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Consumable Online Issue 039
==== ISSUE 39 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [May 8, 1995]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Contributors: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,
Dan Enright, Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi,
David Landgren, Tim Mohr, Joe Silva, John Walker
Other Contributors: Scott Byron, Kelley Crowley, Nigel Harding, Tim
Hulsizer, Sean Eric McGill, Melissa Pellegrin,
P. Nina Ramos, Jamie Roberts, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair,
Jon Steltenpohl, Jorge Velez, Courtney Muir Wallner,
Scott Williams
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 |-.
`------------' |
`------------'
INTERVIEW: Radiohead's Phil Selway - Nigel Harding
REVIEW: Peter Gabriel, _Xplora1_ (CD-ROM) - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Oasis, "Some Might Say" (single) - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: The Orb - _Orbvs Terrarvm_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Guided by Voices - _Alien Lanes_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Smithereens, _Blown To Smithereens_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Basketball Diaries_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: American Music Club, _Hello Amsterdam_ EP - John Walker
CONCERT REVIEW: Rake's Progress - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos, _The Soul of Chant_
- Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: Bela Fleck, _Tales From The Acoustic Planet_ - Kelley Crowley
CONCERT REVIEW: Shudder To Think - Nina Ramos
REVIEW: Real McCoy, _Another Night_ - Bob Gajarsky
CONCERT REVIEW: Sweaty Nipples - P. Nina Ramos
NEWS: Manic Street Preachers, Morrissey, Oasis, (formerly) Prince
TOUR DATES: Melissa Etheridge / Joan Osborne, Flaming Lips / Archers of
Loaf / Beatnik Filmstars, Moby, Pavement
ERRATA
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues
---
INTERVIEW: Radiohead's Phil Selway
- Nigel Harding
Consumable was fortunate enough to recently catch up with Phil
Selway, drummer for Radiohead. What follows are excerpts from that
conversation.
Consumable: The songs on _The Bends_ were played live a year ago.
What took so long for the album?
Radiohead: We started last year off in rehearsals with a collection
of what we felt were really great songs, and we wanted to do them justice.
When we first went into the studio, things were a little stilted for us, we
were suffering from studio paralysis really. The only time we'd been in the
studio beforehand was when we did _Pablo Honey_ and that was for only
three weeks, so we still felt very uncomfortable. And we also had the
spectre of "Creep" hanging over us, so it was a time of coming to terms
with what we were about as a band and relaxing into studio again.
C: Were the recording session's traumatic? I've heard talk that the
band almost split. Was it ever as bad as that?
R: I think if you speak to anybody in any band, at some points when
things get particularly stressful, everybody toys with the idea of just
stomping out and being a big drama queen about everything. But I don't think
we ever seriously contemplated splitting the band.
C:The band spoke last year about their excitement at the prospect of
working with producer John Leckie (Stone Roses, Verve, Ride). What was
It like working with him?
R: It was really good working with John. He's worked on an awful lot
of our favourite albums. He's very good at bridging the gap between being
a producer and a very good engineer. He comes to you with very much a
hands off approach. He just focuses the ideas that are coming out of
the band and once you actually get the five of us throwing those ideas
off against each other, that is very exciting. John was very good in
showing us in how to use the studio in different ways and how to get the
best out of our material.
C: Does having three guitarists provide any conflict within the band
in terms of song writing?
R: Definitely having three guitarists means that each one spurs the
other on but, with all of us, it's a band attitude that we'll do what's best
for the song. We don't try to put forward any lead figures as such. I think
if anything it makes the three of them come up with some very interesting
arrangements. It also opens up far more scope in terms of what you do as
a 'guitar band'.
C: The album has received overwhelmingly good reviews in the UK music
press. Did you surprise yourselves with the quality of the album or did you
always know this was in you?
R: Oh blimey, how do I answer that without sounding really arrogant?!
We've always known we've had good quality material. I think at points we've
suffered from a lack of confidence in terms of whether we could make the
most of it. It was quite frustrating with _Pablo Honey_, in as much as a
lot of very good songs on there - admittedly songs that we didn't do
brilliant justice to when we were recording them - became overshadowed by
"Creep", so we wanted to produce this album where everything would be of
a consistent quality. We feel that most of the songs off _The Bends_
could actually be singles.
C: Do you regret "Creep" being such a big hit so soon?
R: No, not at all. It brought the band to the notice of far more
people than we could have possibly hoped for on that first album which
hopefully, now that we have a good album to back it up with, will leave
us in a stronger position at this stage. At points it did become very
frustrating because we didn't have the background for people when "Creep"
came out, so inevitably people were going to pick up on us as a
'one-hit-band'.
C: In much of the music press, Radiohead has been described as the
'New U2'. Does this annoy the band?
R: It's lazy journalism isn't it? They'll always try to pigeonhole
you somewhere and nobody has ever been particularly successful with us. If,
by comparing us to U2, they mean that U2 created their own identity,
hopefully that's what people are recognizing in us.
C: Do you enjoy touring or are you daunted by the prospect of a long
roadtrip ahead supporting the new album?
R: No, we're really excited about it at the moment. We've had bad
touring experiences because towards the end of _Pablo Honey_ we were still
playing the same songs that we'd recorded two years previously. So it
was almost like being held in a time warp. For us, it's exciting going
out and pushing a new record.
C: Is the band eager to build on the momentum of _The Bends_ and start
recording more new material?
R: What we hope to do this year, when we have time off, is to go into
the studio and start working on material for the third album. We've about
twenty songs there, ready to go. We're quite a prolific band in terms of
song writing and so we just like to keep people informed of the progress
of the band.
C: Are there plans to tour the U.S. soon?
R: Yes, at the end of May we come over and tour throughout June and
then we're off to Japan for a fortnight, and then we come back at the
beginning of July and tour for another month over here.
---
REVIEW: Peter Gabriel, _Xplora1_ (IBM CD-ROM)
- Sean Eric McGill
Peter Gabriel seems to be one of the obvious choices when it
comes to artists who have crossed into the realm of interactive CD-ROM's.
His history of experimentation in his music lends well to the medium, and
there are certain parts of _Xplora1_ which certainly show that. But (and
this isn't a bad "but") perhaps the only fault of _Xplora1_ is that
Gabriel has tried to make a CD-ROM which encompassed every area of his
artistic range.
Now, let me say that there is nothing on this disk which isn't
entertaining. From the interactive tour of the WOMAD Festival to the
"it-isn't-really-a-game-but-looks-like-one" search for various objects
which allow you passage into other areas of the disk (like backstage at
the Grammy Awards), you have the oppourtunity to "Xplore,
Xperiment, Xperience" many different areas of Gabriel's work.
There is a tour of his Real World studios that features chances
to watch some of the original recording sessions of the _Us_ album, and a
chance to remix "Digging In the Dirt". You can also check out the entire
Real World Music Catalog, and hear excerpts from each of the artists.
Of course, there is a section which deals with Gabriel's life,
from an interactive (albeit on a small scale) scrapbook, to a passport
which morphs from Gabriel as a child to a skull and all points in
between. It's in this area of the disk where you can also take a look at
many of his side projects, including his involvement with Amnesty
International and the Witness Project. There is also a complete
discography of his solo works, and excerpts from each, but here is where
my problems with the disc begin.
Mainly, the word Genesis is never mentioned. For the two of you
who don't know, Gabriel began his career with Genesis before embarking on
a solo career in the early seventies. This part of his past is totally
ignored, and while both Gabriel and Genesis will say that the best thing
that happened to the both of them was his leaving the band, it is in this
area that you could see the beginnings of the experimentation he has
since become famous for.
The remixing part of the disk suprised me, as well. After Todd
Rundgren's "TR-I", you would expect Gabriel to offer you a chance to remix a
variety of songs, but you only get "Digging In the Dirt", in which you can
only manipulate the basic tracks themselves, not the tempo, etc. of the song.
_Xplora1_ certainly has faults, but for the most part, it is a
pleasnat journey through the works of one of the most creative artists
working in the field of music today. Odds are that Gabriel will venture
into this realm again in the future, and will probably fare
better...first impressions are always the hardest ones to make.
The file takes up about eleven megs of hard drive space,
so be prepared. Also, the Macintosh version may contain differences from
the one reviewed here.
---
REVIEW: Oasis, "Some Might Say" (single) (Creation - Europe)
- Tim Kennedy
The new single by Oasis, their first of 1995, is a continuation of
their record as masters of the craft of producing great singles. It contains
four very contrasting cuts.
"Some Might Say" kicks off with a similar riff to "Cigarettes", then
launches into a sparkling soaring guitar classic. It is a combination of a
great pure pop melody and brutal guitar raunch which really hooks you after
a couple of listens.
"Talk Tonight" recalls 60s West Coast, being a spaced-out acoustic
ballad with slightly psychedelic lyrics. It's a little like "Whatever"
without the strings arrangement. There is usually an acoustic number with
Noel singing on each Oasis single but this track really shows how Noel has
matured as a songwriter under the spotlight. It is possible to compare
him now to people like Tim Buckley in terms of his 'solo' material.
"Acquiesce" is a guitar stormer with lyrics which are an affirmation
of the Gallagher brothers' solidarity. Their relationship is
problematic because Noel refuses to allow Liam or the rest to
write Oasis material. Liam has frequently said that he wants to
write for the band; in fact, he is collaborating with other bands.
However Liam is a huge fan of his brother and has no problems singing
his material despite his frustration. The take starts rather uncertainly
with studio backchat and halting guitar intros, as was the wont of
Zeppelin - giving an insight into the spontaneous moment of creation.
"Headshrinker" is speeding punk combined with elements of the Stones
and an interesting lyric which is hard to make out but appears to
tell a story. This track definitely gives an impression not dissimilar to
Manchester's premier 70s punk exponents Slaughter & The Dogs, its naked
punk assault tempered by a canny grasp of blues and rock 'n' roll.
Oasis continues to master the art of producing perfect singles.
---
REVIEW: The Orb - _Orbvs Terrarvm_ (Island)
- Joe Silva
Across the now vast ambient sea, Dr Alex Paterson in his guise as
Orb Commander, continually buoys along the surface. To the
mainstream he is undoubtedly the ruling personage, vaguely
challenged in notoriety now and again by that Moby guy. But to the
faithful, he's just one jewel in the trance/dance crown - yet to do
much, if any, wrong in his cosmic warblings.
Since the almost comic proposition of their double live album and
his invite to Mudstock, he and former sidekick Thrash (recently
departed to groove on solo) issued forth the odd and oddly
received mini-LP _Pomme Fritz_. For the length and breadth of
that project, Alex and Co. seemed to deconstruct the rules, disavow
all the standard approaches, and then stand back to mull over the
outcome. Since _Orbvs_ is more kin to _Fritz_ than either of his
other hookier and structured predecessors, he apparently liked what
he surveyed.
The rift that has kept Alex at a rudimentary distance from the
pack, has always been the playful elements he electronically fuses
into his soundscapes. His ability to stare down the morbidly serious,
rave savvy purists (who'd rather ritualize their product than
remember that the genesis for all this was essentially party music to
begin with) is paramount. So _Fritz_ came off as just an
obliquely weird side of Alex; something the equivalent of a sonic
aside. But while he's hasn't reached the level of others who
sequence out substance for an endless looping sample of some lost
Mayan Yak pipe they've come across at a yard sale, _Orbvs_ is a
structurally dispersed as anything bleating out from the NPR New
Age specialty show's playlist. He ambles from his familiar dub laced
pathways to places of almost total anonymity and back again.
Tracks like "White River Junction" contain some of his now
signature sounds and tangible direction, but the longish
"Occidental" doesn't have much terrarvm to stand on. _Slug Dub_
is the classic riddim-bent Orb stuff of _U.F. Orb_, but until the
moment in Oxbow Lakes (or is it Montagne D'or? They melt into
one another in any case) when the short lived percussive assault
rains down on the listener, the notion that might have once
anchored the track have somewhat dissolved into the ether.
Whether Alex is in mode transient is hard to say because you can
never extract much commentary from his wispy presence to latch
onto his aim anyway. This record may simply be the flux point
though where Alex readies his listeners to leave his ultraworld for
another plane, with new aural perspectives and more of _Orbvs_'s
distinctive wavelength to lift heels in that blissful direction.
---
REVIEW: Guided by Voices - _Alien Lanes_ (Matador)
- Joe Silva
I had only a minor aural clue about what I was getting into
here from a twenty second or so radio snippet I caught of "King
and Caroline", track 19 of 28, on the latest Guided By Voices release,
_Alien Lanes_. After hearing all of the lopsided intent on _Crooked Rain,
Crooked Rain_, I strayed from most bands that drew any Pavement
comparisons. So, I had no business allowing my curiosity to veer
towards _Alien Lanes_. For those who marveled (like myself) at
genuine low-fi fare like Pavement's "Cut Your Hair" eventually
wound up on The Tonight Show, will be stunned at all the acclaim
being allotted to GBV's no-fi stance. From the kickoff of "A Salty
Salute" and onwards the Voices pitch these tunes in a demo quality
wrapper, despite the fact that someone (a "Mr. Japan" to be
exact...) does gets production credit here. Initially, one spin of this
going in the background, made me feel Sebadoh had all over again,
but a more focused playing eradicated all that...or a good part of
that anyway. Sure, things go beyond being frayed sound-wise, but
there are so many gems here, it's a factor largely worth ignoring.
I'm not sure why there are five people pictured on the jacket (I pick
out 3 instruments at best on most tracks...), but Robert Pollard and
company pull off a bent but nonetheless pure pop effort. Nothing
seems to venture very far past the three minute mark, and that's that
becomes the most frustrating element on _Lanes_. Tunes like
"Watch Me Jumpstart" and "As We Go Up We Go Down" just get
to loping along when they fall off a musical cliff, disappearing
unfinished, and with not even so much as an aftertaste to remind
you of what went on. It's like a taped diary of fantastic notions that
you pass along to someone in your band to build on. It prompts you
to wonder how much collective material there is time wise on the
recently released box set that looks back across all their
previous records. But while they last, songs like "Game of Pricks"
sound like lost Byrds sessions, full of shimmering, tuneful moments
that resonate with British invasion pop melodies and voicings. Trust
me, I checked. There are some valid underground moments, not
grunge-ridden, but free-form and unencumbered by any traditional
structure like a set of lyrics that Mark E. Smith might pen for a Fall
record. I can only hope that live, this stuff blossoms and they play
with it a bit. Already perched as one to be knocked from the year
end Top Ten heap.
---
REVIEW: Smithereens, _Blown To Smithereens_ (Capitol)
- Bob Gajarsky
After nearly 15 years of recording albums, the Smithereens have
finally released their first compilation album, _Blown To Smithereens_.
Take a trip with the Smithereens to the rock and roll of the 1960's
without ever feeling old - _Blown_ does just that, veering the listener
down the long and winding musical road and capturing lost pieces of the
Beatles and the Who that Messrs. McCartney, Lennon, Daltrey and Townshend
have long sought after in their solo careers.
But, for those who aren't familiar with the Smithereens - they're
not a 60's revival act. Instead, they take the concept originating thirty
years ago - rock and roll, guitars, in three minutes - and bring a
distinctly modern feel to it.
The opening guitar chords of their classic "Blood and Roses"
generates the same reaction from their fans as the opening to Nirvana's
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" does to your younger high school brother, while
a song like "Yesterday Girl" is the song that "Little Bit of Soul" should
have been. Each track is unique, but eminently hummable and appealing to
the palate. A cover of the Outsiders "Time Won't Let Me", which appeared in
the motion picture Timecop, closes out the collection and brings the listener
up to date on the Smithereens path.
The only missing piece of this puzzle is the omission of "White
Castle Blues", a bonus track on _Especially For You_, and one of the band's
earliest works. In their homage to the hamburger chain frequented
by drunk college fraternities in the early morning hours, the band show
that even the topic of Rat Burgers, can catch an eager music fan's ears.
That's just a fan's minor gripe. The liner notes excel in
providing a history of the band without nitpicking (we don't need to
know how often the band blow their collective noses), and the track
selection is thorough and excellent. An outstanding compilation.
Track listing: Beauty and Sadness, Strangers When We Meet, Blood
And Roses, In A Lonely Place, Behind The Wall of Sleep, Only A Memory,
House We Used To Live In, Drown In My Own Tears, A Girl Like You, Blue
Period, Blues Before & After, Yesterday Girl, Top of the Pops, Too Much
Passion, Miles From Nowhere, Time Won't Let Me
---
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Basketball Diaries_ (Island)
- Joe Silva
Long after he'd graduated and won a Pulitzer for the _The
Basketball Diaries_, I actually shared the same plush hallways of
our mutual high school with Jim Carroll for a moment. Or maybe
half a moment. What I saw between classes and half asleep on a
bench was a gaunt, pale, carrot topped fellow wearing a long wool
overcoat moving silently along the carpeting. The girl sitting next to
me on the bench, sat up and yelled "My God! It's David Bowie!!"
Carroll smiled and went past us silently. Later we learned who he
actually was (the Man Who Fell To Earth resemblance was
phenomenal at the time...), and that he often visited his old Latin
teacher, one of the few people he was endeared to during his
turbulent adolescence. But nevertheless, we were all levelled.
Carroll was at the zenith of his popularity then - a celebrated
author, with a hit single on FM radio, and an appearance on
Saturday Night Live in his back pocket. Instantly all other noteworthy
alumni, including some guy named McEnroe, paled in comparison.
But aside from the anecdotal fluff, it's 15 years later and Carroll's
only now getting his second wind. MTV trotted him out for one of
their spoken word affairs, the _Diaries_ are finally seeing screen
time, and the soundtrack from said film will probably revive some
of Carroll's lost airplay, particularly since his big radio moment is
incidentally included.
There a few hints of late that Carroll may have forged something
of an affinity with the Seattle set. One his MTV-read poems was an
ode to Kurt Cobain, and both Soundgarden and Pearl Jam crop up
on this soundtrack (with Carroll diggin up his "Catholic Boy" while
singing with the latter). There are a few voiceovers by Carroll here
as well with haunting instrumental backing provided by Graeme
Revell. And haunting is the raison d'platter in general, swinging
from the Doors' still evocative "Riders On The Storm", to the newly
evocative "Down By The Water" by one Miss PJ Harvey. The
producers even managed to get the Posies to contriubte an
excellent and moody (!!) piece to sandwich in among the other
tracks. What's weird here is the shuffling rap of Rocker's HiFi's
"What A Life." Suitably groovin' material as it is, I wonder how it
might mesh with a 70's tale about anglo kids from the tri-state area.
Flea, The Cult, and Green Apple Quick Step also add suitable
flavour to the blend. Anchored by what probably is a fairly rough,
urban coming of age tale, the selections here all come off as more
than fitting inclusions. Look around for Massive Interal
Complications (who add "Strawberry Wine" here) to possibly make
a small stir. Not a smiley, happy compilation by any means, but
Island took the path of no filler to make this thoroughly enjoyable.
---
REVIEW: American Music Club, _Hello Amsterdam_ EP (Reprise)
- John Walker
This EP from American Music Club arrives somewhat unexpectedly, what
with group leader Mark Eitzel publicly pondering the band's forthcoming
demise in recent interviews. An opening slot for Suede was blown out a
couple months back, followed by rumours of a break-up which may have
been started by Eitzel himself, followed by denials and more breakup
rumours. Who are these guys, the Cult?
Notwithstanding the almost normally abnormal state of relations
within the group, AMC remains one fine band. This EP reprises
two tracks from the last full-length album, _San Francisco_, along
with some outtakes.
The single "Hello Amsterdam" is a satiric look at the mythological
American Tourist cruising for kicks in a land which is considerably less
morally restrictive than his own, all the while maintaining a superior
attitude. "We came from from America / so you could share in the pride
/ guilt, greed and genocide" sings Eitzel, who clearly believes
patriotism to be the last refuge of a scoundrel. The music itself
belies the actual message of the lyric - rocking, upbeat pop for now people.
The other _San Francisco_ track, "The Thorn In My Side Is Gone,"
is an "alternate take," and this arrangement is even more stark and
downright spooky than the album version. Eitzel is at his most
desolate and impassioned here, repeating the line "I swear you could
see me / if you could open your eyes" in the mantra-like manner
reminiscent of a man on his way to the electric chair--like all the best AMC.
Levity is to be found in spades, however, in "The President's Test
For Physical Fitness," a first person narrative where Eitzel and ace
AMC guitarist Vudi meet "a major American rock star / in a shop" and
are "immediately jealous of his hair / and his fuel injected / sports
cock." The guessing game is on as Eitzel throws out line after line
of clues as to this macho bonehead's identity: David Lee Roth?
(there's a line about the guy's toupee). Finally, oblivious to the
ambivalence which Eitzel and Vudi exhibit towards the rock "profession,"
the constantly sniffing, coked-up pseudo-stud advises the emaciated duo that
they look as if they "need a workout." This one's worth the price of the EP
for any true AMC fan.
Elsewhere, Eitzel transforms the standard show tune "On A Clear
Day You Can See Forever" into a deeply bluesy lament, staring into the
void rather than the sky. "I Just Took Two Sleeping Pills And Now
I'm Like A Bridegroom At The Altar" (Eitzel is a graduate of the
Arthur Lee School of Concise Song Titles) is almost formula AMC, yet
still catchy as hell, and "Elbow Deep" hangs on a thick, rolling
bassline that recall's Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up." Overall, not
strictly essential, but still a must for the AMC completist. Here's
hoping there's still a future for this band.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Rake's Progress, Irving Plaza (New York City)
April 21, 1995
- Bob Gajarsky
The Rake's Progress, New York's answer to the question "Where
has the good rock and roll gone?", returned home to their roots recently
to headline a triple bill including the groups Sons of Elvis and Too
Much Joy.
Effortlessly sliding through a set comprised mainly of original
songs, they played most of the songs from the debut E.P. _Cheese Food
Prostitute, while injecting their unique blend of punk, grass roots pop
and fundamentally based rock and roll into every tune.
Los Angeles' influential modern rock station, KROQ, recently added
the Rake's "I'll Talk My Way Out of This One" into their rotation, which
should give an idea of the buzz that this five man band is creating around
the country.
For fans of the Rake's Progress who want to get on the band's
electronic mailing list, they are on Internet. The e-mail address is
rakenroll@aol.com and, between now and the release of their Almo Records
debut (_Altitude_, in July), expect to see the Rake's own World Wide
Web site come to fruition.
--- REVIEW: The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos,
_The Soul of Chant_ (Milan)
- Ali Sinclair
If I were to say that this CD is simply beautiful, would you believe
me?
Gregorian chant - the sacred words of the Christian scripture, the
official music of the Catholic church, the words Latin, the melody simple and
singular - has existed for centuries. There are many recordings of different
chants available, particularly from the Eastern European countries like
Bulgaria. So what makes this recording, this choir of monks, so special?
_The Soul of Chant_ is a recording by the original choir of Santo
Dominigo de Silos - the choir of Benedictine Monks that was formed in the
early 1900's to sing authentic Gregorian chant. Originally sung centuries ago,
the chants were recorded between 1956 and 1962, and has been digitally
remastered for this release.
The singing is light, innocent, beautiful. Listening to it, you are
transported to the peace of a sun-warmed, stone-built monastery, where nothing
is hurried, nothing is rushed, all is faith and all is God. God in his/her
most innocent, gentle state. The voices are the echoes of childhood faith,
like grown-up choirboys: there is none of the more serious, growling bass of
the Bulgarian chant: this is love for God and for Good, with none of the Fear.
I put this CD on my player, and it was as if all the stupid worries
and stresses of the modern world had just faded away. My town apartment
was transformed into a cloister. The passing traffic was a flock of birds.
The surrounding buildings, a herb garden tended my gentle hands. I became
ashamed of my hurly-burly, couldn't-care-less, not-a-minute-to-think
modern life. What has happened to our soul?
The CD contains five chants, or masses, each intended for a different
part of the church cycle. "Mass II: Fons Bonitatis", the Kyrie in particular,
is moving in the extreme. "Soul-inspiring" is probably an apt description
for this recording. It's simple. And just completely beautiful.
If you don't believe me, listen to it for yourself.
---
REVIEW: Bela Fleck, _Tales From The Acoustic Planet_ (Warner)
- Kelley Crowley
The hardest working man on the banjo, Bela Fleck, has given the lovers
of jazz banjo bluegrass another reason to smile. Fleck's latest offering for
the discriminating ear is _Tales From The Acoustic Planet_. This solo project
has given Fleck the opportunity to work with a variety of musicians from a
variety of musical backgrounds. From Chick Corea and Branford Marsalis to
Bruce Hornsby and Edgar Meyer the record is a power combination of talents.
In the liner notes Fleck claims that these songs are from his own
private stash over the last 20 years and some he has saved because he liked
them too much to record until the Acoustic Planet sessions.
"First Light" is a touching and soothing track featuring Edgar Meyer on
acoustic bass and Paul McCandless on the oboe. The scene of early morning
tranquillity with the oboe is remarkable.
"Backwoods Galaxy" is the first time Marsalis and Corea have ever
played together and the chemistry is obvious. The Flecktones cover the rhythm
and Marsalis and Corea do the rest.
Fleck says, "Chick Corea stunned me when he agreed to play on this
album. When I told Bruce (Hornsby) that Chick was gonna play Bruce said,
"You'd better start practicing now."
The real beauty of the project is that these talented musicians
played live together with no overdubs. The spontaneity of _Acoustic Planet_ is
inspiring. The musicians learned all the music together in one room. When
the song came together the moment was recorded for our enjoyment. _Tales
From The Acoustic Planet_ could be Fleck's best work to date. Listen to some
of Fleck's other recordings like _UFO TOFU_ and _Flight of the Cosmic Hippo_
and compare them.
Don't miss Fleck on the _Acoustic Planet_ world tour since many of
these amazing musicians will be joining him on most dates. If you want to
keep up to date on-line with Bela's work, check via e-mail at
Flecktone@aol.com or in the newsgroup alt.music.bela-fleck.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Shudder To Think (Mercury Lounge,
New York City)
- Nina Ramos
The Mercury is a small club off east Houston, just a
few steps from CBGB's. The nice thing about venues in places
like this is that you get to actually see the band as well
as listen to them. This is precisely why this show was
perfect. The place was packed to the max. I had to push and
shove to make it to the side of the stage. They immediately
went into a song from their new release _Pony Express Record_.
The only way to describe their sound is to say they are
somewhere in between the hard edge of hard core and `70's
power pop. There's a tragic melody to Craig's voice.
Combined with the in your face riffs from Nathan Larson's
guitar there's no telling what's around the curb. It was
only about 45 to 50 minutes later when the show ended. Too soon,
unfortunately, for me - I could have listened to them all night
long. These are the kind of concerts that make you realize
just how one hour of music can make you feel totally invigorated.
---
REVIEW: Real McCoy, _Another Night_ (Arista)
- Bob Gajarsky
A combination of grooves destined to drive you out to your local
club's dancefloors and melodies that will keep you humming for weeks are
the focal points to the first American release by the German trio, Real
McCoy.
The first single and megahit, the title track "Another Night",
zoomed to the upper echelons of the charts all around the globe. Sounding
a bit like the Swedish pop band Roxette with a dance beat, the song entrenched
German group into dance floors everywhere.
_Another Night_ runs amazingly deep for a dance album - whereas
many artists produce albums with one or two catchy songs, and ten tracks
of filler, Real McCoy's American debut puts together 10 solid songs
along with two remixes of "Another Night". A cover of Val Young's "If
You Should Ever Be Lonely" remains faithful to the mid 80's tune while
updating it slightly for the 1990's dancefloors. "Run Away", the second
single from the collection, already catapulted to the top 5 of the
American charts, and "Sleeping With An Angel" and "Automatic Lover"
both have the ingredients to follow suit.
For those who bought Culture Beat's latest album, _Serenity_, or
like European dance/pop, Real McCoy is the real deal.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Sweaty Nipples (Megaforce)
- P. Nina Ramos
Portland, Oregon's Sweaty Nipples, (the band, stupid!) are
on tour to support their latest release on Megaforce, _Bug Harvest_.
Without having heard the record came feelings of anticipation.
It stood to reason that since Megaforce put out their cd it
had to be at least decent, and disappointment was not expected.
Disappointment was the furthest thing I got. What great energy! I
was completely blown away by the strong coherence this six piece band had.
There was so much going on stage. A combination of amazing guitars
combined with pent-up energy, with two drummers knocked me off my feet!
As a matter of fact, the entire band all alternated instruments as needed
through each song, literally shifting from one end to the next without
losing a beat.
The sound was reminiscent of early Butthole Surfers, but more to the
point. They sported a speaker with a Kiss mask painted on and one of them
even had the belt to match. Other comparisons point to bands like the Red
Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More and Mr. Bungle - which is appropriate, as
one of the drummers, Hans Wagner, was in Mr. Bungle. Sweaty Nipples may be
reminiscent of a few West Coast rockers, but they carry a spark I haven't
seen in a band for a while.
---
NEWS:
Due to the disappearance of Manic Street Preachers guitarist
Richey Manic (nee James), the American release of their third album,
_The Holy Bible_, has been indefinitely postponed from a July date.
The new Morrissey album, _Southpaw Grammar_, is slated
to be issued on July 11. Produced by Steve Lilywhite, the track listing
is: "The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils" (an eleven minute song),
"Reader Meet Author", "The Boy Racer", "The Operation", "Dagenham Dave",
"Do Your Best And Don't Worry", "Best Friend on The Payroll" and "Southpaw".
No single has currently been selected from these tracks. He will be touring
in the summer and fall, although dates have not been confirmed.
Oasis will return to the studio in May to begin recording the
followup to their smash debut, _Definitely Maybe_. The sophomore
album is expected to be released worldwide in fall of 1995. In the
meantime, the single "Some Might Say" debuted at #1 in the U.K.
(see review elsewhere in this issue), and the band is rumoured to be
releasing a non-U.S. album which would compile their B-sides on
one release.
In addition, drummer Tony McCaroll has officially left the
band. His replacement, 22 year old Alan White from South East London, made
his first appearance with the band on the May 4 edition of Britain's "Top of
The Pops".
The Artist Formerly Known as Prince has entered into a licensing
agreement with Warner Brothers Records for the distribution of _Exodus_
on his new independent label, NPG Records. _Exodus_ is due to hit the
streets at the end of June.
---
TOUR DATES
Melissa Etheridge / Joan Osborne
May 8 Portland, OR Portland Memorial Col.
May 9 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
May 10 Vancouver, Canada Pacific National Exh.Col.
May 12 Sacramento, CA Cal Expo Amphitheatre
May 13 Mt. View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
May 14 Laguna Hills, CA Irvine Meadows
May 16 West Hollywood, CA Lunapark
May 18 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Hotel
May 19 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Hotel
May 21 Denver, CO Fiddler's Green Amph.
May 22 Salt Lake City, UT Huntsman Center
May 31 Phoenix, AZ American West Arena
Flaming Lips / Archers of Loaf / Beatnik Filmstars
May 8 Portland, OR La Luna
May 10 Palo Alto, CA The Edge
May 11 Sacramento, CA The Creat Theatre
May 12 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
May 15 Fresno, CA Cal State University
May 16 Ventura, CA Ventura Theatre
May 17 Las Vegas, NV Huntridge Theatre
May 18 Los Angeles, CA The Palace
May 19 San Diego, CA SOMA
May 20 Tempe, AZ Electric Ballroom
Moby
May 19 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
May 20 Chapel Hill, NC Cat's Cradle
May 22 New York, NY Irving Plaza
May 23 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
May 24 Washington, DC Black Cat
May 25 Boston, MA Axis
May 30 Toronto, CA Phoenix Concert Hall
May 31 Pittsburgh,PA Metropol
June 1 Cleveland, OH Peabody's
June 2 Chicago, IL Cabaret Metro
June 3 Detroit, MI St. Andrew's Hall
June 5 Minneapolis, MN First Ave
June 6 Milwaukee, WI Shank Hall
June 7 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
June 13 Houston, TX Numbers
June 15 Dallas, TX Lizard Lounge
June 17 Tempe, AZ Electric Ballroom
June 20 San Francisco, CA Trocadero
Pavement
May 9 Asheville, NC Be Here Now
May 10 Charleston, SC Music Farm
May 11 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
May 12 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
May 13 Norfolk, VA The Boathouse
May 14 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
May 15 Providence, RI Lupo's
May 16 New York, NY The Academy
May 18 Pittsburgh, PA Graffiti
May 19 Cleveland, OH Agora
May 24 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
May 25 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
May 26 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
June 1 Boise, ID Neurolux
June 3 Vancouver, WA Commodore Ballroom
June 4 Portland, OR La Luna
---
ERRATA: In last week's Consumable, the Spinners were incorrectly
cited as the artists for "I'll Take You There" - in actuality, it was
the Staple Singers.
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Thanks for posting that Martin Page interview. Very interesting.
I've become a big fan. It was amazing how quickly and completely I came to
appreciate the entire _House Of Stone and Light_ album. Do you have any
news about a tour? - Peter A.
A: At the current time, Martin is not touring. However, there are
plans for him to tour later in 1995.
---
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