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==== ISSUE 143 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [May 12, 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
Also Contributing: Rey Roldan
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gaj@westnet.com
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
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| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Massive Attack, _Mezzanine_ - Simon West
REVIEW: Sonic Youth, _A Thousand Leaves_ - David Landgren
REVIEW: Bran Van 3000, _Glee_ - Simon Speichert
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Interpretations_ - Tracey Bleile
REVIEW: Reverend Horton Heat, _Space Heater_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Jason & the Scorchers, _Midnight Roads & Stages Seen_ - Rey Roldan
REVIEW: Liquor Giants, _Every Other Day At A Time_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Long Fin Killie, _Amelia_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Tattoo of Pain, _Vengeance is Mine_ - Krisjanis Gale
REVIEW: Fleshtones, _More Than Skin Deep_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Dez Dickerson, _OneMan_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Spoon, _A Series Of Sneaks_ - Jason Cahill
REVIEW: Pure, _Feverish_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Morta Skuld, _Surface_ - Paul Hanson
ERRATA: East Side Digital
NEWS: CD indie store, Triplefastaction, Pet Shop Boys / Duran Duran
TOUR DATES: Bjork / u-ziq, John Wesley Harding / Steve Wynn, Tommy
Keene, Liquor Giants, Gary Numan, Trinket
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Massive Attack, _Mezzanine_ (Virgin)
- Simon West
The originators of the genre now known as trip-hop, the
world's coolest band, return with the long awaited follow-up to
1994's _Protection_. Is _Mezzanine_ as essential as that album
and _Blue Lines_, their astonishing debut? Oh yes.
_Mezzanine_ kicks off with "Angel", a menacing, ominous
rumble that sounds great until the inimitable vocals of reggae
legend Horace Andy begin to float over the top, and the wailing
guitar kicks in, at which point it sounds simply fantastic. It's
got a little darker in the Massive's world - the soul of
"Unfinished Sympathy" is still here, but there's significantly
more trip than hop. Horace reappears elsewhere on the album, most
notably on "Man Next Door." His haunting, delicate voice more
than compensates for the absence of a Tricky or a Nicolette on
_Mezzanine_.
Cocteau Twin Liz Fraser is another featured vocalist.
She's most effective on current single "Teardrop", which is
simply stunning. A haunting melody fading in over a scratchy
drumbeat, dramatic piano chords and Fraser's ethereal vocal all
combine to weave a spell unbroken for five and a half minutes.
Absolutely beautiful. Fraser's only slightly less effective on
"Group Four", an almost ambient eight minute epic.
There are weaknesses here as well - "Exchange" is an
instrumental that leans rather too close to muzak for comfort,
though it's redeemed somewhat by Horace Andy's vocal work over
the top of it as "Exchange Part 2". "Dissolved Girl", featuring
hitherto unknown vocalist Sarah Jay, is rather ordinary too, a
touch of album filler. It's easy to forgive this, however, when
the highlights are so bloody high.
At its best, which is most of it, _Mezzanine_ is a
brilliant album. Dark, dramatic, but as affecting as the best
of Massive Attack's previous work, it's one of only a couple of
absolutely essential releases of the year. Peerless is an overused
word, but it applies here. Reading about _Mezzanine_ does
absolutely no justice to the soaring heights of "Angel,"
"Teardrop" and first single "Risingson". It's one of those albums
that simply refuses to leave the CD player, regardless of what else
you've bought since. Go and buy it, for God's sake. Play it loud,
in the dark. Still the coolest band in the world. Samples of all
tracks are available at http://www.massiveattack.co.uk
---
REVIEW: Sonic Youth, _A Thousand Leaves_ (Geffen)
- David Landgren
Can't believe that Sonic Youth are onto their
fourteenth release with this album. To get to the point, I
could sum it up as follows: if you didn't like _Washing
Machine_, you're probably not going to like this either - but
if you want to hear the sequel to "The Diamond Sea", you're
going to love it.
I empathize with anyone who says they just want to
listen to _Daydream Nation_ for the rest of their life. But
I have to point out that what SY is doing now is just as
relevant now as ever. They still have the touch: the
guitars tuned to a different standard, the dissonance and
noise, the melody and the lyrical imagery. But I just happen
to think that Sonic Youth are one of the few bands I can
count on to improve as the years go by.
The opening moments of the album is the essence of
white noise: static flooding out of an amp, over a backdrop of
growling feedback. Kim murmuring into a microphone. "A thousand
leaves, for your disguise... The leaves are falling... up... and
down". Indeed. Thurston Moore apparently said that the title
of the album is that each album is a leaf, and that they're
going to stop after one thousand albums. This is evidently just
a smokescreen to throw us off the track, but I can't see what it
really means. Maybe Patrick White's "A Fringe of Leaves". Who
knows?
The album really kicks off with "Sunday", the single
that has been released in the States for the past month. A vibrant
upbeat piece: sharp upfront lead guitar and hugely distorted
rhythm guitar swelling up from underfoot, layering together into
a characteristic Youth riff where you never quite know where the
chord progression is headed to. The verses roll by, the song
ambles along until it explodes into a crescendo of guitar that
spits and fuses like water droplets in boiling oil. If previous
concerts are anything to go by, seeing this live will be an
event. On CD the song lasts over four minutes, but Messrs Moore
and Renaldo could easily draw this out into a fifteen minute
jam in concert.
"Female Mechanic On Duty" is a highly dissonant piece
sung by Kim Gordon. It's not one of my favourites, but then again,
I'm partial to her singing "Tunic (Song for Karen)" on _Goo_, much
more than a "Quest For The Cup" on _Experimental Jet Set_. By the
same token, it's also why I don't like "French Tickler" all that
much. So that's my bias. But it has still much to recommend it,
with its Sergeant Pepperish "A Day in The Life" two-songs-in-one
approach: the second song in the song is simply gorgeous. Try to
spot the album title in the lyrics here as well.
In many ways a continuation of the path explored by
_Washing Machine_, "Wildflower Soul" is a longer track, slower in
pace, with long lead breaks. The first break being more Steve
Shelley on drums, the second break more a free for all between
the guitarists. This idea of a slowing down, of a certain
maturity, is confirmed by "Hoarfrost". This latter song debuted
as an instrumental that blew everyone away at last year's (1997)
Tibetan Freedom Concert in New York. Well, now there are words
to accompany it. And you can trace their lineage all the way
back to "Me & Jill" from _The Whitey Album_.
I've been listening to _A Thousand Leaves_ for a week,
heavy rotation, basically trying to get my memory to dredge up
the answer to the question of what riff did they recycle for
"Snare, Girl". I have a feeling it's either something by Bacharach
or The Carpenters. SY has always spread the net of their musical
sources far and wide; this is merely the most overt expression of
that. Usually their references are far more subtle and take years
to decrypt. For instance, why do the names Heather and Karen
reappear in song titles? Whatever "Karen Koltrane" is ultimately
about, it is above all an excellent song, with a stunning
industrial jam. And the ending simply has to be heard to be
believed.
I strongly recommend you go and see Sonic Youth next
time they tour your part of the world - or else organise your
foreign travels in conjunction with where they are touring. This
album, as strong and rich as it is, as skillfully produced as it
is by Wharton Tiers and Don Fleming (who appear to have performed
a minor miracle insofar as the album appears so completely
"unproduced"). In many ways, _A Thousand Leaves_ represents a
snapshot of the band as they were in a particular point in time.
These songs are going to evolve over the coming months as the band
play them live and explore them for themselves. For instance,
"Heather Angel" is made up of three distinct parts, and the middle
part is just some idle studio doodling that won't stand up to the
light of day. It'll be interesting to see what they make of this.
I'd say the first part, sung by Kim, would be perfect closing
material. Just chop the rest out.
All in all a rich album, something I'm pretty sure I'll
be playing for many years to come. Hell, I still play _Evol_ every
few months or so. Unless something pretty major comes up before the
end of the year (such as a release from My Bloody Valentine), I name
this my Album Of The Year. Sonic Youth are also about the only band
who have truly mastered the small CD format. Rather than have a
booklet, or foldout sheet, you get a number of sheets, and you
choose your own cover du jour. I may just have to go out and buy
a copy. Maybe I'll get it on vinyl; it seems fitting.
Last words must go to Thurston Moore, who sums it up
best: "We're not, as some people maintain, obsessed with pop
culture so much as we're obsessed with its possibilities for
stratification and dateability."
---
REVIEW: Bran Van 3000, _Glee_ (Capitol)
- Simon Speichert
Wow. I don't think I've heard an album as eclectic as
this since, well, ever! But I guess that's what you get when
you assemble thirty-some people to make music.
Bran Van 3000 isn't so much a band, but a collective
of musicians that comes together under the direction of one
man, James "Bran Man" DiSalvio, who ends up acting as a sort
of "conductor" on almost every track. As such, the musical
styles on _Glee_ vary wildly. From the old-school rap of the
cleverly titled "Old School", to the experimental-ness of
"Une Chanson" and "Oblonging", the folky "Mama Don't Smoke",
and the electronic pop of the hit single "Drinking In L.A."
This is a fantastic album, because every track is so
different from the next; it holds your interest without ever
getting boring. Thus, there is literally something for everyone
on this album. Plus, there's a bonus cheese factor: the
hilarious acoustic cover of glam metal band Slade's "Cum On
Feel The Noise".
While _Glee_ is Bran Van's first U.S. release, they
have already made it tremendously big in Canada for an
independent band, getting heavy rotation on MuchMusic with the
video for "Drinking In L.A.", winning a MuchMusic Video Award
for that video, and literally becoming a household name. Let's
hope that success follows suit south of the 49th.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Interpretations_ (EMI/Capitol)
- Tracey Bleile
A new offering in the Essentials series takes the vision one step
further to encompass the purpose of the series, which focuses on obscure
song versions and live material from influential "alternative" artists -
by creating a tribute to the label itself. So here we have
_Interpretations_, (released in Europe as _Come Again_) which has "new"
EMI artists paying homage to "old" EMI artists. With two discs full to
sift through, it breaks down about like you'd expect: the obvious, the
inspired, and the kitschy. And with three broad strokes, there it is. What
do you expect when about three-quarters of the material comes from dead
-center 70s artists?
The mysterious number three appears again in performers. The
Americans working with UK talent and UK artists who have had the
international exposure generally seem to be freer and more willing to
truly interpret the artists they've chosen to cover than the newer UK
artists who mainly have not even been broken in the States.
First, the obvious. Two Bowie songs, with neither artist departing
too far from home (in all fairness, how could you, when Bowie was so far
ahead of his time?) and White Buffalo sounds far too much like Bush for
me to stomach their cover of "Ziggy Stardust" (like we needed another
one...). The newer Brit talent seems far more content to hide behind
their keyboards and make the pop songs so sweet you'd swear it was Prom
Night all over again (Gluebound's "Where Did Our Love Go",
Supernaturals' take on Queen's "You're My Best Friend" and Terrorvisions'
cover of Slik's "Forever and Ever" are bound and determined to keep you
in the Time Warp for all eternity) rather than do anything too daring
with their influences' work. Wavering on the hairsbreadth between this
category and the next are Dubstar's "Jealousy" and Feline's "The Air
That I Breathe" - with the first's dance pulse slowed way down to
analyze the lyrical content, and the reading on the vocals of the second
bordering on obsessive, but it's hard to tell if the talent is more than
skin deep here.
But onward: the truly inspired - the whole reason you want to
dig through both discs - the pairings of Belinda Carlisle (yeah, her,
tremulous vocals and all) and Radiator slamming through the Stranglers
"Submission" and at the opposite end, Sparklehorse (featuring the
incomparable Thom Yorke of Radiohead) is even more hushed and mournful
than the original on Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". Some other
major high points are Mike Scott's (Waterboys) beautiful reworking of
Kate Bush's "Why Should I Love You?", where he shares the aspects of an
instantly recognizable voice and dreamy layered instrumentation to
capture the mood perfectly. A surprising 180 degree turn by Jesus Jones
has the interpretator reinventing themselves instead of the song and
throwing down guitar work aplenty on the Stranglers' "Go Buddy Go".
And when the Foo Fighters take a radio staple like Gerry Rafferty's
"Baker Street", and replace *everything* with guitars, all their
chemistry burns right through the speakers. Other honorable notes go
to Fun Lovin' Criminals and Robbie Williams for daring to go back more
than two decades and give classy turns to Louis Armstrong and Ella
Fitzgerald, respectively.
We glide to the last category on flourish of Moog tones, and
kitschy honors go hands down to Cecil's take on Dr. Hook�s "When You're
In Love With A Beautiful Woman" and White Town's eerie contemporary
reading of Glen Campbell�s "Rhinestone Cowboy". Murray Lachlan Young
turns the set's closer "Doo Wah Diddy Diddy" into a Monty Python number
just to show he who laughs last, laughs best.
It's a lot of material to wend through, but chances are, most of
you reading this are just about the right age to be okay with reliving
a little bit of child- (or, well, okay, teenybopper) hood, and
_Intrepretations_ is just like twisting the tuner knob when you were big
enough to be allowed in the front seat of that '72 Torino.
TRACK LISTING:
Disc One
John Butler "Ode To Billy Joe", Belinda Carlisle & Radiator
"Submission", Cecil "When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman",
Dubstar "Jealousy", Feline "The Air That I Breathe", Foo Fighters "Baker
Street", Fun Lovin' Criminals "We Have All The Time In The World",
Gluebound "Where Did Our Love Go", Jesus Jones "Go Buddy Go", Kenickie
featuring /Errol Brown "It Started With A Kiss", My Life Story "Duchess"
Disc Two
Octopus "Starman", Mike Scott "Why Should I Love You?", Sparklehorse
with Thom Yorke "Wish You Were Here", Supernaturals "You're My Best
Friend", Terrorvision "Forever & Ever", White Buffalo "Ziggy Stardust",
White Town "Rhinestone Cowboy", Robbie Williams "Ev'ry Time We Say
Goodbye", Wireless "See Emily Play", World Party "Martha My Dear",
Murray Lachlan Young "Do Wah Diddy Diddy
---
REVIEW: Reverend Horton Heat, _Space Heater_ (Interscope)
- Bill Holmes
Imagine a recording that draws comparisons to Black
Sabbath and Flatt & Scruggs! Seriously! When you jump in the
rumble seat with this Texas trio, you spin that radio dial from
the pickin' n grinnin' "The Prophet Stomp" all the way to the
left where a more talented Black Sabbath might have pounded out
"For Never More" in their garage. And that's not even conjuring
up the very scary Perry Como singing-Spanish-at-gunpoint "Mi
Amor"...
Yup, the boys are at it again - another mishmosh of geetar
swangin' that may put a smile on your face or drive you crazy,
depending how wide your bandwidth is as well as your tolerance
for genre-jumping at the drop of a hat. Five albums in, those
unfamiliar should know that there aren't many (if any) better
purveyors of slap-bass, snap-drum, percolatin'-guitar than "The
Rev", and cuts like "Lie Detector" and the self-depreciating
"Jimbo Song" (Jimbo is the bassist, y'see) are prime slices of
roadhouse rock. No such thing as reverence for topics, though -
one read of the hilarious "Couch Surfin' or "Baby I'm Drunk"
will set that right. Then again no one listens to the Rev for
lyrical inspiration anyway.
Produced and mixed by the wonderful Ed Stasium (who also
handled Love Nut's _Baltimucho_, so he's having a hell of a
year!), _Space Heater_ is all over the map from the Duane Eddy
rebel rousing "Pride Of San Jacinto" to what can only be
described as "cowpunk rap" on "Revolution Under Foot". Whether
instrumental, vocal or butchering Spanish ("Cinco de Mayo", "Mi
Amor"), Stasium coaxes a sound that captures the energy of the
performances without falling into a redundant pattern. While not
a solid wall-to-wall winner (I would have roped it in a little
more), there's plenty here to get you up off your butt so you
can shake it better. File this next to Webb Wilder in the
"airplay be damned, we're gonna light your ass on fire" school
of southern cooking.
---
REVIEW: Jason & the Scorchers, _Midnight Roads & Stages
Seen_ (Mammoth)
- Rey Roldan
As a studio band, Jason & the Scorchers are a really good
band. With releases like their fascinating debut _Fervor_ to _A
Blazing Grace_, their first for their current label Mammoth
Records, Jason and his Scorchers have led the cowpunk revolution
from the 80s straight through the 90s without a sacrificing any
of their fiery fervor. While their recorded energy always seemed
at just one inch short of blistering, their live performances
were always, well, scorching.
So, it only seemed appropriate and necessary that Jason
& the Scorchers release a live record, and with _Midnight Roads
& Stages Seen_, they do just that and demonstrate what really
makes them probably one of the most entertaining live acts.
Brimming with stage charisma that transcends imageless audio,
Jason Ringenberg leads his three-piece band through a 23-track
tour de force recorded over two shows last November in Nashville.
Starting with nary a pause, Jason launches into "Self
Sabotage", a heated send-up from their recent bag of newly
penned tracks, and keeps going without filler to be found.
Their take on Bob Dylan's "Absolutely Sweet Marie" turns the
otherwise harmless tune into a pubhouse anthem with Perry Baggs'
drums anchoring Warner Hodges' searing slide guitar and Kenny
Ames' nimble bass. A favorite at live shows, this recorded
version lacks none of the verve that Jason is famous for.
Their re-rendering of "Pray for Me Momma (I'm a Gypsy Now)"
(from their debut EP _Reckless Country Soul_) bottles all the
charm of the original and instead of updating it for the 90s,
plays it straight and faithful to the 1982 version. It is this
reverence to the belief "If it ain't broke..." that makes Jason
still endearing after all these years. Unlike other bands who
have reformed from the 80s to the tune of nostalgia, Jason & the
Scorchers don't so much pander to his faithful audience as he
plays for himself with them in mind. Instead of smirking their
way through hits and trademark tunes, they present an honesty
that really comes through, giving you a "gosh darn, they're just
such nice guys" sentiment that renders all other reunions
fraudulent and insincere.
While disc one pulls out the a wide smattering that
spans their 15+ years, disc two is largely populated with songs
from their early years, including the catchy twang of "Harvest
Moon" and the perennial favorite "If You've Got the Love (I've
Got the Time)". Although most live sets are used to fulfill
contractual obligations and are nothing more than a
less-than-stellar rehashing of album cuts, _Midnight Road..._
stands as a worthy testament to the widely held notion (mainly
of those who have witnessed their live gigs) that Jason & the
Scorchers are one of the best live bands. It doesn't take a
lot to make a live record, but to make it memorable is
something that's innate in Jason Ringenberg - and he's got it
in spades.
---
REVIEW: Liquor Giants, _Every Other Day At A Time_ (Matador)
- Joann D. Ball
Ward Dotson knows that his is the sound of the season, that
of the endless summer. Granted, Dotson and his band the Liquor
Giants are from Los Angeles. But the band's newest and best record,
_Every Other Day At A Time_ , suggests sunshine and warm nights
because it's got the kind of songs that would have fit perfectly on
AM Top 40 radio in decades long past. In fact, that's just what makes
this fourth Liquor Giants effort so irresistibly good. The 14 songs
on this short but sweet compact disc have that old familiar way of
just getting into your head and under your skin, and then staying
there for days.
Dotson is obviously a dedicated fan and student of pop-rock
classics. Not only does the former Gun Club and Pontiac Brothers
guitarist capture the essence of vinyl, he re-creates and
revitalizes many of the elements that made those Beatles, Kinks,
Hollies, Byrds and Beach Boys records so incredible. It's all here -
the melodies, harmonies, hooks and guitars galore. And Dotson's
ooohs, ahhhs and lalalas are everywhere. Maybe that's why _Every
Other Day At A Time_, like the other Liquor Giants releases, will
click with the hipsters, like-minded and similarly inspired
musicians, as well as the music critics who know a good thing when
they hear it.
The record's first track, "It's Raining Butterflies" is
chock full of pop nuggets including spirited handclaps which take
you straight back to the Fab Four's early tunes and backing vocals
that evoke the innocence of the Beach Boys. "Dearest Darling"
and "Kentucky Lounge" are both honest songs about dedication,
although the objects of longing are entirely different. And while
you don't have to know what a "Multicolored Hipshake" is to enjoy
its upbeat brightness, you might sympathize with the tale of
loneliness that is "It Only Hurts When I Smile." One of the best
tracks here, though, is "Riverdale High" which echoes the
brilliance of labelmate Tommy Keene with its chiming guitars and
short, stinging solos. Finally, the image-filled "Summer School"
rounds off the compact disc and the the Liquor Giants make even
this teenage experience something to remember with foundness.
If _Every Other Day At A Time_ leaves you craving more
Liquor Giants, check them out live on tour, or through the
Matador's website at http://www.matador.recs.com
---
REVIEW: Long Fin Killie, _Amelia_ (Too Pure / Beggars Banquet)
- Daniel Aloi
This Scottish group hasn't yet taken its place in the modern
rock celebrities club, but it should enter the name-recognition
roster for its artful, mood-enhancing music.
On _Amelia_, the band reaches the emotional core of their
songs with intelligently reserved displays of instrumental prowess.
Relatable and personal without being too conventional, and following
their own course, the songs are marvels of precision guitar and bass
playing, insistent drumming, and the use of the odd mandolin,
bouzouki or kalimba. Saxes and piano play off a lolling bass line and
cymbal-tapping in the noirish "Chrysler," and the nearly voice-less
"Resin" is carried through beautifully with a violin as the lead
instrument.
Doesn't sound too commercial, does it? It can win you over
nonetheless. As one of lyrics state, "To hell with style."
In high and low voices, sometimes within the same song (as on
"Ringer"), and always intimating in near-whispers, singer Luke
Sutherland seems to be entirely confessional. As an affecting way of
connecting with the listener, he insinuates the songs to the listener
almost on some synaptic level -- they are felt, absorbed rather than
merely heard.
One song, "Bigger Than England," is happier-sounding than
the rest, chugging along (that bass again) like a vintage Cure
single. (Any vocal resemblance to Robert Smith could be purely
intentional).
The band remains one of the prime acts on Too Pure, a U.K.
label that formerly had a domestic partnership with Rick Rubin's
now-in-limbo American Recordings (how I do miss those press releases
on colored paper) and in the U.S., on Beggars Banquet. The Too Pure
roster has them in good company, with certified alt-rock star club
members Stereolab, Mouse on Mars, Th' Faith Healers, Moonshake and
Laika. For more information, contact Too Pure at P.O. Box 1944,
London NW10 5PJ, U.K.
---
REVIEW: Tattoo of Pain, _Vengeance is Mine_ (Antler/Subway)
- Krisjanis Gale
I would have expected much better from Praga Khan and
Oliver Adams, who produced such great work with Lords of Acid,
as well as Digital Orgasm, Channel X, and The Immortals, and
who've also produced and remixed Alice in Chains, White Zombie,
and Gravity Kills. Perhaps they've spent such a lengthy amount
of time in the industry they can no longer see the forest from
the trees; this album tries too hard to do too little. It is,
sadly, formulaic.
Anyone can be Tattoo of Pain. They need only follow
this recipe: introduce some totally random synthetic sequence
of odd sound and vocal samples that only bear a passing
resemblance to what your song is trying to say; rip to shreds
whatever ambiance that had just built up in your intro with a
premature explosion of deeply distorted lead guitar, backed by
an overpowering and painfully simple drum sequence; continue
slipping random vocal samples into your song, which is now
effortlessly looping with the sort of utter redundancy that
sells so well nowadays; layer atop this mess some cheesy
apocalyptic lyrics, just too quiet to hear; repeat until you've
reached that standard five minute mark; and top it all off with
an abrubt ending, containing the musical artistry you really
meant to put in your song, loop for about ten seconds more,
then stop. Important preparation note: use only three notes
to compose your "music."
Don't get me wrong, there are little glimpses of
brilliance here. But they're consistently and quickly destroyed
by some deep-seated need to appeal to a listening audience who
now love that the likes of Ministry have gone Metal, and
forgotten all about their Industrial roots, retreating into
the indistinguishable ocean of guitar rock.
---
REVIEW: Fleshtones, _More Than Skin Deep_ (Ichiban)
- Bill Holmes
With song titles like "Blow Job" and "God Damn It", it's
apparent that this record was not destined for widespread airplay.
One listen to the opening track "I'm Not A Sissy" and you know
that's a GOOD thing.
Cheesy keyboards, harmony vocals that don't quite align
(but work anyway) and determined rhythm guitar frame the earnest
vocals of Peter Zaremba, and if there were a better way to
indoctrinate a newcomer to the beauty that is "garage", please
tell me. For alongside The Skeletons and the late, lamented Del
Lords, the Fleshtones stand tall among the best American rock
bands to cruise the aural turnpike. As the eloquently state in
their liner notes, "no LA-type session cats have been flown in
to play the Fleshtones instruments for them on this recording".
Amen, brothers!
There's nothing complex about "Laugh It Off" or "Anywhere
You Go" or the eloquently raucous highlight "God Damn It" - it's
three chord rock and roll sung with passion and fire, the key
elements missing from most of the crap that passes for music on
your radio. Assuming you've had that life-changing moment, can
you remember that spine-tingling body vibe that made you grab
your air guitar or simply dance like a person possessed? Do you
remember rock and roll? Well these Fleshtones do, and they've
taken it upon themselves to document that chill, record after
record, as undesignated Ambassadors of the art form.
Drummer Bill Milhizer and guitarist Keith Streng are the
other two-thirds of the current nucleus (Streng and Zaremba
share the workload of the songwriting) and fellow believers in
the Church of Turn It Up. There's thirteen tracks here and
you're in and out in just over half an hour. That's fine - it
will give you a chance to play the whole damned thing again, as
I guarantee you'll do many, many times. Play it loud and open
the windows - by track three there will be a party at your house.
Oh yeah - "Blow Job" is an instrumental. But it does
feature oral sax.
---
REVIEW: Dez Dickerson, _OneMan_ (Absolute)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Straight from the "Where are they now?" file comes
Dez Dickerson. As the guitarist for Prince on such songs as
"1999" and "Little Red Corvette", Dickerson was on top of the
musical world. (Dez was the one with the Japanese flag
headband.) Turns out Dickerson was going to try a solo career
rather than commit to the next few years with Prince, and
things didn't go so well. Already a born again Christian,
Dickerson ended up in Nashville as a Christian rock producer
and executive. Now, some 14 years later, he's released his
solo project to launch his own label, Absolute Records.
Make no bones about it, Dickerson is all about
Christian rock. He feels like he is a man on a mission.
However, unlike some Christian rock artists, Dickerson is
first a musician and second an evangelist. He first wanted
to be Jimi Hendrix at age 14 and was the only one of hundreds
of guitarists auditioned whom Prince liked. 70's and 80's
Christian rock was mainly dominated by poseurs that, while
theologically correct, didn't really make good music. Amy
Grant started the change, and now-a-days groups like The
Newsboys have shown that there can be an equal balance between
music and message. (Dickerson has been executive producer of
bands like The Newsboys for a number of years.)
Prince historians have noted the changes in his sound
after _Purple Rain_, and his subsequent demise on the pop
charts. Dickerson's _OneMan_ provides the missing link. Here
is the guitar driven, rock sound that allowed Prince to cross
over his brand of 80's funk to Top 40. Although Prince
regularly indicated that he wrote, produced, and performed
everything on his albums, Dickerson's guitar sounds remarkably
familiar. "Hello Again" has that melodic pop-rock feel to it
that Prince's music had when Dickerson was with the band.
"Hello Again" also features The Rembrants' Phil Solem on guitar
and backing vocals. "For You For Me" crunches with stadium rock
riffs with little choruses of dreamy keyboards and steady drum
beats. It's 1984 all over again.
Take a track like "Fall Into Me". It's a power ballad
with quiet, atmospheric verses and a guitar driven chorus.
It's also half a step away from being an out-take from _1999_.
Sometimes, Dickerson crosses the line from "atmospheric" into
"psychedelic" pop-rock (anyone remember Enuff Z'nuff?), but
for the most part it's kept in check. Usually, it feels more
like a Beatles knock off. "Real To Me" closes the album with
an impassioned ballad about belief that uses the Beatles'
patented extended chorus with some horns to great effect.
Other songs, such as "The Way I Feel", are just straight on
guitar songs.
On the "Christian" side of Christian rock, Dickerson
is remarkably low-key. Unlike some albums which are loaded
with agenda, Dickerson seems to sing more from the heart than
the desire to be featured on the 700 Club. He witnesses rather
than preaches, and the effect is an album that won't turn
anyone off. In this sense, he's much like an Amy Grant.
Dickerson simply includes his Christianity as one of many
sources to draw lyrics from. Sure, there's a few songs that
are just about Jesus, but most are about Dickerson's own
disillusionments and subsequent joy at turning his life around.
_OneMan_ is an album that's a bit unexpected. Take
the guitarist from one of the most popular bands ever, convert
him to Christianity, hide him from the public eye for 14 years,
and what do you have? None other than one of the best Christian
rock albums ever recorded. The style is more rock than anything,
and reminds you of that cool sound Prince had in the early 80's.
Dickerson's guitar is masterful, but his modest approach allows
it just to be another instrument. Who should buy this album?
Well, for Christian rock fans and Prince collectors, _OneMan_
is a no brainer. For everyone else, the .wav files at
http://www.absoluterecords.com/ should be enough to tell you
if you'd enjoy it or not. Regardless of the market though,
Dez Dickerson's _OneMan_ is a solidly produced, enjoyable album.
---
REVIEW: Spoon, _A Series Of Sneaks_ (Elektra)
- Jason Cahill
When I was in college, I remember reading an album
review in, of all places, New York Magazine. The album
was World Party's _Goodbye Jumbo_ and the reviewer kept
talking about how it had been in his CD player for three
straight weeks and he still enjoyed listening to it from start
to finish. At this point I hadn't heard one song off the
album and yet, based on this one review, shelled out my
fourteen bucks and bought it. Again, without having heard
one song. My thinking was that if this reviewer could listen
to one album consistently for three straight weeks without
growing tired of it, then it must be good. And it was.
Granted, Spoon's major label debut, _A Series Of
Sneaks_, isn't quite the album that _Goodbye Jumbo_ was, but
it has remained stuck in my CD player for the past three
weeks. If it were a record, I surely would have worn down the
grooves by now. The album, the third release from this
Austin based trio, is an original collection of finely crafted
rock tunes, each with its own unique and different sound. In
fact, the album's twelve songs are so unique and different from
one another, its almost as if the band threw ideas at a wall
to see what would stick. A similar method of song selection
was tried earlier this year by Scott Weiland to much different
and unfortunate results.
The album opens with "Utilitarian", a quick, right to
the point song which owes more to Brit-rockers like Blur than
it does to the Austin sound Spoon helped establish. "The
Guest List / The Execution" borrows its guitar riff from INXS'
"Guns In The Sky", while the bridge in "Reservations" might as
easily found itself in the middle of a Manic Street Preachers
record. The most obscure influence on the album is found in
"Metal Detektor", whose verses are reminiscent of Jackson
Browne, circa "Lawyers In Love". Does all this detract from
the overall sound of the album? Not at all. In fact, it helps
separate Spoon from all the other run-of-the-mill alt-rock
bands. Each song on _A Series Of Sneaks_ is completely
different from the last, with different melodies, structures
and tempos.
In all, _A Series Of Sneaks_ is an album overflowing
with effort. It's almost as if the band just said, "Fuck it,
we're going to try everything and if it works, great; if it
doesn't, so be it." The really masterful thing about the album
is that it works.
---
REVIEW: Pure, _Feverish_ (Mammoth)
- Daniel Aloi
I admit I've joined the other complainers that much
of the so-called alternative music hitting the airwaves today
is too serious and self-important, to the point that the acts
are indistinguishable from one another. On the other hand,
you can always look to Jordy Birch of Vancouver's Pure to arch
an eyebrow at life's absurdities while all the other boys in
bands are wallowing in wasted woe and wanting to push you down.
On _Feverish_, Pure actually sounds at times like one
of those bands (whose name rhymes with Neverclear), but without
a spot of the misanthropy. Instead, we get Birch's dry wit
throwing us observational curves in travel stories like
"Trucks, Campers and Trees" and "My Surfboard and My Dog."
Imagination certainly kicks his muse, conjuring "Palm
Springs" while sitting in rainy British Columbia and "The Elvis
Hooker" from some street scene taken to an absurd extreme. Add
rubber-band guitar chords and the surrealism takes hold.
Originally inspired by a snippet of overheard conversation
between airline stewardesses, "Sunshine and Happy Hours" is a
beery country stomp crossed with an Irish tavern ditty about
the supposed good life. Instead of lampooning the sentiment,
Birch backs it up.
I've liked this band for a few years, for the albums
_Pureafunalia_ and _Generation 6-Pack_. Any number of Pure
songs could be their "Santa Monica," and maybe in the bargain
someone would get the joke. I'd rather hear someone being
tickled than tortured any day.
You'll be seeing and hearing a lot more from Pure and
songs from _Feverish _ - the video for "Chocolate Bar" is being
played on MuchMusic and MTV's 120 Minutes, and will be featured
in an upcoming Disney Movie of the Week, "Mail to the Chief,"
on ABC. The band is also a featured artist this month at
http://www.Pepsiworld.com, and the song "Tennis Ball" will be on
the soundtrack for "BASEketball" from "South Park" creators
Matt Stone and Trey Parker.
---
REVIEW: Morta Skuld, _Surface_ (Pavement)
- Paul Hanson
Armed with blast beats, throaty vocals and a guitar
sound reminiscent of Slayer, Milwaukee's Morta Skuld come to
the national spotlight with their new release Surface on
Arizona-based Pavement Music records. After 8 years of thrashing
around, it's about time the national scene hears this band!
Joining labelmates Malevolent Creation, Forbidden, Crowbar,
and one of my favorite new bands, HatePlow, Morta Skuld's disc
is a sonic tour of the underbelly of Beer Town, USA.
And what an underbelly it must be! Opening track "The
Killing Machine" starts the tour with the aforementioned blast
beats. In the middle of the song, a melodic guitar introduces a
new musical theme. Then, after riding that groove, the band
returns to the original theme, all the while the double bass
sixteenth notes are going for the subtle 'feeling, not hearing'
groove.
The second track, "Save Yourself", confronts technology
with these lyrics "We suffer in the system of technology /
Freedom is the cage we all call home." Lyricist/guitarist/vocalist
Dave Gregor doesn't really expand the genre of death metal growls;
his vocals are often uncomprehendable, which is why including the
lyrics works to the band's advantage. Gregor is an intelligent and
thought-provoking lyricist. In "If I Survive," Gregor ponders
"Man has destroyed all in his way/ He has no remorse, he will
have his day/ Forgotten by many, lost to some/ In an age where
brother betrays brother/ Animal instincts are alive/ It has
taught us to survive/ Faceless to the some, a number to the
many." Drummer Kent Trucenbrod shines through this track, mixing
his ferocious double bass with a simpler drumbeat.
In the next decade, metal will need to grow and prosper
if it is to survive and become the flavor of the month. Morta
Skuld is one of several new bands that are trying to break into
the national scene and leave their mark. Surface is an above
average slab of death metal with intelligent lyrics and heavy
guitars.
---
ERRATA:
> In last week's issue, we reported about the Blood
Oranges' releases on East Side Digital. This was falsely
reported as no-longer-in-existence. As reported to us by
Drew Miller of ESD, "Rumors of ESD's demise are untrue,
although the label has for the most part exited the
Americana/alt.country genre. In response to demand, ESD
is reissuing _The Knitter_ (and Bill Llloyd's _Set To Pop_ )
June 9th, at a $9.98 list price."
---
NEWS: > A new online CD store, http://www.joesgrille.com , is devoted
solely to independent and import releases. Some tracks are available
in RealAudio, to enable fans hear independent artists of lesser-known
artists, and usually at a cheaper price than at conventional music
stores.
> Triplefastaction are playing their last show on May 24
at Chicago, IL's Metro.
> The October 17, 1994 issue of Consumable Online included a
poll in which readers expressed their votes on which albums (or
could-be compilations) should be available on compact disc.
Three and a half years later, two of those wishes have come
true. EMI/Capitol has released compilations for two bands with
enormous cult followings: the Pet Shop Boys and Duran Duran.
The Pet Shop Boys' _Essential_ includes 6 songs previously
unavailable on commercial CD, including the original U.K. 7" version of
"Opportunities"; the Duran Duran collection includes 11 remixes of
their hits, including several from the rare _Carnival_ E.P.
---
TOUR DATES:
Bjork / u-ziq
May 12 New York, NY Hammerstein
May 15 Washington, DC Capital Ballroom
May 18 Chicago, IL House of Blues
May 21 San Francisco, CA Warfield
John Wesley Harding / Steve Wynn
May 12 Phoenix, AZ Nita's Hideaway
May 14 Austin, TX Cactus Cafe
May 15 Dallas, TX Trees
May 16 Houston, TX Mucky Duck
May 18 Birmingham, AL The Nick
May 19 Atlanta, GA Smith's Olde Bar
May 20 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
May 21 Baltimore, MD Ram's Head Tavern
Irving Plaza (NYC concert hall - www.irvingplaza.com)
May 14 Holly Cole
Tommy Keene
May 13 Cambridge, MA TT the Bear's
May 14 New York, NY Brownie's
May 15 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
May 16 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Club
May 17 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Liquor Giants
May 12 Fargo, ND First AVenue
May 13 Winnepeg, CAN Royal Albert Arms
May 15 Calgary, CAN The Night Gallery
Gary Numan
May 14 Vancouver, BC Starfish Room
May 15 Seattle, WA The Fenix 21+
May 17 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
May 19 Los Angeles, CA Palace
Trinket
May 12 Washington, DC Black Cat
May 16-17 Providence, RI Kennedy Plaza
May 20 New York, NY Arlene's Grocery
May 21 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> I enjoyed Lang Whitaker's review of Marc Cohn's,
_Burning The Daze_ in the last issue, and will probably pick
that album up soon. Thanks (again), Consumable.
Whitaker called Cohn's disc "a great album from one
of the lone remaining male American singer/songwriters." And
went on to say, "Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson, and [Lyle]
Lovett aside, there really aren't that many male artists
around these days, doing what Cohn does best - singing with
soul and confidence."
I fully agree it's a lamentably short list. But I
think I can expand it by adding two: Freedy Johnston and James
McMurtry. Each is a gifted storyteller with a keen eye for
human foibles and a keen ear for melody. I'd recommend any
of their rewarding albums.
- Matthew M., Hong Kong
---
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===