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== ISSUE 177 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [May 19, 1999]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva
Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Christina Apeles, Niles J.
Baranowski, Tracey Bleile, Jason Cahill,
Matthew Carlin, Patrick Carmosino, John
Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Krisjanis Gale,
Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin
Johnson, Steve Kandell, Reto Koradi, Robin
Lapid, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So,
Chelsea Spear, Jon Steltenpohl, Michael Van
Gorden, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, 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.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Freestylers, _We Rock Hard_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Man or Astroman?, _EEVIAC Operational Index and Reference
Guide Including Other Modern Computational Devices_ - Andrew Duncan
REVIEW: Even, _Come Again_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Buckcherry, _Buckcherry_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: 10,000 Maniacs, _The Earth Pressed Flat_ - Jon Steltenpohl
INTERVIEW: Atom Ellis from Dieselhed - Matthew Carlin
REVIEW: The Go-betweens, _Bellavista Terrace (Best of The
Go-betweens)_ - David Landgren
REVIEW: Rick Springfield, _Karma_ - Jason Cahill
REVIEW: Joan of Arc, _Live in Chicago 1999_ - Andrew Duncan
REVIEW: Maryanne, _Your First, Your Last, Your Everything_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Eden White, _This Is The Way..._ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Splender, _Halfway Down The Sky_ - Bill Holmes
NEWS: No Boundaries / Kosovo refugees benefit, Alanis Morissette
TOUR DATES: Aerosmith / Afghan Whigs, Beastie Boys, Black Crowes /
Lenny Kravitz / Everlast, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Chapter In Verse,
Alanis Morissette, Mike Ness, Pinetop Seven, Those Bastard Souls,
Verve Pipe / Papa Vegas
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Freestylers, _We Rock Hard_ (Mammoth)
- Tim Mohr
Freestylers manage to throw together an extremely compelling
vision of Ragga-inflected Brit-hop from a palette of samples lifted
from some of the most vital American hip-hop records of yore. In the
first few songs you'll pick up collages of Public Enemy (all taken
from _It Takes a Nation of Millions_ ) as well as the same
Ultramagnetic MCs song that The Prodigy used for "Smack My Bitch Up."
The lead single, "B-Boy Stance" is as good as the best that
Big Beat has yet mustered--taking the swaggering Jamaican style of
Fatboy Slim's "Gangster Tripping" or Monkey Mafia's "Work Mi Body"
to the next level. And songs like "Ruffneck," "Dancehall Vibes," and
"Warning" (set afire by a speeding, full-throttle drum n' bass-style
bass line) are just as infectious. "Don't Stop" sounds like the Lo
Fidelity Allstars--a vocoderized voice ranting atop bass-supplemented
Old School.
Though _We Rock Hard_ is undeniably up-to-date, Freestylers
obviously adore vintage hip-hop. "Breaker Beats" opens with a sampled
introduction to an old break dancing performance, and Freestylers'
live shows revolve around the phenomenal stage presence of neo-break
dancers. The title track is an electro workout and features Soul Sonic
Force in an effective combination of contemporary British beat and
genuine American Old School.
Still, what makes the record really rock hard--and it does--is
the hopped-up sub-bass that propels almost every track. The depth of
bass is kin to that on the most speaker-torturing dubplates, but
without the incessant titter of treble that can send you running from
a drum n' bass club after an hour. The wide variety of breaks and
hip-hop drums are much more varied than on the first Chemical Brothers
or Fatboy albums. And the mixture of raggamufin and hip-hop as musical
base works more effectively here than on earlier attempts to unite
the styles (such as KRS-One appearing on a Shabba Ranks track nearly
a decade ago). Freestylers should be one of the soundtracks to the
summer, the rudeboy elements just right for dispelling the heat while
the electro and hip-hop trappings keep the crowds bouncing.
---
REVIEW: Man or Astroman?, _EEVIAC Operational Index and
Reference Guide Including Other Modern Computational
Devices_ (Touch and Go)
- Andrew Duncan
Give this album an A for Astroman. _EEVIAC: Operational Index
and Reference Guide, Including Other Modern Computational Devices_
offers a fresh and welcoming direction for the band. Their previous
release, _Made From Technetium_, tore away from the traditional sci-fi
surf rock and experimented more with the science fiction aspect.
This time around, the boys from Alabama have gone over the
deep end. Recorded both in the middle of nowhere Alabama and the middle
of nowhere Brazil, _EEVIAC..._, a supercomputer that conceivably
controls the music that is filtered from the CD, is undeniably their
most creative phenomena yet.
About as enthusiastically as Einstein discovering the theory
of relativity belts out the words, "It's the same series of signals
over and over again," the band ignites into "Interstellar Hardrive,"
with a surf guitar intro only Rambo could replicate with a machine
gun. Quickly, they jump into warp speed backed by Birdstuff's insane
drumming that makes clever use of every drumhead and cymbal, but
always keeping the beat intact.
Songs like "D:Contamination," "A Reversal of Polarity" and
"Krasnoyask-26" deceives from the traditional Man or Astroman? songs
of the past and heavily rely on samples to drive the song through.
"U-235/PU-239" introduces the vocal talents of new member
Trace Readings, backed strongly by other rookie Blazar The Probe Handler
and original members Coco and Birdstuff. The best vocal track lies on
"Psychology of a.i. (numbers follow answers)" where the band recorded
the song as if it was to be heard on an A.M. station coming from a
transistor radio.
But the best truly lies on the finale, "As Estrelas Agora
Elas Estio Marten." In between heart-pounding chord renderings and
science fiction Theremin sounds, the band expresses their true talent
to play entertaining music. Wipe the tear from your eye and salute the
sky as the second half of the song transitions into a majestic rock
ballad that builds with grace and fury. Keep playing the release and a
special message from the EEVIAC mainframe system can be accessed.
---
REVIEW: Even, _Come Again_ (Rubber Records)
- Chris Hill
Australian pop has an effervescent joy, a lack of jaded
cynicism, that seems ingrained in every band I've run across.
No matter if the songs are written about political, social, or
personal issues, there's an sunny musical optimism that promises
an eventual positive resolution to any problem. Uncompromising
pleasure in the moment permeates the music of You Am I, Glide,
the Whitlams, and the Underground Lovers, just to namedrop a few
feel-good bands that merit a "If you like ..., you'll like this
group" recommendation.
Singer/songwriter Ashley Naylor, "an eternally nostalgic
person in a music sense", fronts Even, another band on this list
of sunshine. Stones, Beatles, Kinks - all influences and
inspirations that pop up on _Come Again_ like a "Bop the Gopher"
game - quick flashes of recognition, then ZIP!, they're gone.
Naylor and bandmates Wally Kempton (bass) and Matt Cotter
(drums) have taken a bygone era and masterfully distilled its
essence into eleven songs of blissful tangerine-sweet harmonies
and toasty-crisp jangling guitar.
It's apparent that Naylor, like Noel Gallagher, has a
knack for writing irresistible pop songs. "Watching My Door",
the current single, attacks the ears with "Tomorrow Never Knows"
drums and _Revolver_-slick harmony vocals - a reminder at 2:44,
that, mirroring the title of Even's first album, "Less is More".
This notion is reinforced in spades on "Tell Me How".
The lyrical concept is simple (admiration for another's positive
nature) and wound about a melody so sharp you could shave with
it. "The time is always right in your world/No one's uptight in
your world/Won't you tell me how?/Won't you take me now?/The sun
is always out in your sky/You've got no reason to lie/Won't you
tell me how?/Won't you take me now?/Maybe I'm lost to the world
I am in/Won't you tell me where do I begin?" Not entirely by
chance, it reminds me of the first time I heard _Meet the
Beatles_. Both albums bulge with star-bright, multi-faceted,
diamond-perfect gems - cheerful, upbeat, and addictive.
"Black Umbrella", the best water protection song since
the Hollies' "Bus Stop", derives its strength from an ambling
guitar and a stumblebum drum beat. "I got my black umbrella/to
shelter me from falling rain/I forgot to tell her/She can join
me and do the same/One thing that will always remain/When you
think everything is going down the drain/I'll keep you warm and
dry/Warm and dry". Part of the song's charm is the willingness
to share comfort and protection with the less fortunate. That
selflessness appears again on "Better Road": "If it's just a
ride that we are on/I'll hold on tight 'til the ride is gone/
And go on to a better road for me/And it's a better road for
you."
Did I mention optimism? Keyboards give a carnival
atmosphere to "Underwater Dream", a fade out and returning fade
up add a gleeful, nostalgic touch to "4:18", and fuzzy guitar
and cheery handclaps make "No Surprises" a romp and roll wonder.
Even what could have been a downbeat closing image on "Out My
Window" ("I'm waiting for the sun/but some days it don't come")
is counteracted by the cheerful, repititious acoustic guitar
melody. Melancholia hasn't a chance with this record.
Tony Lash, co-producer of Eric Matthews' brilliant _The
Lateness of the Hour_, deserves praise for his co-production
here. Unlike Even's first album, which essentially captured
their live set at the time, _Come Again_ was developed in the
studio, with a mindset that the band wouldn't bind itself to
music that could be easily reproduced live. As such, there are
numerous frills which will make a live translation that much
more intriguing.
Check out http://www.rubberrecords.com.au for even more info.
---
REVIEW: Buckcherry, _Buckcherry_ (Dreamworks)
- Christina Apeles
Sometimes the second time around isn't so painful. Take the
"Buckcherry wrath," for instance. I was ready to blow them off as
mere AC/DC wannabes after the first track "Lit Up" opened with lead
singer Joshua Todd wailing "Oh, yeah," undeniably colored with AC/DC
reverberations. But upon a second listen, _Buckcherry_ is not a
complete waste of aural recreation. I imagine a guy with headphones
on (cordless these days, I'm sure) listening to Buckcherry, donning
his favorite black, band T-shirt with any legendary rock band from
decades ago (because they are still wearing those) in the privacy
of his room, laying on his bed with air guitar in tow (of course),
blowing his eardrums out. After listening to songs like "Dead Again"
and "Dirty Mind," you get the feeling that the guitarist's fingers
must bleed from shredding the strings, the drummer drenched in sweat
after pounding through one chorus, all while you're astounded the
lead singer hasn't lost his voice yet from screaming so much and
smoking three packs of cigarettes a day. Yes, _Buckcherry_ is rock
music.
---
REVIEW: 10,000 Maniacs, _The Earth Pressed Flat_ (Bar None)
- Jon Steltenpohl
10,000 Maniacs' new album is more of the same for the
reconstituted band. _The Earth Pressed Flat_ finds 10,000 Maniacs at
essentially the same place they were an album ago with _Love Among the
Ruins_. On _Ruins_, it was clear that the band was used to being
fronted by a powerful lead vocalist, and they still hadn't adjusted to
Mary Ramsey at the lead. _The Earth Pressed Flat_ improves on Ramsey's
integration, but not everything clicks yet.
"Ellen" is done beautifully from the band's standpoint, but,
unfortunately, Ramsey's voice just doesn't carry the piece. The melody
is kind of repetitious, and it doesn't really go anywhere. She gets
better on "Once a City", and comes closer to matching the orchestration.
(Her violin and viola are much more exquisite than her vocals.) "Glow"
is a quiet, piano driven piece that's solemn, and Ramsey doesn't need
to try and overpower it. As a result, "Glow" gives Ramsey a chance to
show that she is developing a more soulful presence. Her voice is
loosening up, and she is finding the freedom that being a lead vocalist
affords.
Given that Ramsey hasn't completely found her voice yet, the
reformed Maniacs still sound about like the original Maniacs circa _The
Wishing Chair_. "Beyond the Blue" focuses on streaming guitar lines that
trail from major keys to minor in an unsettling way. The balance is never
broken, but it comes close. "On & On (Mersey Tune)" is probably the best
track. It could have been on any of the early 10,000 Maniacs. It rolls
and flows with a punchy little tune. Some hints of _In My Tribe_ are
there, and if the song is any indication, the next 10,000 Maniacs album
could be very promising.
"Cabaret", another standout, sounds closest to a combination of
the 10,000 Maniacs and John and Mary sounds, and, along with "On & On", it
shows the most promising direction for the band to take. Like the best of
the 10,000 Maniacs sound, the music is made to fit around the vocals in
intricate little dances. There's a slight touch of guitar here, a shimmer
of cymbals there, and Ramsey's vocals set the beat and melody with a tale
of a raucous cabaret. "Cabaret" has lovelorn lyrics like "from afar he
sees Venus rise / overwhelmingly beautiful / he sighs / the look of love
was in her eyes" and esoteric cultural references like "Fellini would be
proud."
But ultimately, _The Earth Pressed Flat_ is an album that, like
_Love Among the Ruins_, doesn't quite meet your hopes and expectations.
It was recorded more organically and with less overdubs than _Ruins_,
and that helps a bit. But, it doesn't overcome the fact that the
emotion and passion still aren't up to the level of the old 10,000
Maniacs. But, it's tough to fault Ramsey for having to live in
Merchant's shadow, and it's silly to expect the band to sound like it's
been together for 15 years. Still, for a quiet, lyrical album, _The Earth
Pressed Flat_ is an enjoyable, if not spectacular, album.
Visit http://www.maniacs.com for tour dates and lyrics.
---
INTERVIEW: Atom Ellis from Dieselhed
- Matthew Carlin
In theory, it sounds like a concerted effort to shun fame and
fortune: make the first album for your new label a collection of older,
mellower tunes that have been kicking around your set list for years.
But for the members of Dieselhed it made perfect sense. Bong Load
Records honchos Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf thought so too. And given
their track record with once-obscure songwriting folks like Beck and
Elliot Smith, their musical instincts are usually pretty good.
A couple days before crossing the pond to tour Europe opening for
Cake and Fountains of Wayne, bassist Atom Ellis kindly felt like "telling
the truth about this corrupt band once and for all." From his abode in
San Francisco, with a beer in his hand, Atom described the
humble--well, okay, drunken--origins of Dieselhed, which included an
earlier, pre-Ellis incarnation actually called Dieselhed in which the
band played "Hank Williams and Black Sabbath covers mostly" and some
other Humboldt County bands with names like Eggly Bagel Face and
Brent's TV. Despite several annoying music journalist-type questions,
Atom was happy to answer everything, all the while exuding a true
enthusiasm and love for music rarely seen in "the biz."
Consumable Online: So how did Dieselhed come to be?
Atom Ellis: One day, after I just got off a bad tour with a band
I was in--it was an early romantic era band that was trying to introduce
the French six chord way too early--I was drinking in a local bar to
forget some old girlfriend. I saw a guy I used to go to high school
with, Virgil [Shaw, guitarist/singer], who introduced me to Zac [Holtzman,
guitarist/singer], and he asked me if I wanted to go back to his house
later that night and play some music. Like a drunk guy I said "yes,"
but when I got back home and realized how dizzy I was I realized there
was no way I was gonna drag my amp and shit up to his house. So I
decided I'd just bring this washtub bass I had just built up there and
have them laugh me out of the place. The funny part was they were
waiting for me with home-made fretless banjos. So completely by
accident we started a jug band called Hoof.
C.O. Every article about the band mentions some extended trip to
Alaska, so where does that fit in?
A.E. After Hoof played a few art shows and breakfast places to
like 17 people total, Virgil and Zac decided to make some real money in
the fishing biz and split for Alaska for about 6 months or something.
You'll have to ask them how they did cause they never told anyone. I
still haven't figured out if they're embarrassed for not making
anything or they just don't want me to try and borrow money from them.
When they came back they found that Danny [Heifetz, drums] and Shon
[McAlinn, guitar had moved back to the Bay Area and decided to give
"Dieselhed" a second chance. They had another bass player named Rich
Engle and I actually went to see them a couple times and thought they
were funny. But it wasn't that funny, 'cause now with Hoof on the
back burner and my solo career sputtering, all I could do was show up
to their gigs and yell "You suck shit!" Eventually, my heckling must
of got to Rich who took an extensive vacation to South America, and
that's when I made my move.
C.O. How does the songwriting work?
A.E. Typically, Zac or Virgil will bring in anything between
a vague idea to a pretty completed song and we build it up from
there. Sometimes it's almost only lyrics and we get lots to work
on. Other times practice is spent convincing Virgil that his song
sounds great without me and Danny banging all over it. We've tried
other formulas but I think that one works the best.
C.O. How was it touring with Link Wray?
A.E. Playing with Link has honestly been one of the most fun
things I've done in music. Not because he's "LINK WRAY--GUITAR LEGEND,"
but because you can tell he still feels what he's doing. He loves to play.
I told Link, after a tour or two, that I was scared before I first met
him that he'd be a tired old fart that was just going through the
motions for the money. I even thought about taking CPR before the
tour. Man, was I wrong. I found myself just trying to keep up with the
guy. He's punk as fuck. He just turns up his guitar as loud as it
will go and rocks. He has 10 times the energy of most of the people I
know in their 20s and rocks harder too.
C.O. It seems like you guys genuinely enjoy playing. Is it a
conscious effort to keep it from becoming a job?
A.E. It's really simple. Basic physics--you don't need Francis
Bacon around to explain--if you've been in a band as long as us and your
making about as much money at it as us, you're doing it for fun.
C.O. So, do you like touring or do you prefer playing in the
Bay area?
A.E. Playing at home is always fun cause there's usually more
people at the shows, but you kinda get the feeling like you're just
spinning your wheels unless you reach new audiences one way or another.
Plus, I love the fucking road itself. Truck stops, national parks, thrift
stores. Oh man. See, I'm getting excited. Dieselhed has always been a
fun band to tour with 'cause everyone likes to play games too. We
always have some baseball gloves and bats laying around the van and a
soccer ball and a basketball. Touring rules.
C.O. What prompted the move to Bong Load? Are you still friends
with (former label) Amarillo Records?
A.E. I will always love Amarillo Records. Gregg Turkington, the
Amarillo prez, is a slimy crook, but he's nice about it. He'll steal
all your money, double it at the craps table in Vegas, then
laugh about it 4 years later and pay you back in pennies--out of the
rolls. You have to admire that. I can't say we're friends, but I
admire him. We did like 6 releases--3 LPs, I think--on Amarillo. For
us moving to Bong Load meant mostly a change of scenery, to get our
shit heard by a new audience. And a chance to work with Rob and Tom in
the studio, which every band should get to do at least once in a
perfect world.
C.O. What made you decide to make the first Bong Load album
older, slower tunes, rather than more raucous new ones?
A.E. Those were just surplus slow songs that we had laying
around. When we would go through the song selection process on previous
recording projects we'd be sitting there with about 8 mid-tempo to
fast numbers and about 15 slow ones and only half the slow ones would
get on. The other ones--i.e. "Elephant Rest Home"--didn't seem weak to
us or anything, but we were concerned with people falling asleep.
That's kinda what the title was about, like all these songs went to
rest together but they weren't exactly dead. It was making us sad to
think that some of our favorite songs were getting left in the dust so
we recorded them at a friend's studio. When Tom and Rob heard them as
kind of a demo they said "We want to release that." Once I even got
nervous about the idea of releasing the "sleepy" record and called Tom
at like 2 A.M. asking him, "Man, are you sure we should do this as our
first release with you guys? It's gonna give people the wrong idea...
I mean, ah... errr... um..." And he'd be calming me down, "Relax,
it's exactly the kinda Dieselhed album I'd want to release first."
Turns out it's definitely the album I'm most proud of.
C.O. You've played a lot of shows with Cake, how has that been?
A.E. You know, lot's of people want to write Cake off as a
"radio band." I know I did before really hearing them live. But if you
do that, you just might miss out on something good. Maybe I'm just
speaking like a guy locked in a closet, 'cause I kinda am--no cable,
no MTV, and I don't work as a painter or carpenter so I don't listen
to AOR radio all day. I just figured "Oh, Cake, they're that band with
that pop song on the radio, right? They're probably not my thing." It
was only after really listening to them play a few times that I
thought to myself, "Hey, this fucker--later I found out his name was
John--writes really good fucking songs!" And I can also watch Todd,
their drummer, play all night. He's world class, man.
C.O. So how does the Cake crowd usually react to the wonder
that is Dieselhed?
A.E. Their crowd is really young and actually listens. It's
kinda neat. During the first shows we played with Cake I was just
waiting for the crowd to boo us off the stage, cause I know our sound
is not exactly mainstream or anything. But they didn't. Sometimes they're
quiet during the first few songs like a hung jury, but they're
listening and often they end up really liking it. That's all you can
ever really hope for when you're an unknown band playing for a larger
band's audience--is that the crowd listens. Then it's up to you, man.
I must say younger crowds are, generally speaking, a lot more prone to
listen to shit they're not used to than older crowds. And I can say
that cause I'm an older guy, 33. Older crowds, generally speaking,
seem to already know what they want to hear, and if you don't play it
or something similar--that's it, you lost 'em.
C.O. I know Danny has various other musical projects; do
you and the rest of the band play in any other bands or have any
other things you do?
A.E. Most of us all do other projects. I think that's good
for bands. I've been lucky to be able to only play music for a while
now. It started off as an experiment and has lasted for about
two-and-a-half years so far. Danny and I do the Link thing
occasionally--we'll be going out on a West coast/Southwest thing three
days after we get back from Europe. And the Bong Load guys have also
been using us as a rhythm section for some recording projects--Carl
Rux, Richard Thompson. But my main thing has been making music and
SFX for video games in my room. It's also been a lot more fulfilling
than I thought it might. All my Nino Rota/Ennio Morricone/Bernard
Hermann/Lalo Schiffrin/Goblin fantasies come true. And it's kinda
leading to other stuff as well--people asking about music for their
indie films and stuff. Bunny Ranch Studios, I call it. My life makes
things hell for my tax guy.
C.O. So, are you psyched about going to Europe?
A.E. Never even been over the pond, can't wait. I want to compare
truck stops.
---
REVIEW: The Go-betweens, _Bellavista Terrace (Best of The
Go-betweens)_ (Beggars Banquet/Capitol)
- David Landgren
The '80s were an exceptionally vibrant and dynamic period in
Australian pop music. In turn, The Go-betweens remain the finest
exponents of a certain conception of guitar-based pop melodies. If
you haven't yet discovered them, now is the time to take the plunge.
Here we are, a decade after they decided to call it quits.
Over the past couple of years, Beggars Banquet re-released all their
albums on CDs. To long-time fans, this was a godsend, a chance to
retire aging vinyl albums, to be able to play them at long last on
a CD player.
I'm not sure, however, that the band picked up many new
listeners in the exercise. Having six albums to choose from makes it
difficult to decide where to start. What better way then, to get to
learn to love The Go-betweens than a compilation of some of the best
stuff they put out. The compilation places an emphasis on the latter
albums, a sentiment I quite agree with. There are no tracks from the
first album _Send me a lullaby_, which is probably just as well; it's
certainly my least favourite.
From their final album _16 Lovers Lane_ are the songs "Was
there anything I could do?," "Streets of your town" and "Dive for your
memory." The last song is certainly one of the most achingly beautiful
pop songs about love we will ever be likely to hear. As much as _16
Lovers Lane_ was their swan song, their previous album _Tallulah_ was
where they really shone. The arrangements are lush, the lyrics are
poetic and the sense of optimism in the band's future is infectious.
From this album, the tracks selected are the restless, simmering "The
house that Jack Kerouac built" and the subdued yet uplifting "Bye bye
pride." This is a record that could have changed the course of pop
history. The secret ingredient that sets the album apart from what
they had done before is Amanda Brown, who brought the Go-betweens
violin and oboe. It was such a perfect complement to Forster's and
McLennan's songwriting.
_Before Hollywood_, their second and last album as a trio
(Robert Forster, Grant McLennan and Lindy Morrison) is represented by
"Cattle and Cane" and "That way." Try as I might to avoid the trap of
fruitless arguments ("Why didn't they include *that* song?"), I must
profess a certain amount of perplexity as to why "Dusty in here"
wasn't used instead.
The next two albums, _Spring Hill Fair_ and _Liberty Belle and
the Black Diamond Express_, saw the band rounded out with the addition
of Robert Vickers on bass. From the former is "Part company," "Draining
the pool for you," "Man o'sand to girl o'sea" and "Bachelor kisses," and
from the latter there is "Head full of steam," "The wrong road" and
"Spring rain."
No doubt Go-betweens fans have been (and always will be)
endlessly debating why these songs were chosen and not others, but at
the end of the day I can't really find fault with the selections; it's
as good as anything anyone else could come up with. If it inspires you
to go and investigate the rest of their material, then that's really
all that matters.
---
REVIEW: Rick Springfield, _Karma_ (Platinum Records)
- Jason Cahill
80's pop icon Rick Springfield is back with an album of new
material, his first in more than ten years. But don't call it a comeback
(1988's _Rock of Life_ was Springfield's attempt at a comeback). This
is more like an attempt at complete career reversal of fortunes. If you
believe VH-1's "Behind The Music", the reasons for his absence from
an industry he once dominated range from emotional meltdown to a
complete lack of confidence to the belief that his brand of pop music had
been passed over by everything from grunge to hip-hop to swing. No
matter what the reason for the absence, it's important to note that
reports of his musical demise have been slightly premature as evidenced
by his latest release, _Karma_, a slightly uneven album with flashes of
the kind of guitar-driven pop we remember well.
Most similar in sound to the aforementioned _Rock of Life_,
_Karma_ is a collection of pure pop songs with Springfield's signature
hooks. Will anything on _Karma_ necessitate a second greatest hits
album? Probably not. In fact, "It's Always Something" might be the
only song on Karma worthy of being grouped with those great pop songs
of years past, but that doesn't mean that the rest of Karma is lacking
its share of musical gems. "Shock to the System" is an introspective
ballad which is smartly written, dark and wistful. "Prayer" is an
outright pop song, light on the guitars and heavy on the sentiment,
but catchy as hell. In fact, say what you will about Springfield's
musical legacy, but one thing is certain - his ability to write
perfect pop songs is a talent matched by only a handful of current
musicians (Fountains of Wayne and The Smithereens come to mind).
Those, however, looking for another "Jesse's Girl" might be just
a bit disappointed. Nothing on _Karma_ hits a nerve in quite the same
way. In fact, it seems that in a span of about ten or fifteen years,
Springfield has moved ever so casually from rock to adult contemporary,
both in sound and attitude. The energetic rocker has been seemingly
replaced by a kinder, gentler Rick Springfield. Nowhere on _Karma_ is
this more evident than on "Religion of the Heart" and "Free", both
slow-moving ballads which meander their way to completion. But
perhaps _Karma_'s most troubling aspect is its synthetic sound. A
large majority of the tracks seem processed and lacking any kind of
raw energy necessary on an album that claims itself to be in the rock
genre. Drum machines are a necessary and acceptable component for
musicians like Chemical Brothers and, to a certain extent, Beck. But
on a rock album it does nothing but serve to detract from the intended
sound, unless of course an artificial sound is what's intended.
But that said, the majority of _Karma_ is downright enjoyable,
the type of ear candy noticeably absent from much of today's music.
While it might not thrust Rick Springfield back onto the rock music main
stage, _Karma_ does prove that the a once forgotten icon can still
produce relevant and entirely enjoyable music.
---
REVIEW: Joan of Arc, _Live in Chicago 1999_ (Jade Tree)
- Andrew Duncan
Joan of Arc's latest release may frighten those who hate to
buy live albums. But the deception lies in the title, which is the
only aspect to draw from the traditional definition of a live album.
Nary is there a collection of greatest hits played to a group of
screaming fans.
The only thing that you will hear on this album is
experimentation through the use of a multi-track studio. Tim Kinsella
(vocals, guitars, bass, piano, the whole shebang) wanted to make the
liveliest album a studio project has ever seen. And he has succeeded
-- somewhat.
The ex-member of post-punkers Cap'n Jazz and native Chicagoan,
Kinsella has emerged from the Tortoise and Flying Saucer Attack clique
and developed a combination mixture of Spaceman 3-style droning with
neo-folk rock. With the help of Jeremy Boyle (keyboards, computers,
bass) and Todd Mattei (guitar and bass), the CD begins with subtle
guitar hums that is as groggy as waking from a deep sleep. Slowly the
song intriguingly titled "It's easier to drink on an empty stomach
than eat on a broken heart" unfolds like an alien emerging from a
science fiction film. The music blends well, transitioning to "Who's
afraid of Elizabeth Taylor?" which leaves an edgy scenario while an
acoustic guitar creates an alchemist viewpoint.
However, things change when Kinselia adds vocals to the music,
which tends to leave a whiny aftertaste. And "(I'm 5 senses) none of
them common" is almost unbearable, alternating from a rat-a-tat snare
drum onslaught to whimsical pubescent vocal squawks.
Luckily, the band relapses back to drony territory, and the
prolonged jams seem to be the things that matter the most. The band
is precise and talented with an ear for soothing sounds, only when
the music is missing words.
---
REVIEW: Maryanne, _Your First, Your Last, Your
Everything_ (Contingency)
- Chris Hill
The albums that sync with one's consciousness are rare
and treasured. In those seven minutes before one falls asleep,
these are the albums that pop up on the mental jukebox, staving
off sleep with lyrics that resonate with clever writing or human
observation and music that brims with addictive hooks and flair.
Then, as time goes by, the pole position changes as songs reveal
unnoticed facets and shine with newfound light - these albums
continually reintroduce themselves, even as they age into old
friends. Sidewinders/Sand Rubies singer David Slutes now adds
another entry to that list: his first album with side-project
Maryanne.
"See You in September" sets the hook immediately with a
Lothario caught pants down when one of his twelve women arrives
unexpectedly, outside her scheduled month ("In June I saw May,
in April I saw June/In February I saw Mary...I'll see you in
September"). Sunny and engaging, as guitar pop should be, with
enough alliteration to tease and delight, yet not overwhelm.
"Record Collection", its bookend, is another excellent example
of lyrical wordplay. A tribute to the vinyl that inspires
fanatical devotion, the song namedrops various artists, while
praising the justified longevity of the medium.
"Under the Weather" is a song which should be quoted in
its entirety. The lyrics reveal the complexities of a decayed
relationship with oblique references - the forces that attract
and repel simultaneously at work between the couple. "See, way
out here/There's only you and I and this sunken sky/to hear all
the lies we tell each other". Camping in the desert, in the
place "we hoped we wouldn't find each other", the song title
applies both to their physical location and their love. It's an
image that carries weight and power.
The same power is present, either overtly or covertly,
throughout the release. "A Long, Long Time" is a cry for space
away from a woman sending mixed, post-breakup messages ("You say
you're lonely/If you're lonely, why then/is everything fine?").
"Alaska" pleads for the same space in a physical sense, setting
the state up as a haven from whatever demons and disappointments
plague the writer. "Wretched Song" lovingly looks at the impact
of 70's radio, when trite clich�s gained relevance thanks to the
airwaves. "Horoscope" plays a man with his feet on the ground
against a woman with her eyes on the stars, his realistic nature
at odds with her trust in a cosmic force.
"Everyone Knows" reunites Slutes with Paula Jean Brown,
who previously appeared on the Sidewinders' "Came On Like the
Sun". The duet trades barbs with edgy wit: "If hope was a rope,
you would have me twisting in the wind", "You'd think you were a
catch by the way you act/I know you're lazy, Mom thinks you're
on crack". Brown's sweet voice takes some of the sting from the
words, but not enough to foil their intent.
Two covers round out the ten tracks - Leonard Cohen's
fantastic "Chelsea Hotel" revitalized by strong electric guitar
work and 20/20's "Yellow Pills", a lustrously glossy rendition.
Comprised of Slutes, guitarist Robin Johnson, bassist
Kelly Burd, and drummer Winston Watson - all reputable Tucson
musicians - Maryanne's a formidable combo. Rich Hopkins, the
Sand Rubies' guitarist, has proven he's got more than one ace up
his sleeve with his Luminarios releases. It's satisfying to see
David Slutes prove the same with _Your First..._.
For further information, check out http://www.contingency.com .
---
REVIEW: Eden White, _This Is The Way..._ (Delirium/Touchwood)
- Linda Scott
If you haven't heard of Eden White, we can almost guarantee that
you will. Ms. White is an extremely talented artist whose most recent
achievement was winning the 1998 Lilith Fair Acoustic Talent Search.
This win brought her the opportunity to play for 10,000 people and share
the stage with Sarah McLaughlin. Prior to this she was awarded a coveted
performance slot in the Songwriter's Hall of Fame Songwriter Showcase.
Call her a female Billy Joel, and you won't be far off the mark. Ms.
White's strong suits are her songwriting and her piano abilities.
_This Is The Way..._ was originally just on the artist's Delirium
label. Now she is with Touchstone also, and she is thrilled to be signed
to a label. If you want to know a bit more about her, go to Ms. White's
website at http://www.edenwhite.com. ; you'll get a picture of an
intelligent woman trying to make it in the music business. No surprise,
then, that she was in pre-med until she dropped out to lay her future
on the line in the music business.
_This Is The Way..._ is reminiscent of its influences; Billy Joel,
Nancy Marchand, Barbara Streisand. Clear vocals sounding sweet, sexy,
longing, whatever fits. Ms. White did all the vocals, piano, some
acoustic guitar, and flute, on the album. Each song is very personal
to her, but the tracks cause universal smiles and pain. Listen to just
the first two tracks, and you feel the pain of love and death. These
two are "Song Unsung" and "This Is The Way", both have very strong
melodies and lyrics.
If you like pop sung by a woman whose lyrics and melodies blend
beautifully, then get _This Is The Way..._. Eden White is now playing
bookstores and small clubs, but in the future she might share the stage
with the Piano Man himself. We're going to hear from her.
---
REVIEW: Splender, _Halfway Down The Sky_ (Columbia)
- Bill Holmes
If Matchbox 20 can be thought of as a dynamic band with
their finger on the pulse of the moment, then Splender should have no
problem owning those same airwaves. I just don't know if that's a
compliment.
The first six tracks on the record could almost be listened
to at random, although the choice of the staccato-guitar "What I Don't
Understand" as the opener is probably a wise one. "Yeah, Whatever", the
single, builds nicely, and along with "Spaceboy", "Monotone" and
"Special" makes for a decent start. The best cut, "I Think God Can
Explain", is that type of heart-bleeding ballad that you just know a
youth oriented nighttime soap will snap up as background music for
lover's longing looks.
But after those six cuts the record goes downhill fast. I
can't quite put my finger on what it is that they are missing. They're
all good players, and singer Waymon Boone has a strong, radio-friendly
voice. No one gets lost in overdone noodling solos - in fact most of
the playing is compact. What I do see, however, is a band trying hard
to oversell its weaker material through overblown angst. "Supernatural"
and "Spin" are the worst offenders, examples of cliche alternative rock
that we've all heard a thousand times before.
Todd Rundgren produced the record, which astounds me. Not
because he hadn't produced anyone in years - and the fact that he
did is quite a coup for a new band - but because it lacks all the usual
Runt touches. No uptempo pop moments, no Beatle-ish harmony arrangements,
and certainly no sense of humor. The band, and apparently Todd, took
the whole thing so seriously that there's nothing left to fall back
upon when the song isn't there. And for Splender, that�s about half
the record.
The press release touts the intensity of the band's performance
and writing, stating that the songs "explode, withdraw, seduce and then
overwhelm". So far, I'm only operating on the first two cylinders.
---
NEWS: > _No Boundaries_, a compilation album benefitting the
refugees of Kosovo, will be released on Epic Records on June 15.
Artists contributing rare, live and previously unreleased
versions of songs include Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine,
Alanis Morissette, Neil Young, Oasis, KoRn, Black Sabbath,
Indigo Girls, Ben Folds Five, Peter Gabriel, The Wallflowers,
Sarah McLachlan, Bush, Tori Amos, and Jamiroquai.
> The latest single from Alanis Morissette's _Supposed
Former Infatuation Junkie_ album will be "So Pure", slated for
an early June release.
---
TOUR DATES:
Aerosmith / Afghan Whigs
May 20 Auburn Hills, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
May 22 East Troy, WI Alpine Valley Music Theater
May 23 Tinley Park, IL World Music Theater
Beastie Boys
May 19-20 Sydney, Aus Hordern Pavillion
May 21 Newcastle, Aus Entertainment Center
May 22 Brisbane, Aus Riverstage
May 25-26 Melbourne, Aus Forum Theater
Black Crowes / Lenny Kravitz / Everlast
May 21 Pittsburgh, PA Starlake Amphitheatre
May 22 Detroit, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
May 25 Bristow, VA Nissan Pavillion at Stone
May 26 Philadelphia, PA Blockbuster/Sony Music
Mary Chapin Carpenter
May 20 New York, NY Tramps
May 21 Philadelphia, PA Mann Center
May 22 Burlington, VT Flynn Center
May 23 Concord, NH Capitol Center
May 25 Portland, ME Merrill Auditorium
Chapter In Verse
May 21-22 Nantucket Island, MA The Chicken Box
Alanis Morissette
May 22 Nuremberg, Germany Rock Im Park
May 23 Nurnberging, Germany Rock Am Ring
May 24 Landgraaf, Hollan Pinkpop Festival
May 26 Rotterdam, Holland The Ahoy
Mike Ness
May 19 Milwaukee, WI Modjeska Theater
May 21 Detroit, MI Majestic Theater
May 22 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
May 23 Cincinnati, OH Bogarts
May 25 Cleveland, OH Agora Theater
May 26 Greensburg, PA Palace Theater
May 27 Buffalo, NY The Tralf
Pinetop Seven
May 21 Atlanta, GA Echo Lounge
May 22 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
May 23 Baltimore, MD Fletcher's
May 24 Washington, DC The Black Cat
May 25 Philadelphia, PA Nick's
May 26 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Those Bastard Souls
May 23 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
May 25 Washington, DC Black Cat
May 26 Carrboro, NC West End Events Center
Verve Pipe / Papa Vegas
May 19 Pontiac, MI 7th House
May 20 Cleveland, OH Odeon
May 21 Columbus, OH Ludlow's
May 22 Indianapolis, IN Vogue Theatre
May 26 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl
---
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