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==== ISSUE 150 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [August 5, 1998]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.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,
Krisjanis Gale, Emma Green, Paul Hanson,
Eric Hsu, Robin Lapid, Linda Scott, Scott
Slonaker, Chelsea Spear, Simon Speichert,
Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann
Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription
information is given at the end of this issue.
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
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| Contents |
`------------'
INTERVIEW: Cherry Poppin' Daddies - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Squirrel Nut Zippers, _Perennial Favorites_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Tribute for the Masses_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Grant Lee Buffalo, _Jubilee_ - Scott Slonaker
REVIEW: Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, _Left of Cool_ - Lang Whitaker
REVIEW: Pete Droge, _Spacey And Shakin_ - Bill Holmes
INTERVIEW: Bic Runga - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW/CONCERT REVIEW: Brian Setzer Orchestra, _The Dirty
Boogie_ - Scott Slonaker
CONCERT REVIEW - Loud Family - Chelsea Spear
COMPILATION 80s REVIEWS: _Sedated In The 80s No. 5_ / _Wedding
Singer Volume 2_ / _Chart Toppers_ series - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Fear Factory, _Obsolete_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Nils Lofgren, _Acoustic Live_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Jupiter Coyote, _Here Be Dragons_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Mr. Henry, _Jackhammer_ - Daniel Aloi
NEWS: Reverb (Green Day / Foo Fighters), Sublime, Toad the
Wet Sprocket, XTC
TOUR DATES: Tori Amos, Bauhaus, Beastie Boys / Tribe Called
Quest, B 52's / Pretenders / Royal Crown Revue, Blink 182,
Blue Oyster Cult, John Cale / Creatures, Culture Club /
Human League / Howard Jones, Dakota Moon, Front 242,
Nanci Griffith, HORDE Tour, Irving Plaza, K's Choice,
Lilith Fair, Phish, Phunk Junkeez / Clutch, Bonnie
Raitt / Jackson Browne, Smokin' Groovies Tour, John
Taylor, Verve
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Cherry Poppin' Daddies
- Al Muzer
A stylish breath of cool, fresh, reet-petite air in the
middle of the blistering, no-holds-barred, mosh 'til ya drop
hardcore, punk and ska barrage powering this year's Van's Warped
Tour - Eugene, Ore., by way of Binghamton, NY, resident Steve
Perry, 34, and his Cherry Poppin' Daddies have been on the
cutting edge for so long they've finally become fashionable.
A ragtag group of punks with horns when Perry formed
the band back in 1989, it's taken 10 years, a few changing faces,
lots of patience and three self-released, mostly-ignored albums
bursting with huge slabs of Bob Willis-style country-tonk, a raw,
punkish, percolated energy, ultra-loud guitars and a swaggering,
pre-WWII, ska-based pseudo-swing to get where Cherry Poppin'
Daddies are today:
Prominently featured covering Harry Belafonte's "Jump
In Line" on South Park creators' Matt Stone's and Trey Parker's
BASEketball movie soundtrack; in heavy rotation on MTV and VH1;
appearing on ABC's In Concert, Jay Leno's late-nite gab fest and
MTV's 12 Angry Viewers program; already booked for a September
date at England's Reading Festival; and (go ahead, do a quick
scan of your FM dial - okay, find it?) playing on a radio station
somewhere near you at this very moment.
An "overnight success" thanks, in part, to door-opening,
ska-friendly acts such as No Doubt, Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger,
Less Than Jake and Sublime, what eventually came out as _Zoot
Suit Riot_ (which includes songs recorded in 1990, '94 and '96)
was originally put together by Perry as a fan-fueled, swing-based
compilation taken from _Kids On The Street_, _Ferociously Stoned_
and _Rapid City Muscle Car_, his band's first three records.
Selling an astonishing 10,000-plus copies at shows
across the nation, the group's home-made "best of" tape got the
attention (thanks to Mighty Mighty Bosstone pal Dickie Barrett)
of Mojo president Jake Rifkin and signed, spruced-up and
re-released with four brand new tracks ("No Mercy For Swine,"
"When I Change Your Mind," "Brown Derby Jump" and the title tune)
added for good luck, _Zoot Suit Riot_ hit the racks in the summer
of 1997.
Nothing happened. At first.
Years of patiently explaining to metal-fried booking
agents what type of music his band played, sitting around talking
with enthusiastic new fans hours after the club closed, taking a
ton of shit for his choice in band names ("I've had hot coffee
thrown on me," Perry notes), dealing with punk, ska and swing
purists who refused to accept his wiggy bastardization of all
three musical genres and spending (practically) the last
year-and-a-half on the road eventually paid off for Perry and
his band.
"Zoot Suit Riot" somehow managed to jazzbo-jump its way
past the Third Eye Blind sound-a-likes and multiple Creeds on
Billboard's Modern Rock Airplay chart to land smack-dab in the
middle of the Top 20 list a year to the day after its initial
release.
"I was thinking, 'God, it'd be great if we could sell
100,000 records,' you know?" Perry laughs during a recent phone
call. "That was the top number I could conceive of - and it was
hard to even allow myself to think that! Uhm, we now have
ourselves a platinum record."
"We knew that, independently, there was only so much we
could do out there on our own," he explains when asked about the
Mojo hookup. "We had hit the fuckin' ceiling, you know? We'd call
a Mom & Pop store in, like, Richmond and say, 'Hey, we're gonna be
playing in your town next month, do you wanna take some CD's from
us and sell 'em?' 'No!' (laughs ruefully) 'Never heard of ya!
Sorry.' Click! After awhile it's, like, 'Okay - how many more
years like this can I go through? How much longer can I do this?'
It sort'a came down to either 'get signed' or 'stop' and so, we did."
"Now, how people react to what we do is their own thing,"
the Louis Prima-, Fletcher Henderson-, Cab Calloway-, Count Basie-,
Louis Jordan-, Specials- influenced musician begins. "And, while I
can't make people like our music, I'll like it better if I keep
trying to make really good records that I like."
"We've always tried to make ourselves happy [musically]
by doing lots of different things," he says of the stylistic
diversity found in abundance on the group's three Space Age Bachelor
Pad releases, hinted at on _Zoot Suit Riot_ and trotted out in full,
pressed 'n' pleated glory on Warped Tour stages. "And I think we
probably made a lot of that [early] music just for ourselves [laughs]
because we never thought that we'd ever be signed, or even viewed as
marketable enough to be signed!"
"Our vision, as a band, is much wider, actually, than what
_Zoot Suit Riot_ would indicate," the former University of Oregon
chemistry major offers. "We wanted to include more country and soul
stuff - which we have on our earlier records, you know? Lots of
different stuff. But...", he sighs and tails off as if the word
"business" had actually been spoken.
"I do wanna do more Western Swing kind'a stuff the next
time out," Perry declares as he stops to consider the last few
whirlwind months and looks forward to at least two more Mojo
releases, "and a couple of ballad-type things, too. I have one
ready now that'll, hopefully, be on the next record. Also, I really
wanna get into different kinds of harder ska."
"The next record'll be mostly swing," he chuckles, "but,
you know - there'll be lots of other oddball stuff goin' on."
---
REVIEW: Squirrel Nut Zippers, _Perennial Favorites_ (Mammoth)
- Joe Silva
After traversing the nation on the back of their late-blooming
single "Hell," the cajun-cum-swing-cum-jazzy blues outfit that is the
Zippers has delivered LP number three, _Perennial Favorites_.
And while this record was laid to tape in an old run-down
house with borrowed gear, what should have turned out to be a real
down-homey sort of production, turns out to be their most expansive
sounding work to date. Because of the muted horns and singer/banjo-ist
(banjo player??) Katherine Whalen's Betty Boop-era vocals, both _The
Inevitable_ and _Hot_ maintained much of the verite of the era that
inspired them. But _Perennial Favorites_ has a more of an aura in
the music that has always inspired the Squirrels, rather than having
its feet firmly grounded in those sensibilities.
The opener, "The Suits Are Picking Up The Bill" is a veteran
of their live set from the _Hot_ tour, as is the familiar Squirrel
Nut romp that is now inate to their character. But immeadiately after,
things take a different turn. The textures are deeper, and there are
bursts of free-form confusion and firecrackers set up to establish the
air of a tune. But then all of this is thrust alongside traditional
references to "Camptown Ladies" ("Ghost of Stephen Foster") and
elegant pieces like "Evening At Lafitte's."
Whatever the underlying emphasis is behind their latest bent,
it's clear that while the Squirrel could have continued to traipse
around the country cornering the swing revivalist movement, their
artistic impetus to challenge themselves sonically is thriving and
unmistakeable. Not to be missed, however, for relief to this year's
oppressive heat should they come your way.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Tribute for the Masses_ (1500 / A&M)
- Sean Eric McGill
I would love to see the size of the stick 1500 Records used to
beat people away from the door when they announced they were accepting
acts for _Tribute for the Masses_, a tribute album dedicated to Depeche
Mode. You would be hard pressed to find not only a band more influential,
but also so widely loved by not just musicians, but also by the general
public.
Although it pains me to admit this, Depeche Mode were one of my
first forays into the musical world outside of big-haired hard rock, and
I still hold _Black Celebration_ and _Some Great Reward_ as two albums
I have to immediately replace if they get stolen or have some other fate
befall them. They were perhaps the first group to really show me how
important songwriting was on the overall level, that good music without
good lyrics was about as effective as an earth-shaking documentary on
the WB network. And therein lies the reason _Tribute for the Masses_
is such an effective album - even though sixteen different bands get a
shot to put their own spin on the music of Depeche Mode, the lyrics
stay the same - and still pack the same punch they did when they were
first released.
But perhaps the greatest credit to _Tribute for the Masses_ is
not just the quality of the artists assembled, but the variety. As
surprised as I was to see Monster Magnet and Deftones, I must admit
the biggest surprise was see The Cure with a fine performance of "World
In My Eyes", especially given their status as another of the driving
forces behind alternative music in the eighties (and a band deserving
of their own tribute album, in my opinion). And while I've heard rumors
that Robert Smith and company were planning on employing a more raw
sound on their next studio album, there's little evidence of it here,
as "World In My Eyes" is one of the more elaborately-produced songs on
the album.
And unlike other tribute albums, where the goal seems to be to
get your version of the song as far away from the original as possible,
the majority of the bands never stray too far from the source material,
including the bands that you wouldn't suspect like Deftones. Their
version of "To Have and To Hold", while being considerably heavier
than the original still holds the same dark intensity of the original,
much like their version of "The Chauffeur" on last year's Duran Duran
tribute album. And speaking of dark intensity, Rammstein's version of
"Stripped" takes the award for being the creepiest song on the album;
of course, most any Rammstein song would take that award.
To name the qualities of all the good songs on the album would
take up too much space, but there are a few songs that certainly bear
noting. The lounge version of "Master and Servant" by Locust adds a
new twist to the song by making it a duet. Monster Magnet actually
succeed in somehow keeping the dark aspects of "Black Celebration",
but lightening the song up a little at the same time - a trick of
Copperfield-esque proportions. Among the contributions by lesser-known
acts, Self's version of the relatively unknown (outside of hardcore
fan circles, at least) "Shame" is extremely well-done, as is "I Feel
You" by Apollo Four Forty.
Produced by God Lives Underwater's Jeff Turzo and David
Reilly (who, it should be noted, contribute a well-done version of
"Fly on the Windscreen"), _Tribute for the Masses_ is a great tribute
album. It keeps true to the original concept of the band that it
pays honor to by employing a variety of different forms and artists.
And even when it doesn't work that well (Veruca Salt's version of
"Somebody"), it still works pretty damn fine. Of course, it helps
to have great source material to start with.
---
REVIEW: Grant Lee Buffalo, _Jubilee_ (Slash/Warner Bros.)
- Scott Slonaker
After the departure of original bassist and producer Paul
Kimble following Grant Lee Buffalo's third album, 1996's
_Copperopolis_, I must admit that I was not very optimistic about
the band's chances for survival; Kimble seemed to be the master
conceptualist behind the band. After the kinks were worked out in
1993's embryonic _Fuzzy_, his vision was largely responsible for the
fascinating concept album _Mighty Joe Moon_ (1994). Despite a minor
radio hit ("Mockingbirds"), both _Moon_ and the dense if eventually
rewarding _Copperopolis_ kept GLB at cult status. So, it was with a
heavy heart that I read of Kimble's departure.
But Grant Lee Buffalo, thanks to frontman Grant Lee Phillips,
soldiered on, and it's a good thing they did. _Jubilee_ manages to
retain every iota of the band's unique aesthetic, and the appointment
of an outside producer, Paul Fox, results in a finely crafted pop
sheen that adds worlds of accessibility.
Phillips might be the greatest singer in modern rock today.
His voice can soar from a husky Neil Diamond croon to an angelic
falsetto in a heartbeat, and the translucent sheets of art-rock
guitar that accompany his voice provide many a moment of catharsis.
Drummer Joey Peters and new bassist Dan Rothschild (ex-Tonic) are as
steady as can be, adding to what almost constitutes a Spectorian wall
of sound.
The first five tracks are without peer; every last one possesses
a drop-dead falsetto vocal hook that would make Brian Wilson smiley
smile. "APB" rattles the speakers like any good rock tune can.
"Seconds" has a folkish feel. The first single, "Truly, Truly",
dispenses with the normal college-literate bent of Phillips' lyrics
for a straight-out attempt at seduction. No wonder it's been a
perfect fit at the increasingly female-targeted modern rock radio
format. The Wallflowers' Rami Jaffee supplies B3 organ on the churchly
"Testimony", one of the record's best tracks.
From there, _Jubilee_ spreads out a bit. The twangy,
country-campfire title track is certainly different from what we usually
hear from the band. Singer/songwriter/professional eccentric Robyn
Hitchcock adds vocals on "My, My, My" and "The Shallow End".Pop gremlin
Jon Brion, late of Jellyfish, shows up all over, adding flavoring
ranging from vibraphone to chamberlain to tack piano to the '70s
children's toy called the Optigan(!). The album's second half seems
content with experimenting with the rustic half of the band's
aesthetic. Greg Leisz, who has worked with a variety of acts, adds
pedal steel here and there.
_Jubilee_'s newfound accessibility makes it the best place to
get acquainted with one of America's best and most underrated rock
bands. No other band is modern music quite walks the line between
"Americana" acts such as Wilco and Whiskeytown and mods in the vein
of Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead. Without a doubt, another for the
Best of 1998 listings.
---
REVIEW: Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, _Left of Cool_ (Warner)
- Lang Whitaker
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones make jazz music for people who
don't like jazz music. Fusing together spare parts and leftover bits
of funk, jazz, country, bluegrass, pop, and rock, Fleck and his
'tones have been charming serious music fans for years. Unfortunately
(for them), they've never been able to garner much mainstream acclaim.
To remedy things, Fleck grabbed his banjo and brought along
the Flecktones (who consist of bassist Victor Wooten and drum machine
operator Future Man) and went out on tour opening for Dave Matthews
Band, even the joining DMB onstage during several shows. Fleck even
guests on the latest overblown release from DMB, _Before These
Crowded Streets_.
Banjoist Fleck and bassist Wooten are each preeminent in
their fields. On this album they each play like, well, like only
they can play. Wooten provides tundras of room for Fleck to rumble
across with his cascading banjo work. Behind it all sits Future Man
tapping away on his, "drumitar," a drum machine converted into a
guitar-like apparatus that essentially allows Future Man (who is
actually the brother of Victor) to play a drum machine like some
play a drum kit. What is so surprising about the drumitar is Future
Man's nimbleness on it. It's virtually impossible to tell that it's
being played live, yet it lacks the canned sap of a programmed loop.
The opening track off _Left of Cool_ is, "Throwdown at the
Hoedown," a romp built around what sounds like the remnants of the
Inspector Gadget theme. Fleck calls on Dave Matthews to contribute
the vocal equivalent of loitering on, "Communication," and on,
"Trouble and Strife." The latter is possibly the best opportunity
for Bela and the 'tones to break through to radio, not only because
of Matthews' golden touch, but also because it holds the same innate
sense of melody that the most Fleck songs have. Amy Grant also turns
up to bolster Royel on, "Step Quiet."
Even on the heels of a Grammy win in 1997 (best pop
performance for, "The Sinister Minister"), Fleck isn't afraid to
tinker with a winning formula. Such is the genius of the master.
For the first time, vocals play a major part in the Flecktone
recipe. The idiosyncratic Future Man sings or speaks on eight of the
fifteen tracks, although he is listed as vocalist under the
pseudonym, "Royel." While his singing doesn't measure up to his
vocal prowess, neither does he embarrass himself. To aid, "Royel,"
guest vocalists are entailed. There is also a new Flecktone in the
mix, Jeff Coffin, who plays saxophone, saxello, clarinet, and flute.
While the Flecktones were initially a 4-piece band, their original
keyboardist/harmonica player left the band in 1992, and the band
soldiered on as a three piece. Coffin's playing adds a life and
sparkle to the band's sound, which was tight yet a tiny bit
monotonous as a trio.
Unfortunately, there are those that feel a band's musical
credibility is predicated upon their commercial success. And George
Michael isn't gay, he's just well kept. As long as musicians the
caliber of Fleck and the Wooten brothers continue meeting up in
recording studios, I'll be happy.
---
REVIEW: Pete Droge, _Spacey And Shakin_ (57 Records/Epic)
- Bill Holmes
Pete Droge continues to shine with his latest release, and
although there's nothing here to capture programmer's ears like "If
You Don't Love Me I'll Kill Myself", there's southern soul rock a
plenty for those of us with two good ones.
Droge still sounds uncannily like Tom Petty, and it wouldn't
be unfair to compare some of his vibe to early Heartbreakers stuff.
Hell, Tom Petty looked no further than The Byrds for inspiration,
and if you can't sift "Eight Miles High" out of "Evan's Radio"
you're not doing your homework. There's almost a psychedelic flavor
to many of the tracks here, keyboards helping to shape the aural
essence of the title track and "Eyes On The Ceiling". But the
straight ahead rockers like "Motorkid" and the slower, blues-tinged
tracks like "I Want To Go Away" and "Walking By My Side" are equally
effective. The band is flexible and tasty throughout, with guitarist
Pete Stroud's textural work a standout. And you can be sure producer
Brendan O'Brien did yeoman work on both sides of the studio glass.
Unless you live in an area blessed by wide bandwidth radio,
you're probably not going to hear this unless you grab your own copy
or catch the band on tour. That's not Pete's fault. Give a listen to
an artist who just keeps getting better. (And a bonus for those of
you with enhanced CDROM capabilities - videos galore!)
---
INTERVIEW: Bic Runga
- Bob Gajarsky
At the tender age of 19, she was signed to her first recording
contract. By the time she had turned 21, she had three top 10 hits in
her native New Zealand and had written every song, played an assortment
of instruments and produced her debut album _Drive_ (Columbia). Yet
through it all, Bic Runga manages to keep an even spin on things.
"When I had my first top 10 single ("Drive"), I was still
working in a shoe shop," recalls Runga. "The public in New Zealand
didn't realise how little money there was in music; when they saw me
on the bus (and in the shop), there was some confusion about me.
However, the humble start is good for the soul and ego."
It's from those simple beginnings that Runga's debut album
rings true. In an era of overblown productions, the simplicity
of the song "Drive" is truly a welcome delight. Other key tracks
such as the lilting first single "Sway", "Suddenly Strange" and
"Bursting Through" are nearly acoustic - thus her placing on that
set during this summer's Lilith Fair tour - choosing to highlight
Runga's voice instead of letting the instruments do the talking.
"My instincts told me this album had to be about
songwriting," remembers Runga, who confesses that she writes much of
her music in the car, "and to achieve that, everything else had
to be sparse."
A list of her favorite artists - including Radiohead,
Portishead, Depeche Mode, the Smiths and Grant Lee Buffalo -
isn't too much like Runga's music (except for the Radiohead-influenced
"Hey"), which is sort of a Julee Cruise meets Jewel vocals
tested to its limits. But there is one common thread from these
artists, which Runga herself hopes to emulate - "all those
groups have strong songwriters behind them".
One of the songs which wasn't a single in New Zealand
is "Sorry". Runga comes off as a Michelle Shocked fronting R.E.M.
on this surprising upbeat rocker about people who apologise for
all their mistakes.
"The word sorry is not one that I have mastered; it was
not a word I often heard in my household," states Runga in a
matter-of-fact fashion. "My mother is of the attitude that the
word doesn't make things better. If you do something you have
to apologise for, why did you do it in the first place?"
Runga's spot on the Lilith Fair could offer her the chance
to make some kind of political sentiments. But she shows an
attitude far beyond her years, and wisely chooses to leave this
bantering to others: "My music is not in the slightest bit
political. It is personal and sincere; simple almost to the point
of naivete. I have a lot of growing up to do before I start
preaching to others about what they should do."
And though Runga is sharing the dressing rooms with some
of today's top women of rock, Runga is hopeful that the mix which
forms today's Lilith Fair can be taken further. "It's brilliant
that women are coming to the forefront of music," she notes, "The
next step is for these women to be recognized as individuals,
and not be lumped together. After all, Eryakh Badu is nothing
like Jewel."
With an impressive debut record such as _Drive_ and a
fair full of fans to whom she can speak, Bic Runga has an
opportunity to duplicate the success of her native New
Zealand here in the U.S. And with a little luck, those days in
the shoe shop can linger as memories of days long gone by...
---
REVIEW: Brian Setzer Orchestra, _The Dirty Boogie_ (Interscope) /
Live At Bogart's, Cincinnati, OH
- Scott Slonaker
The Brian Setzer Orchestra is what rock would sound like today
if the Beatles and everything after them never happened and the '90s
had only the landmarks of '50s rockabilly, jump blues, and WWII-era big
band swing from which to draw. Equipped with a 17-piece backing band,
ex-Stray Cat Setzer has explored that "what if?" possibility for three
albums.
The BSO's eponymous 1994 debut was largely laid-back and jazzy,
more Sinatra than Cochran. 1996's supercharged _Guitar Slinger_ did a
180 in grand style, positively bursting with Setzer's manic Stray
Cats-on-Viagra licks and the Orchestra's ear-splitting brass blasts.
_The Dirty Boogie_ falls somewhere between the two extremes in tempo,
but producer Peter Collins opts for a more "vintage" feel, toning down
the Really Big Horn Rock aspect and making the record sound more like
its influences instead of an update of them.
As before, Setzer does about half covers and half originals.
Usually, the best thing that can be said about his original tunes is
that the lyrics' frequent anachronisms make them blend in pretty well
with the classics (not a rip). The opener, "This Cat's On a Hot Tin
Roof", the title track, and "Let's Live It Up" all hold their own
alongside versions of chestnuts such as "This Old House", "Since I
Don't Have You", and even a retooling of Brian's own "Rock This Town"
(a live staple for years).
Setzer paid tribute to one of his prime inspirations, the
legendary Louis Prima, quite nicely on _Guitar Slinger_'s "Hey, Louis
Prima". Here, though, he and the boys outdo themselves with a
flawless, reverent rendition of Prima's "Jump Jive An' Wail", the
gem of the record. It may not actually be the original (currently
featured in a Gap commercial), but it's damn fine anyway.
Unfortunately, _The Dirty Boogie_ seriously loses steam
through much of its second half. A duet of Leiber/Stoller's
deservedly obscure "You're The Boss" (originally done by Elvis and
Ann-Margret- 'nuff said) with No Doubt's Gwen Stefani is cute, even
charming, but not much can hide the song's glaring lyrical stupidity.
Another Leiber/Stoller tune, "Nosey Joe", should have also remained
forgotten. Setzer's own "Hollywood Nocturne" tries vainly to be a
loungy torch ballad, but ends up a snore. (Try looking back to the
gorgeous "September Skies" from the first album for a good slow
tune.) Setzer's shortcomings as a singer all seem to surface
simultaneously on the last track, a surprisingly flat version of
Bobby Darin's "As Long As I'm Singin'".
_The Dirty Boogie_ may be the weakest of the Brian Setzer
Orchestra's three albums, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't
contain several fine additions to the band's visionary revivalist
canon.
The Orchestra's recent show at Bogart's in Cincinnati was
my second BSO extravaganza. The crowd on hand was much larger and
younger than last year's, which goes to show what a difference can
be made when a certain style of music hits a spike in popularity.
Aside from the addition of much of _The Dirty Boogie_ to the
setlist and the corresponding deletion of just about everything from
_Brian Setzer Orchestra_ (boo!), the show remained largely unchanged.
The Orchestra's fourteen horns (five saxophones, four trumpets, four
trombones) all have swanky matching purple music stands adorned with
the equally swanky BSO logo, which skillfully incorporates a martini
glass and olive. (I bought a T-shirt at last year's show because of
that logo.) Unfortunately, MTV Beach House-refugee statues ("I am
the Mighty Beach House Tiki God!") remained scattered across the
stage.
Aside from the contradictory stage decor, the Orchestra
remains one of the greatest show bands in modern music. Setzer
looked and acted as though he was having the time of his life, and
took frequent pauses between or during songs to cut loose with
solos on a variety of vintage guitars. The songs from _Guitar
Slinger_ sounded wonderfully classic, with Setzer's downright
possessed lead on "(The Legend Of) Johnny Kool" earning special
mention. Regrettably left behind was the version of "Town Without
Pity", my personal favorite. "You're The Boss", "Nosey Joe", and
"Hollywood Nocturne" were also left out, so that made the omission
of "Pity" a fair enough trade.
Setzer tossed in "Stray Cat Strut" (complete with a
transition to the "Pink Panther" theme in the middle) alongside
"Rock This Town", which earned the biggest pop of the evening from
the kids. I was disappointed he didn't end the show crooning "My
Way" like before, which in this year's context would have been a
fitting tribute to the Chairman of the Board himself. Oh, well.
For all my quibbling, the world's loudest swing band is without
peer in a live club setting, and gives their songs life that is
unattainable on record. Don't miss 'em.
---
CONCERT REVIEW - Loud Family, TT The Bear's/Boston
- Chelsea Spear
After producing a challenging musical epic in the form
of _Interbabe Concern_, smart popster Scott Miller unleashed a
more streamlined pop vision for 1998 in the form of his band -
the Loud Family - on their latest album, _Days for Days_ (Alias).
The question remained -- how would this vehicle for pop songs
that moved your cerebral cortex as surely as they shook your
ass translate on stage?
The answer beautifully manifested itself on a hot
summer night inside a cavernous night club just outside
Boston's city limits. Not surprisingly, the new songs
acclimated themselves well outside the studio, given the band's
more organic, live-in-the-studio approach with _Days_. Even the
between-song bits on the album were given new life on stage,
coming out from their role of providing the previous track with
a new perspective to become full-fledged, if short, tunes. The
band instead took its trademark off-kilter approach to
reinterpreting their back catalouge, including a drastically
reinvented version of "Sword Swallower" from their first album,
whose loping beat and call-and-response backup vocals suggested
a Pavement influence. The presence of new keyboardist and
backup vocalist Alison Faith Levy promised further archival
treats, including a souped-up version of "Here It Is Tomorrow"
and an energetic rendition of "Room For One More, Honey".
Indeed, "energetic" could have been the password for the
evening. The band had presence to spare, and their enthusiasm
about playing and passion for the music they make was infectious.
Miller's nerdy-boy-as-rock-star approach to the role of frontman
seemed to be a role many of the earnest indie-boys in the
audience would love to play, but he backed up his arena-dude
posing with substance and craft to spare. Levy's presence was
also welcome -- her go-go dancing behind the keyboard brought a
smile to many audience members' faces, and probably launched a
thousand crushes. The band as a whole were tight and cohesive,
doing justice to the songs' tricky arrangements and bringing
them into a glorious new light.
Local popsters the Pills opened the show with their
retro-melodic thing. Their tunes are catchier than the bubonic
plague, their lyrics dumb fun, their stage presence amusing and
enthusiastic, and their haircuts cool. Certainly they seem
excited about what they do in a very genuine way, as opposed
to the smug stage personas of fellow power-pop acts Bunnygrunt
and the Push Kings, but their music isn't interesting enough to
warrant as more than sonic wallpaper.
---
COMPILATION 80s REVIEWS: _Sedated In The 80s No. 5_ /
_Wedding Singer Volume 2_ / _Chart Toppers_ series
- Bob Gajarsky
The latest volume of the _Sedated In The 80s No.
5_ (Capitol) series again returns the focus to singles,
rather than B-sides and live versions which graced Volume 4.
Represented by most of the cool genres - power pop (The Kings
and Dwight Twilley), underground (Josie Cotton, Pato Banton),
alternative (Concrete Blonde, Patti Smith), alterna-pop
(Tears For Fears, Crowded House) and the tough-on-CD (Russ
Ballard's "The Fire Still Burns") - _Sedated_ manages to
cover many of the bases in an already crowded field of
reissues.
Breaking no new ground is _The Wedding Singer Volume 2_.
While the first volume of this series focused on the bigger
hits from the movie - and thus was probably *not* essential
to hardcore 80s fans - it still provided an excellent vehicle
for passive music fans to complement their music collection.
Volume 2 unfortunately offers up only one 'difficult' track,
the Flying Lizards' cover of "Money", which inevitably won't
fit the demographics of the probably purchaser. The artists
chosen here, for the most part, are fine - but if going for
the lowest common denominator 80s hits, why choose 'lesser'
big hits?
It will still sell well, but doesn't provide the same
type of value for your money as volume 1.
The Priority label has also joined in the reissues
with several individual discs associated by the 'chart
toppers' name. These discs, broken down by musical
category, offer a mixed bag of readily-available tracks.
The Modern Rock volumes (1 and 2) offer a selection
of music which best stands the test of time. Common
cuts (Culture Club, Robert Palmer) combined with well-known,
but more difficult tracks (After The Fire, Bronski Beat) to
provide listeners (in anywhere but Los Angeles) the music
opportunity to compete with their local radio stations'
Flashback lunch hour.
The line between modern rock and rock is blurred in
many fans' eyes, and indeed is blurred on the Rock Hits
collection. Nearly half the acts featured here would be
included in many of those flashback 'alternative' hours,
and it's interesting to see how many of the cuts included
here - including REO Speedwagon's "Keep On Loving You" and
Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl" - are among the songs
which have lasted the longest in the musical archives.
The Priority series is best recommended for passive
music collectors who have already purchased _The Wedding
Singer_, part 1...
SEDATED ARTISTS: Bow Wow Wow, Fine Young Cannibals, The
Kings, Dwight Twilley, Concrete Blonde, Patti Smith Group, Russ
Ballard, Motels, Divinyls, Josie Cotton, Dead or Alive, Pato
Banton, Billy Idol, Tears For Fears, Crowded House
WEDDING ARTISTS: Kajagoogoo, Cars, Spandau Ballet,
B-52's, Flying Lizards, Dead Or Alive, Depeche Mode, J. Geils
Band, Hall & Oates, Madonna, Adam Sandler
CHART TOPPERS: Modern Rock Volume 1 - INXS, Flock of
Seagulls, Bow Wow Wow, Psychedelic Furs, Culture Club, Men At
Work, Fixx, Church, Bangles, After The Fire, Living Colour,
Nena, XTC, Til Tuesday, Something About You
Modern Rock Volume 2 - Modern English, Plimsouls,
Big Country, Icicle Works, Bronski Beat, Bananarama, ABC,
Power Station, Tears For Fears, Romeo Void, Robert Palmer,
Oingo Boingo, Timbuk 3, World Party, Michael Penn
Rock Hits - Eurythmics, Tears For Fears, Fixx, Madness,
Wang Chung, Stray Cats, Eddie Money / Ronnie Spector,
Hooters, Gary Numan, Crowded House, Hall & Oates, REO
Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, The Call, Styx
---
REVIEW: Fear Factory, _Obsolete_ (RoadRunner)
- Sean Eric McGill
I like being surprised by the new music I hear. I like it
when something completely throws me and goes places I didn't think
it would. Obsolete, the third full-length album from Fear Factory
does that in a number of ways. The album alternates between
full-froth head-banging to smooth grooves, and yes - even a full
eleven-piece orchestra - usually within one song.
Fear Factory is one of a handful of bands that truly has
its own distinctive sound. When you hear a Fear Factory song, you
know it, and that's probably the biggest key to the success of
Obsolete. While songs like "Hi-Tech Hate" are fairly straightforward
cranium-banging fests, and "Timelessness" (which features the
eleven-piece Vancouver Chamber Ensemble) are both distinctively
Fear Factory.
Part of it is the lyrical delivery of Burton C. Bell, who
can be smooth and melodic one moment, and delivering lines with
all the subtlety of a sledgehammer the next. More than any other
track, "Resurrection" sums up the album better than any other. After
working on smooth melodies for about the first minute, the song
kicks in - and if you're not ready for it, it'll throw you hard.
Before long, Bell and the remainder of the band are not just
switching the sound from soft to hard between verses, it's between
measures. And that's the Fear Factory sound. Just when you think
it's going in one direction, it goes in another, while never
straying away from the core, which is fairly straight-forward
heavy rock.
"The concept of this record is that man is obsolete," says
Bell, so who better to produce the album than Rhys Fulber, whose
past resume includes previous stints with Front Line Assembly and
now with Delirium, Intermix, and Will? Fulber, who also produced
the band's 1992 remix album, _Fear Is the Mind-Killer_ , once
again shows his ability to bridge the gap between hard rock and
industrial. The album really does have a predominately mechanical
sound to it, especially from the drums of Raymond Herrera, which
at times resemble loops with their speed. At a time when a lot of
bands and artists either dabble in one genre or the other (I fully
expect a techo Puff Daddy song by the end of the year), it's truly
interesting to hear when a group nails it dead on and still manages
to put their own distinctive stamp to it. This isn't a Ministry
album, nor a Nine Inch Nails album - it's a Fear Factory album.
---
REVIEW: Nils Lofgren, _Acoustic Live_ (Right Stuff)
- Linda Scott
Rock guitarist Nils Lofgren has been working professionally
for just over thirty years. He's performed solo and at other times
as an amazing sideman for rock kings like Neil Young, Bruce
Springsteen, Rod Stewart, and Ringo Starr. His reputation and
real genius are generally accepted as being a key guitarist for
other artists rather than his solo forays. Still, Lofgren likes
the role of singer-songwriter-guitarist, and he gives solo work
another shot on _Acoustic Live_.
_Acoustic Live_ was recorded at Barnes of Wolftrap in Vienna,
Virginia on January 18, 1997. This sound recording is exceptional.
Lofgren is accompanied by brother Tom on piano and synth, guitar,
vocals. Paul Bell also does guitar work and backing vocals. Two
more Lofgren brothers, Michael and Mark, make backing vocal and
guitar contributions as well. Lofgren fans will recognize quite
a few of the 17 tracks including his classic "Keith Don't Go" which
was written for Keith Richards. Six new songs are included, and all
17 were written by Lofgren. He's a gifted songwriter, and the
acoustic musical setting makes it possible to hear and enjoy every
line. The lyrics have a heartfelt, universal appeal similar to
Springsteen's and Young's. There are some rockers and some ballads -
and there are some real jewels. The music is sweet and tender and
complements Lofgren's strong tenor. In short, _Acoustic Live_ is
for the longtime Lofgren fan and those looking for an excellent
acoustic rock guitar album.
Nils Lofgren had his big break when Neil Young picked him up
for a couple of albums and tours, has since gone on to play in
Springsteen's E Street Band and was one of Ringo's All Starr Band and
is now known as a flash guitarist who even played jumping on a
trampoline. But between these gigs, he has always gone back to solo
work even though this overall has not be a very successful area for
him. _Acoustic Live_ is his latest solo, and it's one he can be proud
of. Lofgren has launched a tour in support of the album, and the tour
schedule is available on his web site: http://www.rockhouse.com/nils/
---
REVIEW: Jupiter Coyote, _Here Be Dragons_ (Autonomous/Roadrunner)
- Sean Eric McGill
Ten years ago, the concept of a band selling 100,000 copies
of their album without a major record company contract was virtually
unheard of. But as technology (most notably the Internet) has
advanced, it's become easier for a band to find ways to sell their
product. Of course, playing live doesn't hurt, either, and that seems
to be the preferred method for Jupiter Coyote. The Macon, GA-based
five-piece has (according to their press materials) been on the road
for the past five years, selling albums and forming "a legion of
staunch supporters and a doggedly loyal fanbase".
It's not hard to see how. With a sound that falls somewhere
between Hootie and the Blowfish and the Dave Matthews Band, Jupiter
Coyote play a form of infectious beer-drinking guitar rock that makes
it impossible for you not to at least bob your head in time with the
music. This is music that was designed with live performance in mind,
with most of the best tracks clocking in at over six minute each,
giving the album a sort of recorded jam feeling.
And while the title refers to a nautical designation for
uncharted land, Jupiter Coyote don't really chart any new territory
themselves, but that's not a detriment to the album by a long shot.
But that isn't to say there's nothing original going on here, either.
Matt Mayes' "guijo" - what seems to be a Stratacaster body with a
banjo neck invented by Mayes - does give the album a unique sound
in the guitar department.
And anyone who has read their fair share of my reviews in
Consumable knows what a stickler I am for songwriting - which is
something that Jupiter Coyote does a damn good job of doing. Songs
like "Words" and "Better" are finely crafted rock songs, as are
the remainder of the songs on the album.
_Here Be Dragons_ is a well-made rock 'n roll album, and
perhaps the perfect album to start off the summer with. Unless,
of course, you plan on spending your summer dressed in black or
locked in your room playing whatever new videogame comes down the
pike this summer. As for me, I'll be at the ballpark having a beer.
---
REVIEW: Mr. Henry, _Jackhammer_ (Mighty Hudson Music)
- Daniel Aloi
New York City has, believe it or not, a thriving country rock
scene, anchored by folks like Greg Garing, Y'All (soon heading for
Nashville, alas) and The Hangdogs. A recent Twangcore II festival
(July 10-11 at Coney Island High) showcased some of the city's best
as well as out-of-towners like Cheri Knight, Tim Carroll and Drive By
Truckers.
Playing in a handful of their regular clubs and putting out
music on their own indie labels, a number of these NYC acts weld
rural musical traditions with more modern forms like punk (Lancaster
County Prison immediately pogos to mind) and Southern rock. The
latter is one of the pistons that drives Mr. Henry's engine,
although the band is closer to the pop roots of Big Star than it
is to either the Allmans or R.E.M.
New York-based Mr. Henry has raised its profile with its
second album, _Jackhammer,_ taking out full-page ads in No
Depression magazine ("12 songs, 64,244 miles later") reflecting
heavy touring and showcases from Austin to Toronto.
Moving and jangly and melodic, Mr. Henry walks a tightrope
between alt-country and modern rock, filtered through roots rock
akin to that of The Badlees and Hootie and the Blowfish. They might
work with a net -- the songs have hooks aplenty -- but they don't
fall.
The songs on _Jackhammer,_ accessible as they are, run deeper
than mere FM radio fodder. The songs are honest on an emotional level
few acts in modern rock can attain -- that's a large part of the
band's appeal to the No Depression crowd. The four-piece band is
also tight, integrating pop and roots influences into something
unmistakably contemporary, and in many ways all their own.
"Lonesome Bus" and "Mess" exemplify main songwriter Dave
Slomin's talent for conciseness, crystallizing critical moments
in hit-and-miss relationships. He practically has a genre unto
himself, reluctant rocking on the edge of leaving. Slomin is
recently married, but I don't think he'll lose that edge.
From what I know of him he's quite a happy guy -- and in
person, offstage, he almost belies his songwriter's persona, that
of a romantic dwelling in love's shadowy corners.
His best song here may "Valentino Dancing," about a woman
cataloging the qualities of her ideal man, with a very seductive
arrangement that underscores her emotional wanting, needing, hoping.
It's one of four songs here produced by Niko Bolas.
And in "Herkimer," Slomin sings about the other New York,
the rural upstate region "a hundred miles from in between," mostly
unknown to the city and the rest of the country. And like any home,
it's difficult to leave. He's itching to go, but he's torn too,
playing off the image of spinning out of a driveway on a snowy March
day: "There's no traction in this town/Don't know what keeps me here."
Guitarist Steve Conte takes the lead on his two songs, "Big
Fat Stars and Glue" and "Rock & Rye Queen," cowritten with Karen Zusman
(Slomin and Conte also share music credits on several songs). Both
tracks convey damaged romance with poetic images -- "cicada songs in
your hair," "In her eyes were fadin' stars" -- and they neatly
complement Slomin's more compact narratives. The only thing possibly
keeping Mr. Henry off of commercial radio may be their lack of a major
label deal (provided they even want one -- if so, it should be the
RIGHT deal). They have the goods, as much as any of their heroes or
contemporaries.
Here's a concept -- America needs a real roots rock tour. How
about a "No Last Names" package with Mr. Henry, Parlor James, Sister
Hazel, Moonshine Willy, Lonesome Bob, Oh Susanna and Farmer Not So
John, etc. It could be the next semi-big thing, a real y'all-a-palooza,
giving a fair shake to these acts (the criminally underrated Bonepony,
who have kicked this idea around themselves, could have benefited
bigtime) and doing what Lilith Fair and HORDE have done for others.
Mr. Henry's albums are available on the Internet (go to
http://mrhenry.com, or e-mail hank@mrhenry.com) or from Miles of
Music (888/766-8742 orMilesOMusc@aol.com).
---
NEWS: > The 90 minute season-ending episode of Reverb, HBO's
late-night concert/music show, will air on August 7 at 1230 EST/PST.
Taped at Vancouver's Thunderbird Stadium, the concert includes
one hour of Green Day playing their hits including "Welcome
To Paradise", "Geek Stink Breath", "When I Come Around" and
"Good Riddance"; brief interviews with Billie Joe, and even
bringing a fan up to play guitar during the set and then
having him dive back into the crowd. The Foo Fighters are also
featured in a half hour set. For further information on the
Reverb series, check out the cable channel's web page at
http://www.hbo.com
> Sublime's lead singer Brad may no longer be with us,
but the band's histry has been explored by director Joshua
Fischel on the two hour videotape, _Stories Tales Lies and
Exaggerations_, which features interviews with numerous friends
and associates of Sublime, rare live footage, and behind-the
scenes footage of the Sublime recording process.
> Toad the Wet Sprocket have officially called it a day.
Citing emerging differences among their four members, lead
singer Glen Phillips stated that "We came together as kids but
have grown in different directions as adults. By ending the
band now we can look back on our career together with a
sense of pride and pleasure." Expect all four members of
Toad to continue making music in future projects.
> Legendary English band XTC has recently signed with
TVT Records. The band's first studio album since 1992's
_Nonesuch_, a mixture of orchestral and acoustic melodies along
with the band's special lyrical content, is slated to be issued
in the first quarter of 1999. A second album, more in the
tradition of XTC pop, will be issued in the fall.
---
TOUR DATES:
Tori Amos
Aug. 6 Canandaigua, NY Finger Lakes P.A.C.
Aug. 8 Washington, DC MCI Center
Aug. 11 Richmond, VA Landmark Theatre
Aug. 12 Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium
Aug. 14 Birmingham, AL Birm.-Jefferson Coliseum
Aug. 15 Knoxville, TN Thompson-Boling Arena
Bauhaus
Aug. 13-14 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre
Aug. 15 Vancouver, BC Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Beastie Boys / Tribe Called Quest
Aug. 7 Kansas City, MO Kemper Arena
Aug. 8 St. Louis, MO Kiel Arena
Aug. 10 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Aug. 11 Milwaukee, WI Mecca Arena
Aug. 12 Chicago, IL Rosemont Horizon
Aug. 14 Cleveland, OH Convocation Center
Aug. 15 Toronto, ONT Molson Park
B 52's / Pretenders / Royal Crown Revue
Aug. 7 Chula Vista, CA Coors Amphitheatre
Aug. 8 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden
Aug. 9 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug. 10 Reno, NV Reno Hilton Amph.
Aug. 14 George, WA Gorge
Aug. 15 Portland, OR River Queen Showplace
Blink 182
Aug. 6 Boise, ID Skateworld
Aug. 7 Spokane, WA Playfair Race Track
Aug. 9 Pocatello, ID Bannock Fairgrounds
Aug. 11 Salt Lake City, UT Wasatech Events Center
Aug. 12 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Aug. 13 Boulder, CO Boulder Theatre
Aug. 14 Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall
Aug. 15 St. Louis, MO Galaxy
Blue Oyster Cult
Aug. 6 Medina, MN Medina Entertainment Center
Aug. 7 Chicago, IL Skyline Stage
Aug. 8 Maryland Heights, MO Riverport Amphitheatre
Aug. 9 Bonner Springs, KS Sandstone Amphitheatre
Aug. 11 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
John Cale / Creatures
Aug. 5-6 New York, NY LIFE
Culture Club / Human League / Howard Jones
Aug. 6 Wallingford, CT Oakdale Theater
Aug. 7 Mansfield, MA Harborlights
Aug. 8 Port Jervis, NY New Hope Farms
Aug. 10 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Springs Arts Center
Aug. 12 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theater
Aug. 13 Indianapolis, IN Market Square Arena
Aug. 14 Burgettstown, PA Coca Cola Star Lake Amph
Aug. 15 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Horizon
Dakota Moon
Aug. 6 Arlington, VA Fashion Ctr @Pentagon City
Aug. 8 Knoxville, TN West Town Mall
Aug. 9 Jacksonville, FL The Avenues
Aug. 11 Orange Park, FL Orange Park Mall
Aug. 12 Orlando, FL Florida Mall
Aug. 13 Clearwater, FL Countryside Mall
Aug. 14 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Centre
Aug. 15 San Antonio, TX Ingram Park Mall
Front 242
Aug. 6 Jacksonville, FL Milk Bar
Aug. 7 Atlanta, GA Roxy
Aug. 8 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
Aug. 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Aug. 11 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Aug. 12 New York City, Irving Plaza
Nanci Griffith
Aug. 8 Newport, RI Fort Adams State Park
Aug. 9 Saratoga Springs, NY Performing Arts Ctr.
Aug. 15 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amph.
HORDE Tour (Blues Traveler, Barenaked Ladies, Alana
Davis, Ben Harper, and many others)
Aug. 7 Buffalo, NY Darien Lakes
Aug. 8 Camden, NJ Blockbuster Pav.
Aug. 11 Virginia Beach, VA GTE Amph.
Aug. 12 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amph.
Aug. 14 Antioch, TN Starwood Amph.
Aug. 15 Charlotte, NC Blockbuster Pav.
Irving Plaza (http://www.irvingplaza.com - New York concert hall)
Aug. 11 Grant Lee Buffalo
Aug. 12 Front 242
K's Choice
Aug. 6 Chicago, IL Metro
Aug. 7 Indianapolis, IN World Mardi Gras
Aug. 8 Pontiac, MI 7th House
Aug. 10 Columbus, OH Ludlows
Aug. 11 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's
Aug. 12 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
Aug. 15 Philadelphia, PA Theater of Living Arts
Lilith Fair Tour
Aug. 6 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Ctr.
Aug. 8 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Ctr.
Aug. 9 Pittsburgh, PA Coca-Cola Star Lake Amph.
Aug. 10 Hershey, PA Hershey Park
Aug. 11 Mansfield, MA Great Woods Ctr.
Phish
Aug. 6 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amph.
Aug. 7 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek
Aug. 8 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pav.
Aug. 9 Virginia Beach, VA GTE Amph.
Aug. 11 Burgettstown, PA Star Lake Amph.
Aug. 12 Vernon, NY Vernon Downs
Phunk Junkeez / Clutch
Aug. 6 Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargos
Aug. 7 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Amphitheatre
Aug. 8 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Aug. 9 Cleveland, OH Odeon
Bonnie Raitt / Jackson Browne
Aug. 9 Columbus, OH Polaris Amph.
Aug. 10 Noblesville, IN Deer Creek Music Ctr.
Aug. 11 Pittsburgh, PA I.C. Light Amph.
Aug. 13 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Ctr.
Aug. 14 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach Amph.
Smokin' Groovies Tour (Public Enemy, Cypress Hill,
Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes, Gangstarr and more).
Aug. 6 Houston, TX Astro Arena
Aug. 7 Dallas, TX Starplex
Aug. 8 Sandstone, KS Sandstone Amp.
Aug. 9 Denver, CO Red Rocks
Aug. 11 El Paso, TX County Coliseum
Aug. 12 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky
Aug. 13-14 Universal City, CA Universal Amp.
Aug. 15 San Diego, CA Coors Amp.
John Taylor
Aug. 6 Seattle, WA Fenix
Aug. 8 San Francisco, CA Slim's
Aug. 14 Hollywood, CA Hollywood Athletic Club
Aug. 15 Scottsdale, AZ Cajun House
Verve
Aug. 5-6 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Aug. 9 Houston, TX Aerial Theatere
Aug. 11 Morrison, CO Red Rocks
Aug. 14 Los Angeles, CA Arrowhead Pond
Aug. 15 San Francisco, CA Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> While I agree entirely with your criticisms of Catatonia in the
July 27 edition, the conclusion that "more than anything, the success of
_International Velvet_ amplifies the dearth of good independent British
groups" seems more than a little bizarre.
Catatonia are a second-rate student indie band, no more and no
less. I saw them opening for Pulp they looked very, very ordinary -
particularly in comparison with Jarvis and co. Their success over here
seems to be based on a couple of user-friendly tunes plus lead singer
Cerys' status as media flavour of the month. Reading any more into it
than that is a bit risky - since when has the Top 40 been an accurate
reflection of the level of musical creativity in the country at large,
either here or in the US?
I reckon your UK correspondent should maybe get with the
programme and send your way recent albums by the likes of Arnold, Hefner,
Gomez, The Delgados, Six By Seven, Santa Cruz and, well, you get the
picture. Some dearth.
Still and all, nice magazine. - Regards, Andy B.
---
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest
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