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Consumable Online Issue 069
==== ISSUE 69 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [February 26, 1996]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,Dan Enright,
Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean Eric
McGill, 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,
P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair,
Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner, Britain Woodman
Also Contributing: Joann Ball
Guest Contributor: Bob Donlon of The Rake's Progress
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: Mr Bungle, _Disco Volante_ - Martin Bate
REVIEW: Cocteau Twins, _Twinlights/Otherness_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Fun Lovin Criminals, _Come Find Yourself_ - Martin Bate
GUEST REVIEW: Polara, _Polara_ - Bob Donlon (of The Rake's Progress)
REVIEW: Pretenders, _The Isle of View_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Ke', _I Am [ ]_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: U-Ziq, _In Pine Effect_ - Martin Bate
REVIEW: Bob Kindred, _Hidden Treasures_ / Parker Guy Lytton Trio, _Breaths
and Heartbeats_ - Ali Sinclair
CONCERT REVIEW: The Cardigans, Huxley's, Berlin - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Global House Culture: Volume 1 Mix by James Christian - Daniel Kane
REVIEW: The Revolvers, _Remember 9_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Rocketship, _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Tim Sparks, _Guitar Bazaar_ - Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: The Odds, _Good Weird Feeling_ - Daniel Kane
NEWS: Blinker The Star, Consumer Online Services, Jayne County, Martin Page,
ROCKnROM, Supergrass Online
TOUR DATES: "Home Before Midnight" (Wayne Kramer, Wrens), AC/DC, All Gods
Children, Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky, Jackson Browne, Brother Cane,
Combine, Cravin' Melon, Fleming & John, Gin Blossoms / Dead Hot Workshop /
Refreshments, Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers, Natalie Merchant, The Mother
Hips, Mr. Mirainga / Spacehog / God Lives Underwater / Ruth Ruth, Mystery
Machine, Mike Peters, O-Matic, Plastic Mikey, Presidents of the United
States of America / Love Jones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Reeltime, Ruby /
Schtum, Bob Seger / John Hiatt, Sister Machine Gun / Gravity Kills,
Elliott Smith / The Softies, Snow Karma, They Might Be Giants,
Velvet Crush / Lustre, Weston
ERRATA
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Mr Bungle, _Disco Volante_ (Warner Bros.)
- Martin Bate
*Always* mistakenly referred to as 'the Faith No More singer's
side-project', this is more accurately 'Mike Patton's other band', and one
in which he only even appears in the writing credits for 5 of the 12 songs
on their new album. His main co-protagonists are bassist Trevor Dunn and
guitarist Trey Spruance. The latter played for Faith No More on their
_King For a Day..._ and is sure to have clouded the following warning
still further :- DO NOT COME IN HERE EXPECTING FAITH NO MORE. Especially
if you thought that they were 'a bit way out'...
Mr Bungle are unlike *anything* you have ever heard because they
are like *everything* you have ever heard before. Simultaneously.
Let me throw a few songs at you to demonstrate. "Everyone I Went
to High School With is Dead" is lo-fi death-metal sludge which ends with
what sounds like the drummer being pushed down the stairs. This is
followed by "Chemical Marriage", a cheasy-listening nightmare which
shudders into "Carry Stress In the Jaw" a hyper-kinetic scary jazz thrash
akin to Billie Holiday on PCP with a flick knife, before stumbling across
a hidden song which features Grampa Simpson babbling over an imaginary
50's spy theme.
Confused yet ? Well, how about "Desert Search for Techno Allah"
which sounds exactly like you just fleetingly imagined it does, and the 10
minute suite of ambient-sound pieces that is "The Bends", the closing
section of which, "Re-Entry", is guaranteed to speed up your heart-beat
every time ? Marvel at the awesome delight of "Violenza Domestica", a
Spanish sea-shanty themed opera. Thrill to "Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz" where
Benny Hill gets tangled up in Looney Toons and gothic grandeur. GASP as
"Merry Go Bye Bye" breaks from Vegas-pop into precision death metal,
stopping only to flick through the enitre long-wave radio band on the
way.
The recurring theme of the artwork and music is that of the
claustrophobia and terror of the deep sea, where their self-titled debut
saw them hanging out with a gang of scary clowns and their fairground
organs. Where the debut is now dated by toilet-humour and a funk edge
that places it firmly in the early 90's, this is state-of-the-art
bizarreness. Rarely emotionally engaging on any other level other than
sheer fear, Mr Bungle are nonetheless a jaw-dropping excursion into noise
terrorism and more fascinating than a Pamela Anderson snuff flick.
You don't know that you want this.
---
REVIEW: Cocteau Twins, _Twinlights/Otherness_ (Capitol)
- Joe Silva
If you were ever near a concert stage and found yourself
wrapped in a cloud of manufactured smoke, alternatingly lit by
deep blue, purple and rose coloured lights, and inhaled some of
the odd electric scent of the mist, you might be able to
substantiate a portion of the vibe that is the Cocteau Twins.
Nestled somewhere between the amorphous groove of Alex
Paterson's Orb and the elegant semi-gothness of Siouxsie and the
Banshees, they remain cloaked in beautifully spooky tones that
resonate on a frequency towards the midpoint between despair
and splendor.
Released as pair of mini-LPs a few months apart, they are a nod
to the era when the 12-inch Ep was the only affordable way to pick
through the import underground of the late 70's and 80's. But they
also serve to illuminate the duality of a pop ensemble now thirteen
years mature that traffics in processed rhythms and intangible
lyrics. _Twinlights_, done mostly as piano and voice, is the organic
incarnation of the band while _Otherness_ is its ambient sibling.
Together they show off the Twins' ability to flex their compositional
muscles and how they can effectively balance alternate visions of
their work.
All told, the content is split evenly over eight tracks with the bulk
of the songs made up by new material. "Rilkean Heart" is a mode
apart from the general melancholy of _Twinlights_, flowing almost
cheerfully along, driven by Frazier's gentle falsetto. Her voice
hesitates and gushes before arcing towards a brilliant closing
passage. But "Half-Gifts" is the disc's chief reward. Its beauty is
simple, laced with gentle string work, and a plaintive vocal that
eventually resolves towards hope. There was (and still is) always a
fuss made over Frazier's use of mumbo jumbo to stock her lyrics,
but even though she takes to plain English on this track, she
proves her point that the emotional phrasing of her vocals is
what's of consequence.
The second disc, which adds ambient-head Mark Clifford of
Seefeel, trips off into the ether, revamping two older tracks ("Feet
Like Fins" and "Cherry Colored Funk") alongside two new pieces.
It's easy to say that the timbre of what's laid out here isn't a difficult
stretch for the Twins, but when you've waded through enough
stacks of useless "extended versions" in a lifetime you can
appreciate these subtle and effectively groovy treatments. It's
always a notable thing when a remix or a trance doused track can
carry you off to a place other than slumberland.
Consequently, some of these tracks are set to appear on the
forthcoming LP (_Milk and Kisses_), but done up in this format,
(with neato artwork) they are well worth having. There's also a
tour in the works in order to suss out the remaining dimensions not
etched into the plastic.
---
REVIEW: Fun Lovin Criminals, _Come Find Yourself_ (EMI)
- Martin Bate
Fun Lovin Criminals are live hip-hop. Or, to be more exact,
live-instrument hip-hop, as the best hip-hop - regardless of its reliance
on 'real' instruments or not - is possibly the livest music genre on the
planet.
They are vocalist/guitarist Huey, drummer Steve and
multi-instrumentalist Fast and you may well hear more of them in future
months with this album poised for crossover success. That's not to say
that this is a great album. It starts promisingly with the band's theme
tune, an accoustic twang and harmonica backing up a lively House of Pain
style rap with a smart funk bounce. It's followed by "Passive Aggressive",
a potential hit single, with its chilled rap cutting into a bluesy,
bruising Rage Against the Machine style chorus. Then there's "The Grave
and the Constant", a chilled city-night atmosphere.
But "Scooby Snacks" starts a run of lacklustre songs with its
cringeingly obvious Tarantino samples and an overdose of wannabe-hard
images. What follows demonstrates the Fun Lovin Criminals two weak points.
Firstly, they patently obviously are *not* criminals, and their raps ring
false next to the malevolence of the best of the rest of the east-coast
scene (you don't *have* to be a real criminal, but you *do* have to create
that *shiver* in the listener). Secondly, their reliance on live
instrumentation makes their sound too traditional, where the best hip-hop
of the moment sounds otherworldly. "Bombin the L" is about two-notes away
from being "Smoke on the Water" and therefore loses F.L.C. *vast* amounts
of kudos - and dollars if Deep Purple's lawyers hear it!
But things pick up *dramatically* after that. "Can't Get With
That" contrasts warm summer days and neighborhood violence nicely and
"King of New York" has a super-fly Starsky and Hutch thang going on.
"Bear Hug" has a warped-sleaze bass-line and *vicious* harmonica with a
rugged sneer skittering over the top. Then there's the soulful whisper of
the title-track and the closing "Methadonia", all tijuana brass and
soaring harmonica - the theme to "Midnight Cowboy" as the credits fade out
over a crack-den.
The raps are usually interesting, the production lush, and the
style nicely varied, pitching them closer to the UK Acid Jazz scene than
the hip-hop scene they'll be lumped in with in the States. They manage to
crossover without resorting to the usual lumpen distortion-ridden
rap-rock and they've produced a debut album which despite a few hiccups
is not bad at all. So don't be too scared to part with the cash if you
like that single when you see it on MTV.
---
GUEST REVIEW: Polara, _Polara_ (Clean)
- Bob Donlon
(Ed. Note: Bob Donlon is the bass player for the Rake's Progress.
While recording their third release - after _Cheese Food Prostitute_ and
_Altitude_ - Bob found time to write this review for us.)
I'd been hearing alot about this band, first from a friend that
considers herself on the "fringe" of the indie rock scene (whatever that
means), then from a soundman that we were thinking of hiring that wound up
doing Polara's tour, then from some odd fanzine reviews here and there.
Finally, I learned that John Strohm (former guitarist of Blake Babies,
Lemonheads, Antenna, and Velo Deluxe) was in this band and I had to have
this record when I finally came across it at this discount record place in
Times Square.
I asked the guy at our label that tries to get OUR record reviewed
what he thought of the Polara record. He didn't like it. I think he is a
fool.
Although I have absolutely no Bio information on this band, I am under
the impression that it is the brainchild of Ed Ackerson, who wrote all the
songs and played most of the instruments, aside from drums which were handled
entirely by Matt Wilson.
This record meanders in styles so drastically that I have a hard time
putting a finger on it. Some songs ("Counting Down", "Source of Light") ring
familiar of indie pop bands like Antenna, but others "Allay," "Avenue E"
float down the trails laid by New Order, Stone Roses, and KMFDM. Some songs
you could imagine as lead-in music to an indie rock show at some hep rock
dive like the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis or Brownie's in New York, and
in others I was brought back to the Camden Palace in London as their
super-state-of-the-art light and laser show showered the punk-rock kids
dancing to Rage Against the Machine, Shooty's Groove, and Blur.
But somehow, sitting in the tour van for hours and hours cruising
across the Kansas Praries on I-70, playing this disc on my walkman got me
through it. It's from-the-gut creative pop. It's never gonna get on KROQ
or Q101 or sell a million records. But it's good music. Check it out.
Clean Records is located at 2117 Nicolet Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404
---
REVIEW: Pretenders, _The Isle of View_ (Warner Bros.)
- Joann D. Ball
Reflection upon finding direction and purpose yields great rewards.
That's the message conveyed on _The Isle of View_, the latest release
from the Pretenders.
This acoustic, unplugged release was conceived by Chrissie Hynde
independent of MTV, and recorded in front of a live audience in London
last Spring. The solid 1994 _Last of the Independents_ line-up of
Hynde (vocals/guitar), Martin Chambers (drums), Adam Seymour (guitar)
and Andy Hobson (bass) returns and is joined by the Duke Quartet (strings).
_Isle_ is a brilliant showcase for Hynde's superior songwriting
and the melodies which have been fundamental to the Pretenders' sound.
The track selection here demonstrates that these elements have been
constant, even when the band line-up was in a state of flux. The
beauty of the combination is evident on the signature hits "Brass In
Pocket" and "Back on the Chain Gang" as well as on overlooked gems like
"Sense of Purpose" (from 1990's _Packed_) and "Chill Factor" (from
1987's _Get Close_). Tender emotion abounds on the release, and the
Duke Quartet's strings allow Hynde to deliver "Kid" with a deeper
maturity and sincerity than on the studio version.
In true Pretenders' style, _Isle_ offers some surprises. The
angry "I Hurt You" delivers an incredibly bitter sting and powerful
punch with sinister strings. The punk-inspired "The Phone Call" from
the debut album becomes an acoustic rock mercy mission with audible
instructions. And, the near-acappella delivery of "Hymn to Her"
proves without a doubt that Hynde has one of the best voices in rock.
_The Isle of View_ captures the Pretenders looking back
without regret. The band shakes off the ghosts, reflects without
being nostalgic and finally comes to terms with its rocky history.
It's evident on the recording, but even more so on the video and laser
disc of the same name, that this was an enjoyable musical reflection.
As a result, the Pretenders are older, wiser and better than ever.
TRACK LISTING: Sense of Purpose, Chill Factor, Private Life,
Back on the Chain Gang, Kid, I Hurt You, Criminal, Brass in Pocket,
2000 Miles, Hymn to Her, Lovers of Today, The Phone Call, I Go To
Sleep, Revolution.
There are now several information resources for the Pretenders.
You can join the Pretenders listserver, Pretend-l run by Jen Croft
(jiblet@his.com), by sending a message to: LISTPROC2@BGU.EDU with the
message: SUB PRETEND-L your name. There is also a Pretenders Web site,
run by Warner Bros. at: http://www.wbr.com/Pretenders and a fanzine
called Mystery Achievement edited by Carrie Lindsey at NoisyGrrl@aol.com.
For more information about the Pretenders, contact Joann D. Ball of
Hyndesight Productions at jball@ucsd.edu.
---
REVIEW: Ke', _I Am [ ]_ (RCA/Ventrue)
- Jon Steltenpohl
The voice is a warble that falters between falsetto and a whisper.
The head is a sullen stare with a short clipped crop and pointed eyebrows.
And the name remains a slight mystery. Only a promotional video clip reveals
Ke' as a man with a tortured soul. Like so many other skinny and abused
Euro-crooners, androgyny suits the monosyllabic Ke' very well, and it's a
shame that this album hasn't been promoted. Granted, radio stations have
shied away from the likes of Ke' for years, but with the advent of
"alternative" radio programming, I thought things might have changed.
So, who is Ke'? A first listen to "Strange World" recalls the mood
of Peter Murphy's "Deep" with a hint of The Smiths and Erasure. In a club, I
can just see the floor filling with black lace and pale make-up when the
first chords chime. The rest of the album follows with a little gothic, a
little pain, and a good dose of bouncy pop. "Don't Walk Away" and the
title track "I am [ ]" both borrow a few hints from Sade (in a good way),
and "Someday" slips in a few touches from Kate Bush.
And as the comparisons continue to bounce from Annie Lennox to Duran
Duran to Siouxsie, it's obvious Ke' wears his influences on his sleeve.
But, he is a good student, and this is a thoroughly enjoyable listen.
_I am [ ]_ is 80's euro-pop for the nineties without the K-tel, "hits of
the 80's" saccharin. The tunes are melodic, not too heavy, and should
find an audience with those who can't bear to hear those old worn-out
retro tunes anymore.
---
REVIEW: U-Ziq, _In Pine Effect_ (Astralwerks/Virgin)
- Martin Bate
The U is supposed to be the Greek symbol 'Mu' but Sun
Micro-systems didn't think to provide one of them on their keyboards.
Hence the name is Mu-Ziq.
_In Pine Effect_ is Michael Paradina's third album proper in
three years, not including two U-Ziq mini-albums and albums under the
guises of Tusken Raiders, Kid Spatula and Jake Slazenger. A very busy
young man. U-Ziq is electronica rather than techno. For the dance-floor
of your mind, Paradinas' primitive equipment lends a human rawness to his
sound and allows him to concentrate on the music. Pure, beautiful
melancholy floods out over the most distorted beats, in a style which soon
becomes the instantly recognisable U-Ziq trademark. Repetitive
soundscapes metamorphosise achingly, like sunrises or night-fall.
Already disowned by Paradinas as being 'old already' he moves so
fast, he seems happier with his _Jake Slazenger Makesaracket_ album of
cheasy-listening lounge techno and his soon-to-be-released collaboration
with old-pal Richard James AKA Aphex Twin which has left the lucky few
who have heard it speechless.
Track names write their own review. "Roy Castle" is an
affectionate trumpet melancholy which jitters and jumps like the
trumpet-playing childhood-TV presenter it remembers. "Within a Sound"
is childhood longing. "Funky Pipecleaner" is night descending on Tokyo
viewed from above, while "Iced Jem" feels like your down in the streets
amongst the dark chimes and stuttering snare. "Melancho" is John
Carpenter's "Halloween" hanging on a street-corner with a hat pulled down
low over it's eyes. And "Pine Effect" is a jaunty, toytown-soul thing.
That's the highlights. The rest is a little too often
down-at-heel, too *dark*, beside the shimmering hopeless beauty of the
best stuff on offer here. Paradinas seems to have a good feel for his own
work (unlike most other prolific artists, Prince being the perfect
example) and is first to admit that _In Pine Effect_ is a little
anti-climactic, merely a collection, with a 'here ya go - it's not a
masterpiece but I never expected it to be' vibe. It's not the perfect
example of why I reckon he's an artist that scholars might be studying as
a composer in the next century (almost anything else under the U-Ziq
banner *is*), but for its golden moments it still remains priceless.
For info on all things Paradinas check out the WWW site at
http:\\hyperreal.com/music/artists/mu_ziq
---
REVIEW: Bob Kindred, _Hidden Treasures_ (Milan) /
Parker Guy Lytton Trio, _Breaths and Heartbeats_
(Rastascan Records)
- Ali Sinclair
Two very different jazz/sax albums: Bob Kindred playing so smooth,
so soothing saxophone, the sound that washes over and around you
and wraps you in a smoky-silken atmosphere, the sounds of night
and nightclub dancing just before the band is ready to go home
and all that's left are a few drunks and a lone couple smooching
and the barman emptying the ashtrays and wiping up tears and spilt
drinks. Bob Kindred is certainly a Treasure, but not Hidden
any more; he has been compared and ranked alongside the greatest
jazz sax players, and this recording will do nothing to detract from
this reputation.
And then _Breaths and Heartbeats_;well jazz it might be, "free"
jazz, sax it might be, (? "free" sax???), but I'm afraid it's just
too clever for me, it goes in one ear and straight out the other
without pausing for breath... I just don't know how to start to listen
to it, and my ears don't understand how to hear it. I think I
need some education....
"Each piece begins with a tutti percussion breath before the
improvised heartbeat begins" says the press release. Hmmmm:
I just hear a collection of disjointed, jangling, clashing sounds.
It's not like a Bill Frisell improv., that's for sure.
Sorry, I think I'm going to have to study this one a little longer...
Maybe after I've listened to Bob Kindred just _once_ more... or
twice... or a hundred more times!
---
CONCERT REVIEW: The Cardigans, Huxley's, Berlin
- Tim Mohr
Returning to Berlin for their first concert in a proper venue, the
Cardigans stimulated a minor frenzy in musical circles, many of which overlap
when it comes to this Swedish band. Looking at the band work through the
opening number, you'd think it was the Who or Fugazi bobbing, kicking,
and jumping about. Close your eyes and the sound is utterly incongruous: silly
melodies based on a skipping guitar and a tiny organ.
After the opening two songs, Nina Persson addresses the sell-out
crowd for the first time: "We are the Cardigans. We are from Sweden. We are
not easy listening if that's what you were expecting."
As Henry Miller could help to explain about the tiny blonde
chanteuse, "Hers was the typical cold seductive charm of the Northern woman
in whom prudery and lasciviousness battle for supremacy." Except that the
battle rages largely in the audience for, though she seems without vulgarity
of her own, the audience is certainly affected by a deeply carnal star
presence. Impossibly earnest, cheeks highlighted with dimples, twirling one
arm in a spritely indie-dance, the singer bewitches the audience with
absolutely no effort, or rather - even more astonishing - while steadfastly
refusing to do so.
"This is an indie-pop song." The Cardigans run through one of their
brilliantly peppy tunes. "We're so indie that I hope you don't confuse us
with Oasis," says Persson with the first and only hint of irony displayed by
the band. The Cardigans sprinkle their big singles "Carnival," "Sick &
Tired," and "Hey! Get Out Of My Way" through the set, not bothering to save
them for the encore.
You keep expecting them to cover "Puff the Magic Dragon" but instead
they do Thin Lizzy and Ozzy. They turn in a medley of their own "Celia
Inside" and "The Boys Are Back in Town." Such whimsy delivered with utter
sincerity is rare.
The five Cardigans exit the stage amidst a lingering rasp of guitar
and bass that results from a minute of rock extremity tacked onto the end of
one of their infectious but harmless songs, but are beckoned back for two
encores. Taking the stage for the second encore, Nina Persson explains, "We
don't know any more songs. So we're going to borrow one from our good friends
Black Sabbath. It's called `Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' and it's *really*
serious."
---
REVIEW: Global House Culture: Volume 1 Mix by James Christian (Futuro)
- Daniel Kane
Global House Culture's first collection, a continuous combination of
house and techno music of 1.22 hours, is a credit to the talent of James
Christian, whose work has appeared on many other labels, including
Floorwax, Strictly Rhythm, Nervous, Emotive and Eightball.
Raised in Brooklyn and influenced by famous deejay Jellybean
Benitez, James is heard in clubs in the States, Italy, Germany and England.
With a collection of talent to work with in _Volume I_, James establishes
an order and a rhythm resembling an upbeat storyline.
The tribal chanting of Turntable Hype in "Music got me trancin' "
introduces the storyline. while House of Venus continues the mix, with the
boisterous "Gotta have it."
Wax simultaneously stabilizes and increases the tempo with "Sun Drums
(Nyonga Groove)," another tribal excursion with a dance quality vaguely
similar to Pete Burns' and the Dead or Alive band's 1985 "You Spin Me 'Round
(Like a Record)."
Black Scorpion, with the cymbals and the sound effects of a coiling
rattler perched and awaiting an opportunity to strike, continues the mix with
"1st Time." Heavy synthetic bass combines with alternative frequencies
on some of the other tracks, such as Penetration's "Rear Entry" and the
Ghetto Brothers' "Aragence". Beyond's smooth and symmetric "Opus,"
evokes images of a flight simulation and craft's ascension.
In summary, any enthusiast of dance and techno music is recommended to
become familiar with James Christian.
Track Listing: Intro, Turntable Hype - "Music got me trancin'", House of
Venus - "Gotta have it", Wax - "Sun Drums (Nyonga Groove)", Black
Scorpion - "1st Time", Beyond - "Sky's the Limit", Penetration - "Rear
Entry", Beyond - "Orange", Ghetto Brothers - "Aragence", Paradise 3001 -
"Tribatol", Beyond - "Opus", Time Warp - "Boa Hodo", Ghetto Brothers -
"Bass Manoeuvers", Black Scorpion - "Teknitron", Warp Factor 3 - "Jammin'
Soul", Paradise 3001 - "Fluffy"
---
REVIEW: The Revolvers, _Remember 9_ (unsigned)
- Linda Scott
Bands send along demo tapes to _Consumable_hoping for a review,
and a decent one at that. When a band sounds like The Revolvers, _Consumable_
is happy to oblige. Beginning with the first track, the listener sits up and
takes notice. _Remember 9_ showcases a professional band with good range,
well-crafted lyrics and melodies.
The Revolvers got together in 1993 and include William Bates,
previously of The Parlophones, handling lead vocals, guitar and songwriting.
Greg Spearman, also from The Parlophones, plays a scorching lead guitar.
Drummer Michael Morris handles the sticks and backing vocals. Bassist Les
Smith has a background in the Hilton Head (!) music scene and also worked with
the Byrds' Michael Clarke. The latest edition to the lineup is backing
vocalist Patti McCabe with musical theater experience. The Revolvers
state their influences as the Beatles, Tom Petty, Gin Blossoms and
Rembrandts. Their own music is billed as modern pop.
Heavy Beatles influence abounds on the demo tape with center
tracks especially demonstrating this. It's interesting that the first
track, "Suitable For Framing", is far more rock than pop. Similarly, the
final track, "Stairs Of Separation", has more of a rock feel. With two
rockers bookending the pop, the band shows its range. Special kudos to
William Bates' vocals. A clear, strong voice capable of handling pop or
rock with just the right delivery is a special talent. Another special
force is that blistering guitar work delivered by lead guitarist Greg
Spearman. His solos are a delight. These two can slide into the rock
arena anytime.
The Revolvers have been able to gain a following in the
southeastern U.S. as well as parts of Australia and France. At this
point they are handling their own musical careers. With their ability,
they deserve a chance at a record deal.
---
REVIEW: Rocketship, _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ (Slumberland)
- Tim Mohr
The organ-based, psychedelic easy-listening offered by Rocketship
sounds like a cross between Stereolab and the Boo Radleys - something very
unusual when it comes from California. Their eight song mini-album is very
well textured, balancing the organs and medieval synthesizers with girl/boy
vocal harmonies.
In a way, the Rocketship sound picks up where pre-Britpop music left
off, so-called shoe-gazing: dense songs with slowly developing bubbles of
melody that serenely float through the air and release splendid "oooo"s and
"la"s as they pop in slow motion. The addition of organs gives the music an
even more synthetic bliss that deepens it and differentiates it from less
successful attempts to follow in the footsteps of bands like Ride, My Bloody
Valentine, Lush, or the Boo Radleys.
Rocketship sound very sincere in their admiration for 60s
experimentalism and contemporary eccentricity. Adopting the same pastoral but
woozy melodic sense that the Boo Radleys did on _Wake Up Boo_, Rocketship add
some of the droning and weird noises that are associated with Stereolab's
work on _Switched On_ (volumes one and two) and _Peng!_.
It might be unfair to say that Rocketship are shamelessly imitating
these British bands, however, as the album was recorded before the release of
the Boo's last effort, and the similarities to Stereolab can easily be
accounted for by an extensive collection of and passion for early stereo-pop
and electronic experimental records. Besides, the aesthetic quality of _A
Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ is so well achieved the discussion is
immaterial.
The farfisa organs give _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ an
insistence that is frequently missing from projects fixated on low-impact 60s
sources. And to Rocketship's credit, they refrain from what seem to be
contrived attempts by Stereolab to actually annoy their listeners with
purposefully jagged, experimental edges or endless single-note droning.
Rocketship maintain tight control of their songs so that extended intros and
outros are disciplined and effective.
The consistent quality of this mini-album warrants the attention of a
fairly wide selection of listeners. While offering a similarly pleasing
atmosphere, _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ succeeds in its entirety
where Stereolab's collection of rarities (_Refried Ectoplasm: Switched On Vol
2_) and Comet Gain's debut album sometimes sputtered. People interested in
the above-mentioned shoe-gazers will like Rocketship. Fans of Velocity Girl
(America's premier shoe-gazers) will likewise enjoy _A Certain Smile, A
Certain Sadness_. And ambient enthusiasts with no objection to real
instruments might be interested to see Rocketship's use of the influences
(i.e. non-rock music of the 60s) that also helped shape the ambient scene.
---
REVIEW: Tim Sparks, _Guitar Bazaar_ (Acoustic Music Records)
- Ali Sinclair
This collection of pieces by acoustic guitar maestro Tim Sparks
has an Eastern flavor, with Balkan harmonies and rhythms,
Transylvanian touches (a Sparksified retelling of Bartok's
Rumanian Dances), Turkish dance rhythms, middle-eastern
scales and meters, Armenian motifs: all on a guitar!
"Sleeping Giant" beautifully blends flamenco with somewhere
further east, somewhere towards Afghanistan: it's my favourite
piece from this album. A gentle giant, this one.
A classy, expert and beautiful album, just the thing to test
the clarity and range of your new amp. And it might just
inspire you dig out your old guitar and start to play again..
but will you ever be _this_ good????
---
REVIEW: The Odds, _Good Weird Feeling_ (Sire)
- Daniel Kane
Looking for a listening experience conceived in Vancouver and tinged
with a touch of alternative rock?
Harking as a talent new to the States, the Odds is comprised of Steven
Drake (lead vocals, guitar), Craig Northey (lead vocals, guitar), Doug Elliot
(bass, backing vocals) and Pat Steward (drums). With eight years' experience
in the music business, The Odds debut with _Good Weird Feeling_.
_Good Weird Feeling_ is an interesting choice for a listen when
traveling in areas where air frequencies distort or for a new listening
experience. A few songs to listen for: "Truth Untold," with the "some
things are better left unsaid" idea; "Radios of Heaven," with excellent
instrumentation and performance, and "Leave It There," akin in style in
several respects to the early Van Halen style.
Having recently toured with Tragically Hip, the Odds show potential
with this debut. With lyrics ranging from really very involving to strictly
bubble-gum, _Good Weird Feeling_ heralds as a collectible first step in the
evolution of The Odds.
---
NEWS: > Canada's Blinker The Star has recently entered the studio to
record their A&M Records debut album. A tentative release date has been
scheduled for fall 1996.
> Consumer Online Services Conference Exhibition is being held in
New York City from February 26-28 in New York's Sheraton Hotel and Towers
at 52nd St. and 7th Avenue. The conference highlights online magazines
and newspapers.
In addition, Jupiter Communications will be holding an interactive
party on February 27 at the Supper Club (240 West 47th St) at 7:00 pm.
The $50 ticket allows people to meet many of the online trend-setters, to
play new simulation games, witness link-ups to other cyber-parties, and
watch bands Associated Digital Sound Research, The Most Sordid Pies and
Mach Five.
> One of the members of the New York punk scene, transsexual
Jayne County, recently performed a Valentine's Day concert in Los Angeles.
Seen in attendance at the concert were Angela Bowie (former wife of David),
Arthur Kane (of the New York Dolls), and founding member of Andy Warhol's
"house band" The Fast, Paul Zone.
> Martin Page will be appearing on ABC's Mike & Maty
show on Thursday, February 29. In addition, he'll be opening the
Easter Seal Telethon on Saturday, March 2 at 2:00 p.m. (EST) by
singing his hit "In The House of Stone and Light".
> Detailed, complete and up-to-date information on eveyr recording,
album and album tracks from the last 40 years of popular music - 500
million facts on rock'n'roll - has been compiled on the CD ROCKnROM.
With a price tag of $1500 (plus 3 updates), the disc is not
targetted towards casual commercial users but towards radio stations,
record companies and other industry insiders. For more information,
check out their Web site at http://www.rocknrom.com or call 1-800-747-0091
> British band Supergrass are going all out on the Internet
front on March 1. The band will be online chatting at 8:00 p.m. (all times
are Greenwich Mean Time), and will be in London performing live at 9:00 p.m.
The URL is at http://www.goodcleanfun.freud.co.uk/
There will be more information in the days leading up to the concert,
so check on the WWW site for more details. The technical information?
For people with CU seeMe reflector, further information will be released
from the Web site on March 1. RealAudio of the gig will be available
starting at 9:30 pm. They'll also be on IRC; more information will be
released from the Web site. And, there is a temporary Supergrass URL up
and running at at: http://netmare.southern.net/supergrass/
---
TOUR DATES
"Home Before Midnight" - Request Magazine's Free
Concert Series - Sam Goody in the Village, New York, NY (7 pm)
Feb. 27 - Wayne Kramer
Mar. 7 - Wrens (Mini-King opening)
AC/DC
Mar. 2 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Mar. 3 Rockford, IL Metro Center
Mar. 5 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
Mar. 7 Indianapolis, IN Market Square Arena
Mar. 8 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium
Mar. 9 Chicago, IL United Center
All Gods Children
Feb. 29 New York, NY McGoverns
Mar. 1 New Brunswick, NJ Court Tavern
Mar. 2 New York, NY Sidewalk Cafe
Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky
Mar. 1 Gainesville, FL Covered Dish
Mar. 2 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Mar. 4 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club
Mar. 5 Nashville, TN 328 Performance Hall
Mar. 6 Charleston, SC Music Farm
Mar. 7 Charlotte, NC Treemont Music Hall
Mar. 8 Chapel Hill, NC Cat's Cradle
Mar. 10 Virginia Beach, VA Abyss
Jackson Browne
Mar. 1 Oakland, CA Paramount Theatre
Mar. 2 Fresno, CA Warners Theatre
Mar. 3 Las Vegas, NV Joint
Mar. 5 Tucson, AZ Centennial Hall
Mar. 6 Mesa, AZ Mesa Amphitheatre
Mar. 7 Albuquerque, NM Kiva Auditorium
Mar. 9 Austin, TX Music Hall
Mar. 10 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
Brother Cane
Mar. 1 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theatre
Mar. 2 St. Louis, MO The Galaxy
Mar. 4 Columbia, MO The Blue Note
Mar. 5 Springfield, MO Juke Joint
Mar. 7 Kansas City, MO Guitars
Mar. 8 Davenport, IA Col Ballroom
Mar. 9 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Mar. 10 Lincoln, ME Royal Grove
Combine
Feb. 29 Philadelphia, PA JC Dobbs
Mar. 1 New York, NY NYC Skate
Mar. 2 New York, NY Westbeth Theatre
Cravin' Melon
Mar. 1 Murrell's Inlet, SC Sandpipers
Mar. 2 Raleigh, NC Lake Boone CC
Mar. 7 Clemson, SC Tigertown
Mar. 9 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's
Fleming & John
Mar. 1 Chattanooga, TN Sandbar
Mar. 2 Huntsville, AL Vapors
Mar. 7 Murfreesboro, TN Main Street
Mar. 8 Memphis, TN Newby's
Mar. 9 Little Rock, AR Juanita's
Gin Blossoms / Dead Hot Workshop / Refreshments
Mar. 1 Los Angeles, CA Viper Room
Mar. 2 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly
Mar. 4 San Jose, CA San Jose State
Mar. 5 Eugene, OR University of Oregon
Mar. 7 Tacoma, WA UPS Fieldhouse
Mar. 8 Vancouver, BC University of British Columbia
Mar. 9 Portland, OR La Luna
Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers
Mar. 1-2 Lake Tahoe, NY Caesar's Tahoe
Mar. 4 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air
Mar. 5 Vail, CO Dobson Arena
Mar. 6 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
Mar. 9 Chicago, IL Riviera
Mar. 10 Detroit, MI The State
Natalie Merchant
Mar. 1 Ames, IA Cy Stevens Auditorium
Mar. 2 Normal, IL Brayden Auditorium
Mar. 3 Davenport, IA Adler Theatre
Mar. 5 Madison, WI Civic Center
Mar. 7 Toronto, ON Music Hall
The Mother Hips
Mar. 1 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy Concert Theatre
Mar. 2 Ventura, CA Ventura Concert Theatre
Mr. Mirainga/Spacehog/God Lives Underwater
Feb. 27 Norfolk, VA The Baitshack
Feb. 28 Philadelphia, PA Theater of Living Arts
Mar. 1 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
Mar. 3 Pensacola, FL Seville Quarter
Mr. Mirainga/Ruth Ruth/God Lives Underwater
Mar. 4 Ft. Lauderdale, FL The Squeeze
Mar. 5 St. Petersburg, FL State Theater
Mar. 8 Baton Rouge, LA The Varsity
Mar. 9 Lafayette, LA Grant St. Music Hall
Mar. 10 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Mystery Machine
Mar. 1 New York, NY Coney Island High
Mar. 2 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass
Mar. 3 Baltimore, MD Eight By Ten
Mar. 4 Washington, DC 930 Club
Mar. 6 Atlanta, GA Point
Mike Peters
Mar. 1 Long Branch, NJ Metro
Mar. 3 Boston, MA Mama Kin
O-Matic
Mar. 1 Dayton, OH Canal Street Tavern
Mar. 8 Bloomington, IN Rhino's (W/Lazy)
Mar. 9 Nashville, TN Lucy's (W/Pansy Division And Supernova)
Plastic Mikey
Mar. 2 Aurora, IL Perfect Blend
Mar. 8 LaGrange, IL Grantstreet Coffee
Presidents of the United States of America / Love Jones
Mar. 1 Houston, TX Numbers
Mar. 2 Dallas, TX Deep Ellum Live
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Mar. 6 Chicago, IL United Center
Mar. 7 Auburn Hills, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
Reeltime
Mar. 2-3 Dallas, TX State Fairgrounds
Mar. 5 Houston, TX Mucky Duck
Mar. 6 Austin, TX Cactus Cafe
Mar. 8 Folsom, CA Folsom Community Clubhouse
Mar. 10 Fort Mason, CA Celtic Arts Festival
Ruby/Schtum
Mar. 1 Los Angeles, CA Dragonfly
Bob Seger / John Hiatt
Mar. 2 Providence, RI Civic Center
Sister Machine Gun / Gravity Kills
Mar. 4 Padre Island, TX Charlie's
Mar. 5 Austin, TX Ohms
Mar. 6 San Antonio, TX Players
Mar. 7 Houston, TX Millenium
Mar. 9 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air Pavillion - X96 Radio Show
Elliott Smith / The Softies
Mar. 1 Boston, MA Middle East
Mar. 2 West Chester, PA Rex's
Mar. 3 New York, NY Brownie's
Mar. 6 Columbus, OH Neal House
Mar. 7 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Mar. 8 Madison, WI Neighborhood House
Mar. 9 Duluth, MN Recycla Bell
Snow Karma
Feb. 27 Asbury Park, NJ The Saint
They Might Be Giants
Mar. 7 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Velvet Crush / Lustre
Mar. 1 New London, CT El-N-Gee
Mar. 2 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Mar. 5 State College, PA Crow Bar
Mar. 8 Norfolk, VA Baitshack
Mar. 9 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
Weston
Mar. 1 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Mar. 2 Amherst, MA University of Massachusetts
---
ERRATA: Issue #68 listed an erroneous WWW address for the official
Howard Jones site. The proper address is:
http://www.amug.orgt/~hojoinfo/index.html
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Thanks for the most recent issue of Consumable-it's always enjoyable.
I was wondering--how do the reviews get picked? I know of a great
band here in Michigan that has an independent CD out. What
are the criteria for discs to be reviewed in Consumable? - Anne H., Michigan
(Ed. Note: This is one of our most common questions. The simple
answer is 1) our writers must like it and 2) it must be available that other
people - the readers - could purchase it if they wanted. Because of
the international readership of Consumable (and limited space),
we'll report on bands with a national/international following - or
those which have potential to become one of those bands.
Most indie releases are not reviewed in Consumable. If we
get something that catches a writer's ear, we'll review it, but most
aren't so much better/different from the crowd to gather a review.)
---
To get back issues of Consumable, check out:
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ftp.etext.org in the directory /pub/Zines/Consumable
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Engleski Jezik/Music/Consumable or
Hrvastki Jezik/Glazbena Rubrika/Consumable
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http://www.westnet.com/consumable/Consumable.html
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Web access contributed by WestNet Internet Services (westnet.com),
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Address any written correspondence to Bob Gajarsky, Consumable Online,
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===
