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==== ISSUE 142 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [April 27, 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 Whitaker
Correspondents: Tracey Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott
Byron, Jason Cahill, Patrick Carmosino,
Arabella Clauson, Krisjanis Gale, Paul Hanson,
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: Page & Plant, _Walking Into Clarksdale_ - Bill Holmes
INTERVIEW: Stabbing Westward - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Tones On Tail, _Everything!_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Marc Cohn, _Burning The Daze_ - Lang Whitaker
REVIEW: Danny Wilde & The Rembrandts, _Spin This!_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Jann Arden, _Happy?_ - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Soulfly, _Soulfly_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Jolene, _In the Gloaming_ - Arabella Clauson
REVIEW: Largo, _Largo_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Pat McGee Band, _Revel_ - Arabella Clauson
REVIEW: Alejandro Escovedo, _More Miles Than Money Live
1994-96_ - Tracey Bleile
INTERVIEW: Cheri Knight - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Destroyed By Anger, _Destroyed By Anger_ - Paul Hanson
REVIEW: Both Worlds, _Memory Rendered Visible_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Dadawa, _Voices From The Sky_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Various, _Mega Hits Dance Party Volume 2_ - Bob Gajarsky
NEWS: Beastie Boys, Rhino Musical Aptitude Test, Sidewinders
TOUR DATES: Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Cows, Kyle Davis, John
Wesley Harding / Steve Wynn, Irving Plaza, Ziggy Marley &
Melody Makers, Morcheeba, Gary Numan, Sherry Rich, Slackers,
Smart Went Crazy, Trinket
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Page & Plant, _Walking Into Clarksdale_ (Atlantic)
- Bill Holmes
During the heyday of Led Zeppelin, an interviewer asked
Robert Plant what he thought lie in the band's future. He answered
by saying that while he wasn't sure how long the band would continue
as a unit, he felt sure that he and Page would always continue to
write and play together, even if it was the two of them on stools
in a small bar. History has shown that Zeppelin went out with a
bang instead of a whimper, and although Page and Plant have
survived (and even had success) apart, they are still each other's
best foils. There never will be another Led Zeppelin, much to the
dismay of their fans, and those looking for a rebirth of the band
in _Clarksdale_ will be sorely disappointed.
Engineer Steve Albini usually overwhelms whatever act he
produces; yet here he probably deferred out of reverence. Instead,
as much as they may want it not to be considered one, Page and
Plant's production sounds like an attempt to make another Led
Zeppelin record. Zep did draw heavily from Eastern influences,
especially in their waning days, and parts of _Clarksdale_ sound
like they could pick up right where the last releases ended off.
But Zep always had strong material and an undeniable flair that is
not so consistent here.
Whether the record succeeds vocally depends on how you feel
about Robert Plant as a singer. You might appreciate his efforts to
avoid standard phrasing (and the way he uses his vocal tone as an
separate instrument) or you might naturally make comparisons to
older days. Fair or not, he just isn't as forceful as he was in
his prime. When he stays within his limitations he exhibits the
subtleties that veteran pipes can shine with, but when he tries
to recapture Marshall stack moments (and these are thankfully few),
it just doesn't happen.
Likewise, Page doesn't do a whole lot of wailing, preferring
to mostly add short bursts of texture. He's played so many licks in
his career that he even rips himself off now ("Over The Hills And
Far Away" and "The Song Remains The Same" are just two of the
signature riffs that the astute listener will pick up on.). Where
he once was a very "busy" player, he now waits for his moments to
insert a run or jack the volume. This is a good thing, actually -
if you have your air guitar handy you'd be better served grabbing
the aforementioned _BBC Live_ disk to do the mirror dance with.
Moments truly shine - "Upon A Golden Horse" and "Burning Up"
do catch a little fire, and Plant's bluesy vocal on "When I Was A
Child" does hint that maybe he and Page could fulfill that ancient
barstool prophecy. But "Please Read The Letter" sputters and never
gets going, and "Blue Train" and "Sons Of Freedom" (a weak closing
cut) are padded and indulgent. The best tracks are the opener,
"Shining In The Light", whose jangly tone sets an early standard
that's quickly eclipsed by the second and best cut, "When The World
Was Young". The latter starts slowly and loosely, until the band
kicks in for the refrain where Plant's strong vocals, Page's
determined blast of sound and (gasp!) a hook all combine to win the
listener's ear. This is the one song that not only would fit well on
a Zeppelin record, it would probably be the single. In the salad
days, the pure energy of the band could take average material up to
a higher level. Despite a good rhythm section (and bassist Charlie
Jones and drummer Michael Lee actually get writing credit on each
track!) the weaker songs are easily exposed. They're not bad per se,
but if it weren't two legends involved in the project, they'd never
get the focus or attention they will inevitably get by their
inclusion here.
The fans of both Page and Plant, as well as Zep fans, will
naturally savor every second of this release and find value in each
sonic warble and plucked note. Those who felt that the band was
overrated and bombastic rock at best are going to find nothing here
to change their mind. The truth is actually the middle ground. While
nowhere near as exciting as 1997's _BBC Live_ was (a release that
truly could convert the non believers), _Clarksdale_ does have its
moments. It's no _Physical Graffiti_, but it's still light years
better than _No Quarter_ or any Page or Plant solo effort.
I imagine that repeated listens will being out more of the
charm of the record. But regardless, if I were John Paul Jones, I
wouldn't feel threatened at all.
---
INTERVIEW: Stabbing Westward
- Al Muzer
Darkest Days indeed.
With a lyrical focus that rarely strays from abject
despair, resigned pessimism, wrist-slitting self-loathing,
angry recrimination, a keen sense of loss and more what ifs,
sighs and if onlys than most folks are forced to endure in one
lifetime - Stabbing Westward's third Columbia Records release is
a strident reminder that things aren't as peaceful in the real
world as they appear to be on the surface.
That our _Darkest Days_ are here. Now.
An urgent, edgy, edge-of-your-seat piece of work, the
frequently-delayed new release from this Chicago-based five-piece
addresses the confused, lost, overwhelmed and frightened soul in
each of us with songs (including "How Can I Hold On", "Torn Apart",
"Drowning", 'When I'm Dead", "Save Yourself", "On The Way Down",
"The Thing I Hate" and "Goodbye") that play in stark contrast to
the sugar-coated good-time pabulum fouling the FM airwaves these
days.
"You know - we've been chasing this record for about a
year now", begins vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Christopher Hall
when he's asked about the oft-changed release date for the
long-awaited new album. "We wrote most of the songs about a year
ago - rehearsed them for a few weeks - and then went in and
recorded everything fairly quickly."
"It was just in the mixing process that _Darkest Days_
bogged down and became us forever chasing our tails," he laughs
ruefully. "In the end, we wound up mixing it ourselves."
"And, you know what? I think we wound up with a great
record," he says of the 16-song labor of love he, keyboardist/
guitarist Walter Flakus, guitarist Mark Eliopulos, drummer/
guitarist/programmer/backing vocalist Andy Kubiszewski and
bassist/guitarist Jim Sellers recorded in Burbank with producer
Dave (Alice In Chains, Janes Addiction) Jerden.
"Jerden did a really great job making us sound like a
band," Hall says with a trace of pride. "You know, we've never
really been able to capture that big, full, powerful rock sound
before, but Jerden definitely locked in a vibe for us on this
record."
Interrupted by a knock on his door, Hall puts the phone
down and can be heard talking with someone. Back a moment later,
he apologizes by explaining: "I've been away for a few weeks
taking care of stuff and came home today to find that all sorts
of bad things have been happening here - the worst of which was
that the ceiling caved in over my bed; my bed and apartment got
soaked; and there's soggy plaster, like, everywhere," he sighs as
he surveys what sounds like some fairly extensive, El Nino-related
damage.
"My personal shit is being held hostage by a bitter young
girl at the moment", he snorts, "so, thankfully, none of that got
wet."
Reminded that it was the thirteenth of the month and a
Friday, Hall laughs, "It would be, wouldn't it?"
Collapsed ceiling aside, you'd think that world-wide tours
with the likes of Prong, Alice Donut, Depeche Mode and Killing
Joke, two successful releases (1994s _Ungod_ and 1996s _Wither,
Blister, Burn and Peel_) and a couple of chart-topping hits ("What
Do I have To Do" and "Shame") would result in more than one
semi-uplifting, things aren't so bad track ("Waking Up Beside
You") on _Darkest Days_.
Instead, there's "Drowning".
"Ahhh, now thats a great song," offers Hall. "It makes you
feel really sad. And it makes you feel like you're in some sort of
sensory deprivation tank. It's got a real weird vibe to it."
"We have two lyricists and three songwriters in the band,"
Hall says by way of explaining the groups less-than-bubbly
songwriting tendencies, "and, between the three of us, we just
seem to tap into something really kind of," he tails off.
"Well, I don't want to call it negative," he continues
after a bit of thought, "because I don't think it's negative music.
I think it's very cleansing in a weird way; let's just say that we
tend to not embrace the happy side of things."
"I'm not a particularly angry person," Hall says after
another pause. "I just get really depressed sometimes."
"We don't hate everyone or anything like that," he laughs
as he catches himself heading off on a dark tangent. "We're just
trying to deal, not only with the day-to-day problems going on
within the band, but with the disintegration of our personal lives
and personal relationships because of the band.'
"We've been taken away from any regular sort of life for
five years now," he adds with a trace of wistfulness, "and, I guess
it's finally starting to catch up."
---
REVIEW: Tones On Tail, _Everything!_ (Beggars Banquet)
- Joe Silva
Concocted as a brief stepping stone before settling
into Love and Rockets, Tones on Tail was Daniel Ash's first
breath of artistic liberation after helping to establish the
Goth standard during his four years with Bauhaus.
In the two short years of its existence, Ash, brother/Bauhaus
drummer Kevin Haskins, and ex-Bauhaus roadie/bassist Glenn Campling
flexed their wings over fields of modern psychedelia, left-field
minimalistic jazz, and proto-electronica.
Collected over two discs are their first and only LP, all the
B-sides, and a twisted but fun live reading of "Heartbreak Hotel."
There's also a interview piece where a BBC interviewer prods a
polite but squirming Ash for the details of Bauhaus' demise ("...it
was unforunate that we split up when we did...").
But what the recordings of this episode reveal are that Ash
probably wanted more liberty to explore beyond whatever stylistic
boundaries eventually engulfed Bauhaus. And when reviewed as a whole,
(the first disc) _Pop_ is a reeling pastiche of several convictions.
Opening with "Lions," a haunting, electronic piece that not much more
than a few delicate pulses and Ash's voice, it's immediately followed
by a funky, bass-heavy dance bit with wailing guitars ("War"). And
on and on. _Pop_'s multi-planked platform works because
virtually all the tracks are carefully laid out and tres tuneful.
Tracks like "Performance," which worked when played thundering loud
in the clubland of the day may seem a touch cheesy now, but oddball
tracks like "Slender Fungus" echoes and improves upon the
experimental sensibilities of the Floyd's "Several Species Of Furry
Animals Sitting In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict." The bigtime
hit "Go!" is also included come disc two and the remaining singles
and b-side material besides being quite worthwhile, show our Danny
to be severely bent on putting a pop face on his brooding trippyness.
As a template for what came after once Campling was booted
and bassist David J returned from his own post-Bauhaus excursion,
_Everything!_ makes a lot of sense and the songs are the obvious
benefactor from Ash being able to call most of the aesthetic
shots. What's curious though, beyond the presumed struggle for the
alpha male spot in Bauhaus, is the notion that their split occurred
along musical lines since Peter Murphy ran off to do equally
experimental work in Dalis Car band eventually returned to work
dark voodoo over his own ultra-poppy goods.
Ultimately this probably turned out to be a thorn in
Murphy's hindsight; particularly since the heights of his own solo
material didn't match those of the Love and Rockets camp on either
the commercial or artistically-credible front.
---
REVIEW: Marc Cohn, _Burning The Daze_ (Atlantic)
- Lang Whitaker
When Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett broke up, Lovett's
fans (myself included) secretly rejoiced, because we all thought
Lyle was at his best when he was heartbroken. Time has proved
my thoughts irrelevant, as Lovett has gone on to record even
better love songs than ever before. But when someone like Marc
Cohn, one of the greatest love song troubadors around, gets
divorced, it makes you worry. Will Cohn ever be able to move
us again?
From the opening wah-wah guitar lick on _Burning The
Daze_, Marc Cohn lets you know you're a long way away from
Memphis. After Cohn's self-titled debut, which featured the
classic single "Walking in Memphis", ripped through the
Billboard charts in 1991, eventually garnering Cohn the Best
New Artist Grammy, Cohn has had a mostly uphill climb. Just
two years after the skyrocketing success of _Marc Cohn_,
Cohn's second record, _The Rainy Season_, peaked on the charts
at #64, a largely forgettable follow-up for an artist
shouldering such high expectations.
In order to rediscover the sparkle that made _Marc
Cohn_ so good and that lacked on _The Rainy Season_, Cohn did
what most of us wish we could do: he took some time off. More
specifically, he took 5 years off. When Cohn was finally able
to sit back and look at his life after his back-flip into the
celebrity pool, he found his personal life springing leaks.
His marriage ended, and his children needed a father, so Cohn
sat back and lived.
Now, with his personal ship back afloat, Cohn sets
sail again on _Burning The Daze_, a great album from one of
the lone remaining male American singer/songwriters. Bob Dylan,
Robbie Robertson, and Lovett aside, there really aren't that
many male artists around these days, doing what Cohn does
best - singing with soul and confidence. _Daze_ is not as
introspective an album as you'd expect, what with Cohn's
personal problems being so paramount. Instead, Cohn focuses
on metaphorically putting things back together.
The opening track off of _Daze_, the Al Green colored
prodigal son tale "Already Home", preserves Cohn's dusky
baritone, perhaps his most memorable chop, and surrounds it
with horn stacks, taking Cohn in a totally different direction
than anything we've heard from him before.
Cohn also hits the target on songs like "Saints
Preserve Us" and the haunting "Girl of Mysterious Sorrow".
Ballads, always a showcase for Cohn's strong vocals, again
prove fertile. The lovely "Healing Hands", already immortalized
on the Dawson's Creek episode where Dawson's parents
recapitulated, details the reconciliation of a relationship.
Also, "Ellis Island" is a beautiful reminiscience on Cohn's
ancestors and their travels and travails.
But perhaps Cohn's most compelling work is found on
"Olana", the true story of 19th century American artist
Frederic Church, who upon being stricken with arthritis,
turned his creative forces towards building a house for his
family, a house that came to be known as "Olana", which means
"house filled with treasures". Even without knowing the story
behind the song, "Olana" stands tall and solidly. With the
story in hand, its masterpiece is even more evident; Church's
labor even more back-wrenching.
Producer John Leventhal, a frequent Cohn contributor,
does an excellent job of shaking things up without spilling
anything on the carpet. Leventhal sinks into the background
as only he can do, allowing Marc Cohn to be Marc Cohn. While
_Daze_ goes heavier on the guitars than past Cohn releases, it
retains the piano driven squalor Cohn's music has always
sparked from. The only glaring mis-step is the horrid
electronic beeping at the beginning of "Lost You in the
Canyon", which sounds about as authentic as U2's electronica
efforts. Otherwise, Leventhal and Cohn's band do terrific jobs
blending into the background and letting Cohn do his
multi-instrumental waltz center stage.
While Cohn's personal life may never be the same, and
his professional life may never return to the place it once
was, Marc Cohn still is has a pretty sweet seat at the big
dance. Cohn may never again duplicate the commercial success
of _Marc Cohn_, but that will not make him a failure. The
music industry is currently not set up for your Marc Cohn's
to have a place to shine. Until Lillith gets over Frasier and
allows men on her tour, Cohn really doesn't fit in anywhere.
However, as long as Marc Cohn continues to periodically bless
us with albums like _Burning The Daze_, we'll all be just fine.
---
REVIEW: Danny Wilde & The Rembrandts, _Spin This!_ (East West)
- Bob Gajarsky
How does a #1 record change things for an artist? In
the case of the Rembrandts, three albums were exchanged as the
answer for the question, 'Who sings the theme song from Friends?'
Time passed on, Phil Solem departed the duo, and Danny
Wilde continued solo. But Danny Wilde's name didn't attract
people during his solo career in the 80s...and the Rembrandts name
does...so Wilde & The Rembrandts it is.
Fortunately, nothing much has changed from the Rembrandts
formulaic lightweight power pop. "Shakespeare's Tragedy" is a
prototypical Rembrandts should-be-in-a-perfect-world hit. With the
orchestral arrangements being written and conducted on two tracks
by Brian Wilson-cohort Van Dyke Parks, it's easy to tell where
Wilde's loyalties lie, even if the actual performances don't
match up to anything from the _Smile_ era.
The first single from _Spin This!_, "Long Walk Back", which
was co-written the Gin Blossoms' Jesse Valenzuela, is a dead
ringer for the Blossoms' "Follow You Down". However, on
most of the remainder of the album, it appears Wilde has tried
to mimic (with a fair amount of success) the songwriting developed
on _The Rembrandts_. For those unsure of the softer rock in Wilde's
arsenal, producer Gavin McKillop's track record (Toad The Wet
Sprocket, Goo Goo Dolls) offers a strong glimpse as to what The
Rembrandts offer.
Not quite measuring up to the high standards of the
Rembrandts eponymously titled 1990 debut album, _Spin This!_ will
prove to be another fine addition in the Rembrandts - or Danny
Wilde - catalog.
---
REVIEW: Jann Arden, _Happy?_ (A&M)
- Tim Kennedy
Your opinion of Jann Arden's latest album, _Happy?_,
will depend on whether you like her new idiosyncratic vocal
style. She has changed since her last release a couple of
years ago - this time round she is querulous, sad-sounding
and more nasal. The title implies that she is having a less
than happy time.
Musically she breaks no new territory, mostly content
to coast through late-night MTV easy listening soundtracks.
Her voice and lyrics are often miserable yet the backing is
laidback and contented which is a little bewildering.
Some washes of Byrdsian guitar occasionally brighten
things up on "The Sound Of". The sparser arrangements where
Jann uses a bit of piano or supplies minimal acoustic guitar
work better. In one instance, a tune of sinister menace
("Weeds") momentarily grabs one's attention, but it is not
until the final track, a mildly psychedelic cover of cult
sixties smash "To Sir With Love" that Jann relieves the boredom
of this unsatisfying collection by providing a performance
with real personality.
To suit the style of the music, she could loosen her
voice up a bit. Better still, she could utilize something a tad
more imaginative to back up the emotion of her words.
---
REVIEW: Soulfly, _Soulfly_ (Roadrunner)
- Linda Scott
Hard, aggressive, metal riffs with a South American
influence, samples, raps, Brazilian tribal rhythms and chants -
this is the take-no-prisoners debut album of Soulfly. The vocals
are gravelly shouts. While songs may be short on melody and
sometimes hard on the ears, they all have a beat made for banging
your head or tapping your feet.
_Soulfly_ is technically a debut album, but the power
behind the release is Max Cavalera, a man with 15 years experience
as lead singer for Sepultura. Max, wife and manager Gloria, his
brother Igor yanked Sepultura from Brazil and made it a world
famous band. Amazingly, Max and Gloria were abruptly fired
during a successful Sepultura world tour. Combined with the
death of his stepson at around the same time, it's been a tough
period for this highly successful singer/songwriter. Cavalera's
taken his feelings of anger, misery and frustration and poured
them into _Soulfly_. Three experienced musicians with a creative
attitude and a metal wavelength were chosen: Jackson Bandeira
(guitar - from Brazilian band Chico Science), Marcello Rapp
(bass - former Sepultura roadie), and Roy "Rata" Mayorga (drums -
from Thorn). With the new band and album, Cavalera draws a line
for Sepultura to measure up to.
The first key song on _Soulfly_ is the leadoff track,
"Eye For An Eye". The lyrics about betrayal and revenge are a
message to old bandmates in Sepultura. This is one of the great
tracks of the album and could easily have been the first single.
Max's voice growls with anger while snarling, dissonant guitars
pound the point home. A great introduction! Other highpoints
are "The Song Remains Insane", "Bleed" (first single), "Soulfly",
and "Prejudice". The title cut, "Soulfly", is so different it
almost belongs on another album. It shows off Cavalera's ability
to take a softer rock song, add some tropical feelings, and get a
wonderful, mellow sounding piece. Cavaleras wanted to take this
band to a new level beyond just metallic riffs, and he's done
that here.
Soulfly looks like a major contender. What they will do
to Sepultura in terms of battling for sales, fans, venues is not
yet known. But if you like metal and hard rock, Cavaleras hasn't
changed his style *that* much - which makes _Soulfly_ a must-get
album.
For more information on them, you can check out related sites
at http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com or http://www.sepultribe.com
---
REVIEW: Jolene, _In the Gloaming_ (Sire)
- Arabella Clauson
Rumors circulating about Jolene suggest this North
Carolina country-rock band borrows its name from a Dolly
Parton song. While the monicker actually derives from a
great-great-aunt of first cousins John Crooke and Dave
Burris, the tribute is highly appropriate, as Jolene makes
no bones about acknowledging those predecessors of the
alternative-country circuit. Much more than a straight-up
rock band, Jolene seamlessly incorporates subtle qualities
of a rickety country porch into a roots-heavy urban rock
sound. An unlikely marriage of the city mouse/country
mouse variety, the style recognizes similarities while
emphasizing the benefits of genre blending.
Soon after its inception in 1995, the group quietly
bred a grass roots following as the unnanounced opening act
for a 1996 Hootie and the Blowfish tour. An eleventh hour
signing to Sire Records led Jolene quickly into a Montreal
studio to record this relaxing, Neil Young hand-me-down
brand of wash-and-wear rock and roll.
Spending an hour with _In the Gloaming_, the band's
major label debut, is like taking a relaxing stroll down a
rural interstate highway. Every time the flat electric
sound meanders dangerously close to the white grunge line,
singer John Crooke yanks it back with his nasal, deep
hickory-smoked vocals. He repeatedly sqeezes another drop
of country out of almost every track, even the Hootie and
the Blowfish sound resonating from the depths of "So
Sleepless You" and "Two Sisters and the Laureate."
Like a mop of tangled hair, the bleeding electric
guitar is everpresent, lending a sometimes pleasing,
sometimes highly irritating thematic unity to an otherwise
disheveled surface. Just when the listener might have a
break from the flat, surging sound, the electric reclaims
its place in yet another power chord. Suffice to say the
guitar dominates instrumentally, as do Crooke's distinctive
vocals, leaving percussion and bass in a sort of irrelevant
struggle to break through the suffocating layers of humid
noise.
High points include first track "Pensacola, " and
the jangly "Exhibit (World Disturbance) No.2" where Crooke
wafts around in tribute to something with quite incomprehensible
lyrics, "I just want to live this life forever." "Recline and
Sensible" and "Begin 1000" boast guitar riffs derivative of
R.E.M.'s _Monster_ and vocals which seem to channel a soaring
Jeff Buckley (albeit rather slurred). Chock full of fairly
typical chord progressions, none of the tracks can really
spread the radio disease, but overall Jolene puts forth an
interesting cross-genre appeal.
---
REVIEW: Largo, _Largo_ (Blue Gorilla / Mercury)
- Bob Gajarsky
When Antonin Dvorak composed "Symphony No. 9
(From The New World)", he became the first European
composer to pay homage to American music by writing in the
spirit of National American melodies. Nearly 100 years
later, a lineup of musicians brought together by Rob
Hyman and Rick Chertoff have furthered the spirit
which Dvorak pioneered.
Hyman and Chertoff are best known for their work
with the Hooters; Hyman as a performer, Chertoff for his
production work. Rather than merely serving as a renaming
of the Hooters, Largo truly becomes a project bigger than
that band.
Some of the Hooters' earlier work foreshadowed _Largo_.
An updated version of Hedy West's traditional folk ballad "500 Miles",
with Peter Paul & Mary, and one of the oldest songs known to man,
"Greensleeves", was used as their introduction to the live version
of "Johnny B". Having graduated from simply the hooter, Hyman and
the man of a million sounds and languages, Eric Bazilian, bring out a
cornucopia of musical instruments (nyckelharpa, tremolo guitar,
mandolin, harp, milk drum, peckhorn and more) for this collection.
"Freedom Ride" has all the hooks of any Bazilian/Hyman
collaboration, with Taj Mahal taking the lead on this Harlem meets
the Underground Railroad setting; "Gimme A Stone" pairs David
Forman up with the Dylan-like Levon Helm as an unlikely co-lead
vocalist, but the team works well on this hummable, addictive,
David vs Goliath track. "Before The Mountains" has a 50s doo-wop
feel in the church setting, as Hyman's organ contrasts nicely with
Little Isidore's oldtime vocals. Finger snapping is simulated with
the bass pedals and washboard and takes the listener back to another era.
Irish group the Chieftains bookend this album with their
version and reprise of Dvorak's "Largo", and perform on the
all-star collaboration of Carole King and Joan Osborne on "An
Uncommon Love", where the woman who brought us _Tapestry_ produces
another writing gem.
While listening to _Largo_, I could not help but imagine
a time gone by, where the citizens would gather in the center of
town, performing their musical crafts. No outsiders would be
present, but a diverse group of people offering reminders of
their past would entertain the townsfolk with an assortment of
music including folk, gospel, and whatever else caught someone's fancy.
It wasn't to be chic, it wasn't to be hip - it would come from the
heart.
In this age of self-pity, trend-setting, and electronica, it
takes guts to produce a record such as _Largo_.
---
REVIEW: Pat McGee Band, _Revel_ (McGee)
- Arabella Clauson
The problem with independent music is the
insurmountable challenge of widespread distribution. Without
the luxury of excessive budget record label publicity
departments, promotion workers getting the word out to the
media, and a small army of dedicated staff members to
champion a single artist, independents often find themselves
grasping at the fringes of a modern industrial machine.
Enter Pat Mcgee, a young singer/songwriter who has
made quite a name for himself on the mid-Atlantic East Coast
five years of constant touring. A master storyteller, McGee
is the bleeding-heart sensitive guy big enough to channel his
feminine side, and his earnest songs and striking good-looks
have swept many a female undergraduate off her feet.
Billboard calls him the "East Coast college darling," which
is entirely accurate as the young band delivers an exciting
set of infectious, roots-rock grooves on McGee's second
independent release, _Revel_.
Recalling a more subdued Dave Matthews and the fluid
acoustic grooves of the Freddy Jones Band, _Revel_ is either a
great collection of driving tunes, or relaxing background music
for a perfect first date. Raucous college boys should take
notes and learn how to woo those women from Pat Mcgee, who
seems to have a firm grip on everything: the smooth bedroom
voice, the steady subtle rhythm section, twisting three-part
harmonies. He's a high-class, easy on the ears roots-rocking
stylish smooth-talking salesman without the polyester suit,
connecting people to their stories through ultra-smooth,
polished songwriting far beyond his years. If he were a car
salesman, he could probably have even the most reluctant
customer driving out of that lot in a '76 Duster.
Passion lauches the album with a toe-tapping upbeat
saxophone intro before McGee practically throws an invitation
through the speakers: "I'm trying to ask you to open up your
senses/To all the fine things that tear down your fences/Put up
by, and kept by those who don't always listen." Well, once
those senses are open, the disc just gets better, sometimes
recalling an extremely upbeat James Taylor ("Passion" and "All
Around Us") as the band explores different sounds and styles
through acoustic instruments and occasional bongo percussions.
McGee proves himself adept at writing everything from danceable
foot shuffling boogie to the hearfelt ballad on "Rebecca" and
"On Your Way Out of Here" before ending with the extremely
touching memorial, "Elegy for Amy."
Fans of the Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, and Freddy
Jones Band should take note, as some of them clearly play a
stylistically influential role on Revel. Merchandise and sound
samples are readily available through the website
http://www.patmcgeeband.com or by calling (703) 941-1496.
---
REVIEW: Alejandro Escovedo, _More Miles Than Money Live
1994-96_ (Bloodshot)
- Tracey Bleile
I recently had the opportunity to see this elder statesman
of the Austin music scene play here in my town, but as the rest of
you working stiffs with a day job knows, live shows on a weeknight
wreaks all kinds of havoc on you when you gotta get up at 5:30 the
next day. So, regretfully I passed. I figured I would console
myself with _More Miles Than Money_, a collection of Alejandro
Escovedo performances taken right off the sound board from five
different shows spanning about three years of his endless touring.
Well, it half-worked. It really only made me wish I had
taken the trouble to see the live show. The sound board recordings
retain the warmth and immediacy of the music's presentation, which,
when coupled with the performance consistency and flexibility that
is Escovedo's trademark, makes this recording a joy to hear. The
material covers all the ground of his solo career with a couple of
staple cover tunes - including a snarly shouted Iggy Pop's "I Wanna
Be Your Dog" - that date back to his True Believers days. Songs
that were originally heavier rockers, as in "One More Time" from
_Gravity_ take on a new force when slowed way down, and with a
backdrop of steel guitar and cello, becomes an exercise in hearing
a confession set to music, painful and beautiful at the same time.
The disc closes with a medley, if you will, of a song that
exists in two versions, "Gravity/Falling Down", quiet on _Gravity_,
noisy on the Buick MacKane album. Escovedo starts out at the quiet
end, builds it up, and then seamlessly flows into Lou Reed's
"Street Hassle" back down again to the last quiet verses, bringing
the command performance for you to a shimmering end.
So you better believe this is a live show worth seeing
(yes, even suffering for if it happens to be on a night where you
gotta be somewhere too early the next day). I won't make that
mistake twice.
For more information, check out Bloodshot's web site at
http://www.narl.com/bloodshot
---
INTERVIEW: Cheri Knight
- Al Muzer
More than a little bit country and the unmistakable owner
of a rock n roll soul, former Blood Oranges bassist and present-day
yall-ternative chart hopeful Cheri Knight comes up Aces with her
second solo shot, _The Northeast Kingdom_.
One of the richest, fullest, most emotionally grounded,
genuinely felt collections of real-life stories set to
melodically-compelling hooks since her own contributions (All The
Way Down, Shine, Hells Half Acre, Crying Tree, Shadow Of You) to
the Blood Oranges catalog or her 1996 solo debut, _The Knitter_
Knight's latest song cycle (recorded for country music outlaw Steve
Earle's E-Squared Records) twangs when you think it should, soothes
when it needs to, shouts when you want it to, hooks when it has to
and hits you where you hurt each and every time you smack the play
button.
A Massachusetts (Hatfield, population 3,390) flower farmer
and, with Blood Oranges, a genuine No Depression architect and next
generation inspiration, Knight's new release comes hard on the
heels of years of bad luck (1996s _The Knitter_ and all three
Blood Oranges efforts were on the no-longer-in-existence East
Side Digital imprint) and bad breaks (radio barely recognized
alterna-twang until just a few years ago) that left a lot of truly
great music pretty much unheard.
Recorded in two whirlwind weeks in Nashville with
contributions from Earle (on harmonium, guitar and bouzouki),
Emmylou Harris (vocals on two tracks), former E Street bassist
Gary Tallent, fiddle wizard Tammy Rogers, one-time dBs drummer
Will Rigby and former Blood Oranges members Jimmy Ryan (mandolin)
and Mark Spencer (guitar) throughout; _The Northeast Kingdom_ and
E-Squared should be able to do for Knight what four previous
releases couldn't do - get brilliant songs such as "All Blue",
"Rose In The Vine", "If Wishes Were Horses", "Black Eyed Susie"
and "White Lies" played on the radio.
Although that, in turn, presents Knight and the amazingly
eclectic _The Northeast Kingdom_ with yet another dilemma. What
radio station? What radio format? Rock? AAA? College? Pop? AOR?
Country?
"I don't really get much action on the college stations
or anything like that," Knight says during a phone call on a
recent day off ("I was out on the road for six weeks and I just
got home the night before now I have to go out, buy a van and
somehow get it on the road before Tuesday.") between East and
West Coast tours.
But, "It's not a country record," she adds quickly. "It's
a songwriters' record. I think that, basically, is the direction,
in terms of marketing, they're [E-Squared] going with. Triple AAA,
Americana and public radio," Knight laughs. "Wherever the market
for, say a Lucinda Williams or a Steve Earle is is where they're
trying to take my record.
"I'm really surprised, I have to say, at the response the
album's gotten so far," Knight ventures somewhat awkwardly. "The
reaction to _The Northeast Kingdom_ is just so beyond anything I
imagined."
"I'm just so glad that people get it," she adds with a hint
of pride mixed with genuine relief, "that they enjoy it. Because
this record is so much more me than any project I've ever done
before. When you put that much of yourself out, and that much of
yourself in, to something - let's just say that it's nice to get
a little feedback for a change. I'm someone who has to really
believe in what they're doing - so it's kind of reassuring to
know that I followed the right track."
"I've spent my entire life trying to get to the point
where I can do cool things, have those things be something I could
use to support myself and have those things be what I love doing,"
Knight says when the second half of her tour is mentioned, "I
love playing live. We're in a van. Touring around. Four musicians
and a tour manager. Town to town. The old fashioned way. [laughs]
What more could I possibly want?
Look for Knight on the road with guitarist Eric Lewis,
guitarist/vocalist Marlee MacLeod, Rigby and, if the night and
location are just right Jimmy Ryan sitting in on the mandolin
("Jimmy's coming out on the road with us again!," Knight insists.
"We did a bunch of East Coast dates - New York, Boston, North
Hampton - and he's gonna hook up with us again in the Southwest
for a bunch of shows.") on tour at a large, but not too darn
large, club near you later this summer.
For more information, check out E-Squared Records on the
web at http://www.e2records.com
---
REVIEW: Destroyed By Anger, _Destroyed By Anger_ (Vulture)
- Paul Hanson
Amid the anger Destroyed By Anger's vocalist Jay (no last
name) conveys through his hardcore gruff lyrics, DBA establish
themselves as a band to keep an eye on as their (hopefully long)
career unfolds. I am often captivated by a band's urgency and DBA
is urgently racing through their songs with conviction. DBA's sound
is physical. Their recent self-titled release pumps you up.
While other hardcore bands have let the chug-chugging guitars
dominate their sound, DBA doesn't. Their sound is a flat EQ, with no
instrument overpowering the others. The brief acoustic interludes
between the aggression serve as just enough of a breather.
Jay (who wrote all the lyrics) is constantly in your face.
In "Fistful of Daisies," he demands an answer to the question "Can
you feel my fuckin' pain?" Undoubtedly, anyone that hears this disc
will answer "Yes!" That pain is examined closer in a track called
"Minus One," which I think is probably the best song on the disc.
Jay growls, "I am going to die/ and I am so alone/ Like an
eleven without a one/ I am nothing!"
Not even half-way through this year, and I have at least
one (this disc) on my Best of 1998 list.
---
REVIEW: Both Worlds, _Memory Rendered Visible_ (Roadrunner)
- Sean Eric McGill
When I first took a look at Both World's _Memory Rendered
Visible_, visions of Rage Against the Machine danced in my head. I
don't know why, really - they just did. Perhaps it was the song
titles, catchy little phrases like "Free Speech (Will Cost You)"
and "Hate Mantra". So I sat down and gave it a listen...which leads
to the good news and the bad news...
First, the good news: Both Worlds are nothing like Rage
Against the Machine. You know this from the first bars of the album
opener "Cornered". Sure, it's got that thick bass groove through the
verse and the lyrics are delivered in more of a shout than anything
else - but Both Worlds bring something different to what looks to be
a tired execution on paper - true heart.
_Memory Rendered Visible_ isn't an album based on following
whatever trend is hot right now, it about doing what the band members
believe in. And while a song like "Hate Mantra" does recall
Soundgarden to a certain extent (and not just any Soundgarden, but
pre-Badmotorfinger Soundgarden), it still carries the heart of Both
Worlds with it. And the same goes for every song on the album.
Even "Militant", which isn't one of my personal favorites is
as good as any other hard rock song I've heard this year.
Oh yeah...the bad news. One can only assume listening to
_Memory Rendered Visible_ that Both Worlds puts on one helluva live
show. But, if you don't happen to live around the upper east coast
of the U.S., you might not see it for awhile. This is where I could do
a shameless plug for the magazine and tell you to keep reading
Consumable and we'll have the dates for you as soon as they're
available...but I'm above that - really, I am...
---
REVIEW: Dadawa, _Voices From The Sky_ (Sire)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Tibetan artist Dadawa uses a unique blend of eastern
harmonies, western mixing to create a completely exotic and echoed
sound. _Voices From The Sky_ is a more mature and engaging album
than her previous release, _Sister Drum_. Once again, she comes
close to attaining the crown of the Asian Enya, but, unlike Enya,
Dadawa doesn't force her album into a single sonic dreamscape.
Instead, she allows herself to punctuate silent moments with
mind-bending vocal leaps.
At times, Dadawa is quiet and demur. At other times,
she is striking and rampant. "The Sixth Dalai Lama's Love Song"
is a perfect example. Her voice sounds like fine porcelain. It
glistens and dazzles despite being precariously fragile. Slowly
though, it transforms into something more beautiful and bold.
Like a peacock spreading its tail, Dadawa emerges with a
brilliant, shattering voice that is strong and blinding.
Thunderbolts strike across the musical landscape, and Dadawa is
unleashed. Even without a translation, this is a song befitting
of its title. It's the Dalai Lama's love song indeed.
"Ballad of Lhasa" is a pretty, acoustic song with
traditional Chinese instruments done in a very modern style. It
features haunting background vocals and an interesting overlay of
spoken voices that ends with a throng of people singing the chorus
in what sounds like a large auditorium. Lhasa is the region of
Tibet where Dadawa and her collaborator He Xuntian are from, and
the track conveys a sense of broad community and harmony.
"The Believer" features a flute and Enyaesque layering of
voices, instruments, percussion that flows in and out like
overlapping waves caressing a beach in the moonlight. "Question
From The Other Shore" borrows its tone from "The Believer", and it
echoes and resonates with soothing fundamental harmonies. The only
drawback to _Voices From The Sky_ is when a little Yoko Ono appears
on "Seven Drums". Amidst beautiful chorus's are the discordant
cacophony often employed in Asian music. This is actually a
stunning and engaging track, but it breaks the Enya-esque mood.
True fans of world music will find their ears challenged
and invigorated, but casual fans may find their musical sensibilities
assaulted. You can't relax to music like this in the sense that you
can with an Enya album. This is captivating music, and it pulls
your attention toward it rather than allowing complete relaxation.
As an album, _Voices From The Sky_ is arranged superbly. "Seven
Drums" is included as the middle track, and acts as the emotional
peak of the album. By the time the album finishes with the subdued
"Question From The Other Shore", you have taken a journey. Those
looking for a mystical experience that exposes new levels of
emotions might find that _Voices From The Sky_ provides the path
they are looking for.
---
REVIEW: Various, _Mega Hits Dance Party Volume 2_ (Interhit)
- Bob Gajarsky
Interhit continues their domination of the Hi-NRG and Eurodisco
formats with the second in their series of dance versions of today's
hits, _Mega Hits Dance Party Volume 2_.
Not as strong as volume 1, the latest offering in this series
still offers up some interesting tracks with dancified covers of
Ben Folds Five's "Brick", Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and
Savage Garden's "Truly Madly Deeply". Covers of "Torn" (sung by Natalie
Browne) and "How Do I Live" (by Linda Imperial) are highlights
here, and the two versions of Deja Vu's "My Heart Will Go On" are
infinitely more pleasing to this set of ears than Kenny G's horn, or
the warbling of Celine Dion.
Normally, Interhit's collections are packed with interesting
interpretations of songs which wouldn't necessarily make the leap
to Eurodance. However, the cover of Janet Jackson's "Together Again"
lacks imagination or distinction. And, the major question here...who
decided covering Aqua's "Barbie Girl" was a good idea? After all, you
can't "Eurodisco"-ize a song which already is the epitomy of that genre.
More hit than miss, this is best for DJs looking to mix in
the periodic dance cover version of today's hits than casual listening
at home.
---
NEWS: > Pittsburgh, PA promoters for the Ghetto Booty
Battle have been swindled for $10,000 by someone fraudulently
claiming to book the Beastie Boys under the auspices of the
band's Grand Royal label.
> Music trivia experts can show their mettle at 1998's
Second Annual Rhino Musical Aptitude Test (RMAT), set to take
place simultaneously at live locations in Los Angeles, New York,
Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, DC,
and over the Internet.
The RMAT (held Sunday May 17 at 3 pm EST) is an annual
300-question, open-book trivia test covering all genres of music
with the exception of classical. This year two new categories
are being added: Test takers will be asked to "name that tune"
and "identify that album-cover artwork."
For more information and entry instructions, check out
the web site at http://www.rmat.rhino.com
> On June 2, 1998 Contingency Records will release a CD
containing 15 tracks (including one unreleased track) hand-picked
by David Slutes & Rich Hopkins from their two, long out-of-print
Sidewinders albums, _Witchdoctor_ and _Auntie Ramos' Pool Hall_.
Check out Contingency's website ( http://www.contingency.com )
for details on how fans can order this item in advance as well as a
chance to win a limited edition print celebrating this release.
The Sand Rubies are in the final stages of picking out
artwork and taking photos for their fifth studio release, the
first in nearly five years, tentatively titled _Cinco_, set for a
late June / early July release.
---
TOUR DATES:
Cherry Poppin' Daddies
May 1 Eugene, OR Univ. of Oregon
Cows
Apr. 28 Los Angeles, CA Dragon Fly
Apr. 29 San Francisco, CA Slim's
May 1 Portland, OR La Luna
May 2 Seattle, WA Crodile
Kyle Davis
Apr. 27 Annapolis, MD Rams Head
Apr. 28 Virginia Beach, VA Rogues
John Wesley Harding / Steve Wynn
May 1 Seattle, WA The Crocodile
May 2 Portland, OR Aladdin Theatre
May 3 Eugene, OR Wow Hall
Irving Plaza (NYC concert hall - www.irvingplaza.com)
Apr. 27 Indigo Girls / Michelle Malone
May 1 Pietasters
May 2 Gary Numan
Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers
Apr. 27 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
Apr. 29 Shrevesport, LA The Malibu
Apr. 30 New Orleans, LA Fairgrounds Racecourse
May 1 New Orleans, LA UNO Lakefront Arena
May 2 Nashville, TN Nashville River Stages
May 3 Memphis, TN Beale Street Music Festival
Morcheeba
Apr. 27 Toronto, Canada Lee's Palace
Apr. 28 Montreal, Canada Cabaret Music Hall
Apr. 29 Boston, MA Axis
May 1 New York, NY El Flamingo
May 2 Washington D.C. The 9:30 Club
May 3 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Gary Numan
May 1 Philadelphia, PA TLA
May 2 New York, NY Irving Plaza
May 3 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Sherry Rich
Apr. 29 Nashville, TN Cafe Milano
Slackers
Apr. 28 New Orleans, LA Maple Leaf
Smart Went Crazy
Apr. 27 Cleveland, OH Speak In Tongues
Apr. 28 Springfield, MA Daddio's
Apr. 29 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Apr. 30 Portsmouth, NH Elvis Room
May 1 Providence, RI Tap Room - Rhode Island School of Design
May 2 Middletown, CT Wesleyan University
Trinket
Apr. 29 Valdosta, GA Valdosta State
Apr. 30 Pensacola, FL Sluggo's
May 1 Baton Rouge, LA Bayou
May 2-3 New Orleans, LA Aquarium of the Americas
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> What is Mr. O'Hagan's problem? I've got _Hawaii_ -
nice album. But it's really just a passing piece of ear candy
designed to make some of us think "boy, they don't make 'em
like Brian Wilson used to anymore". And that includes the High
Llamas. Talk about disingenuous...that's exactly what separates
the High Llamas music from actual *original* song writing - Passion.
Listening to their tunes is nice. Kinda 'hey look! I can
do this, too!'
- Brian, Orlando, FL
PS: I don't think _OK Computer_ saved the world either, but
at least it was a stretch far, far away from Puffy.
===
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===