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Consumable Online Issue 051
==== ISSUE 51 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [August 29, 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: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Kelley
Crowley, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Sean Eric McGill,
P. Nina Ramos, Jamie Roberts, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair,
Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner,
Scott Williams, Britain Woodman
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: Soul Asylum, _Let Your Dim Light Shine_ - Reto Koradi
REVIEW: Pet Shop Boys, _Alternative_ - Lee Graham Bridges
REVIEW: Jimmy Somerville, _Dare To Love_ - Ali Sinclair
CONCERT REVIEW: Neil Young - Reto Koradi
REVIEW: Bob Marley _Natural Mystic_ - Dan Enright
REVIEW: Various - _KCRW Rare On Air_ (Volume 2) - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Esquivel, _music from a sparkling planet_ - Dan Enright
REVIEW: The Presidents of the United States of America, _The Presidents of
the United States of America_ - Scott Byron
REVIEW: Axiom Funk, _Funkonomicron_ - Britain Woodman
REVIEW: John Coltrane, _A Love Supreme_, _Ballads_, _John Coltrane and Johnny
Hartman_ - Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: Redbelly, _Redbelly_ - Jeremy Ashcroft
NEWS: Big Mountain /C.R.E.W., Chicago Online!, CMJ Music Marathon, Sarah
McLachlan, Skinny Puppy, Urge Overkill
TOUR DATES: Better Than Ezra, Bile, David Bowie / Nine Inch Nails / Prick,
Buckwheat Zydeco, Cravin' Melon (some dates with Hootie & Blowfish),
Juliana Hatfield, Hum, Kate Jacobs, Phranc, Pro-Pain, Rev. Horton Heat /
Hagfish, Silverchair, Speedball, Noah Stone, Ugly Kid Joe / Souls at Zero
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Soul Asylum, _Let Your Dim Light Shine_ (Columbia)
- Reto Koradi
What should an "alternative" band do if it gets massively
successful? Scare off the fans that they never wanted by making a real rock
album, in the R.E.M. way? Or choose the most drastic Kurt Cobain way, and go
straight to Nirvana? Soul Asylum found yet another option: they just act as
if _Grave Dancers Union_ and their huge hit "Runaway Train" didn't happen, and
deliver a new album that's a logical sequel to their previous work.
_Let Your Dim Light Shine_ starts with "Misery", the first single
that's received massive airplay all around the globe. Certainly a great song,
with the wonderfully depressive lyrics "they say misery loves company, we
could start a company and make misery", culminating is Pirner's near falsetto
voice repeating "frustrated incorporated" ad infinitum.
Besides this standout track, there's a well assorted collection of
different songs. Some harder rock songs ("Shut Down", "Just Like Anyone"),
alternated with slow ballads ("Eyes Of A Child", "To My Own Devices") that
are often hard on the border of cheesiness. These ballads also take up the
flirt with country that they tried on earlier albums; "Promises Broken"
could have been an Eagles song. While an occasional slow song is certainly
nice, and they have a knack for beautiful melodies, they overdo it somewhat
on this album as there are 5 or 6 of them. More convincing are the songs that
have both slow and fast parts, sometimes with a noticeable blues feel,
where they manage to develop their unique kind of energy. Songs of this
category are "Bittersweetheart" and "Strings Of Pearls"; both are potential
singles, the latter also has really wonderful lyrics.
Most of the lyrics are quite pessimistic and negative. This is in
one way surprising; you could think that being a successful musician and
having star actress Winona Ryder as a girlfriend would make David Pirner the
happiest person on the planet. On the other hand these lyrics fit the
music, so we can be glad that Pirner can draw a border between private life
and artistic output.
It's not difficult to predict that this album will sell less than
the exceptional _Grave Dancers Union_. There's still no reason to be
disappointed. _Let Your Dim Light Shine_ is a very good album, even if it
seems to lack a clear concept and is almost too variable. Soul Asylum are
back to actual size, a position where they can feel comfortable, and
they're here to stay.
---
REVIEW: Pet Shop Boys, _Alternative_ (EMI)
- Lee Graham Bridges
The well-read Pet Shop Boys have had to make their way up the ropes
to stardom next to other successful English bands of the 80's and 90's such
as the Smiths, the Cure, Depeche Mode, and New Order. Neil Tennant and
Chris Lowe know what makes these bands special. "To Americans, pop or rock
music is not about enjoyment. English music is about excitement and
enjoyment and the thrill of the whole thing," said Lowe during an interview
about the Pet Shop Boys' b-side compilation _Alternative_. If this is the
case, then Tennant and Lowe have played the role well throughout their
recording career, now heading into its thirteenth year. Yet the Boys'
tradition of being not only exciting, but dramatic, funny, happy, nostalgic,
dark, light, surreal, and true-to-life all at once, is what has endeared
them to their fans over the years and made them unique.
_Alternative_, a double-CD set, does much more for PSB fans than
_Discography_. The former not only covers songs/mixes usually found solely
on singles as b-sides, but it covers a greater portion of their career.
Collectively, the 36 songs on _Alternative_ show us a different side of
the Pet Shop Boys--a side that is more experimental, and yet, more
personal - that previous albums have not shown. Lowe remarks, "We've
always used the b-side as a way of learning to produce. When we started,
the b-side was where we learned to do things ourselves. So it wasn't a
throwaway, ever. It's been fundamental to how we progress."
This compilation is a showcase of that progression, which becomes
more evident upon comparing old and new tracks. "That's My Impression", one
of the Boys' first songs, seems rather flat next to the vibrant "Euroboy" or
the eerie "Some Speculation". But upon closer inspection, "Impression" is
really just a humorous song, no matter how serious it may sound. This is a
fine example of how PSB songs can reshape themselves to fit the era or the
listener's mood. "I Want A Dog", a song supposedly about loneliness, is
"funny," according to Tennant, "but it's also serious and true at the same
time." So in this way, no one track can really be deemed better than
another--only less serious, less intense, etc.
With the lyrics they write for b-sides, Tennant and Lowe must feel
like mini-psychologists or some other form of wise men. "Your Funny Uncle"
is a crushingly sad song Tennant wrote about the funeral of a close friend.
"We Feel Better In the Dark" is a song about clubbing, sex, and/or ugliness.
"Miserablism" is ultimately a witty put-down directed at cynicism, while
"Jack the Lad" explores the advantage of being mentally unstable or
ignorant. "Shameless" is one of the most gloriously satirical tunes ever
("We're shameless / we will do anything / to get our fifteen minutes of
fame"). "Violence", a melancholy number, is well offset by "Losing My
Mind", (also given to Liza Minelli) an upbeat song about heartbreak.
From the orchestral "Overture to 'Performance'", to the song about
Hitler, "Don Juan", to the experimental "The Sound of the Atom Splitting"
and back to the swing version of "Can You Forgive Her?", _Alternative_
shows us songs written via the extreme moods of Tennant and Lowe as
well as songs that could just as easily be found on their "normal" albums.
Not only does _Alternative_ give us a clearer picture of the
psychology behind the music of the Pet Shop Boys (a group proudly accepting
the label "pop"), but it also serves as a tapestry of club life over the
past ten or so years, a "historical record of contemporary dance music," in
Lowe's words. Consequently, it is one of the top five most important albums
of this year and certainly belongs in the collection of anyone respecting
the art of songwriting.
Regarding _Alternative_, Tennant said, "In the 80's, this sort of
music would have been called sleaze. It's a very insidious kind of
sound..." Thank God for progression.
TRACK LISTING: In the Night, A Man Could Get Arrested, That's My
Impression, Was That What It Was?, Paninaro, Jack the Lad, You Know
Where You Went Wrong, A New Life, I Want A Dog, Do I Have To, I
Get Excited (You Get Excited Too), Don Juan, Don Juan (demo), Domino
Dancing, The Sound of the Atom Splitting, One of the Crowd, Your
Funny Uncle, It Must Be Obvious, We Feel Better in the Dark, Bet She's
Not Your Girlfriend, How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously? (Classical
Reprise), Losing My Mind, Music For Boys, Overture to 'Performance',
Miserablism, Hey Headmaster, What Keeps Mankind Alive?, Shameless,
Too Many People, Violence (Hacienda Version), Decadence,
Decadence (Unplugged Mix), If Love Were All, Can You Forgive Her? (Swing
Version), Euroboy, Some Speculation.
---
REVIEW: Jimmy Somerville, _Dare To Love_ (London)
- Ali Sinclair
_Dare To Love_ marks Jimmy Somerville's return to the record stores
and, I'm sure, to the charts - at least in Britain - after an absence of
almost four years. And the King of Gay Pop is back with a vengeance!
The CD is a varied collection with the unmistakable Somerville
pop-disco-falsetto mark: it includes cover versions of "Someday We'll Be
Together" and "Hurts So Good" (not the John Mellencamp song - I've been
waiting YEARS for someone to refind this gentle-reggae almost-ballad!);
throbbing disco "Heartbeat" and "Love Thing", pure love songs "By Your Side"
and "Safe In These Arms" and the intense, thought-provoking title track.
The pictures on the CD insert show a happy man, and the songs are
full of a love of life, even when mourning friends lost to AIDS. It seems
to me that the folks who live the hardest lives seem to have the greatest
capacity for expressing joy and love. That's what comes across to me from
this CD.
The title track is about an "older" man, aged 25, being persecuted
for his love of a 16-year-old boy "with a mind of his own". Musically and
vocally, this song is Jimmy at his best, showing a maturing vocal range and a
new strength. Lyrically, this is probably the song most likely to cause
controversy this year. After listening to it several times, I found myself
examining my own prejudices with a fine-tooth comb. What would my reaction
be if my 16-year-old son had a 25-year-old lover? I'd question the man's
motives. I'd wonder if he were corrupting my child. I'd want to protect the
boy. I'd suspect that there was something not-quite-right with a guy who chose
to mix with kids so much younger than him - is that prejudiced? I don't know,
because if my 16-year-old daughter had a 25-year-old male lover, I'd have
the same reaction. Was he using her? What would the future hold? And is
this parental care, or has it reached into the area of intolerable interference
in someone else's life? The age of consent is in place - and rightly so, in
my opinion - to protect minors from abuse. But sometimes children grow up too
soon. They don't all mature precisely on their 16th or 18th birthday.
Sometimes a 25-year-old is younger than an 18-year-old.
The difference between my son and my daughter would be that my
daughter's lover would just have to cope with my caring-interfering. He'd
just have to cope with family prejudice. My son's lover would be committing
an illegal act and would have not only me and my questions, but the local
community, their prejudices, and the Law to worry about.
Jimmy has been a champion of gay rights, gay love, since Bronski Beat's
single "Small Town Boy" smashed into the British Charts. And the question
he provokes is still the same - what right do any of us have to judge someone
else's love and turn it into something sordid? Whether the relationship
is homosexual, heterosexual or asexual.
Yes, this CD is thought-provoking. It's also a great disco record.
Don't forget to take it along to all those late-summer parties. Then you
can dance all night - whoever you love.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Neil Young, Salzburg, Aug 18 1995
- Reto Koradi
The Residenzplatz is a square in the middle of the old city of
Salzburg, right beside the famous dome, and only a 5 minute walk from the
house where Mozart was born. Certainly a great place to hold a rock
concert - and if they ever do it again they might learn that one or two
entrances are not enough for around 10,000 people).
Neil's supporting act was the Levellers. Not surprisingly (if you're
familiar with their recordings), they're a great live band, and gave a very
good performance despite some technical problems.
The first part of Neil Young's set was completely dedicated to his
current album _Mirror Ball_, starting with "Big Green Country" and the
great "Song X". Apart from a few slower moments like "Throw Your Hatred
Down", this was completely fat-free rock music, stripped down to the bare
bones. Simple, but effective, with a band that sounded very compact.
For the second part Neil sent the others off stage and played
some acoustic tracks. First came a very touching rendition of "The Needle And
The Damage Done", a bit later the always brilliant "Hey Hey, My My", which
has been evoking even more emotions since Kurt Cobain used the line "it's
better to burn out than to fade away" in his suicide note. "Broken Arrow"
and another very old song fell off somewhat; they sounded dusted and showed
that his early years were not his best.
The band came back for the third part, starting with another key
song from _Mirror Ball_, "I'm The Ocean". One of the highlights of the
concert was a very long version of "Cortez The Killer". Much too soon they
went off stage, coming back for only one encore, "Rockin' In The Free
World". By ending that with a few minutes of cruel noise, and immediately
turning on the lights after leaving stage, they made sure that nobody would
even dare to ask for more.
No doubt, it was at least partly a very strong concert, especially
if you consider it a live performance of _Mirror Ball_. But it's hard to
avoid thinking about songs he didn't play. Of course his output has been
much too huge to play everybody's favorites, and it's understandable that
he doesn't want to play "Heart Of Gold" and "Like A Hurricane" for the
millionth time. What's more striking (and disappointing) is the complete
absence of material from recent years. No "Mansion On The Hill", no
"Harvest Moon", and most of all not a single song from last year's
masterpiece _Sleeps With Angels_. This also implies that his characteristic
guitar playing style in slow songs was hardly to be heard.
It's no accident that Pearl Jam weren't mentioned so far. Three of
the band members were there, but, like on the album, they didn't get a
chance to play a prominent role. This was Neil Young & a band, and they were
no more and no less than Neil Young's very good band.
---
REVIEW: Bob Marley _Natural Mystic_ (TUFF GONG/Island)
- Dan Enright
_Natural Mystic, the most recent compilation of Bob Martley's
material, is a nicely packaged CD which includes lyrics, beautiful
artwork and photos, the cover art from his catalogue, and a
limited discography (they've included the dates the songs were released,
but not the albums they appeared on). It also includes "Iron Lion Zion",
from his box set, and "Keep On Moving". There is one disparate section - an
advertisement for "offical merchandise" (hats and shirts) that seems to
contradict the content of the music.
"But what about the music?" you're asking yourself. This is not a
greatest hits package. It's a collection of music released between 1975
and 1980 reflecting the combination of Marley's deeply held
religious/political beliefs - beliefs he not only sang about, but lived.
With the exception of a live version of "Trenchtown Rock", (one good thing
about music, when it hits you feel no pain) the songs focus
on "lesser known" songs. For example - "Build your penitentiary, we
build your schools/ Brainwash education to make us the fools/ Hate is your
reward for our love/ Telling us of you God above/ We gonna chase those
crazy/ Chase those crazy bunkheads/ Chase those crazy baldheads out of
town" - from "Crazy Baldheads" or the lyrics in "One Drop" - "They made the
world so hard/ Everyday we got to keep on fighting/ Everyday people are
dying/ From hunger and starvation, lamentation/ But read it in
Revelation/ You'll find redemption/ And then you give us the teaching of
His Majesty/ For we want no devil philosophy, and the final line -
Fighting against ism and skism."
If you're unfamiliar with the depth of Marley's songwriting, or you
want a broad collection of his more politcal/social/religious material,
this is a CD worth owning. I wouldn't recommend it for folks who haven't
heard anything by Marley, however. There are no bad or weak Bob Marley
recordings, a fact this collection reaffirms. The arrangements, lyrics,
and performances are top notch and illustrate why he's transcended being a
pop icon, to become a legendary - dare I say it, revolutionary - prophet,
who speaks to the hearts and minds of people all over the planet.
---
REVIEW: Various - _KCRW Rare On Air_ (Volume 2) (Mammoth)
- Joe Silva
Culled once again from the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" program, these
collections have turned out to be interesting not for the weighty names
they bear, but for the subtle unveiling of the performers that they pull off.
From the sly/funky/ghostly lead cut by Cibo Matto ("Sugar Water") to
the Air Supply/Leonard Cohen style Lloyd Cole gem towards the end ("Famous
Blue Raincoat"), the KCRW people hold together this largely acoustic
collection while it crosses forth and back over many a genre.
While you don't necessarily instantly envision someone like white funk-
noire poet MC 900 Ft. Jesus fitting in here, his groovy interlude ("The City
Sleeps") nestles in comfortably here, turntable scratches and all. There
are more obvious appearances: Joni Mitchell's angelic Camel stoked voice
rings over her huge acoustic six string sound on "Just Like This Train,"
Aimee Mann's delicate, cafe-style vocal on "I've Had It" that reminds us
how silly we probably were to spotlight Edie Brickell instead all those
years ago, and crabby alterna-crooner Vic Chestnutt showing that for all
his annoying down to earthiness, there's something actually flavourful to
a track like "Everybody Can Change."
While Phillip Glass' "Opening" pulls his typical "shows promise, goes
nowhere" and the Cranberries "Sunday" grates ever so slightly, they may
be the sole exceptions to an otherwise seamless string of well wrought
performances.
---
REVIEW: Esquivel, _music from a sparkling planet_ (Bar/None / RCA)
- Dan Enright
Every once in a while, I get turned on to an artist that's so
completely different, they belong in a class by themselves. Juan Garcia
Esquivel is one of these rare musicians. Esquivel (who is now 77) was a
composer/arranger/megastar in Mexico during the 50s and early 60s. He had
a reputation in the U.S., but more for his performances than his
recordings. This limited the number of people who know of him at the
time, but Irwin Chusid (who produced this compilation) argues his
presence in Southern California in the early 60s probably influenced
Brian Wilson and Phil Spector. And no wonder. The description - to quote
Irwin - "...Spike Jones meets Dali arrangements and Wagnerian
magnificance..." is right on the mark.
Esquivel recorded some of the first stereo albums for RCA. But his
"unique" style and obsessive pursuit of perfection resulted in albums
(that in retrospect) were clearly 30 years ahead fo their time. In the
liner notes, Herman Diaz, jr. - who brought Esquivel to America from
Mexico and produced his albums - shares anecdotes about those sessions,
"Everything was recorded live without overdubs. Esquivel would play the
piano and conduct simultaneously. I might make suggestions, but he was
totally in control of what he did. When dealing with such a brilliant
talent, the less involved i got, the better. There was one problem:
money. RCA kept an eye on the budget, but Esquivel couldn't care less. We
got him the best musicians in New York session after session, but he
didn't care about RCA's money or the musicians money, or about overtime.
All he cared about was getting the best sound and performance for his
arrangements. He was a perfectionist, always. he made some very expensive
records. Beautiful - but expensive."
And the recordings are incredible. He took chestnuts like "My Blue
Heaven," "All Of Me," and "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" (to name just a few
- in fact this compilation includes only one original song) and turned
them into some of the most twisted "lounge" music ever recorded, or
performed for that matter. Words just can't convey what's happening in
these songs. At first, the arrangements seem "kitschy," then in subtle
(and not so subtle!) ways, they begin to insinuate themselves into your
brain. One moment intense and dissonate, the next melodic - almost
romantic. And an amazing mix of instrumentation. Best (still poorly)
described as soundtrack music for The Jetsons - probably what Jane listens
to around the house, or when she and George go out dancing.
The accompaning booklet includes interviews with Esquivel, as well
as people who worked with him on his various projects. What it fails to do
is give information about the songs themselves. This is Bar/None-RCA's
second compilation; the original (vinyl) albums are long out of print, yet
there's no mention what albums these songs are from or what year they were
released. This is a major oversight. It's claimed the first compilation
_Space Age Bachelor Pad Music_ has a biographical overview of his work.
That's still no excuse for not including the information on this CD.
This music isn't going to be for everyone. Like many things in life, it's an
acquired taste. But if you like challenges and creativity when you listen
to music, Esquivel will meet and even exceed your expectations. I highly
recommend him.
---
REVIEW: The Presidents of the United States of America
_The Presidents of the United States of America_
(PopLlama-Columbia)
- Scott Byron
Seattle stepson Kurt Cobain's most famous entreaty, "here we are now,
entertain us," was meant as a wry commentary. Yet Seattle's newest
breakthrough band, The Presidents of the United States of America, seem to
have taken Kurt's words as gospel. The Presidents have no political or
sociological agenda, their goal is simply to entertain us. And they do.
A fine response to the grungy, ultra-serious Seattle mainstream, The
Presidents put on live shows that are pure fun (I've seen a few) and that
soon drew a sizable following, not to mention the attention of record
labels big and small. While the labels lined up to court them, the
Presidents released this album on Seattle's _other_ big indie, PopLlama,
more known for tongue-in-cheek pop than teen angst.
After signing with Columbia, that album has been remastered and is
now widely available. It's a lot of fun, too, like the live shows. Most
of the songs here are a little silly, but in a good way. They make you
smile inside, singing about such things as what they want to do to an
annoying cat, their desire for peaches, or the seductiveness of Hollywood.
This (lack of?) attitude could get annoying mighty quickly if the
music wasn't as much fun as the lyrics. The Presidents are a somewhat
straightforward power pop trio, and they put tremendous energy into every
song. These tracks bounce around wildly, the musicians obviously loving
every moment. Oh, did I mention that Chris Bellew plays (according to the
credits) a two-string "bassitar" and Dave Dederer plays a three-string
"guitbass"? The booklet also point out that Jason Finn plays "no-string
drums." Bellew's singing is as joyous as the playing, half-shouting his
odd little tunes. You'll shout right along with him -- this stuff is very
catchy.
If, like me, you're ready for a short break from the self-conscious
seriousness that drives much of today's new music scene, check out The
Presidents of the United States of America's new album. And don't miss
'em when they play your town.
---
REVIEW: Axiom Funk, _Funkonomicron_ (Axiom/Island)
- Britain Woodman
Avant-garde rocker Bill Laswell's Axiom label, distributed by Polygram,
was founded to distribute world-music, ambient, and other experimental
music produced by Laswell and partners like Nicky Skopelitis (his bandmate in
the Golden Palominos), Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell (P-Funk alumni), Liu
Sola (Chinese folk/blues singer), and "world music" experimentalists like
The Master Musicians of Jajouka.
The Axiom Funkonomicron is a follow-up to last year's Axiom Ambient
_Lost in the Translation_, (see Consumable 2/6/95), a two-disc collection of
remixes of past Axiom releases. This two-CD set, though, concentrates on the
hip-hop and funky dance music released by the label, but the filler is kept to
a minimum (three album tracks from releases by Material, Praxis, and
Skopelitis) -- for this set, Bill Laswell brings in Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley,
Gary "Mudbone" Cooper, and George Clinton himself. Herbie Hancock (who
became a household name long before US3 with the dancey, Laswell-produced
80s classic "Rock-It"), among others, also appears on the set.
Longtime Funkadelic cover artist Pedro Bell drew all the booklet art
(including an amusing mini-comic in which the voluptuous Lucy IV is sent to
kill Laswell and Bell and bring them to Hell -- unfortunately, this cartoon is
reproduced almost too small to read in the CD booklet). Even guitarist Eddie
Hazel, on tape, makes a posthumous appearance. The project is dedicated
jointly to Hazel (Laswell joins Ween, Mike Watt, and the Beastie Boys in
dedicating recent projects to Hazel, who died in 1992) and to Jimi Hendrix,
whose "If Six Was Nine" is sung by Bootsy Collins.
The first disc includes the aforementioned "If Six Was Nine," Hazel's
twelve minute "Orbitron Attack," and Collins' acid alter-ego Zillatron's
"Free-Bass (Godzillatron Cush.)" Clinton appears on "Under the Influence
(Jes Grew)," dissing the unfunky parts of his current base of operations,
Southeast Michigan.
Sly Stone co-wrote and sings on the sweet soul ballad "Tell The World."
This is, unfortunately, the only Sly Stone material on the set -- it's a great
song, but it may not justify the $25-30 purchase price if you don't like the
controversial Laswell's ways with ambient, dub, or P-funk style. Most
funkateers either love or hate Laswell.
The strongest track may well be "Hideous Mutant Freekz", disc two's
opener, which recalls the wacko subject matter and addictive vocal hooks of
Parliament's heyday. Besides featuring the harmonies of Clinton, Garry Shider,
Cooper, and Collins, features a prominent (and ironic) old-school Public Enemy
sample.
"Sax Machine" is a nod toward the James Brown style of dance music.
Although essentially a Maceo Parker (alto sax) vehicle, it also spotlights
Laswell's bass and Bobby Byrd's vocals. They even invoke Brownisms like
"Get into it, get involved!"
"Animal Behavior" is a rerun from Praxis' major-label sojourn (the
funk-metal ensemble has recorded two other albums for Laswell's indie label
Subharmonic) spotlighting Bootsy's "ain't nothin' but a pah-ty, baby"
persona.
Umar Bin Hassan and Abiodun "Doon" Oyewole, the Laswell-friendly
faction of the Last Poets, contribute vocals to two tracks on disc two.
Of them, Doon fares better, sitting in for Hendrix on "Trumpets and
Violins, Violins."
Overall, I'd recommend looking for this set on sale, if you're
interested in what Bootsy and Bernie have been doing between P-Funk All-Stars
tours, or are curious about Bill Laswell's funk experiments but were afraid
Axiom was too "spacey."
---
REVIEW: John Coltrane, _A Love Supreme_, _Ballads_,
_John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman_ (Impulse!)
- Ali Sinclair
The Impulse! label - best known for its quality and innovative jazz
albums of the '60s and '70s - has been emphatically relaunched after 21 years.
The first releases from the rejuvenated label are reissues of three of
John Coltrane's recordings - _A Love Supreme_, _Ballads_ and _John Coltrane
and Johnny Hartman_. The recordings have all been digitally remastered and are
available on CD and on limited-edition vinyl. The CDs are beautifully
packaged with some excellent photos, all the original sleeve notes, and the
distinctive Impulse! black-orange-and-white colours.
The legendary saxophonist John Coltrane recorded on the Impulse! label
for many years - as did many of his friends and proteges. These three
recordings provide a good introduction to Coltrane's jazz; both _Ballads_ and
_...and Johnny Hartman_ being gentle, almost soothing, jazz - Hartman's smooth
crooning flowing with McCoy Tyner's piano, Jimmy Garrison's bass and Elvin
Jones' drums.
_A Love Supreme_ is a classic example of Coltrane's other, better
remembered side - the jazzman reaching out, musically and spiritually, to
somewhere no one else has been.
For a gentle introduction to Coltrane, start with _Ballads_, listen to
_... and Johnny Hartman_, move on to _A Love Supreme_. And then go out and
hunt down some more...
---
REVIEW: Redbelly, _Redbelly_ (East West Records)
- Jeremy Ashcroft
Fast cars and rock and roll. Don't they just belong together? There's
few things more fun that speeding along in a convertible, top down, with
some great loud music blasting out of your speakers. Or even if not a
sports car, you might associate the rock dream with a Harley Davidson or
a block-long limo whisking the star back to their hotel after a gig.
What you _don't_ usually associate with the world of rock is
agricultural transport, but Redbelly - formerly known as Tractor - seem to
have a thing about the subject. Even their name comes from the name of a
particular model of Ford tractor. But is the band name a reflection of
the music?
I would guess that, for most people, one tractor is pretty much like
every other tractor - you've seen one, you've seen them all - and, in a
sense, Redbelly suffer the same problem. Though the music is played
well, they sound an awful lot like certain other bands - namely,
Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots.
That's not to say every track sounds the same - they do vary the pace
and mood from song to song - but just like the tractor is a very versatile
piece of equipment, used for all kinds of things, from ploughing up fields
to sewing seed, you can't escape the noise of all that heavy machinery.
Even in their quieter moments, Redbelly can't escape the rumble of their
own heavy machinery.
On the positive side, what they do, they do well - and given
that this is their debut album, they'll have plenty of time to develop their
own distinctive sound. Given that one track, the first single - "Fire
In The Hole" - features a backward version of Jimi Hendrix' solo from "All
Along The Watchtower", at least they're listening to the masters instead of
exclusively to today's genre of the month. If you're a big fan of the Seattle
sound and its derivatives, Redbelly should be for you. If not, you'll want
to see if their Hendrix takeoffs continue on their sophmore effort.
---
NEWS: > Big Mountain will headline the first annual "Concert for the C.R.E.W.
(Concerned Resource and Environmental Workers)", an all day benefit at Lake
Casitas, CA (near Ojai) on September 23, 1995. All proceeds from the event
will go to C.R.E.W., a non-profit youth employment and leadership program
based in Ventura County. Gates will open at 12 noon, with performances
scheduled from 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $12.00 in advance and
$15.00 on the day of the event. There will be many other bands creating a
mix of celtic melodies, jazz harmonies, and African drum rhythms, while food
and arts and crafts booths will give it a feel of a reggae-fied mini
Lollapalooza. For further information, call C.R.E.W. at 805-646-5085.
> Jason Scheff, vocalist and bassist for the group Chicago,
has been communicating with his group's fans via the Internet.
In fact, some fans who have created a sign (stored on Compuserve)
and enlarged it have gotten invited backstage after the show.
Scheff and Chicago can be reached at 76702.2615@compuserve.com
> The 15th CMJ Music Marathon - a three day and four night
symposium on the alternative music industry and international music
festival - will take place at New York City's Lincoln Center
from September 6-9.
Two panels which promise to be well attended include "Selling
Records in the 21st Century - The Internet vs. the Record Store", moderated
by Windy Chien of Sick & Tired and "Sexism & Violence In Music and Video:
Can Free Speech Go Too Far?" moderated by Howie Klein of Reprise Records.
There will also be a question and answer session with Don Was and "Beach Boy"
Brian Wilson about his forthcoming documentary film, "I Just Wasn't
Made For These Times".
More than 400 signed and unsigned artists from around the world will
be performing at the festival. Some bands of note who will play include
Belly, Better than Ezra, Boo Radleys, David Byrne, Echobelly, Foetus, G. Love
and Special Sauce, Matthew Sweet, Meat Puppets, Mercury Rev, Silverchair
and Spearhead. For further information contact CMJ at 516-466-6000.
> A video compilation of Sarah McLachlan videos is expected to
arrive in stores in time for the winter holiday season.
> Skinny Puppy's Dwayne Goettel passed away August 23 in Edmonton
of an apparent overdose.
> Urge Overkill will be touring in Australia at the time of the
U.S. release of their new album. The tour will be in the U.S. around
the second week of October, and continue in North America until
December. The band also just finished filming a video in California
for the U.S. single "The Break". The European single is "Somebody
Else's Body".
---
TOUR DATES
Better Than Ezra
Sept. 1 Rochester, NY Horizontal Boogie Bar
Sept. 2 Toronto, ON Opera House
Sept. 3 Montreal, QC Fonfounes Electrique
Sept. 4 Burlington, VT Metronome
Sept. 6 New York, NY Academy
Sept. 7 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
Sept. 8 Boston, MA Paradise
Sept. 9 Providence, RI Lupo's
Sept. 12 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Sept. 13 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom
Sept. 14 Raleigh, NC Marzz
Bile
Sept. 3 Long Island, NY Rush
David Bowie / Nine Inch Nails / Prick
Sept. 14 Hartford, CT The Meadows
Sept. 16 Boston, MA Great Woods
Sept. 17 Hershey, PA Hershey Park
Sept. 20 Toronto, ON Skydome
Sept. 22 Camden, NJ Sony Entertainment Center
Sept. 23 Pittsburgh, PA Starlake Amphitheatre
Sept. 27-28 East Rutherford, NJ Brendan Byrne Arena
Sept. 30 Cleveland, OH Blossom
Oct. 1 Chicago, IL The World
Oct. 3 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
Oct. 4 Columbus, OH Polaris
Oct. 6 Washington, DC Nissan Pavillion at Stoneridge
Oct. 7 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek
Oct. 9 Atlanta, GA Lakewood
Oct. 11 St. Louis, MO Riverport
Buckwheat Zydeco
Sept. 2 Oyster Bay, NY Planting Fields Arboretum
Sept. 3 Lewiston, NY Artpartk
Sept. 9-10 San Diego, CA San Diego Street Scene
Cravin' Melon (some dates with Hootie & Blowfish)
Aug. 30 Spartanburg, SC USCS
Aug. 31 Greenville, NC East Carolina Univ
Sept. 1 Murrelus Inlet, SC Sandpipers
Sept. 2 Atlanta GA Cotton Club
Sept. 3 Isle Of Palms, SC Windjammer
Sept. 7 Tallahassee, FL FloydUs Music Hall
Sept. 8 Tampa, FL (w/Hootie)
Sept. 9 Miami, FL (w/Hootie)
Sept. 10 Daytona Beach, FL (w/Hootie)
Sept. 13 Columbia, SC Bomber Stadium- (w/Hootie)
Sept. 14 Raleigh, NC NC State Univ
Sept. 15 Greensboro, NC Blind Tiger
Juliana Hatfield
Sept. 6 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
Sept. 7 Greensboro, NC Univ. of NC
Sept. 8 Baltimore, MD Hammerjacks
Sept. 9 Washington, DC George Washington Univ.
Sept. 10 Charlottesville, VA Trax
Sept. 12 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
Sept. 13 Cohoes, NY Saratoga's Winners
Sept. 14 Northampton, MA Pearl Street
Sept. 15 Rochester, NY Water Street Music Hall
Hum
Sept. 1 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom
Sept. 2 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theatre
Sept. 5 Kansas City, KS Memorial Theatre
Sept. 6 St. Louis, MO American Theatre
Sept. 10 Memphis, TN Mud Island
Sept. 12 Wichita, KS Cotillion Ballroom
Sept. 13 Boulder, CO C.U. Fieldhouse
Sept. 15-16 San Francisco, CA Warfield
Kate Jacobs
Sept. 8 Crete, NE Doane College
Phranc
Aug. 29 Los Angeles, CA Jabberjaw
Aug. 30 San Diego, CA The Casbah
Aug. 31 Las Vegas, NV Double Down
Sept. 1 Mesa, AZ Hollywood Alley
Sept. 2 Albuquerque, NM Golden West
Sept. 4 Denver, CO Rock Island
Sept. 5 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
Sept. 6 Denver, CO Mercury
Sept. 7 Salt Lake City, UT Cinema Bar
Sept. 8 Boise, ID Neurolux
Pro-Pain
Aug. 31 Raleigh, NC Player's Niteclub
Sept. 1 Wilmington, NC Mad Monk
Sept. 2 Charlotte, NC Jeremiah's
Sept. 3 Myrtle Beach, SC Headroom
Rev. Horton Heat / Hagfish
Sept. 2 Portland, OR La Luna
Sept. 6 Palo Alto, CA The Edge
Sept. 7 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst
Sept. 9 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
Sept. 14 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Sept. 15 Chicago, IL Double Door
Silverchair
Aug. 30 Montreal, QC Cafe Campus
Aug. 31 Toronto, ON Opera House
Sept. 2 Chicago, IL Metro
Sept. 3 Boston, MA Paradise
Sept. 5 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero (Tentative)
Sept. 6 Washington, DC Black Cat
Sept. 8 New York, NY Academy
Sept. 10 Atlanta, GA (TBA)
Sept. 12 Los Angeles, CA The Whiskey
Sept. 13 San Francisco, CA Slim's
Sept. 15 Seattle, WA DV-8
Speedball
Sept. 2 Pontiac, MI Phoenix Plaza
Sept. 3 Lockport, NY CKEY Festival
Noah Stone
Sept. 2 Berkeley, CA Berkeley Square
Sept. 12 Berkeley, CA Berkeley Square
Sept. 13 San Francisco, CA, Nightbreak
Sept. 14 Santa Rosa, CA Magnolia's
Sept. 15 Portland, OR Mt .Tabor Pub
Ugly Kid Joe / Souls at Zero
Sept. 1 Roseville, MI The Ritz
Sept. 2 Cincinnati, OH Annie's
Sept. 3 River Grove, IL Thirsty Whale
Sept. 5 Grand Rapids, MI Orbit Room
Sept. 6 Louisville, KY Toy Tiger
Sept. 8 Cleveland, OH Odeon Country Club
Sept. 10 Cohoes, NY Saratoga Winners
Sept. 11 Mount Vernon, NY Low Down
Sept. 13 Fort Wayne, IN Pieres
Sept. 14 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
---
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