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==== ISSUE 56 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [October 10, 1995]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,
Dan Enright, Reto Koradi, David Landgren,
Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason
Cahill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia,
Stephen Lin, Sean Eric McGill, P. Nina Ramos, Linda
Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir
Wallner, Britain Woodman
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this
document must be obtained from the editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Oasis, _(What's The Story) Morning Glory_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Machines of Loving Grace, _Gilt_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories, _Tails_ - Jason Cahill
REVIEW: Blondie, _remixed remade remodeled_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Lollapalooza '95 - Dan Geller
REVIEW: Campfire Girls, _Mood Enhancer EP_ - Mario J. Lia
REVIEW: Various Artists, _The Edge of Christmas_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: The Lemons, _The Lemons_ - Daniel Kane
REVIEW: Candy Planet, _Blisskrieg_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Spacehog, _Resident Alien_ - Tim Mohr
NEWS: SonicNet, WWW sites/mailing lists: King's X, Cravin' Melon, Please,
Tea Party
TOUR DATES: Cake, Lisa Cerbone, Shawn Colvin, Dance Hall Crashers, Natalie
Merchant, Ian Moore, Widespread Panic
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Oasis, _(What's The Story) Morning Glory_ (Epic)
- Bob Gajarsky
When Oasis released their debut CD last year, _Definitely Maybe_,
amidst brotherly fighting, pissing off many of the "business" people
associated with the band, and in general being hyped in the UK from
here to the Mohave, I was certain that Oasis would be a one album wonder.
Well, it's nearly one year after that release, more than ten strong
B-sides later, and their second album, _(What's The Story) Morning Glory_
has completely proven me wrong.
It could be mentioned that the Gallagher brothers still wear
their late 1960's (see: Beatles) influences on their sleeve, but also show
a little more with their nicking of the Gary Glitter track "Hello, Hello,
I'm Back Again" on the opening track "Hello". Just as "Rock And Roll
Star" was the perfect opening to _Maybe_ with its proclamation that Liam
was, already a star, "Hello", via Gary Glitter, lets the listener know
that the band is back.
And, yes, the Beatles influence is still prominent; "She's Electric"
starts with a snippet from "With A Little Help From My Friends" and ends
with the Billy Shears fade from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".
"Don't Look Back In Anger" opens with a "Let It Be" piano intro then launches
into a powerful piece which evokes a vision of an unmade video, with 20,000
people waving their hands while Liam Gallagher warns "Please don't
put your life in the hands / of a rock and roll band / who'll throw
it all away".
These influences, however, aren't ripped off, but fully integrated
into a blend which will make critics 20 years from now talk about the
"Oasis sound".
"Wonderwall" is "Live Forever", part 2, and will probably be the band's
American huge modern rock hit. And, the UK single "Roll With It" actually
comes off as a modern rock-by-numbers which loses its flavor in several
listens. Don't judge Oasis off their slower commercial tracks, however - it
would be throwing away the rest of today's best rock and roll band.
The closer, "Champagne Supernova", brings in Paul Weller on an 8 minute
epic jaunt that could just be the song of a new generation.
The verdict is in, and _(What's The Story) Morning Glory?_ is
a masterpiece from start to finish. Oasis is to the 1990's what R.E.M. was
to modern rock in the 1980's - definitely brilliant.
---
REVIEW: Machines of Loving Grace, _Gilt_ (Mammoth Records)
- Sean Eric McGill
It isn't anything new for a band to change their sound, especially in
industrial music. But Machines of Loving Grace have done more than change their
sound on their new release, _Gilt_ - what they have done is totally
redefine themselves and create the best release of their career in the
process.
The eleven tracks on _Gilt_ cover some of the same ground
previously trodden by the band, as well as other groups like Nine Inch
Nails and KMFDM. The topics of suicide, loneliness, and addiction all show
up on the album, but what sets this release apart from others is the manner
in which the songs are performed. On _Gilt_, unlike other Machines of Loving
Grace albums, you get the feeling that this isn't just a group of guys hacking
around on keyboards, but a *band*, and a damn tight one at that.
Other industrial bands have made this same transformation, but
very few have done it so completely and so well on their first attempt.
Nine Inch Nails - now not just Trent Reznor, but a true band - have done
a good job live, but their true test will come on the next studio album. For
Machines of Loving Grace, the transformation has been flawless, with the
band taking their already well-renowned presence as a live act and putting
that on disk.
Of course, their industrial roots are still firmly planted, and
show themselves from time to time, but this isn't an industrial album.
Songs like "The Soft Collision" and "Serpico" - both of which are
plodding, almost relentless songs in their makeup - are offset by
straight-forward, no-holds-barred rock songs like "Richest Junkie Still
Alive" and "Suicide King" - which sort of shove you into a wall and keep
pounding on you until you can feel your brains start to seep out of your
ears. Believe me, that's a compliment. The remaining seven tracks on the
album all fall somewhere in that range, with most of them leaning towards
the heavier side. But, one consistency remains: as a whole, this is lyrically
a dark album.
Many of the songs deal with addictions of one form or another,
like "Richest Junkie Still Alive", whose title is self-explanatory. Others,
like "Last", deal more with personal relationships, but not the kind that
have a happy ending. The band (Scott Benzel, vocals; Tom Coffen, guitar; Ray
Riendeau, bass; and David Suycott, drums) do an incredible job of putting
music behind these individual tales, with Benzel's voice taking on the role
of the various characters that inhabit their sonic landscape.
All in all, it doesn't get much better than this album. _Gilt_ is
by far the best work from Machines of Loving Grace, and one of the best
albums of the year.
---
REVIEW: Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories, _Tails_(Geffen Records)
- Jason Cahill
Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories' debut album, _Tails_, is void of the
relevant edge which is so prevalent in the work of many comparable female
artists, lyrically shallow at times and altogether simplistic in structure.
That said, it probably comes as a surprise to find that I actually enjoyed
this album, so much so that I began to wonder whether my alternative
sensibilities were beginning to evaporate.
These concerns, however, brought me to a very important realization.
Artists need not always produce challenging, introspective and complex work
in order for an album to be considered relevant. _Tails_ is none of these,
yet still works because of dazzling vocals, vivid imagery and hook laden music.
The first time I heard Lisa Loeb sing was at CBGB's Gallery in New
York City, a venue tailor made for acoustical performances. Periodically,
Loeb would appear in clubs without her band and perform acoustic sets,
always experimenting with revised arrangements. On this particular night,
I remember having to labor through what seemed like years worth of
interminably boring opening acts before Loeb took the stage, adorable,
bespeckled and carrying just an acoustic guitar which covered much of her
small frame. She smiled, thanked us for coming and then proceeded to
mesmerize those who remained for the ensuing hour. Her voice filled
every crevice of the room and had us captured and enthralled until the
final note was sung.
There was something special about her music. It was simple in both
texture and structure, yet it was amazingly vivid, creating images from
lyrics like no one I'd seen before. She was a folk singer who sang pop
songs, a storyteller who recounted tales of an unforgotten past.
That in mind, it seems wholly appropriate that this album be
entitled _Tails_, for it is brimming with songs which are, in actuality,
mini short stories with a changing cast of characters, with Lisa always
remaining in the center as the one constant. Given the spelling of the
title and the fact that the album cover is a cartoonish drawing of a cat
(very much in the artistic style of Edie Brickell), one might reach the
conclusion that the title refers to that feline's rear appendage.
However, a quick listen to the album reveals the band's play on words.
The lyrics on _Tails_ are most reminiscent of those of Natalie
Merchant, yet nowhere near as introspective, brooding and resourceful.
They are, however, character driven pieces with a vivid literary quality.
"Snow Day" creates the image of a dreary, winter evening and the depression
which sometimes accompanies such a dismal night, with the object of the
song being the singer's only solace - ("It's a bad day...but you're my
medicine"). In "Taffy", one of the more playfully sarcastic songs on
_Tails_, Loeb sings to a friend whose lack of forthrightness seems to
incite rage in her - ("my friend's got a bruise on his leg from where
I press my knee, everytime you speak"). An acerbic sense of humor and a
pensive optimism seem to be songwriter Loeb's strongest assets, creating
an original insight into life's more commonplace situations.
There is an erratic and almost schizophrenic musical structure in
_Tails_, however, which serves, at times, to diminish Loeb's literary
lyrics and masterful vocals. The album seems to fluctuate between songs
which are energetic and well crafted pop gems with those which are moody
and downright monotonous. "Taffy", Waiting For Wednesday" and "Rose-Colored
Times" are graphic examples of the band at it's strongest - animated,
resourceful and infectious, while songs like "Sandalwood" and "Hurricane"
are stark reminders of what can happen when a band aims too high.
As far as debut albums go, however, _Tails_ is a solid effort,
managing to capture and crystallize both Loeb's luxurious vocals and
picturesque lyrics into well crafted pop gems. So, while comparisons to
Victoria Williams and Jane Siberry can wait, Lisa Loeb has certainly laid
the necessary groundwork.
---
REVIEW: Blondie, _remixed remade remodeled_ (Chrysalis)
-Tim Mohr
The operative question when considering making a remix album is Why?
There should be a point to reconstructing songs, even if the idea is just to
provide a new context and a chance to dance.
Unfortunately, there seems little point to this remix project: most
of the new settings are so ordinary that they hardly qualify as another
context in which to hear the songs. As might be expected with a lack-lustre
project, the most agreeable pieces are those composed from Blondie's most
dance-oriented songs, "Heart of Glass" (Ritchie Jones Club Mix) and "Atomic"
(Diddy's 12" Mix).
The project reveals its potential in the final track, a Black Dog
remix of "Fade Away and Radiate" that is light and airy - very different from
the boring, leaden house mixes that pervade the rest of the album. The mix
takes only the eerie keyboard from the original, putting them in a fast-paced
beat lattice along with Deborah Harry's vocals. The melody and atmosphere
somehow emerge from the new mix intact - the context is completely different
from the brooding original but works. Alas, this is the only such success.
Remixing Blondie in run-of-the-mill house style admits defeat, as if
the evergreen melodies will have to be remade in contemporary style every few
years in order to maintain their appeal. Commercial dance music is the most
consistently disposable form of popular music; part of what made Blondie so
engaging (especially insofar as the band is still engaging) was their ability
to incorporate some dance elements while maintaining timeless qualities
associated with the best pop and rock music.
Most awkward of all is "One Way or Another" (Damien's Supermarket
Mix), which is anchored by a sample of the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams." This
is truly horrible stuff; at least a remix project can seek to avoid a
greatest-hits-of-the-80s pastiche.
These remixes show the weakest side of contemporary house and dance,
where beats (and unoriginal ones at that) have long since outstripped any
accompanying melody. Grafting vocals from familiar songs is no solution to
this problem. Instead, the organizers should have considered the innovative
nature of the originals and sought to duplicate that again today. Remixes of
Primal Scream by Sabres of Paradise and Portishead, or of Jon Spencer's Blues
Explosion by U.N.K.L.E., are more representative of innovative hybrids of
dance and rock than anything on _remixed remade remodeled_, and Blondie, of
all bands, certainly deserves to be at this vanguard rather than wallowing in
mediocrity.
---
REVIEW: Lollapalooza '95
- Dan Geller
Now that the rock carnivals of summer have bedded down for the fall,
Dan Geller takes an extensive musical look back at the current state of
Perry Farell's alterna-juggernaut:
Lollapalooza 95 marked a turning point for the now infamous
alterna-rock festival. This year's lineup finally broke the tradition of
convening a bunch of semi to mega-huge outfits with a few lesser known
bands. Instead the show consisted of a lot of bands with a strong but
minimal following (Pavement, The Jesus Lizard, etc.) with only a couple of
few huge names (Hole, Cypress Hill).The result was a lineup that makes
you want to call up the guy who set it up and say "Thanks." This was in
sharp contrast to coordinator Perry Farell's original vision for this year's
show which included the likes of Snoop Doggy Dog and other "diverse"
names. Another change in this year's event was a stronger focus on the
music and less emphasis on the "festival atmosphere" Lollapalooza is
known for. This year, for the first time, it seemed everyone was there for the
music; in most cases, unfortunately, this only meant Hole and more
specifically Courtney Love. The Midway consisted of a few tents with
attractions that focused mainly on computers and drugs. However, these
tents were nothing compared to previous years' huge interactive displays
that were usually inoperative and inefficient anyway. This absence of
diversions other than the music resulted in most attendees spending most of
their time at the main stage, even if they had no idea who was playing. It
was hard to walk to your seat without hearing someone asking the question
"who are these guys again?", especially when the band on stage wasn't
Cypress Hill, Beck, or Hole. This lack of interest in most of the bands was
quite a letdown for the fans that came to see specific performances. It was
hard to enjoy the music when most of the people surrounding you could
care less that there was even anyone on stage.
The second stage possessed a completely different character at most
times throughout the day. An incredible lineup including the likes of
Portastatic, Versus, Built to Spill, and a special encore performance by
Pavement gave the second stage the feeling of an outdoor club. Out there
almost everyone knew who they were watching and were damn happy to
be there. Aside from the Cypress Hill rip-offs Red Man (who for some
ridiculous reason played at the very same time Cypress Hill did) the bands
on this stage were closely related musically which produced a very
coherent and enjoyable day of music outside the amphitheater.
The Jesus Lizard offered an
insane set which should have surprised no one due to all of the well
deserved and long overdue hype now surrounding the band. Singer David
Yow spent the set screaming his dirty head off and flaying his limbs into
the faces of slightly tipsy kids who wanted to impress their friends with
their endurance by running up front to the battlefield. Belting out their own
special, twisted homages to the insane, The Lizard hit the audience in a
way no other band at this rock and roll extravaganza could, motivating the
small but eager initial crowd to cause damage to one another. This marked
the only part of the festival which actually had a bonified "pit", and was
also the only time in the show that one may have actually been warranted.
Beck took the stage next, and boy did he and his band ROCK!
Beck has this certain starpower that I cannot figure out. He seems just like
some normal kid who got lucky with a single; but there is something else
there, something great. He rolls around the stage in a way all his own and
makes his seemingly goofy brand of rap/rock stuff seem legit enough that
you almost buy it. He also managed to put a good band together to fill out
his sometimes sparse arrangements. A highlight of Beck's performance
which deserves special acknowledgment was this incredible guitar throw
which involved him hurling his still strapped guitar around his head and
catching it quick enough to allow him to keep playing without missing a
note... WOW!
After Beck the Atlanta crowd was treated to a main stage set by
Superchunk. They replaced Elastica who replaced Sinead who replaced
rock and roll with a baby. Seeing a band like Superchunk on a huge stage,
playing an amazing set, was a treat. They played
songs off all of their records, including songs rarely heard live anymore.
Their singer Mac said it best when he said, "We were sick of playing this
next song for people who have heard us play it before. But I think it is a
safe bet that none of you have heard us play this one before." as an
introduction to their indie rock anthem "Slack Motherfucker." Superchunk
used the huge stage well running around in circles on it and leaving no inch
uncovered. The band maintained a great sense of humor ending the set by
stating "Thank you we were Sinead O'Connor and we really like the big
stage." Hopefully this performance will be the first of many for them on the
big stage in front of a big crowd.
Next came Pavement, a great follow-up to the high energy pop of
Superchunk. They played on a stage consisting of props resembling a
twisted Mexican desert which contemplated their warped and sometimes
country flavored set of music. Led by drunken singer Steve Malkmus,
Pavement played an unlikely bunch of songs on the main stage which only
contained a few of their better known songs namely "Range Life" and "Cut
Your Hair". The rest of the songs were more obscure cuts mainly from
their last two records. The band played like true rock stars with a (phony?)
arrogance that went well with the mood of the festival. Pavement, like
many of the other bands seemed to have a certain contempt for the crowd.
This may have been warranted by the crowd's lack of interest in this band
while they sat idle and waited for the pot smoking rap group that was to
follow.
Cypress Hill entered the stage in a puff of..yawn..smoke, and
continued their set to include about a thousand more clichis that one would
expect from a group that has a song entitled "Hits from the Bong." I guess
that if you smoke a lot of pot you were really supposed to like this or
something, but I just didn't get it. They jumped around the "hemp" filled
stage and motivated the eager crowd to do the same in their seats. I guess
that was an accomplishment in itself since up until this point most of the
crowd was content to drink beer and complain. One has to admit, these
guys have a lot of fun with what they are doing, and they translate that fun
to the crowd well. They just need to get over the fact that most of their
success is attributed solely to the fact that they exploit a boring, old, bad
habit.
After the smoke cleared came the moment they were all waiting for.
Mrs. Cobain was about to play. It was this attitude of the crowd that really
put a damper on Hole's performance. Hole is a good band, a really good
band - regardless of any relation to other really good bands. But for
some reason, people will not let go of the past. From the first minute that the
band took to the beautifully decorated stage people were shouting out
comments about dead rock stars. With a reaction like this to every
performance it is no wonder Courtney Love can be such a bitch. The
crowd spent most of the set trying to get Courtney to pull up her dress
which, unfortunately, she did. Also, at one point someone threw a
shirt with Kurt's face on it up on stage. Courtney picked it up and kissed it
tossing it back in to the crowd. After this she got into some argument with
some guy who she challenged to a brawl on stage, when for some unknown
reason, the guy backed down. The music definitely took a back seat for this
performance, which was too bad; Hole played everything one would expect them to off
their first two releases and threw in some wonderful new songs that makes
one believe their songwriter's marriage definitely had some positive results.
More positive results were achieved by Hole ending their set; over
half of the crowd left. This prompted headliners Sonic Youth to ask
security to stop checking tickets and allow the fans in the lawn seats to
come down to the reserved seating section in the front. And did they ever; I
thought I was going to be crushed by the avalanche of noise rock fans that
cascaded down to the front rows. Sonic
Youth began their set on the ambient set with an amazing version of
"Schizophrenia" which was enough to make the whole day worth while.
SY had a light show that could rival
a Techno club which focused on three or four giant orbs covered in
Christmas lights which hovered above their heads. This eye candy
complimented the band's intense musical performance. They drew songs
from many of their early release and included five new songs that are as
incredible as anything the quartet has ever produced. Most songs ended in a
wall of noise that was so textured and precise it could bring a tear to the
eye of anyone who has ever stepped on a distortion pedal. Every member
of the band would have been able to hold the attention of the crowd by
themselves and combined it was almost overwhelming. They ended the
night with a new song called "Diamond Sea" that is literally the best song I
heard all day and perhaps the best Sonic Youth song ever. It began slow
and pretty with Thurston singing lightly over sparse guitars (Kim Gordon
traded in her bass for a guitar about 3/4 into the set) and culminated in a 20
minute noisefest that was the most intense rocking I have seen in my short
life which suddenly reverted back to the pleasantness of the beginning. This
ended the day on a note so sweet that Lollapalooza '95 definitely gets my
vote as the best version of Lolla to date.
---
REVIEW: Campfire Girls, _Mood Enhancer EP_ (Interscope)
- Mario J. Lia
When people see the label Interscope, the first thing they probably
think of is Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails. The Campfire Girls are
not like Nine Inch Nails; there are no computer samples that loop over,
and the songs aren't complex. Does that make them any less of a great band?
Not in the least.
Jon Pikus (drums) and Christian (guitar/vocals) united first. They
were living together in a communal-type house in Hollywood. Jon was
playing drums for the L.A. band El Magnifico at that time. When
Andrew (bass) was introduced by a mutual girlfriend the Campfire Girls
were complete. Jon left El Magnifico earlier this year and is now
living in a new house with his bandmates.
If you take the raw energy and distorted hooks of Nirvana and combine
it with the pop vocal and lyric style of the Lemonheads, you have
the Campfire Girls. And just like both of these bands ,the Campfire
Girls can't be categorized into one type of music.
Some of the best songs on the album are also the simplest. "Quick
Phone Call" and "p.f.a.m.g." are good examples; the structure of these
songs are "verse-chorus-bridge" type songs that builds, and builds and
then it comes down and starts over. But they always have a hook in
the song, sometimes a riff or sometimes a lyric, that makes you want to
listen to it and makes the song anything but boring.
Then they also have songs that are on the other side. Songs like
"Homework" and "Junkman" sound as if you got together with your friends
down the street, turned up the distortion and are jamming in your
garage. The rest of the songs fall in or between these two points.
One of the best songs isn't even a listed track. If you fast
forward after the last song is over you will get to a hidden song.;
a three minute cover of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever".
No weird instruments in this version, just the three Campfire
Girls playing at full force.
This is a wonderful album. The only downside to _Mood Enhancer_
is that it is only an EP. Six new songs plus "Little Wolverine" (from their
first EP) make a short CD. But it is good enough to keep you rocking until
their full album comes out.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _The Edge of Christmas_ (Oglio)
- Bob Gajarsky
Following on the heels of 1994's _The Coolest Christmas_, Oglio
Records returns to the holiday spirit with a cup of eggnog and some
mistletoe on their most recent release, _The Edge of Christmas_.
Can we say "Hallelujah!"? Probably the "biggest" holiday song not
to appear on a compilation CD is the Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping", and
that track is definitely the highlight of this 12 song compilation.
While some of the tracks have appeared elsewhere (the David Bowie/Bing
Crosby cut, also released by Oglio as a CD-Rom single, is fast approaching
Elmo & Patsy's "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" as most overplayed
holiday song), most of these cuts have rarely, if ever, seen the light
of day on disk.
These obscure holiday tracks are the heart of this compilation.
Where else can you hear the Cocteau Twins singing "Winter Wonderland" or the
Smithereens singing "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer"? Some of these
only appeared on flexi-disc or MTV, but they've now been collected on one
disc.
So, when you're going to relatives for Christmas dinner, and don't
want to have to listen to the same tired music, pick up either Oglio
compilation. Maybe it'll teach grandma how to be hip with some of the 1980's
(and 1990's) cool alternative artists.
TRACK LISTING: Queen - Thank God It's Christmas, Pat Benatar - Please
Come Home For Christmas, Pretenders - 2000 Miles, Kate Bush - December Will
Be Magic Again, David Bowie & Bing Crosby, Peace On Earth / Little Drummer
Boy, Cocteau Twins - Winter Wonderland, Smithereens - Rudolph The Red-Nosed
Reindeer, Dave Edmunds - Run Run Rudolph, Payolas - Christmas Is Coming,
Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York, Ramones - Merry
Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight), Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
---
REVIEW: The Lemons: _The Lemons_ (Mercury)
- Daniel Kane
What's the conceivable result of combining the vocal presence of Gene
Simmons at the advent of Kiss and an absolutely relentless energy level?
The answer is The Lemons performing five tracks on their debut
eponymous E.P. Originating in Seattle, the band combines uniquely
energetic lyrics with a rocking approach which keeps the rhythm continuous,
from the advisory "Know Your Place" to the 97-second "I'm Not Your Pop."
Greg Lovell (vocals, guitar), Nabil Ayers (drums), Brent Saunders (bass)
and Jeff Hiatt (guitar) became the Lemons in September, 1991, and attribute
the Ramones, New York Dolls and Kiss as influences.
Having toured primarily in Quebec, Ontario and various midwestern and
northeastern states during September, The Lemons, by virtue of the quality of
the debut E.P., will expectedly deliver more of the same high-energy material
in live performances and in subsequent releases. A full-length album is
expected in the spring of 1996.
---
REVIEW: Candy Planet, _Blisskrieg_ (Oblivion Entertainment)
- Sean Eric McGill
I wasn't too thrilled about Candy Planet before I heard them.
They are a San Francisco-based band fronted by a woman, who also happens
to be one of the primary songwriters in the band. Being a survivor of
eighties big-hair hard rock, the name "Candy Planet" brought forth
visions of groups like Vixen and Madame X - not to mention the Love factor.
But after hearing _Blisskrieg_, the band's sophomore effort, I
was rather impressed with their ability to combine catchy pop tunes with
the occasionally deep lyric - all the while not becoming bogged down on
one side of the other.
Too many times, we see bands that are either too serious or too
frivolous. In some cases, the music deserves to be treated as such. But
most of the time, you have bands that try to be serious when they have no
business doing so and vice versa, with the result being that they end up
looking clownish (for example, who told Motley Crue that they needed to
write "meaningful lyrics"?).
But, I digress. _Blisskrieg_ is a strong record in every respect,
and while, the presence of Laura Arias on vocals adds an extra punch to
the group, it is their cohesiveness as a band that sets them apart from
many of the other indie acts out right now. Let's face it, after Liz
Phair, Courtney Love, Alanis Morrisette and others, we've become almost
immune to a woman singing about women's issues on an album. The gender of
your band is now almost the non-issue it should be, and thankfully, Candy
Planet seem to realize that.
Most of the songs on _Blisskrieg_ tend to fall on the heavier end
of the musical spectrum (falling somewhere between Band de Soleil and
Hole), and the band delivers with almost every track. Arias, along with
drummer Paul Revelli, bassist John Christensen, and guitarist Andy Stern
gel together perfectly on songs like "Every Time" (which features the
great line "you're the type of guy to spill his drinks, not his guts")
and "Looking to the Stars." Perhaps the only miscue on the album is
"Cancer in the Raw," which - while I certainly didn't really like the
song - is better than many of the other songs I've heard this year.
The song that deals the strongest with a women's issue is "Racer
Girl," which Arias wrote after seeing a documentary on a women, but with
all-male bands on the soundtrack. When she sings "who says girls can't
race the hell out of boxcars/your jealousy don't mean dick" she's being
just as strong as any other female vocalist in the music industry,
perhaps even more so by not turning her strength into her shtick.
The bottom line is that _Blisskrieg_ is a solid album from a
solid band that warrants some attention. The songwriting and
musicianship flow together perfectly, which is what should be the most
important thing about a band in the first place.
---
REVIEW: Spacehog, _Resident Alien_ (Sire)
-Tim Mohr
It is little wonder that Spacehog originated in New York despite the
fact that all of its members are from Leeds, England. They would certainly be
outcasts in the current musical climate back home: despite their indiscrete
references to David Bowie (musical, lyrical, and otherwise), Spacehog most
often sound like a Vegas lounge version of Guns N' Roses.
Singer Royston Langdon's voice is a dead ringer for Axl Rose's, not
the screechy "Paradise City" Axl but the lower "Mr. Brownstone" Axl. And like
Axl in either range, Langdon uses exagerrated vibrato.
_Resident Alien_ is shamelessly retrospective. The atmosphere of the
project is like a Hanoi Rocks Revival Orchestra. The band's themesong,
cleverly entitled "Spacehog," pulls from Bowie's "Major Tom," while the
opening "look out!" on "Candyman" evokes Bowie's "Suffragette City" with all
the erotic subtlety of a flasher.
There are a number of inescapably catchy power-glam songs on the
record, particularly on the second side. Points of interest include "Only a
Few," a wonderful cross of Prince, glam, and, er, Guns N' Roses. "The Last
Dictator" could be a collaboration between Bowie, Tom Petty, and, er, Guns N'
Roses.
_Resident Alien_ was put to tape in the same studio as Meatloaf's
_Bat Out of Hell_. This may be an attempt to excuse the bloated, recycled
cabaret of Spacehog - preemptorily heading off criticism by labelling the
record intentionally ironic. That is, forcing the substitution of a
description like "camp" for a possibly more apt adjective like "crap."
The band has chosen wisely in relocating to the States, a move that
should allow them to become huge for two reasons. First, few Americans revere
early Bowie; and second, Axl started layering his low voice
with his high-pitched howl after the beloved first record, perhaps leaving a
craving.
---
NEWS: > New York's SonicNet, which was first started early 1994,
is still going strong as an online service welcoming and
specializing in spreading the word of independent and alternative
artists. To find out more about SonicNet, send an e-mail to
info@sonicnet.com or call their BBS at 212-431-1627.
> Readers can subscribe to the King's X mailing list by
e-mailing a message to kx-mgr@rfleming.demon.co.uk
> The following groups are now on the World Wide Web:
Cravin' Melon: http/www.melonpatch.com
Please (featured on the Empire soundtrack) http://www.please.com \
Reprise Records: http://www.RepriseRec.com/
Tea Party (a fan's page): http://www.io.org/~twg/tp/teaparty.html
---
TOUR DATES
Cake
Oct. 11-12 Atlanta, GA The Point
Oct. 13 Savannah, GA Armstrong State College
Oct. 14 Athens, GA 40 Watt
Oct. 15 Charleston, SC 96 Wavefest
Oct. 17 Murfreesboro, TN Main Street
Oct. 18 St. Louis, MO Side Door
Oct. 20 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
Oct. 21 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre
Lisa Cerbone
Oct 13 Arlington, VA Iota
Shawn Colvin
Oct. 14 Keene, NH Colonial Theatre
Oct. 15 Providence, RI Lupo's
Oct. 16 New Haven, CT Toad's
Oct. 17 New York, NY Tramps
Dance Hall Crashers
Oct. 11 Santa Barbara, CA The Underground
Oct. 12 San Diego, CA Soma
Oct. 13 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Oct. 15 Reno, NV Easy Street
Oct. 17 Salt Lake City, UT DV8
Oct. 18 Denver, CO Mercury Cafe
Oct. 19 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Oct. 20 St Louis, MO The Other World
Natalie Merchant
Oct. 12 New Haven, CT Palace Theater
Oct. 13 Philadelphia, PA Tower Theater
Oct. 14 State College, PA Eisenhower Hall
Oct. 16 Burlington, VT Memorial Auditorium
Oct. 18 Loudonville, NY Siena College
Oct. 19 Buffalo, NY Sheas Theater
Ian Moore
Oct. 11 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig
Oct. 12 Columbus, OH Chelsea's
Oct. 13 Fort Wayne, IN Pierre's
Oct. 14 Cincinnati, OH Top Cats
Oct. 16 Toronto, ON The Horseshoe
Oct. 18 Cambridge, MA House of Blues
Oct. 19 Danbury, CT Tuxedo Junction
Oct. 20 Rochester, NY Creek
Widespread Panic
Oct. 12 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
Oct. 14 Jacksonville, FL Riverview Music Amphitheatre
Oct. 15 Tallahassee, FL The Moon - Tallahassee
Oct. 18 College Station, TX Wolf Pen Creek
Oct. 19 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall
Oct. 20 Dallas, TX Bomb Factory
---
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