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==== ISSUE 122 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [September 24, 1997]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gaj@westnet.com
Sr. Correspondents: Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren,
Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva
Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Tracey Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges,
Scott Byron, Patrick Carmosino, Janet Herman,
Bill Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer,
Stephen Lin, Scott Miller, Linda Scott,
Scott Slonaker, Simon Speichert, Jon
Steltenpohl, Simon West, Lang Whitaker
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann
Also Contributing: Tym Altman, David Savage, Ron Singer
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gaj@westnet.com
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
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| Contents |
`------------'
INTERVIEW: Refreshments - Al Muzer
CONCERT REVIEW: Moby - Robin Lapid
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac, _The Dance_ - Eric Hsu
CONCERT REVIEW: Morrissey - Patrick Carmosino
TEASER: The Verve - Tracey Bleile
REVIEW: Various, _Take Warning The Songs of Operation Ivy_ - Eric Hsu
INTERVIEW: Fish - Tym Altman and Ron Singer
REVIEW: Catherine Wheel, _Adam and Eve_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Hoodlum_ - Lang Whitaker
SCANDANAVIAN AND SWEDISH MUSIC REVIEWS: Den Fule, _Quake_ / Hedningarna,
_Hippjokk_ / Hoven Droven, _Groove_ / Vasen, _Spirit_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Jeremy Toback, _Perfect Flux Thing_ - Scott A. Miller
REVIEW: Powerman 5000, _Mega! Kung Fu Radio_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Insane Clown Posse, _The Great Milenko_ - David Savage
REVIEW: Future Bible Heroes, "Lonely Days" - Joe Silva
CONTEST WINNERS
NEWS: Ben Folds Five, London Suede, Music Database, Rolling Stones,
Shonen Knife
TOUR DATES: Bailter Space / Sunday Puncher, Better Than Ezra, David
Bowie, Billy Bragg, Alana Davis, Chris Duarte, Emerson, Lake &
Palmer, Foo Fighters , (hed) p.e., Irving Plaza , Luna, Ziggy
Marley & Melody Makers, Old 97s, Pantera / Coal Chamber / Machine
Head, Promise Ring / Compound Red, Samples, Shootyz Groove / Tree, Ween
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Refreshments
- Al Muzer
'You steer the wheel and I'll roll the bones', moans
Refreshments singer/songwriter Roger Clyne midway through "Fonder
And Blonder," one of the best on-the-road-to-anywhere-(but-here)
songs ever written.
Just one of the beer-, pot- and tequila-soaked bar-stool
stories that color the Tempe, Arizona-based four-piece's second
Mercury Records release, _The Bottle & Fresh Horses_ ; the song, as
is the case with most of the group's free-wheelin' lyrics, has
more to do with beer, bad relationships, Mexico, fear, more beer,
escape and lazy afternoons fishing than it does with changing the
world or changing your mind.
Kicking the new disc off with "Tributary Otis," a potential
hit single brimming with shimmering pop hooks and a propulsive,
steering wheel-pounding beat; Clyne, guitarist/songwriter/vocalist
Brian Blush, drummer Paul Naffah and bassist Arthur "Buddy" Edwards
III hook you early and hook you often with 13 rootsy, rollicking,
reflective tales that range from the exuberant bar band bluster of
"Buy American," to a "Banditos"-meets-"La Bamba" rave-up called
"Wanted," to the Cheap Trick-in-overdrive roar of "Good Year."
Focusing on far-off horizons and that sad-eyed girl in the rear-view
mirror, the songs on The Bottle & Fresh Horses are some of the
finest examples of story-telling escapism to come along since
Creedence Clearwater floated down John Fogerty's imaginary bayou
way back when.
A consistently first-rate effort and an outstanding followup
to last year's _Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy_ ; Brian Blush was more than
enthusiastic about the group's latest release when we caught up with
him recently:
C: My compliments to you and the band. You've side-stepped the
old sophomore jinx and've come up with a strong second album. Was
there pressure on the group when you went into the studio to record
the album?
Brian: Thanks! We're really proud of the record - although it
is a bit of a departure from where we were before. We were a little
worried about how this album would be received. It's a little closer
look at the band as people.
Despite a lot of things that didn't exist when we recorded
the first album, we were lucky and got to make the second record we
wanted to make. The sophomore release is supposed to be a difficult
record. But, it's especially difficult if the first album actually
enjoyed a little success. People seem to be looking for a degree of
growth and maturity from the band but, at the same time, I don't
think they want too much of a departure from the 'formula' that made
the band a success in the first place. It's a really fine line to have
to balance.
We spent so much time out on the road after we released the
first album that we had no choice but to be a better band on this one.
C: You actually spent most of last year on tour, did life on
the bus bring the group closer together?
B: I've found that you really do tend to develop a sense of
ESP between band members after you've spent time together on tour.
There's always been a really strong chemistry between the four of us
that, for whatever reason, has worked from the git-go. We all sort'a
wound up in the same basement on the same night and things just
'clicked' for us.
C: There's a certain crispness and openness to your songs; do
the band's Arizona roots factor heavily in your sound?
B: I really don't know exactly what it is about the geographic
location of this place that has such an effect on the bands [Meat Puppets,
Gin Blossoms] who call the state home. I really don't know why, or
how, the area influences us the way it does - but, there really does
seem to be something unexplainable about this area of the world that
translates into a certain sound.
I dunno, though - maybe it's just that our brains are totally
baked from all that heat.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Moby at Big Top, Oakland Events Center
- Robin Lapid
Question: When can you tell you're at a good show?
Answer: You can tell you're at a good show when, if you were
distracted enough from the moment to notice (and you never are), you
realize that you and the audience are One in agreement and joy.
Joy being the operative word at a Moby show. It's
practically a mantra between songs ("this is another song I hope makes
you want to explode with joy..."). And the sheer energy Moby creates
alone can make a believer out of anyone. Even as I am a new fan of
electronica, it didn't take a love of the genre so much as a
willingness to experience joy in music and dancing, which *everyone*
did.
Touring with fellow dance acts from 808 State to BT,
Moby's 1 a.m. set at the U.S. Big Top tour was easily the
most-anticipated reward of the night. Dressed in a "Vegan"
t-shirt, Moby greeted the eager crowd with a polite introduction
and quickly launched into an all electronic-dance set. Backed by
a guitarist, drummer, and percussionist, he jumped back and forth
and off of drums, keyboards and bongos set up on either side of
him, pausing center-stage only to scream out in time with his own
music. Moby, the outspoken animal-rights activist and self-professed
"Christ-liker," was like Henry Rollins inhabiting the small frame of
this disco ball of energy - it's hard to believe that this is the
same person people confine solely to the role of "techno musician."
The music, like the man and performer, is not something you
can pigeonhole. The 45-minute set, which covered old, new and
unreleased remixes (from "Go" to "Feeling So Real" to "Drop A Beat"),
was a cohesive fusion of styles, mixing industrial-flavored disco
music with rock and punk and techno. But it was more like a fusion
of moods and emotions; anger, joy, energy, release. And what Moby
gave, the audience gave back. He repeatedly shouted, "Lift your
hands to heaven!" and the crowd responded like it was some sort of
otherworldly rave/revival where everyone is speaking in tongues but
expressing it in dancing and movement.
Listen to albums like _Everything Is Wrong_ and _Animal
Rights_, and you'll know that Moby never takes a middle-of-the-road
approach. Musically, he always hits the extremes, focussing his
energy on an emotion or mood until he hits ground zero. And his live
show is an entity in itself. Despite having to apologize for the bad
lighting ("we can't see anything up here") and the high ticket
prices, Moby's performance made up for everything lacking in logistics.
It was a relentless show that never let up, heavy on pounding beats and
rhythmic bursts of drums and voice. The combined energy was expressive
and intense, the kind where you wonder afterward, "gee, we really did
explode with joy." You don't really expect to find too much of that at
raves in America these days, or at concerts in general. It's not even a
concert so much as it is an experience, and that's probably the best
compliment you can give.
Cathartic? Yes. Disco? Definitely. Rock and punk? That
too. The all-important Moby ideal of Joy? Without hesitation, of
course. Absolutely.
---
REVIEW: Fleetwood Mac, _The Dance_ (Reprise)
- Eric Hsu
Well, the hype machine is up and running. Between MTV,
Newsweek and every music magazine (including this one), the return
of Fleetwood Mac is inescapable. The seeds of this latest media
blitz were planted when Smashing Pumpkins covered "Landslide" and
Courtney Love covered "Gold Dust Woman" and somehow Fleetwood Mac
became marketable to the modern rock generation, despite the horribly
uncool identification of "Don't Stop" with Bill Clinton Term One.
And now _The Dance_ actually made #1. Despite all that, I must say I
really am enjoying this disc. A couple of the new songs are striking
and the playing is quite good!
What separates Fleetwood Mac from the Eagles or ABBA or
Air Supply for me is their eccentricity and personality. They are
really a group of weird people and are quite honest about it. Stevie
Nicks is a serious Welsh witch mystic or space cadet, depending on
your point of view and Lindsey Buckingham is an obsessive egomaniac
music geek in the Brian Wilson mode. Christine McVie seems normal
at first, but her plain songs have the cheerfulness of a forced smile
and the positivity of denial or grasping to find silver linings. The
band and its music actually has a great deal of personality and
serious fans find it hard not to refer to the members by their first
names (myself included).
In the 70's, Lindsey Buckingham became fascinated with the
punk and new-wave movements and he was impressed by their vitality
and openness to fresh ideas. The rest of the band wasn't impressed
and this rift never really healed. The results of that tension was
the record _Tusk_, a weird disjoint affair, but Buckingham's songs
were just amazing and fresh, and, taken as a whole, form one of the
classic new-wave records. Is there another rock group that released
a song as weird as "Tusk" at the height of their popularity?
The tension between Buckingham's solo ideas and the band
eventually caused his departure from the band in 1987. He had used a
number of his solo album tracks to finish and rescue the sinking
Fleetwood Mac album _Tango In the Night_ - and subsequently left
because the rest of the band was pressuring him to tour instead of
finishing his solo album. Now time has passed, and he's had a good
solo album ( _Out of the Cradle_ ) sink commercially, Buckingham says
he's gotten over the romantic tensions he'd had with Stevie Nicks and
that ten years has given him more appreciation of the talents of the
other members.
The consensus seems to be that the band has never played better
live, and comparisons to the _Tusk_ tour bootlegs and the _Fleetwood
Mac Live_ record bear that out. They have taken care to work within
their limitations: singers have transposed songs, they have wisely
offloaded some parts to backup players and singers and god knows what
other studio mixing is happening. All the members seem to finally be
clear of substance abuse problems, and the performances are recorded
with clarity and precision.
And some of the performances are dynamite. Stevie Nicks is
actually singing quite well, and she gives an emotional performance
of "Landslide" with just Lindsey backing her. They wrote the song
together before they joined Fleetwood Mac, and it seems to be about
her getting the courage to leave Lindsey. But while a song about
fearing age seemed precious when sung by a twenty-something, it
actually takes on some weight when sung with thirty years of
hindsight. In the video performance they look like they're nearly in
tears and they embrace at the end. It's a genuinely moving moment
in an event whose financial import casts doubt on the honesty of all
emotions and motivations.
Lindsey Buckingham has been in the studio and on the road
and his skills are quite intact. He fingerpicks a startling solo
version of "Big Love" (the same one from his solo tour), and he
contributes two new songs: "Bleed to Love Her", a pretty song
which is a rewrite of his older song "You Do or You Don't", and the
awesome "My Little Demon", which is the highlight of the whole disc.
It's a rocker with a great strange whirring theremin sound
(reminiscent of the odd toylike noises from his _Go Insane_ period)
that hopefully will be a track on his solo record.
The other new songs, "Temporary One" by Christine and "Sweet
Girl" by Stevie are honest but average songs that are not
stretches for these two songwriters. And "Silver Springs" is
practically a new song by Stevie, since it's been nearly unknown
since it was dropped from _Rumours_ due to length, but this old
favorite has been resurrected and it's a memorable love song that
deserves some kind of easy access, maybe even being Stevie Nicks'
best song.
The disc ends disappointingly with versions of "Tusk" and
"Don't Stop" with the USC Marching Band, who make a lot of noise
and fuss and play rather poorly. "Don't Stop" is at heart a charming
shuffle with snarling guitar, a desparate plea from Christine to
John to snap out of his alcoholic depression. But constant FM
airplay - not to mention campaign stumping - has stripped it of
meaning, and here all the extra brass and fuss crush the life out
of this song. And "Tusk", which was once a kind of declaration of
creative independence, is similarly steamrolled. Lindsey is yelping
and yelling and moaning in his strange and individual way, but he's
buried by waves and waves of spectacle. Which is quite a good
metaphor for this whole Fleetwood Mac reunion phenomenon. Honesty
and passion that, at its best, rises above and out of a drowning
sea of hype and spectacle.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Morrissey, Central Park, New York City
- Patrick Carmosino
The quiff is dead!
When Morrissey first set stage this evening, it was difficult
to telll from where we were whether it was him or an impeccably
dressed Henry Rollins. Amazing how the absence of a flapping pomp
can change the visuals so drastically because that's about all that
has changed in 14 years time - though this evening certainly was
arch evidence that it is the song, not the singer.
Opening up with the title track from his latest opus,
_Maladjusted_ (Mercury), the song proved to be one of only three or
four from the new lp to hold anyone's attention for any amount of time
(except for the bobbing sycophant all too visible stage left). That's
really sad at this stage of the game because Morrissey heroically
revived his career in 1991, not with the horribly boring _Kill Uncle_
but with a follow-up tour that reminded all those concerned what was
so charming about this man in the first place.
Perhaps violating the Smiths' taboo by performing "Paint A
Vulgar Picture" and "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" made things
better and worse at the same time. Their placement in the set made
the shabby songs look all the more shabbier (although material from
his two previous outings ( _Vauxhall And I_ and _Southpaw Grammar_ )
was riveting and stood up well. But were these played out of
self-acknowledgement of a fantastic catalog or sheer desperation
and patronisation? The performance is certainly still there but this
time it will take a brilliant album that avoids self-indulgent
spoken word diatribes rather than stage redemptions to save our Mozzer.
---
TEASER: The Verve
- Tracey Bleile
There is still hope for the music industry. September
30th is the street date for _Urban Hymns_, the forthcoming release
from none other than the re-formed (not to mention reformed!) Verve.
As just a tiny taste of the feast about to be laid before us, the
second (import) single is available for "The Drugs Don't Work."
It features a fantastic remix of "Bitter Sweet Symphony" , the title
track, and a couple of B-sides.
If you've heard "Bitter Sweet Symphony" on the radio, (or
caught the video - it's been Buzz Binned, so chances are good) you
will appreciate James Lavelle's remix, which features a
stripped-down beginning (bass, drums, rhythm guitar, and of
course, Ashcroft's vocals), which gradually swells to a full
orchestra and a whole lot of extra strings. A little trivia to
amaze your friends, too - the music writing credit goes to none
other than Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
The table is set. Come hungry, because we've got the review
for one of the best releases of the year....next week.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Take Warning The Songs of Operation
Ivy_ (Glue Factory)
- Eric Hsu
I don't really get these tribute albums. I can understand those
_Sweet Relief_ types that are meant to fund-raise, or when superstars get
together to promote some unknown but influential artist. But then there
are those where the tributee is way more famous than almost everyone
else on the record (like _Heaven and Hell_ which is a bunch of modern
rock band covering Velvet Underground songs). It seems like a much
more genuine tribute to actually cover a song on your own record
instead of on some cooked-up studio project.
That said, this record stands up well on its own. There's
something charming about this collection, released by an indie label
with none of the bands remotely as well known as Op Ivy. Operation
Ivy was an essential band in the East Bay Gilman-scene, and split up
because Jesse (the lead singer) thought they were getting too big (or
so I've been told). As is well-known, Lint and bassist Matt formed
Rancid, thus ensuring Op Ivy's cult status. I guess it's a bunch of
guys (mostly the record label, I'd guess) trying to catch what Op
Ivy bandwagon there is, but with a certain awareness and distance.
There's a good balance of respect and irreverence, both in the cover
styles and the liner notes, some of which talk about how the bands
didn't like Op Ivy when they were together, or even until the making
of this record!
A number of bands offer fairly straight covers that get by
on the original song's strength: Cherry Poppin' Daddies cover "Sound
System", Reel Big Fish perform "Unity", and My Superhero cover "Big
City". Some bands go on tangents, such as Pocket Lent's acidified
version of "Bankshot" and Marshall Arts's hip-hop cover of "Bad
Town", both of which I enjoy against my will and the Long Beach Dub
All-stars offer a version of "Take Warning" that breaks for a jazzy solo
middle. Most of the songs are competently done, though the Teen
Heroes's power-pop version of "Smiling" does fill me with a certain
loathing, and the Aquabats thoroughly destroy "Knowledge" in an inspired
joke campfire singalong which left me desperately missing the original.
There is enough variety on this cover record to make it
listenable, which is saying something for me, because too much ska-punk
bores me. If you want to hear a sampler of ska bands or ska-positive
bands, this is not a bad place to start. If you want to hear Op Ivy
songs, just buy _Energy_ , for crying out loud.
---
INTERVIEW: Fish
- Tym Altman and Ron Singer
(This is the second part of the interview; the first part of
the interview is in the previous issue of Consumable).
Consumable: What was the story behind Robin Boult and Frank
Usher. They're not in the band anymore?
Fish: Yeah, they didn't want to tour. Robin wanted to do a lot
of work for cinema, and advertising, and stuff like that, and when I
said they'd have to come on tour for 10 or 12 months, it intimidated
them, and they decided they didn't want to do that. We're all still
friends. Robin and/or Frank could come back to the band. J.J. (Belle)
is the guitarist at the moment, but J.J. might leave in the next few
weeks. But that's the way it is when you're a solo act. Other
musicians can leave and decide to do something else. The difference is
there aren't a lot of lawyers kicking about, and it doesn't become a
big confrontation situation. And in the few years as a solo artist,
the chemistry changes which I think is good for the music. For example
on _Sunsets On Empire_ , the new album, there's guys that contribute
that are not from the outfit that was playing live. Like Steve Wilson
did a lot. And it's still got the fresh identity, and the hallmark of
what I do, and the chemistry is always positive.
{Just a few days ago (Sept. 9) it was announced that J.J. has in
fact left, and Robin will take over for him.}
C: How did you hook up with Steve Wilson?
F: I was introduced to him through a friend. We had the same
ideas about directions.
C: Do you like his Porcupine Tree stuff? Do you listen to it?
F: I prefer No-Man. I like the No-Man stuff. I like the
_Signify_ album, it's really good. If Steve can commit to a lot more
touring, then I can see Porcupine Tree being a sort of noveaux Pink Floyd.
C: I guess the Internet has become a very important part of your
life now.
F: Without a shadow of a doubt, yes.
C: Do you feel it's expanded the music scene for fans and
musicians?
F: It's created a new awareness for what I'm doing. The Freaks
list (an Internet mailing list for Fish & Marillion fans) in particular
has been the backbone of this tour. Without their input and without the
vibe they've created on this tour, I don't think this tour would be as
successful as it is. I've always been a person who's enjoyed and
recognized the importance of a contact with the fans. And our website
is going to be expanded dramatically in the next few months. We've
picked up a Sony digital camera.
C: What do you think of some of the new prog bands to the
scene, like Flower Kings, Arena, Spock's Beard, and Porcupine Tree?
F: Spock's Beard I like, and Tree I like, and eh....Arena I
think are total shite. What Mick Pointer (former Marillion drummer,
played on their first album _Script for a Jester's Tear_ ) has done...
I have no respect for Pointer at all. I mean, he never played drums
for ages, because there was more money in the kitchen industry. And
as soon as the arse fell out of the Southern English kitchen market,
he decided he was going to be a musician again. And I still think he's
a shit drummer.
C: So, them doing Grendel...
F: All he's done is gone back, and done exactly what I hate
about the progessive scene. He went back and picked up a singer that
sounded reasonably like myself, and followed the strict formula. It's
just a money making thing. His artistic integrity is bunk, as far as
I'm concerned. I think a band like the Smashing Pumpkins... Or the
new Radiohead album...they're progressive albums. That's what I kind
of aspire to, and that's what I try to do. You know, the word
'progressive' became very, very dirty. Like in the film 'Jaws',
you've got a bit where the mayor goes to the police guy and says,
"Look, just say baraccuda, or say jellyfish, just don't say shark. If
you say shark everybody is out of the water..." And that's kind of
where the word 'progressive' is. It's still a dirty word. You know,
the Pumpkins would never say "we're a progressive band". But what it
comes down to it, they're pushing things a wee bit further. The _OK
Computer_ album, there's a lot of light and shade, there is long
songs, there's not a lot of radio songs. But Arena, they're just
wanking over an era that's been done. It's like doing Beatles covers.
C: What do you think about Oasis?
F: I like what they do. The problem with Oasis, is Oasis
stand out because they are a lot better than a lot of the other
shites on the British scene. And no matter how much you hate the
image, or whatever, or Liam, or the attitude, Noel can still put down
some good melodies. The lyrics are, I think, wanting, but the
melodies are great, and melodies are what sells the songs.
C: I know you've been asked this probably a million times, but
was that true that you tried out for Genesis?
F: I never auditioned, I was never asked. There was a rumour
that went about on the net, and I think it was kind of an obvious
rumour when Phil left. I didn't know what was happening, and I ended
up phoning Tony (Banks), and Ray Wilson got the job. Tony said that
my name had been put forward, along with, like, Roger Chapman's and
others. They wanted someone that was kind of new. They didn't want
somebody that had a history. But I would never have worked. Like,
you'll see tonight, I like the freedom of speech. And in Genesis I
would have been a sessionist. It would have been very difficult to
establish a personality within that band. And, you know, Ok, I'm a
fan, and all that, and I like a certain era, and certain songs, but
when it comes down to it... nah. To be honest, I think the Genesis
management would have objected to the fact they would have to make
it to a million bars every night. It's not the Genesis image.
C: What's your relationship with Marillion these days?
F: It's ok. Well I think that a lot of people try to make it
out to be very antagonistic, and very negative, and it's not. We've
all aged, there's a lot of time passed. We've got kids, we've got our
own careers. You know, they're now indie. When they got dropped from
EMI, I've got a lot of sympathy for them. You know, they're the same
age as me, and it's a tough fuckin' business. It's a very age-ist (?)
industry. And, you know, musically we do very diverse things. But
as people I've got no problems at all.
C: Think you'll be collaborating any time soon?
F: I left the band 9 years ago. Steve Hogarth has been in
the band for longer than that. They've done a number of albums that I
don't relate to. It's like saying, "Do you want to go back and have
sex with an old girlfriend" that you knew 10 years ago, and expect to
recreate the same magic. And there is the added bonus of "Do you want
to go back and have sex with an old girlfriend, and with her husband
watching."
It doesn't work. I don't want to. And I would never go back -
God forbid that the band should split. For me to go back and sing
"Forgotten Sons" or "Script..." (both from the first Marillion album
_Script For A Jester's Tear_) and stuff, to me it would be boring. I
couldn't sing it...I have no interest...I mean I've been doing my own
thing. I enjoy my freedom. I enjoy the gigs. I have more fun now than
I did back then. And that's not being disrespectful towards the band.
C: When you play Marillion songs...Like tonight you'll probably
be playing some. Do you play them more because the fans want to hear
them?
F: 'Cause I want to do them. I want to play the stuff I want
to play.
Fish's official website can be accessed at:
http://www.livjm.ac.uk/fish
---
REVIEW: Catherine Wheel, _Adam and Eve_ (Mercury)
- Joann D. Ball
_Adam and Eve_ , the fifth offering from Catherine Wheel,
can only be described as a sonic masterpiece. This 11-track cd is by
far the most ambitious release that the English quartet has produced
since it formed in 1990. Here they surpass the high standards set on
the singles "Black Metallic" (from their debut disc _Ferment_ ), and
"Crank" (from 1993's _Chrome_ ) - and they trade the volume and
aggression of their last studio release, 1995's _Happy Days_, for
melody, intimacy and passion. Their name taken from the cruel torture
device used on St. Catherine of Alexandria of the 4th century and also
the popular firework, Catherine Wheel's latest effort is more like the
latter - a brilliant display of sounds which sparkle, sizzle and shine.
Clocking in at about an hour, _Adam and Eve_ is a classic
concept album which explores such human experiences as lust, temptation
and nostalgia. Short transitional pieces give the collection a smooth,
continuous flow which highlights the multitude of layers and textures.
And the tender roughness of singer/guitarist Rob Dickinson's vocals is
complemented by the skilled craftsmanship of guitarist Brian Futter,
bassist Dave Hawes and drummer Neil Sims.
The disc shifts from the stark, acoustic slide-guitar of the
untitled opening track into the sweeping rises and falls of "Future
Boy." Dickinson's aching declaration that "Superboy is here, and it
feels good to me" slides right into the lead single "Delicious." On
this irresistible little treat, fuzzy guitars, pulsing bass and
crashing cymbals build into crescendos, free fall and soar yet again
to dizzying heights. A brief piano interlude links "Delicious" with
the steady rocker "Broken Nose." A track which also has tremendous
single potential, it is propelled by a solid beat under buzzing and
brimming guitars.
All three of the above tracks would be stellar cuts on any
other Catherine Wheel album. But here, as part of an interconnected
whole, they take on an even greater quality. Less than a minute into
track number five, "Phantom of the American Mother," the listener is
pulled completely into Catherine Wheel's fresh musical landscape.
The acoustic guitar and organ wall of sound whirls and swirls, as
Dickinson pleads with a misguided soul to be honest with himself.
Whether it's the breezy, atmospheric "Ma Solituda," the
lightly Sonic Youth flavored "Satellite," or the bittersweet
"Goodbye," Catherine Wheel reaches an emotional depth that is
seldom matched by the current crop of British or American
alternabands. Leaving trends and petty feuds for lesser bands, the
group has without question taken a road less traveled. Catherine
Wheel has always been about the music, words, feelings and emotions
that make popular music enjoyable and meaningful. And with _Adam and
Eve_, Catherine Wheel has created a true work of art that is complex,
intricate and beautifully unique.
---
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Hoodlum_ (Loud/Interscope)
- Lang Whitaker
Now that just about every soundtrack compilation ever has been
recorded, it's become interesting to see what will turn up on the new
releases. _Hoodlum_, a movie about a "ruthless 1930's Harlem numbers
racket kingpin" does the Harlem shuffle to several acts and churns
out a combination of R&B, rap, and big band that is oddly satisfying.
Several tracks stand out. The Wu-Tang Clan weighs in with
"Dirty the Moocher", a song pitting Ol' Dirty Bastard as the infamous
moocher from the Cab Calloway standard. ODB handles the entire song
by himself, until the very end when Dirty sings the
"Hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi" part to the Clan, and they holler it back.
There are also several samples from the original Calloway tune
included. Maybe the Wu guys took the album title a little too
seriously last week, and that's why they reportedly kung-fu kicked
their publicist.
L.V. was last spotted helping Coolio try and convince
Michelle Pfieffer to let them out of detention, singing the hook
in "Gangsta's Paradise". He now turns up on "Basin Street Blues",
a straight big band number featuring the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz
Orchestra. L.V. more than holds his own as a vocal stylist,
confidently blasting through the song.
Newcomer Davina teams up with the Wu-Tang's Chef Raekwon
on "so Good", a hot-and-bothered lovers tune that is rising up the
Billboard singles chart. Puffy Combs, 112, and Faith Evans
contribute "I Can't Believe". I couldn't believe that Puffy had
finally recorded a song that wasn't capitalizing on the Notorious
B.I.G.'s death.
Erykah Badu channels Ella Fitzgerald on "Certainly", and Tony
Rich turns in an equally soulful original called "Harlem is Home".
Chico DeBarge emerges from his career drought with "No Guarantee",
which was co-produced by brother El ("Who's Johnny?"- I used to love
that song) Debarge.
If you're a Wu-Tang fan, this album is worth getting just to
hear "Dirty The Moocher". If you're a music fan that likes to take
occasional trips to places you've never been before, give the
_Hoodlum_ soundtrack a shot.
---
SCANDANAVIAN AND SWEDISH MUSIC REVIEWS: (Northside)
Den Fule, _Quake_ / Hedningarna, _Hippjokk_ /
Hoven Droven, _Groove_ / Vasen, _Spirit_
- Jon Steltenpohl
Northside Records, out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has released
a set of compilations of Swedish and Scandanavian music. Each album
focuses on a band that has a unique way of modernizing traditional
music from Scandanavia. The results indicate a thriving music scene
that deserves some recognition.
Den Fule's masterful use of traditional and modern music is
captivating. "Lugumleik" is a instrumental track featuring soprano
saxophone that is reminiscent of Sting's work on _Nothing Like The
Sun_ era. "Modus Mats" emulates Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, and Den
Fule manages to cram a million styles into a easy going, free flowing
jazz like groove. At other times, they remind me of the world music
feel of Dave Matthews band. But, any slant you take on Den Fule is a
good one. They are a cross cultural delight.
If you can imagine Scandanavian folk dances performed with a
modern dance feel, you can imagine the world created by Hedningarna.
On the surface, _Hippjokk_ is simply a collection of rousing folk
songs bolstered with tambourine, fiddles, Jews harp, and dulcimer.
But, wait for the groove to connect and you'll find yourself affected
the way a good mind numbing piece of electronica will do. Granted,
this music isn't exactly mainstream, but it works.
Hoven Droven (Sweden's way of saying "helter skelter") takes
traditional music and crushes it with big rock chops. Put, say,
Metallica on the same stage with the Cheiftans, and you get a feel
for what Hoven Droven does. This music is without a doubt
traditional. The liner notes credit many dead folk musicians with
the various "polska"'s and waltzes, and half of the instruments are
decidedly acoustic. But, every few tracks, the guys in the band let
loose. Unfortunately, you have to be both a loud rock fan and a folk
enthusiast to completely enjoy Hoven Droven.
Amiddst all of the modern interpretations of Scandanavian
folk on Northside's releases is a truly traditional album by Vasen
called _Spirit_ . Vasen's frontman plays an instrument called the
nyckelharpa which is a keyed fiddle. (Surf to The American Nyckelharpa
Association web page at http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~brash/ana.html
to find out more.) What is interesting about this album is that it puts
the other three albums in perspective. Despite the lack of electric
instruments (a viola and a guitar round out the band), Vasen's music
is still as interesting as any of the others. In fact, it is probably
the best album of the four. For those looking to expand their musical
horizons, Vasen's _Spirit_ is a good place to start. It has a simple
appeal (much like traditional Celtic music), and would easily find a
spot on any National Public Radio folk show.
For more information on this exciting new music coming out
of Scandanavia, check out Northside's web page at http://www.noside.com
or e-mail chill@noside.com .
---
REVIEW: Jeremy Toback, _Perfect Flux Thing_ (RCA)
- Scott A. Miller
There's a lot about Jeremy Toback that makes you want to like
him. He has a poetic lyrical sense, showing time and time again a
willingness to follow his heart rather than his head when it comes to
putting words on paper. Parlaying a chance meeting with Pearl Jam's
Stone Gossard into a stint with Gossard's side project, Brad, he
carried it through with this full-length debut. And finally, he came
to his brand of pop music after an epiphany of sorts. He seems like a
guy who lives for his art.
That's why it pains me to say that Toback's _Perfect Flux
Thing_ comes off as less "perfect" and more "flux." Toback is
searching for his own voice and trying to make his own statement.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
Still, if you like Pearl Jam's _No Code_ and the near-sneer
vocals of Dave Matthews, this is an album you should definitely check
out. At the very least, you'll see how an up-and-comer uses the
somewhat disparate rock idioms Pearl Jam and Matthews mastered.
The CD begins with "Butterfly Elephant," a song that embodies
all that some will love and some will not love about the CDs 10 songs.
The lyrics begin with the heart-felt line "tune to high heaven, find
spice and chaos in memory" sung sweetly over a lovingly strummed
acoustic guitar line. You hope it's a song about the way memories
shape lives. After repeated listens to the chorus, though, you still
won't be sure. And because the music seems to lack strong hooks and
melodies, you may want your repeated listens to at least reward you
with a deeper understanding of what the artist is trying to say.
Unfortunately even Toback admits that he can't assign meaning to
most of the songs.
"Butterfly Elephant" is followed by one of the album's
strongest tunes "California Phase" and it is here (and in a few other
gems like "Eden Trampoline" and the title track) that Toback shows his
promise as a pop song craftsman. The lyrics satisfy Toback's need to
take his poetic license for a test drive, the acoustic-based tune is
memorable and the chorus is almost something you'd sing along with.
Experienced session man Josh Freeze, lately of Slider, whose 1997
album _Sudden Fun_ (A&M Records) is a definite rocker, provides
drums on this track, showing that Toback knows how to pick musicians.
Throughout the album, the musicianship is outstanding, though
somewhat restrained. Ironically, the only place you get the idea the
instrumentalists are really cutting loose is when the strings join in
on "The Word Behind Words." Reminiscent of the orchestral anger in
Elton John's song "Madman Across the Water," the strings stab through
the mix, adding an angry edge to Toback's vocal styling.
Toback was kicking around the free-jazz scene when he
realized that it was pop music he had playing on his car radio and
pop music that was playing in his head. He met Gossard through a
friend and when Gossard asked him to be in Brad, Toback thought he
would show up, play some bass, and that would be that. But, he says,
the whole process was extremely "democratic" and he even got to sing
a track on Brad's debut.
In that stint, he must have found his muse, because _Perfect
Flux Thing_ has a strong Pearl Jam influence. Those who have stood by
Gossard and crew has Pearl Jam has shed its grunge beginnings to
become a more adventurous band -- some say mellower -- will
understand what Toback is trying to accomplish.
But it will no doubt turn off those who just want the guys to plug
in the fuzz box and crank out the angst. Toback doesn't do that.
---
REVIEW: Powerman 5000, _Mega! Kung Fu Radio_ (Dreamworks)
- Sean Eric McGill
Yes, Virginia, Powerman 5000 does sound like White Zombie. But
they sound a lot more like Rage Against the Machine, or at least a
combination of the two.
Of course, much has already been made of the fact that
Spider, PM5Ks vocalist and chief lyricist is none other than the
brother of Rob Zombie, who has a little band that some of you may
have heard of called White Zombie. So, the similarities in terms of
music and style are almost expected. And while this sibling revelation
doesn't bring us any closer to finding out what their actual last
name is (I refuse to believe it's "Zombie"), it doesnt really make much
of a difference in terms of PM5Ks latest album, _Mega! Kung Fu Radio_.
Of course, a combination of White Zombie and Rage Against the
Machine isn't too difficult to comprehend. Take away the B-movie
aspect of White Zombie (especially evident in their use of samples),
add a little more funk, jump up the in-your-face sonic assault, and
get a tad more political with a rap edge, and boom - Rage Against the
Machine.
Then again, if you keep some of the samples, keep the funk
turned up, turn down the sonic attack a bit, and boom - you've got
Powerman 5000. The songs on _Mega! Kung Fu Radio_ are indeed an
interesting lot, and while they all do follow a similar structure,
they each have an individuality that makes them appealing, each
catchy in their own way.
Songs like "Standing 8" and the title track (based on an idea
Spider had of a radio that only played Powerman 5000) are two of the
standouts on the album, but tracks like the instrumental
"Boredwitcha" tend to break up the continuity of the album as a
whole. And while the band doesn't chart any new territory with _Mega!
Kung Fu Radio_, the performance itself is superb. This is the kind
of music that you can make you alternately jump around the room like
a freak or get that funky dance-thing happening. OK, maybe that's
something I only do - but I did it and I jumped around the room
like a freak.
The bottom line is that regardless of sibling connections and
other matters, Powerman 5000 are, if nothing else, an incredibly
entertaining band. They're not out to save the world (which
occasionally seems to be the underlying theme for Rage), they're out
to have some fun - and they do.
---
REVIEW: Insane Clown Posse, _The Great Milenko_ (Island)
- David Savage
There are two ways to look at this record, with all the hype
surrounding its quasi-release, retraction and re-release on a
different label. You can see it as a musical work or as a judgment
call. If you are to actually purchase the record, you must see it
as a judgment call (or be a victim of morbid curiosity because of
the overblown coverage).
The ICP have had a thematic thread running through all
their independent releases and chose to continue it on their
first major-label 'opus'. It is unfortunate that there was no
reference made to the theme in the press materials or on the
packaging of the record. A slight reference is made on the first
track that one only understands if it is subsequently explained to
them by a 'fan' (and boy are those hard to find - luckily I know
one from the pre-major release days). It is a 'horsemen of the
apocalypse' thing that is part-way done by this release. It is
harped on throughout the record (sorry I did not bother to count
the number of times "Milenko" is mentioned on the record, the
thought of doing so annoyed me to no end) so much that eventually
the screaming/whining mention of "Milenko" makes you want to turn
the CD off immediately.
The music itself is garden variety hip hop beats with a
nasal, whiny rap over it - and I do not mean that in that Cypress
Hill kind of way, more like in a sore-throated, sneering frat-boy
kind of way. The lyrical content might actually make you like the
ICP if you can wade through the violent testosterone-riddled
tough-guy posturing. Themes dealt with include killing
child-molestors and wife-beaters in a horrific manner - noble
thoughts, despite the ideas for how to deal with these types. If
you dig REALLY deep, you could even say that their rap is
'positive' - a stretch, I know.
Disney (Hollywood Records) was all ready to release this
record before they listened to it and decided that the subject matter
was shocking and offensive. If they had pulled it because they
listened to the product they were about to market to the public and
thought the A&R person was judgement-impaired when he signed it, that
would have been thoroughly understandable...
Then in came Island records to show us all that record
companies have the right to try to sell us crap - we just have to
be smart enough not to buy it (at least that is the only reason I
could think of to pay that much money to get ICP out of their
contract and put out a record of this caliber).
Yay Island Records! I like it when companies trust our
judgement. That trust issue is why I would not discourage the
purchase of the ICP record - listening to _The Great Milenko_
certainly satisfies the curiosity generated by the media. You can
even buy it to get back at Disney for being so very Big Brother
about the whole thing.
There is plenty of shockingly bad music out there, most of
it not nearly as well publicized as _The Great Milenko_ ; you are
free to spend as much money as you want on it. I hear Vanilla Ice
is putting out a new record...
---
REVIEW: Future Bible Heroes, "Lonely Days" (Ryko/Slowriver)
- Joe Silva
As the karmic wheel of pop revolves, it's very easy to see
where the Future Bible Heroes jumped on and jumped off again. With
beatific pop vocals dunked in pool of shimmering synthesizers, FBH
approximate a more savvy, indie version of something like...oh, the
Dream Academy perhaps? Or maybe the long-defunct November Group with
the dance element sheered off. A band like this knows full well
that every now and again the workable combo of a good pop hook and
a sentimental lyric buried deep in a nest of electronic gear can
conjure that pleasant sense of romantic pop modernism that so many
of us secretly pine for. And since it's clear that the Cocteau Twins
are never going to compromise and provide the listener with the pop
hook element of the formula, it's safe for the like of FBH's Stephin
Merritt and Chris Ewen to fill the resulting gap.
By picking up much real estate on college radio, "Lonely
Days" is the featured raison d'etre for this CD-5. The brimful of
synths laid vertically atop one another create a mountain of sound
where the angelic vocal an safely perch. The chorus is one of
those strong moments that doesn't have a long half-life on indie
airwaves before it's adopted by the commercial realm. Of the
B-side's, vocalist Claudia Gonson's take on the old hit "Love is
Blue" brings a respectably fresh vibe to a tune long ago cast (and
rightly so) into K-Tel hell.
All told, this somewhat syrupy invite to what the rest of
FBH may be about will work for most who's secret cache of OMD
disks gets more turntable time than their other retro items.
---
CONTEST WINNERS!
Congratulations to the following twenty people, who correctly
answered all fifteen questions in Consumable's four year anniversary
contest and were selected at random among all winning entries: Albert
J. Morales, Amy Garver, Arush Kumar, Bob Tousignant, David Kemper,
Eli Bolin, Eric Aaron, Jeremy Foltz, Jim Pennewell, Joe Sidlauskas,
Keith Berman, Lela Gremm, Marsha Ketcham, Paul Solt, Rachel D.
Strickland, Rich Perna, Sean Starke, Tina Canali, Toby Guidry and
Wayne Charron.
Packages containing more than 20 releases will be going out
to each of our winners; thanks to everyone who participated.
A hearty thanks also goes out to all who helped us with the
contest. The major sponsors include: Ark 21 ( http://www.ark21.com ),
Caroline ( http://www.caroline.com ),
Columbia ( http://www.sonymusic.com ),
Contingency ( http://www.contingency.com ), Domo ( http://www.domo.com ),
Epitaph ( http://www.epitaph.com ), RCA ( http://www.bugjuice.com ),
Rhino ( http://www.rhino.com ), Roadrunner ( http://www.roadrun.com ),
Rykodisc ( http://www.rykodisc.com ),
Silvertone ( http://www.bugjuice.com ), TVT ( http://www.tvtrecords.com ),
Universal ( http://www.universalstudios.com ),
Warner ( http://www.wbr.com ) and Way Cool ( http://waycoolmusic.com ).
---
NEWS: > An as-yet-untitled Ben Folds Five disc of rarities and
live songs is due to be released by their former label Caroline
sometime in early 1998.
> The London Suede are releasing a 2 CD compilation
composed of non-album B-sides, _Sci Fi Lullabies_, on October
28 in the United States. This collection covers their career from
their earliest days on the independent London-based Nude label.
The collection is being issued domestically this year via
Nude/Columbia.
> Music collectors looking to find out track listings of their
favorite band's albums will find the Music Database, located at
http://www.musicdatabase.com , to be the answer to their wishes.
More than 80,000 CDs and one million songs are listed on the site.
> The official Rolling Stones Web Site, located at
http://www.the-rolling-stones.com , offers the latest on Mick, Keith
and the rest of the band, as well as samples from their forthcoming
album, _Bridges To Babylon_ . To help launch the site, the band will
play one song a night during the current tour which is voted on by
visitors to the site. The performance of that song will then be
later placed on the Web site for all to see (and hear).
> Shonen Knife have just released the six song _Explosion_
E.P., with two cuts of the title track (one in English, one in
their native Japanese) and four live cuts, including "E.S.P.",
"Loop Di Loop", "Wind Your Spring" and "One Week" .
---
TOUR DATES (Please confirm with site before travelling):
Bailter Space / Sunday Puncher
Sep. 26 Minneapolis, MN 7th street entry
Sep. 27 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Better Than Ezra
Sep 28 New Orleans, LA City Park
David Bowie
Sep. 27 Toronto, OR Warehouse/Docks
Sep. 30 Boston, MA Orpheum
Billy Bragg
Sep 24 Pittsburgh, PA Benedon Aud.
Alana Davis
Sep 24 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues
Sep 25 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
Sep 26 Dallas, TX Deep Ellum Live
Sep 27 Pensacola, FL Saenger Theater
Sep 30 Mertle Beach, SC House Of Blues
Chris Duarte
Sep. 26-27 West Hollywood, CA House of Blues w/ The Radiators
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Sep. 26 San Francisco, CA Concord Pavillion
Sep. 27 Reno, NV Reno Amphitheatre
Sep. 28 Fresno, CA Visalia Center
Sep. 30 San Diego, CA Humphrey's
Foo Fighters
Sep. 26 Huntsville, AL Big Spring Jam
Sep. 27 Charlotte, NC Festival
Sep. 30 Nashville, TN Vanderbuilt University
(hed) p.e.
Sep. 26 Tempe, AZ Bostons
Sep. 29 Los Angeles Zekes Backyard/Opium Den
Irving Plaza (NYC concert hall: http://www.irvingplaza.com)
Sep. 26 Leftover Salmon
Sep. 27 Guided By Voices
Sep. 29 Life Of Agony / Drain STH / Dogma
Luna
Sep 25 Vancouver, BC The Starfish Room
Sep 26 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe
Sep 27 Portland, OR La Luna
Sep 29 San Francisco, CA Filmore
Sep 30 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers
Sep 24 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Sep 25 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
Sep 26 Dallas, TX Deep Ellum Live
Sep 27 Pensacola, FL Saenger Theater
Sep 28 Atlanta, GA Radio Show
Sep 30 Myrtle Bch., SC House of Blues
Old 97s
Sep 24 St. Louis, MO Hi Pointe
Sep 25 Lawrence, KS The Bottleneck
Sep 26 Oklahoma City, OK VZD's
Pantera / Coal Chamber / Machine Head
Sep. 26 Bonner Springs, KS Sandstone
Sep. 28 Morrison, CO Red Rocks
Promise Ring / Compound Red
Sep. 26 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Sep. 27 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Sep. 28 Cleveland, OH Euclid Tavern
Sep. 29 Kalamazoo, MI Club Soda
Sep. 30 Buffalo, NY Showplace Theater
Samples
Sep. 26 Storrs, CT U of CT
Sep. 27 Philadelphia, PA Theater of Living Arts
Sep. 29 State College, PA Crowbar
Shootyz Groove / Tree
Sep. 26 Cincinnati, OH Sudsy Malone's
Sep. 29 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl
Ween
Sep 24 Seattle, WA Showbox Theater
Sep 25 Portland, OR La Luna
Sep 27 San Francisco, CA Warfield
Sep 28 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theater
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> I have been reading all the issues since your excellent
interview with James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers.
I liked the review of _The Holy Bible_ as well; I appreciated your
song for song review, and giving the album the respect and time
required to appreciate it. It has been a pleasure to receive a
new issue of the magazine every week for about two years now.
Congratulations on your four years. - Rodrigo Gomez, Sweden
> Your review of Oasis' _Be Here Now_ is pretty good.
Just thought you'd like to know that "Don't Go Away" is actually about
Noel and Liam's mother. Last year, she went into hospital and doctors
thought she might have cancer. - Tim S.
> In your Radiohead interview, you state that the Radiohead
web site includes the message: "This site, embarrassingly listed as
the official Radiohead site, has been left in a state of confusion by
Stanley Donwood, who has vanished."
That's deliberate ... just Stanley's sense of humour! He uses
the entire site to confuse people. Tony Bowden, Belfast, Northern
Ireland (webmaster of the first ever Radiohead site on the net - since
closed)
---
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