turned the chorus of
"Move a-side and let the man go through" into a call and response
with willing audience, as they eventually drowned out the band.
As the band sauntered off stage and the whipped crowd filed
out, by looking into the stage light rig, a visible smoke cloud
hovered - the result of an explosion of sound and vibe that left
no one in the house untouched.
---
REVIEW: Lisa Cerbone, _Mercy_ (Ichiban)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Little treasures are hidden everywhere if you can
find them. Lisa Cerbone's _Mercy_ is certainly one of those
chests full of glowing jewels. The 12 gems on this album are
tender glimpses of life at its most delicate moments. Cerbone
writes of the tenuous bonds in relationships and paints them on
a musical background that ranges from fragile to writhing.
The title track, "Mercy", captures all of the album's
various moods. The main character is a women who looks back on
a past pregnancy. It starts quietly with the fetal heartbeat of
an unborn child (the producer's) and slowly grows into an expanding,
moving groove. Cerbone sings, "When she walks across the street /
they push right past her / can't see what she's seen / they don't
know that her hands have touched inside the earth / felt a heart
start and stop beating."
"Mercy" is typical of the entire album. Cerbone's
narratives are seductive in their honesty. Her degree in English
serves her well since each lyric could stand on its own without
music behind it. In "Passing This Train", she writes, "I was
always scared of you / and today I still am too. / We're from
haunted houses / We've got haunted hearts / and everytime I walk
through yours / I just get lost in the dark." Cerbone approaches
each story from the perspective of a tiny but defining spot in
someone's relationship with the world. In the space of a song,
she gives just enough of a glimpse for you to capture the big
picture.
Vocally, Cerbone is enticing. Her voice is quiet and
expressive without losing itself into airy nothingness.
Producer Edd Miller has helped the band create a near perfect
recording. The sound is crisp and fluid, and _Mercy_ nearly
sounds as if it were recorded live. The style of music ranges
from Cerbone backed only by guitar and piano to a full band with
acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums, synthesizer, and
strings.
Only one track, "Between Hi and Good-bye", fails to
live up to its peers. Lyrically, the song holds its own, but
the strange harmonies and synthesizer aren't very easy on the
ears. Still, your mileage may vary. Besides, one average song
mixed in with 11 terrific tracks isn't too bad.
_Mercy_ is worth buying on the strength of just one song,
"Places of My Dreams". It features Cerbone on acoustic guitar
with Don Conoscenti backing her up on recorder. In the song,
Cerbone, herself a young woman, vividly captures the essence of
a naval veteran going through his old things: a crumbling uniform,
a picture of his old best friend, and his artwork collecting
dust. "Places of My Dreams" is the last track on _Mercy_, and
it never fails to make me want to press repeat.
I get goose bumps from albums like _Mercy_. They're my
personal favorites. Now I have to make a little more space on my
CD rack next to 10,000 Maniacs (now just Ms. Merchant), Suzanne
Vega, Ani DiFranco, The Sundays, The Katydids, The Story, The
Innocence Mission, Sarah McLachlan, Blake Babies (now just Ms.
Hatfield), and... well, you get the point. What started out
being a tiny niche has turned out to be a major part of my
collection. Lisa Cerbone has started me wondering when my luck
will run out. How many more incredible female songwriters are
out there? Well, I suppose I'll enjoy this treasure while I can.
For lyrics, pictures, concert dates, and sound clips of
Lisa Cerbone, point your browser to http://www.hidwater.com/cerbone/
---
REVIEW: Sister Hazel, _...Somewhere More Familiar_ (Universal)
- Daniel Aloi
Earnest, feel-good acoustic-based rock bands being a dime
a dozen these days (see Gin Blossoms, Hootie, Badlees, etc. etc.),
what sets Gainesville, Florida outfit Sister Hazel apart is the
spirited diversity they bring to their second album.
Originally self-released (it's sold nearly 10,000 copies
since September; following a 9,000-selling indie debut),
_...Somewhere More Familiar_ has been remixed and remastered by
Universal Records for national release. An advance cassette puts
the band's strengths and weaknesses in stark relief - the melodies,
hooks and harmonies are catchy, but the mixes are uneven (drums
too far in front in places) and a few of the songs are enjoyable
but ineffectual also-rans. And a subtle but creeping Doobie
Brothers influence doesn't help. That said, there's still much
to recommend them.
First, their intentions are noble - they're named for a
well-known rescue missionary who serves the greater good in their
hometown. Second, their music is fine, inoffensive ear candy - they
sound very much like a southern version of Barenaked Ladies,
particularly in the vocals and arrangements, and they're adept
enough at finding the right groove (earning a favorable comparison
to God Street Wine; that should get them onto some Deadhead Summer
mix tapes).
The band's original core, the acoustic guitar duo of
songwriter Ken Block and singer Andrew Copeland, are ably aided
by bassist Jeff Beres and drummer Mark Trojanowski laying down
hippie-rock dancing rhythms that don't bely the songs' southern
rock and folk influences, the latter hinted at with keyboards.
There's no reason that Sister Hazel's typically upbeat
songs like "Happy," "Superman" or "Cerilene" (we can always use
more girls' names for song titles) couldn't be radio hits. A
self-released single, "All For You," has already charted on
several southern stations. With a larger label behind them now,
they should do just fine on a national level. At least until the
next Gin Blossoms album comes out.
---
INTERVIEW: The Urchins
- Al Muzer
"Nineteen-ninety-seven will be remembered as the year
of the Urchins!" proclaims bassist Andy Gesner with a mixture
of self-deprecation and earnest conviction during a phone call
a few days before the band's scheduled interview.
"There's a feeling in the air, an energy when we get together,
that's almost electric," he continues. "The addition of Dave and Amy
seem to've recharged the band and we're all very excited about the way
the Urchins 'feel' again."
"Dave" is new Urchins drummer Dave Harman (ex-Swing Set),
who replaced longtime Urchin Dave Reynolds; while "Amy" would be
guitarist/vocalist Amy Jacob (ex- Ex-Vegas), who first appeared as
a guest vocalist on 1995s, _Yummy_, before joining Gesner, guitarist
Albie Connelly and vocalist Karen Bradbury as a full-time Urchin last
year.
Touted as a potential New Jersey "break out" band in the wake
of their outstanding 13-song CD - the first single, "I'd Like To See
You," looked like a sure ticket to bigger and better things for the
group when it began receiving extensive local airplay in the summer
of '95.
A delicious slice of murderous angst, the song (co-written by
_Yummy_ producer Jody "Shonen Knife" Gray) pitted a deceptively sweet
melody, lonely harmonica and heartbroken vocals against a macabre
account of a spurned lovers' desire for bloody revenge - and did so
long before The Murmurs voiced similar sentiments on the not-quite-
as-catchy, but much more successful, "You Suck."
Regrouped and still in the running nearly two years later, the
babble of voices on the phone a few days after Gesner's initial call
supports his claim of a "recharged" band.
"We're on our way to rehearsal," laughs the bassist as he
attempts to patch a few phones together amidst a din of one-liners,
jokes, loud crashes and competing voices, "so we may be a bit, uhm,
amped."
"Hello? Hello? 'Year of the Urchins interview?' Albie here,"
chuckles Connelly. "Seriously, though, it very well could be our
year, you know? Everything seems to be moving in a very positive
direction for us right now, and there's a lot of good stuff happening
for the group."
"A few songs from _Yummy_ are being used in Pat (Happy Days
and The Karate Kid) Morita's new movie, Earth Minus Zero," interjects
Gesner with but one example. "That'll be in the theaters in March."
"Don't forget that woman (Marcia Strassman) who was the wife in
Welcome Back Kotter," adds Jacob, "she's in the movie, too."
"You know," says Bradbury after a brief pause, "Amy and Dave
seem to've added a shot of something to the band. There's a lot more
fullness and a much bigger sound coming from the stage now. We're a
much tougher sounding group than we've ever been."
"More sonically bruising than ever," laughs Gesner.
"I've pretty much always thought of myself as 'the lost'
Urchin anyway," jokes Jacob, "so joining the group was an easy
transition for me. I knew the songs and was already friends with
everyone. It was a fairly painless decision all around."
"Amy and I are starting to write together more and we're
really locking into a tight vocal sound," comments Bradbury.
"And Albie and I are really beginning to mesh perfectly with
our guitars," adds Jacob. "There's a pretty good chemistry going on
in this band."
"Actually, we're finally beginning to realize our full
potential as a group," offers Connelly. "We haven't changed our
musical direction - so much as we've all come closer to realizing
what we can achieve as a band."
"It's 'The Year of the Urchin'," laugh Gesner and Jacob in
unison before the band heads down to Andy's basement to make some
noise and dream a little.
---
REVIEW: Crumbox, _Resident Double U_ (Time Bomb)
- Daniel Aloi
An L.A.-based indie rock band, Crumbox has a Chapel
Hill-bred postpunk sound, thanks to North Carolina transplant
Scott Bradford on vocals and guitar. Bradford's playing gives
the songs a driving melodic edge that smarts, and his voice has
a joyous immediacy that's impossible to fake - the end result
being you want to sing along on every line and every chorus until
your throat hurts. It's a wonderful racket, the kind of music I
wish I had as a teen-ager to crank in my room. And you gotta love
a band with song titles like "Sharon Tate," "Larry Tate" and
"Could You Focus, Please?"
Crumbox also includes Frank Consulo (Gringo Star) on bass
and vocals, and founding brothers Rich and Rob Wellerstein on
guitar and drums. Together with Bradford, their playing is in the
pocket, with fast pop hooks and hard-working, anthemic, opinionated
rock'n'roll a la the Goo Goo Dolls and Too Much Joy. _Resident
Double U,_ produced with Mark Trombino of Drive Like Jehu, is a
fine debut album. The closing cut, slow, emotional and sensitive,
is "Grief and Sorrow," proof that you don't need to crank the
guitars to put a song across.
This band has paid its indie dues and begs attention
beyond the L.A. scene. They've been on an IRS Six-Sided Single,
and Catapult released a 7-incher in 1995 of "You Bought Sound,"
included here in a new version. They've opened for Archers of
Loaf, the Mieces, Sammy, Toadies and Chune. Look for them on tour
in clubs across the country this year. And feel free to shout along.
Time Bom Recordings can be reached at 219 Broadway #519,
Laguna Beach, CA 92651 and on the web at http://www.timebombrecordings.com
---
REVIEW: Handsome, _Handsome_ (Epic)
- Simon Speichert
This is the kind of stuff I want to hear topping the charts.
Melodic, yet heavy, hard rock. You know, the stuff that radio and video
stations don't play. I'm talking specifically about Handsome, a New
York-based hard rock quintet who've just released their debut album for
Epic.
I've been wondering what's been going on in New York for a while,
because most of the mainstream stuff has come out of the West Coast. Well,
if this is only one band, I encourage record companies to sign more East
Coast bands and get us some more good music!
Handsome's self-titled debut is a true work of art. I'm sure
both metal and alternative fans will like this. The album has 12 tracks
and was produced by the band along with Terry Date. Some of the more
outstanding tracks are first single/video "Needles" (watch for that video
soon), "Dim The Lights", "Waiting", and "Swimming".
Along with all the great music on the CD, there is an added bonus:
an interactive CD-ROM section. The interactive portion lets you check out
video interviews with the band, read lyrics as you listen to the CD
tracks, and hear the b-side "Closer".
All in all, Handsome's debut CD is a great offering from a great
new band, who, I expect, you'll be hearing more from in the future. So, if
you're sick of today's Top 40 music and want an alternative to
alternative, check it out.
---
REVIEW: Stina Nordenstam, _Dynamite_ (East/West Europe)
- Tim Mohr
If you have never heard, or heard of, this perplexing
Swedish waif, _Dynamite_ is the record that makes doing so
mandatory. Her third record is - finally - a perfect vehicle
for her haunting voice.
Freed of the sometimes cluttered arrangements that
shackled _Memories of a Colour_ and _And She Closed Her Eyes_,
Stina focuses all the new songs on her own electric guitar and
vocals.
"Unique" would be understating Stina's voice: the high,
child-like pitch arrives in different waves - breathy, dreamy and
undulating. Comparisons to the Cranes' Allison Shaw are useful but
not definitive, as would be weird concepts such as Tanya Donnelly
or Juliana Hatfield's vocal chords on death row (the place of
retribution, not the record label).
In any event, once heard, never forgotten - and that
was true even with those unfortunate keyboard and clarinet
flourishes on the first two albums. But _Dynamite_ is impeccably
tasteful in this department, though the result also permits her
lyrical bleakness to permeate the atmosphere more completely.
"A thing you said once/made me wonder/What can go away
as fast as love/First the light/and then the thunder/I've been up
all night and I got it now...Dynamite...All day I/did things
slowly/Walked in circles around your home/I had something to add/
to the things you showed me/I've got it here underneath my coat...
Dynamite."
The rough electric guitar strumming, complemented with
some bass and occasional drums provide a foil to the naked rage
while bolstering the melancholic passages more effectively than a
lonely acoustic guitar could.
A record of bitter though controlled songs that will have
your spine tingling more quickly even than the Arctic breeze that
must have buffeted Stina as she wrote and recorded it.
For a taste of Stina's voice, a track from her second
album, "Little Stars," is included on the soundtrack to _Romeo
And Juliet_, alongside two other excellent Swedish bands, the
Cardigans and the Wannadies.
---
NEWS: > The Brazilian alternative rock band Nameless is now on the
Web at http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/2550/english.html
> Cravin' Melon will have their March 11 concert (from Orlando, FL)
broadcast live on the Internet. Check out
http://www.polygram-us.com/cybervenue for more information.
> On March 18, 1996 at 4:00 p.m. E.S.T., Irving Plaza Productions
will begin all day coverage of its Erasure concert, beginning with the
band's soundcheck, followed by an on-line chat with Vince Clarke and
Andy Bell, and concluding with a broadcast of the evening's sold out
concert. For further information, check out the hall's website at
http://www.irvingplaza.com
> The Foo Fighters announced that drummer William Goldsmith has
left the band to "pursue a variety of other musical interests." No
replacement for Goldsmith has been named. The second Foo Fighters
album, tentatively titled _The Colour & The Shape_, is slated for
a May 20th release
> Board AID 4 LIFEbeat, the snowboarding and
skiing event to educate about safe sex and HIV/AIDS, will
have A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, Hed, Voodoo
Glow Skulls, Chixdiggit and Blink, among others,
performing at this year's event on March 14-15 at Big Bear
Ski Resort in Big Bear, California.
> There is a Mazzy Star webpage on the Internet at
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Alley/7707
> Oasis has already recorded two new cover songs for
B-sides for their forthcoming third album. These include a
version of the Beatles' "Helter Skelter" and David Bowie's "Heroes".
In addition, Oasis are likely to be one of the bands opening
for U2's _Pop_ tour this summer.
> There are two new web sites for Martin Phillipps and the
Chills. One is based in the U.K. (http://www.btinternet.com/~chills)
and one in the U.S. (http://www.mindspring.com/~michellea/chills.htm).
Each site will collaborate with each other, while also having
information specific to its part of the world. Both sites are
supported by the band's management and by Flying Nun Records.
---
TOUR DATES:
Archers of Loaf / Engine 88/ Knapsack / Peppercorn
Mar. 12 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club
Mar. 13 Hattiesburg, MS Blues Ally
Mar. 15 Austin, TX Electric Lounge
Mar. 17 Columbia, MO Blue Note
Mar. 18 St. Louis, MO Washington Univ.
Mar. 19 Bloomington, IN Second Story
Mar. 20 Louisville, KY Toy Tiger
Baby Fox
Mar. 13 Austin, TX Bob Popular (w/Ovum)
Mar. 14 San Francisco, CA Club 105
Mar. 16 Los Angeles, CA Viper Room
Mar. 19 Chicago, IL Dome Room
Bloodhound Gang
Mar. 10 Colorado Springs, CO Gigs
Mar. 11 Denver, CO Bluebird
Mar. 12 Salt Lake City, UT DV-8
Mar. 14 Seattle, WA RKCNDY
Mar. 15 Portland, OR La Luna
Mar. 17 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill
Mar. 19 Los Angeles, CA Roxy
Mar. 20 Las Vegas, NV Huntridge Theatre
Breeders
Mar. 12 Dayton, OH Aardvarks
Mar. 14 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
Mar. 15 New London El 'N' Gee
Mar. 16 State College, PA The Crowbar
Mar. 19 New York City, NY Irving Plaza
Mar. 20 Baltimore, MD Fletchers
Camber
Mar. 12 Austin, TX Babe's
Lisa Cerbone
Mar. 11 Staunton, VA Mary Baldwin College
Mar. 14 Chestertown, MD Andy's
Shawn Colvin / Freedy Johnston
Mar. 9 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall
Mar. 11 Raleigh, NC Ritz
Mar. 12 Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
Mar. 14-15 Atlanta, GA Variety Theatre
Mar. 17 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
Mar. 18 Louisville, KY Kentucky Center for the Arts
Mar. 19 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre
Mar. 20 Detroit, MI Royal Oak
Cordelia's Dad
Mar. 13 Vancouver, BC Rogue Folk Club
Mar. 14 Duncan, BC Cowichan Folk Guild
Mar. 15 Nelson, BC Utopia
Mar. 16 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
Mar. 17 Olympia, WA Traditions Cafe
Cottonmouth
Mar. 10 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Mar. 13 Austin, TX Atomic Cafe
Coward / Gravel Pit
Mar. 11 Tampa, FL The Rubb
Mar. 18 Chicago, IL Schuba's
Mar. 20 Detroit, MI The Shelter
Cravin' Melon
Mar. 11 Orlando, FL NARM
Mar. 13 Savannah, GA Southeast Music Hall
Mar. 14-15 Isle Of Palms, SC Windjammer
Mar. 19 Washington, DC Bayou
Mar. 20 Norfolk, VA Friar Tucks
Crown Heights
Mar. 11 Chapel Hill, NC Lizard and Snake
Mar. 12 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club
Mar. 15 Athens, TX SXSW Electric Lounge
Mar. 18 Lawrence, KS Replay Lounge
Mar. 20 St. Louis, MO Side Door
Descendants
Mar. 11 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
Mar. 12 Dallas, TX Deep Ellum Live
Mar. 13 Houston, TX The Abyss
Mar. 14 New Orleans, LA Rendon Inn
Mar. 16 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
Mar. 17 Ft. Lauderdale, FL The Edge
Mar. 18 Orlando, FL Club At Firestone
Mar. 20 Jacksonville,FL Milk Bar
Donovan
Mar. 10 Boston, MA Berklee School of Music
Mar. 12 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
Mar. 14 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Theatre
Mar. 16 Chicago, IL Park West
Mar. 18 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Mar. 20 Boulder, CO Boulder Theatre
Drywall
Mar. 14 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
Mar. 15 San Juan Capistrano, CA Coachouse
Jason Falkner
Mar. 18-22 Paris, FR Chesterfield Cafe
Mary Ann Farley
Mar. 15 Hackettstown, NJ Sound Effects (In-Store)
Valerie Ghent
Mar. 12 New York, NY CB's Gallery
Goldfinger / Reel Big Fish
Mar. 14 Austin, TX Backroom
Mar. 15 Big Bear, CA Board Aid
Hazies
Mar. 10 New Orleans, LA Tipitina's
Mar. 11 Nashville, TN Hard Rock Cafe
Mar. 13 Florence, SC Shooters
Mar. 14 Spartanburg, SC Magnolia Street Pub
Mar. 15 Asheville, NC Cinjade's
Mar. 17 Baltimore, MD Fletchers
Mar. 19 Bethlehem, PA Lupos
Mar. 20 Columbus, OH Chelsie's
Mar. 21 Toledo, OH Carol's
Mar. 22 Sharon, PA Hot Rod Cafe
H2O
Mar. 9 Providence, RI Lupo's
Dave Hawkins
Mar. 15, 17 Grandview, OH Byrnes Pub
Hoarse
Mar. 13 Austin, TX Coppertalk
Humble Gods
Mar. 13 Los Angeles, CA The Whisky (with Manhole, Dial 7)
Mar. 15 Riverside, CA Barn UC Riverside
Humpers
Mar. 12 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Squeeze
Mar. 13 Tallahassee, FL Cow Haus
Mar. 14 Pensacola, FL Sluggo's
Mar. 15 New Orleans, LA Monaco Bob's
Mar. 18 Houston, TX Emo's
Mar. 19 Dallas, TX Orbit Room
Mar. 20 San Antonio, TX Green Onion Lounge
I'M'L
Mar. 14 Farmingdale, NY Tommyknockers
Irving Plaza (New York Concert Hall - http://www.irvingplaza.com)
Mar. 12 Cranes / Rasputina
Mar. 17 Black 47 / Great Big Sea
Mar. 19 Breeders
Mar. 20 Spring Heel Jack
Jewel
Mar. 10-11 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Mar. 12 Cleveland, OH Lakewood Civic
Mar. 14 Indianapolis, IN Murat Theatre
Mar. 15 Columbus, OH Palace Theatre
Mar. 16 Detroit, MI State Theatre
Mar. 18 Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre
Mar. 20 Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre
Lizard Music
Mar. 8 Chicago, IL Big Horse
Mar. 10 Little Rock, AR Vino's
Mar. 11 Fayetteville, AR JR's
Luciano
Mar. 9 Norfolk, VA Bait Shack
Mar. 12 Jacksonville, FL Milk Bar
Mar. 13 Tampa, FL Fireman's Hall
Mar. 14 Atlanta, GA Atrium
Mar. 15 Orlando, FL In Effect Nightclub
Mar. 16 Fort Lauderdale, FL CB Smith Park
Mar. 19 Philadelphia, PA Maui
Mar. 20 Ottawa, ON Grand Central Bar
John Mellencamp / The Why Store
March 10, 12, 13 Detroit, MI The Fox Theater
March 16-18 Wallingford, CT Oakdale Theater
Melvins
Mar. 10 Austin, TX Music Hall
Mar. 11 San Antonio, TX Live Oak Civic Center
Mar. 14 Albuquerque, NM Convention Center
Mar. 16 San Diego, CA RaMac Gym
Mar. 17 Los Angeles, CA Whiskey
Metallica / Corrosion of Conformity
Mar. 10-11 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Nancy Boy
Mar. 8 Glasgow, Scottland SECC
Mar. 9 Belfast, Ireland Waterfront Theater
Mar. 10 Dublin, Ireland The Point
Mar. 12 Cardiff, UK International Arena
Mar. 14 Sheffield, UK Sheffield Arena
Mar. 15 Manchester, UK NYNEX
Mar. 16 Bournemouth, UK BIC
Mar. 18 Birmingham, UK NEC
Mar. 19-20 London, UK Wembley Arena
Odds
Mar. 10 London, ON The Wave
Mar. 11 Hamilton, Canada McMaster University
Mar. 13 Cincinnati, OH Ripley's
Mar. 14 Pontiac, MI 7th House
Mar. 15 Chicago, IL Double Door
Mar. 16 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe
Mar. 18 Winnipeg, PG Le Rendezvous
Mar. 19 Regina, Canada Hanbidge Hall
Mar. 20 Edmonton, AB Dinwoodie Lounge/Univ. of Alberta
Orange 9MM
Mar. 12 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Mar. 13 Burlington, VT Club Toast
Mar. 14 Philadelphia, PA Unitarian Church
Mar. 15 New Haven, CT Tune Inn
Mar. 16 Rochester, NY Water Street
Mar. 17 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Mar. 19 Detroit, MI Shelter
Mar. 20 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's
Plexi
Mar. 9 Jacksonville, FL Moto-Lounge
Mar. 11 Miami, FL Rose's
Mar. 12 Orlando, FL Sapphire Supper Club
Mar. 13 Tampa, FL Frankie's
Mar. 14 Tallahassee, FL Cow Haus
Mar. 15 Pensacola, FL Sluggo's
Mar. 18 Memphis, TN Barrister's
Mar. 20 Dallas, TX Orbit Room
Professor & Maryann
Mar. 14 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Rasputina / Cranes
Mar. 9 Baltimore, MD 8x10
Mar. 11 Philadelphia, PA TLA
Mar. 12 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Mar. 14 Washington, DC 930
Mar. 15 Boston, MA Axis
Mar. 17 Montreal, QC Club Soda
Mar. 18 Toronto, ON Opera House
Mar. 20 Cleveland, OH Peabody's Down Under
Reel Big Fish
Mar. 14 Austin, TX Backroom
Samples / Stir
Mar. 11 Birmingham, AL Zydeco
Mar. 13 Tulsa, OK Cain's
Mar. 14 Lawrence, KS Granada Theatre
Duncan Sheik / Jill Sobule
Mar. 13 Providence, RI Met Cafe
Mar. 14 Boston, MA Paradise
Mar. 15 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
Mar. 16 Philadelphia, PA TLA
Mar. 18 Alexandria, VA Birchmere
Mar. 19 New York, NY Supper Club
Sick of It All
Mar. 11 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit
Mar. 12 Austin, TX Emo's
Mar. 13 Kansas City, KS The Outhouse
Mar. 15 Salt Lake City, UT New Hope Center
Mar. 17 Seattle, WA RCKNDY
Mar. 18 Portland, OR La Luna
Mar. 19 San Francisco, CA Slim's
Mar. 20-21 Los Angeles, CA The Whisky
Sister Hazel
Mar. 12 Greenville, SC Handle Bar
Mar. 13 Savannah, GA Great Southeast Music Hall
Mar. 14 Charlotte, NC Amos'
Mar. 15 Knoxville, TN Amsterdam Cafe
Mar. 16 Nashville, TN 3rd & Lindsley
Mar. 20 Columbia, SC Rockafella's
Sno-Core (incl. face to Face, Pharcyde, Voodoo Glow Skulls)
Mar. 12 Anchorage,AK Egan Center
Mar. 14 Big Bear,CA Big Bear Convention Center
Space
Mar. 11 Chicago, IL The Metro
Mar. 13 Detroit, MI The Shelter
Mar. 14 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection
Mar. 15 Cincinnati, OH Top Cats
Mar. 16 Cleveland, OH Peabody's
Sweet Vine
Mar. 10 Boise, ID Blues Bouquet
Mar. 11 Salt Lake City, UT Zephyr
Mar. 13 Austin, TX Stubb's (SXSW)
Mar. 15 Houston, TX Rockefeller's (w/Chris Duarte)
They Might Be Giants
Mar. 10 Seattle, WA Show Box Theatre
Mar. 11 Portland, OR La Luna
Mar. 13 Palo Alto, CA The Edge
Mar. 18 Brisbane, AUS The Roxy
Mar. 20 Adelaide, AUS The Palace
Thin Lizard Dawn
Mar. 13 Austin, TX Babe's
Jeremy Toback
Mar. 15 Austin, TX Club Deville
Tool / Melvins
Mar. 9 San Antonio, TX Live Oak
Mar. 11 Las Cruces, NM Pan American
Mar. 13 San Diego, CA RaMac Gym
Treble Charger
Mar. 13 Austin, TX Babe's
Urchins
Mar. 11 New Brunswick, NJ Harvest Moon
Urge
Mar. 9 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street
Mar. 10 Des Moines, IA Safari
Mar. 11 Warrensburg, MO Bodies
Mar. 12 Springfield, MO Juke Joint
Mar. 13 Chicago, IL House of Blues
Mar. 15 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop
Mar. 20 New York, NY Coney Island High
Ben Vaughn
Mar. 13-14 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Volebeats
Mar. 13 Austin, TX Crystal Ballroom
White Courtesy Telephone
Mar. 8 New York, NY Continental
---
ERRATA: Reader Todd B. noticed that it was the Kronos Quartet, not
the Brodsky, who covered "Purple Haze". Apologies for the mixup.
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Lisa B. from Parasol Records (the label who worked with
Jyoti Mishra, the driving force behind White Town), writes in that:
"Parasol originally released "Abort, Retry, Fail" (the E.P. which
spawned "Your Woman") as a $3.25 CDEP last summer. The rights went
to EMI as soon as Jyoti signed in December 1996. Prior to that
month the CDEP was only available in the UK as an import from
Parasol. In fact, it was one of these copies that
was played to death on the radio
Parasol will hopefully be re-releasing the first CD as
well as the singles pending an agreement for back catalog rights.
Jyoti's going to bat for us.
Anyone wishing to contact Parasol by e-mail can do so
at parasol@cu-online.com.
---
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