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Consumable Online Issue 064
==== ISSUE 64 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [December 13, 1995]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,
Dan Enright, Reto Koradi, David Landgren,
Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason
Cahill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia,
Sean Eric McGill, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott,
Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner,
Britain Woodman
Also Contributing: Maisha Marsh, Jen Sansbury
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: O+->, _The Gold Experience_ - Jon Steltenpohl
TELEVISION CONCERT REVIEW: Bruce Hornsby - Bob Gajarsky
CONCERT REVIEW: Hagfish/Sick Of It All/Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Jason Cahill
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Strange Days_- Dan Birchall & Maisha Marsh
CONCERT REVIEW: Letters to Cleo - Flood Zone, Richmond VA - Stephen Lin
REVIEW: Poi Dog Pondering, _Pomegranate_ - Jen Sansbury
REVIEW: 311, _311_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Supersuckers, _Sacrilicious_ - Martin Bate
REVIEW: Peter Finger, _Between The Lines_ - Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: Prophets of Da City, _Universal Souljaz_ - Martin Bate
REVIEW: Skylab, _ Skylab #1_ - Daniel Kane
REVIEW: Thurman, _Lux_ -Tim Mohr
NEWS: CLE Magazine, Depeche Mode, Robert Forster (Go Betweens),
Minimal, Music Videos
TOUR DATES: AC/DC, Neal Casal, Lisa Cerbone, Cravin' Melon, Cypress
Hill, Mary Ann Farley, Phish, Poi Dog Pondering, Urchins
ERRATA
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: O+->, _The Gold Experience_ (Warner Bros./NPG)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Prince is back. Sure, his name is now O+->, but the music he's putting
out is pure Prince. After a big battle with Warner Bros. and all kinds of
rumors about the demise of Paisley Park, _The Gold Experience_ has finally
been released a year or two behind schedule. After tons of speculation and
previews on distorted bootlegs, fans can finally celebrate because O+-> has
picked up where Prince left off with _Lovesexy_ way back in 1988.
Everything that made Prince an incredible force in the 80's shines
through on _The Gold Experience_. "Endorphinmachine" is a straight-up, guitar
drenched romp that ends with a "Let's Go Crazy" flair. Wendy and Lisa's
influence during the _Parade_ and _Around the World in a Day_ era is
recalled in the sparse, exquisite song called "Shy", and then there's "319"
which sounds like "Darling Nikki" meets "Housequake". "319" is a nasty
little piece of funk about a pornographic picture shoot in a motel room.
O+-> even dives into his pre-_Purple Rain_ days for "Billy Jack Bitch", and
treats us to the early keyboard sound that made his first few albums so
distinctive.
_The Gold Experience_ ups the ante from the classic Prince by
capitalizing on the promise of _Diamonds and Pearls_ and _O+->_. For those
who couldn't get enough of "Sexy MF" or "Gett Off", "Now" is a funky-dope,
dance track that works you up into a slamming, screaming frenzy by the last
beat. O+->'s NPG Records single, "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World", is
included and represents the best of O+->'s ballads. "Shhh" is an
incredibly sexy slow song which lets his younger contemporaries know who's
in charge. With any luck, these ballads signal the end of an era dominated
by insipid tracks like "Money Don't Matter Tonight" and "Morning Papers".
The first single from _The Gold Experience_, a soul ballad called
"(eye) Hate U", adds a little dementia to the album in the spirit of "If I Was
Your Girlfriend" when O+-> takes his protagonist to the courtroom of love.
Unfortunately, most of the courtroom naughtiness is edited out of the radio
version, and the cliche'd "(eye) love U because (eye) hate U, (eye) hate U
because (eye) love U" theme is pretty weak when left by itself.
The selection of the radio singles from _The Gold Experience_ has left
this incredible comeback album virtually ignored. "Dolphin" and "The Gold
Experience" are the only two other tracks I've heard on the radio, and they
represent, along with "(eye) Hate U", the weakest songs on the album. Both
"Dolphin" and "The Gold Experience" are typical of O+->'s "good" twin, and
their esoteric spirituality and fluffy orchestrations can be vaguely catchy
but do little to excite the eardrums.
The truth is that, while the singles may be weak, the other nine songs
on this album are 100% pure Prince. They are funky, freaky, and phenomenal in
the way that only the old Prince could have delivered, and _The Gold
Experience_ sounds like the album that should have followed _Sign O' the
Times_ or _Lovesexy_. In getting rid of his name, the artist formerly
known as Prince sounds more like his old self than ever. Those fans who
lost faith in the past few years can finally rejoice... Prince is back.
---
TELEVISION CONCERT REVIEW: Bruce Hornsby
(Upcoming PBS Special, "In The Spotlight")
- Bob Gajarsky
For ten + years, when mentioning pop piano players, the only
names present were Elton John and Billy Joel. As many readers know,
in the late 1980's, Bruce Hornsby added his name to that list. An
upcoming PBS Special, "In The Spotlight", shines the light on this
talented performer.
Fresh on the release of his recent _Hot House_ album, this
special splits time between Hornsby's "solo" (with his traditional backing
band) performances and surprise guests adding their talents.
One of the first guests on the show was Gregory Hines, who
tap danced his way through part of "Talk of the Town". Hines was the
only non-musical guest; Don Henley came out to sing the song he and
Hornsby co-wrote, "The End of the Innocence", with Bruce taking over
the lead vocals on the final verse of the smash.
Hornsby's duet with Bob Weir on "Jack Straw", which previously
appeared on the _Deadicated_ tribute album, stirred up the Grateful
Dead fans in the front row. This performance makes one wonder - if
the remaining members of the Dead decide to perform live (for a benefit
concert), would they ask Bruce Hornsby to sit in and take some of
Jerry Garcia's vocals? Hornsby already has played with the band
for 1 1/2 years during one of their tours, and "Spider Fingers" (which
also appears on this show) was the nickname bestowed upon him from the band.
The exclusion of "The Way It Is", Hornsby's #1 song which first
brought him national acclaim, is probably for the better; this evening was
focused on free-form jazz and expressing the different avenues and vehicles
which Hornsby's music can utilize - whether through his co-writing partners or
just the fellow musicians whom he respects and who respect him.
Although most live shows lose a great deal of the power and impact
when broadcast via television, Hornsby's remains strong and intimate. Taped
at a special October filming in New York City, this is one showing that viewers
will want to mark on their calendars.
This concert will be broadcast throughout most of the country in 1996.
However, it will be appearing sometime in December on PBS' "In The Spotlight"
music series in New York, Washington (DC), Orlando, Indianapolis, Kansas City,
Salt Lake City, Grand Rapids and Portland, Oregon. In addition, parts of the
concert will be shown on VH1's "Duets" series. Bruce is currently
finishing up his European tour and will return to the States in early 1996
for more of his _Hot House_ tour.
TRACK LISTING: Spider Fingers; Talk of the Town (with Gregory
Hines); The End of the Innocence (with Don Henley); Walk In The Sun
(with David Hollister & Levi Little of Blackstreet); White Wheeled
Limousine (with Pat Metheny); Mandolin Rain; Jack Straw (with Bob
Weir); Rainbow's Cadillac (with Bonnie Raitt); The Valley Road; Fields
of Gray; Cruise Control
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Hagfish/Sick Of It All/Mighty Mighty Bosstones,
Roseland, New York City
- Jason Cahill
For at least one night in November, punk was alive and well
and seeping from every speaker into the eager ears of the youthful
masses scattered throughout the Roseland Ballroom. By evening's
end, the crowd, a large majority of which had come solely to
hear the Bosstones, bore witness to a concert which highlighted
both the sublime and the ridiculous elements of the current state
of punk music.
Hagfish opened the show and set the fever pitch pace for the
rest of the night, ripping through selections from their impressive
release, _Hagfish...Rocks Your Lame Ass_. The power punk
quartet seem to follow the current trend of punk bands who refuse
to take themselves too seriously, thus avoiding any activity which
might serve to diminish the irony and wit which is so apparent in
their songs. With a sound which might draw comparisons to both
Down By Law and Civ, Hagfish solidly sped through a brilliant, yet
all too brief set of pure, unfiltered and infectious material, including
both "Stamp" and "Bullet", two standout tracks from their current
effort.
After a short break, the hardcore punk band Sick Of It All
took the stage to promote its latest effort, _Blood, Sweat And No
Tears_. Whereas Hagfish seemed to represent the recent onslaught
of incisive, cutting and witty punk bands which have come to
symbolize the most current stage in the evolution of punk music, it
quickly became most apparent that Sick Of It All took its cue from
many of its monotonous and all too abrasive predecessors. Selections
like "Pushed Too Far", "World Full Of Hate" and "No Cure" were
packed with impressive energy, yet were not much more than
angry diatribes which lacked any degree of maturity or wit.
Hardcore punk is inconsequential if it is nothing but an outpouring
of anger minus the insight and humor which makes it relevant.
Fortunately, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the most eagerly
anticipated band of the night also happened to be the finest, treating
their fans to a variety of selections which spanned the band's entire
catalog of music. The Bosstones' trademark of gruff vocals over a
ska rhythm with punk guitars interjected throughout had never
sounded better, the nine piece unit was tight and on the mark from
start to finish. Highlights included "Where Did You Go?", fresh
from the film _Clueless_, "Someday I Suppose", a selection from their
1993 album _Don't Know How To Party_ and "Kinder Words" from
their latest release _Question The Answers_. To their credit, the Mighty
Mighty Bosstones have brilliantly created a new and inventive twist to
the standard punk music sound, showcased impressively at the Roseland
Ballroom in midtown Manhattan.
---
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Strange Days_ (Lightstorm/Epic)
- Dan Birchall & Maisha Marsh
Much like the movie, the _Strange Days_ soundtrack propels listeners
through a weird, apocalyptic alternate reality. Featuring a diverse mix of
artists and styles, the collection should have something for almost every
listener.
Naturally, on such a broad-ranging compilation, it's difficult
to label one track as the best, but a good pick for standout song is Strange
Fruit's "No White Clouds." Spoken-word verses of beat poetry over jazz
instruments build the illusion of a cozy coffee shop, which is promptly
torn down by choruses screamed over crunchy guitar chords. Imagine
King Missile and Courtney Love appearing in Dot's Poetry Corner
on "Animaniacs!" and you've got the idea - refreshing even to jaded
alternative-rock fans.
Also exemplary, if not conciliatory, is "Here We Come," a sermon of
vengeance on the upper class by Me Phi Me and Jeriko One. If you're angry
at members of the white upper class, you'll relate to this song. Of
course, if you happen to be a member of the upper class, or have recently
been beaten by people who mistook you for one, it's very unsettling.
Our other favorites include the title track, a delightfully gothic
cover of the Doors' "Strange Days" delivered by Prong with assistance
from sixties relic Ray Manzarek. With a swirling organ, crunchy guitars
and growling vocals, this song has appeal for everyone from flower
children to metalheads. At the other end of the musical spectrum, Kate
Gibson's near-lullaby "Dance Me To The End Of Love" is well-done, and
ideal for a slow dance at the end of a hard night. The most anticipated
piece on the album, "While The Earth Sleeps," is also a winner. Featuring
Deep Forest's world-music rhythms and the distinctive - if unintelligible -
vocals of Peter Gabriel, it is upbeat and enjoyable.
Deep Forest's other track, "Coral Lounge," features a bass line so
overused in dance music that somebody must be collecting some serious
royalty money by now. Joining it on our unremarkable list are "The Real
Thing," a dance-trance synth piece by the Lords of Acid, "Overcome" by
Tricky, and "Walk in Freedom" by Lenny Kravitz wanna-be Satchel. Skunk
Anansie's two hard-rock tracks, "Selling Jesus" and "Feed," also fall short
of exceptional, except in volume.
Of the two remaining tracks, Lori Carson and Graeme Revell's "Fall
in the Light" is slightly more poppy than "Dance Me," with simple music
and breathy vocals, but still good. "Hardly Wait," sung by actress Juliette
Lewis, is an interesting experiment, and for those who can hardly wait to
find out whether she can sing, we're not exactly sure. Her voice is
distinctive, but between verses she sometimes sounds pained. Musically,
though, this is a very easy song to listen to, with guitar work reminiscent of
Pearl Jam.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Letters to Cleo - Flood Zone, Richmond VA
- Stephen Lin
According to front-woman Kay Hanley, "anybody on stage has a certain
amount of sex appeal, just because they're up there, even if they're
completely ordinary." Not to say that Ms. Hanley was completely ordinary,
but sex appeal was virtually leaking out of her body while on stage. Rarely
does a single performance alter the viewer's perception as greatly as Letters
to Cleo's performance at the Floodzone.
I'm generally a happy person with somewhat dark tastes in music:
Nine Inch Nails, the Cure, Portishead, and Bauhaus. However, the self
proclaimed "goofy, smiley, happy loser pop band" became my absolute favorite
band of the year as they displayed an array of songs from both the slightly
somber _Aurora Gory Alice_ and the upbeat _Wholesale Meats and Fish_. It
seemed that the same sort of frenzy over took most of the crowd as they
danced nonchalantly through the night.
The Cleos opened the show with the hard rocking first track off of
_Wholesale_, "Demon Rock." The crowd instantly proved very receptive to the
song as well as the stage presence of the ever-lovable Kay Hanley. Her
enthusiastic and at times sultry body movements on stage helped bolster the
strength of each ensuing song. Any remaining stigma tied to Melrose Place
and monster hit "Here & Now" was instantly forgotten. The quality of sound
and skill easily matched, if not surpassed, that of the studio recorded albums.
At times, the band needed to rearrange some of their songs for live
performance. For instance, "Acid Jed" has an incredibly melodic and
memorable organ part which was instead replaced by fierce lead guitar. In
addition, the acoustic and skeletal original version of "Step Back" was
replaced by a full-band, electric version of the song. These changes made
the songs no less effective. More so, the differences kept the audience
from falling into a lull of expectancy as well as displayed the band's
actual ability to perform live.
The body of the show lasted 13 songs consisting mostly of material
off the then newly released _Wholesale Meats and Fish_. In contrast the
four-song encore contained "I See," "Step Back," and "Rimshak" off of
_Aurora_. The surprise performance of the encore was a version of Dillon
Fence's "Living Room Scene." The difference between Dillon Fence's Greg
Humphrey's voice and that of Kay Hanley's virtually transformed the song's
appeal from pure emotion to sex appeal while leaving the substance of the
song essentially unchanged.
It may be true that everyone on stage has a degree of sex appeal;
but few can match the personality and presence of Kay Hanley and Letters to
Cleo.
---
REVIEW: Poi Dog Pondering, _Pomegranate_ (Pomegranate Records /
Bar/None Records)
- Jen Sansbury
The skeptics lose: there's finally a new Poi Dog Pondering album.
No longer dormant to the world outside of Chicago, Poi's first
recording foray in three years produced a somber, sobering reflection on the
curveballs life has thrown in the direction of band leader Frank Orrall.
Orrall, the man who once portrayed the "Happy-Go-Lucky Guy" in the
movie Slacker, exposes his vulnerability and rejoices in his strength on the
dark, yet life-affirming _Pomegranate_.
The album opens up with a short instrumental piece that could have come
straight off of the Palm Fabric Orchestra CD, _Vague Gropings in the Slip
Stream_ (the instrumental Poi album released on Carrot Top Records in early
'94). It leads straight into the title song, "Pomegranate," more of a PFO
song with lyrics. In fact, the words are almost distracting, but they offer
the first insight into Orrall's new mindset: "Time is a bastard. It won't
let me patch things up."
"Catacombs," a chillingly beautiful song for anyone who's ever lost
anyone, is timeless Poi. It flies in the face of anyone who dares suggest
the current incarnation of the band bears no resemblance to former ones.
Orrall weaves his words around Susan Voelz' haunting midnight violin
sounds, and when the trumpet joins in it's nearly enough to make skin
prickle.
True to its name, there's a little too much going on in "Complicated,"
which, nevertheless, may be the best Poi song ever. It's an invigorating
tune, both physically and emotionally: "Sorrow is an angel that comes to
you in blue light and shows you what is wrong just to see if you'll set it
right. And I fucked up so many times in my life, that I want to get it
right this time." Fundamentally, it's the quintessential, toe-tapping,
arm-swinging Poi song, but there are too many sounds in the mix. This is
the first indication on the album that this is NOT the same old Poi Dog
Pondering. This is the Poi that's about to cross over to (gulp) the DANCE
genre.
That's right. It's a little funky. It's a lot dancy and not in your
standard moving-around-the-floor kind of way. Some might call _Pomegranate_ a
soul album. In fact, Poi now has three soulful backup singers -- a woman
and two men -- including the vocally astounding Robert Cornelius. Aside
from Orrall, Voelz and multi-instrumentalist Dave Max Crawford are the only
mainstays and the newer members of the revamped band are seriously
redefining the Poi sound.
_Pomegranate_ continues with a fair mix of heavy, groove-laden tracks
and the simpler, straight-forward songs that have been characteristic of Poi
for nearly a decade. Orrall's no-holds-barred sexual imagery captivates the
senses. After all, as he sings on "Diamonds and Buttermilk," "Man must make
a beast of himself if he is ever to be truly free."
"God's Gallipoli," named after a WWI battle in Italy, is Frank's
bittersweet spoken-wordish tribute to his significant other. Brigid Murphy,
a saxophonist with the band, has battled cancer of the lymph nodes, which
may just be the single most influential emotional factor behind
Pomegranate. "Cancer took the spring from my lover and gave us forever
autumn," but Orrall's "back in the ring now with eye held just high enough
to see the prize; head bent forward and hip into wind as always."
As a matter of fact, with the band's first full-length release NOT to
be on a major label, Orrall proves that he'll do whatever the hell he wants,
even if the odds seem to be stacked against him.
---
REVIEW: 311, _311_ (Capricorn)
- Jon Steltenpohl
1994's _Grassroots_ put them on the map as a must have funk/rap/punk
outfit, but 311 decided to travel the galaxy for this year's self titled
album. "Gray" alien icons and diagrams of the moon landing are displayed
prominently on the cover, and inside, planets dot the landscape along with
a Chili Pepper-esque picture of the band with alien eye make-up on.
Fortunately, the space theme is pretty much left out of the album itself.
"Random" starts to wax philosophical about space aliens, but then it
thankfully turns into a lesson on love and playlists.
The new album zigs and zags through many turns that keep your head
pumping and your speakers thumping. First of all, the band is expanding their
simple funk and rap. Although "Down" starts out the album with the same
old 311, there is a new spirit in 311 right up until when the last track,
"T & P Combo", blasts out the funk with fury, dynamics, change-ups, and
melody. The songwriting has definitely improved, and the band is doing
better with the slower songs. "Sweet" is a psychedelic and sad ballad
about a disillusioned friend, and "Don't Stay Home" is a melodic wake up
call to the hopeless hermits of the world.
Lyrically, 311 is taking on deeper topics than how dope their rhymes
are. "Guns (are for pussies)" lays out just what its title proclaims. Later,
they take aim at violence against women. "If you hurt her again, I'll fuck
you up, fuck you up" is the rap tag of "DLMD". Both "Guns (are for
pussies)" and "DLMD" flow better than your average "crusade" song because
they don't preach. Nicholas Hexum and Count SA write lyrics that read like
true stories of pain and anger, and it's the honesty that makes their
emotions stick.
Like _Grassroots_, the new 311 album touches heavily on drug use. On
some songs, it sounds as is the band has really cleaned up. In "Misdirected
Hostility", they slam some other band for being heroin addicts and then say
"I speak from experience/because I didn't see clearly once/acting like a
dunce/In 1989 I was cocaine and Jim Bean/but now it's '95 and I'm ginseng."
But don't think that Nancy Reagan has gotten to the band. They're only on
a spirituality trip that is geared to calmer, less addicting drugs. Two
songs later, "Loco" turns up the funky rhythms and proceeds to explain how
to "trip the 'shrooms fantastic".
With their new self-titled album, 311 seems to have finally defined
the 311 experience. It's not a big leap from _Grassroots_, but it is in the
right direction. They've gotten out of the "sounds like Rage" or "sounds
like the Peppers" umbrella and matured to a sound with more melody and more
variety.
---
REVIEW: Supersuckers, _Sacrilicious_ (Sub Pop)
- Martin Bate
With cowboy hats askew, corny horned-devil hand signs aloft and
tongue wedged firmly in cheek, the Supersuckers are back to dirty up the
streets.
Last year's pheonomenal second album by the band, _La Mano
Carnuda_ saw them honing their speedy punk'n'roll to 28 minutes of
dynamite that put them right up there with the mighty Rocket From The
Crypt in the fucked-up rock'n'roll stakes. But the new Sacrilicious sound
of the Supersuckers is, well...a little ordinary.
"Bad Bad Bad" kicks open the starting gates in an infectious,
riotous rock'n'roll style, wiping the floor with the likes of Green Day's
skinny asses. "19th Most Powerful Woman in Rock" is equal parts Chuck
Berry and Motorhead (ie., immense!). And "Money Into Sin" is AC/DC touched
by the hand of the Ramones. But elsewhere, _Sacrilicious_ sees the
'Suckers take their foot of the gas leaving the infectious melodies
without the adrenalin rush and a handful of too-obvious choruses. On
this outing the Supersuckers sound like a bar band, where before they
sounded like a bar fight.
The worst offenders are "Bad Dog" which drags its tail
lethargically (hey puns? I got 'em!) and the ill-advised moment where
new guitarist and punk veteran, Rick Sims, takes over on vocals on "Run
Like a Motherfucker" and succeeds in making them sound
like yesteryear glam boys LA Guns. Oh dear.
But the day is saved by the boys expanding their sound on the
last two songs, with "My Victim" the big show-stopper complete with Vegas
horns, and the slow gospel-tinged blues of "Don't Go Blue" seeing the
Supersuckers sprint the final straight.
An average album by a superb band. You can do without this, but
go out and buy _La Mano Carnuda_ and a gig-ticket right NOW!
---
REVIEW: Peter Finger, _Between The Lines_ (Acoustic Music, Europe)
- Ali Sinclair
In the middle of a mediocre week with mediocre skies and weather, this
disc arrived like sunshine bursting through a leaden-grey autumn sky: like a
fountain in a desert, like birdsong at midnight. Acoustic steelstring guitar,
played solo, Finger-style... and among the best I've heard. Musical
classification? Difficult... remember "Flight of the Bumble Bee"? Mix its
drive and energy with that of the best jazz and rock guitarists, and a touch
of latin Europe and the middle east, and you might have an idea of what
_Between the Lines_ sounds like--but better to listen to the music itself,
and make up your own mind. Fingerstyle, Peter Finger-style, that's what
it is.
Each track, from first to last, is beautifully executed. Spellbinding-
how does he play that fast? how does he play that cleanly? where did that
tune come from? - and fascinating. Peter's CD offers a "guitar book with
music and tablatures" for _Between the Lines_. But I suspect that the book
does not supply the hours-and-years of playing, and compulsion to play, nor
the inspiration behind the music.
Sometimes I wonder if there is a Secret Guitarists' Club somewhere,
where all these great-but-little-known musicians hang out and are recognised.
Like another dimension to this world, this everyday world of commercial radio
and mass-media marketing, where the mediocre are praised and lauded.
Another dimension that occasionally forgets itself and gives us a glimpse
of what music truly is and can be. I am just thankful that it does -
that sometimes, the clouds roll back, and we see the sunshine beyond.
The title track is stunning, "Dialogue at Daybreak" is birdsong
captured in the strings of a guitar while "Pictures" for some unknown reason
made me think of a tranquil middle-Europa forest, and a cuckoo clock; why, I
don't know--the picture was painted. And yours will be your very own.
_Between The Lines_ is distributed by Rough Trade and was recorded at
Acoustic Music Studios. For further information contact Acoustic Music
Records, Postfach 1945, 49009, Osnabruck, Germany.
(Telephone +49 541-70205, Fax +49 541-708667).
---
REVIEW: Prophets of Da City, _Universal Souljaz_ (Beggars Banquet)
- Martin Bate
Comin' straight out of Azania (That's' South Africa' to the
settlers) come Prophets of Da City with a devastating mix of old-skool
meets new-school rhythyms and enough tongue-twisting rhymes to keep your
head in a spin until 1996.
Live, the Prophets are something else, with rapper/DJ Ready D,
and his cohorts Ishmael and Ramone battling for stage space with 3
break-dancers and poppers who are an integral part of the band and the
closest most post-Public-Enemy rap fans will have got to the adrenaline
rush of '84, where the hip-hop culture first began to make real waves in
the mainstream.
Prophets of Da City have been far removed from the rest of the
world until now and are distinctly on their own tip, assimilating
traditional Azanian sounds (the first person to mention Paul Simon gets
smacked!) and the distinctive South African accent into their favourite
elemnts of US hip-hop.
Their scope is impressive, taking in a little of everything from
the past 15 years of hip-hop, although if you had to narrow it down to
one major influence it would be the militant abrasive funk/soul of P.E's
_It Takes a Nation of Millions..._. The fact that the band have lived all
their lives through South African apartheid (which makes the African-
American experience look a little slight in comparison) suggets the
Prophets should have enough ire to make most US hip-hop acts sound like
House of Pain, but not so. There's an air of celebration about the
Prophets - nowhere better summed up than in "Neva Again"'s opening line
of "EXCELLENT! FINALLY A BLACK PRESIDENT!" - that's infectious and
invigorating.
Songs? You'll be checking out the likes of "Wild Stylz" where
the 3 rappers go through as many styles and flows as you can imagine in
4 minutes without ever losing the song, with Ramone in particular
demonstrating an erratic, staccato flow that would shame 95% of American
rappers. Partners in crime Ishmael and Ready D have equally distinctive
styles with Ishmael switching between a pure Stevie Wonder soar and a
gruff ragga flow and Ready D tearing it up in a more traditional, though
no less impressive, gangsta style.
The only real problem with _Universal Souljaz_ is that with such a
wide ranging scope over the 18 tracks offered some can't help but miss
the mark. Still, better to fall a little flat by over-reaching enthusiasm
than by sitting on your backside too scared to try. If I was *really*
nit-picking I'd mention the fact that a little lack of definition in the
vocal production makes some of the more complicated rhyming a little
unclear. But then Ramone is obviously on another planet, so we can
clearly forgive them.
America should be listening to the likes of "Universal Souljaz"
with its off-kilter drums, the traditional South African flavour of
"Bushtekniks" and "DJ Explode Vs Hit Pop", and the welcome return of
frantic turntable skills on the 100% electro "Planet Cape Town" and
alternately rejoicing and getting just a little worried.
---
REVIEW: Skylab, _ Skylab #1_ (Astralwerks)
- Daniel Kane
Skylab's first collective presentation to the music business, _#1_,
takes the listener on a ride of sound effects characterized by chaotic
order: Programming was minimized in favor of an open aesthetic of
experimentations, intuition, precision, conclusion and spontaneity. The
members of Skylab] discovered a mutual love for all things funky, groovy,
beautiful, bizarre and psychedelic. Thus in early 1994, the Skylab project
was born.
Matt Ducasse, Howie B, Tosh and Kudo -- collectively Skylab --
have created an impressive first work, primarily because of the truly ordered
chaos. _Skylab #1_ is a collection of various sound effects and
experimentation, a dreamlike sequence with a general flow and distinctive
quality.
Though the consensus that the music could be classifiable as trip-hop
exists, Matt Ducasse suggests that #1 is experimental and not necessarily
classifiable. In a 1994 interview with The Face, he said, "People are already
labelling us trip hop, just because we mix ambience and drum beats, but the
album is more of an exploration of sound. Sometime we just sat around
banging tin cans or bits of rubbish.
"River of Bass" is something you would expect to hear as the suspense
segment of a science fiction film circa the eighties, an exploratory journey
into a new dimension. The slow, systematic rhythm of "Seashell" mixes
interestingly with the vocals to reinforce Ducasse's statement of
unclassifiability.
Like night and day, one further hears "Depart," the ultimate
techno-cowboy blues lament, then "Next," a serene contribution to the
collection, analagous as the concept of surrealism is to art: distinctive and
integral. Similarly, "Electric Blue" tends to evoke images of a mystical,
barren and windy landscape.
_Skylab #1_ is an eclectic walk through an ethereal environment.
---
REVIEW: Thurman, _Lux_ (Righteous - European Import)
-Tim Mohr
Thurman is a new English trio whose debut is full of catchy songs.
This is no surprise, however, as the band has an amoral approach to
songwriting: better to steal from the best than write mediocre originals.
Which would be fair enough if they wanted to record a set of covers, but
instead they cough up a post-modern stew of regurgitated but undigested
morsels of past pop meals.
Almost every song echoes another: "Loaded" is "Children of the
Revolution," "Now I'm a Man" is _Double Fantasy_-era John Lennon, "Clowns"
veers from the opening of the Kinks' "Sunny Afternoon" through the Beach Boys
and into Bowie. "Cheap Holiday" threatens to be Tears For Fears' "Seeds of
Love" but turns out to be a Blur song.
Some might say that such appropriation can be justified by a number
of factors: the post-modernist flair for excusing plagiarism, or the
overwhelming nature of pop-consciousness, or the legacy of the British
Invasion (Beat) bands' rise to prominence playing American R&B.
And it's true that many of the direct rip-offs on _Lux_ may be
unfamiliar to contemporary listeners, as the songs of Jimmy Reed were when
the Rolling Stones covered them. But early Stones, Beatles, Animals, or
Yardbirds albums are littered with writing credits for the original artists -
every song on _Lux_ is said to have been written by Thurman. Even the songs
that don't pull a specific song title from your memory are clearly meant to
sound like the various stars of current Britpop.
Put it this way: in 1966 the Knickerbockers' "Lies" was a good song,
a hit, and its still fun to listen to. But the Knickerbockers will never be
remembered as more than a Beatles rip-off band - aiming for success not with
a musical vision but with cold calculation (even if based on genuine
admiration). If Thurman is remembered, it will be in exactly such a light.
With a modicum of justice, thurman actually will be remembered as "the
Knickerbockers of the 90s": a definition that, like a Thurman song, has no
inherent significance or content because it rests entirely on a reference to
something else, lacking substance in itself.
---
NEWS > The music magazine focusing on Cleveland, appropriately enough
titled CLE, has returned to record shops after a 14 (!) year hiatus.
The newest issue, numbered 3X, covers news and interviews with many of the
alternative bands breaking out of Cleveland. The feature on the history of
Pere Ubu, with a time line and family tree of not only this band but many
other Cleveland bands, is enough for fans outside of the Ohio city to want to
purchase a copy.
The 32 page issue costs $11 and also includes a free 65 minute
compact disc full of Cleveland's best music. If not available at your
local record shop, CLE can be contacted at Box 16613, Cleveland, OH 44116
and also via e-mail at ab563@cleveland.freenet.edu
> Reader Ernest Millan reports, from the Mute Internet
site (at mutelibtech.com), that contrary to rumors of a breakup
following the loss of keyboardist and drummer Alan Wilder,
Depeche Mode are currently working on new material. Remaining members
Martin Gore, David Gahan, and Andy Fletcher are working with
producer Tim Simmons (Bomb the Bass), and Doug Wimbish (Living
Colour, Tackhead) contributed on one of the new songs.
> Robert Forster, formerly of the Go-Betweens, will be having
a live chat on the Internet at 23:00 hour GMT on December 19th.
The URL of the chat will be http://www.thehub.com.au/~forster
It will be up at least about a week before the event, and will have info
on how to participate, and also some stuff about Robert's current doings.
> Minimal, New York's Thursday night party, is having
two upcoming events: December 14 is the 2nd Instinct Records nights,
featuring Dietrich (Prototype 909), Terre Thaemlitz and Rye and a live
show from Jim Tenor (Warp Records). December 21 is Sonicnet's
Christmas blowout, with the activities filmed live for direct transmission
on the Internet. Minimal is located at 81 Avenue A (between 5th and
6th St.) at 10pm. Admission is $6.
> Full length music videos have finally come on the Internet
at NAMS International's World Wide Web site. Selections available
include Queen's "Somebody To Love", 2 versions of Beautiful People's
"If 60's Were 90's" featuring Jimi Hendrix vocal and guitar samples and
Michael Quatro's "The Ocean Song".
Users can access and download the videos as promotional
shareware at no charge from NAMS WWW site, but be prepared to let
your modem do a lot of work; the average video, at 28,800 modem speeds,
takes 30-40 minutes to download. The WWW site is located at
http://www.mw3.com/nams/ while ftp users can connect to mw3.com in
the pub/nams/video directory.
---
TOUR DATES
AC/DC
Jan. 12 Greensboro, NC Coliseum
Jan. 13 Charlotte, NC Coliseum
Jan. 15 Columbia, SC Carolina Coliseum
Neal Casal
Dec. 21 Norfolk, VA Poorboy's
Dec. 23 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Lisa Cerbone
Dec 30 Arlington, VA IOTA
Cravin' Melon
Dec. 22 Greenville, SC Characters
Dec. 30 Charlotte, NC Amos
Dec. 31 Raleigh, NC The Ritz
Jan. 11 Greenwood, SC Greenwood Civic Center
Jan. 12 Charleston, SC Music Farm
Jan. 13 Greensboro, NC Blind Tiger
Cypress Hill
Dec 20 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Dec 21 Los Angeles, CA House Of Blues
Dec 22 San Diego, CA Belly Up Tavern
Mary Ann Farley
Jan. 6 Hackettstown, NJ Greene Beans Cafe
Phish
Dec. 30-31 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Poi Dog Pondering
Dec. 13 Los Angeles, CA Troubador
Dec. 14 Scottsdale, AZ Rockin Horse
Dec. 16 Dallas, TX Trees
Dec. 31 Chicago, IL Riviera
Urchins
Dec. 22 New Brunswick, NJ Court Tavern (with Wake Oolo)
Jan. 5 New York, NY Red Room
Jan. 12 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's (with Noiseaddicts)
Vinyl Devotion
Dec. 15 San Francisco, CA Edinburgh Castle
---
ERRATA: In the December 4 issue, we conducted an interview with Eskimo;
unfortunately, the spelling on one of the members' names was incorrect.
The proper spelling is John Shiurba.
---
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===
