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==== ISSUE 140 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [April 3, 1998]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gaj@westnet.com
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean
Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva, Lang
Lang Whitaker
Correspondents: Tracey Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott
Byron, Jason Cahill, Patrick Carmosino,
Arabella Clauson, Krisjanis Gale, Eric Hsu, Tim
Hulsizer, Robin Lapid, Scott Miller, Linda Scott,
Scott Slonaker, Simon Speichert, Jon
Steltenpohl, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gaj@westnet.com
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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 |
`------------'
REVIEW: Pulp, _This Is Hardcore_ - Simon West
REVIEW: Morcheeba, _Big Calm_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Spacehog, _The Chinese Album_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: The Bluetones, _Return To The Last Chance Saloon_ - Simon West
REVIEW: Tommy Keene, _Isolation Party_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Rebekah, _Remember to Breathe_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Two, _Voyeurs_ - Lee Graham Bridges
REVIEW: David Poe, _David Poe_ - Arabella Clauson
REVIEW: Loudon Wainwright III, _Little Ship_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Bond, _Bang Out Of Order_ - Simon West
REVIEW: Van Dyke Parks, _Moonlighting_ - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Random (02) Mixes of Gary Numan_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: The Hunger, _Cinematic Superthug_ - Linda Scott
CONCERT REVIEW: Cramps - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Cover You: A Tribute To The Rolling
Stones_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: DAS EFX, _Generation EFX_ - Lang Whitaker
NEWS: Pretenders / B-52's, Sand Rubies, Massive Attack
TOUR DATES: Addict, Agents of Good Roots, Cherry Poppin' Daddies,
Cravin' Melon, Curve / Freaky Chakra, Alana Davis, Feeder, John
Wesley Harding , High Llamas , Irving Plaza , Liquor Giants,
Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers, Mono, Promise Ring, Radiohead,
Sherry Rich, Smart Went Crazy, Elliott Smith, Superdrag / Apples
In Stereo / Tuscadero, Third Eye Blind / Rebekah
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Pulp, _This Is Hardcore_ (Island)
- Simon West
Once there was bright upbeat pop, kitchen sink dramas
and sex-soaked vignettes, lingerie and underwear.
And then it all went dark.
"This is the sound of someone losing the plot," moans
Jarvis Cocker on "The Fear", a disturbing, atmospheric account of
a panic attack. "The sound of loneliness turned up to 10." Compare
this with the last album's opener "Misshapes", an upbeat rallying
call to the alienated and uncool of the world, and it becomes
immediately apparent that we're in vastly different territory here.
A staccato blast of feedback five minutes later, and the mood
becomes reflective and vulnerable. "Dishes" sees Jarvis examining
his life at the age of 33 - "I am not Jesus, though I have the same
initials/I am the man who stays at home and does the dishes."
"Party Hard", with its distorted Bowie-esque vocal and rattling
guitar, is more lively, but not much brighter, looking at the party
scene and asking "Why do we have to half kill ourselves just to
prove we're alive?" The first British single "Help The Aged", up
next, actually sounds upbeat by comparison.
The title track, just released as a single, is an astonishing
six and a half minute epic. It's life in a porno film, it's brutal,
dramatic, haunting. Sod "Boogie Nights" - this belongs on a
soundtrack with Soft Cell's "Baby Doll" - the darker, sadder side of
sex. It's one of the most unlikely singles ever - the fact that it
entered the British charts at number 12 is more a testament to Pulp's
core fan base than anything else. Utterly bleak, but an absolute
masterpiece. It's followed up with the rather lightweight "TV
Movie", and then the mood begins to brighten somewhat.
Much of the second half of the album stands in stark
contrast to the first half. There's still a vulnerable, more
personal aspect to the lyrics than before, but it's nowhere near
as dark. "A Little Soul" is a jangly pop affair with a touch of
Cure guitar and, indeed, a little soul, plus one of yer Jarvis talky
bits. "I'm A Man" is as close as we get to _Different Class_, a
sardonic reflection on what it is to be a man. "Seductive Barry" is
an atmospheric, almost ambient seduction fantasy, a crooning,
growling Jarvis complemented by Neneh Cherry on backing vocals.
"Sylvia" is terrific, a classic Jarvis girl song a la "Pink Glove"
and "Do You Remember The First Time" with some distinctly un
Pulp-like guitar action.
The final two tracks are as good as anything Pulp have
ever done. "Glory Days" is pure brilliant pop, Jarvis explaining
that "I could be a genius/If I just put my mind to it", and
exhorting "Make it up yourself/You don't need anybody else".
Irresistible chorus, good double-tracked vocal bits, it's a
classic, begging to be sung along to. "The Day After The
Revolution" sounds almost hopeful and optimistic, a sweeping epic
that looks to the future: "We are the children of the new world,"
and ends with a spoken "Bye bye" that invites speculation about
Pulp's future, given recent interviews. The U.S. release contains
a bonus track, "Like A Friend" from the _Great Expectations_
soundtrack. A more typical Pulp tune distinguished by a radical
tempo change mid-song, it's a little out of place at the end of
_This Is Hardcore_, and would have worked better as a b-side or
a single in its own right.
Fans converted by the likes of "Common People" and "Disco
2000" are unlikely to be delighted by _This Is Hardcore_. It's nowhere
near as accessible as _Different Class_ or even 1994's _His 'N' Hers_.
The voyeurism and heavy breathing have been replaced by a
world-weariness and despair, though this lightens somewhat by the end.
It's a demanding album, but well worth the effort. _This Is Hardcore_
is dark, complicated - and absolutely terrific.
---
REVIEW: Morcheeba, _Big Calm_ (Sire/China)
- Joe Silva
After their debut, the buzz behind Morcheeba was strong
in enough to lure in old school hipsters like David Byrne for
servicing. That and fair amount of touring behind them (with the
likes of Live no less...), the sophomore disc has hit the bins.
Despite the fact that the chanteuse and her accompanying knob
twiddlers is no longer a formula that draws much attention,
Morcheeba remain big time contenders in that arena. Not giving
themselves over to the sophomore panic that gripped Portishead,
Morcheeba remain keyed in on the songs and do not become consumed
with conjuring the big atmospherics that can drown your standard
electronic pop group when they do not spring naturally.
The fraternal mindspring of the brothers Godfrey (Paul -
buttons, Ross - guitar) matched with the silky strains of Skye
Edward move easily from their native urban boulevards to the
eastern ghettos and back to their soul digs via the avenues of
chic pop, mild-mannered dub, and string-laden folk. But for all
the toe dipping into the various pools of experimentation, _Big
Calm_ is far from cluttered or herky jerky. Skye's voice sound
righteous in all of the above formats, and the Godfrey lads
display a delicate touch throughout while gently prodding you
the listener from groove to groove.
From the start ("The Sea"), Ross Godfrey enjoys reeling
off his slick ethereal funk solos while his brother butts strings
and scratches up against them. There's straight up sitar to
follow ("Shoulder Holster") and even a Kansas-style ballad ("Over
& Over") for afters. And all the while, Edwards comes off
natural, focused, and hell bent on setting up the trancey vocal
that's full-on sultry and equal parts plaintive and spooky.
So while Portishead are forced to retreat from the
spotlight, and new kids on block Mono sport a single that sounds
more like a vintage commercial for some second rate perfume,
_Big Calm_ is not to be overlooked in a year that is still fairly
thin in quality and a full three months gone.
---
REVIEW: Spacehog, _The Chinese Album_ (Sire / Warner)
- Bob Gajarsky
New York-meets-Leeds (England) in the four member rock
group Spacehog. Darlings of the musical press after _Resident
Alien_, their second release - _The Chinese Album_ - is a
collection of promises made, but never fulfilled.
The glam, bam, thank you ma'am sound of leadoff single
"Mungo City" and "Captain Freeman" are ripped right out of the
pages of Ziggy-era Bowie, and "Carry On" teases the listener
with a set of hooks so irresistible that, if recorded twenty
years earlier, would be a staple today on 'classic rock' stations.
Unfortunately, Spacehog has abandoned their familiar
territory for rougher terrain throughout the remainder of
_The Chinese Album_ with mixed results. "Skylark" is the answer
to Van Halen's cover of "Happy Trails", and much of the
remainder of the disc falls by the wayside into various
levels of anonymity.
Michael Stipe's guest appearance on "Almond Kisses"
would fit in nicely in R.E.M.'s _Out Of Time_ outtakes -
but in the context of Spacehog, only highlights the
inconsistencies with the rest of this disc.
Ironically enough, the first song of _The Chinese
Album_ ("One Of These Days") includes a sample of the Talking
Heads' "Seen and Not Seen". In this case, Spacehog should
have sampled a song that would more appropriately fit _The
Chinese Album_ - say, the Pretenders "Middle of the Road".
---
REVIEW: The Bluetones, _Return To The Last Chance Saloon_ (A&M U.K.)
- Simon West
The Bluetones rode the Britpop wave to the top in their
native England, releasing a series of bright, poppy singles, notably
the excellent "Bluetonic" and "Slight Return". The debut album,
_Expecting To Fly_, was also quite good, rather Stone Roses influenced,
and occasionally let down by Mark Morriss's rather underpowered singing
style, but decent second division stuff.
Many of the Britpop bands of two or three years ago
have fallen by the wayside now, but The Bluetones return with their
long-delayed second long-player. Worth the wait? Just about.
It's pleasant enough stuff, and the style has progressed - a
lot louder, a little more experimentation. The album kicks off with
the tribal, vaguely Adam & The Ants style drumbeat of "Tone Blooze",
a two minute western instrumental that blends into the equally western
sounding "Unpainted Arizona". Oasis have already ventured down this
trail with "Fade In/Out", and unlike Liam Gallagher, Mark Morriss'
voice really isn't suited to it. "Solomon Bites The Worm", a bluesy
rocker, starts off with Mariachi-style cries and yelps and then
Morriss wanders in, and the vocal still doesn't really match the
style, but the song's strong enough to pull it off.
There are some good songs here. "Sleazy Bed Track" starts
out as a nice little ballad before grinding unexpectedly into a
brash chorus that has Morriss suggesting "all you've gotta do is
baby kick off your shoes/And lay down," which would sound a little
more natural in almost any context other than a Bluetones song, but
works all the same. "If" is probably the best track here. An
infectious bassline thumps up and down a scale accompanied by a
scratchy guitar riff. "It's all I can do to/Sing these stupid songs
to you" sings Morriss, bravely, and goes into some classic "na-na-na"
action. It's great. "The Jub Jub Bird" is another good one - a heavy
guitar rocker - traces of Zeppelin or Second Coming period Stone
Roses, plus a thrashing middle bit and a great vocal.
Much of the rest however, particularly on the latter half of
the album, is simply unremarkable, inoffensive stuff you'd be hard
pushed to remember an hour after you'd heard it. The tempo and
structure don't change around much - it just doesn't really go
anywhere.
Still, a decent follow-up, and a reasonable evolution from
the debut, but as a whole, it's rather unaffecting - it's difficult
to imagine anyone being overwhelmed by the urge to stick it on the
stereo. Existing fans should be happy enough, but The Bluetones have
yet to fulfill the potential they seem to be capable of.
---
REVIEW: Tommy Keene, _Isolation Party_ (Matador)
- Joann D. Ball
Power pop reigns supreme on _Isolation Party_ , the
latest release from pop guru Tommy Keene. The follow-up to his
first album for Matador Records, 1995's _Ten Years After_, Keene's
second release is a well-crafted pop music delight. Infused with
the same heaping portions of melody, textured guitars and upbeat
tempos found on his other four critically aclaimed albums,
_Isolation Party_ also contains Keene's simple but honest brand
of songwriting. And Keene's heartfelt emotions are present in all
of the thirteen tracks here, which faithfully echo the spirit of
such pop royalty as the Who, Cheap Trick and Big Star.
Keene starts the party with "Long Time Missing" and keeps
it going with "Getting Out From Under You" Both are perfect road
trip songs, irresistible uptempo tunes with straight ahead guitars
and a solid beat which will get you drumming on the dashboard in
seconds flat. "Take Me Back" is a bit slower than the first two,
but still marked by Keene's distinctive vocals and ringing and
chiming guitars. Other notable tracks here include "The World
Outside," with its classic Keene harmonies and interweaving lead
guitar, "Battle Lines," and "Waiting Without You." And for good
measure, Keene also throws in a cover of Mission of Burma's
"Einstein's Day," on which his guitar solos take flight over solid
power chords.
For those unfamiliar with Keene, his distinctive sound has
influenced such fans as Teenage Fan Club, Wilco and the Gin
Blossoms. In fact, Wilco's Jay Bennet and Jeff Tweedy make an
appearance here along with former Blossom guitarist Jesse
Venezuela. Keene is also connected to two other rock contemporaries,
writing most of the material on this CD between tours as guitarist
with former Replacements' leader Paul Westerberg and Velvet Crush.
Like the woefully ignored popster Adam Schmitt, who has worked with
Keene on previous efforts and assists with the mastering and editing
here, Keene has chosen to craft this pop offering largely by
himself. Keene recorded most of the instruments and produced the
sessions on his own, and spent a lot of time in the state of
Illinois during the process. In addition to working with the
Champaign-Urbana, Illinois based Schmitt, Keene recorded _Isolation
Party_ upstate, in the Zion studio of underground pop heroes the
Shoes.
The critically acclaimed Keene should have taken American
radio by storm in the mid-eighties, but unfortunately Rolling
Stone Magazine's prediction didn't anticipate the label problems
at Geffen which stalled Keene's power pop revolution. But more
than ten years after, Keene continues to produce pop masterpieces
and has developed a small but dedicated following Stateside and an
even bigger fan base in Japan and Europe. Tommy Keene has more
than paid his dues, so hopefully _Isolation Party_ will finally do
the trick and give him the widespread radio airplay and exposure
that he has so long deserved.
This is Keene's most commercially accessible record since
1989's brilliant, but grossly ignored, _Based on Happy Times_.
Unlike that last Geffen effort, though, _Isolation Party_ is much
more stripped down, revealing the natural elements of Keene's
signature power pop. With few studio touches and excellent
production, the addictive blend of Keene's melodies, harmonies,
chiming guitars, steady bass and solid beats make _Isolation Party_
one you'll wanna crash again and again. For more information about
the host and when the party will be held in your town, check out the
Matador Records website at http://www.matador.recs.com
---
REVIEW: Rebekah, _Remember to Breathe_ (Elektra)
- Jon Steltenpohl
In their great race to beat a genre into the ground, the music
industry has been signing up every promising bit of female talent they
can get their hands on. Blame it on Sarah McLachlan or Sheryl Crow or
Melissa Etheridge, but you can't get away from the newest breed of woman
pop stars with a little folk, a little alternative, and a little rock
thrown in. Rebekah represents the latest offering from Elektra, and
she embodies a disturbing legacy of musical cradle robbing.
Before reaching her current tender age of 25, Rebekah first
flirted with engineering school, art school, and acting before find her
true love of playing pop music. Her parents were in charge of the church
choir, but Rebekah's style doesn't have much in common with Christian
contemporary or Gospel. Instead, she's a pop/rock musician taking off
the gloves to give Jewel and Paula Cole little jabs and left hooks.
Regretfully, you can see where she's aiming, but Rebekah never lands the
knockout punch.
"Sin So Well", the first single from _Remember to Breathe_ has
already garnered airplay on some radio stations. It captures perfectly
everything that's masterful and mediocre with this promising debut. For
the first 24 seconds, "Sin So Well" is the best pop song you've ever
heard. A punky little guitar starts out the beat. Rebekah puts on a
little girl voice and sings, "Momma doesn't like when I sin so well /
heaven's kind of far / but I swear that when I'm coming it's close /
'cause we sin so well / lead us not into temptation / oh, but what a
way to go."
And then, she launches into this horrible verse of wailing souls
cast into the depths of hell. Rebekah's voice strains and power chords
and cymbals rip the wicked for their sins. Seconds later, you're back to
pure pop candy. There's even a bridge with strings thrown in for good
measure plus a full minute at the end that repeats the opening. The end
result is a jumbled song with just enough catchy points to keep you
hooked. It's something that shows potential for more, but seems unpolished.
Unfortunately, most of the songs on the album are like this. There's
enough there to like, but not enough to commit yourself.
Two notable exceptions stand out as unique and not produced for
the radio world. "Pining" is a song of melancholy desire that features
only piano and string quartet. Rebekah's voice is reserved and focused.
She aches in just the right places, and the accompaniment is sparse and
sad. The chords of the strings just sing. "Cardboard Boxes" takes on a
completely different genre. Funky and fun, it's got wakka-wakka guitars
and raspberry horns. Rebekah is loose and smooth, and she seems right at
home with a chorus of "doo, doo-doo, doo, doo"'s. These two songs along
with "Keep It A Secret", "Be Your Own", and "Little Black Girl" reveal a
great talent in the making.
While _Remember to Breathe_ doesn't consistently satisfy, it's not
Rebekah's fault. She's got a lot of talent, but Elektra signed her too
early. Bits and pieces of her songs stick in your head all day, and, on
the whole, _Remember to Breathe_ is pretty good rookie effort. But, it
doesn't come together like a more experienced artist's album would. A few
more songs in her songbook and a few more years on the road will mature
Rebekah into the musician she's capable of being.
(Visit http://www.elektra.com/rock_club/rebekah/rebekah.html for
a bio and 3 song samples.)
---
REVIEW: Two, _Voyeurs_ (Nothing/Interscope)
- Lee Graham Bridges
At the center of the new band/project Two is ex-Judas Priest
frontman Rob Halford and the executive producer of _Voyeurs_, Trent
Reznor. The band builds its songs from components which beg
comparison to those of other bands: one might hear the vocal
textures of Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction) or Richard Patrick
(Filter); guitar riffs with all the characteristic rhythm of
Metallica, but the extra punch found in the work of White Zombie.
_Voyeurs_ was the result of Halford and Lowery's songwriting
and performance *reinterpreted* by Reznor. For instance, "If"
contains some spacy ambient noises, and fast-paced, drum'n'bass-esque
interludes substitute for the default hardcore guitar riffs. The
eccentric intro to "Stutter Kiss" is pure Reznor, and further
demonstrates how this record became his stomping grounds from a
production standpoint.
Unfortunately, the pattern of Two's music is a bit formulaic,
if not predictable. If the songs cannot be best described as following
verse-chorus-verse, they are certainly mostly arranged according to a
mellow-loud-mellow sonic schematic. Lyrics could be stronger;
choruses in particular are sometimes tediously repetitive and long.
But, despite its difficulties, _Voyeurs_ really does rock, plain and
simple. Between the clean guitar skills of John Lowery and the
elaborate percussion design and ingenious use of sampling evident in
this and other Reznor productions, it might be the music itself that
sells Two to the crowds as such a powerful package.
_Voyeurs_ is a great choice for fans of modern hard rock and
metal, or for Judas Priest fans interested in seeing Halford's latest
work. A delicate balance is set up between art and spontaneity -
despite all Halford's intimations that he is an "artist" in recent
interviews, and Reznor's decidedly thematic style and supposed
disinterest in metal in general, _Voyeurs_ still rolls out of the
studios as the product of unpretentious motives, while retaining
artistic integrity. Fans can only hope that in their future work,
Two avoid toppling unfavorably toward a ridiculous, contrived
"artistry," or on the other hand, mediocrity.
---
REVIEW: David Poe, _David Poe_ (550 Music)
- Arabella Clauson
On his self-titled debut, David Poe matriculates himself
in the school of eclectic folk-rock among classmates Ani Difranco
and Peter Mulvey. Drifting from Dayton, Ohio to New York City
and playing in numerous punk, folk, and eclectic ensembles over
the past 15 years, the singer-songwriter has developed a
uniquely experimental, acoustic-based sound to call his own. Poe
refined his West Village sensibilities through stints at New
York's acclaimed C.B.'s Gallery and performing in a drum-guitar
duo with Rollins Band member Sim Cain.
_David Poe_ features a marvelous collection of
stripped-down tunes defined through sparse instrumentation,
capturing all the authenticity of live performance within the
confines of recorded media. The songs themselves seem to
organically bleed into each other, taking on a life of their own
and blending across surprisingly smooth edges. They flow into
one another with a mature vision of creative expression
highlighted through the work of producer T-Bone Burnett
(Wallflowers, Counting Crows).
Poe marks "Telephone Song" with the steady hum of earthy
vocals, and follows with the catchy, infectiously melodic overtones
of "Blue Glass Fall." An eery slide guitar introduces
"California," and the classically trained musician winks at
Pachelbel's Canon on "Moon" through simple, yet highly sophisticated
guitar arpeggios. The bossanova beat of "Apartment" emphasizes
Poe's raspy, warm vocals inscribed within eclectic, slow-paced
guitar work. His sardonic wit emerges on "Bloody" (which he calls
"the sick joke that everybody gets") as he quips, "If I saw you
getting beaten in the street/I would stop them hurting you and
finish the job with my own words."
At the South by Southwest Music Festival, Poe admitted
sticking to depressing themes. "A friend told me all my songs
were depressing to him. I tried to write a happy song, but I
failed miserably." Which is not to say he writes nothing but
ballads; quite the opposite, as many of his songs have an upbeat
rhythm underlying the mournful lyrics.
If he could give voice to a generation, David Poe speaks
to all the twentysomethings who detest the Generation X label.
Highly sophisticated instrumentation, lyrical intelligence make
this a startingly original, organically experimental release. Now
well into the school of eclecticism, pray he never graduates to
something too worthy for fringe culture.
---
REVIEW: Loudon Wainwright III, _Little Ship_ (Virgin/Charisma)
- Bill Holmes
Sometimes I wish every record came with a lyric sheet, because
many people flat out mumble and it would be nice to know what they are
really singing. Then there are times when I'm glad they don't,
because it makes me listen to the words as they're being sung and
spoken. I'd never turn to the last page of a novel to see the ending,
and I like to savor the words of a good song in much the same way.
Which is just my longwinded way of saying that master songwriter and
storyteller Loudon Wainwright III makes me laugh, sing along, think
and get choked up along with him, and it's better when I don't know
what's coming next. Like the whistling solo on the island flavored
title track. Oops.....
As a vocalist, Wainwright has gotten much better over the
years. His phrasing on delicate songs like "Four Mirrors" and
"Primrose Hill" is just one example of the difference between a
good singer and a pedestrian vocalist. Radio will no doubt try to
feature louder, uptempo songs like "Mr. Ambivalent" or "I Can't
Stand Myself", and they're very good songs. But where his louder,
faster songs tend to be nudge and wink stories, it's his softer,
slower moments that let him weave his magic better. Besides the
poignant "Primrose Hill", other strong moments include "The
Birthday Present II" and Shawn Colvin's duet vocal on "Our Own
War".
Wainwright is a certified wise ass and one of the best
live performers you will ever see. At his shows, crowds laugh
uproariously and sing along in unison, but when he pulls out one
of his pensive, dysfunctional family themed gems (and he has a
truckload), the crowd is quiet with equal parts interest and awe.
It's hard to recapture those two polarities on a studio record, but
alongside the cock-strut of "Breakfast In Bed" you have a song like
"OGM" (outgoing message), where Loudon picks a lone guitar as he
sings. It's a beautiful but sad song, the low self esteem yin to
the unbridled frustration yang of The Replacements' "Answering
Machine".
Maybe my favorite moment is the hysterical "Being A Dad".
As usual, the record is littered with great lyrics, but this one
is wall-to-wall great ("it's as hard as it looks/you gotta read 'em
dumb books/and you end up despising Walt Disney"). The over-the-top
performance comes complete with chanting chorus, and then right
when he has you laughing your ass off, he slips in the somber,
final couplet ("Being a Dad can make you feel sad/Like you're the
insignificant other/Yeah right from the start they break your
heart/In the end every kid wants his mother...")
For a funny guy, it's obvious that he has had family issues
wear some of the tread off his tires over the years, but as usual,
his catharsis is our gain. Loudon fans will be thrilled, and those
willing to sit and give this an hour of their time to _Little Ship_
will realize why those in the know stopped talking about "Dead
Skunk" a long time ago...
---
REVIEW: Bond, _Bang Out Of Order_ (Work)
- Simon West
Catchy three minute songs in a Britpop fashion with a
cockney lead vocal and lyrics dealing in pop culture and everyday
life. _Parklife_ era Blur, right? Not this time.
Bond's debut is a lively affair, dropping beats and keyboards
on top of guitar driven hooks and singalong choruses. The overall
effect isn't particularly original, but it's undeniably entertaining.
Highlights include "Starbucked", a great shoutalong about
groupies, full of unpleasant sexual puns: "Her gasm is in ore/My balls
are in her court." "Anne Grenade" sounds a bit like Everclear might if
Art Alexakis came from Sarf London. "Retronoyoko" veers just a little
too close to Blur territory but entertains regardless, with a lyric
dealing with the retro scene where "Everyone's retro/Sorta mono/Kinda
Yoko/Ono." "I'm A Bastard" sounds a bit like Squeeze might if Squeeze
went out for a heavy night on the piss and then wandered past a
fairground.
Bond aren't all daft puns and pop culture. First single
"Nothing Fits", combining backward guitar and a dub-style rhythm with
one of the catchiest choruses of the year, seems to be about having a
bloody awful day. "Disposable" is surprisingly slow, with great
harmonized vocals and lyrics with vaguely religious undertones. It's
one of the best tracks on the album, and proof that Bond has more to
offer than simple raucous pop.
_Bang Out Of Order_'s radio-friendly sound may be partly due
to producer Matthew Wilder (No Doubt), but various Bond members have
chart experience, from Shakespeare's Sister to Black Grape - ex-Grape
Martin Slattery is the keyboardist here, and tracks such as
"Starbucked" are a little remeniscent of the chaotic anarchy of Ryder
and company.
Nothing earth-shattering here then - a bit of Madness, a touch
of 90's Britpop, fuzzy guitar riffs and a bit of sax here and there,
but stamped with Bond's own personality. A consistently entertaining
debut album, well worth checking out.
---
REVIEW: Van Dyke Parks, _Moonlighting_ (Warner)
- Tim Kennedy
This collection of songs, performed live last year
in a cozy atmosphere at the Ash Grove is a superb showcase
of the strange but potent talent who weaved his mercurial
way through the West Coast scene of the sixties and
collaborated on the majestic Beach Boys _Smile_
album-that-never-was.
The album is at once soothing and inspiring. The
orchestral and piano backing provides a far more satisfying
backdrop for VDP's theme of yesterday's America than the
jarring 'modern pop' production on 1997's _Orange Crate
Art_. Whilst VDP has a pleasant voice, it would be nice
to hear Brian Wilson also singing to this altogether
preferable backing as he did on the studio _Crate_ album.
The melodies are lilting yet still challenge, and
at least to these ears provide a welcome antidote to stale
familiar guitar patterns. The songs recall a little of
Newman, Wilson with a touch of Gershwin. This ain't rock
'n' roll, and it is often sedate music but nonetheless it
is music with a lot of heart, music that knows no cynicism.
An echo of the _Smile_ sessions is clearly to be
heard here, with its harking back to old times. The rustic
theme of "C-H-I-C-K-E-N" recalls the still unreleased _Smile_
song "Barnyard", as does the inherent humour of this album.
VDP jokes and chats in between songs, on occasions
reading poetry by the likes of Robert Frost. He reads from
the travel writings of Louis Moreaux Gottschalk, leading into
the Latinesque "Night In The Tropics".
Fans of Van Dyke's solo work, his work with the
Beach Boys, lovers of romantic music from older times, and
maybe people who just like unusual stuff will love this CD.
Suffused with humour and intelligence, this music is timeless.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Random (02) Mixes of Gary
Numan_ (Beggars Banquet)
- Joe Silva
It's generally agreed that while he lacked the critical
verite at the time, Gary Numan's kicking at the hands of the
press, leftover punks, and disco dollys of the day, Gazza can
be credited with reducing the amount of flak that the bulk of
synth bands to follow would have surely had to absorb. Even with
"Cars" already in pocket, not many wanted to hear about his
wanky, paranoid visions of the future. A generation or two
removed from all of his benefactors, however, comes the second
installment of the _Random_ tribute.
Beggars, initially swamped with material and a healthy
throng of co-conspirators, decided not to put off the masses that
might initially snap up the project by working in the techno mixes
that came with the flood of interest. And true enough, neither
Damon Albarn's excellent take on "We Have A Technical" or An
Pierle's (pronounced "Peer-lay") super Tori-esque "Are Friends
Electric?" from the first double CD (!!) installment would have
been easily meshed alongside the way-extended club visions
included on the follow-up.
But the two editions should not exist separately either.
Right out of the gate it's obvious that Robert Armani's six minute
treatment of "Metal" should not have been lost to space reserved
for a more marketable entry. Distilled down to his essence as it
is here, Numan's material still maintains its bleak but arresting
flavor. Of the two distinct approaches to "Cars," the Mike
Dearborn deconstruction is probably the preferred version.
Having seemingly little to do with the original, unlike the
following (and largely faithful) Dave Clarke take, the ceaseless
thumping is mo' satisfying in it's abstraction. With not much
more than two notes and a snatch of re-worked vocal from the
original, the same can be said of Liberator DJ's "Are Friends
Electric?" And even if his own LP might be a complete snoozer,
Steve Stoll's work is engaging as he endlessly does a house
loop around "I Was Vapour." When things aren't quite as bumping,
as in Peter Lazonby's closer "The Iceman Comes" or the excellent
"Dans Le Parc" by D.J. Hell, it's apparent that Numan's essence
becomes easier to secure.
For all his naff, second-hand Bowie faculties, _Random_
makes clear that Gary's detachment was valid enough to shine
through to the future he desperately felt more of a kinship to.
So now the only coal that remains to be stirred is - will the
pale airborne android touch down amongst us once again now that
terrain below appears a trifle more welcome?
---
REVIEW: The Hunger, _Cinematic Superthug_ (Universal)
- Linda Scott
_Cinematic Superthug_ is a crossbreed of industrial and
hard rock. Imagine Nine Inch Nails' electronics combined with
Metallica's whipsaw hard rock, and you have a good fix on this
album. Bringing it to you is a Houston-based band, The Hunger,
together since the late 80's. Featuring brothers Jeff and Thomas
Wilson on vocals/keyboards, their bandmates are Stephen Boyle
(guitars), Brian Albritton (bass), and Max Schuldberg (drums).
When The Hunger started, they played dance music and then
evolved into a rock band. They then became an industrial band in a
big way but are now doing industrial rock with more rock leanings.
Their debut album for Universal was _Devil Thumbs A Ride_ , which
produced the top five rock single, "Vanishing Cream". The Hunger
toured relentlessly in support of their album and opened for such
bands as Sponge, the Toadies and their heroes, Kiss.
While the debut album emphasized the industrial sound,
_Cinematic Superthug_ has a richer, melody-driven sound. The tracks
are loud and brash but different from the usual industrial noise
band. The rock base and meaningful lyrics should increase The
Hunger's appeal. Tracks such as "Ray" and "Closer To Me" are good
examples of The Hunger's new sound; guitars and effects, thoughtful
lyrics and vocal hooks which have an industrial sound but are
heavily underpinned with rock's emotions.
_Cinematic Superthug_ is a good choice for fans of industrial
and hard rock that are interested in hearing a new sound. Check the
band's web site at http://www.thehungeronline.com for tour
information as well as band photos and discography.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Cramps, Asbury Park NJ
- Al Muzer
The first-ever Jersey Shore (Asbury Park) appearance of
The Cramps was one of those mind-warpin' time-travel highlights
you're still talking about if you were lucky enough to witness -
and're still kicking yourself over if you missed.
Proving once and for all that a life-long avoidance of
the sun can keep you young and pale forever, coolly-detached,
leather-clad, one-time dominatrix Poison Ivy Rorschach spewed
up a continuous barrage of echo-laden surf-twang and super-fuzzed
power chords while the frothing, fish-in-the-sand stage antics
and dysfunctionally-erotic lyrics of Lux Interior had the crowd
bouncing along furiously to the band's kitschy, junk-laden,
slightly askew world view before you could say "It Thing Hard-On."
Kicking their enthusiastically performed set off with
"Cramp Stomp" from their latest CD, _Big Beat From Badsville_
(Epitaph), Lux, Ivy, drummer Harry Drumdini and bassist Slim
(ex-Mad Daddys) Chance [the latter two are spittin' images of
long-ago predecessors Nick Knox and Bryan Gregory] covered all
stages of the band's 20-plus-year, trash-lovin' career with no
special emphasis placed on the last two albums ( _...Badsville_
and 1994s _Flamejob_) and their full attention focused on making
as much racket as possible.
Doing noisy justice to staples such as "Love Me," "Garbage
Man," "I Was A Teenage Werewolf," "Sunglasses After Dark,"
"Creature From The Black Leather Lagoon," "God Monster," "Goo
Goo Muck," " Naked Girl Falling Down The Stairs," "The Hot Pearl
Snatch," "What's Inside A Girl?," "Ultra Twist," "TV Set," "Can
Your Pussy Do The Dog?" and "Human Fly"; the band barreled
through a loud, over-the-top, tunefully-obnoxious 19-song assault
on all that is decent, rock-a-billy and right with the power,
energy, vitality, noise and freakish sexuality of the Gravest
Hits-era four-piece in full, pale-skinned bloom.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Cover You: A Tribute To The Rolling
Stones_ (Hip-O)
- Bill Holmes
Hip-O's tribute collections gather previously recorded
versions of an artist's work rather than commission current bands to
take a whack at the catalogue. So where the latter project might
have the benefit of one-upmanship as bands try to come out on top
of the pile, the older versions were done individually as true tips
of the cap, especially when you consider the caliber of the artists
involved. Like _Meet The Covers_ and _Chuck B,. Covered_, this
gathering is as eclectic as Hip-O's Beatles and Chuck Berry discs.
While many have heard Linda Ronstadt's tepid version of
"Tumbling Dice", few will have heard Sugar Blue's jazzy harp-laden
"Miss You" (he played harmonica on the original cut). Ditto a nice
collaboration between two of the better guitarists on Earth, Charlie
Sexton and Ron Wood. And while I miss Devo's unique attack of
"Satisfaction", soul legend Otis Redding sounds a lot more like a
man in need than Jagger did. White soul shouter Mitch Ryder issued
one of the most intense rock albums of the era with _Detroit_; the
inclusion of his growling "Gimme Shelter" is the best thing on the
record. Dueling soul Queens Aretha and Tina Turner are here also,
with Ike and Tina ironically offering "Under My Thumb"!
Country blues is the bastard father of rock and roll, and
while Jason & The Scorchers rip it up with "19th nervous Breakdown",
Johnny Cash's 1978 version of "No Expectations" sounds like "Folsom
Prison Blues" with different words. Steve Earle and Johnny Winter
(with Rick Derringer blazing alongside him every step of the way)
close out the disc with live versions of "Dead Flowers" and
"Jumpin' Jack Flash", respectively.
There are fourteen songs, and besides the Ronstadt cut, the
only mistake that Hip-O made was in the liner notes which begin:
"Mick Jagger and Keith Richards may not be thought of as one of the
great songwriting teams of the modern era..." Maybe not on your
planet! As a die hard, long time, watched-them-on-Sullivan-as-a-kid
fan, I've known better all my life. Even during that period of the
1960's when the unwritten rule said you had to choose between the
Beatles and The Stones (couldn't - gasp - like both!), I knew which
side my rock was buttered on. So does Hip-O.
---
REVIEW: DAS EFX, _Generation EFX_ (Elektra)
- Lang Whitaker
By its very nature, rap music is supposed to chafe you a
little bit. As Chuck D once noted, "Rap music is CNN for black
people", and as a result, rap music, once a happy-go-lucky boasting
contest, has evolved into a hardcore reporting industry.
But if rap music is indeed "CNN", then DAS EFX would be
"Style with Elsa Klench". As they have established on their three
previous albums, EFX has an unmistakable vocal style that they
mine for all it's worth. In the middle of about every fourth word,
Skoob and Drayz insert a vocal tick that sounds like "iggity".
For instance, "This is CNN", in DAS-speak, would be "This is
C-iggitty-NN".
The vocal tick is at first grating, but it soon becomes
second nature. Skoob and Drayz work extremely well together, with
a flow that rivals the camaraderie between Run DMC. DAS EFX's
voices sound smooth together, as the both have an intensity and
concentration that shows.
The album appears to be sequenced with a purpose. The
tracks rotate back and forth between hard-core and party jams,
but for their part, DAS are rock steady. The songs on _Generation
EFX_ are never earth-shattering, production-wise, but appear to
have been written with the radio in mind; each song has spoken
verses with sing along choruses. The sugar coating of _Generation
EFX_ is a welcome change to the raw and rough recent past of rap.
The best song on the record is "Generation EFX", a song
where Drayz and Skoob stake their claim as the voices of their
generation. Adding vocals and production on the song is the
legendary EPMD, and Erick and Parrish sound as tight as ever.
The first single, "Rap Scholar" features Redman, another member
of EPMD's extended stable of talent, and is built around a sample
of The Brick's "Dazz".
Maybe _Generation Effects_ isn't the most groundbreaking
record, but it doesn't have to be. No one likes to have news
shoved down their throats, and as Mary Poppins and DAS EFX have
found, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.
---
NEWS: > The Pretenders will be hitting the road this summer with the
B-52's, and tour dates will be announced in mid-April. Meanwhile, the
Pretenders continue to put the finishing touches on their upcoming
studio record, selections from which will be undoubtedly previewed
at the outdoor gigs this summer.
> The Sand Rubies (formerly known as the Sidewinders)
will be issuing a greatest hits album in late May. Titled
_Sand Rubies: The Sidewinders Sessions_, the disc is a
precursor to the band's newest album, due to be issued later in
the year. For more information, check out http://www.contingency.com
> Massive Attack's newest album, _Mezzanine_ - slated for a
May 12 in-store release date - will be available in its entirety
before that on the Internet. The album will appear in stages over
the course of two weeks via a special page on Virgin Records
America's web site ( http://www.virginrecords.com/massive_attack ).
The entire album, along with the first video ("Teardrop"),
was put on the Virgin site on March 30.
---
TOUR DATES:
Addict
Apr. 3 Chicago, IL Double Door
Apr. 4 Detroit, MI Shelter
Apr. 5 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Apr. 7 Toronto, ON Horseshoe
Apr. 9 Boston, MA Middle East
Apr. 10 Washington, DC 930 Club
Apr. 11 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grille
Agents of Good Roots
Apr. 9 New York, NY Wetlands
Apr. 12 Killington, VT Pickle Barn
Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Apr. 3 Washington, DC 930 Club
Apr. 4 Philadelphia, PA TLA
Apr. 5 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
Apr. 8 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Apr. 9 Chicago, IL Riviera
Apr. 10 Detroit, MI St. Andrews
Apr. 11 Cleveland, OH Agora
Cravin' Melon
Apr. 10 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's
Apr. 11 Asheville, NC Be Here Now
Curve / Freaky Chakra
Apr. 6 Chicago, IL Double Door
Apr. 8 San Francisco, CA Slims
Alana Davis
Apr. 6 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's
Apr. 7 Portland, OR La Luna
Apr. 8 Seattle, WA Showbox
Apr. 11 Minneapolis, MN Ground Zero
Apr. 12 Chicago, IL Park West
Feeder
Apr. 7 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Apr. 8 Montreal, QC Cabaret
Apr. 9 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Apr. 10 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr. 11 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grill
John Wesley Harding (All at Borders Books)
Apr. 3 New York, NY
Apr. 4 Bryn Mawr, PA
Apr. 6 Seattle, WA
Apr. 7 Redmond, WA
Apr. 8 Portland, OR
Apr. 10 San Francisco, CA
Apr. 11 Santa Monica, CA
Apr. 12 Torrence, CA
High Llamas
Apr. 6 Philadelphia, PA T.L.A.
Apr. 7 Providence, RI The Call
Apr. 8 Boston, MA Middle East
Apr. 9 New York, NY Tramps
Irving Plaza (NYC concert hall - www.irvingplaza.com)
Apr. 3 Charlie Hunter / Galactic
Apr. 4 Skatalites
Apr. 7 Creed / Samiam / Cool For August
Apr. 9 God Lives Underwater / Semisonic / Fuel
Apr. 10 Leftover Salmon
Apr. 11 Robert Hunter
Liquor Giants
Apr. 10 Seattle, WA Crocodile
Apr. 11 Portland, OR Satyricon
Apr. 13 Los Angeles, CA The Troubadour
Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers
Apr. 6 Palo Alto, CA The Edge
Apr. 7-8 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
Apr. 10 Maui, HI Maui Arts and Cultural Center
Apr. 11 Oahu, HI Turtle Bay Hilton
Mono
Apr. 8 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
Apr. 10 Atlanta, GA Cotton Club
Apr. 11 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Promise Ring
Apr. 6 Boston, MA Middle East (Downstairs)
Apr. 7 Montreal, QC Petit Campus
Apr. 8 Ottowa, ON Liquid Monkey
Apr. 9 Toronto, ON Club Shanghai
Apr. 10 London, ON Call The Office
Apr. 11 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Apr. 12 Cleveland, OH Speak In Tongues
Radiohead
Apr. 6 Vancouver, BC Pne Forum
Apr. 8 Calgary, AB Max Bell Center
Apr. 12 Toronto, ON Maple Leaf Gardens
Sherry Rich
Apr. 8 Nashville, TN Exit / In
Smart Went Crazy
Apr. 7 Tuscon, AZ Scrappy's
Apr. 9 Los Angeles, CA NO Life
Apr. 10 Berkeley, CAGilman
Apr. 11 Santa Cruz, CA UC Santa Cruz
Apr. 12 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Apr. 13 Chico, CA Blue Room
Elliott Smith
Apr. 4 Orlando, FL Sapphire Supper Club
Apr. 5 Atlanta, GA Point
Superdrag / Apples In Stereo / Tuscadero
Apr. 10 Asheville, NC Be Here Now
Apr. 11 Spartanburg, SC Magnolia St. Pub
Third Eye Blind / Rebekah
Apr. 7 Panama City, FL Spinnakers
Apr. 8 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Apr. 9 Houston, TX Bayou Place Theatre
Apr. 10 Corpus Christi, TX Texas Sky Park Amphitheater
Apr. 11 Austin, TX Music Hall
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> I love your publication and although I am a new
subscriber, I can see that this is already well worth my while.
In an Internet world full of mass mailings, it's nice to find a
newsletter with some significant content.
I had to respond to this latest newsletter containing the
review of new artist Natalie Imgruglia and her single "Torn". I
feel that to be fair I needed to share this information with you.
"Torn" is actually an Ednaswap song!
It was their second promotional single release from their
self-titled 1995 debut album, following "Glow". The band has
recorded and re-recorded "Torn" numerous times from 1995-1997
for varying EPs and releases.
This information comes directly from the Ednaswap website
located at http://spaa.simplenet.com/ednaswap/torn.html
Thank you for your time - Therese M., New York
---
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