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Consumable Online Issue 089
==== ISSUE 89 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [October 14, 1996]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, 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,
Paul Grzelak, Janet Herman, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer,
Stephen Jackson, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia, Stephen Lin,
Bob Mackin, Al Muzer, P. Nina Ramos, Linda
Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney
Muir Wallner
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Also Contributing: Carol Hamer
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@email.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Pearl Jam, _No Code_ - Scott Byron
REVIEW: Tool, _Aenema_ - Sean Eric McGill
INTERVIEW: Fountains of Wayne - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _That Thing You Do!_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Crash Test Dummies, _A Worm's Life_ - Reto Koradi
REVIEW: They Might Be Giants, _Factory Showroom_ - Carol Hamer
REVIEW: John Mellencamp, _Mr. Happy Go Lucky_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Dodgy, _Free Peace Sweet_ (A&M UK) - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: The Ocean Blue, _See The Ocean Blue_ - Lee Graham Bridges
REVIEW: Adrian Belew, _Op Zop Too Wah_ - Al Muzer
REVIEW: The Blackeyed Susans, _Mouth to Mouth_ - David Landgren
REVIEW: Slobberbone, _Crow Pot Pie_ - Jon Steltenpohl
NEWS: Free Los Angeles concerts, Zebra Searches
TOUR DATES: Tom Cochrane / Tara MacLean, Cracker / Self, Cravin' Melon,
Melissa Etheridge, Extra Fancy, Honeycrack, Lazy, Lemonheads /
Imperial Teen, Lizard Music, London Suede, Madball, Marilyn Manson,
Mother Hips, Ozzy Osbourne / Sepultura, Poorhouse Rockers,
Porno For Pyros, Primitive Radio Gods, Psychotica, Republica /
Gravity Kills, Jonathan Richman, Slayer, Richard Thompson, Tool,
Neil Young / Jewel / Moist
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumbale
---
REVIEW: Pearl Jam, _No Code_ (Epic)
- Scott Byron
The first thing you notice about Pearl Jam's latest is that once
again they've held nothing back in the packaging. The CD set unfolds
almost to LP size, with a mess of small Polaroid photos on one side and
studio photos on the other. There are two sleeves, one containing he CD,
the other a set of Polaroid-size photos with the songs' lyrics on the
back. It's one of the most impressive packages ever.
The music inside is hardly a disappointment. _No Code_ packs in
thirteen new songs, ranging from raunchy rockers to pleasant ballads. The
sound is top-notch, clean and sharp, and the band is in fine form. Each
musician shines individually, but what makes the album work is how
beautifully they play together, particularly in the way Mike McCready's
and Stone Gossard's guitar parts interweave and complement each other.
Eddie Vedder is in fine voice, perhaps more in control than on previous
albums. The ballad "Off He Goes," one of the album's high points,
requires a restrained, not-too-emotional reading, and Vedder nails it.
Then, when the album explodes into the raucous "Habit," his voice cracks
and soars just as it should.
Perhaps most impressive are the lyrics themselves, all of which
have a strong emotional resonance. I avoided reading along with the
lyrics the first few times I listened to the album, just to get my own
interpretations of the songs, and was impressed. But almost every track
took on new dimension and meaning when I read the lyrics. There's less
of the strident polemics of _Vitalogy_; these are songs about feelings,
and that makes them connect even more strongly.
There are some rhythmic variations from the usual Pearl Jam fare
here, partially due to new drummer Jack Irons, and partially due to the
influence (presumably) of Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn, who has been
collaborating with Eddie Vedder on side projects. The latter is most
notable on the single "Who You Are," but it's not an overwhelming
influence; it still sounds like Pearl Jam. There's also a definite
influence from Neil Young, whose trademark sound is evident throughout -
Pearl Jam worked with him recently, too, on _Mirror Ball_.
But still, the sound of _No Code_ is distinctively Pearl Jam's
and that, for the most part, is alright.
And now, a tangent.
After listening to this album a couple of dozen times, I've become
obsessed with what it _doesn't_ do. What I _wanted_ it to do. What I
think it doesn't do is speak to the future. It doesn't take us anywhere
we haven't been, or point us anywhere new.
Perhaps it's unfair to expect or demand such a thing from any pop
album, and I didn't begin listening to this one with that goal in mind.
But the thought keeps returning.
Kurt Cobain taught us that to take the pressures of pop artistry
too seriously is a tragic mistake, but he was, I believe, aware that his
obsessive nature (with artistic integrity, history, family, etc.) was part
of his brilliance. He wanted to be great, to lead us, and he did. But
the pressure he put on himself ended up destroying him.
Eddie Vedder is a great singer, performer and songwriter. He,
too, has an inate understanding of the balance between the art and the
artifice of success, as well as the trappings of fame that proved fatal to
Kurt. Vedder and his bandmates take great pains to stay true to their
beliefs, drawing lines that Kurt didn't - no more videos, fuck
Ticketmaster, etc. These are admirable concerns, but in the end, it's
what's on tape that counts.
And when all that other stuff is long forgotten, we'll still have
these CDs. And while I can't begin to guess where music will take us in
the next few months, years and decades, I'm beginning to believe we're
approaching the end of an era.
I'm going to say it again, just to be clear: _No Code_ is a very
good record. I enjoyed it a lot, and will continue to listen to it. I
just wish I thought it meant something more.
---
REVIEW: Tool, _Aenema_ (Zoo Entertainment)
- Sean Eric McGill
My advice to anyone buying _Aenema_, the latest album from Tool,
is simple. When you buy the album, buy a set of headphones - good ones.
Don't listen to it in your car on the way home, don't listen to it
before you go back to work or wherever - just wait until you get home,
lock yourself away in a room, get the materials you need to sustain your
existence for a few hours, put on the headphones and strap yourself in.
One of the first things you'll notice in the liner notes of the
album is a portrait of the late comedian Bill Hicks. I saw Hicks live a
few times during his career and the parallels between his comedy and
Tool's musical and lyrical style are uncanny. Hicks could leave you
bowled over with laughter one minute and genuinely disturbed the next
with his biting wit towards the world around him. Nothing was sacred to
him, and the same can be said of Tool.
The sound of the album is vastly different from that of
_Undertow_, Tool's now three years-old first LP. _Undertow_ was
criticized by some as being almost commercial, a label that seemed to
stick in some circles with the success of the singles for "Sober" and
"Prison Sex". But when you really stopped to listen to the album, you
realized that commercialism had nothing to do with the equation at all.
Where Tool separated itself from the rest of the alternative / metal /
whatever-the-hell-it-is-this-week genre on _Undertow_ and again on
_Aenema_ is their songwriting - which is about as far from commercial
as you can get. Let's be honest: Does the line "I have found some kind
of temporary sanity in this shit blood and cum on my hands" (from
"Prison Sex") sound commercial to you?
There are some instances where Tool's musical approach to their
material isn't completely original. The garbled vocals on "Eulogy", for
instance, are a trick employed quite a few times by bands ranging from
Ministry to Stone Temple Pilots. But even though the tricks aren't
always completely original (and you find me ten different albums
released these days that are completely original, and I'll crawl
through glass to worship at your feet), Tool's approach is to put a new
twist on them. And more often than not, that twist is provided through
the vocals of Maynard James Keenan.
Keenan's vocals can at times be soul-wrenching in their tortured
agony and soul-crushing in their rage, and it is that diversity that
makes _Aenema_ more of a trip through a bands mind and soul than the
usual album. This is a personal album in every sense of the word, with
the band paying homage to their friend Hicks and taking shots at L. Ron
Hubbard, fans who accuse them of selling out, and anyone else who gets
in their way.
Bottom line is this: no matter what you thought of _Undertow_,
or what you think of the loosely-defined genre that Tool is placed in
(the alternative/metal/whatever genre I spoke of above), _Aenema_ is an
incredible album. It has more soul and strength than the majority of
the releases from any genre this year combined, and will leave you
feeling worn out at its conclusion. You'll go places, thats for damn
sure - but some of those places aren't too nice at all.
---
INTERVIEW: Fountains of Wayne
- Al Muzer
One blast of "Radiation Vibe's" joyous, "baby, baby, baby"
chorus is generally enough to convert most casual listeners into card
carrying Fountains Of Wayne fans.
By adroitly blending the modern power-pop feel of bands such
as Weezer, You And What Army and Ruth Ruth with classic, AM radio
inspired hooks, reverential blasts of energetic garage-rock jangle,
shameless pop cliches, McCartney-sweet choruses and soaring, multi
tracked harmonies - the New York-based four-piece have come up with
a 12-song genre-masterpiece their first time out.
Led by Chris Collingwood (also a member of the country band,
Mercy Buckets) and Adam Schlesinger (currently with Ivy), the group's
lineup also includes guitarist Jody Porter and drummer Jeff Perrott.
Although four in number, the genius spark behind the
infectiously-poppy sound heard on Fountains Of Wayne's self-titled
debut is clearly the songwriting partnership of Collingwood and
Schlesinger. In fact, a good portion of the industry buzz surrounding
the record's release has focused on the duo's winning way with a melody.
"Radiation Vibe," "She's Got A Problem," "Survival Car," "Sick
Day," "Leave The Biker," "You Curse At Girls," "Please Don't Rock Me
Tonight" - all are brilliant, memorable, hit-worthy songs much deeper,
twisted and, occasionally, outright dumber than a quick listen allows
time to grasp.
Case in point is the hilarious "Leave The Biker"; in which
Collingwood pleads with "every man's dream" to, "please leave the
biker (break his heart)" who has, "crumbs in his beard from the
seafood special" - all set to one of the catchiest melodies this
side of Nada Surf.
"We taught each other to write pop songs by listening to
great songwriters like The Beatles, Squeeze and Jules Schear and
trying to figure out what they did," says Collingwood of the duo's
partnership.
"You can't really make too much of a conscious decision as
to what sort of music you're gonna be drawn to or like," adds
Schlesinger. "It just seems that when Chris and I get together, pop
music is what we naturally come up with."
In addition to his work with Fountains Of Wayne and Ivy and
a partnership with James Iha and D'arcy of The Smashing Pumpkins in
the Chicago-based Scratchie label - Schlesinger is also getting
attention for the title track he composed for the latest Tom Hanks
film, That Thing You Do.
"The movie is a 1964 kind'a early-Beatles thing and the song
is a big hit for the band in the movie," he chuckles. "But, I don't
know if a song written with that era in mind will work as a hit in
1996. Oh well," he laughs, "better a fictitious hit song than no hit
song at all."
After a few hilarious "mother" jokes (Chris has a million of
'em!), a bit of pre-tour jitters over the band's upcoming cross-country
trek, juicy details of Schlesinger's business relationship with two
thirds of the 'Pumpkins, a discussion on the sudden re-emergence of
pop music and a tale or two about Collingwood's vocal contributions
during recent tributes to Brian Wilson and Burt Bacharach - the talk
turns, once again, to Fountains Of Wayne songs.
"It was a challenge to see if we could actually write a good
song with a title that bad and get away with it," laughs Collingwood
of the gentle, lilting, hopelessly-naive "You Curse At Girls."
"A real important part of the writing process for this
record," chuckles Schlesinger, "involved the two of us sitting in a
bar throwing song names at each other and writing 'em down on napkins."
As for the return of pop?
"Nirvana was, technically, a pop band," remarks Schlesinger.
"They just found a new sound and a fresh approach."
"I think people have always responded to 'good' pop music,"
concludes Collingwood, "and they always will."
"Besides, I don't think pop music ever really went away in
the first place," he adds. "Bands just do different things with it now."
---
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _That Thing You Do!_ (Epic)
- Bob Gajarsky
Tom Hanks is seemingly a jack-of-all-trades. Actor and
now producer of the hit film That Thing You Do, Hanks has also
helped co-write part of the soundtrack for his foray into the
world of production and the fictitious accounting of a 60's
wonder group, the Wonders.
Since _That Thing You Do_ *is* a soundtrack, not all of the
songs are attributed to the Wonders. Rather, the soundtrack
traces the history of the "Play-Tone" label, and the liner notes
associated with the compilation have the look (and feel) of
many "authentic" 1960's albums.
The title track (which appears here in its "original" form
and its "live" form, the latter reminiscent of Beatles-mania) is
starting to generate airplay today, in 1996. Penned by Fountains
of Wayne member Adam Schlesinger, "That Thing You Do" is candy-sweet
bubblegum pop with a playful chorus. Mike Viola (the real singer,
from the Candy Butchers) sounds like Buddy Holly crossed with a bit
of the Brit-pop invasion.
Unfortunately, the remainder of the album runs true to the
course of their fictionalized biography - good enough for record,
but nothing ever approaching the success of *that* hit single.
The Hanks-penned "Loving You Lots and Lots" feels like a
Kingston Trio song, and nearly all the other songs echo from the
1960's. The other Wonders songs sound resonate with the
Merseybeat sound of Gerry & the Pacemakers and Herman's Hermits,
"Hold My Hand, Hold My Heart" recalls girl groups of the 60's, Darlene
Love, Phil Spector and the Wall of Sound; the "Theme From Mr. Downtown"
is a knockoff of Duane Eddy meets the James Bond spy series sound
and the instrumental "Voyage Around The Moon" and "Drive Faster"
remind one of leftover demos from Dick Dale or the Beach Boys.
Ironically then, the strongest point for the soundtrack of
_That Thing You Do_ is also its weakest point - tracing the history of
the band that couldn't shake that big hit single, and their many
failures. Some of the songs "could" have been hits in the 1960's,
but with the exception of the title track, wouldn't be regular songs
on the golden oldies stations today. Recommended to people who walked
out of the movie with a smile on their face, or long for the days
of the early-mid 1960's.
---
REVIEW: Crash Test Dummies, _A Worm's Life_ (Arista)
- Reto Koradi
The Crash Test Dummies did not rush to follow up on their
five and a half million selling album _God Shuffled His Feet_. Nearly
three years have passed since that album's release, and two and a
half years since the smash success of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm". A long tour
and a well deserved break were in between, and now, close to being
forgotten, they are back ("finally!" some will say, "oh no, not
again!" others) with _A Worm's Life_.
Right from the beginning, there is a positive contrast
compared to _God Shuffled His Feet_, which is especially noticeable on
a good stereo. While the previous album sounded quite flat and muddy
over large parts, their sound has gained much clearer contours on the
new one. Only their live shows had previously demonstrated that they
are a surprisingly skilled band, and now this also shows on record.
There are distinctive, dry drums, bouncy bass lines, and some high
class guitar work. The whole sound has gotten a touch heavier and more
intense. One highlight track on the album is "My Enemies", which has a
driving beat, some crunchy short guitar solos, and electronically
processed vocals in the chorus.
Despite a more rock oriented sound, the Crash Test Dummies have
of course not become anarchists. There are still some beautiful, slow
ballads, like the title track, and Brad Roberts' absolutely unique
baritone remains the central part of the songs. And again, the lyrics
prove that Mr. Roberts is not a dummy at all, but studied literature
and philosophy. An instant killer like "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" is not in
sight, but tracks like the opening "Over Achiever" certainly have
potential.
Whether it will sell as much as _God Shuffled His Feet_
remains questionable, but from a musical point of view, _A Worm's Life_
is a clear step forward for the Crash Test Dummies. Instead of falling
for the temptation of repeating what worked in the past, they gain
substance and go for a more variable sound. This album will certainly
not start a musical revolution, but it's highly enjoyable, mellow rock
music.
--
REVIEW: They Might Be Giants, _Factory Showroom_ (Elektra)
- Carol Hamer
As much as I enjoyed this album, I have to admit that,
compared to other They Might Be Giants discs, _Factory Showroom_
does not have the same range. They Might Be Giants have long been
known for producing sounds that are unusual and experimental, and we
certainly see some of this in _Factory Showroom_. For example, they
play with funk and disco styles to produce "S-E-X-X-Y", which is
a bit different from the usual fare. I also can't picture many
other bands going down to Edison Laboratories to record a song on the
historical equipment, as They Might Be Giants did for the song "I Can
Hear You." Still, with a mere 13 songs, _Factory Showroom_ is about
70% as long as a typical They Might Be Giants album, and seems to
contain about 70% as much material that is really fresh and new as
you would normally expect to find in a They Might Be Giants album.
Some highlights of _Factory Showroom_ include "James K. Polk,"
which is a favorite from their live shows and first saw the light of
day as a B-side; "Metal Detector" and "Spiraling Shape," which are
some fun new products of They Might Be Giants' amusingly unique
style; and "XTC vs. Adam Ant," a song that is about competing music
styles, but which is difficult to identify as belonging to a
particular musical genre itself. Still, in all, the album could have
stood to contain more surprises.
Possibly John Flansburgh's sideline album, _Mono Puff_, proved
to be too much of a distraction. Indeed, if you were to take the best
five songs from _Mono Puff_ and add them to _Factory Showroom_, you
would have a really good album - definitely up to They Might Be Giants
usual high standard. The obvious solution for fans of TMBG is to buy
both albums and tape them together. If you're not familiar with They
Might Be Giants, however, I would recommend starting with one of their
other albums.
---
REVIEW: John Mellencamp, _Mr. Happy Go Lucky_ (Mercury)
- Bob Gajarsky
People who are familiar with John Mellencamp's twenty year
career will notice a distinctive change on the artwork of his latest
release, _Mr. Happy Go Lucky_ - John is painted as a clown in a
big top setting, with the cover and artwork designed to look like
a circus. Once inside, what could surprise fans is Mellencamp's
choice of co-producer - noted New York club DJ and producer Junior
Vasquez.
The pairing of Mellencamp and Vasquez, which was first thought
of when Junior did a remix for "Love and Happiness", brought together
two men with totally different backgrounds - Mellencamp's guitar/rock,
which expanded into other instruments such as violin and fiddle,
and his huge hits such as "Jack and Diane" and "Pink Houses" - and
Vasquez, who is renowned in New York City for his remixes, all
night disc jockeying (at clubs such as the Tunnel and Palladium), and
even his "own" songs such as "If Madonna Calls".
Those differences presented themselves in the construction of
songs. Vasquez writes songs by "starting from the loop up, and here I
am dealing with this acoustic folk song. Then Kenny (Aronoff) goes out
and plays these big overheads and drums and it's like 'Where can I take
it from there?'. I think John's main focus was to get a stronger bottom."
The first single, "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" has
traces of _Scarecrow_'s "Between A Laugh And A Tear" with a violin and
Caribbean teaser tossed on the top. "Just Another Day" will instantly
be recognizable to listeners - its addictive hooks bring to mind
the most upbeat moments of previous records such as _Big Daddy_.
Some of the tracks do exhibit the differences that Vasquez
brings to the table. "Emotional Love" is probably the closest
Mellencamp will ever come to recording a street song - and was
also not written by John, but by Mellencamp bassist Toby Myers.
And, "Life Is Hard" could be a club hit with the right Junior remix.
It's likely that the people who know and recognize Junior
Vasquez will stay far away from any Mellencamp release. That's
unfortunate because Junior has enabled Mellencamp to venture slightly
from his rock roots and flesh out a few songs with a street
sound. _Mr. Happy Go Lucky_ isn't all about Junior Vasquez - but
Mellencamp's albums have now achieved a constant level, where people who
have bought anything with his name on it in the last ten years
know his consistent level of quality works, and have a fairly
certain idea of what they're getting. Mellencamp's latest release
twists those perceptions just a little.
---
REVIEW: Dodgy, _Free Peace Sweet_ (A&M UK)
- Tim Kennedy
Dodgy's third CD, _Free Peace Sweet_, is a dramatic step
away from the more measured and melodic tones of previous albums.
The complexities of the second album (_Homegrown_) the precise,
Beatlesque first album _Dodgy Album_, are now brushed aside by
a big bad rock sound. This is in direct contrast to the current
popularity of the sound that they pioneered back in the days when
Cobain was king. At the time, they couldn't give away copies of
the gorgeous pure pop _Dodgy Album_.
Songs like "In A Room" roar and bluster with dynamite
basslines, thundering drums and heavy, riffing guitar. The lyrics
take a back seat compared to former Dodgy work, the power trio
that was always threatening to burst from within their mild-mannered
sixties pop persona has now done so. The ghost of Keith Moon has
possessed Matthew Priest to good effect.
"Jack The Lad" recalls the Who's manic rock assault and
from what I can gather, the lyrics appear to refer to a certain
lad's excess and bad behaviour leading to the inwevitable. Do
they mean...surely not?
In striking contrast to the general rocking theme of the album
are gentle ballads such as "Long Life". This in particular might
have been performed by the Carpenters, and that is a measure of what
a great tune it is. These gentler tunes seem to be Nigel directly
addressing his wife and child; for example, "One Of Those Rivers"
mentions the heartache of touring with his loved ones at home. A major
contrast indeed.
"Good Enough" which was a major UK hit single and had postmen
whistling around the country for weeks, is actually an excellent
attempt at an early seventies style of soul which was deified by
the Northern Soul UK youth subculture back then. The lyric is quite
banal but the song is so infectious it really doesn't matter. It
stands out as the only soul song the band have ever written.
As always the positivity of the band stands out, and if Dale
Carnegie had smoked dope and travelled about in a VW microbus, he
might have written lyrics like these.
Dodgy have always had one or two tracks in their repertoire
which resemble tripped-out cavernous dub, and there are a couple on
this disc as well. "U.K.R.I.P." pauses from the cheerfulness present
elsewhere, in order to have an almighty whinge about the bad state
of the nation - rich vs poor, black vs white and so on. Extremely
worthy, and moreover, quite impressive at a high amount of decibels.
All in all then, _Free Peace Sweet_ is a super effort from
the Dodgy chaps, proving their versatility, their chartworthiness,
but most of all that they can be evil rock beasts like the best of 'em.
---
REVIEW: The Ocean Blue, _See The Ocean Blue_ (Mercury)
- Lee Graham Bridges
With a stroke of luck, the latest release from Hershey,
Pennsylvania's The Ocean Blue might become a chart-topper, but as true
music lovers know, this is often not an indication of the quality or
originality of the album. The new album sees the band trading the more
melancholy and/or blissful songs that constituted previous albums like
_Cerulean_ for a raspier, (dare I say?) heavier, "we're rocking now!"
style. The Smiths and Cocteau Twins influence is less felt, but to
interesting effect.
Despite being generally more strained and direct (especially
lead vocals and guitars), the style change is not all-encompassing, for
earlier albums were comprised of similar elements of style (bouncy,
consistently hasty, whether solemn or joyful). The new songs stick
more to the middle of the great "modern rock" paradigm.
_See The Ocean Blue_ is more accurately described as an anthology
of mood swings (musically and lyrically) - at times resembling older, lazy
Ocean Blue songs ("Slide") or older, jouncy OB songs ("Bite Your Lip"),
resembling a more alterna-pop sound ("10 10 Cloud Deck"), or entering a
noisy proto-Brit stage ("Bitter").
The album opens with the one-minute instrumental "Jouissance,"
which would sooner be expected from a Saint Etienne album than this.
Then, "Whenever You're Around" and "Out Here", good examples of the
coarser, more conventional feel of the album, despite such "experimental"
buzzes and noises scattered here and there. "Ways and Means" (despite
the superb vocal handling of the line "and leave you dry-AYE-AYE-AYE-AYE!")
is a more trademark Ocean Blue song, but not quite comfortable yet. "Past
Future Perfect" is a nice acoustic number; "Bitter", though
uncharacteristic, is one of the most well-done, biting songs here - short
and energetic as hell, unlike many of the other upbeat songs that bore the
listener with so-so hooks and vocals. "Slide" appropriately follows, and
is one of the only successful melancholy ventures present. The rest
follow in a similar, widely varying manner.
Besides being less interesting and emotive than earlier works,
The Ocean Blue's newest, while making many fans cringe, will likely
appeal to most as a clean, straightforward, albeit uninventive album.
---
REVIEW: Adrian Belew, _Op Zop Too Wah_ (Passenger)
- Al Muzer
Belew's latest begins with a twisted jungle/jazz hypno-riff
overripe with squealing rhino-guitarx before it down-shifts into a
curiously-percussive, spoken-word piece that somehow segues into a
Dave Edmunds/Move/Cheap Trick-ish slice of hit-bound boogie-pop.
Stepping back for a reflective moment, Belew follows a lovely
solo guitar stunner with the semi-techno dreamscape of "All Her Love Is
Mine" before laying into the catchy Crimson pulse of "I Remember How To
Forget" that, in turn, evolves into the space-monkey surf madness and
Mid-Eastern raga-bop of the title track.
Working by himself and without a net - the rest of Belew's _Op
Zop Too Wah_ rushes by in a brilliant kaleidoscope of intriguing sounds,
bright colors and diverse musical processing that, while never boring,
stays with you long after the latest indisputable masterpiece from the
King of Quirk has ended.
---
REVIEW: The Blackeyed Susans, _Mouth to Mouth_ (HiGloss/American)
- David Landgren
It's been more than a year since _Mouth to Mouth_ was released
in Australia, the land where The Blackeyed Susans hail from. The album
has recently been released in the States, and that's good news for
American readers. The band have been through a number of line-up
changes since they formed back in 1989. At the time, the band was one
half members of the ever-so-brilliant Triffids. These days, however,
Blackeyed Susans are more or less Rob Snarski (ex-Chad's Tree), Phil
Kakulas (ex-Martha's Vineyard) who were there in the beginning, and
now Kiernan Box, plus a roving group of friends who come and lend a
hand from time to time.
One pointer that this is a great album is that Tony Cohen
mixed and helped produce it. Cohen, unsung hero of the studio, has
been involved with some landmark albums such as Hunters & Collectors'
early work (_World of Stone_ and their eponymous LP+EP album), most of
the Bad Seeds' albums, Crime & the City Solution and more recently The
Cruel Sea - with the latter works helping to place the sound that you
will find on _Mouth to Mouth_.
The album's opening bars are a vintage Triffids retro keyboard
sound, but the similarity soon fades as the listener becomes aware of
a big electric guitar churning it all up, with black Cave-like lyrics:
"My father cast a shadow over me/As it was so shall it be/You're the
final result in a very long line/You will carry the mark handed down
over time". The second song "She Breathes In", is a hybrid sort of
rocker, between Died Pretty & Cruel Sea. Pounding beat and full
throttle vocals pulled together by quiet passages.
"Let's Live" is a slower number, replete with violins and
cello, and I think it is this track that makes you realise that
Blackeyed Susans are not just clones of what the aforementioned bands,
but are very clearly tracing out their own path. "Hey Buddy" confirms
this impression. Another slow number whose lyrics, out of context,
could be considered as attempting to be Nick Cave "Hey buddy got a
light?/Can you tell me if it's day or night/Seems that I'm a long,
long way from home." This then, is the crux of the matter. Is it a
fault to resemble the Bad Seeds? I think not, since I once read
someone trashing Nick Cave as a white boy attempting to be Muddy
Waters. So things cancel each other out, and with that out of the way
we can sit back and enjoy the rest of the album.
The following track, "By Your Hand" is a gorgeous slow ballad
(How without you I'm condemned/To misery without end/How to life this
flame was flamed by your hand). Elliptic verse signed by McComb &
Snarski.
What doesn't work out right? "I Can't Find Your Pulse" is a
bit too vague: the vocals are a bit too quiet in the mix, the thump...
thump... thump... of the drum is too loud and the song trudges forward
interminably. I'm also not to sure why the album was named _Mouth to
Mouth_. The track of the same name is certainly good, but in terms of
slow ones, I think "By Your Hand" is much better.
After this quiet interlude, the band comes back strongly: the
keyboards kick in, a strong riff on an acoustic guitar, backing vocal
courtesy of Kathryn Wemyss: "Mary Mac"; after you've heard it a couple
of times it's difficult to avoid not wanting to singing along
(i.e.: bellowing at the top of your voice) yourself. And what a
great finish.
Then, if you can imagine R.E.M. (more Buck than Stipe) with a
pedal steel guitar, you come close to having the idea of "Shadow Of
Her Smile". The album closes with a mournful "The End Of The Line".
Over the past couple of decades, Australian artists have been
absorbing American Country, and have slowly molded it to Australia's
unique geography and psyche. This song, as much as any other, is a
good example of this absorption.
There is a very good web page for the band. I mention it here
because it's difficult to find: too many hits of Blackeyed Susans, the
flower, and not the band. I eventually found it by searching for The
Triffids. It's at http://connexus.apana.org.au/~amckinna/sus-home.html
---
REVIEW: Slobberbone, _Crow Pot Pie_ (Doolittle)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Slobberbone's _Crow Pot Pie_ is a jolting collection of
drunk ass, shit kickin', punk flavored, country rock tunes.
Slobberbone has brought the genre of alternative country rock back to
its backwoods, cry in your beer and piss off the back of your trailer,
roots. Imagine Uncle Tupelo's strange cousin with a Replacements
hangover (and a bad attitude to match) and you've basically summed
up Slobberbone.
The band was formed in Denton, Texas by 5 drinking buddies
who played their first gigs in the back of a local beer store. With
those beginnings, it's not too hard to believe that most every song
either deals with drinking, love gone wrong, or, remarkably, both
drinking AND love gone wrong. These, of course, are the themes of
any good country and western song, but, Slobberbone doesn't delve into
the normal C&W cliches.
Lead singer Brent Best has a way with words that is, well,
quite troubling. There are some highlights. In the 10 minute epic
"16 Days", he sings "Once we had meaning, but now we're just hollow."
Kind of deep lyrics... until you recall that a verse earlier he was
crooning about "watching the dog pee on the car." Dogs peeing are
just part of Best's lyrical oddities.
In "I can Tell Your Love is Waning", he laments repeatedly
that his failing relationship is like "getting caught behind a cattle
truck and all you smell is shit", until he finally stabs his love to
death after listening to "Mack the Knife" on a blaring radio. Sick?
Yes, but it's worse when you find yourself merrily singing along
about the smell of the cow shit and the pleasures of slicing up your
love in a bathtub.
With such lyrics, Slobberbone risks falling into a Mojo
Nixon schlockfest. But as strange as they get, Best seems to write
from the heart. _Crow Pot Pie_ is filled with honesty, urgency, and
regret that recalls the silliness and ultimate seriousness of a band
like Weezer. Even when Best sings "you put my heart into a headlock,
and threw it on the ground" in "Shoot You Dead", there's sincerity in
the air.
Slobberbone's music is as earnest as the lyrics. The two-step
beat runs under everything, and the guitars, banjos, and fiddle
alternate between Grand Ole Opry grins and post-Nirvana grunge.
"Little Sister" plays like a western movie theme song with a Mason
Proffit groove, and "Tilt-a-Whirl" heads to the land of Southern
Culture on the Skids. And, there are enough southern rock guitar
solos that you'd think Slobberbone were the sons of Lynyrd Skynyrd
who listened to punk after their daddies went to bed.
Who knows what the future of Slobberbone holds? _Crow Pot
Pie_ is an indie release, and it's not clear when they'll get signed
to a major. What is clear is that Slobberbone will sell a ton of
records someday. "Ruin Your Day" beats anything groups like the
Lemonheads have done, and the success of Wilco and Son Volt after
the Uncle Tupelo break-up revealed a market for this type of music.
But, until then, search out Slobberbone and be like all the Uncle
Tupelo fans who say they "listened to them when."
For more info, try e-mailing slobber@doolittle.com or write
to Doolittle Records, P.O. Box 4700, Austin, TX 78765.
---
NEWS: > Andrew Sanchez has established a web site - located
at http://206.170.248.232/calendar.htm - which contains an
extensive listing of Los Angeles area free concerts, as well as
various other Internet music resources.
> Zebra helps buyers and sellers meet in a different
manner than traditional web search browsers, by identifying albums
which fit a genre, rather than looking for simply any mention of the
genre of music. This enables fans of a style - for instance, gothic
music - to find albums for sale from both majors and indies who have
registered for free with Zebra. Check out http://www.identify.com/zebra
for more information.
---
TOUR DATES
Tom Cochrane / Tara MacLean
Oct. 17 Red Deer, AB Memorial Centre
Oct. 19 Brandon, MB Western Manitoba Centennial Aud.
Cracker / Self
Oct. 22 Raleigh, NC Marrz
Oct. 23 Myrtle Beach, SC Hard Rock Cafe
Oct. 24 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theater
Oct. 25 Atlanta, GA Roxy Theater
Cravin' Melon
Oct. 17 Asheville, NC Be Here Now
Oct. 18 Charlotte, NC Sound Factory
Oct. 19 Atlanta, GA Chameleon Club
Melissa Etheridge
Oct. 18 Indianapolis, IN Market Square
Oct. 19 Detroit, MI Palace
Extra Fancy
Oct. 16 Seattle, WA Fenix Underground
Oct. 18 Portland, OR Suburbia Club
Honeycrack (all dates in England)
Oct. 14 Leeds Metropolitan University
Oct. 15 Glasgow Cathouse
Oct. 16 Edinburgh The Venue
Oct. 17 Liverpool Lomax
Oct. 19 Bedford Esquires
Oct. 20 Nottingham The Rig
Oct. 21 Portsmouth Oct. gewood Rooms
Oct. 22 Brighton Zap Club
Oct. 24 Plymouth University
Lazy
Oct. 15 New York, NY Brownie's
Oct. 17 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Oct. 18 Burlington, VT Toast
Oct. 23 St. Louis, MO Cicero's
Oct. 25 Denton, TX Argo
Oct. 26 Austin, TX Electric Lounge
Oct. 27 Dallas, TX Orbit Room
Lemonheads / Imperial Teen
Oct. 24 Danbury, CT Tuxedo Junction
Oct. 25 Providence, RI Lupo's
Lizard Music
Oct. 25 Asbury Park, NJ The Saint (w/Thin Lizard Down)
London Suede
Oct. 17 Neu-Isenburg Germ Hugenotthalle w/Boo Radleys
Oct. 18 Nurnberg, Ger Forum w/Boo Radleys
Oct. 20 Amsterdam The Paradiso w/Boo Radleys
Oct. 21 Cologne Theater Am Rudolfplatz w/Boo Radleys
Oct. 23 Berlin, Ger Huxleys Neu Welt w/ Boo Radleys
Oct. 24 Hamburg, Ger Markthalle w/Boo Radleys
Oct. 25 Copenhagen Valby Hallen w/Boo Radleys
Madball
Oct. 14 Minneapolis, MN Mirage
Oct. 16 Detroit, MI Shelter
Madball / Visions of Disorder
Oct. 17 Grand Rapids, MI Reptile House
Oct. 18 Columbus, OH Al Rosa Villa
Oct. 20 Boston, MA The Rat
Oct. 21 Randolph, NJ Obsessions
Oct. 22 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom
Oct. 23 New Britain, CT Sports Palace
Oct. 24 Moosic, PA Sea Seas
Oct. 25 Poughkeepsie, NY Chance
Marilyn Manson
Oct. 18 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's
Oct. 19 Cleveland, OH Agora
Oct. 20 Buffalo, NY Ogden Theatre
Oct. 22 Toronto, ON Wharehouse
Oct. 23 Montreal, QC Spectrum
Oct. 25 Burlington, VT Memorial Auditorium
Mother Hips
Oct. 16 Carmichael, CA El Dorado
Oct. 17 Petaluma, CA Mystic Theatre
Oct. 18 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Oct. 19 Santa Barbara, CA Toes Tavern
Oct. 20 San Luis Obispo, CA Slo Brewing Company
Ozzy Osbourne / Sepultura
Oct. 18 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
Oct. 20 Portland, OR Rose Garden
Oct. 22 Spokane, WA Spokane Coliseum
Oct. 25 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky
Poorhouse Rockers
Oct. 18 Churchville, MD McStagger's
Porno For Pyros
Oct. 17 Cleveland, OH Agora
Oct. 19 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
Oct. 21 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Oct. 22 Cinncinati, OH Bogart's
Oct. 24 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
Oct. 25 Davenport, IA River Centre
Primitive Radio Gods
Oct. 17 San Antonio, TX Hard Rock Cafe
Oct. 18 Dallas, TX Hard Rock Cafe
Oct. 19 Austin, TX Outdoor @ Austin Music Hall
Oct. 21 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre
Oct. 22 Memphis, TN Six On Six
Oct. 23 Nashville, TN Hard Rock Cafe
Oct. 24 Atlanta, GA Hard Rock Cafe
Psychotica
Oct. 15 Boston, MA Axis
Oct. 16 Providence, RI Strand
Oct. 17 New York, NY Westbeth
Oct. 18 New London, CT El N Gee Club
Oct. 19 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom
Oct. 20 Baltimore, MD Warpt
Oct. 21 Philadelphia, PA Upstairs At Nicks
Oct. 22 Long Branch, NJ Metro Lounge
Republica / Gravity Kills
Oct. 17 Old Bridge, NJ Birch Hill
Oct. 18 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Oct. 19 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
Oct. 20 Providence, RI Club Babyland
Oct. 24 Toronto, ON Lee's Place
Oct. 25 Rochester, NY Water Street
Jonathan Richman
Oct. 16 New York, NY Sam Goody (Free Show)
Slayer
Oct. 23 Anchorage, AK Egan Civic Center
Oct. 25 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky
Richard Thompson
Oct. 18 Princeton, NJ McCarter Theatre
Oct. 19 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Oct. 20 Tarrytown, NY Music Hall
Oct. 22 Northampton, MA Academy of Music
Oct. 24-25 Somerville, MA Somerville Theatre
Tool
Oct. 16 Pomona, CA The Glass House
Oct. 18 San Diego, CA Soma
Oct. 19 Fresno, CA Wilson Theater
Oct. 21 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
Oct. 24 Tacoma, WA The Field House
Oct. 25 Vancouver, CAN P & E Forum
Neil Young / Jewel / Moist
Oct. 22 Vancouver, BC GM Place
Oct. 24 Edmonton, AB Edmonton Coliseum
Oct. 25 Calgary, AB Calgary Saddledome
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> I just got done with the piece in Consumable on the Hooters, and
I just gotta say thanks. The Hooters are a big band in Philadelphia,
but no one really knows them outside of here and it's nice to see such
a great band get out and really get some wonderful press. Long live
the Hooters!!! - Nicole Y., Philadelphia, PA
> I have to disagree wth your view on "E-Bow The Letter". That
*has* to be one of the standout tracks of the album. The half spoken
lyrics have shades of "Country Feedback" (one of my fave REM songs).
Well, just my $0.02. Anyway, keep up the good work. I've been reading
Consumables for close to 2 years now. C.S., Singapore
> Hey! Great zine, esp. the tour dates! You had local bands on
there, that rulz - Lin
(Ed. Note - Well, luckily, everyone's local to somewhere...)
---
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest continuous
collaborative music publication on the Internet.
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===
