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==== ISSUE 132 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [December 18, 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, Joann Ball, Tracey Bleile, Lee
Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Patrick Carmosino,
Krisjanis Gale, Bill Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim
Hulsizer, Robin Lapid, Stephen Lin, Scott Miller,
Linda Scott, Rainier Simoneaux, Scott Slonaker,
Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West,
Lang Whitaker
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann
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 |
`------------'
Editor's Summary of 1997 / Consumable Online's Top 5.
Individual Top 5 Lists
Daniel Aloi - Martin Luther Lennon, Whiskeytown, Beat Angels,
Saturnhead, Ben Folds Five
Joann Ball - Olive, Love Spit Love, Salt-n-Pepa, Prodigy,
Catherine Wheel
Tracey Bleile - Verve, Dandy Warhols, Whiskeytown, drivin n'cryin,
Refreshments
Lee Graham Bridges - Howie B, Aphex Twin, Moby, Negativland,
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Bob Gajarsky - Space Monkeys, Space, Meredith Brooks, Artificial
Joy Club, Monaco
Bill Holmes - Montgomery Cliffs, Radiohead, Richard X Heyman,
Pursuit Of Happiness, Michael Shelley
Tim Hulsizer - Belle & Sebastian, Pavement, Squarepusher, Baby Bird,
Grant McLennan / Radiohead
Tim Kennedy - Teenage Fanclub, Verve, Oasis, Sundays, Seahorses
Reto Koradi - Patent Ochsner, Mark Eitzel, Faith No More, Pat
MacDonald, Radiohead
David Landgren - Tranquility Bass, Baby Bird, Luscious Jackson,
Divine Comedy, Laika
Sean McGill - Prodigy, Jane's Addiction, Rollins Band, Deftones,
Depeche Mode
Scott Miller - Old 97s, Walt Mink, Martin Luther Lennon, Ron
Sexsmith, Honeydogs
Al Muzer - The Hutchinsons, Birdbrain, World Party, Dots Will
Echo, Sloan
Linda Scott - Rolling Stones, Paul Rodgers, Alice Cooper,
Sammy Hagar, Carnival
Joe Silva - David Byrne, Bjork, Julian Cope, Belle &
Sebastian, Cornershop
Scott Slonaker - Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Guided By Voices,
Ben Folds Five, Sarah McLachlan
Jon Steltenpohl - Ani DiFranco, Frank Sinatra, Devlins,
Madeleine Peyroux, "The Artist"
Simon West - Verve, Oasis, Prodigy, Charlatans, Space Monkeys
Lang Whitaker - Bjork, Ben Folds Five, Rev. Al Green, Radiohead,
Victor Wooten
Back Issues of Consumable
---
Editor's Summary of 1997.
In the annals of music history, it is doubtful 1997
will appear as more than a blip on the radar. Most writers
for Consumable echoed similar sentiments - the music that
landed out there and caught our ear, for the most part, didn't
sell gadzillions of albums, and the artists didn't meet with
the royal family. Staffer Scott Slonaker may have summed it
up best when he noted that 1997 was more carried by singles
than albums - not in terms of quantity sold, but in terms of
quality.
We can look back at 1997 as a year when a band which
formerly said "Fuck E.M.I." was signed - outside the United
States - to EMI, and landed a worldwide hit with "Tubthumping".
Who'd have thunk the anarchists would have a song that would
be played right alongside Gary Glitter and KC & The Sunshine
Band at sporting events?
It also was kiss-up time to major artists such as U2.
_Pop_ was released to international acclaim and fanfare by the
media, but that quickly fizzled as people realised that it just
wasn't anything that spectacular.
R.E.M. became a three-legged dog with the departure
of their drummer; Prodigy had a huge multi-album signing (due
to the media's realization that electronica is 'the next big
thing') to Madonna's label, Maverick; a somewhat rushed Oasis record
wound up being overshadowed in many circles by the band the
Gallaghers helped bring back to life, the Verve; the Wu-Tang Clan
dominated clothing racks and record charts without a loss of integrity.
Ska gained a much larger fan base due to Reel Big Fish, Buck O'Nine,
Sublime and veterans Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and finally, the
Jackson 5 were somewhat re-incarnated as a white trio from the
Midwest known as Hanson.
Those are some of the events which helped shape 1997.
But rather than merely skim through the big events, we've included
a brief mention by each writer of their top 5 albums of the year -
and why those records made their top 5 list. Take a look, see
which ones you haven't listened to in 6 months (or those
that you haven't heard at all!), and remember...we'll do it all
again next year.
Thanks to all our loyal readers and staff members for
supporting the Internet's oldest music reviews publication, Consumable
Online. - Bob Gajarsky, Editor In Chief.
---
Consumable Online's Top 5 of 1997:
1) Radiohead, _OK Computer_
2) Verve, _Urbal Hymns_
3) Prodigy, _Fat Of The Land
4) Bjork, _Homogenic_
5) Ben Folds Five, _Whatever And Ever Amen_
---
Top 5 - Daniel Aloi
1) Martin Luther Lennon, _Music for a World Without
Limitations_ (NotLame): Insanely great, crazily catchy pure pop
from a Southern California madman. Tony Perkins (his real name)
leads a crack band and reels out 12 hook-happy tunes as he sings
from the point of view of a schoolyard sniper, a gun-happy NRA
zealot, a high schooler with a devastating crush, and a guy who
badly wants his medication. All in good fun, at least musically.
2) Whiskeytown, _Stranger's Almanac_ (Outpost/Geffen).
Signed after No Depression magazine flat-out loved their 1996
indie release _Faithless Street_ and sponsored a national tour,
this Raleigh, N.C. band has seen two major lineup changes since
that album was recorded. But the ever-popular tortured artist
effect is still in place for young twentysomething singer and
songwriter, Ryan Adams. His high and lonesome romantic pleas,
set to fiddle and pedal steel tears, are born of quiet and
cathartic desperation -- from "16 Days" and "Excuse Me While I
Break My Own Heart" to "Waiting to Derail." Less rock and twang
than sturm und drang, but I like it. And somehow, not quite as
downcast as Son Volt.
3) Beat Angels, _Red Badge of Discourage_ (Epiphany).
The kind of power pop band I could only dream about before it
actually existed - in Tempe, Arizona, yet, home of overmatched
bar bands like the Gin Blossoms. The Beat Angels' 10-song
followup to "Unhappy Hour" quotes liberally from the Who, Kinks
and a vinyl melting pot of '70s poptopia (their logo even apes
Cheap Trick). Guitarist Michael Brooks, singer Brian Smith and
their pals are on a mission of retro-awareness in bashing
"Saturday Punks" ("dumber than junk/Don't even know about
Strummer and Jones") and in other nasty little digs Smith takes
in songs like "My Glum Sugar-Plum" ("She looked like Marianne
Faithfull in 1967..."). Probably the best album The Figgs never
made.
4) Saturnhead, _Introducing... Arizona's Thin Mistake_
(Resolution). Vancouverite Terry Miles (guitarist for Cinnamon /
The Kelley Affair) hunkered down all alone with his 4-track in
mid-1996, and came up with this -- 43 perfectly realized song
snippets that add up to a conceptual spin across a nonexistent
AM dial. Miles did it all -- save for one of the songs, from Marq
DeSouza's 4-track, and a couple of background vocals. And it's
incredible, as a sequence of unvarnished little pop gems that
don't sound "lo-fi" at all. Lots of Beatles-Kinks-Big Star
touches; listen for the Bowie tribute "The Golden Age of Mars."
The newest Minus 5 album almost won this slot in my list, for
the same variety, Kinks-like concept and execution -- albeit
with studio time, an all-star band and longer and fewer songs.
This seemed the more worthy achievement.
5) Ben Folds Five, _Whatever And Ever Amen_ (Sony 550).
A Chapel Hill, N.C. songwriter whose young, brash, very '90s
attitude rests atop an amalgam of piano-pop influences - Gershwin
and Todd Rundgren, Elton John and Joe Jackson, Vince Guaraldi
and many more. You won't find too many popular songs that say
"Kiss my ass - goodbye" ("One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces")
and "Fuck you too -- giveme my money back, give me money back,
you bitch" ("Song for the Dumped"). Neither will you find many
melodies as achingly beautiful as "Brick," "Fair" and "Smoke."
A trio, not a quintet -- and one of my favorite live bands of the
past two years. In them I find new hope for pop music being
popular again.
---
Top 5 - Joann D. Ball
1) Olive, _Extra Virgin_ (RCA). Trip-pop with all the
right flavors. Olive's Tom Kellett and Ruth-Ann Boyle are
heavily influenced by sweet soul music and it shows as they
incorporate dub reggae, drum & bass, and ambient into the
grooves. "You're Not Alone" was the only single I heard on
the radio this year that sent me into the record store for
the full-length release. As a fan of melody and intelligent
lyrics, it was a pleasure to find all of this plus great music
under the umbrella category "electronica." A must have debut
disc that is perfect for all moods and activities.
2) Love Spit Love, _Trysome Eatone_ (Maverick). This
stellar sophomore release from Richard Butler's new band Love
Spit Love is on par with his finest work with The Psychedelic
Furs. Butler's classic rasp is skillfully complemented by
collaborator Richard Fortus' fretwork and a tight rhythm
section - a combination that produces all the right textures
and layers. On _Trysome Eatone_, the quartet delivers a
collection that is emotional, mature and poetic. Radio singles
"Long Long Time" and "Fall on Tears" are mere samples of this
incredible offering.
3) Salt-n-Pepa, _Brand New_ (London/Red Ant). The mike
sounds nice indeed! Cheryl "Salt" James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton
and DJ Dee Dee "Spinderella" Roper are in full effect on their
fifth release. They enjoy a new sense of direction and creative
freedom while exploring the diverse territories of rap, R&B,
pop, rock and gospel. Salt-n-Pepa continue to express
themselves and remain upfront and honest with their demands,
needs and desires. Lead single "RU Ready" is only the beginning
of this hour long celebration of life, faith, sexuality.
4) Prodigy, _Fat of the Land_ (Maverick/Warner Bros.).
Hailed as the electronica record that finally broke the sound
barrier in U.S., Prodigy's aggrotechno had the edge that
Americans needed to hear. And it didn't hurt that the band
had a video poster boy in the form of Keith Flint with his
Johnny Rotten-come-lately looks. "Firestarter," with its Art
of Noise sample, and "Breathe" were the mega hits here. The
new single "Smack My Bitch Up" and its controversial video are
currently generating a new wave of attention and publicity for
the band and the record. But it's too bad that "Diesel Power"
was probably considered too rap-oriented for alternative rock
radio because Prodigy owes much of its power and sound to rap
pioneers Public Enemy. In fact, there are moments during
"Breathe" when I swear I hear Chuck D. shouting "Bring the
Noise!" After all, that's what Prodigy is all about.
5) Catherine Wheel,_Adam and Eve_ (Mercury). _Adam
and Eve_ is Catherine Wheel's fifth release and the most
ambitious one to date. A superbly crafted concept album which
explores the range of human experiences and emotions, it
features short transitional pieces between songs which provide
flow and cohesion. From the sweeping rises and falls of "Future
Boy," through the crashing and pulsing of lead single
"Delicious," to the atmospheric "Ma Solituda," this record
earns its place in the cd changer. Complex and intricate,
it's guaranteed that you'll discover something new during
every listen.
---
Top 5 - Tracey Bleile
1) The Verve, _Urban Hymns_ (Virgin). The Verve
are reunited, clean, and sober, and have made this hands
down the most emotional release of the year - both in
content and the surrounding energy. Despite the flap over
the "Bitter Sweet Symphony" sample, these songs are highly
original and pack an auditory wallop. More than just
beautiful noisemaker shoegazers, the Verve have filled this
album with joy and thunder (thank you Mr. Stipe, for saying
it better than I can). A must-have.
2) Dandy Warhols, _...the Dandy Warhols come down_
(Capitol). The eerie synths and layers of rhythms haunt you
like a white noise daydream you don't want to wake from.
Their irony-laden anti-drug single "Not If You Were The Last
Junkie On Earth" was one song I didn't mind coming across on
the radio. Play this one loud at a big party, and everyone
will be moving, I guarantee it.
3) Whiskeytown, _Strangers Almanac_ (Outpost/Geffen).
Highly evocative of Uncle Tupelo. That said, where it lacks
originality, it's the strongest Americana offering this year.
I was depressed beyond belief - no pun intended - with
everything put out by originators; Jayhawks, Son Volt and
Wilco all bored the hell out of me. A great many of the
songs on this release will conspire to make you wrap your
arms around yourself and fight off the corny lump in your
throat.
4) drivin n'cryin, _drivin n' cryin_ (Ichiban). Proof
positive that true talent will shine through any set of
circumstances. Kevin Kinney is one incredibly talented
songwriter/troubador, and this self-produced and released
effort is as strong as anything done under the relative
safety of the major umbrella. Worth seeking out, as I don't
think it's getting a lot of promotion.
5) Refreshments, _The Bottle & Fresh Horses_ (Mercury).
I owe Al Muzer an apology. I didn't want to like this album,
but the banditos from Tempe snuck up on me and clopped me over
the head with the attitude stick on this one. This release
didn't so much shake the sophomore jinx as simply danced
around it. They don't make huge leaps and bounds from the
debut, but they definitely shown they're a lot more than a
novelty rock n'roll act. Al, you were right - "Heaven or the
Highway Out of Town" is one of the rockingest songs of the year.
----
Top 5 - Lee Graham Bridges
1) Howie B, _Turn The Dark Off_ (Island). What should
be said about Howie B first and foremost is that he is
reinvigorating a dying scene. While _Turn The Dark Off_ may be
less in the burdensome "electronica" category due to its lack
of techno cliches, it is this exact originality that breathes
life into authentic techno and gives new meaning to the word
"progressive". This album is the yin to the yang of _Music
For Babies_, his last album, which was an ambient set, and
unfortunately, not nearly as representative of Howie's
personality in composition, which can be seen through his
extensive work with Massive Attack, Bjork, Tricky, U2, and Brian
Eno as well as _Turn The Dark Off_. Here the rhythm is set in
motion, and it is the beats that make this album such a dazzle.
It's only too bad that _Turn The Dark Off_ can't be ranked
higher than #1--this one is a must have. Check out
http://www.howieb.co.uk for more info.
2) Aphex Twin, _Come To Daddy_ (Warp!). Richard James
has developed a routine of one-upping himself on every record
he produces. To describe the evolution of the music he has
produced would take too long; it suffices to say that _Richard
D. James_, the last one, showed an enhancement of the dynamic,
frenetic qualities of Aphex Twin repertoire. In addition to
this, _Come To Daddy_ supplements the music with a dose of pure
insanity, proven by the wild screaming and promises of "I will
eat your soul" in the main mix of the title track, and tracks
like "Funny Little Man" as a whole (the madness is beyond
description here). _Come To Daddy_ demonstrates the creative
ingenuity that will ensure James always has an audience without
being spoiled by the grubby hands of the mainstream.
3) Voodoo Child/Moby, _The End of Everything_ (Elektra).
The widely revered Moby revived an older monicker to present the
side of his music that always appears (even on his
proto-hardcore guitar oddity _Animal Rights_) but never fully
develops on his other records. Most tracks unfold very slowly,
reach their climax and fade without creating much fuss.
"Reject" is an 18-minute long ambient set comparable in its
sparseness only to his _Underwater_ disc included with some
copies of _Everything Is Wrong_. "Slow Motion Suicide" is a
humbling, unforgettable track. _The End of Everything_, as
Moby intended, is a hidden gem in the glut of electronic music
on shelves today.
4) Negativland, _Dispepsi_ (Seeland). While Negativland
do perform actual _songs_ on the album, it is the sound collages
that make _Dispepsi_ one of the best albums of 1997. Clips from
commercials, talk radio, promotional voiceovers and the like
serve to poke extreme fun at American advertising and
commercialism and the ways they interface with everyday life,
although most of the joke is on the soft drink industry.
Distorted, juxtaposed celebrity voices and other soundbytes
repeat to an annoyingly hilarious effect, as background music
switches back and forth and continues slightly off-beat
underneath it all. An absolutely brilliant album.
5) Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, _The Boatman's Call_
(Mute/Reprise). Nick Cave, the prince of darkness from "down
under" returned early in the year with the "Bad Seeds" to produce
a maturely beautiful album of minimal texture. Simple melodies
effortlessly produced from piano, bass, and occasional drums
accompany Nick's rich, authentically moving vocals as he sings
tales of lust, love, and loss. "Idiot Prayer" is an instant
classic.
---
Top 5 - Bob Gajarsky
1) Space Monkeys, _The Daddy Of Them All_ (Interscope).
If someone fell asleep for the past ten years and wanted to know
the history of British music in 1 hour, this is the disc to
give them. The amazing part is that while Oasis, Blur and the
Prodigy are getting all the hype, Manchester's latest export is
the one that deserves all the credit. And if you absolutely
need to get your Oasis fix, they periodically have the Gallagher
snarl on their songs.
2) Space, _Spiders_ (Universal). Included in some writers'
1996 list by virtue of its early release in Europe, the
category-defying _Spiders_ saw a 1997 issue in the States.
Space appeared in the Austin Powers movie ("Female of the Species"),
and could have been just at home in Jackal. Absolutely
underrated.
3) Meredith Brooks, _Blurring The Edges_ (Capitol).
Sure, she sometimes sounds like Alanis. But more often than not,
Brooks establishes her own identity in a world where female
singer/songwriter/guitar-players are becoming a more common
occurrence.
4) Artificial Joy Club, _Melt_ (Interscope). "Sick and
Beautiful" was the warped single, but lead singer Sal hits all the
right chords on tracks like "Skywriting" while the line between
pop and alterna-rock is blurred even further.
5) Monaco, _Music For Pleasure_ (A&M). Peter Hook gets
his revenge on those who thought he couldn't do anything significant
outside the shadow of New Order. The leadoff single "What Do You
Want From Me" is brilliantly derivative New Order, while "Buzz
Gum" is more traditional Britpop. New Order afficionados are
probably still worshipping this disc.
---
Top 5 - Bill Holmes
1) Montgomery Cliffs, _Andiamo_ (115). A low-budget,
high voltage masterpiece from a three-piece NYC band, The Cliffs
parlay the guitar-bass-drum formula into something much greater.
Great songs, whip-crack musicianship and a sense of humor that
rocks your world and still makes you think. And the best part?
They're better live. This disc kept getting back in the player
all year long, and how better to measure your favorite?
2) Radiohead, _OK Computer_ (EMI/Capitol). I thought
last year's record was a bold statement but this one tops that.
Call it a rock opera or a concept record or just an amazingly
intense piece of music, but NO ONE else is making records like
this in 1997. Thom Yorke's vocals are mesmerizing, and the
guitar work takes each song into another dimension. If you
haven't, let this one grow on you, and you will be richly
rewarded.
3) Richard X Heyman, _Cornerstone_ (Turn-Up). This
will come out in 1998 on Permanent Press Records with an
additional track, and I considered holding off until then,
but I've had this version for almost the entire year. Pop genius
Heyman was sorely missed but has returned with his strongest and
most complete work to date. A song cycle about love, loss, and
our place in time, Heyman again takes his place among our
greatest songwriters.
4) The Pursuit Of Happiness, _The Wonderful Word Of The
Pursuit Of Happiness_ (Iron Music). No one writes about
unrequited love like Moe Berg! Fourteen brief snips of wonder
that segue together into a thirty minute tour through angst,
heartbreak, love and bitterness. Rocks hard, smiles sweetly,
and shines with the most unique harmony vocals in rock. Canada's
treasure should be everybody's baby.
5) Michael Shelley, _Half Empty_ (Big Deal). Imagine
Jonathan Richman fronting the Fountains of Wayne and you can get
an idea of the wry and wonderful Shelley. Took me completely by
surprise, but his knack for a hook combined with the acoustic
garage pop flavor of the music makes this a big winner at my
house. "Think With Your Heart" is one of the best pop songs of
the 1990's and worth the price of the record alone.
---
Top 5 - Tim Hulsizer
1) Belle & Sebastian, _If You're Feeling Sinister_
(The Enclave). This Glaswegian septet defines their own sound
and simultaneously saves pop music as we know it. Every review
of the album called it "fey" and that is absolutely true. High
voice, strings, honey-dripping melodies and thoroughly
intellectual lyrics. Hell, it's almost poetry! Amazing!
2) Pavement, _Brighten the Corners_ (Capitol/Matador).
My personal favorite Pavement LP to date, this one is
definitely a keeper. Steve Malkmus keeps writing these songs
that stick in my head, even though I can't figure out what the
hell he's singing about. Still, if you listen close there are
worlds to discover here. Type slowly, indeed.
3) Squarepusher, _Hard Normal Daddy_ (Warp - import).
Tom Jenkinson is the mastermind behind this crazed drum'n'bass
music. He has inked a deal with Nothing Records in the USA, so
be on the lookout for the Squarepusher ouvre in your favorite
record shop. Scratchy, swirly, bassy and experimental. The
album preceding this one is just as good, as are the EPs that
have followed it recently.
4) Babybird, _Ugly Beautiful_ (Atlantic). In the
immortal words of a British music reviewer, "Who knew there
were this many great pop songs left to be written..and that
one man would write them?!" At first I was skeptical about
this disc, as I thought the production was a bit slick for my
taste. Then I listened to his brilliantly cynical love-lyrics.
I believe, baby. You will too.
5) TIE Grant McLennan, _In Your Bright Ray_ (Beggars
Banquet) / Radiohead, _OK Computer_, (Capitol). What a copout,
huh? I guess you can see that I like pop music, preferably from
the British Isles and/or former-British penal colonies. So be
it, because this stuff is fantastic. Radiohead delivers an
album that deserves all of the critical praise heaped on it.
Exploratory yet melodic, holding up to repeated listens. And
what can I say about Grant McLennan? He's still one of the best
pop songwriters around, as evidenced by the new album. Love and
life, just the way I dig it.
---
Top 5 - Tim Kennedy
1) Teenage Fanclub, _Songs From Northern
Britain_ (Creation/Sony). This is joyful guitar music
in the tradition of Beatles, Byrds, Neil Young, The
Eagles. A finely crafted work from a happy yet thoughtful
bunch of chaps.
2) Verve, _Urban Hymns_ (Virgin). Verve have made
76 minutes of some of the most vital songs of many a year.
Vocalist Richard Ashcroft is a man of passion, conveying
desolation but with a glint of glory in his eye.
3) Oasis, _Be Here Now_ (Creation/Epic). Not the
most original music you'll hear or the best lyrics, but
the songs remain excellent, and this contains some of
their best performances to date.
4) Sundays, _Static And Silence_ (Geffen). A thing
of beauty and a joy forever. Harriet's singing is as
uplifting as ever and the gentle arrangements are a worthy
update on the great first album of seven years past.
5) Seahorses, _Do It Yourself_ (Geffen). A good
solid first album from the plucky youngsters, and they
are not overpowered by the presence of guitar God Squire.
---
Top 5 - Reto Koradi
1) Patent Ochsner, _Stella Nera_ (Ariola - Europe).
Clearly the best album so far from one of the most popular
Swiss rock bands. Not musically innovative, but great songs
with some of the best lyrics ever written in our language,
with "Los" being a love song of premier class.
2) Mark Eitzel, _West_ (Warner). One of the very few
CDs that does not only contain sonic waves, but also emotions.
It is dark and sad, but more touching than most. Peter Buck
only adds to Eitzel's qualities known from AMC.
3) Faith No More, _Album Of The Year_ (Warner). The
mass public seems to show less and less interest in crossover,
but Faith No More stay completely unimpressed and just get
better. In a fairer world, a single like "Ashes To Ashes"
would take all charts in storm.
4) Pat MacDonald, _Sleeps With His Guitar_ (Ark21).
Unspectacular at first listen, but it gets better and better
with each listen. Pat MacDonald proves that he is a much more
gifted musician than most people expected from his work with
Timbuk 3.
5) Radiohead, _OK Computer_ (Capitol). Not quite as
amazing as _The Bends_ was, but Radiohead are not standing
still and confirm themselves as one of the essential bands
of our decade.
---
Top 5 - David Landgren
1) Tranquility Bass _Let The Freak Flag Fly_
(Caroline/Astralwerks). I came across this sometime in
July and it has never been far from the player ever since.
A blend of 60s vibe with 90s technology. Despite a couple
of track oddities, this has been by far the most frequently
played CD this year.
2) Baby Bird _Dying Happy_ (Baby Bird Recordings UK).
After being bitterly disappointed by _Ugly Beautiful_, his
studio effort, I was overjoyed to pick up _Dying Happy_,
another selection of 4-track recordings from the archives
of Mr. Baby Bird. This is his most coherent work to date,
a dark album full of melancholy and despair. The last four
tracks are simply brilliant.
3) Luscious Jackson _Fever In, Fever Out_ (Capitol
/Grand Royal). It's a pity the world insisted, yet again
this year, on paying attention to another completely
manufactured group of five scantily clad women with no
musical ability or artistic merit. Because it meant that a
lot of people deserving recognition simply disappeared from
the map. Luscious Jackson are four girls who play their own
instruments, and write their own songs of love, sex and
nudity, are produced by Daniel Lanois and have honed some
delicious pop. This is an album that grows on you.
4) Divine Comedy _A Short Album About Love_ (Setanta).
The French call Neil Hannon "The pope of pop". It's a pretty
good assessment. Here then, are 7 songs, all about love,
performed with strings, woodwinds, brass, the whole bit.
Where most people would stumble before the pitfalls in such
a genre, Mr. Hannon pulls it off with remarkable aplomb. I
play this to cheer myself up.
5) Laika _Sounds Of The Satellites_ (Too Pure/Virgin).
At times, this sounds a lot like Single Gun Theory; breathy
vocals, quiet grooves and keyboard riffs that snag you in.
Lots of excellent tracks on this one, although there are a
couple of things in here that need tightening up. Points lost
for having one of those ghastly "mystery tracks" at the end
of the CD. People who do this obviously have never used a
shuffling multi-CD player. Just say no.
---
Top 5 - Sean McGill
1) Prodigy, _The Fat of the Land_ (Maverick/Warner).
It was loud, it was abrasive, I couldn't get it out of my CD player.
2) Jane's Addiction, _Kettle Whistle_ (Warner). Sure
there were only four new tracks, but _Kettle Whistle_ was like
visiting with old friends - they're not getting any younger, but
it was damn nice to hear from them again.
3) Rollins Band, _Come In And Burn_ (Dreamworks). A
worthy successor to _Weight_, the latest Rollins Band album is
more personal than the rest, but still retained the hard edge that
defines the group.
4) Deftones, _Around the Fur_ (Maverick/Warner). If this
album had come out at the beginning or middle of the year, it would
have made its way to number one. It hasn't left my stack in three
months, and probably won't for three more. Heavy, intense, but
suprisingly melodic in parts, this is the album Korn will never
put out - and that's their loss.
5) Depeche Mode, _Ultra_ (Warner). It's been a few years
and a couple of bouts with recovery, but _Ultra_ is a throwback to
the great Depeche Mode music of the past: slow, depressing, and
recommended by four out of five potential suicide victims in the
world...but in comparison to the rest of this list, I found it
uplifting.
---
Top 5 - Scott Miller
1) Old 97s, _Too Far to Care_ (Elektra). The opening
song "Time Bomb" is a near dead ringer for The Clash's "Police
On My Back" and it'll put you in a party mood right from the
start. But Rhett Miller and the rest of the band keep up the
attack throughout with songs that run from heartbreak ("Salome")
to hilarious tongue-in-cheek irony ("Niteclub"). This album has
everything every great rock album ever had, from hook-a-minute
guitar lines to barroom sing-along choruses so don't be put off
by the band's alternative country label. This is rock and you'll
have a great time listening to it.
2) Walt Mink, _Colossus_ (Deep Elm). There is not a
stadium in the world big enough to hold this band's talent, let
alone the songs on this, its best full-length release. John
Kimbrough (guitar and vocals), Candace Belanoff (bass) and
Orestes Morphin (drums) whipped up mix of musical references
that could keep you discussing pop theory for the next week.
Consider "She Can Smile." It sounds like a twisted acoustic
Beatles tune to start but has a Hendrix riff in the chorus and
a near-Yes guitar solo. And it blends seamlessly. All 10 songs
sound better turned up way loud, so there's a definite 70s
stadium rock quality to it all. Kimbrough is a major guitar
talent, on the level with rock's greatest. He writes pop songs
that challenge his technical abilities but never become
self-indulgent note fests. His lyrics include topics like alien
invasions and models who want to break up with their boyfriends
but can't afford to unless they land another modeling job. This
is one wild ride of an album.
3) Martin Luther Lennon, _Music for a World Without
Limitations_ (Not Lame). Pop goes everything, even the songs
about guns. If you've ever heard the term "post-punk pop" thrown
around and wondered what it meant, check this out.
Singer-songwriter Tony Perkins has a gift for bouncy yet crunchy
pop tunes that seem to get it all done in three minutes or less.
The opening track, "Kill Kill Kill," is a "Dancing in the Street"
(Martha and the Vandellas) for the 90s. "Gun Heaven" is as snide
as anything the Sex Pistols or Elvis Costello ever concocted,
but it has a good beat and you can dance to it -- if you don't
mind getting out of breath. "Tabernacle o' Clay" sounds silly
when you first hear it, but it's a complete heartbreaker
reminiscent of the 50s-era hit "Teen Angel." If you like your
power pop mostly fast and slightly furious, you could do no
better than this.
4) Ron Sexsmith, _Other Songs_ (Interscope). Canadian
Ron Sexsmith's pure voice and songs of everyday life serve not
only as a reminder of why singer-songwriters first grabbed our
attention, but also as a challenge to performers to, pardon the
expression, "keep it real." Throughout his second full-length
release, Sexsmith challenges the notion that a pretty voice and
pretty acoustic-based melodies equal clean-cut emotions and
cookie-cutter songs. In fact, the emotional range runs the
gamut, from uneasiness ("Pretty Little Cemetery") and poignancy
("Honest Mistake" and "So Young") to buoyant comedy ("Clown in
Broad Daylight"), outright sadness ("Strawberry Blonde" and
"Child Star") and self-deprecation ("Average Joe").
Ultra-confessional, deeply serious, overly well-intentioned,
falsely angry singer-songwriters turned the singer-songwriter
genre into that Dana Carvey "Saturday Night Live" caricature,
singing songs about his girlfriend "choppin' brocc-o-li." Thank
goodness for Sexsmith.
5) The Honeydogs, _Seen A Ghost_ (Debris/Mercury). Oh,
sure! Throw in a little pedal steel guitar, a few two-part
harmonies and some two-step shuffle beats and you've got
alternative country, right? Well, I say not necessarily. On
its third album, this Minneapolis band mines some of the same
1970s rock and pop ground that Wilco went for with "Being
There." True to their name, though, The Honeydogs have a
smoother, easier-listening sound that makes romantic songs
like "I Miss You" more romantic and the borderline country
heartbreakers like "Those Things are Hers" more heartbreaking.
The album even includes elements of psychedelic rock ("Into
Thin Air") and full-bore Replacements garage rock ("Cut Me
Loose, Napoleon"). Instantly enjoyable, this album leaves a
lasting impression.
---
Top 5 - Al Muzer
1) The Hutchinsons, _Plastic Fruit & Popcorn_ (RTG).
A loud, abrasive, melodic, hook-filled amalgamation of Ramones
'n' Raspberries garage-buzz power-pop packed with more crunch
than Westerberg ever managed and boasting bigger cajones than
the Romantics in their prime.
2) Birdbrain, _Let's Be Nice_ (TVT). A rich, diverse,
sweeping effort that defied radio and commercial pigeonholing,
Birdbrain's second full-length disc was an edgy blend of pop,
grunge, angst, anger, despair and suicidal darkness that also
featured the semi-hit, "Youth Of America."
3) World Party, _Egyptology_ (Enclave). Karl Wallinger
artfully pillages and plunders the best of the mid-'60s British
Invasion for divine inspiration on World Party's fourth release.
4) Dots Will Echo, _Get Your Hands Off My Modem, You
Weasel_ (DWE). While the record is a dazzling pop masterpiece
in its conception, scope, execution and overall feel, track No.
99 -- a dark, solemn, thoughtful, torchy, piano and tears version
of The Flintstones theme -- was what guaranteed this group a spot
on my Top 10 list a mere three weeks into the new year.
5. Sloan, _One Chord To Another_ (Enclave). The four very
distinct singer/songwriter/anglophiles that make Sloan one of the
few working democracies in existence continue to carve out a
distinct pop niche for themselves with this brilliant release.
---
Top 5 - Linda Scott
1) Rolling Stones, _Bridges To Babylon_ (Virgin).
I loved the album first time through, and if you haven't
heard the big single "Has Anybody Seen My Baby?", you're
missing something Stone special. Stones are on tour now
and groove out on stage just like always. They are so
good.
2) Paul Rodgers, _Now_ (Velvel). This is Rodgers
first solo album in 12 years, and he can still do it alone.
What a voice! The man has been the voice of rock for 30
years, and he still has it.
3) Alice Cooper, _A Fistful Of Alice_ (EMD/Angel).
This album is mostly live, recorded in Sammy Hagar's Cabo
Wabo Club in Mexico. Other rockers guesting on _A Fistful
of Alice_ include Hagar, Slash, and Rob Zombie. Alice
brings out old hits, and the guests give them some new zing.
4) Sammy Hagar, _Marching To Mars_ (MCA). The big
hit single off this album is "Little White Lie" with Hagar
and Slash on guitars - a lightning combination. This is a
total rock album. Makes you feel good just listening. Get
up and dance.
5) Various Artists, _Carnival_ (RCA). This album was
put together by Sting and his wife to benefit the rainforest.
Sting's involvement insures that other high powered artists
will perform. These include, in part, Bette Midler, Madonna,
Ruben Blades, Elton John, Annie Lennox. The album is a good
length at 77 minutes. The cover is very attractive as is the
cd itself. Just a pleasing disk to look at and listen to.
---
Top 5 - Joe Silva
1) David Byrne, _Feelings_ (Luaka Bop/Warner).
While he may be a pace or two off the cutting edge, his
instincts are still tack-sharp. The bounty of quality stuff
here proves that, while most of his contemporaries hopes now
rest in reissues, Byrnes songwriting ability is far from
slipping.
2) Bjork, _Homogenic_ (Elektra). Now that U2s bubble
has largely burst, the future may rest squarely on Icelandic
shoulders. Simply stunning.
3) Julian Cope, _Interpreter_ (Cooking Vinyl).
Finally given a U.S. release, straight-up kosmiche pop for
alien people.
4) Belle and Sebastian, _If You're Feeling Sinister_
(Enclave). Not content waiting for him to die, Ray Davies
soul is prematurely born again in Scotland. You can now toss
away your Alma Mater.
5) Cornershop, _When I Was Born For The 7th Time_
(Luaka Bop/WB). Tjinder Singh cuts, pastes, drones, and
generally scares Lou Reed with how underground and velvety
the new millenium could be.
---
Top 5 - Scott Slonaker
1) Radiohead, _OK Computer_ (Capitol). Running
wild with the ideas toyed with on _The Bends_, Radiohead
fashioned a (semi-) concept album far more futuristic than
a whole hard drive full of techno. Aggressive, harsh,
bleak, mechanical, and pessimistic, but somehow also
languid, relaxed, pastoral, organic, and hopeful, _OK
Computer_ outdistanced the field by several lengths.
2) Foo Fighters, _The Colour and the Shape_
(Roswell/Capitol). To quote CMJ New Music Monthly, "At a
time when we needed it, this is a moment to keep believing
in rock." Expanding Dave Grohl's post-Nirvana project to a
full-band effort, _The Colour and the Shape_ expertly pummels
the ears with implements of imposition such as the torrid
"Monkey Wrench", the now-classic dynamics of "Wind Up", and
the industrial-strength Fab Four-isms of "Hey, Johnny Park!"
Best of all, this record should finally end the relentless and
annoying Nirvana comparisons that have plagued the band from
the start.
3) Guided By Voices, _Mag Earwhig_ (Capitol/Matador).
Lo-fi British Invasion-esque pop auteur Robert Pollard heads
in the opposite direction from both labels. Enlisting the
able backing of Cleveland's Cobra Verde, Pollard sheds the
Beatles basement-tapes vibe for chunky rock 'n roll (classic
in the best sense of the word) while still retaining the
whimsical and idiosyncratic lyrical matter. Interspersed
throughout the record are occasional sonic reminders of the
band's Luddite past, which is a nice touch. "I Am A Tree"
is the usually-concise GBV's five-minute epic, and "Bulldog
Skin" should have been an up-from-the-underground radio hit.
4) Ben Folds Five, _Whatever and Ever Amen_ (550
Music). Rocking the 88s like few others in this decade can,
Ben Folds and his crack rhythm section made their major-label
debut a dandy. As aggressive at times as any punk band (see
"Song for the Dumped" as example numero uno), the Five
(actually three) also have quite the Eltonesque touch for
power balladry ("Brick"). In between, Folds dabbles in
everything from Bee Gees harmonies ("Fair") to cutting, quirky
pop with the attitude and bite of Elvis Costello ("Battle of
Who Could Care Less"). Like all great talents, Folds
simultaneously keeps his roots in the past while reshaping
the present. _Whatever and Ever Amen_ is a treat.
5) Sarah McLachlan, _Surfacing_ (Arista). A reliable
oasis from the ever-growing army of pissy, angst-ridden
bleaters and cloying, precious folkies, Sarah McLachlan's
fourth album manages to display both strength and grace.
While it isn't exactly a grand departure from her previous
effort, _Fumbling Towards Ecstasy_, songs such as the pulsating
"Sweet Surrender", the gorgeous "Adia", and the solemn "Do What
You Have to Do" more than compensate. The incredible
achievement of the Lilith Fair aside, _Surfacing_ cements
McLachlan's position among the paragons of not just women in
music, but music, period.
---
Top 5 - Jon Steltenpohl
1) Ani DiFranco, _Living in Clip_ (Righteous Babe).
_Living in Clip_ proves a truth that the music industry has
forgotten: If you make excellent music, you'll sell records.
Ani DiFranco has sold over 750,000 copies of her supercharged
albums with limited air play and without a major label.
_Living in Clip_ is a fan's delight containing 2 CD's chock
full of intense live tracks and a full color tour book. On
the stage is where DiFranco shines, and _Living in Clip_
never fails to deliver.
2) Frank Sinatra with the Red Norvo Quintet, _Live
in Australia, 1959_ (Blue Note/Capitol). Your impression
of Frank Sinatra might be of an aging crooner with ties to
the mob, but this album unearths a younger, hipper Sinatra.
(Norvo introduces him as their new "boy vocalist".) This is
a jazzy, carefree Sinatra who makes funny quips and plays to
the audience any chance he can get. A phenomenal recording.
3) The Devlins, _Waiting_ (Radiouniverse). No
sophomore slump here. _Waiting_ is one of those moody,
moving albums that manages to skirt the fine line between
pop and alternative with ease. Touring with Sarah McLachlan
got them producer Pierre Marchand and his friend Tom Lord-Alge.
The end result is mesmerizing.
4) Madeleine Peyroux, _Dreamland_ (Atlantic). Harry
Connick Jr. proved that classic music never goes out of style,
and Peyroux captures the same nostalgia. _Dreamland_ is a
brilliant collection of covers and originals in the style of
Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith. Each song is a little gem.
5) "The Artist" (Prince), _Emancipation_ (NPG
Records/EMI-Capitol). Out of 3 bulging CD's, there's at
least a CD and a half of incredible material on
_Emancipation_. Prince, despite his indulgences (mainly
love songs to Mayte), proves himself to still be one of the
world's best producers and performers. A little judicious
editing would have put a 2 CD _Emancipation_ on the same
level as _Purple Rain_ or _Sign o' the Times_.
---
Top 5 - Simon West
1) The Verve, _Urban Hymns_ (Virgin). An absolute
classic, from the opening strings on "Bitter Sweet Symphony"
to the final 'Fuck You!' of "Come On". _Urban Hymns_ has
offended some long-time Verve purists as too commercial, but
it's hard to find fault when the songs are as good as this.
Every track is a winner, particularly the moving "The Drugs
Don't Work" and the wonderful "Velvet Morning". "I need to
hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me," sings Richard
Ashcroft, and The Verve have provided those sounds for the
rest of us.
2) Oasis, _Be Here Now_ (Epic). Every song on this
third effort is rock-solid Oasis, and for the first month
after it was released, I was convinced it was the best album
of the decade. The glow faded rather more quickly than with
the previous two albums, but _Be Here Now_ is still a bloody
good album, suffering only from several otherwise brilliant
songs that simply go on too long, and a tendency toward
overproduction. Still nothing here that quite matches the
attitude and excitement of their debut, _Definitely Maybe_,
but the Oasis juggernaut continues an amazingly consistent
run of high quality songs - their B-sides still put most
A-sides to shame. With Noel Gallagher publicly demanding
change from himself and his band, the next album should be
an interesting one...
3) The Prodigy, _The Fat Of The Land_ (XL/Maverick).
Two of the best singles in recent years in "Firestarter" and
"Breathe" and not inconsiderable hype meant The Prodigy's
third album had a lot to live up too. It did. The previously
mentioned singles justify the purchase alone, and most of the
rest of the album matches that quality. Musical bloke Liam
Howlett effortlessly blends hard guitar, slamming beats, hip
hop breaks and samples, and in Maxim and Keith, two of the
most alarming "vocalists" in memory. A near masterpiece.
4. The Charlatans, _Tellin' Stories_ (Universal/MCA).
The Charlatans return from yet another tragedy - this time
the death of keyboardist Rob Collins, and release their most
consistent album to date. Chemical Brother Tom Rowlands
supplies beats and loops here and there, the Hammond Organ
swirls, and the band knock out some of the best tunes of
the year. "How High", "North Country Boy", "With No Shoes"
and the title track are brilliant, joyous tunes, and the
final track, the instrumental "Rob's Theme", is a poignant
moment indeed. A glorious album.
5) Space Monkeys, _The Daddy Of Them All_ (Interscope).
Refer to the 12/4 issue of Consumable. Find Bob Gajarsky's
review. Insert it here. Great stuff. Britpop, chemical beats,
hip hop samples. The most variety in a single album I've heard
this year. All of it's excellent, one hell of a debut. Check
out especially "We Are The Supercool", the heavy "Ready For The
Rampage" and the surprisingly charming ballad, "Sweetest Dream".
This would probably be higher on my list, had I had it longer
than 48 hours.
---
Top 5 - Lang Whitaker
1) Bjork, _Homogenic_ (Elektra). Bjork is one of
the few artists that have grown up on her own in plain view
to all of us. On _Homogenic_, Bjork matures to a higher plane
than most people thought imaginable. She takes oddly
synthesized and shockingly syncopated beats, wraps them in
lush strings, stirs in sweet melodies, and then liberally
sprinkles her Icelandic pixie dust all over it. The song
"Jsga" splits my vote for song of the year...
2. Ben Folds Five, _Whatever And Ever Amen_ (Sony/550).
...with "Song For The Dumped", the greatest break-up song ever
recorded. Besides "Dumped", Ben Folds Five's sophomore album
is a tight throwback to piano-driven rock and roll. It sounds
like what would have happened if George Gershwin had grown up
with an amp and distortion pedal lying around the house.
3. Rev. Al Green, _Anthology_ (The Right Stuff). Four
CD's of the coolest man ever to walk the earth. This
comprehensive collection chronicles Green's rise from his
Memphis roots to his current legendary status. Starts with
"Pack Up Your Train" and even has the gospel music that his
career has evolved into. There are also several wonderfully
bizarre covers ("I Wanna Hold Your Hand"; "Light My Fire";
"We've Only Just Begun"). It's the bomb.
4. Radiohead, _OK Computer_ (Capitol). I know it
might seem like I'm trying to jump on the critical bandwagon,
but I thought this record was an amazing leap for Radiohead.
It's hard to believe these were the same guys who did "Creep"
a few years ago. Thom Yorke's vocals and lyrics are brilliant,
and I also find "Let Down" more beautiful every time I hear it.
5. Victor Wooten, _What Did He Say?_ (Compass). As
a member of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Victor Wooten had
shocked musicians and fans worldwide with his numbing genius
on the bass guitar. On _What_, his second solo album, Wooten
again proves why he's the best player walking our planet,
tapping out melodies and bass lines simultaneously, while
remaining so deeply immersed within the groove that he could
strike oil at any moment. If you are a musician that has never
heard Victor Wooten play, enlightenment awaits.
---
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest continuous
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